we are getting ready for our first summer trip to WDW. Even during non-peak times, the CS restaurants can be crowded. I am considering packing a lunch for the family and finding a quieter spot to relax and eat. We will have a stroller to store the cooler. Anyone do this a find it more enjoyable?
Our resort fridge didn't have a freezer section.I consider packing frozen PB&Js for the kids. I read it on another thread here and thought it was brilliant. She said she bought the items in the resort's "market", made them the night b4 & froze them. Thinking about trying it this week - m ore so for snacks for my kiddos. I am also bringing organic Cliff Kids bars (protein bars for the adults) and nuts and jerkey so we have some decent options.
We will probably try to head into an A/C'd CS for lunch though around 11 or 1...
Keep in mind, benches are few and far between. Finding a quiet, shaded spot will be darn near impossible. Don't take up tables in a CS place meant for paying customers.we are getting ready for our first summer trip to WDW. Even during non-peak times, the CS restaurants can be crowded. I am considering packing a lunch for the family and finding a quieter spot to relax and eat. We will have a stroller to store the cooler. Anyone do this a find it more enjoyable?
I've never had a real problem finding a table at CS places.
Interesting to note. We have not had trouble at QS, but we're 3 able bodied (at least for now!) people - no little ones, no grandparents, no wheel chairs or strollers. It probably makes things a good deal easier.When I reflect on our counter service meals from our March trip, they stick out as some of the more stressful moments of the trip. But that was mostly trying to weave in between crowded tables with heavily loaded trays while trying to help our disabled mom navigate her Cart.
We stayed at AoA in a suite, so we had a kitchenette. We did not have a freezer section. We did have a stroller and a soft sided cooler with water bottles. We used ice from the hotel ice machine and Ziplocs.This was much more cumbersome than if I could have frozen the water bottles themselves.Our resort fridge didn't have a freezer section.
This! My kids are always hungry when DH and I aren't (like 3 hours after a character breakfast). We always pack snacks, however, I feel I should be giving them a more balanced meal.It depends on your touring style. We visit often and rotate between packing lunches and eating Disney food most trips. I do enjoy having meals packed for my little ones. When they are hungry they are hungry right then. I can give them a sandwich while they ride in the stroller to the next ride/land and they are happy, fed and we save time. We rarely pack two meals for a day however. We usually open and close a park so we have eaten everything in the stuffed cooler bag by about 2 or 3. We sometimes grab a side of fries or something similar to supplement our lunch.
We do this as well, but that only takes care of one day.I wouldn't want to carry a cooler, but then we don't have a stroller any more either to put it in.
I found the least hassle on a busy day was a lunch ADR at BOG (with food pre-prdered) and a TS ADR for dinner.
I am bummed there is no freezer section to freeze water bottles too! I know you can get free water from CS, but in the heat I think it is important to have water on hand so we always carry some with us everywhere. We always end up buying more too because that FL tap water is especially bad.We stayed at AoA in a suite, so we had a kitchenette. We did not have a freezer section. We did have a stroller and a soft sided cooler with water bottles. We used ice from the hotel ice machine and Ziplocs.This was much more cumbersome than if I could have frozen the water bottles themselves.
I can't imagine having to carry around a cooler with lunch and ice for 5 people on top of the waters we carried.
I do enjoy having meals packed for my little ones. When they are hungry they are hungry right then. I can give them a sandwich while they ride in the stroller to the next ride/land and they are happy, fed and we save time. We rarely pack two meals for a day however. We usually open and close a park so we have eaten everything in the stuffed cooler bag by about 2 or 3. We sometimes grab a side of fries or something similar to supplement our lunch.
This! My kids are always hungry when DH and I aren't (like 3 hours after a character breakfast). We always pack snacks, however, I feel I should be giving them a more balanced meal.
THIS. I actually clicked on this thread because I was curious what kind of hassles people were having with QS places. Ordinarily, we haven't had problems with crowded QS places, or not finding a table. The only exceptions I can think of are Sommerfest and Les Halles. But ultimately, we've always found a spot.