Anyone just do counter service meals?

[shadowpumpkin]

We are doing to be at WDW for 3 days in April. We have Chef Mickeys planned on morning on my son's birthday but other than that have not planned any other table service meals. We are not doing DDP. This is our 1st trip with kids (3 and 1) to WDW and I am having trouble scheduling anything because I think we will be better off just taking it as it comes. Am I going to regret not making ADR?

 

[Stacy_C]

If we aren't visiting during free dining, we usually only do 1 TS per trip. I prefer the flexibility (time-wise) of doing CS whenever and wherever we want to. It's easy for us to do CS for a whole trip given the variety of foods WDW offers.

 

[buzz1fan]

When we went last time we had a 2.5 YR old with us. I didnt have any reservations. We did get a little bothered that we couldnt find a sit down dinner to cool down. We got lucky at where able to get the the Plaza at MK. It is so hard to plan meals around younger kids i think. You never know what the day holds. We are going in June and we will have a 4 YR old and 1 Yr old. I am not sure what to do. This time we are staying at the POly which has choices, (last time at the POP, no TS), so I need to make some decisions. I am debating on Chef Mickeys too.

 

[MickeyNicki]

We used to do CS meals for all our dining options when we were younger and much poorer It worked out just fine, there are many options instead of burgers, chicken fingers and fries

 

[iloveeeyore]

You know what is best for your family. Your children are very young, and might not be in the mood to sit for meals, especially with all the other fun things to do. Plus, you are staying only a short time, and might not want to spend much of your precious time in a restaurant. CM is a great experience for the little ones, and one just might be enough in your case.

We LOVE dining at Disney, and do one TS meal per day (more than enough), but our kids are much older and we stay a week. In your situation, I think I'd make the same choice.

Have fun!

 

[Delta Hog]

I was kind of thinking the same thing. I have 2 TS reservations for 5 days in the parks (1 for a princess experience at Norway Akershus; 1 just because the 50s PrimeTime Cafe at studios just sounds cool). The rest, I figure, we'll just find something and grab it, for 2 main reasons: (1) a lot less expensive (2 adults & 2 kids, and not on dining plan); and (2) we can plan our daily itineraries around what we want to SEE, and not have to worry about what area of the park to be in at a certain time to be at a pre-reserved restaurant.

Is this such a bad idea?

 

[Luv4Disney]

We did all CS when we were in high school because we were poor. Didn't really like it, but didn't really have a choice. It was all CS or not Disney. Obviously you know what our choice was. Now that we're married and not poor, haha, we could NEVER do all CS. We usually do one TS meal a day. Rarely 2, if it's a breakfast or something.

 

[xnascar2x]

We always do CS meals for lunch and dinner. We prefer this because we like being able to eat when whenever we want to and don't have to to plan our day around ADRs. When we feel hungry we just find a near by CS and eat.

 

[I loveStitchnippyjon]

When we went last September, we had the "free" dining. Granted, it was nice to dine at some fairly expensive TS places, but we missed out on a lot having to alter our schedule for our reservations. Next time, one or two TS, and the rest will be CS!

 

[mickeymyfavorite]

When we go to disney, I USED to booked a TS meal for almost everyday, and sometimes it would never work out for us, because we would be doing something at that time..........etc.

Well this time We are going in April, & I booked only 2 TS meal, & the rest we are going to just wing it.

So I think doing CS meals might just be a big convience. I agree I loveStitchnippyjon

 

[holcomb-mania]

We're shifting more of our meals to CS from TS. It's just getting too expensive now with the expanded "holiday" pricing and my kids are full-blown adults now that they are over 9!

It also helps with flexibility, as mentioned above.

 

[Poohbug]

I think doing CS for most meals works out great. We usual have TS if there is one or two special restaurants we love. Just a warning-my recent trip to MK my son wanted a Cheeseburger for lunch-good luck finding that without walking the whole park. He never did get his cheeseburger.

 

[hlbrink]

We are going in May with two little ones for a week and have two TS ADRs. We plan to eat breakfast before we get to the parks and CS the rest of the time.

It is hard to plan too much when they are this age, because you never know when someone is going to have an off day. It seems like my kids always act crazy when we go out and then we turn into "that family" that everyone is staring at

 

[MattIL]

When we visit we typically eat counter service in the parks. We might schedule a TS meal for breakfast to get into the park early and if we can get a quick walk in for lunch we will eat a TS meal. However for going on rides we tend to to eat CS.

We like to schedule TS meals for visiting resorts or when we go to the Boardwalk or downtown Disney. If you are taking a "rest" day where you don't enter one of the 4 major parks then that might be a good time to plan a CS meal outside the parks.

 

[cymbaldiva]

When left to my own devices I prefer to do the counter service thing - I hate being bound by ADRs.

FYI, cheeseburgers can be found in the MK at Cosmic Rays and Pecos Bills

 

[Matt'nMeg'sMom]

when we pay OOP - we always do CS meals. But I hate 'em.
When we have the DDP, we eat healthier food.

On a diet of straight CS, my kids become DESPERATE for something green by the end of a week. They eat all the garnish off the plates, and steal lettuce from the burger fixin' bar.

On straight CS, it's difficult to find anything besides burgers, nuggets and fries.

With the DDP, I can get my very frugal husband to order expensive TS food (which he normally wouldn't buy.) TS meals can be a pain, but with the DDP we are able to eat healthier food.

 

[shadowpumpkin]

Thanks for all the responses! I feel better now about doing mainly CS. With the kids I just don't want to plan too much and they honestly could care less what they eat. Plus it will be cheaper on the pocketbook!

 

[VMK_Mouse]

We do not. As a matter of fact, after our last trip, we decided that we are no longer doing CS other than Toy Story Pizza Planet and Pinocchio's.

I know that having to stick to ADRs is a pain in the bottom, but we prefer that over heartburn and upset stomach.

 

[VMK_Mouse]

when we pay OOP - we always do CS meals. But I hate 'em.
When we have the DDP, we eat healthier food.

....cut....

TS meals can be a pain, but with the DDP we are able to eat healthier food.

This is why I also love the TS meals and DDP.

 

[let.the.magic.begin]

We are going Sept. 21-27 with 3 kids (7, 5, 3) and will be doing mostly CS also. They are not going to want to sit down at a restaurant for 1+ hours when we could be in the park having fun . We may do 1 TS meal during our trip.