Be Our Guest or 1900 Park Fare

[daddymac]

This is effectively our first trip to WDW...

I know BOG would be the winner, but Im posting this in this forum because it is more of a touring issue.

Well be leaving for the airport at 5:30am central time for the airport and arriving at 10am at MCO.
I have FP+ scheduled for Peter Pan, Haunted Mansion, and Big Thunder from 2pm-5pm.
Figured we would then break at Polynesian room until dinner.
Currently have a 7:45pm 1900 Park Fare, and a 9pm Be Our Guest.
I have been trying for weeks to get a dinner at BOG, and one opened up today so I took the only time I have found during our stay.
I must factor in I have an almost 4 year old girl, wife who isnt sold on Disney, and the fact the time changes on my trip so it will actually seem like 8pm anyway.
My 4ish year can hang when called upon, just wondering opinions: If that is too intense for a first day, or just right with the break?
The next day the time changes so we lose another hour. I have moved our 8am breakfast at Kona to 10am at Kona, to prepare for the first full day.

We'll be getting our character meals with the royal tables and crystal palace, so eating at 1900 isn't a priority nor is the food there. Just thought it would be a fun welcome to WDW for our girl, and close to hotel.

Thoughts?

The rest of my reservations are
Day 2-
DHS-5:30pm Brown Derby-Fantasmic package
Day 3-
9:45am Akershus Royal Banquet
7pm San Angel Inn
Day-4
8:35am BBB followed by 10:15am Cinderella's Royal Table
6pm California Grill
Day5-8:35am Crystal Palace
Day 6-? leaving park at 5pm for airport

 

[kmb584]

This is effectively our first trip to WDW...

I know BOG would be the winner, but Im posting this in this forum because it is more of a touring issue.

Well be leaving for the airport at 5:30am central time for the airport and arriving at 10am at MCO.
I have FP+ scheduled for Peter Pan, Haunted Mansion, and Big Thunder from 2pm-5pm.
Figured we would then break at Polynesian room until dinner.
Currently have a 7:45pm 1900 Park Fare, and a 9pm Be Our Guest.
I have been trying for weeks to get a dinner at BOG, and one opened up today so I took the only time I have found during our stay.
I must factor in I have an almost 4 year old girl, wife who isnt sold on Disney, and the fact the time changes on my trip so it will actually seem like 8pm anyway.
My 4ish year can hang when called upon, just wondering opinions: If that is too intense for a first day, or just right with the break?
The next day the time changes so we lose another hour. I have moved our 8am breakfast at Kona to 10am at Kona, to prepare for the first full day.

We'll be getting our character meals with the royal tables and crystal palace, so eating at 1900 isn't a priority nor is the food there. Just thought it would be a fun welcome to WDW for our girl, and close to hotel.

Thoughts?

The rest of my reservations are
Day 2-
DHS-5:30pm Brown Derby-Fantasmic package
Day 3-
9:45am Akershus Royal Banquet
7pm San Angel Inn
Day-4
8:35am BBB followed by 10:15am Cinderella's Royal Table
6pm California Grill
Day5-8:35am Crystal Palace
Day 6-? leaving park at 5pm for airport

I think it's too much for an arrival day and know that my 4-year-old would be on sensory overload and close to (if not at) a complete breakdown by the time a 9pm dinner rolled around. I would either stick with 1900 PF or approach the BoG podium close to dinner service and ask if there's any availability for a family of 3. We weren't able to get ADRs in October but successfully had dinner there twice, once with a 30 minute wait and then with 50 minutes.

 

[MacDalt]

I think I would do Be Our Guest because it is so hard to get and you have other Princess meals planned. Apparently, the inside of BoG is a sight to behold! I haven't been lucky enough to see it yet.

 

[cvjw]

If it were me, with your plan for the day, I would choose 1900 Park Fare for a couple of reasons. First, the reservation is earlier, and your family is likely to be tired after a day of travel. It is also easier to get over to the GF from the Poly - just a nice stroll along the beach - no waiting for a boat, or fighting the crowds to get back into the MK. Also, your 4 year old will likely love the Park Fare meal. We are taking our 4 year old niece with us next month and she is dying to eat at Park Fare - I think there are princesses there that you can't see other places.

When my kids were that young, we never made ADR's for later at night (9:00) because they just couldn't make it that long. If we did keep them up late, they didn't really enjoy it, and it tended to mess up the plans for the next day.

 

[photo_chick]

First trip with a 4 year old... I'd go to 1900 PF. The step-family antics are worth it. On our first trip DD got to dance with the prince there as well.

Also keep in mind that a 9PM ADR does not mean you'll be seated at 9PM. It can end up being much later by the time you get to a table.

 

[serene56]

yikes./

and what is your plans for the next day? Rope drop?

if you do that on your first day you are gonna have one tired little girl by your mid stay

 

[dayvewc]

I managed to eat at both, and would recommend 1900 Park Fair over BoG. Given the age ranges, reserved times, and that it is a travel day I think 1900 PF is the better bet. Having said that, the interior of BoG is quite nice and worth seeing, so if you can't get another day there it might be your only option. Just be aware that the next day might need adjustment to sleep in late or a longer break than normal.

 

[daddymac]

I was going to have an early night then go early the next day to MK for an hour, but now I plan on sleeping in before getting to the DHS for Toy Story FP+ for 1pm-2pm.

That was why I was thinking nap/rest/(drink), until dinner (5pm-til) then go by Ariel after dinner, then sleep in and relax the following day until Toy Story Mania time.
I plan on eating lunch at some point at BOG. The buffet at 1900 doesnt look all that good to me. Girl loves Cinderella, but we have the Royal Table. She has also been telling people that she is going to eat with Beast too.

Im probably just going to keep both and A-cancel one closer to time and eat $30 B-keep looking for another reservation to open up

Thanks for the opinions. I wont feel so bad now if I cancel my BOG.

 

[mom2rtk]

Do 1900 PF. It's going to be just too much to do all of that on arrival day and get all the way to the back of the MK at 9 for dinner when everyone is just dragging. Add possibly fighting crowds on Main Street for Wishes and MSEP and it's just no choice in my book.

Do BOG for lunch another day if you can though.

 

[morethananyonex]

No way would I try to make a 9:00 PM dinner on that kind of day with a 4 year old. You're just asking for meltdowns .

Instead I would do what you planned for Park Fare, go back to the room after MK, take a relaxing monorail ride over to the GF, eat and monorail (or possibly walk?) back to Poly and then crash. The BOG plans are way too ambitious IMO for a first time visit with a young child. Another option if you don't really care for Park Fare is Kona for dinner at the Poly so you don't even have to leave the resort.

You can book at FP+ for lunch at BOG instead (it's a quick service), which would still get you into the restaurant and likely be much, much easier on your family.

 

[JoshuaShaw]

Do BOG for lunch another day if you can though.

This. The main appeal of BOG, for most people, is the interior, which can be seen without a reservation.

 

[ElizabethG]

I agree with most posters. I'd go with 1900 Park Fare. The characters are really fun and you will be able to relax more.

Suggestion for check-out day: Breakfast at Ohana. This has always been a favorite of my kids. We watched Lilo & Stitch with the kids before the first trip. Everyone loved the movie and Stitch. We made that our check-out day breakfast last year (Mickey, Pluto, Lilo, Stitch).

 

[daddymac]

Thanks Everyone.

Not exactly what I wanted to hear. But deep down I knew this to be the case, guess that's why I asked the question.

I originally had 7:15 Kona reservations for weeks, but thought about my little one, so I just switched it to 1900 Park Fare.