Bourbon Steak at Disney World: What to Actually Order

Published June 26, 2026 · Updated September 9, 2026

Here’s the move at Bourbon Steak by Michael Mina: take the free thing first, split the openers, and save your appetite for the steak. This is Michael Mina’s steakhouse over at the Walt Disney World Swan Reserve, and it’s the kind of dinner where the smartest order isn’t the most expensive one — it’s the one that leaves you full, happy, and not staring at a check you regret. If you’re planning a sit-down splurge on your trip, this is where the right strategy actually pays off.

The duck fat fries trio is the bite to build around

Shortly after you sit down, a trio of fries cooked in duck fat lands on the table — each with its own dipping sauce. You don’t order it. It’s complimentary. And it’s genuinely the best-value thing you’ll eat all night, because duck fat does the heavy lifting: richer, crispier, more savory than any standard fry. It’s a trio, so the whole table can graze without anyone committing to a full appetizer.

The catch — and it’s a real one — is that these are rich and filling, and stupidly easy to demolish. Two or three each is plenty if you’ve got a ribeye coming. The single most common rookie mistake here is treating the fries like a freebie to inhale instead of a course to pace. Take the free thing, enjoy it, then put the brakes on. A half-basket of duck fat fries can quietly sabotage a steak you’re about to pay good money for.

Treat the first 20 minutes as a strategy game

The opening courses are where this restaurant shows off without charging you for it — so play them that way. The smart sequence: take the complimentary fries, then split one starter for the table — a raw bar plate or a single appetizer shared across two or more people — rather than everyone ordering their own. That keeps the early grazing light, lets you taste more of the menu, and protects the main event.

This is the same logic that works all over Disney World dining: portions trend large, and splitting is the whole game. Two people sharing an opener and saving room beats two people each plowing through a full appetizer and tapping out before the steak arrives. You came for the steak. Order like it.

Don’t fill up before the main event

Everything above serves one goal: arrive at the steak hungry. The ribeye (or whatever cut you’re eyeing) is the reason you booked a steakhouse — not the bread, not a third side, not a second basket of fries. If you find yourself getting full during the openers, that’s your signal to stop, not to push through. A great steak eaten on a half-full stomach is a waste of both the food and the bill.

If you’re a light-eating pair, you can lean even harder into sharing. The portions here are substantial enough that two people who split smart can have a complete, satisfying dinner without doubling up on every course. Order to taste widely, not to clear every plate.

Couldn’t get a reservation? Don’t give up on the date

Bourbon Steak is a sit-down, reservation-driven spot, and the good times go fast. Advance Dining Reservations open 60 days before your arrival at 6:00 AM Eastern in My Disney Experience — set an alarm and book the moment your window opens if this dinner matters to you. The earlier you grab it, the better your odds at a prime evening slot.

If your date is already showing nothing, here’s the part most planners don’t know: cancellations free up constantly, especially in the days before a date as other guests rework their plans. SupaPark’s dining Drop Watch keeps an eye out for exactly that and pings you the instant a table opens up — you grab it yourself in My Disney Experience the second it drops. A reservation you ‘couldn’t get’ is often just one cancellation away, and the people who land them are the ones who get the alert first.

Quietly knock down the bill

A dinner like this is a splurge, but you can shave the real cost without touching the experience. Disney gift cards regularly turn up at a discount through warehouse clubs like Sam’s Club — picking up a $500 card for around $15 less, or smaller denominations for a few dollars off, means you’re effectively paying less for the same meal. Load them or pay with them and your steak dinner just got cheaper for doing nothing.

Stack that with smart ordering — take the free fries, split the openers, skip the urge to over-order sides — and you’ve turned a pricey reservation into a controlled, high-value night out instead of an open-ended spend.

The one thing to remember

The best ‘order’ at Bourbon Steak starts with the thing you don’t order at all: those complimentary duck fat fries. Graze on them lightly, split one opener, and protect your appetite for the steak you came for. Book the second your 60-day window opens, lean on Drop Watch if your date is full, and pay with a discounted gift card. Do that, and you get the whole show — without the food coma or the buyer’s remorse.

Go deeper — the full guides: The Insider’s Guide to EPCOT’s Regal Eagle Smokehouse: What to Eat, Skip, and Share · The Insider’s Menu and Booking Guide to California Grill · The Insider Guide to Vegetarian Dining in EPCOT’s World Showcase

SupaPark tracks live wait times and crowd forecasts, and pings you the second a hard-to-get reservation opens or a ride goes walk-on — free to start at supapark.com.

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