Storybook Dining at Artist Point

Once upon a time, there was a Disney Deluxe Resort that had spectacular décor and theming, and some of Walt Disney World’s best restaurants, but no characters of any kind to be found. Then one day, Snow White made a wish and a new character meal appeared: Storybook Dining at Artist Point in Wilderness Lodge. 

Previously Artist Point was one of Disney’s Signature Restaurants, meaning it falls into the fine dining category. I never got to experience its prior incarnation, but I am happy to report the Storybook Dining food is still on par with other Signature Restaurants I have been to. Now it is still fine dining, with the addition of Snow White, the Evil Queen, Grumpy and Dopey.

My friend Melanie had a reservation for four at Storybook Dining, and so we assembled our group of Disneybounders. I was Snow White, Melanie was the Evil Queen, Liah was Grumpy, and Lillie was Dopey.

Lillie was the first to arrive, and I was right behind her. The only problem was we were the only two who had never met, so finding each other was tricky. They actually seated me first, even though I got there second, and she had to come find me. Our waiter, an extremely charming man named Cliff, brought us both waters while we waited for our friends. I immediately noticed there were autographed “apples” on our napkins.

Melanie and Liah arrived, and Cliff began his spiel. At Storybook Dining, the appetizers and desserts are served family style, and everyone gets to choose an entrée. Soft drinks are included, but there is also a slew of specialty cocktails, beer, and wine, at an additional charge. Cliff heavily recommended the Prime Rib Roast. The Storybook Dining menus look like old leather books, complete with “Once Upon a Time” and “The End”.

It was about then the lights overhead started to twinkle, and the Narrator announced Snow White was about to appear. Music played and Snow White danced her way across the room waving to everyone, before she began with the tables at the far end of the room.

The appetizers came out first. The Winter Squash Bisque was served in individual little cauldrons with marshmallow spoons, and there were four individual Hunter’s Pies. The only thing that was truly shared was the Wicked Shrimp Cocktail. Lillie and I both fought with the white stringy substance, while trying to get our portions. However, they do look especially adorable the way they’re displayed on the tree stand.

We had just finished splitting up the appetizers when Snow White arrived at our table, and we all forgot about eating for a moment. (This happens to me a lot at character meals.) She went around the table taking pictures with us all one by one, and she told me how much she liked the apple on my shirt.

Just as Snow White moved onto her next table, Cliff magically appeared with our drinks. I ordered the Enchanted Apple, which is Skyy Citrus Vodka, DeKuyper Pucker Sour Apple, and White Cranberry Juice. There’s also some sort of flavored sugar around the rim that is absolutely delicious and there’s an actual apple slice in the drink. It’s one of my favorite drinks I’ve ever had on property.

Now that we had our drinks, we were able to begin enjoying the appetizers. I usually am not one for soup, but the Winter Squash Bisque was delicious. I’m curious if they’ll keep it around after Florida’s version of winter is over. The Hunter’s Pie was tasty, but I managed to knock the meat out of its crust. I had the hardest time with the Wicked Shrimp Cocktail. It was hard enough to get the white stringy stuff on my plate, then I couldn’t manage to get a small enough bite to actually eat it. I wound up just eating the shrimp and leaving the rest.

The lights began to twinkle again, and this time a rather familiar song began to play. HEIGH-HO!

Grumpy and Dopey had arrived! They marched around the entire restaurant like Snow White did before they made their way to the tables. Grumpy went first with Dopey right on his heels.

Grumpy came to our table, and interrupted Liah, trying to take a picture of Melanie with her drink. For someone who doesn’t talk, he does a really good job of being in a bad mood, and yet somehow, still happy enough to see you. He begrudgingly took photos with each of us.

Dopey was immediately behind Grumpy, and I spotted two servers standing there with what looked like our entrees, patiently waiting for the Dwarfs to finish so they could deliver our food. I felt so bad! They must have been holding the hot plates for at least five minutes, if not more!

Dopey was much more playful than Grumpy, as he should be. His photos took a little longer, and we kept having to shift where we were posing, due to the light streaming in the windows.

Once Dopey had moved on to his next table, the servers were finally able to deliver our food. Liah and Lillie both followed Cliff’s excellent advice and ordered the Royal Prime Rib Roast. I went for the Magic Mirror Slow-braised Veal Shank, and Melanie got Bashful’s Butter-poached Snapper. The veal was wonderful, but after trying Lillie’s prime rib, I heavily regretted my choice. Mine was good, but hers was better. I also, for some reason, expected the Wilted Winter Greens side to be more like spinach, but that’s my fault, not Disney’s. I didn’t try Melanie’s snapper because I’m not a fish person, but she seemed to really enjoy it.

As we were close to finishing our food, the overhead lights twinkled once more, but this time the music wasn’t happy. The Evil Queen had arrived! She did not dance through the room like the other characters. Instead she stalked regally around the tables before arriving at the open book in the center.

We all froze. We were dying to get up, but previous character meals have taught me when there’s a character in the middle of the restaurant with a backdrop, you’re supposed to see them on your way out. Thankfully Cliff and another server saved us by showing up with dessert!

The desserts were once again family style, but there were just four of each one on the plates on the tree in the center. The Miner’s Treasures were Dopey themed, and were basically small glasses filled with sponge cake, tons of icing, edible gems and glitter, with a chocolate Dopey hat on top. Oh boy, that glitter got EVERYWHERE! Our hands were covered in it just from moving them to our plates! There were four little Fairy Tale Gooseberry Pies, which are apparently Grumpy’s favorite. Then there were four “Poison” Apples: white chocolate-apple mousse with a sour center. They were all delicious, but I do see some pickier eaters being turned off by the tartness of the Gooseberry Pie, and the peculiar taste of the Apple, so parents be warned.

Cliff arrived with one final treat: a gift from the Queen herself. Four chocolate ganache hearts and crackled Maple popcorn in the very same box she once asked for Snow White’s heart in: The Hunter’s Gift to the Queen. This was actually my favorite dessert, and I don’t even like popcorn that much. It was just that good!

We finished eating, said our good-byes to Cliff, and got in line to see the Queen. She was the only one who had a Photopass photographer with her. We each took individual photos, (she did not like the way I was dressed at ALL!) and then asked for a group shot.

“If you must.”

She told us how to pose. Arms up and crossed, “Be the Queens you are.”

On our way out of Artist Point, Liah, who is a much better photographer than I am, took my camera for some shots of the restaurant itself. I am very curious what will stay and what will go after the holidays are over!

Storybook Dining is a fantastic addition to Walt Disney World. Not only does it present unique characters that are challenging to find, but it also has amazing food, and an atmosphere I have never seen in another character dining experience. It is a completely different environment and type of cuisine than Garden Grill, my favorite character dining, but it has the same great quality in a fine dining presentation. Garden Grill is where my brother and I go to stuff our faces. Storybook Dining is where you go on a date, or go Disneybound with your friends.

Cost: Storybook Dining is $55 per adult for the three-course meal, plus tax and tip. As of publishing, there are no discounts that I am aware of .

Value: This is a must do at least once. I’d love to go back once they add Storybook Dining to the annual pass discounts, or when I finally brave the Dopey Challenge.

Duration: We were there about two hours.

Add Ons: The specialty cocktails run about $12 a piece.

Pictures taken by Melanie, Lillie, Liah, Disney Photopass, and me on a variety of phones and a Canon Rebel T6.