<div id="c3be0912bb716eee4ca644c1dfc4ecde4"></div>There are two things we love most about this time of year: back-to-school and the return of Visit Orlando’s Magical Dining. This annual celebration of Orlando eateries features 150 Orlando restaurants offering a three-course, prix fixe menu for $40 or $60 per person. Totally worth the trip on I-4! Magical Dining is scheduled for Friday, August 16 – Monday, September 30, 2024.
You can check out the full list of restaurants plus all the menus here.
What is Orlando’s Magical Dining?
This annual celebration of Orlando eateries offers a three-course, prix fixe menu for just $40 per person, and a new upper tier for $60 per person.
For many diners, it is a way to experience a special restaurant that may not normally fit into their budget.
The deliciousness begins on Friday, August 16, 2024 and continues through Monday, September 30, 2024. This year, diners can indulge at over 150 participating local restaurants – including lots of exciting new additions. Participating eateries span six main districts including Winter Park, Restaurant Row, Downtown, and even all the way to Disney.
Please remember to request the special Visit Orlando’s Magical Dining menu upon arrival at the restaurant. Also, note that tax and gratuity are not included in the $40 or $60 per person.
$1 from every meal served ($2 if in the $60 per person tier) will be donated to The Mustard Seed of Central Florida, focused on helping residents and families recover from hardships while minimizing environmental impact.
Full list of Magical Dining restaurants plus all the menus
No need to plan a road trip to Orlando solely for dinner, though. A selection of exclusive overnight packages pairing cozy rooms with special deals, including Magical Dining experiences for two. It’s the perfect excuse to plan a quick getaway before summer’s end. And with some resorts offering theme park transportation, you can also squeeze in a visit to the parks.
MAGICAL DINING 2024: OVERNIGHT PACKAGES
Returning for 2024 is Visit Orlando’s Magical Nights, offering couples exclusive hotel and resort offers to extend the dining experience at participating hotel restaurants.
Here are a few of our favorite options:
- Walt Disney World Swan and Dolphin: up to 25% off
- Lake Nona Wave Hotel: Florida Residents can save 20% on stays
- Hyatt Regency Orlando International Airport: Package Includes Room for one night and Magical Dining for 2
- Hyatt Regency Grand Cypress: $50 resort credit good toward recreational activities and more
- ette hotel Orlando: Package includes Magical Dining experience for two, queen room, and complimentary buffet breakfast.
- Caribe Royale Orlando: Package includes one-bedroom suite, Magical Dining experience for two, and Complimentary self-parking
- Rosen Centre Hotel: save 15% on Best Available Rates
- Rosen Shingle Creek: save 15% on Best Available Rates
- Rosen Plaza Hotel: save 15% on Best Available Rates & no resort fee
- Orlando World Center Marriott: a $50 nightly resort credit & self parking for one vehicle
- Developer Inn Downtown Orlando: save 15%
- Mission Resort + Club: Save 25% Off their Best Flexible Rate
- Hilton Orlando: up to 15% off their Best Available Rates and complimentary parking
Walt Disney World Swan and Dolphin Resorts
A Disney hotel located within walking distance of Epcot and Disney’s Boardwalk, this option is perfect for couples who want to combine Magical Dining with a Disney theme park visit. Take advantage of up to 25% off an overnight stay combined with Magical Dining. Il Mulino New York Trattoria and Todd English’s bluezoo, both located on property, are participating in Magical Dining this year.
Other resort amenities include Disney theme park transportation, 5 pools, 18 restaurants and lounges (explore some on an epic resort food crawl), the luxurious Mandara Spa, and more. This resort grounds offer a nice vantage point for the nightly Epcot fireworks.
ette hotel Orlando
Treat yourselves to an unforgettable evening with a sumptuous Magical Dining experience for two at Salt & the Cellar By Akira Back located within the immaculate ette hotel. A true hidden gem amidst the concrete jungle of I-4, ette stands for “earthy. true. timeless. elegant” and it is all of those things to a T. Even if you can’t stay overnight, Magical Dining is the perfect excuse to take your date for a luxurious evening spent at ette and Salt & the Cellar – but definitely stay overnight if you can.
Salt & the Cellar reflects the ultra-modern + earthy vibe of ette, blending Asian inventiveness with innovative Mediterranean cuisine. Every dish was truly beautiful and matching in taste – to be expected from a Michelin Starred Chef – but never to be taken for granted.
From the amazing Akira Back Tuna Pizza with white truffle oil, to the perfectly cooked Filet Mignon and desserts that both amused and delighted the senses, the $60 Magical Dining menu at Salt & the Cellar left us wondering what the regular menu must be like. Portions were surprisingly large.
As with meal presentation, the bar service at Salt & the Cellar is worlds above. This is not your typical bar. The bartenders are legit and cocktails at Salt & the Cellar are real (and some even living) masterpieces, adorned with live fungi, moss, smoke, ice, plants, flowers and other earthly inspiration.
As such fanciness typically does, all that Wow-factor comes with a price tag and these cocktails do not come cheap. Perhaps you’re able to splurge since Magical Dining is such a great deal, just be prepared since the price tag also has Wow-factor. The cocktail I chose was delicious – and $40. Bottles of wine start around $80.
After your meal, relax and unwind in the serene oasis of ette with an overnight stay in a beautiful True Queen bedroom. Each room is meticulously stocked with every detail considered; the hotel even has its own (amazing) signature scent. From garment care, to umbrellas, shaving and mending kits to fresh fruit and flowers in your room, there’s even flossing and mouth wash stations in the main floor bathrooms. Ette excels at pampering its guests.
Wake up refreshed and enjoy a complimentary buffet breakfast of French pastries and a yogurt bar —all included for $475.
Other resort amenities include afternoon tea, a perfume bar, complimentary shoeshines, the SPA at the ette, a heated outdoor resort-style pool, a Book Room featuring their own private collection of limited-edition books (white gloves required), and lastly, their one-of-a-kind Laundry Museum. Yes, you can tour the laundry room at the ette hotel, giving a whole new appreciation for laundry services as they show off the true definition of “tidy”.
The ette hotel has a prime location just a few minutes away from some of the most popular theme parks and wildlife encounters in Orlando, making it easy for you to enjoy all that this great city has to offer. Once you’ve had enough, retreat back to the calm oasis of ette.
Here are a Magical Dining top picks for date night:
- Reel Fish Coastal Kitchen – Celebrate the flavors of Florida and the south with Seafood Fritters, Grilled Red Rainbow Trout, and more
- The Ravenous Pig – Always a favorite each year! Lots of vegetarian and gluten-free menu options
- Market to Table – Winter Garden restaurant, highlights include Mozzarella Burrata and gluten-free options like Braised Beef Short Rib
- Chez Vincent – Head to Hannibal Square in Winter Park for French cuisine and award-winning food
- VINIA Wine & Kitchen – One of our favorite wine bars and restaurants in Winter Park, wine flight upgrades for menu and dessert, live music on Thursdays
- The Taproom at Dubstread – A College Park favorite for decades
- AVA MediterrAegean – gluten-free options for each course including Creekstone Farm Hanger Steak
DETAILS
Visit Orlando’s Magical Dining Magical Dining is scheduled for Friday, August 16 – Monday, September 30, 2024.
Over 150 participating local restaurants, each offering a three-course, prix fixe dinner menu for just $40 per person, or upper tier $60 per person. Takeout options are available at select restaurants.
As an added bonus, $1 from every meal is donated to a deserving local charity.
For more information and to view menus, go to our Magical Dining Guide at OrlandoDateNightGuide.com or the official site, MagicalDining.com.
Looking for more food-focused date night ideas? Try these:
- Guide to Tampa Bay Cooking Classes
- Tampa’s Most Romantic Restaurants
- Kid-Friendly Tampa Bay Restaurants for Date Night
Feature image courtesy of Visit Orlando