Too many Character Meals????Check out my ADR's

[canadianmom2three]

OK, finally have my ADR's down, but now I am obsessing over rather there is too many buffet type meals, or too many character meals....it is DH and I, our kids 11,8,and 5 turning 6, plus my parents. I have tried to involve my parents, but they just keep saying I should choose what the kids want....so I did!!

Aug. 24: Arrival day - CP dinner at 7:05
Aug. 25: Sci -Fi Dine In late lunch 3:55
Aug. 26: O'Hana Breakfast 9:10 (DS's 6th BDay!!) and Hoop de Doo 7:15
Aug. 27: Tusker House breakfast 10:20
Aug. 28: Liberty Tree Tavern 5:10 (ok the kids wanted Chef Mickey, but I couldn't get it)
Aug. 29: Coral Reef 2:50
Aug. 30: Departure day - no ADR's

I may have to do away with CP, depending on how our flights work out, but if we drive, we will keep it. I also am wondering about doing away with the Hoop De Doo, since it is 2 TS and we are over by 2....but I have heard great things about it. And lastly, 2 of us (me and my dad) have life threatening shellfish allergies, and my dad is allergic to all fish actually, but my mom and DS11 love seafood, and the place just looks so neat, but I don't want to make a big fuss about the allergies....so I thought maybe it isn't the best choice for us, although it does have other things on the menu, and I don't generally worry much about cross contamination at other restaurants that serve seafood, so it should be fine. Anyway, would welcome any input. The only one we have been to before is Sci-Fi, and the kids really wanted to go back there most. All the others are new.

 

[goinback]

I think you are fine. Each meal is with a different set of characters and it's a good way to let the kids get autographs if they are into that.

 

[JL2002]

i have the following Character/buffet in my ADR..

Chef's Mickey
Liberty Tree Tavern
Garden Grill
Crystal Palace....

haha...food aside, i think atmosphere is the most important part because you can't experience it anywhere else....

 

[belle&sebastiansmom]

Got you beat . . .

Crystal Palace, Garden Grill, Ohana, 1900 Park Fare, Cindy's Royal Table, Liberty Tree, and Chef Mickey's, with Le Cellier, Mama Melrose and Boma thrown in there for the adults. The kids will love it and that's why we go!!

 

[rellabee]

We have all of you beat!! Chef Mickey's (breakfast), Crystal Palace (breakfast and dinner), 1900 Park Fair (Breakfast and dinner), CRT (breakfast), Akershus (breakfast); Tusker House (breakfast); Hollywood and Vine (breakfast); Cape May (breakfast); and Spirit of Aloha. We also have Le Cellier, Coral Reef, Biergarten, and PLanet Hollywood. I know I'm missing something off this list............8 days of DxDDP!! We did skip most of the family style meals such as at Ohana, Liberty Tree, etc. because the toddler will freak out if the food touches! He'll have to put up with the 2 princess meals, however!

 

[OKW Lover]

This is kind of a dissenting opinion, but you did ask.

In general, if you think you may have too many character meals, then you probably do. We've found that after the first couple, you won't be able to tell the difference except for the characters. If its characters you are after, then catch them in the parks. If its food, you don't need to spend the premium on the character meals.

 

[canadianmom2three]

Thanks for all the input! I guess I'm just not sure what else besides character meals will be most appealing to the kids. The adults will be happy if the kids are happy, so hopefully we'll all be happy!!

 

[loonytoony]

I think its too many and you may ruin the impact of future visits surprise of character meals

 

[daisyduck123]

I should choose what the kids want....so I did!!

If that's what the kids chose, then I would definitely stick with those!

We always let our kids choose...they're only young for a short time. I feel that we can do the more "grown-up" meals, when they are older (and mine just turned 10yo & 13yo ). They STILL pick the character meals!

**Btw, I don't feel you have too many. We do more than that every trip. And keep trying for Chef Mickey's...you just might get it!!

 

[canadianmom2three]

I think its too many and you may ruin the impact of future visits surprise of character meals

I wonder if I can type this with a straight face.....this is the last trip we have planned for a while, as much as we LOVE Disney, we don't have the kind of money that allows us to take any other big trips if we are going to disney, and we really want to try and take the kids some other places as well, maybe on a cruise (hmmmmmm disney cruise) or to mexico or something....

that said, we thought last year would be our "last" trip, and here we are again, as excited as ever for this year.....

 

[loonytoony]

I wonder if I can type this with a straight face.....this is the last trip we have planned for a while, as much as we LOVE Disney, we don't have the kind of money that allows us to take any other big trips if we are going to disney, and we really want to try and take the kids some other places as well, maybe on a cruise (hmmmmmm disney cruise) or to mexico or something....

that said, we thought last year would be our "last" trip, and here we are again, as excited as ever for this year.....

Never say it will be your last trip. That would be giving up.
There are always new things to see. New characters to meet. Grandchildren to bring. The fun never stops at Disney.

 

[acourtwdw]

I don't think you can ever have too many character meals!!!!

 

[tlriv5]

My dd's are going to be 13 and twins who are 10 and they picked three character meals for our upcoming trip. I think we did 4 our last trip (2 Years ago) and our last meal was our least fav. But it may have been because it was a breakfast buffet at Animal Kingdom and I didn't we all wished we'd done a dinner instead. With that said, my dd's favorite fun place to eat was Whispering Canyon Cafe at WL. You should look at their menu and read some threads about this place. It was the one place my girls insisted we go back to this year! Just a thought.

 

[MPHARJ]

I say keep what you have and enjoy yoruselves. We don't have that many character meals this year but we have a lot of buffets planned. The reason is I get tired of my youngest usually eating the same thing our entire trip. This gives him the option of eating more veggies, fruits and other things besides chicken strips and fries. If these places are where your children want to eat, let them eat there, they will be happy!
We have CM, LTT, Y&Y, O'hana's for dinner and breakfast, Trail End Buffet, Cape May Cafe dinner, Biergarten, H&V dinner, CP dinner and LeCellier, lunch. So in buffet meals we have you beat!

 

[Linda Farrell]

My kids are now adults themselves--DD27 and DS23. I still always ask them where they would like to eat on the trips. DS MUST eat at Cape May Cafe for dinner whenever he goes, and both of them like the Biergarten for the food and the show. As long as you get input from the family, then everyone is happy to have helped plan the trip.

 

[holleetigerlilly]

My little ones will be 4 and almost three. For us, the character meals are where they are at because my kiddos don't understand that Mickey really isn't a giant talking mouse, or that cinderella really doesn't live in that castle. The magic is there for them, so I'm going to make sure I really live up to that magic - KWIM?

We're there for 3 full days and 2 half days.

Day one - dinner @ Liberty Tree Tavern

Day Two - Breakfast @ the castle, dinner @ crystal palace

Day three - O'Hana breakfast, unplanned dinner at the moment (maybe BOMA)

Day Four - Breakfast @Akerush, dinner unplanned at the moment

Day five - Breakfast w/ Play and Dine

The only thing I'm still thinking about is 1900 Park, with Mary Poppins. We'd have to give up Breakfast somewhere though.

When I went to disney in Sept with my kids, the major thing I really regretted was not scheduling more character dining. For one, it guarantees you a seat (in the AC). With the little kids (nearly 3 and 1.5), I needed a sit down and had a heck of a time finding one. For another, it saves you the HOURS and stress you would have in trying to find the darn characters around the park. The hubby and I swore that "next time" I would max out the character meals.

With young kids, you really get a bank for your buck because, under three, kids eat for free! I took DD just shy of 3, and we're going back with DS. I know that we can really "tank up" for breakfast, snack for lunch, and then get a good meal for dinner. We actually didn't see it as an expendature - we saw it as a value all things told.