Meal planning: please suggest your favourite places to eat

[4leobeans]

We're planning a September trip, and didn't actually get it booked until after FD had been announced. This has resulted in a lack of availability in ADR's. I will keep checking the dining site until our trip arrives, but want to have some ideas in place.

I am desperately trying to get a princess meal at MK (or Akershus as back up) for my 5 year old, who is celebrating her birthday at DW. However, I will likely book something else, as there's a good possibility we'll never get a reservation at this late date.

We're traveling with 7 and 5 YO girls, and a 20 month boy, and will likely stay in the park for all meals just for simplicity sake. We don't have a vehicle and are staying at Fort Wilderness. I think we'll try Trails End, since we're there.

MK - nothing booked, but hoping for BOG or CRT (yes, wishful thinking I'm sure!)
HS - Mama Melrose Fantasmic dining available...good idea?
AK - Tusker House dinner
Epcot - have Biergarten & Via Napoli (two days there)

We're also doing a MNSSHP one night...nothing booked yet for dinner.

Any suggestions on whether these choices are a good idea for small kidlets? I've checked out the menus at ViaNapoli, but no one in the family seems too keen on the pizzas.

We've done 1900PF, 'Ohana, Akershus, 50sPT, Yak&Yeti, Garden Grill, Boma, Grand Floridian and although we liked most of those places, are open to new restaurants. Any recommendations on ones I should keep trying for?
Thanks!

 

[Lucius Best]

We definitely like and recommend Trails End, Grand Floridian Cafe, Via Napoli, Mama Melrose.

Your best bet during free dining is to look outside the parks. Throwing out some other restaurants where we've been able to get last-minute ADRs or just walk up (so not BOG or CRT): Whispering Canyon (WL), Kona Cafe (Poly), Garden Grove (Swan)

 

[mom2AidanAndEli]

If you don't have luck with the princess meals you mentioned, I'd definitely do the 1900PF dinner. It's only a quick monorail ride away from MK and we actually find it a nice break from the parks. We LOVED the stepsisters and stepmother and at least you'd have Cinderella there!

Tusker House, I've only done breakfast, but it was very, very good. Food was more on the lines of Boma than some of the other buffets and seemed less chaotic than Chef Mickey.

Mama Melrose is also a great choice on the dining plan if you get the Fantasmic package. With the package, your dinner includes an appetizer, which it doesn't in most places. You don't get a choice of dessert, but do have a nice little sampler of several different ones. Choice of appetizer and entree though. And then the preferred seating is a bonus. Gosh, even if you don't plan on the show, go ahead and book it that way just for the added appetizer!

Trails End is very good as well. Kind of a hidden gem, although seems more and more people are discovering it!

Teppan Edo at Epcot is also fun--kids enjoyed the show and the food is quite good.

Whispering Canyon is a lot of fun. No characters but very fun antics from the staff.

And keep an eye out in case they open up BOG breakfast for your time. Right now it's only through July, as a "test", but may open further. That would be one way to at least get in the castle--especially if you can get a pre-opening ADR. As of now, no one can book so you haven't missed that opening day rush.

 

[samsteele]

We definitely like and recommend Trails End, Grand Floridian Cafe, Via Napoli, Mama Melrose.

Your best bet during free dining is to look outside the parks. Throwing out some other restaurants where we've been able to get last-minute ADRs or just walk up (so not BOG or CRT): Whispering Canyon (WL), Kona Cafe (Poly), Garden Grove (Swan)

These are all good choices . . . Trails End (dinner) and Kona Cafe (Poly) in particular. Don't forget kid-friendly places like T-Rex & Rainforest Cafe at Downtown Disney. These can be booked directly as they are Landry's restaurants should you not find availability on Disney Dining site. I really like Raglan Road at Downtown Disney for both food and entertainment. Sometimes kids get into the Irish dancing & go up on stage with the dancers. It can also be booked directly through Open Table online should there be little availability on the Disney dining site. A plus with this there is no cancellation fee (credit card number not required to book) should problems happen with getting to the restaurant on time.

 

[4leobeans]

Thanks for the recommendations, and tips about booking directly!
I was very interested in the Rainforest Cafe - but we've got Tusker House as our TS at Animal Kingdom. I'm mostly keeping it for the characters...but the kids might like RFC as much!

Thanks for the suggestions with Mama Melrose too. We loved H&V last time, and have been hoping to get there again, but no space yet. My hubby did not enjoy 50sPT, so pickings were slim at HS - glad to hear the positive comments about MM!

The more I hear about Trails End, the better it sounds!

And BOG for breakfast would work too - I'll keep an ear out for that!

Two of the choices that sounded good to me at Epcot were Teppan Edo and Chef's de France, so I'll have to look more closely hearing that the "show" at TE was enjoyed by your kids.

 

[maryj11]

If your willing to eat late you may be able to get a BOG or CRT. If I were you I would go ahead and book Akershus now. I have been trying to get a BOG for a month now for our last day and all I could get was an 8:00pm. All I can say is keep checking on the Disney site for opening. Check several times a day. Also check the September cancellation thread on here.http://www.disboards.com/threads/ne...r-cancelled-adr-thread-read-1st-post.3387523/
Teppan Edo is our favorite at Epcot. Tuskers House is really fun and we liked it.

 

[GeorgiaHoo]

We enjoyed Mama Melrose and the Fantasmic package is a good use of a dining plan credit. We also really like Teppan Edo and Chefs de France - and are eating at both in October - but Teppan Edo is probably a better choice based on age of your kids.

Consider one of the monorail resorts for dinner on the day of your Halloween party, perhaps Wave at Contemporary, Kona at Poly or 1900 Park Fare (never had it but supposed to have good character interaction). We are going to the Halloween party on Halloween and couldn't find a single table service restaurant in MK with available reservations for dinner. Will have a late (3:10) lunch at Plaza.

 

[GeorgiaHoo]

Wanted to add that the most "magical" thing we experienced at a Disney restaurant was at Teppan Edo. Wife and I were there on our anniversary and the chef spent what felt like ten minutes (but was prob less) creating a Mickey head out of rice and vegetables. It was pretty awesome.

 

[Lucius Best]

Consider one of the monorail resorts for dinner on the day of your Halloween party, perhaps Wave at Contemporary, Kona at Poly or 1900 Park Fare (never had it but supposed to have good character interaction). We are going to the Halloween party on Halloween and couldn't find a single table service restaurant in MK with available reservations for dinner. Will have a late (3:10) lunch at Plaza.

The only problem with dinner on party day is timing if the goal is to get to the party around 4pm when they start letting party people in. Many resort restaurants are closed between ~2:30pm and ~5pm.

 

[GeorgiaHoo]

The only problem with dinner on party day is timing if the goal is to get to the party around 4pm when they start letting party people in. Many resort restaurants are closed between ~2:30pm and ~5pm.

True. We have Plaza at 3:10 the day of our party and will probably relax there as long as possible. Perhaps a 2 at the Contemporary