best sit-down? any buffets?

[breick]

What are your recommendations for the best sit-down restaurant? (1 special meal with 1 child - what she would call normal food...) At WDW, she likes Tony's, Le Cellier, Sci-Fi, Rainforest Cafe, etc.

Too late to get a priority seating for xmas week?

Also, what about buffets? They always seem to have an assortment that will suit us both. (We love the Trail's End @ Ft. Wilderness.)

Thanks!

 

[Rajah]

If I could do only one buffet, I'd do Goofy's Kitchen.

If I could do only one sit-down and haven't ever been, I'd do Blue Bayou (in Disneyland) because of the atmosphere. Though she'd probly get a kick out of Hook's Pointe, too, if she does well in nice restaurants (about the caliber of LeCellier)

 

[LuvTigger]

I think you might like Storyteller's Cafe in GC. They have a nice buffet, but you can also order off the menu. We had dinner there one night and weren't hungry enough for buffet, so we ordered off the menu. BF had ribs (I think under $20) and I had a nice salad w/ pears, pecans, and feta cheese, and the corn chowder which is to die for! My salad and soup together were probably less than $15.

If you want a character meal (buffet), I know people who love Goofy's Kitchen, like Rajah.

For sit down, Blue Bayou has a really great atmosphere. The food is good, but I have to admit that my last visit (last October), the food didn't seem quite as good as it had in the past. If you like Italian, I thought Naples in DD was excellent.

 

[breick]

bump

 

[doodlebug]

I really like the breakfast at Goofy's Kitchen.. We will be trying dinner this time around.. Also did Avalon Cove lunch last trip and really enjoyed the character interaction and the food wasn't too bad nor too high priced.. Plaza Inn in Disneyland has a fun breakfast with Pooh and the gang which we always have to do because the kids love them but don't really like the food quality as well as Goofy's Kitchen..

 

[suzannen]

I don't know how old your child is, but my DD, who is seven, loved both Rainforest Cafe and Goofy's Kitchen. It was her first time to a Rainforest Cafe, so she thought the storms were very exciting. We went to Goofy's for dinner, not for breakfast, so we could relax after a long day in DL and she met Snow White, Mulan, Jasmine, Genie, Goofy, Pluto, and Chip; danced the macarana, and went to the ice cream sundae bar twice. A big hit!

 

[saturday97]

More votes for Goofy's and Blue Bayou...

We did Goofy's for dinner and had a great time. The parks were closed and we were beat and starving, but they made it really special for the kids. The characters were great.

Blue Bayou is really a Disneyland institution, and any "left-coaster" will tell you that you haven't really experienced D-Land if you haven't done BB!

 

[breick]

My DD is 11.

Thanks for all the repies so far - keep 'em coming!

 

[WebmasterMaryJo]

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It's not too late for getting a PS - call (714) 781-DINE (781-3463).

My votes go for:

Disneyland Hotel
** Goofy's Kitchen - you can compare it to Chef Mickey's @ the Contemporary Hotel, though I've read reports that people like GK better.

Grand Californian Hotel
** Storyteller Cafe - this is one of my children's and mine all-time favorite restaurant - good food, great atmosphere - the music matches the paintings on the wall, and the CMs there will explain the themes to you. They do have a buffet in the evening that is quite good, but I can't do it justice for the price - also they have 'make your own pizza' there. You can walk from DCA through the special entrance to the hotel and the restaurant will be right there

Disneyland -
** Plaza Inn - has good food and is pretty inside - breakfast with Pooh & Friends, if your dd is a Pooh lover - Buffeteria style...
** Hungry Bear - this is just burgers, but it is near Rivers of America, and my dd loves to sit near the river & feed the ducks
** Blue Bayou - although I really enjoy this restaurant, the food is a little too sophisticated for my kids, who like a more "American" flavor ... however, if you choose to eat here, make a PS for first thing (11:30, I think), and ask to sit next to the river - your dd will be more impressed with the fact that she can watch the boats as they take off for Pirates of the Caribbean - more expensive dinner menu

DCA
**Avalon Cove - decent food and good character interaction - plus it's really pretty inside - at night, you look out at Paradise Pier, which will be all lit up

Downtown Disney
** Rainforest Cafe - set in a Mayan temple
** Ralph Brennan's Jazz Kitchen - Cajun food - very nice setting

 

[breick]

bumping up

any more ideas?

 

[honeymom]

You don't have as many interesting restaurants at DL as at WDW. We've been to both in the past year and a half.

Goofy's Kitchen is like Chef Mickey's.

Ralph Brennan's Jazz Kitchen is great - in Downtown Disney. They had a kids menu that had plenty of typical, not unusual, kids fare, too.

I think for good food, you do better at the hotels or Downtown Disney than in the parks.

 

[aseafish]

We had a wonderful dinner at the Vineyard Room in CA. It's pricey but the kids loved the experience as much as the adults. This is primarily focused on adults, however.

Storytellers was also nice, good for breakfast as well as dinner. It's good to have characters in the morning and still have choices--menu or buffet. The food there is good. We had lunch on the water at BB, but the service was terrible and the food was not great. Some of our group left hungry--even with a dessert.