Thanks, everyone, for all the suggestions!!
We loved Boma!!! Even my 10 & 12 year old say it was the best meal of our trip!!
DH & I also really like Boma. Plus, the AKL is just beautiful, & I love visiting it! Our 2 older kids aren't as impressed w/ Boma as we are - they like Yak & Yeti better.
I have only had Boma for breakfast but it is my favorite!!!!!!! As for world showcase meals we love Biergarten and also Teppen Edo. My husband and I tried Biergarten for the first time last June and were hooked. We love the entertainment and the food. Of course, my husband enjoyed the beer too! Although Teppen Edo is your normal Japanese restaurant the food is good along with the food show. Hope this helps! Happy planning!!!!
We've stayed away from Teppan Edo in the past because we have a really good Japanese hibachi-style restaurant here at home where we eat frequently. Additionally, our Japanese restaurant serves fried rice (which all 3 of ours kids love), while Teppan Edo has noodles. I'm afraid we'd be disappointed w/ Teppan Ed, but I'm sure that eventually we'll eat there one year!
I'm not a huge fan of buffets, but Biergarten intrigues me! I think we'd like the food, & the entertainment sounds fun!
I've never had Boma or Yak & Yeti, but we're trying Yak & Yeti this trip. We love PF Changs and it looks like that type of food. We also love Biergarten. Never tried Les Chefs.
Yak & Yeti is a lot like PF Changs! I'm sure you'll love it - plus the restaurant is really pretty w/ lots of ornate & unique décor.
Another vote for Biergarten!
Unless you are staying at AK or want to see the resort I would go with Y&Y leaving to eat at resorts is really a pain.
We loved Beirgarden and Les Chefs both are great.
We've always had lunch at Yak & Yeti, but, last year, I reserved the last available ADR time for dinner. It was really cool walking out of an empty AK! But, again, I missed seeing the gorgeous AKL since we didn't make it to Boma - which had previously been our dinner at the end of or AKL day.
And another vote for Biergarten! And one for Chefs!
I vote Yak and Yeti and Biergarten.
I think I'm leaning toward Yak & Yeti because it's one of our DD's favorite - she loves the pot stickers, & she's typically not a very adventurous eater.
And, previously, I was only sort of thinking about Biergarten & really trying to decide between Chefs & La Hacienda... now Biergarten is right up there! LOL!
Boma is ok, but I'm not a big fan of buffets in general. Yak & Yeti is good, although last time it didn't blow me away like it has on previous visits. They do have what I consider to be one of the best desserts on property however, the Pineapple Cream Cheese Wontons.
Here's a pic of the wontons:
We enjoy Les Chefs for lunch, not so much for dinner. Biergarten is usually good, and the show is great, but again it's a buffet so never my first choice. We LOVE La Hacienda! We've had dinner there our last three trips and are planning to return this fall too. We love the Hacienda platter and the service has always been excellent. If you can plan a late dinner you can also enjoy Illuminations with dessert. The view through the big picture windows is wonderful!
This is the Hacienda platter, it's also served with rice, black beans and warm tortillas:
Hope you have a great trip!
Thanks so much for the pics - especially the platter at La Hacienda! That looks wonderful & exactly like the kind of food DH & I like. And that wonton dessert at Yak & Yeti is delicious!! It's one of my very favorite desserts at WDW! But is it better than the Zebra Domes at Boma? Hmm...
We have enjoyed Yak & Yeti in the past too, but, last year, it wasn't as good as the previous year. I can't eat MSG, &, 2 years ago, the chef made me this amazing beef dish w/ lots of flavor & crunchy vegetables. Last year, I wasn't as impressed. But the Yak Attack was still yummy!
As were those yummy wontons for dessert!
Another thing that makes me want to choose Yak & Yeti is because it's one of my DD's favorites, &, like I said, she's typically not a very adventurous eater. And she loves this restaurant!
And, like you, I'm not a huge fan of buffets, & we're already doing the breakfast buffet at Chef Mickey's & the lunch buffet at Crystal Palace. One think I dislike about buffets is how I feel like DH & I eat in "shifts" - I get my plate while he waits w/ our younger DS, & then he gets his plate & so on.... so I never really feel like we're eating together.
If I go w/ Chefs, I think I'm going to do a late lunch instead of dinner. (On that day, we're eating breakfast at Chef Mickey's.)
My family tends to eat a LOT, so buffets always seem to work out great for us. We definitely eat our money's worth! So, if your family is similar to ours...Boma would be a great choice. The downside for us were the choices of food. My brother (11 years old) and I (14 years old) are not the most adventurous eaters on the planet. We were both able to find more than enough things to eat, but if your kiddos are really picky...you may want to consider dropping Boma. Also, as a few other people have mentioned-transportation is a hassle. But, I remember the resort itself being AMAZING. Your kids would probably LOVE the wildlife.
Yak and Yeti is great as well. I, personally, love in-park dining, just because it is so convenient. The service was not fantastic for us...but the food was GREAT. You really can not go wrong with either.
GOOD LUCK!
We probably don't get our money's worth at buffets! LOL! I make one trip to the buffet for salad, one trip for entrée & sides, & one trip for dessert & then I'm done. DH is basically the same way. Our kids have always found plenty to eat at Boma (even though DD is a little picky), but they don't eat lot. That said, we do really like Boma! The AKL is gorgeous, and, after our meal, we normally walk around the resort & look at the animals.
We usually stay at BLT and don't get park hoppers. On AK day, I like to go to a dinner show. HDDR is fun and there is a boat ride from FW to CR, so it makes travel convenient. We even take the bus from AK back to CR and take the boat to FW. The bus to FW is long!
I also suggest coral reef on one of your undecided Epcot days.
I have wanted to try HDDR for years - it gets such great reviews!! I just never find a place to "fit it" into our schedule! LOL! Typically, we use the evening after our AK day as a relaxing/restful evening at our resort. But that is a great idea & one I hadn't thought of!
Again, thanks, everyone, for all the replies!!
I think I'm going to go w/ Yak & Yeti over Boma - even though I'll miss the AKL & the Zebra Domes (I don't really think anyone else in my family will though...)
And I STILL haven't decided between Chefs & La Hacienda... although the picture of the platter at La Hacienda is making me really think La Hacienda! And I'm going to show DH the buffet menu for Biergarten & try to find some pics to show him to get his input.
Thanks!! Tomorrow morning is my ADR day!!
