by Stephanie Haefner

Created on: February 12, 2009   Last Updated: May 12, 2011

Dining in Walt Disney World is so much more than putting a stop to a rumbling stomach. To truly experience Disney, you must partake in a few sit down meals. Each restaurant has a charm of its own and tells a story, just as all the attractions do!

One of the places we tried on our last Walt Disney World vacation was the Whispering Canyon Cafe in Disney's Wilderness Lodge Resort. Each trip, we try a few new places we haven't tried in the past. After spending the day at the Animal Kingdom, we boarded a bus and headed to dinner.

The lobby of the Wilderness Lodge resort is very rustic, hand-made furniture and walls made from logs! I approached the podium at the Whispering Canyon Cafe and checked in. We had a short wait, maybe ten to fifteen minutes, and then we were seated at a four person round table. The room was large and open and hanging above were rustic metal chandeliers with faux candles in them. The whole place was filled with laughter and ruckus: singing and some dancing and lots of napkin waving!

My five year old daughter and I ordered the All You Care to Enjoy Skillet while my husband opted for the Western Chicken Pasta, a dish with vegetables and a roasted garlic cream sauce. First came the salad and cornbread that were included with the skillet, both of which were delicious. I made myself stop eating so I wouldn't fill up! My husband's entree came solo, so we shared a little salad with him..shhhh, don't tell!

Shortly after that, the waiter placed a huge round tin platter on the table for my daughter and I and our eyes bulged! It was overflowing with baked beans, mashed potatoes and vegetables, then several meats- roasted chicken, ribs, pulled pork and beef brisket. A small bowl of coleslaw was added to the mix with a bunch of extra barbecue sauces for dipping. My husband received his pasta and we dug into our feast.

I was incredibly pleased with every bite of my meal! The brisket was tender and juicy and the chicken, amazing! Beans were out of this world and potatoes too! My daughter pigged out on pig! She's a girl who loves her ribs! My husband on the other hand, liked his pasta, but I could tell he was a bit jealous of the variety we had. He learned a lesson that day!

While eating, my daughter insisted she needed ketchup. I knew for a fact that she did not like ketchup on any of the food she was eating, but she had seen others doing this and just had to do it too! When our waiter came over she giggled and asked for ketchup.

He yelled out to the room, "KEEEEEEETCHUP! Who's got the ketchup?" Within twenty seconds we had ten to twelve bottles of ketchup on our table! My daughter had the hugest smile on her face! About three minutes later we heard the call for "Ketchup!" and each took three or four bottles and ran them over to the next family that needed the condiment!

We ordered dessert, despite our readiness to burst. I went with the Caramel Apple Pie and only made it about half way in. It was good, but not my favorite apple pie on Disney property. My daughter had Cinnamon Apples, hard to screw up, and my husband ordered the Smores Cheesecake to go. Later on, he said it was very delicious!

Overall, we had a fantastic time at the Whispering Canyon Cafe and will definitely go back! If you're looking for a fun time with great southern BBQ, this is your place.

Pros: Great staff, fun, amazing food and no need to worry if the kids are loud!

Cons: Apple pie wasn't the greatest.

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