Written by Tonga Princess Diva

I first had the pleasure of dining at Artist Point around 2004. That first visit was an early dining reservation for around 5pm. The restaurant was empty and I had the pick of tables. While I cannot remember anything about the food or service beyond it being good I will never forget the aesthetics. Essentially a private dining experience with near panoramic views of the trees and water. A true Wilderness Lodge (read Fairy Diva’s review here) experience. Feeling like I was experiencing a piece of Yellowstone National Park without having to go all the way there. As a result, every few trips I find it necessary to go back. The food and service did not disappoint on my latest visit.

I noticed as we were taken to our table, towards the back of the restaurant, was we were surrounded by tables full of families with small kids abound. This was new since my last visit to Artist Point that was almost exclusively adults. Sadly, we were right next to a large table where each child was competing to hear the movie playing on their device. Kudos to the parents for keeping the littles occupied but the rest of us did not need to listen to four different movies. It seems Artist Point is evolving from a couples romantic choice to a family restaurant. Selected more out of convenience for Wilderness Lodge guests rather than its reputation as a signature dining experience. All perfectly fine as long as all guests are on the same page! Diva Tip: Keeping everyone, including other guest, happy is key. Bring ear buds or other quiet toys to entertain littles. Another fun treat for parents and kids alike is the Kids Night Out service offered by Disney. 

We were on the dining plan (Pixie Dust Diva discusses the 2018 dining plan here) during our visit and our waiter was privy to this thanks to the wonderful world of magic bands. We were fully expecting him to share that, as a signature restaurant, our meals would be two dining credits each. We were pleasantly surprised when he shared our meals would be one credit each excluding the Taste of the Pacific 5 course meal. To this day all Dining Plan material states two dining credits for Artist Point. I do not know if this was a limited time special or an error by our waiter but we enjoyed the perk none-the-less. Diva Tip: Always ask cast members about dining plan entitlements and check receipts during check out to make sure they were applied appropriately. 

Our waiter provided solid service. Offering a perfect balance of attention, recommendations and time. We do not like to feel rushed or overly pampered. He struck the right balance. We ordered the Artisanal Cheese Board to start. This comes with an assortment of five cheeses, crostini, half a fig, and house seed lavish jam.

All perfect portions and a perfect way to enjoy our wine as a starter. I got the 8 oz. AAA Filet Mignon and roasted baby potatoes for my entree. My husband ordered the Cedar Plank Salmon that came with sweet potato, carrots, and fava hummus as his entree. The filet mignon, as is all steak at Disney in my experience, was cooked to perfection, tender, and perfectly seasoned. My husband really liked the salmon, sharing that it was flavorful and nicely seasoned.

With desserts a part of the dining plan package we had to give them a try! I mean how could we not? We decided on the warm donuts and the almond butter cookies. The donuts were warm, cinnamon and sugar-coated donuts served with a chocolate dipping sauce. Absolutely wonderful and a perfect complement to an espresso. I snuck a bite or two of the almond butter cookies, which were just the right amount of chewy for me and came with an adorable and delicious milkshake. Who doesn’t love milk and cookies?! Diva Tip: When on the dining plan and plum stuffed full of delicious food ask for your dessert to go. Cast members are happy to wrap up your dessert to enjoy in the comfort of your room. 

Have you enjoyed a meal at Artist Point? What was your favorite meal? 

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