Looking for the best food on Disney Destiny? Try these seven places on board

Disney Cruise Line is known for its incredible entertainment, meeting beloved friends, and top-notch service, but in my mind, what sets Disney apart is its restaurants. On the all-new Disney Destiny, the best food on board the ship can be found everywhere, from the table service restaurants to the quick-service stands that line the pool deck.

I recently had the opportunity to sail the Disney Destiny on a preview cruise, and let me just say, no one goes hungry on this ship. I got to try everything from the new dinner show, Pride: Lands Feast of the Lion King, to the adults-only Enchanté, and even a few beloved favorites while watching movies on Funnel Vision.

If you’re sailing on Disney Cruise Line’s new ship soon, you’ll want to keep reading as I share the best food on the Disney Destiny. And with sailings ranging from four to seven nights, you’ll have plenty of time to try all the options.

Best Rotating Restaurant: Pride Lands: Feast of the Lion King

Unlike other family cruise lines, where a huge main dining room serves thousands of guests at a time, Disney has three main dining rooms that you pass through during your cruise. These include 1923, which specializes in fresh California cuisine; Worlds of Marvel, which celebrates all of Marvel’s iconic heroes and villains; and the new Lands of Lions: Lion King Festival.

MAKE MEMORIES: 25 Best Family Vacation Spots in the United States for All Ages

If you’re only attending one dinner in the main dining rooms, you’ll want to make sure it’s Pride Lands: Feast of the Lion King. The dinner show might be better than Plaza de Coco on the Disney Treasure, which is a big statement since I really loved Plaza de Coco.

During your meal, you’ll enjoy African-inspired cuisine including black-eyed pea hummus, green papaya salad, apricot curry chicken sosaties (skewers), and my favorite, shrimp curry with rice and roti. The shrimp curry is spicy and flavorful, without being too spicy. I also loved the roti, which was the perfect way to soak up all the extra curry sauce left in my bowl. This was my favorite dish on the Disney Destiny.

Alongside this exceptional meal, families will be able to attend a show on the central stage. Two singers, a small band and a dancer tell the story of how Simba went from kid to king through iconic songs from the animated and Broadway versions of The Lion King.

Best Quick Service Option: Mickey & Friends Festival of Foods

Honestly, there’s nothing better than taking a Disney Cruise, grabbing a snack, and heading to a lounge chair in front of the Funnel Vision to watch a movie. While you can always head to Marceline Market, the food hall-style buffet on board, I love the Mickey & Friends Festival of Foods kiosks outside on the pool deck.

BEST TRIP EVER: 101 new family vacation ideas for all ages and budgets

Here you’ll find everything from barbecue and pizza to chicken tenders and tacos. My favorite is Donald’s Cantina, where tacos, bowls, and burritos are all on the menu, and the guac doesn’t cost extra. And if you’re looking for a delicious Disney Cruise Line tip, make your taco bowl without rice, then grab a plate of fries from Goofy’s Grill. Once you have both dishes, top your fries with your Tex-Mex bowl for the best loaded fries you’ve ever had. Don’t forget to put some spicy salsa on top.

Best Coffee: Café Megara

There are four main cafes on board the Disney Destiny. The first is the adults-only Cove Cafe, located near the adult pool at the rear of the ship. There is also one in front of the Marceline market. The other two cafes are located just off the Great Hall, on decks four and five. These are Café Megara and Café Merida respectively.

All four establishments offer different menus, but my favorite is Café Megara, themed after the iconic damsel in distress, Megara, from Hercules. The small café has a few small tables and a bar lined with stools, so you can have your drink or have it prepared to take away. I usually opted for a cup of coffee or a cocktail at the bar. Of course, Disney Cruise Line’s signature coffee, the Salted Caramel Coconut Latte, is available here, complete with a fun imprint of the Hercules character on top.

SET SAIL: 12 Best Cruises and Family Ships in the World

I also loved the coffee bar’s version of an espresso martini, the Hades Ash and Cocoa, which infused the flavor of toasted coconut, maple, and Nutella into the cocktail. While it may seem like an odd combination, the strong espresso really balances out all the sweet flavors, making it a drink worthy of Mount Olympus.

Best celebration meal: Enchanted

While sailing on the Disney Destiny, I had the chance to finally test Enchanté. This adults-only restaurant features a menu created in partnership with three-star Michelin chef Arnaud Lallement, and it’s a true gastronomic feast. My dinner started with a perfect welcome cocktail and homemade sourdough bread with rich butter. During the two-and-a-half-hour meal, my dining companions and I ate everything from lobster and A5 Japanese wagyu to sumptuous chocolates and petit fours for dessert. This is a perfect celebratory meal for couples on a cruise.

Best lounge for dining: Cask & Cannon

Cask & Cannon ended up being my hangout spot on Pirate Night, which is fitting since the bar is themed after Pirates of the Caribbean attractions around the world. The sports bar offers a wide variety of rum-based cocktails, a few signature beers, and a full menu of chargeable snacks. While at the bar, I ordered the Dead Man’s Chest, a drink meant to be shared between two people. It is served in a real treasure chest filled with smoke. The drink is quite a spectacle once it arrives at your table.

CRUISE OFFERS: Kids Sail Free on These 8 Cruise Lines

This is also where you’ll find a plethora of bar bites like chicken wings, giant German pretzels served with beer cheese, bangers and mash, a cheeseburger and fish and chips. My pirate crew opted for the giant pretzel, served hot and perfectly salted. We also tried the Loaded Potato Puffs: tater tots loaded with beer cheese, nacho cheese, jalapeños, bacon, green onions, and sour cream. Talk about a late-night snack worthy of walking the plank.

Best lounge for drinks: The Sanctum

When I first heard that there would be a Dr. Strange themed lounge on the Disney Destiny, I was so excited. I spent several nights at the Sanctum. I can confidently say that this is the best lounge on the ship. The cocktails and mocktails are super creative, most have an interactive element and they taste really good.

The distortion effect seemed to be a popular option, made with Stoli Elit, Lychee, Strawberry Pink Pepper, Fever Tree Lime and Yuzu, but it’s the interactive element that makes this so cool. The drink is placed on an interactive coaster that puts “electricity” inside the cup. Think of those lightning orbs at your mall’s Discovery Channel store in the late ’90s.

TIME TOGETHER: 11 Best Adults-Only All-Inclusive Resorts in the Caribbean

I also loved the Eye Opener, a tea-based cocktail with Saigon Baigur, smoked oolong tea and Amaro Montenegro. Although the drink was light and perfectly sippable, it was the presentation that really blew me away. The drink is served on a wooden tray that has a massive ring with a glass teapot suspended in the middle. Then you can pour the tea into a serving cup before pouring it into two smaller cups. The drink can be shared, but it is not necessarily designed to be consumed by two people.

Best Room Service Treat: Mickey’s Premium Ice Cream Bar

And if you’re still hungry after devouring the Disney Destiny staples, there’s always free 24-hour room service. Sure, there’s the chicken tenders, but you just can’t go on a Disney Cruise without picking up a Mickey’s Premium Ice Cream bar to enjoy while watching your favorite Disney movie. For me that means turning on Ratatouille, The princess’s diaryOr Sleeping Beauty.

More from FamilyVacationist: