Most important to know is that you need to make reservations as far in advance (up to 6 months) as you can.  You cannot walk into the Disney Parks and expect to eat at any of their sit down restaurants unless you have reservations unless there are only 2 of you and/or you are very lucky!  I tried to get into the Rose and Crown in Epcot one night and the woman in front of me was trying to make her reservation for a later time, couldn't, so she cancelled.  I asked if I could have her reservation and got in, but that was a fluke.  I don't know how many times we've seen people trying to get in to eat someplace nice and they can't without a reservation.  Just a fair warning!  You can now book dining reservations online http://disneyworld.disney.go.com/dining/.

We’ve been coming to the Disney area for 20 years and we still manage to find new things to do or places to eat.  A pertinent suggestion here would be to make any dining reservations asap for Disney Dining at 407-939-3463.  After you get the recording, press 1, then 1, then 1 again to answer the questions (unless you want other than English…) or online http://disneyworld.disney.go.com/dining/. Some of our recommendations follow.  My favorites are starred 

 Dis Hollywood Studios -  50s Prime Time Café $$ – no elbows on the table or hats allowed here!  See what’s it was like at a family dinner in the 50s! * Having grown up in the 50s I love this place! You'll need reservations as it's hard to walk in.

Animal Kingdom Lodge $$ - Boma – Flavors of Africa – A buffet with amazing new and different food in an African setting

Animal Kingdom Lodge - Jiko's Great food!  Try their flat bread appetizers! *

Contemporary Hotel top floor California Grill $$$ - A special treat as it is expensive but you can plan to eat an hour or so before the Magic Kingdom fireworks and see and hear them from the restaurant. One of Disney's signature restaurants! * This one needs reservations too unless you are a small party and willing to sit in the "bar" area.  It's actually quite nice and a good option if you don't have reservations.

Epcot – the Living Seas – Coral Reef restaurant $$$ - good place for lunch as not quite as expensive as dinner.  Dine beside a huge aquarium with sharks, fish and divers swimming by.  Another hard one to walk in without reservations so plan ahead.

Downtown Disney – Rain Forest Café $$ - If you haven’t been to one of these before, it is a fun time and reasonable prices.  There is another one located in Animal Kingdom.  If it's busy ask to sit on the porch.  If you have kids that don't like the thunder, lightning or ape noises, the outside porch is quieter.  Dinosaur Trek is a new restaurant in Downtown Disney that is similar only with Dinosaurs.

Epcot Canada – Le Cellier Steakhouse $$ - Hard to get into but great food!  Breadsticks and steak soup make a great lunch!  Beautiful gardens! * If you don't have reservations, sometimes if you get there right at opening for lunch you can wait until they seat their first groups and you may get in.  Crying might help too.

Grand Floridian Resort – Narcoossee’s $$$ - Another special night.  Take the boat or monorail from Magic Kingdom as unless you get valet parking, it’s a long trek from the parking lot to the restaurant!  Plan to be there for the Magic Kingdom fireworks so make reservations anytime 1 ½ hours or so before.  You can watch from the porch or walk down to the dock.  Great show and great view!  Food is out of this world! **  There's a chance you can get in here without reservations.

Downtown Disney – Planet Hollywood $$ - If you like movie memorabilia, crowds and noise, this is an experience.  Usually a very busy place!  Food is ordinary.

Epcot – United Kingdom – Rose and Crown $$ - Again a great place to watch fireworks only this time in Epcot!  Good food, not the best Disney has to offer, but very good.  The location and seating for the show can’t be beat!  Outside seating is best but inside they allow you to wander out to the porch and sit for the show then come back in for dessert or to pay.  Fireworks are usually at 9pm so reserve for 7:45 or later and eat slowly.  Noise from the fireworks is LOUD so if you have children that are sensitive to this, be warned.  Otherwise this is a great treat!!  Hard to get into so be sure to make reservations well in advance. *

Disney Boardwalk – Spoodles $$ - Take the boat from Epcot and get off at the Boardwalk.  If you have any energy left, rent one of the family size bicycle carts and ride around the boardwalk for ½ before dinner.  Entertainment on the Boardwalk like the cycling piano player, juggler etc. at various times.

Epcot – Japan – TeppanEdo Dining Room $$ – Sit around the cooking table while the chef prepares your meal. * If you don't fill a table, you'll be sitting with other guests which is usually quite fun.

Wilderness Lodge - Whispering Canyon Café $$ (Note – not Fort Wilderness) Fun place where they might make you do the “hokey pokey” during lunch or dinner.

Also in Wilderness Lodge – Artist Point $$$ One of Disney’s signature restaurants.  Food is great – try the buffalo, you’ll be surprised!  It’s like a really good steak. *  Good idea to have reservations but a small party might get in depending on the time of year.

Disney Beach Club resort – Cape May buffet either breakfast or dinner are wonderful and you can meet and greet Goody, Minnie, Chip and Dale etc.  Much better than Chef Mickey’s in our opinion and less expensive.  Buffet style meals.

Not on Disney property
Gaylord Palms – Sunset Sam’s Fish Camp $$$ - Gaylord Palms is an experience in itself!  It’s like a jungle inside a huge dome with koi fish ponds, alligators and turtles and even a castle!  Sunset Sam’s has a full size sailboat in a lagoon that you can eat on.  Ask to be either on the boat or on the deck for the best time.  They have Jimmy Buffet style live music, a guy on stilts making great balloon animals, hats and flowers, a fire eater and juggler.  A fun time!  A side note - ask if there is a convention going on when you make your reservation as they tend to hang around the bar and up the noise level!  *

For romantic dining, try Mama Della's at the Portofino hotel near Universal.  Reservations 407-503-DINE (3463).  You can sit inside or out near the "lake" where it looks like you are dining in Venice!  You are serenaded inside and out by amazing (at least there were when we were there!) tenors! The food is excellent! *

I think that should fill you up! 

Anyone with a Disney yearly pass should look into purchasing the Disney Dining Experience card.  It saves you 20% off most Disney restaurants including all the delicious resort restaurants.  Here is a link to info on the card.  This is another good reason to consider getting a yearly pass if you go to Disney more than once or twice a year.  http://www.allearsnet.com/din/dde.htm