Chosing ADRs- Do you go for food quality or experience?

[disprincess2213]

I am having the HARDEST time finalizing my ADR plans. Its awful because I wish there was time (and belly room!) to eat at all the places I want!! Some ADRs are highly rated for food, others for characters, others for atmosphere. I dont know what is the best way to go! It is me, DH, and DD 19 months so its not like she would be star struck at Akershus (one of my top choices) nor will she be Wow'd at Yachtsman Porterhouse lol!

Would you all suggest picking ressies for food quality (ie Narcoosees) or atmosphere (ie CRT)?

 

[monkeybug]

I try to do a mix of both, but usually go for experience over quality. That may seem like a strange approach, but for the most part, you can get the same (or better) quality food for much less money at non-Disney restaurants! I can get a great steak right here in my hometown for probably at least $10 less a plate than Le Cellier, but there is no local restaurant where they are going to heap whipping cream on my husband's unfinished green beans, or where I can eat in a Castle. (unless you live by medieval times, but their food isn't good either)
On the whole I'm not impressed with Disney food, it's not bad, but it's not as amazing as I could get for the same price elsewhere. The theming and attention to detail is amazing though! I'm okay with paying more for mediocre food if the experience is fun and memorable.

 

[wdwrich]

I am having the HARDEST time finalizing my ADR plans. Its awful because I wish there was time (and belly room!) to eat at all the places I want!! Some ADRs are highly rated for food, others for characters, others for atmosphere. I dont know what is the best way to go! It is me, DH, and DD 19 months so its not like she would be star struck at Akershus (one of my top choices) nor will she be Wow'd at Yachtsman Porterhouse lol!

Would you all suggest picking ressies for food quality (ie Narcoosees) or atmosphere (ie CRT)?

The answer to your question is going to be variable depending on your group/wants/experience. If someone is relatively new to WDW, then going to restaurants for a unique experience is something I would recommend. Think Chef Mickey's where the experience of character interaction and the monorails gliding overhead far outweighs the mediocre food quality. For folks like us who have done multiple visits and have experienced most places, food quality at meals is more important.

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

I look at menus to see if the food looks good and consider the ambiance. Opinions are so varied that it is very difficult to trust one person's "best meal I ever ate" over someone else reviewing the same meal as not fit for their dog.

Take Narcoosees. It is RAVED about. But my husband and I had a meh experience our one and only time there. (My husband was very scared when his entree showed up with all the crustaceans still in their shell in a soup. I knew that would happen. Didn't think he wouldn't know. The waiter as kind and let him order a replacement meal.)

In any case, seeing so much raving does encourage me to reconsider.

I would go to allearsnet and read menus. If we can't find one appetizing thing on the menu, we don't consider it for the current trip. Some menus, we can't pick which item we want to try as it all looks good

If you are stuck between two choices--folks here can help you decide.

I think your daughter is a good age for a character meal as it is a nice easy intro to the characters without spending time in a line. For that experience, I would pick one based on who she likes and then to from there. For us, the Pooh Characters at CP in MK is what we went with. I know their food gets panned. But we didn't find it terrible and found things to enjoy. 4 children later, I'm. It necessarily in a rush to get back there. But would if we has a little one who enjoyed them. As those meals are expensive, we do prefer our TS meals to be off menu so that we have better control over how much we spend. If on Dining Plan, this is a non-issue.

 

[6loversofdisney]

I guess we tend to go for atmosphere first. We have memories and experiences at places that keep us going back!! Now as for you with a little one, I agree it won't really matter - it will be more what you are interested in.

Although the high end type of places might make for a little more stressful experience if your little one is not feeling good or having a bad moment. Just a thought.

Good luck with your choices

 

[MrInfinity]

DD being 19 months, you're just picking for you and DH. Pick whatever appeals to you! CRT is not really all that if you don't have a princess in the princess age to meet Cinderella and Belle. Go back when she's 5 and do that experience.

Focus on enjoying things you like now cuz when your kids are 5-9 you'll be eating places that accommodate them more and you less. Like I would do the California Grill, Brown Derby, or more snacks in Epcot if it was just me and DW (or with baby in tow) but with kids we end up at character meals and things that appeal to them.

Akershu's didn't impress at all on food quality. Given the many great food items available in Epcot, Akershus would be toward the bottom for being one of the most expensive but least good. There you're paying for the early entry to Epcot and to meet the princesses with a photo op. Skip for now revisit in 4 years.

Same with CRT. Food is ok. You're paying double what the food's worth for the experience of eating in the castle.

I would do Italy, Morocco, UK, snack stands, etc. Things kids don't tend to like. Order the strangest things that you can't get at local restaurants for the experience.

 

[MagicalMawMaw]

I'd pick whatever sounded more fun to you.
We pick our favorites & repeats for different reasons:

Like we always eat at Teppo Edo because it is fun & good too. I love San Angel Inn as it is so pretty there & just a unique place to eat.
My hubby loves Coral Reef because of the aquarium & Chef Mickeys breakfast is a pick because you get to see the Fab 5!
Ohana's supper is a must because it is just a disney experience for us & California Grill is always a repeat because it is delicious !!

 

[BuzzinDownToDisney]

We do breakfasts and lunch for atmosphere and fun, dinner is to make our bellies happy. There are places (Liberty Tree Tavern) that provide both a great theme and good food.

 

[OhioStateBuckeye]

I agree with a PP, I go for the experience because for the most part I can get delicious food at home.

My choices for the experience:

-Sci Fi Dine In. You get to eat in a freaking car under the stars and watch hilarious old sci fi movie clips. I can't think of anywhere else you can experience this. In fact, if I ever get a house of my own I want to make a movie theater room based on this restaurant.

-50s Prime Time. The waiters and waitresses are typically hilarious. Where else can you eat and watch your BF be embarrassed at the same time?

-BOG. It is like eating inside the movie. My favorite place to be seated is near the window so you can watch the snow.

 

[ilovebassets]

It's a combination of both plus price. We simply won't pay out of pocket for character meals. I don't care how good the "experience" is, the price just is not worth it to us. Nor will I pay OOP for the signature restaurants. If I really want amazing food, I will get it at half the price in my hometown, and it will probably be better quality and service, too. We also won't return if we just hated the food. For example, 50s Prime Time was certainly cute and unique and reasonably priced, but not one thing we ordered was great.

All that makes it sound like I hate Disney restaurants, and I really don't. The restaurants we return to over and over again are Coral Reef, Via Napoli, Liberty Tree Tavern (lunch only), Tony's Town Square (lunch only), Mama Melrose, Yak & Yeti, Sci Fi, Boma (breakfast only), and Trails End. We find these to be the best meeting point of quality, experience, and price.

 

[kitty2kidz]

We go for the experience foremost!! I do look at the menus to make sure there are things we would want to eat, but in general (unless you have a super picky palate) we have found most of the food Disney good --yes the prices are more expensive , but that is true of all "park food" or food at any sporting event, concert, or venue. I find myself choosing the unique places that we cant get at home--coral reef fish tank, sci-fi dine in, Rainforest Cafe, Character meals over and over again. I guess if you go to Disney several times a year, then you would be more inclined to seek out the finer prepared foods rather than the experience after you have experienced it so many times--but for a trip every few years or several years or once in a lifetime trip... go for an experience that you cant get at home!! We went to LeCellier last trip because I love a good steak and it was so highly rated, and had terrible service--couldn't get out of that place for anything.. and although the food was good--it wasn't really that much better than anywhere else ( except the pretzel rolls) --I personally wouldnt go back!

 

[cjappert]

We go for experience first, but that mostly because we still have young kids (7, 2 and 4 months) and that's who we go to Disney for. IF we were to every have a trip without the kids I'm sure it would be different and we would go more for quality

 

[jenjersnap]

Both. For the least 4 out of 5 trips, we have purchased the DxDDP. Breakfast or lunch is typically for the experience, usually a character meal, and dinner is a signature where the food is more important.

 

[pigletgirl]

It honestly depends on what we're doing on that particular day. If we have a "down day" we may choose theme and entertainment over food and if we want a quieter dinner we may choose a place that offers that with less going on.

Being that your DD is quite young, her opinion doesn't count yet.

Our DD will be 15 months when we go in a few weeks and we plan on saving the character meals for when she'll really enjoy the experience (hopefully!).

 

[Disney Khaleesi]

We tend to side more with experience rather than food quality. Granted, I do look at the menus to make sure that the place has food I'll eat (I don't like seafood, so I tend t avoid seafood-heavy places) but Coral Reef has such a great atmosphere, I'm okay having to order off the kid's meal or something. If the place has terrible food obviously I'll skip it, but WDW has pretty average food and I've never had an issue.

Granted, entertainment is the only reason I'll be going back to Chef Mickey's in 2 years, but it's Disney, ya know?

 

[smodie]

For our trip I think I have a good mix of both. I am not looking forward to the food at a few places but I know my daughter will love meeting the characters.

 

[DisneyFanatic1215]

I would say an equal mix of both. I first see if the atmosphere or experience looks appealing to us and looks like a good time. Then I look at the menu to see if we can all find something we like on it. I like picking restaurants with nice theming or something interesting. I don't usually pick restaurants just because I heard the food gets good reviews. I like to have a unique dining experience while at WDW.

 

[ThumpersMommy]

We also go for experience over food quality. I have read negative food quality reviews for many places. I still tried them and formed my own opinion. Several actually surprised me.

 

[CarolinesKitchen]

I think because we have kids, definitely the experience first. Buffets can have less than desirable food sometimes, but the chance to eat with Mickey or Cinderella trumps that usually with small children.

 

[MerryFlora]

We go by experience first. I always appreciate a good theme which is why I love Disney. Second I try to arrange a good variety. Mexican one night, Italian the next etc. I don't even bother with reviews but I do check menus first. Actually, more like obsess over the menus