Walt Disney World offers a litany of dining experiences. From fancy table restaurants to character meals that allow you to meet multiple characters at once to quick service meals, there’s something for everyone. However, just because there are experiences for everyone doesn’t mean every experience is enjoyable to everyone.
Case in point: The Whispering Canyon Cafe at Disney’s Wilderness Lodge. This eatery is known for a somewhat chaotic dining experience full of Cast Member shenanigans, which some guests LOVE and some would prefer to avoid at all costs.
Whispering Canyon Cafe is an all-you-care-to-enjoy restaurant open during brunch and dinner.
For brunch, the restaurants offers three different unlimited skillet options for $27 each.
- The Heritage (House-made Buttermilk-Cheddar Biscuits and Sausage Gravy with Scrambled Eggs, Country Potatoes, Hickory-smoked Bacon, Pork Sausage Links, Mickey-shaped Waffles )
- The Lighter Side (Bircher Muesli (Swiss Oatmeal), Fresh Fruit, and Yogurt with Egg White-Spinach Frittata, Turkey Bacon, Turkey Sausage, Country Potatoes, Mickey-shaped Waffles)
- The Carnivore (House-made Cornbread with Honey Butter, Maple-Chipotle Barbecued Slow-smoked Pork Ribs, Oak-smoked Beef Brisket, Barbecued Pulled Pork, Citrus-Herb Chicken, Country Potatoes, Buttered Corn, Charred Carrots).
In addition, individual entrees including frittatas, omelets, and sandwiches are also available.
The dinner menu features 4 $45 all-you-care to enjoy skillets including:
- The Traditional (Oak-smoked Beef Brisket, Pork Ribs, Slow-smoked Pulled Pork, Citrus-Herb Chicken, Western-style Sausage, Smashed Potatoes, Baked Beans, Buttered Corn on the Cob, Sautéed Green Beans)
- The Pig (Braised Pork Belly, Barbecued Pork Ribs, Slow-smoked Pulled Pork, “Piggy Wings,” Western-style Sausage, Smashed Potatoes, Buttered Corn, Sautéed Green Beans)
- The Land and Sea (House-smoked Salmon, Citrus-Herb Chicken, Spicy Plant-based Sausage, Charred Portobello, Barbecued Cauliflower, Roasted Potatoes, Roasted Carrots, Sautéed Green Beans)
- Plant-based (Maple-Chipotle Barbecued Jackfruit, Spicy “Sausage,” Mustard-glazed Beefless Tips, Herb-brushed Trick’n Chick’n, Roasted Potatoes, Oven-roasted Carrots, Sautéed Green Beans, Charred Peppers)
The dinner also offers several starters, as well as a la cart entrees including Salmon, New York Strip Stake, and Quinoa cakes.
However, the real draw — or drawback of the restaurant, depending who you ask — is that Cast Members really get into character and interact with guests via various shenanigans. The AllEars cast even coined this restaurant as “Disney World’s Most Embarrassing Restaurant.” You can watch their experience below!
For example, if you ask for ketchup, your server may bring you multiple bottles and draw attention to you. It is all in good fun, but if this kind of experience is not something you are looking for, you may want to dine elsewhere.
Did you know that you can leave reviews on our site for all things Disney World-related, like restaurants, rides, entertainment, hotels, and more? We were scrolling through recent reviews of breakfast at Whispering Canyon Cafe and came across an interesting review left by one of our readers.
Whispering Canyon Cafe Restaurant
Services: Table Service
They said, “My wife and I came here because of the shenanigans that they pull. We arrived and got seated but were quickly disappointed when we found out that the shenanigans only happen on certain nights when certain Cast Members are working. It was definitely not worth the amount of money we spent. We will not be going back.” On the bright side, they also commented that their food was good.
It can be super disappointing to come in with high expectations of a restaurant and leave feeling like you missed out. Cast Members are not required to put on the act that is well known at restaurants like this one, so your experience can really vary depending on which Cast Members are working during your dining time.
It is important to note that sometimes dining experiences at Disney World are not always what you may initially think. In the past, we have had team members dine at Whispering Canyon Cafe and were relieved that they had a server who did not go along with the bit.
This can also be the case in some character dining experiences. Sometimes, characters only have enough time to visit your table once; other times, you may get to meet with a character multiple times. The characters follow different rotations depending on their restaurant, so a character may walk right by your table. However, it is not because they are ignoring you; they are simply following the rotation and will eventually make their way to your table.
While it can be super disappointing not to get the dining experience that you hoped for, it does not hurt to ask at the host stand when you check in to be seated in an interactive section. The same goes for requesting a more calm section.
If you ARE a fan of the restautant’s interactive elements, we’d also reccomend similar experiences like the Hoop Dee Doo Musical Revue, and 50s Prime Time Cafe where the Cast Members also really get in on the bit.
For more restaurant reviews, make sure to continue to follow along with AllEars, and be sure leave your OWN AllEars review letting us know what you think of all things Disney World!
If you don’t want to be part of the interaction, you only need to ask not to be included, and the cast members will leave you alone.