Travel time can definitely be an issue when you hop from park to park. It's not just the drive time, but the time you have to wait on the bus to arrive as well as what others have said about things like getting through security, etc.
Tusker House is a great choice. It was our favorite character meal (we did 6 on our trip.) Get your ressie for as close to 8am the day you do AK and you should be finished with your meal by rope drop. If you are, you can be one of the first people on the safari ride since it's entrance is right outside of the restaurant. Or you can grab Fast Passes at 9am for everyone.
If you are looking for a TS option for HS we really enjoyed 50's Prime Time Cafe. If you like fried chicken you will love it there. Best I've had in a long time. The atmosphere was fun too.
For your CP package at Epcot - we love Le Cellier. Best NY strip steak we have ever had. My husband would eat it for every meal if he could. Our kids thought the food was good there too. They loved the different types of bread!
Don't forget the restaurant in your resort. Whispering Canyon Cafe has pretty good food and a fun atmosphere.
As far as which ones to pay OOP, be sure to check out the menus on various sites, think ahead to what you all might have, and pay for the least expensive meals OOP. The menus should have fairly current pricing. The food at places like Le Cellier are quite pricey, while 50's Prime Time's are much cheaper.
We went during the same time as you are going on our trips in 2009 & 2007. It is the absolute most beautiful time of year to go. My advice for making your ressies - (although it was much harder at 90 days out like we had last year) Le Cellier (or other CP choice), CRT and Tusker House first - or anything else that you want an definite time for. They have made the new online reservation system so much better than it used to be!
Have an awesome trip!!
Tusker House is a great choice. It was our favorite character meal (we did 6 on our trip.) Get your ressie for as close to 8am the day you do AK and you should be finished with your meal by rope drop. If you are, you can be one of the first people on the safari ride since it's entrance is right outside of the restaurant. Or you can grab Fast Passes at 9am for everyone.
If you are looking for a TS option for HS we really enjoyed 50's Prime Time Cafe. If you like fried chicken you will love it there. Best I've had in a long time. The atmosphere was fun too.
For your CP package at Epcot - we love Le Cellier. Best NY strip steak we have ever had. My husband would eat it for every meal if he could. Our kids thought the food was good there too. They loved the different types of bread!
Don't forget the restaurant in your resort. Whispering Canyon Cafe has pretty good food and a fun atmosphere.
As far as which ones to pay OOP, be sure to check out the menus on various sites, think ahead to what you all might have, and pay for the least expensive meals OOP. The menus should have fairly current pricing. The food at places like Le Cellier are quite pricey, while 50's Prime Time's are much cheaper.
We went during the same time as you are going on our trips in 2009 & 2007. It is the absolute most beautiful time of year to go. My advice for making your ressies - (although it was much harder at 90 days out like we had last year) Le Cellier (or other CP choice), CRT and Tusker House first - or anything else that you want an definite time for. They have made the new online reservation system so much better than it used to be!
Have an awesome trip!!