For larger events such as rehearsal dinners, post-wedding dinners and anniversary parties, you can also book a private party at some of the restaurants mentioned below - click here for details, including costs, rules and menus.

You can arrange to have special cakes at restaurant events, too!

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Romantic Resort Restaurants for Dinner

• Jiko at Animal Kingdom Lodge

• California Grill at the Contemporary Resort

• Citricos, Narcoosees or Victoria and Albert's at the Grand Floridian Resort

• Artist Point at Wilderness Lodge

• Flying Fish at the Boardwalk

• bluezoo at the Dolphin

Romantic Resort Dining at Lunch

Unfortunately very few of Disney's resorts offer table-service lunches. If you want a relatively quiet atmosphere for a romantic lunch, your best bets are Grand Floridian Cafe or Captain's Grille (formerly Yacht Club Galley).

The only other resort lunch options are Whispering Canyon Cafe at Wilderness Lodge (raucous but fun); Kona Cafe at the Polynesian Resort (basically a nice coffee shop); and the Concourse Steakhouse at the Contemporary Resort (loud, overpriced and mediocre, in my experience).

Romantic Theme Park Restaurants for Dinner

Don't forget that you will need admission tickets if you choose a theme park restaurant. Some suggestions include:

• Coral Reef, Chefs de France, L'Originale Alfredo di Roma and Bistro de Paris in Epcot are all great bets.

• San Angel Inn at Epcot has a romantic atmosphere (it's always night there) but you may not find Mexican food "romantic."

• For a fun and romantic experience, try Tony's Town Square on Main Street in the Magic Kingdom, which is modeled after the spaghetti dinner scene in Lady & the Tramp.

• A fan of classic Hollywood? Check out The Hollywood Brown Derby in Disney's Hollywood Studios.

Romantic Downtown Disney Restaurants for Dinner

• Fulton's Crab House for traditional seafood

• Portobello Yacht Club for upscale Italian cuisine

Romantic Character Dining

If you want a truly "Disney" dining experience, consider a Character Dining restaurant that has a "romantic" theme (i.e. Cinderella or one of the other Disney princesses), but be aware that these restaurants will be swarming with kids, even late at night! Remember that you will need admission tickets if you choose a theme park Character Dining restaurant.

Some good choices are:

• Cinderella's Gala Feast at 1900 Park Fare in the Grand Floridian

• Cinderella's Royal Table in the Castle at the Magic Kingdom (where the price of your meal includes a nice photo package)

• Princess Storybook Dinner at Akershus Royal Banquet Hall in Epcot

"Familymoon" Restaurant Ideas

In addition to the Character Dining options above, if you want to have a fun, family-oriented meal with a romantic edge, the two options below are worth considering. Both offer flat-rate meals, and no admission tickets are required since these locations are in a resort.

• Dinner at 'Ohana in the Polynesian Resort has a somewhat romantic tropical atmosphere and is adjacent to a Tiki bar for a few drinks while you're waiting. While not officially a Character Dining location, 'Ohana usually has some characters from Lilo and Stitch, plus a floor show.

• Another fun option at the Polynesian Resort is the Spirit of Aloha dinner show, which includes a luau-style meal accompanied by a Polynesian dance show.

Dining Discounts

Annual Passholders, Florida Residents and others can get a discount at a variety of Walt Disney World restaurants. For more information, click here.

Fireworks or IllumiNations Cruises

A special and romantic option is to book a private boat for your party to watch the fireworks at the Magic Kingdom or IllumiNations at Epcot. You can book these cruises up to 90 days in advance by calling (407) WDW-PLAY. They are very popular, so be sure to call right at opening (7:00 am EST) at the 90-day mark! A credit card guarantee is required to hold your reservation and you must cancel at least 24 hours in advance to avoid being charged.

Your options for Fireworks Cruises are:

• Grand1, a fabulous 45-foot yacht with private dining and butler service. It accommodates up to 13 people. The cost is $400 an hour plus tax and any catering. A captain is included in the price. Call (407) 824-2682 for reservations.

• A canopied pontoon boat that will hold up to 10 people. The cost is $300 plus tax, which includes a driver and light snacks (bags of chips, pretzels and popcorn, plus water and soft drinks). These boats can be booked for pick-up from the Contemporary, Fort Wilderness, Grand Floridian, Polynesian or Wilderness Lodge marinas. If you want other food or beverages you can order them at additional cost through the resort's Private Dining department.

Your options for IllumiNations Cruises are:

• Breathless II, a beautiful, classic Hacker Craft boat that can accommodate a couple plus the driver. This boat is berthed at Yacht Club marina.

• A canopied pontoon boat that will hold up to 10 people. The cost is $300 plus tax, which includes a driver and light snacks (bags of chips, pretzels and popcorn, plus water and soft drinks). These boats can be booked for pick-up from the Yacht and Beach Club marinas. If you want other food or beverages you can order them at additional cost through the resort's Private Dining department.

Romantic Experiences at Walt Disney World and Nearby

Looking for romantic experiences or a private place to pop the question? Here are a few ideas:

• Stroll the grounds at Disney's Deluxe resorts, or the Boardwalk. There are some locations where you can watch the fireworks while you're strolling!

• Watch the Electric Water Pageant from certain Deluxe resorts.

• Take a carriage ride.

• Go out to one of the nightclubs at Pleasure Island and dance the night away!

• Head to Jellyroll's on the Boardwalk and sing along to dueling pianos.

• Go to the spa together. The Grand Floridian Spa features a "Couples Room" where couples can enjoy specialized spa treatments such as massages and facials. For information call (407) 824-2332.

• Have a special evening at the theater. Purchase tickets for Cirque de Soleil's La Nouba

• Soak in the resort hot tub late at night.

• Venture away from Walt Disney World, and visit Discovery Cove to swim with the dolphins.

Romantic Places to Propose at Walt Disney World

If you want to propose in a memorable place at Walt Disney World without buying an "engagement package," here are some perfect spots that won't cost you anything (except, in some cases, theme park admission):

• At the Wishing Well, next to the Castle in Magic Kingdom

• In front of Cinderella's Castle at night

• On the Peter Pan ride, as you fly over the lights of London

• On the beach at the Polynesian, ideally just before the fireworks - Sunset Pointe is a perfect spot

• At any of the other resort beaches, including the ones at Grand Floridian, Coronado Springs and Caribbean Beach resorts

• In the France courtyard or Italy courtyard in Epcot's World Showcase, at night (maybe just before IllumiNations)

• On the fourth-floor balcony at Wilderness Lodge, overlooking the lake

• Of course, any location that is special to the two of you is perfect for a proposal!

Proposals and Photos

If you're going to propose marriage at Walt Disney World, don't forget to arrange for photos!

Naturally you may want the actual proposal to be private, but it is a great idea to have some pictures taken immediately afterward. This will be one of the most memorable moments of your life, and it's wonderful to have a record of it to enjoy later.

One option is to use a professional photographer or videographer. Call (407) 827-5099 to make a reservation with Disney Photographic Services, or arrange with a local pro to shoot the event.

Don't want to pay for a professional? Ask a friend or family member to be present. Or at minimum, bring a camera and ask a passerby to capture the moment.

Getting Help with Your Proposal

If you will be staying at a Disney Deluxe resort in a Club Level room, contact the Concierge well in advance of the trip and they'll usually be happy to help you make your dream proposal a reality. Your confirmation should list the phone number for the Concierge, or your travel agent should be able to get it for you.

If you will be staying at a Disney resort but not on the Club Level, you can ask the Lobby Concierge for help when you arrive. Quite frankly, the service they are prepared to provide is variable. One of them might be a romantic at heart and bend over backward to assist you, while another may offer you little or no help. If the first one you speak with isn't helpful, come back later and speak with a different person.

If you've already arrived on property and you have an idea for a creative proposal but no idea how to arrange things, try approaching a Cast Member in the area where you want to make the magic happen. Seek out someone who seems friendly and isn't super-busy at the time. As with the Lobby Concierge, your results will be variable, so ask a different Cast Member if the first one isn't enthusiastic.

The Disney Florist is excellent at helping with proposals. Of course their primary function is to sell you flowers, gift baskets, etc, but they do have a lot of fun and creative ideas. Call them and ask!

If you're working with a travel agent, ask her for help. The agent can't make any on-property "magic" happen in the same way that a Disney Cast Member might, but if she is a Disney specialist, she may be able to think of interesting locations and ideas for a proposal.

In-Room Gifts, Flowers and Cakes

For romantic in-room touches, consider having a gift basket or flowers delivered to your hotel room.

You can also order a special cake or bottle of champagne from Private Dining (room service).

Other Resources for Romantic Experiences

A guidebook called Birnbaum's Walt Disney World Without Kids 2009 is worth a look. This book goes into detail about the nightlife available at Disney World as well as things like the "romance factor" of the various resorts, etc. Click on the link above to purchase this book at a significant discount!