Best value for money restaurants?

[ClaireinTN]

Feeding three teenage boys, among others, and not doing the dining plan this time. Looking for a mix of table service and quick service (is that what they are called?). We will do a lunch at Crystal Palace, as that is a tradition, but everything else is pretty much open. A few burgers and fries meals are okay but would like some variety. The pizza place at Animal Kingdom was pretty good, as I recall (and had lots of seating--we will be there just after Christmas untl just after New Years, so there will be crowds!).

So can you experts help me plan good food for the price in a decent atmosphere? Spending one day at each park (and the one character meal at CP is enough characters for my crowd, so don't need any more of those). Also, would like to stick with restaurants in the parks.

 

[orangecats2]

Cosmic Rays at MK and Sunshine Seasons in the Land at Epcot are two that come to mind.

 

[KTJAY]

Cosmic Ray's and Sunshine Seasons are good as pp said. Flametree BBQ in AK has big portions too. Casey's corner-big hot dogs reasonably priced for wdw.

Via Napoli has huge pizzas-its pricey for pizza but alot of food.

I would consider a breakfast buffet too maybe late morning-its cheaper and they can get alot out of it. Tusker House in AK or Crystal Palace in MK are good ones.

 

[BarleyJack]

My opinions for value paying OOP at each park:

MK TS: Crystal Palace or LTT
MK QS: Columbia Harbour House

EPCOT TS: Biergarten
EPCOT QS: Sunshine Seasons or Tangierine Cafe (morocco)

AK TS: Tusker House
AK QS: Flame Tree BBQ

DHS TS: 50's Prime Time
DHS QS: sorry, they all suck LOL

 

[BarleyJack]

Combo Shawarma Platter at Tangierine Cafe (with a beer of course lol)

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[jjsmom]

TS- Cape May Cafe (inside Beach Club) Clam bake for dinner one night. That is of course, if your group likes seafood. They do have other food choices that will satisfy most teens (oh boy I remember taking DNephew when he was 16 and 6'1 and 225 lbs I swear we stayed at this restaurant for 3 hours pigging out). This place is our family's tradition for the character breakfast and the clam bake, although not the same days LOL.


CS-Another vote for Cosmic Rays and some selections at Pecos bills are huge. My husband (another big guy) loves Casey's Corner hot dog meals.

 

[crabbygal902]

3 teenage boys??

Wow, are you going to do ANYTHING but eat??

Some of my picks for good value and good food:

MK
CS: Pecos Bill's and Cosmic Ray's because of the fixins bar to dress up your salad/sandwich.
TS: Liberty Tree Tavern because it is all-you-care-to-eat family-style Thanksgivingish food that sticks to your ribs (and your butt, and your thighs!)

Not a good value: CRT--but I guess that you wouldn't be going there with your boys.

Epcot

CS: I agree with the PP...Tangierine Cafe's Shawarma Platter is HUGE. My 11 year old garbage disposal, I mean--son, can put away some grub and he can't finish this. Yet.

TS: I agree with another PP...Biergarten. My DH and DSs were soooo happy with all of the meat and potato dishes.

Not a good value: Teppan Edo. I really like the food at TE, but the portions are not teenage boy-size.

AK

CS: I'll agree again with another PP...Flame Tree BBQ has some BIG portions and tasty BBQ.

TS: I've never eaten TS here...

DHS

CS: I don't really feel as if I can recommend anything here. Everything I've tried...Backlot, ABC Commissary, Pizza Planet, has been average to bad.

TS: Mama Melrose was an unexpected gem for us. Love it! Portion size seems average to me. Hollywood and Vine was much better for us than the reviews I read, and Sci-Fi is fine if you stick to burgers, fries, and shakes. Not a great value IMHO, but fun.

Resort Restaurants

CS: POP breakfast was surprisingly inexpensive and quite good

TS: Your boys could do some damage at 'Ohana at the Poly. Yes, it is expensive but we enjoy it so much. How about the all you care to eat skillet at WCC at WL? The Wave is one of my favorites, but your group may leave hungry...my 11 year old wanted more. The food is beautifully presented and delicious, though.

 

[Belle83]

If you are nearby, the Fountain at the Dolphin is relatively cheap for table service. It was pretty close in price to the cafeteria stuff at the Dolphin.

I would hit a buffet during lunch time, like Biergarten. They are cheaper for lunch than dinner, and then you can get away with a lighter QS dinner. At Animal Kingdom, I would check out Flame Tree Barbeque.

 

[FireDancer]

I think Tusker House lunch is the best value on property. I love Boma and while I do still eat there on every trip it is nice to be able to go to Tusker House for lunch and get a very comparable meal for quite a bit less.

At DTD I also think Portobello's is a great value. It is the best Italian restaurant at WDW IMO and has lower prices then the other common Italian choices.

 

[debrapagliasotti]

I agree with the OP about Tusker House Lunch Buffet @ AK. Lots of variety.

 

[dzneelvr]

The Tables in Wonderland discount card would be a discount dining program to add even more valueIt's 20% off the total bill (alcohol included) and with your good eaters, you'd be saving $$ right and left! Check it out. We save $3-400 per trip and there's no credits or such to keep track of. It's good in the majority of locations in parks and resorts and it seems more are added every year.

 

[ElizabethB]

At DownTown Disney, we like Wolfgang Puck Express -- always good and fresh and reasonably priced (at least in Disney's world of pricing)

At MK, we like Pecos Bills -- great fixin's bar, too

At Epcot, I agree the quick service at Morocco is good, if your boys will eat something a bit exotic

Another good quick service in Epcot is the bakery in France -- you can get really nice cheese and fruit plates

At DHS, we like to go to SciFi for burgers, fries and shakes (although the shakes aren't as good now that they aren't hand dipped)

Also -- I don't know where you are staying, but with teenage boys, we find staying Club Level helps -- they get a good filling continental breakfast with fruit and sometimes oatmeal, snacks and drinks through the day, canapes and desserts (cookies, etc.) in the evening. Just a thought.

We, too, prefer Tables in Wonderland to the dining plan.

 

[Quin]

CS locations with the most food:
MK - Cosmic Ray
AK - Tusker House
HS - Starring Rolls is great if you are on a Dining Plan because you get a side and a dessert as well as your sandwich and drink, but I don't know about oop.
Epcot - Tangieres if they will eat middle eastern food (check the menu); otherwise probably Norway where the Chef's Selection includes a pretty big sandwich plus a side (choices change around but can include soup or salad or fruit).

But really, the best way - the only way - to feed multiple teenaged boys is to eat once a day at a restaurant with the words "buffet" or "family style" in them. You already have MK covered with CP. At AK, lunch at Tusker House or go to a resort after AK closes and eat there. Trails End buffet at Ft. Wilderness is probably cheapest; otherwise Whispering Canyon IF they will order the all-you-can-eat skillet BUT beware the very pricey all-you-can-drink milkshake, or a slightly bigger splurge one night at Ohana. At Epcot, Biergarten has a full buffet lunch that is significantly less $$ than dinner and is a very complete meal. HS - nada. Take the boat to Cape May and have the buffet dinner there; it is non-character and includes both standard American fare (beef, chicken, ribs) and seafood including all-you-can-eat crab legs. Which might not be something you'd be feeding them on a regular basis at home but which would help to make Disney special to them.

 

[Disney Mama]

Could someone please explain the Tables in Wonderland discount program. I have not heard of this ... Sounds quite interesting!

 

[KTJAY]

TS- Cape May Cafe (inside Beach Club) Clam bake for dinner one night. That is of course, if your group likes seafood. They do have other food choices that will satisfy most teens (oh boy I remember taking DNephew when he was 16 and 6'1 and 225 lbs I swear we stayed at this restaurant for 3 hours pigging out). This place is our family's tradition for the character breakfast and the clam bake, although not the same days LOL.


CS-Another vote for Cosmic Rays and some selections at Pecos bills are huge. My husband (another big guy) loves Casey's Corner hot dog meals.

We love it here -I didn't suggest it because its not in the parks but there's alot variety. Also, check different websites for coupons for places like Rainforest Cafe and Planet Hollywood in DTD. I think Mousesavers.com has them. Also, restaurant.com has discounted gift certificates you can buy for restaurants in the Swan and Dolphin-not in the parks but close to Epcot.

 

[jjsmom]

KTJay, yes, I agree; the park restaurants are much easier to get to; the resort restaurants require a bit of pre planning and I forget that because I've made so many trips to WDW, the routine has gotten comfortable for us...

I like PH also; my DD (19) and her BF (21) love it. It's worth mentioning he's painfully and unfairly skinny but eats like a starving horse. Their "night out" away from the prying adult eyes is always, Planet Hollywood, no question. That may be a good suggestion for the OP's teen boys

 

[mountdew1]

OP - Figure out how much your kids will really eat. A buffet may be tempting, but at twenty something a person, if you son will only eat 2 burgers, check the online menus you may do better off to just buy them 2 meals. Pecos Bills and Cosmic Rays are nice due to the toppings bar, but Columbia Harbor House does have alot of choices that cannot be found elsewhere. Epcot Sunshine Seasons and Tangerine Cafe are definite contenders. AK I would do Pizzafari, but the BBQ at Flame Tree is supposed to be good as well. DHS we tend to find more there we like than most people, or if it is an early DHS night, maybe make the trek over to Beaches and Cream and see if they can do the kitchen sink?

Could someone please explain the Tables in Wonderland discount program. I have not heard of this ... Sounds quite interesting!

There are a few catches to TiW. First, you need to be an AP or a FL resident. Second, its a $75 dollar purchase if you are an AP, $100 if you are FL resident. Third, there is a mandatory 18% gratuity on your check. Fourth, its mostly table service only except for locations where there are none (AK, All Stars, and POFQ) So it's not free, and its not for everybody. That said, if you normally tip about 18%, you break even after spending about $375, so anything past that is gravy. For the OP, they may break even. 4 TS meals for 4 people is usually a rough break even point. But since they are only there for 4 days, and may or may not be doing a TS meal each day, it may not be worth it. In other cases, its a much better deal than the dining plan. On our upcoming trip I think we will break even on day 3 of a 9 day trip, and then be going back again before the card expires.

 

[KTJAY]

KTJay, yes, I agree; the park restaurants are much easier to get to; the resort restaurants require a bit of pre planning and I forget that because I've made so many trips to WDW, the routine has gotten comfortable for us...

I like PH also; my DD (19) and her BF (21) love it. It's worth mentioning he's painfully and unfairly skinny but eats like a starving horse. Their "night out" away from the prying adult eyes is always, Planet Hollywood, no question. That may be a good suggestion for the OP's teen boys

We've gotten comfortable and really enjoy resort-hopping in WDW too We like alot of the restaurants in the resorts best. We went last year with my cousin's family (all 1st timers) and I had to tone down my resort-hopping addiction to Beach Club ( Cape May Clambake) and GF (1900 Park Fare) Oh well-guess I'll have to go back soon

My DS (16) loves PH and the OP might consider Earl of Sandwich too. Huge sandwiches reasonable priced.

 

[BabsBunny]

We usually have bagels and cream cheese in our room for b'fast. I've heard the b'fast at Trails End (Fort Wilderness) is an excellent deal.

Because no one wants to be stuffed to the gill when doing the parks, we usually split lunches. The chicken wrap and fries at Pecos Bills is huge. Like others have said, Flametree portions are large as well.

Dinner is where we splurge, so I don't have much advice there. The teens often head out and do their own thing while my husband and I head for a nice sit down. But House of Blues is fairly reasonable. I love Bongo's because it's not a Disney restaurant and therefore has a large menu with many options. (Plus they don't take reservations, so it's a great place to go when you have no ADR.) When staying in a larger DVC unit, we have a night or two where we order pizza or pick up Earl of Sandwich or fried chicken and a bottle of wine and chill at the resort.