Anyone ever eat only at Counter Service for their entire vacation???

[flynnmnstr]

Aside from a character breakfast or two, we are thinking about cancelling all of our PSs and just eat at counter restaurants. We are travelling with DS 3.5 and DS 4mnths and to be honest no meal is really relaxing. We have been to Disney with our DS3.5 before and meal time was always tough and now with two kids we are thinking it would be nuts to try to sit down and have a "relaxing" meal.

Has anyone ever eaten just at counter restaurants?
What are your favorites? We love the Cantina in Mexico (Epcot) and both Tusker House and Flame Tree (Animal Kingdom) and Pecos Bill (MK). Any others that anyone can recommend either in the parks or even resort areas?

Thanks; we leave on Thurs so any suggestions would be really appreciated.

 

[sskem96]

I have been to WDW twice before for about a week each time and we never had a sit down meal. This time we are having breakfast in the castle (it's our first trip with the kids), but other than that, we'll probably do all counter service again. We're just not into big fancy meals. We plan to eat breakfast in the room (bring cereal and buy milk in POP food ct.), counter service lunch, and maybe pizza in the room for supper during our "break". This is a budget trip for us (well, they all are), and our kids would rather eat and be on their way to ride more rides than spend a couple hours in a restaurant.

 

[paras4ri]

I think it's a great plan, especially with small children. Only on our most recent trip did we really plan PS, other than Chef Mickeys. As the week progressed we actually cancelled a dinner because we wanted more park time.
We also enjoy the restaurants you mentioned and would like to add a few more to your list. Pinocchio's in Fantasyland is a good choice for kids & adults. The "farmers market" area in MGM gives you a variety of choices. I remember getting fresh fruit for DD there on her first trip when she was 2.

Resort food courts are good places for an easy meal, and again there are many choices in one place. We've enjoyed food courts at POR, AKL & the GF.

You've got the right idea, with small children keep it simple and flexible. Hope you have a wonderful trip!

 

[Junebugwv]

We had at least 12 trips to WDW with NO sit down meals. We have 5 children and it wasn't until the youngest was 5 that we had a character meal. Our kids have never been problems at meal times (well, our DS17 is starting to get on my nerves at meal times now yet I didn't want to make them sit through a lengthy meal. You seem to know intuitively what your children need...go with your instincts. Personally, we have been satisfied with most counter service (check out menus) and have only gone to one character breakfast each trip for the last two years.
We like Columbia Harbor house at MK and Toy Story Pizza at MGM.
Have a great trip!

 

[jessiesue]

I can ubderstand how you feel flynnmnstr. We have never been to a sit down meal yet. We do counter service and bring our own food. What they don't know about they won't miss and you will keep your sanity.

 

[carol1231]

We have only started to do some sit down meals with our kids. Prior to that, we just did the counter service and it was great. If we wanted a more restaurant type meal, we would go to the buffets. The buffet at Cape May at BC would be our sit down dinner treat. With the buffets, we didn't have to wait for the food and there is a good variety for the kids to choose from.

Have a fun trip!

 

[punkin]

When my children were younger, I preferred sit-doowns. It was so great to take a break from the running around and the heat and have someone else serve me.
Counter service was always such a mad house; I felt like I did not get a break. You should at least consider some sit-downs. If you do though, make sure you have PSs. Little children hate to wait; especially when they are hungry.

 

[patsal]

Counter service at WDW is not always your typical fast food, so it can be done for an entire trip and enjoyed. Seek out different choices for yourself and spouse--I know how antsy kids can get, perhaps you can schedule your dining times for off times--early dinners, late lunches, late dinners--this will make fast food more relaxing--eliminating long lines and crowded seating areas. Buffets are great with the little ones because the character interaction breaks up the monotony of being seated for too long and the food is ready and waiting for you to get cuts down on kid waiting time as well.

 

[KIRSTIN'S MOMMY]

We've done it both ways, and our dd is only 5 now. We usually just do 1 sit down meal per day, the rest counter service. Another one to add to your list of counter service would be Backlot Express at MGM. It's a little tucked away so it's often overlooked. We've never had a wait there, even in August!

 

[HopperFan]

Last couple trips we did only counter and I have older kids. They just want to go with the flow and not be pressured to make it to PS. I would suggest Columbia Harbor House in MK by HM. There is a very spacious upstairs, nicely decorated with little nooks that no one seems to know about. We always have a leisurely late lunch or early dinner, relax, use the upstairs bathrooms and ready to go again.

Have a great trip !

 

[missypie]

We spent a week at Disneyland a couple of years ago and other than three character meals, ate totally counter service. That was the worst part of our trip. I was so sick of eating "beige" food.

At WDW, there are a lot more choices, however. Go onto allearsnet.com and study the menus. Lots of the CS restaurants have some healthier options.

 

[OKW Lover]

There's absolutely no reason you couldn't just do counter service restaurants. In addition to the ones you mentioned in your original post, consider the fish & chips cart at UK in Epcot, the yakatori house (if your children are adventurous) in Japan also at Epcot, Starring rolls in the Studio, Pizzafari or the Tusker House in AK, Cosmic Ray's at the MK.

 

[Brian Noble]

We have two kids: DD6 and DS4, and we do *at most* one sit-down meal every two days. This year we were there for 6.5 in-park days, and had two character meails (LTT and Cindy's), plus we ate at Hollywood&Vine for the fantasmic dinner package. That was plenty for us. We could have gotten away with less and no one would have felt deprived.

 

[mhingher]

I made a few character PS, but besides that we're sticking to breakfast in our room and counter service meals for our upcoming trip. We're not big eaters on vacation anyway.

 

[skiwee1]

I could not imgine eating counter service every day. We get sick of eating it once a day for lunch! How many burgers, hot dogs, and sandwiches can you take? We eat a light breakfast, a counter service lunch if we have to, and then a nice sit down for dinner every day. Some days we skip the lunch altogether. I couldn't do it.

 

[Sarahsal]

I could not imgine eating counter service every day. We get sick of eating it once a day for lunch! How many burgers, hot dogs, and sandwiches can you take? We eat a light breakfast, a counter service lunch if we have to, and then a nice sit down for dinner every day. Some days we skip the lunch altogether. I couldn't do it.

Luckily there are many more choices at counter service than hot dogs and burgers! When my dd's were younger, and before that when we were poorer, we didn't do sit-downs, and we were quite happy.

 

[eeyore0062]

We tried it back iin 1993, learned our lesson and now make at least one PS per day!

 

[disney1990]

Hot Dogs & Burgers - we don't eat those, nor do we eat chicken nuggets. But, we can go all week and eat counter service. We especially like the Tangerine Cafe (Morocco) and the Yakitori (Japan) -- both in Epcot. We also enjoy the Commissary at MGM and Cosmic Rays at Magic Kingdom.

 

[kpk89]

Chakranadi Chicken Shop in AK is yum, too -- we tried the stir fry and the potstickers in spicy broth. Both were great for a quick, NON hotdog/chickennugget meal.

I'm debating the same as the OP -- I had originally thought we'd do at least one PS every day, but the more I think about it, this is our first trip with 3 kids (5, 4, & 2) and we may just want more flexibility. I think I'll still make some PS, but be prepared to cancel them if the kids seem either a)not needing a long relaxing AC meal, or b)thoroughly fried and unable to sit through a long meal.

 

[Stitch's Greatest Fa]

We always do a couple of sit downs then counter service the rest of the time. I can't plan hundreds of PSs because who knows what they want to eat and where 90 days in advance.