WDW restraunts and cool stuf

[aksunshine]

Ok, first of all I'm not a teen, I'm 25. But it hasn't been all that long ago...

Anyway, my family and I are taking MIL and her children to WDW in Sept. I want it to be as fun and cool as possible. 3 of the girls are teens, 13, 13, 14. MIL's other 2 are 9 and 10. (mine are 5 and 1)

What I want to know from your personal experiences, is where is cool to eat, waht is really fun to do? We are going to MNSSHP one night and will do all 4 parks, but I don't want to miss the really cool things for their age group. Can you help? Thanks!

[VolleyballQt07]

Um, I personally like going to Chef Mickey's which is inside the Contemporary Hotel. It's a little pricey and its buffet style but the characters walk around to the tables for pictures and autographs. And then what we usually do after we eat is hop on the monorail from the hotel, ride the Epcot Loop and the hotel loop. Um, other than that, I haven't really eaten at any other disney restaraunt besides whats in the parks and usually, we just hit the concession stands.....;)

[Sue88]

Do at least one character breakfast. They are so fun and not just for little kids. I think the Sci Fi drive in theatre is a good place to eat for teens at the MGM park. It has a fun theme but you might need reservations. Eat at the Rainforest Cafe at the Animal Kingdom unless you have been to other Rainforest Cafes and have already experienced that. Don't miss the Lion King show at the Animal Kingdom park. Everyone loves that show. Try to get there early and sit in front and the younger children may be asked to be in the show at the end. If you are staying at a Disney hotel, schedule some time to hang out at the pool. Most kids say that it was the best part of their vacation.
If you really want the teens to have a cool time, get walkie talkies for yourself and each of them, then let them have time to tour a park on their own but you be at the same park and can talk to them when needed.

[HSMndLKfan92]

If you are going to be in MGM around dinner time, make a reservation at 50s Prime Time. It's not just for the teens, but for your entire family. The waiters and waitresses get everyone involved.

[PrincessKally]

If you are going to be in MGM around dinner time, make a reservation at 50s Prime Time. It's not just for the teens, but for your entire family. The waiters and waitresses get everyone involved.

This is where I was going to suggest after I read the OP.
50's is a rewally really fun atmosphere.EVeryone is one big family, Mom runs the kitchen and Dad the bar. While all your cousins wait on you. It's fun for the whole family.

I would suggest trying to do everything. lol. I personally love all the rides and shows at Magic Kingdom and MGM. For my family, Epcot is only a half day park, if we are there at opening + fastpasses.

Chef Mickey's is great for the younger ones, Some teens do outgrow it, but it's again all about the atmosphere. That's what Disney is about.
Good Luck planning!

[Babyjustrun]

don't eat at Pizza Planet.
the cheese was soo greasy, and it tasted like vomit. i couldn't finish my pizza.

[PrincessKally]

don't eat at Pizza Planet.
the cheese was soo greasy, and it tasted like vomit. i couldn't finish my pizza.

To me, all the pizza is the same everywhere. It's all to saucy for my liking, but I've never had vomit tasting cheese before.

[DramaGirl]

Definitely go to Epcot in the nighttime to see Illuminations- it is AMAZING! The younger kids might get scared or bored though...
I also LOVE Boma in AKL. If you haven't already booked your hotel, try to go to AKL- it's a little pricey, but the hotel's gorgeous, and the kids (and everyone) will love spotting all the different animals in the savannah.

[tinkerbell12]

50's prime time diner

[Babyjustrun]

To me, all the pizza is the same everywhere. It's all to saucy for my liking, but I've never had vomit tasting cheese before.

The pizza tasted like vomit.
I liked the stuff at Pizzafari.. but these were two different years, maybe a change in the recipe? xD
But really, if you're in WDW, make ADR and go to restaurants with real food. While it may get expensive, it's expensive to eat chicken fingers and french fries and you'll get sick of them. You'll learn to hate them.

[aksunshine]

Thanks for all of your comments so far. We'll steer clear of pizza planet!
We plan on purchasing the dining plan. So real food is a must! As far as MGM, we really wanted to do the Fantasmic package, so I chose Mama Melrose's. Really, I think the kids would LOVE Sci- Fi, but I don't know. What about Epcot? What TS is really good or really cool to you?

[disney100666]

well in EPCOT i liked a lot of stuff but from most of what i ve eaten there it was all like fast food at the world showcase from i have seen. but i dont know about anywhere else!

[VolleyballQt07]

Thanks for all of your comments so far. We'll steer clear of pizza planet!
We plan on purchasing the dining plan. So real food is a must! As far as MGM, we really wanted to do the Fantasmic package, so I chose Mama Melrose's. Really, I think the kids would LOVE Sci- Fi, but I don't know. What about Epcot? What TS is really good or really cool to you?

id say for either lunch or dinner, go around world showcase and get a snack from each country and share between the family. there are 10 or 11 countries and if you get a little something from each, you're sure to get full! i like the following at each country:

mexico:tacos or churros
germany:gummi bears...lol. potato pancakes
usa:chiken tenders or cheeseburger
france:hot ham and cheese crossiant...hmmm!
norway:waffles
canada:maple candy
morroco:baklava
japan:sushi or green tea or slushes
china:fried rice and sweet & sour chicken
great britian:fish n chips
italy:spaghetti

but thats just what i like and suggest......:)

[Loves Disney]

I probably wouldn't be of much help. Both my sister and I are older (Sister = 16, me = 18) and my favorite places to eat are rather too mature for those age groups. However, for the dining plan, I would suggest Citrico's (a fancy, up-class kind of restaurant for well-manners. However, the age range varys rather nicely here. I have seen children as young as 6-9 eat here (then again, these children were wearing suits and dresses and the little boy escorted his little sister to the bathroom. LOL). But, if you want real food, and a place able for children around that age, Citrico's is great. The food is very good, also. ;) Oh, and it is located at the Grand Floridian.

Stear clear of my above-all-favorite restaurant, however lol, Victoria and Albert's. Not for children that young. ;) They would not only probably dislike the food (since it isn't what kids are used to) and the atmosphere is very very mature.

The Brown Derby was good. I ate there once a few years ago and don't remember it all *too* well...but I do remember leaving with a smile on my face. It is in MGM. Good for the dining plan.

Cinderella's Royal Table might be good also. We ate there this past summer and I liked it. My family wasn't too impressed with it this time around (but I am guessing it was the unexpected "show" we found ourselves unexpectedly caught in...unexpectedly. lol).

As for Epcot, try Italy. The place had some very good food and I loved it. We ate there for the first time this past summer...we were impressed. However, the food is a hit or miss. It is very Italian, naturally lol, so I recommend the spagetti and meatballs with tomato sauce for the kid's. That is what I had (as a tomato sauce lover lol) and I really liked it. The meatballs tasted a little off key for me, but that was because it wasn't something I had been used to. The alfredo was very good, I hear. My parents ordered that and said it was absolutely unbelievable. Of course, the alfredo recipe was created by Mr. Alfredo...the man who "invented" the Alfredo sauce. (I, personally, am not a fan of it, heh).

I hear France is very good, also. Haven't been though.

The California Grill is VERY good and I highly recommend it. Recommend seating by a window to get the awe-inspiring view. It's really very breath-taking. We, by complete luck, were seated by the window when we went this past summer and oh my God...I can't even BEGIN to describe how absolutely "magical" it was. As far as the food is concerned, if you go...be SURE to order the flatbread. It's to die for! lol. Really! The flatbread is amazing and I would go back just to eat that, haha. Oh! And be sure to make an ADR for around the time of Wishes. You are allowed to go out to the observation deck and watch wishes from up there...again, breath-taking and very "magical" the kids would LOVE it! I know I did. ;)

These are my suggestions as far as "real" food is concerned lol.

[AllyGirlie]

50's Prime time (MGM)
Whispering Canyon Cafe (Wilderness Lodge)
Those are both the kind of restaurants where the wait staff role play and like to pick on everyone. It's a load of fun though. Whispering Canyon likes to get kids involved more though with the pony express and the whole ketchup thing..

Hoop De Doo Musical Revue (Fort Wilderness Campground)
That was a lot of fun and the food was really good. But you need to make reservations a long way in advance though..it's pretty popular

[Loves Disney]

Eh, Hoop De Doo is kind of shakey. If you get balcony seating, the show is pretty much ruined. It was for us at least. The tables, for the most part (on the balcony) are long and so you don't see your family much...only whoever is on your right and whoever is on your left. Also, on the balcony your backs are to the stage. You can't eat and watch at the same time.

However, on the other hand the show can be quite fun at ground level. :)

[Narnian_Princess]

I LOVE the Sci-Fi Dine In, and have for years, so my age (18) doesn't really matter. I also love Alfredo's at Epcot; they have the only decent pizza in the parks. Aside from those, we haven't really eaten at many TS restaurants. We tried Mama Melrose's and didn't like the pizza-- the pepperoni is really weird! We have also eaten at the '50's Prime Time Cafe and didn't like it at all. But Rainforest Cafe is a MUST. I love it so much there, though I prefer the one at DTD because it's bigger.

A few words of advice: DO NOT EAT HOT DOGS. You will end up hating them. We had only hot dogs one year during Star Wars Weekends and I tell you to this day it's hard to get me to even think about a hot dog.

[aksunshine]

Wow! Thanks so much guys! You are the best!

[DramaQueen]

My personaly favourite is OHANA in the Poly. Resort!

It's so much fun and the food is GREAT.

they have games for the younger kids and hula contests and singing and all sorts of fun stuff.

And they keep bringing more food so you can eat and eat and eat all you want.

I also REEEALLY love Boma in AKL.
Now it's not reall a "fun" atmostphere, it's a bit more sophistiacted, but the food is really great! It's a buffet, so you can eat what you want.
They've got a ton of really cool, exotic foods, and then the usual chicken fingers & mac&cheese for the not so adventurous types.
And the zebra domes for dessert is TO DIE FORRR~!!

[VolleyballQt07]

I LOVE the Sci-Fi Dine In, and have for years, so my age (18) doesn't really matter. I also love Alfredo's at Epcot; they have the only decent pizza in the parks. Aside from those, we haven't really eaten at many TS restaurants. We tried Mama Melrose's and didn't like the pizza-- the pepperoni is really weird! We have also eaten at the '50's Prime Time Cafe and didn't like it at all. But Rainforest Cafe is a MUST. I love it so much there, though I prefer the one at DTD because it's bigger.

A few words of advice: DO NOT EAT HOT DOGS. You will end up hating them. We had only hot dogs one year during Star Wars Weekends and I tell you to this day it's hard to get me to even think about a hot dog.

do you mean like all hotdogs at all the parks or certain hotdogs at certian parks? last itme we went, we went to caseys corner for lunch and got hotdogs there and we loved um so much, we wanted seconds but they were really big and couldnt eat another bite! lol.......;)

i like rainforest cafe. i have only been to the DTD one once when i was 3 so i dont remember it but i went to one at mall of america and liked it so you might wanna try that for AK. and the atmosphere is amazing! its like you are actually eating in a rainforest with a cafe inside! hahaha!:rotfl: :goodvibes

[aksunshine]

I've been to the Rainforest Cafe in Nashville. It is very nice, but, unfortunatly not on the DDP. We are def. doing 'Ohana for dinner one night and then going to watch Wishes from the beach. Have you done that? Is it nice?

[Babyjustrun]

I loved Ohana's it was amazing. It was kind of boring, very little entertainment but we got last minute reservation. We got it like half an hour before we went. The servers were nice and referred to you as cousin. They also bothered to ask if we were allergic to anything.

Whispering Canyon was fun, it's one of the only good things at the WL

[minniesBFF]

50's prime time is a great restaurant for the whole family. when we ate there even my dad got in on the fun!!!

Also, mickeys backyard barbeque might be a good choice for the littler ones. I'm 15, and I was a little bored because most of the entertainment is dancing with the characters. But my younger sisters(12 and 6) enjoyed it, and the food was good.

Chef mickey's is one of my favorites. I love all the classic characters, and its a little bit of a change because all the characters are in chefs costumes. and I especially love the dessert bar.:goodvibes

Le Cellier was really good, but it might be a little boring for the kids. The pretzel bread there is the best, though. We also always go to mexico when in epcot. the food is a little iffy, but they have the boat ride in there and the atmosphere is great.

I definitely recommend Rainforest Cafe if you have never experienced it. The scenery is incredible and the food is not that bad. but I should warn you, my littlest sister was scared of the thunderstorm when she was younger, so if the little ones don't like loud noises, they might get a little spooked.

well, those are some of my favorite restaurants in "the world". Hope you have fun and that my recommendations helped a little.

[maelstrom troll]

Victoria & Alberts
California Grill
Blue Zoo

[Loves Disney]

Victoria & Alberts
California Grill
Blue Zoo

Victoria and Albert's is, in my opinion, the best restaurant in Walt Disney World (and the best I have ever been to) but most definitely NOT for children of that age. It's far too mature in my opinion. lol.

[maelstrom troll]

They little ones must gain a taste for the finer things early.

[Loves Disney]

They little ones must gain a taste for the finer things early.

I think Citrico's is good for that lol. The Victoria and Albert's menu, I think, is hardly anything children of that age would enjoy and at the price it is...it might not be worth paying that cost when it could be an unenjoyable experience for the children. IMHO.

[BabyPiglet]

I loved Whispering Canyon that's a must have!

Le Cellier wasn't a real fun atmosphere but the was great...
50"s and Primie Time were also very great!

As for the parks and stuff. Have you though about letting the teems go off by themselves and shop or just roam. I loved when my mom let me and my friend do this...

[maelstrom troll]

I think Citrico's is good for that lol. The Victoria and Albert's menu, I think, is hardly anything children of that age would enjoy and at the price it is...it might not be worth paying that cost when it could be an unenjoyable experience for the children. IMHO.

It must be FORCED.

[Loves Disney]

It must be FORCED.

Well I know I don't want to be dining at V&A with children near that age around me. The place is too mature. lol. They actually don't really want children under the age of 16 eating there anyway. V&A is not the place to "force" anything. At near $100 a person, that isn't cool. lol.

[aksunshine]

Ok, CHILDREN, I didn't start this thread to argue.

1. I won't be taking the children to V & A, or Citrico's for that matter. It's a little too pricey for a child's meal. Maybe another trip, just the DH and I.

2. To get back on track, signature (except CRT, which we are paying OOP for b/c my DH LOVED it last time!) dining isn't an option this trip, but thanks. I don't think these children could begin to appreciate.

For the most part this thread has been a wonderful help in my planning! Thanks guys!

[maelstrom troll]

Ok, CHILDREN, I didn't start this thread to argue.

1. I won't be taking the children to V & A, or Citrico's for that matter. It's a little too pricey for a child's meal. Maybe another trip, just the DH and I.

2. To get back on track, signature (except CRT, which we are paying OOP for b/c my DH LOVED it last time!) dining isn't an option this trip, but thanks. I don't think these children could begin to appreciate.

For the most part this thread has been a wonderful help in my planning! Thanks guys!


I did step over the line by QUITE a bit. I did not mean to offend you, though, I can definitely see why you would be. I do not know what I was thinking, posting what I did (I doubt I was). I hope you can forgive me, but I'm sure I wouldn't.

I am very sorry.

Pecos Bill cafe is always fun to eat at after a ride on Splash Mountain.

[aksunshine]

It's fine, just please choose your words more considerately next time.

[schmitty]

I always liked The Plaza in Magic Kingdom and that rotating resturaunt at Epcot in the Land when I was younger. The one at Epcot is a buffet with Characters and the Plaza is just a regular resturaunt.

[VolleyballQt07]

Based on all the suggestions we here on the TB have posted, I don't think you'll have a hard time finding restaraunts! :) Have fun on your trip!:goodvibes :sunny:

[aksunshine]

I agree! Thanks so much!

Schmitty- I am glad to hear someone mention The Garden Grill in Epcot! It's on my list!

[BabyPiglet]

I agree! Thanks so much!

Schmitty- I am glad to hear someone mention The Garden Grill in Epcot! It's on my list!

Garden Grill is a great restaurant...

You HAVE to go to Chef Mickey's it's SO fun for everybody... Even adults and teens. It's a great way to start the trip...:p

[aksunshine]

Garden Grill is a great restaurant...

You HAVE to go to Chef Mickey's it's SO fun for everybody... Even adults and teens. It's a great way to start the trip...:p

Actually, we are going to start with Garden Grill, I think, and end our trip with Chef Mickey's

BTW, I am a huge Marilyn fan too!

[#1DisneyFreak]

For your first official night you should eat at Ohanas.