Inside Santa Cecilia: Character Dining at Plaze de Coco Restaurant on the Disney Treasure

The Disney Pixar film “Coco” is a colorful celebration of music, family, and Mexican culture, and it’s got some unforgettable tunes, from “Remember Me” to “The World is Mi Familia.” The animated film has so much energy, that it’s no surprise kids love it. Now, aboard Disney Cruise Line’s newest ship, the Disney Treasure, there’s a character dining opportunity that immerses guests in the celebrations of Miguel and his family. It’s tons of fun, and perfect for the ship’s overall theme of adventure.

Here’s what parents need to know about Plaza de Coco, including notes about the shows and which food items we loved the most.

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Plaza de Coco: What to know about the dining experience

Plaza de Coco is a brand new dining concept exclusive to the Disney Treasure. The format is similar to Arendelle: A Frozen Dining Adventure aboard the Disney Wish, since the two ships are in the same class. Like its sister show aboard the Wish, this Coco dining experience includes a show that takes place on a stage in the center of the dining room. If you’ve ever experienced a theater in the round-style performance, this experience is similar.

The Coco-themed adventure begins at the start of the long hallway that leads to the dining room. Be ready to hunt for nods to the film and take some photos along the path. Before you’re seated, you’ll see Miguel’s family’s ofrenda, a beautiful altar with photos of ancestors, including Mama Coco. 

Once you’ve sanitized your hands and checked in with the restaurant staff, you’ll be seated at your nightly table number. The decor inside Plaza de Coco is pretty incredible and truly transports you to the streets of Santa Cecilia, the fictional city “Coco” takes place in.

Since the Disney Treasure sails for seven nights, you’ll dine twice at Plaza de Coco. One night features a celebration with Miguel and his familia in Mariachi Plaza, with lively song and dance. The other is a Dia de los Muertos celebration with Miguel and his great-great-grandparents, Hector and Mama Imelda, filled with music and dance, and a few touching moments.

I attended a preview sailing of the Disney Treasure and, since the sailing was just three nights instead of the normal seven, I saw the later of the two dinner shows on my voyage.

Unlike the Frozen dining experience aboard the Wish, the characters did not make their rounds to the tables for photos and personal meet-and-greets during our show. That may change as the ship finds its footing, but for now, plan to snap photos of Miguel and company from afar and enjoy singing along and participating in the show.

It’s important to note the show and dining experience take a bit, and there are some lulls between courses. If your small children feel antsy, I suggest walking them around the restaurant, as the details in the decor and along the walls of the restaurant are interesting to explore.

Food and drinks at Plaza de Coco on the Disney Treasure

Plaza de Coco is the first Mexican restaurant I’ve ever dined in at sea. Cruise food seems to be the same at most restaurants—lots of chicken, fish, steak, and pasta—so it was an exciting novelty to order Mexican fare and be served chips and salsa at sea.

Beyond chips and salsa, the appetizer menu at Plaza de Coco is delicious. We tried the birria empanadas, guacamole, and chicken enchiladas, and the enchiladas were among the top most delicious things I ate aboard the Disney Treasure.

Remember: on a Disney Cruise Line voyage, you can order more than one thing from a course, so try more than one appetizer—you won’t regret it.

There were also soups and salads on the starters menu, and a list of main courses that was pretty impressive. We tried the chicken mole, flank steak salad, and ribeye steak and all were really good. Still, I could have just eaten those chicken enchiladas and gone to bed happy that night.

For dessert, you can choose from creme brulee cheesecake, an ice cream sundae, and more. But trust me: Get the churros. The heaping plate of warm mini-churros with caramel dipping sauce is also on my Treasure must-eat list, so save some room while you’re eating your dinner.

Since there were no kids in my dining party, we didn’t order from the kids’ menu, but it contains standard items like chicken quesadillas and mini cheeseburgers. We had a member of our party who had gluten and dairy allergies and the cast members were incredibly accommodating, bringing her the next night’s dinner menu each evening so she could order something that was safe for her.

In addition to sodas, iced tea, coffee, water, and other drinks that were included with the meal, the menu included specialty cocktails and mocktails, wine, and beer for an extra charge. We didn’t try these, but if I returned, I’d definitely try the zero-proof grapefruit paloma. There was also a Dante straw that could be added to some mocktails for an extra charge—something to note if your kid likes to get special souvenir cups and straws when cruising on DCL.

Parenting tips for Plaza de Coco on the Disney Treasure

• While I only saw the Dia de los Muertos celebration show, there were themes of grief and loss present in the performance. Miguel’s magic guitar transports his great-great-grandparents back to Santa Cecilia for an evening of celebration and there’s a tender moment where the characters sing “Remember Me” and ask guests to think of someone who’s meaningful to them during the song.
• It may be a good idea to explain in advance to sensitive kids what Dia de los Muertos is and prepare them for discussion about family members who have passed on. That said, everything is handled beautifully and it’s not overly-emotional.
• On at least one night of Coco dining, there’ll be photo opportunities in the Grand Hall, the ship’s atrium, featuring the film. We were thrilled to find a Miguel magic shot set up, as it really made our Coco-inspired outfits pop.
• I’d highly recommend watching Coco at home before your cruise so kids are familiar with the characters and basic storyline of the film—it’s a good way to discuss things like ofrendas, Dia de los Muertos, and other mentions of death in the shows.
• The performance contains lots of horns and guitar music, dancing, and even some gritos—a Mexican style of yelling during a celebration. If your child is easily overstimulated by noise, it may be a good idea to have some ear plugs on hand.