2 of my 3 kids are now adults...UGH...what meals are worth the cost? [not on DDP]

[loveswdw]

If you are considering lunch outside the parks, try Wolfgang Puck Express in DTD Marketplace. The food is great and the portions are HUGE! The salads are ginormous and the portion of mac and cheese is enough for our family of 4 to split. And the flatbread pizzas are very large too. And the cost is not bad at all for the amount of food you get.

 

[crabbygal902]

Ahh...someone beat me to it! I agree with loveswdw. WPE is a GREAT value and hardly feels like a CS restaurant. You order at a counter, but a server brings your food to you. The quality of the food is very, very good.

I know you mentioned that you weren't really looking for buffets, but you may want to consider Trails End at Ft Wilderness. If I am not mistaken, the $22.99 charge for an adult dinner is much less than other buffets on property.

 

[Quin]

To a prior poster: If you are on one of the Dining Plans, Disney completely enforces that ages 3-9 can only order off the childrens' menus and almost completely enforces that ages 10+ can only order off the adults' menus.

To the OP: Buffets are lifesavers to people on the DDP who have under-10 kids with big appetites. They are the kiss of financial death to people paying OOP with 10+ age kids.

There are lots of cool TS and CS restaurants on property. You can split orders, order only apps, or do pretty much anything since you are paying OOP. It sounds like you are looking for meals that include some type of entertainment/experience.

Any of the AKL restaurants will give you the chance to also see the animals at the AKL savannahs, which are different from the AK park. Sanaa is the TS restaurant; check the menu to make sure it would work for the pickiest eaters.

In Epcot, Coral Reef is fun to watch the fish - you're inside the aquarium, basically. Marrakesh has some music & belly dancing.

We love Ohana but, again, this may not be a good $$$ decision for you right now based on the kids' appetites. Maybe save it for another trip a a few more years down the road (got to plan ahead, you know!). For similar polynesian/pan-asian cuisine you could try Kona, or better yet grab dinner at Captain Cooks (CS at the Poly) where you can get Dole Whips for dessert. Time it so you take them outside and eat them on the beach at the Poly while watching the Electric Water Pagent and/or the fireworks over the MK. You can also get similar cuisine at Y&Y TS in AK.

The one restaurant that might be a good compromise is WCC at WL. The large eaters of the group can get the bottomless BBQ skillet dinner (and if they're really ambitious, the bottomless milkshake to drink). Everybody else can just order off the menu, split an order, just have apps, just have the milkshakes - hey, you're on vacation. Whatever.

Some CS locations that give you more of a sit-down restaurant experience at a lower price would be Sunshine Seasons at Epcot and Pepper Market at CSR.

 

[maggiew]

Once my kids hit 10, we stopped going to the buffets and fixed-price places (for the most part). We go to places where you can order off the menu. Sometimes I share an entree with one of my DDs. Sometimes the other DD gets an appetizer for her meal, etc. It works so much better for our family based on how we eat. My girls have even ordered kids meals at sit down places when they were teens. We have never been turned down. (They don't do that often, but once in awhile that is what they want.) We don't do the dining plan, if that makes a difference.

Maggie

 

[OllieDannyandMe]

Are you kidding? hoop de doo is FAR too expensive to pay for 4 adults. No way no how.

I'd rather do the wild africa safari.

It is expensive. You are right. It does include tip and alcohol, but even taking that into consideration, you are paying about $13 more per person for the show. I love the Hoop Dee Doo, but it might not be for everyone.

I do think you would like Sanaa. The evening we were there, a storm was coming. The animals came right up to the window where we were sitting and it was like they were putting on a show just for us. I love Coral Reef and Remy at Chefs de France, too. I hope you find the perfect experience for your family. The safari is outstanding, if you go with that!

 

[hannahdrewmom]

When we are doing oop we normally do:

Kona breakfast (2 big kahuno's or 1 and tonga toast fill 4/5 of us) = $30 for breakfast
50's Prime Time- Fried Chicken HUGE!! Another cheapo meal to split. (Cheapo in turns of Disney prices!)
Teppan Udo- easily split between two people


Sanaa (the one at AKL w/ view) we haven't been too but it's on our list this time. It looks very neat!