A few resturant questions, if I may

[missDisneylady]

First of all, any and all input is appreciated. Last year was my first trip to the World but I stayed off property and cooked meals. I'm addicted and from now on I want to "truly": experience Disney. The only plans I'm still agonizing over are food details. Now, I will be traveling with two 11 year olds with picky tastes and bird appetites. They are not going to eat most of the food selections that I have seen on the adult menus and I've looked at tons of them. I do not want to spend every meal at a buffet. I thought about the Fantasmic package with Mama Melrose. I've read good and bad reviews about the resturant itself. I figured they may eat the pizza or spagetti off the adult menu. I was hoping someone could tell me if either of these items are large enough portions for them to share and save a TS credit.

Also, I wanted to try the Whispering Canyon Cafe but i keep seeing bad reviews, has anyone been recently? I'm interested in the all you can eat skillet. I will also be traveling with a vegetarian, whom while could probably eat something off the regular menu, would more likely be satisfied eating the vegatables that come with the skillet. Then we have the 11 year olds that enjoy most of the items included on the skillet. However, it would be a tremendous waste for them to each have one. How can I split this? I've read that they will allow you to share. Certainly they would not let us all share from one platter, which I would not do anyway....that would be embarrassing. However, I am wondering if they will allow the four of us to share 2 skillets? I don't know.....

Finally, are there any TS anyone can think of that has portions big enough for the kids to share? They don't eat seafood.

One last thing, is Boma really a must? Breakfast or dinner? Is the breakfast much different than any other breakfast buffet?

Sorry, Biergarten....anyone dined there lately?

 

[KatMark]

First of all, any and all input is appreciated. Last year was my first trip to the World but I stayed off property and cooked meals. I'm addicted and from now on I want to "truly": experience Disney. The only plans I'm still agonizing over are food details. Now, I will be traveling with two 11 year olds with picky tastes and bird appetites. They are not going to eat most of the food selections that I have seen on the adult menus and I've looked at tons of them. I do not want to spend every meal at a buffet. I thought about the Fantasmic package with Mama Melrose. I've read good and bad reviews about the resturant itself. I figured they may eat the pizza or spagetti off the adult menu. I was hoping someone could tell me if either of these items are large enough portions for them to share and save a TS credit. I have had the four-cheese flatbread pizza numerous times at MM and have had a hard time eating it all by myself (if I stayed away from the appetizers, bread, etc., maybe I could ). I think it will be plenty for two bird appetites to share.

Also, I wanted to try the Whispering Canyon Cafe but i keep seeing bad reviews, has anyone been recently? I'm interested in the all you can eat skillet. DH and I were there in September for the first time and we did not like it at all. I don't like cornbread so didn't even try that; the salad dressing was yuk, the beans, and brisket were terrible; after that I stopped eating, but DH tried the ribs and chicken and ended up being sick the rest of the night. I found it overrated and the service terrible, plus we waited over 30 minutes past our ADR time I will also be traveling with a vegetarian, whom while could probably eat something off the regular menu, would more likely be satisfied eating the vegatables that come with the skillet. Then we have the 11 year olds that enjoy most of the items included on the skillet. However, it would be a tremendous waste for them to each have one. How can I split this? I've read that they will allow you to share. Certainly they would not let us all share from one platter, which I would not do anyway....that would be embarrassing. However, I am wondering if they will allow the four of us to share 2 skillets? I don't know.....

Finally, are there any TS anyone can think of that has portions big enough for the kids to share? They don't eat seafood.

One last thing, is Boma really a must? Breakfast or dinner? Is the breakfast much different than any other breakfast buffet?

Sorry, Biergarten....anyone dined there lately?We love Biergarten--there is something for everyone and I think your kids would get a kick out of the entertainment as will you.

I have found the portions at Rose & Crown to be large as well as Yak & Yeti at the AK, and Plaza Restaurant at the MK.

 

[colinsdad]

For the Fantasmic Package, it will be based on the number in your party. Price is per person and yes you can use a TS for this package. Unfortunately, you will not be able to get a party of 3, and yet only use 2 TS regardless of how small the kids appetite is.

I think the same for the "All you can eat skillet" at WCC. It is doubtful they will let you split it. It's like going to a buffet, one person loading up and sharing with the rest of the party.

As for other restaurants, when seated you tell your server what DDP credits you plan on using. So I don't see any reason you cannot order 1 meal and use one TS for the kids and have them share. You could then pay OOP for any additional food you may order (if any). However, if you do this a lot, you'll end up with credits you may not use.

Because 11 yo's are "adults" on the DDP, you will be paying $40 each for them per day for DDP. It sounds like you can do a lot better paying OOP if they eat like "birds".

I'd skip the DDP if I were you.

 

[MickeyMomOfThree]

WCC is one of our favorites, we were there last in November. You cannot share the skillet as it is all you can eat, but not everyone has to get the skillet and there are other good foods there to choose from. My grandpa is the pickiest eater ever, he likes about 5 things, and he loved WCC.

 

[goofy4prez]

Overall when it comes to restaurants I really don't pay much attention to what people say when booking my ADR's. Peoples taste, likes, dislikes, and expectations can very so much. I'll usually try it myself first.

As for the WCC(for now ignore my comments above LOL) Overall I didn't find the food to be great, but it was far from disappointing. The platter was quit filling The atmosphere was a lot of fun. My DD11 had a blast there. Would I go back again, Yes.

 

[Pakey]

I think that 50's PTC has huge portions. Do they like fried chicken? You get 3 pieces with dinner, who can eat that much? My husband and I shared a meal there last time.

Yak n Yeti also had huge portions. We did not like the food and it's too expensive to pay OOP, but the portions were huge. I didn't even eat a quarter of my entree.

Also, my kids, older now but when they were younger, loved Sci Fi. They have basic burgers and fries there and the atmosphere couldn't scream any more that it's Disney. Maybe they could split a burger and milkshake there?

You might also want to consider Beaches and Cream at the Beach Club. It's a soda fountain place with burgers/hotdogs that is really cute. Great ice cream desserts too. Prices are reasonable.

Boma is great for dinner (we don't do breakfast) but the food is not for picky eaters. Your boys might find a few things they like but the last time we took a picky eater there (an adult) he ended up eating off the children's station because he didn't like anything he tried.

 

[cj9200]

Mama Melrose was a hit of miss with us. Sometimes OK, sometimes not so OK. Instead of Boma, you may want to try Yak and Yeti which we have done twice. Warning: neither are places for picky eaters. Whispering Canyon also lets you order off the menu so not everyone has to order the skillet. DD is a Vegetarian and Disney is very good at giving them choices. My favorite is restaurant is California Grill. If you go there, they have a vegetarian medley where each station picks out their favorite veg item and serves them all as the entree. DD loves that.

 

[missDisneylady]

For the Fantasmic Package, it will be based on the number in your party. Price is per person and yes you can use a TS for this package. Unfortunately, you will not be able to get a party of 3, and yet only use 2 TS regardless of how small the kids appetite is. think the same for the "All you can eat skillet" at WCC. It is doubtful they will let you split it. It's like going to a buffet, one person loading up and sharing with the rest of the party.

Because 11 yo's are "adults" on the DDP, you will be paying $40 each for them per day for DDP. It sounds like you can do a lot better paying OOP if they eat like "birds".

I'd skip the DDP if I were you.

Thanks, I should've made the connection about the Fantasmic discrepancy regarding party size.

The concept of sharing buffet meals sounds insane to me too, I have never known a buffet to allow sharing, but I keep seeing posts in various places declaring members of a party were allowed to share a skillet at this restaurant....maybe they just meant taste the items.

I've thought of paying OOP but I'm not a picky eater and I'm a big eater so it could still get expensive. Plus, I was under the impression that they would still have to eat off the adult menu at restaurants since they are over nine...dining plan or not. It's not even so much about the money. Don't get me wrong, I don't like to waste money. But even more, I absolutely hate to waste food. That whole " there are children starving" speech from my mom still reverberates in my head from childhood. You guys are great. Thanks for all the information.

 

[Flossbolna]

Thanks, I should've made the connection about the Fantasmic discrepancy regarding party size.

The concept of sharing buffet meals sounds insane to me too, I have never known a buffet to allow sharing, but I keep seeing posts in various places declaring members of a party were allowed to share a skillet at this restaurant....maybe they just meant taste the items.

I've thought of paying OOP but I'm not a picky eater and I'm a big eater so it could still get expensive. Plus, I was under the impression that they would still have to eat off the adult menu at restaurants since they are over nine...dining plan or not. It's not even so much about the money. Don't get me wrong, I don't like to waste money. But even more, I absolutely hate to waste food. That whole " there are children starving" speech from my mom still reverberates in my head from childhood. You guys are great. Thanks for all the information.

I think the sharing the skillet confusion might be due to the fact that if three people order the skillet, they will only serve one big skillet with everything for three. So you can share in the sense that the person who really likes the ribs eats all of them, while someone else gets all the chicken etc. And of course you can get seconds (and thirds) of whatever you like the most. Still, they would charge you the skillet price for every person eating from the one big skillet. So I guess in your way, the skillet might actually work the way you want it too.

 

[webray]

Biergarten is always fabulous.

Boma is the number one buffet on disney property. Yes, breakfast and dinner are very different. You can eat both in the same day and feel like you have had two completely different meals. Either you choose will be fantastic.

 

[jennipooh]

It sounds like you have decided to purchase the dining plan. If you have two 11yo with small appetites, the ddp may not be the most cost effective way to go. Paying oop may keep you from throwing away more food than your little guys eat.

And if you have a vegetarian, besides making special requests at ts, you might find that the appetizers and salads at most restaurants are pretty large. My mom often orders just the veggie sides to make up a meal. I do not know how the ddp would allow for that (I think you would lose money there).

If you pay oop, then your little guys will have more of an opportunity to purchase kids meals at cs and ts. And they don't have to order dessert if they don't have room for it. On the ddp you will get dessert with every meal.

Pizzafari at AK has the yummiest spaghetti, but they only have it available on the kids menu, so ds and I each order a kid's spaghetti!

Of course, if they are willing to share meals then you can really save money. DS and I have shared before at Coral Reef, T-Rex, Whispering Canyon (huge bbq sandwich yum), Sci-Fi, to name a few. Remember, though, you cannot share a skillet. Well, you share the skillet itself, but you do not share the price of the skillet. (the skillet works like the buffet and family style meals do - you pay per person).

At buffets, of course, you will pay adult prices for the 11 yo's but they can still eat the kid's choices there. A friend of mine is planning on passing her 11 yo as 9 when we visit (I would not suggest anyone try this) and in fact, I have decided that we will pass on eating at buffets with them!!

We have been to sit down ts with other friends before who have asked that there older kids eat off the child's menu, and no one batted an eye. They did this at Coral Reef, 50's Prime Time and Rainforest Cafe.

You do not need to like seafood to enjoy Coral Reef. The aquarium is awesome and worth the price of the meal. They can split a steak or chicken dish. The child's menu has pizza, mac and cheese, and grilled chicken on it.

There is a wide variety of food at Disney World, I highly recommend looking over the menus before you go. Also, if you haven't yet, check out the food porn and the categorized food porn for pics of the yummy food. When in doubt call the restaurant ahead and ask about the vegetarian choices and about ordering off the kid's menu. I read all the time about people calling the restaurants directly.