AYCE/Buffets with toddlers?

[Picabo]

It seems that most of my TS meals are going to be buffet or all you care to eat/family style. My thinking is that food would be at a faster pace and it would hopefully eliminate the LONG wait between sitting down, ordering and waiting till food arrives. (tired toddlers don't handle that too well...haha) and also b/c DD2 is only 2 1/2 - not on the dining plan yet. This way she has plenty to eat. (She's only 14mos now but the girl can EAT!) Also, DD#1 (4) will not be stuck eating chicken nuggets, burgers and pizza all week. (3 things she hates!)

Would you think that my reasoning is correct or should I NOT have as many buffet type places? Normally, we're not buffet-type people. (Well I like them but Dh doesn't too much) But I am hoping Disney buffets are a bit better quality than most...
Is it going to be too tiring to have many buffets where we have to get up and down for food? Normally, I'd want to RELAX for my TS meal but it's mostly the kids that I'm concerned with...keeping them happy so we don't have meltdowns!

Here's what we're thinking so far (no particular order) for TS. What do you think?

1900 Park Fare (dinner)
Storybook Princess (bkfst or dinner)
Chef Mickey (Bkfst)
Crystal Palace (probably lunch or dinner)
Biergarten
Cape May Cafe (Clam Bake Dinner) OR Whispering Canyon (dinner)
'Ohana (dinner)
Kona (dinner - want DH to get a few non-buffet's in)
Teppan Edo or Tokyo Dining (again, mostly for DH)

 

[buttercup10]

I think you're on target - we're going in Jan with my DS5 and DD2 (in fact, she will have her 2-yr birthday while we are there!) and my DD does NOT like to wait for her food - we are in a stage where we never go out to eat, and are hoping that in another 4 months she'll be a little more calmed down, but we're still eating at:
Whispering Canyon
O'Hana
Crystal Palace (breakfast)
Playhouse Hollywood & Vine (lunch)
1900 Park Fare

(We're doing one dinner at Coral Reef & will keep our fingers crossed)

I actually think the buffets are a little lower in quality than regular a la carte food, but it's worth it in terms of the speed of delivery, variety, amount, and price (i.e. free for DD2!). Also worth it for the character buffets!

 

[jenjersnap]

I agree completely with your reasoning. The only place we are buffet people is at WDW. I like being able to get some salad, veggies and fresh fruit into my boys. Plus, our little one is free. No matter how many times other posters here insist that the regular TS restaurants have sufficient variety on their menus, I don't find it to be true for the places we choose.

I like the family-style places even better than buffets, however, because the food comes to us ... buffets are great for my kids but, honestly, they tire Mom out with all the sprinting back and forth I do.

 

[srdipert]

I think you have a good plan. The restaurants you have chosen have very good food and you are right about the little ones not having to wait and they can eat adult selections. Also if they have characters as long as the children are not scared of them that will keep them entertained. Also at buffets you can stay and relax for a little if the kids are doing well or rush and eat and get out if that is what they need.

 

[Vijoge]

No matter how many times other posters here insist that the regular TS restaurants have sufficient variety on their menus, I don't find it to be true for the places we choose.

I don't like the children's menus at all for the TS restaurants. Mac n cheese, chicken nuggets, same old thing over and over again. My DGD will eat nuggets, but not twice a day, every day for a week!

 

[ajsmommy1129]

My DH does *NOT* eat buffets at home, but the buffets at WDW are so much nicer, cleaner and stocked better than any thing around here! Our first dinner at WDW, ever, was Crystal Palace, and he was won over immediately. We are a buffet family for the children's choices, too. My DS has never been a "kids food" kid, so he would not be happy all week with chicken nuggets and pizza...his favorite dish at our local Italian place is shrimp and broccoli alfredo...go figure. We did Coral Reef last year, and the wait was horrible! We had ADRS for 5:20, and were not seated until after 6. I would reccomend that you have plenty to keep the little ones busy while you wait, and maybe a snack that won't spoil dinner, like goldfish or cheerios.

 

[mdurette]

You got it right - your children will have much more variety with the buffets. I like disney and all - but there MOST of their kids meals are the same stuff - pizza, nuggets, PJB. (don't get me wrong some have nicer meals - grilled chicken, fish, etc) but you need to pay out of pocket for those for children under 3 to eat. I think you will be fine.

 

[Picabo]

Oh thank you! You all are making me feel so much better. I just pray DH is ok with it! But I think we'll do good. I feel releived knowing so many "moms" agree with my thinking. I know we could make better USE of the dining plan but all in all I think this will work out to the best!

THANKS again!

 

[3boys4me]

I did the dame thing with all the buffets. My kids would go crazy eating off of the kids menus day after day. Here's what we have:
Crystal Palace dinner
Chef Mickey dinner
Ohana dinner
Sci-fi lunch
WCC dinner
Ohana breakfast
Liberty Tree Tavern dinner
Biergarten
Boma dinner
Liberty Tree Tavern again for Thanksgiving

 

[Vijoge]

We taking Makayla next year and we're looking forward to the buffets. We have never eaten at a buffet at WDW, so it will be a new experience.

 

[Claire&TheBoys]

We do the same thing. My toddler is 2.5 and I need to have something for him as soon as possible. He is not patient!! I also like that he's free at the buffets, because when he's hungry, he'll eat a ton. For our upcoming trip, I've scheduled a mix of buffets and TS:

Tusker House breakfast
Prime Time Cafe
Le Cellier
Mama Melrose
Crystal Palace
Cape May Cafe
Chef Mickey's

I carry fruit bowls and goldfish to keep him happy while we're waiting.