If you click on the links in this post, we may earn money from the companies mentioned in this post, at no extra cost to you. You can read the full disclaimer here.
My family loves staying at the Dolphin and Swan hotel at the Walt Disney World Resort. They are great hotels in their own right, with beautiful decor and comfortable beds.
But let’s be real, the main reason we love staying at these hotels is how close you are to the parks. You can easily walk to both Epcot and Hollywood Studios theme parks. How cool is that? You can also take a boat to these theme parks, too. And you can take a bus to Animal Kingdom and Magic Kingdom theme parks.
I’ve also had better luck lately finding availability at (reasonable for Disney prices) at the Swan and Dolphin Resorts. You can click here to find a good rate for the Dolphin Resort and click here to find a good rate for Swan Resort.
We last stayed at the Dolphin Resort a few weeks ago. And we tried a new restaurant that is an on-site restaurant at the Dolphin Resort called Picabu.
So, full disclosure. I actually had stayed at the Dolphin multiple times before I even realized they had this restaurant. I got off the elevator and took the wrong turn, and was pleasantly delighted to find this restaurant. It was so neat and fun-looking. And I became more and more intrigued, especially when I noticed the breakfast menu. So my family decided that the next morning, we were going to Picabu for breakfast.
Picabu: Ordering Food
Now, Picabu is not a sit-down restaurant. It is actually cafeteria-style restaurant. You go through a line, get a tray, and order your food that way.
In that sense, it is a bit akin to the quick service restaurants at the value hotels at Disney World. Except it is a lot less chaotic. We were able to walk right through.
Once you pick out your food, you can pay for your food.
By the way, there is no passholder discount at this restaurant. There is, however, a discount for DVC members. There is also a AAA discount that we used that made our bill go from $76 to $65. So if you are a AAA member remember to bring your card and ask about this discount!
Picabu Restaurant Design
So one of my favorite parts of my entire dining experience was the wonderful decor. It was designed by Kakadu Art & Design in Wood, Ltd. The wood carvings and brightly colored animated colors are really well done. They were intended to delight children (and us children at heart), and I definitely think it succeeded on that end.
I also really like how the design fits the overall theming of the Swan and Dolphin Hotels. The fish, flamingo, and ocean decor fit right in!
But you can see for yourself the fun decor in the restaurant.
Food Review
So seeing the decor was one of the reasons I wanted to try this restaurant when I first saw it. The other was seeing the breakfast menu.
One thing I like about the breakfast menu, in particular, is the flexibility of ordering food. You can opt for a Picabu Breakfast and get a lot of classic breakfast items. You can Scrambled Eggs, and Skillet Potatoes, Toast. Then, you have a choice between bacon or sausage and a choice between grits or oatmeal.
Well, that is what is listed on the menu. But I was able to get a biscuit instead of toast.
This meal comes for $16, which is pretty reasonable for onsite dining at the Walt Disney World Resort.
But let’s say you only want a few menu items, such as breakfast potatoes and bacon. Or bacon and a biscuit.
You can get a couple of side items. In the case of bacon and potatoes, bacon is $4 while potatoes are $3. So then you just pay $7, so you can save a lot of money by doing this. And as you can see, they give pretty good proportions.
You can also order The Standard (which is Bacon, Egg & Pepper Jack Cheese on a toasted Croissant Roll served with Skillet Potatoes) or a Waffle. With the waffle, you can choose different topics of Spiced Apples, Banana Caramel Sauce, Wild Berry Sauce, or Chocolate Hazelnut Sauce. But my family just either ordered side orders together or the Picabu Breakfast.
All of the food was very good, too. I wouldn’t say that had one standout item. If you love breakfast potatoes, for example, you’ll probably enjoy the potatoes more at say Ohana at the Polynesian Resort or Cape May Cafe at Beach Club. But this is not to say they are bad, of course. This is just to give you an idea of how the food rates in comparison to other restaurants at the Walt Disney World Resort.
Conclusion
Picabu Restaurant was a wonderful experience. I love how you are able to order your food in a relaxed fashion. The prices were reasonable, especially with a AAA discount. I absolutely adored the fun decor. And I enjoyed the food, too. I would definitely go again. And I think your family will like the restaurant, too.