Am I overdoing the ADR with young kids?

[Trina7020]

My kids will be 2.5 and almost 4. Am I expecting too much out of these sitdown meals? I am thinking of meals as a break for them, but maybe that is the wrong way to look at it. I am really worried about the eatting part of the vacation. I wish we didn't need ADRs.. lol

Saturday: Dinner @ Chef Mickeys - 6:25
Sunday: Breakfast @ Crystal Palace
Dinner @ Tony's - 5:00
Monday: Breakfast @ Tuskers
Tuesday: Breakfast @ Ohana's
Dinner @ LeCelliar 4:20
Wednesday: Breakfast @ Hollywood and Vine
Dinner @ Sci-Fi Dine in - 5:05
Thursday: Dinner @ Liberty Tree Tavern: 4:05
Friday: Breakfast @ Cape May

 

[frtchr]

You know how much your kids can handle. My DD is only 13 months old. We took her two months ago, and she got pretty restless during sit-down meals. We decided for our next trip in April to schedule one sit-down a day at lunch. We figured we would just do counter-service for dinner since she usually goes to be pretty early.

Your ADR's sound like a lot of fun, though! I hope it all works out for you!

 

[brightvalleyjrts]

My kids are used to eating out, so I don't have a problem making ADR's. But the only thing I was worried about was them being overtired in the evenings. So I mainly booked all breakfast ADR's, b/c I know that my kids will get up early and that they are both usually in a good mood in the morning.
I only made 2 dinner ADR's, one being the night we arrive. And then one lunch, b/c I was afraid we might not be able to make them in time.

(Oh and my boys are 2 and 5)

 

[Tinkermommy]

Character breakfasts were the way to go for us with my DS1. He loved all the action going on.

It seemed dinner was a lot tougher. He just didn't want to sit for that long. Also, even with ADRs we typically got seated at dinner 30 to 45 minutes later that our reservation. He was hungry (and a bit) cranky at those times. Crystal Palace dinner was the worst offender for this!

If you do make dinner ADRs, make them on the early side.

 

[Wendybird55]

Looks like most of the meals are at character or theme restaurants which should be good. I'm going with my almost 2-yr old in Sept. and to avoid constant counter service I am also planning meals at family themed and character restaurants. These restaurants are loud and filled with kids so you won't feel out of place if your kids get a little loud. Plus there's plenty to keep their attention such as the characters. There's a movie screen at Sci-Fil playing old trailers and you sit in cars. So I think the atmosphere will help make it a fun experience for your kids. Also Disney restaurants always have some kind of busy toy for kids like crayons and activity place settings.
Another fun restaurant for kids is Whipsering Canyon at Wilderness Lodge - I like dinner there the best.

 

[gabriellyn]

I am with the PP's - all sound advice. I made tons of ADR's for our last trip with no problem. Our DS loved all the action! But I made sure they were early ADR's since we are all used to early dinners. Another plus I found was that the table turnover was pretty quick - although I didn't feel hurried, they certainly didn't try to make you stick around! The only place that was a bit long was Teppan Edo - the dinner "show" did take some time and it was also quieter and more "boring" for toddler DS. But the food was soooooooo worth it!!!

 

[nicolemomof4cuties]

We have always had one sit down meal a day with our children. We have been taking them once a year since the oldest was 4. This is the only year that we have not gone due to finances. Sit-down meals were a welcome rest a diversion for a family and a way to regroup ourselves. My childrens favorite time to eat is dinner and their favorite places are: Liberty Tree Tavern, Boma, Biergarten, Le Celleir, and Crystal Palace.

 

[Trina7020]

Thank guys!

I editted to add my dinner times. They are all pretty early. I do have a lot of breakfasts scheduled, but honestly.. that is when my children eat the best!

If I was to cancel one of those it would be Tony's or Sci Fi... the rest I want to try.

And honestly... yes... most all of them are character meals, so I don't feel it is taking away from our vacation... just part of it!

Also.... I have thought about changing Chef Mickey's as our opening event (lol) to Mickey's Backyard BBQ. Any opinions on that?

 

[K and K's Mommy]

We always do at least one sit down a day. Sometimes we do 2 if we have a sit down breakfast.

I might cancel Tony's because I think you will still be full from lunch at Crystal Palace. CP is much better than Tony's IMO.

Sci Fi is fun! My youngest has never been, but my older two went at 1 and just turned 4 and loved the atmosphere. Stick to burgers!

I have never been to the Backyard Barbeque, but Chef Mickey's is a fun way to start a vacation. Plus, you won't have to wait in line for the "Big 4" characters when you are in the parks! I personally am not a big fan of the food, but it is edible.

Have fun!

 

[NHdisneylover]

Just a suggestion: when my kids were yougner we always did a sit down meal for LUNCH at WDW. They were used to eating out and it really did serve as a break for them. They (all of us really) needed that mid day time to just sit and rest. It was the best time for us because it WAS mid day (broke up the touring) and because it was the time of day when the parks were hottest and the most crowded.
Other than that, I think your options look good. My kids liked nearly all of those palces when they were 2 and 4. The one place you may want to be wary of is Sci-Fi (great place overall BTW). We first tried to dine there when the kids were 5 and 3. We hadn't even been seated yet when DD saw the "monster" on the screen (they run short scences from old, totally corny sci-fi and horror flicks on a movie screen). She was utterly freaked out and terroized. We ended up at counter service and she remembered it as much worse than it actually was--so much so that it was years before she would set foot in there again. If scary things never bother your kids they'l be fine, but if they tend to be a bit edgy I would avoid sci-fi.

 

[Colinsmom]

We were there in Dec with a 5yo and almost 2yo. They did best at breakfast or lunch sit-down meals. Buffets and family-style meals also worked best because they were HUNGRY when they sat down! They didn't want to wait 20-30 minutes for food and honestly, neither did we.

I'd personally scrap your dinners on Sunday, Tuesday and Wednesday. And not sure about your LTT time - do you take a break for an afternoon nap? If so, it might be tough to be at LTT at 4pm.

 

[Tam1067]

We first took DD when she was 14 months, and she was able to handle one TS a day (we always did dinner).

Character meals are great. Buffets in general I like with kids because you are not waiting for the food to come.

As far as the ones you've chosen, Tony's is nothing special and likely won't keep the kids interested. Atmosphere is boring, too.

Le Cellier will not appeal to them, either, though I understand your wanting to go there.

As someone else said, I would also be cautious about Sci-Fi. My younger DS would never step foot in there. You know yours kids best, though. 50s Prime Time is all three of my kids' very favorite place to go even though they have no clue about the 1950s, so when we're at DS, that's a must-do now for us.

 

[LJRJR]

I think your ADRs look great. We have gone to Disney the last three years and our children are now almost 4, 6, and 8. We have always done sit down dining. Your kids will be fine. We have had a few meltdowns at dinner, but that could have happened at a counter service as well. I personally would not change Chef Mickey for the Bar-be-que. I have done both and found the bar-be-que to be far too crowded with small children to actually enjoy my meal, I spent more time running after them as they try to run off in the woods. Your reservations look great, we just got back a few weeks ago and everything ran very smoothly for us. Enjoy!

 

[Trina7020]

Thanks so much for the input.

Actually CP is Breakfast... I must have just typed it out wrong.


I will definitely consider canceling Sci Fi and Tony's. I really want the boys to see Fantasmic Wednesday night, but it doesn't start until 9:00... which is way late for them. So it might be best to definitely head back to Pop for a late afternoon nap and have a quick dinner and go back for the show.

I really want to keep my LeCellier... so I think we will... lol Tony's is still up in the air... but I will definitely ponder it over the next 3 months... since that is all I do is think about Disney. Someone should have warned me WDW is so addictive!!!

 

[NHdisneylover]

I really want to keep my LeCellier...

It doesn't have any themeing that screams "kid" but mine regularly ate at Le Cellier from the time they were toddlers--it has always been a favourite. One nice thing there is you get a container of bread sticks very soon after you are seated (and if your kids like them the way mine do, ask to have more brought out ASAP). Just nibbling bread and watching the fire place seemed to keep mine occupied. It was almost relaxing even for the little ones to have one meal that didn't involve characters, or something else along those lines

 

[Rylee]

My kids will be 2.5 and almost 4. Am I expecting too much out of these sitdown meals? I am thinking of meals as a break for them, but maybe that is the wrong way to look at it. I am really worried about the eatting part of the vacation. I wish we didn't need ADRs.. lol

Saturday: Dinner @ Chef Mickeys - 6:25
Sunday: Breakfast @ Crystal Palace
Dinner @ Tony's - 5:00
Monday: Breakfast @ Tuskers
Tuesday: Breakfast @ Ohana's
Dinner @ LeCelliar 4:20
Wednesday: Breakfast @ Hollywood and Vine
Dinner @ Sci-Fi Dine in - 5:05
Thursday: Dinner @ Liberty Tree Tavern: 4:05
Friday: Breakfast @ Cape May

One sit-down meal, especially with the times you have scheduled. is perfect!

We always have one table service meal a day (I'd be miserable with counter service all week) and it is also a nice break from the parks.

 

[Pixiedust34]

If I counted correctly, you have 5 buffets during your trip. If that works for your family as a good choice, then you're all set. If my kids were younger, I'd keep a couple of the buffets, but wouldn't do 5 one on trip. JMHO.

On one hand, buffets are good for little ones because they can get up and walk around plus there are always kid-friendly foods offered at buffets. On the other hand, for the parents of young kids, buffets are a lot of work because you're always up and down filling their plates and then your plates. It's anything but a relaxing meal for mom & dad, especially when the buffet lines are long and you're filling plates more than once.

Liberty Tree Tavern and 'Ohana are great character meals because they are served family style and I think those will be a lot of fun for both the grown-ups and the kids. If you'd like to plug in another family style character meal, The Garden Grill is fun.

 

[Sheaboys]

I planned a table service meal for every night. We had a sit down and it was great for wind down time for my guys and not to mention me.

I am planning the same this year, with a 10,8, 6 and 2yr old.

Breakfast and lunch, we just winged it.