can't decide on restaurants

[linda_loo]

I have made a bunch of ADRs, but am still trying to decide for sure on some others... I have read so many reviews in the restaurant forum (and from other sources), but it's still hard to sift through what was really great with little kids and what wasn't and then figure out what would work for us.

~ girls are 2 & 4, they eat a wide range of foods, so the menu isn't a big concern.
~ planning one sit-down meal a day, not on a dining plan. I don't really care what those meals cost, because we are going to manage other meals with snacks and things I will prepare in our room.
~ I don't really care if these are (or are not) character meals either, just your top 10 choices overall.
~ any place that is entertaining enough to keep my kids' interest is preferred. We don't have older kids, so it's only the little ones that I am thinking about.

What are you top 10 sit-down choices for dining with toddlers?

TIA!

 

[laceemouse]

Gosh, that is a tough one! Our kids are older now, but we have been to WDW many times with kids of all different ages. Our kids have never been very picky eaters, so we love to try different restaraunts every trip. It is a big part of the fun for us. Do you like buffets? We like the variety but they can be pricey, lots of folks feel they don't get their moneys worth with kids. We like the Garden Grill at EPCOT, I think Mexico is our favorite in World showcase. We enjoyed 50's Prime Time and Hollywood and Vine at MGM. The Crystal Palace and Liberty Inn are favorites at MK. We do like the Rain Forest at AK, but a couple of the counter service places are excellent and quicker/cheaper. We also love some of the resort eateries, like Chef Mickeys at the Contemporary and O'Hana at the Poly. It is tough to get a lot out of the reviews. Some folks love everything (we come close!) and some folks don't seem to like anything. Also, I think you can hit any place on a bad day. What do you have planned so far?

 

[linda_loo]

It is tough to get a lot out of the reviews. Some folks love everything (we come close!) and some folks don't seem to like anything.

Yes, totally. Makes it hard, thanks so much for your reply... good to know someone likes Garden Grill.

We have ADRs for:
Chef Mickey breakfast
1900 Park Fare dinner
Libery Tree dinner
Crystal Palace lunch
Sci Fi lunch (I have wanted to go there for a while)
Garden Grill dinner
Breakfastosaurs

But, I honestly think I don't want that many character meals and would like to try some more *nice* places. Have heard good things about Le Cellier, Boma, Whispering Canon and Ohana.

 

[letsgoagainsoon]

These would be my choices, although there are SO many I haven't tried.

1. Crystal Palace for Breakfast (MK)
2. Biergarten (Epcot)
3. Rainforest Cafe (DD or AK)
4. 50's Prime Time (MGM)
5. Le Cellier (Epcot)
6. Chef Mickeys (CR)
7. Sci-Fi (for atmosphere) (MGM)
8. Mexico Pavilion (Epcot)
9. Ohana (Poly)
10. Boma (AKL)

Have not tried the last two, but have heard good things and plan on trying them next trip. In-laws did Breakfastasaurus at AK last time and loved it.

 

[crjack]

One our favorites when my children were younger was Chef's Mickeys as well. We tried to plan that meal for our MK day since it was so convenient with the Monorail. Large buffet with plenty to choose from and plenty of characters that come around if your children want to see them.

We also liked Cinderella Castle but we have only been for breakfast. My DH and I enjoyed the break from buffets simply because we seemed to always be filling two plates (one for each child) so it was nice to be waited on for a change. The food was great too when we were there.

Ohanas in the Polynesian gets good reviews, especially for dinner. We went for breakfast and thought it was good. AK seems to have the least number of choices other than Rainforest. We seem to do more counter-service there.

At MGM we did Hollywood and Vine as part of the Fantasmic dinner package and that also had a nice buffet.

My children loved the Hoop dee Doo show and meal. Your children may be too young now but on a future trip they may enjoy it. Lots of singing and dancing to keep them entertained and we really liked the food!

Crystal Palace is always a popular choice for MK. What ADR's do you have already?

 

[Desnik]

DD is 8 and DS is almost 3 and we will be going in May. They have been going since 9 months old so I am really familiar with kid friendly places! Here are our top choices for the kids:
Chef Mickey's(CR)
Ohana's(POLY)
Rainforest Cafe
Wispering Canyon(WL)
50's PTC

This year we will be trying Sci Fi, and Le Cellier. Wispering Canyon is very family oriented and loud at times. We all loved it!! DD also likes Tony's at MK and we all love Mama Melrose at MGM.

 

[stacy6552]

Hoop Dee Doo Revue hands down the best.

Crystal palace is the best breakfast buffet we have found.

Whispering Canyon @ WL for any meal, but I like breakfasy best.

Pecos Bills @MK for counter service

Liberty Tree Tavern for dinner @ MK

Cape May Cafe @BC for the seafood buffet dinner

Mama Melrose @MGM for Fantasmic Dinner package (or on its own)

thats 7 ok still thinking......

The CS is Maracco is good and even the kids liked it. Marrakesh for lunch with the belly dancer is great too.

Breakfastasaurus, good. Resturauntasaurus, bad. (same place different meals)

Corla Reef. Arrive early and ask to wait for a tank side table. You wont be disappointed.

I would avoid Sci-fi with little ones. The 50's monster movies they show can be scary for the preschool age group. But the burgers are good.

 

[nancy drew]

im going through a similar dilemma. i dont have 10 to list for you, but here are my "must dine here" choices:

1. biergarten at epcot: "knowing" you, this is a must. its a german buffet with a german band playing and a small area in front of the band where the kids can run around and dance. i loved it so much last year and am dragging dh there this year (not that he is complaining).

2. whispering canyon at WL: have you ever been to a dicks last resort or ed debevics? its kind of like that, they are obnoxious (in a good way) have pony races with the kids, encourage you to whirl your napkin around and make a lot of noise, etc. and the food is *really* good too. totally kid-friendly place.

3. crystal palace buffet at MK: character meal, buffet, kids 2 and under eat free...

4. liberty tree tavern character meal: tons of good food, characters, fun for kids yadda yadda yadda

5. tonys at MK: its the lady and the tramp restaurant. the movie is playing in the waiting room. the restaruant part isnt really entertaining for kids, but the food is great and its a nice sit-down meal.

im taking notes and hoping to plan some meals for our trip as well.

 

[Jake & Crew]

First trip for our dd 5.5 and dd 3.5 ( .5 impt to them) is this May. DH and I love to dine so have thought about this more than most may. We do take the girls out about once a week and they are really good at sit down.

Have res at CRT for brkfst our first day. Overpriced and discouraged reading the reviews here but this trip is about the girls ( family crisis in the fall and we are celebrating our survival) so this is so them we had to!

Also have res at luau ( staying at Poly) and Ohana last am for bkfst.

Others on my radar are:
50's Prime Time for MGM
Coral Reef, Moroccan rest., Mexico and Germany at Epcot (excuse spelling late night!)
Pecos Bills for counter service in MK
Possibly Liberty Tavern
Kona Kafe at Poly

DH and I love WL and some others but this is their trip so we are trying not to drag them all over the world. will prob do Epcot 2x just to get our dining in and the flower show. Will let you know my final list when we are done.

Not on dining plan b/c we are doing land and sea do not know why dis keeps us from this option.

 

[linda_loo]

biergarten at epcot: "knowing" you, this is a must.

hey, what are you getting at there, nancy? think i'm a drunk?

 

[BuzzNutt]

Breakfastasaurus at AK was awesome! Characters take their time nd the servers are so fun. Liberty Tree family dinner. The food is great and served family style. My husband loved the iced tea too.

 

[nancy drew]

hey, what are you getting at there, nancy? think i'm a drunk?

um... the food rocks, too!

 

[F1Julie]

What a fun question! Here are the 10 I would pick:
Garden Grill - lunch or dinner
1900 Park Fare - breakfast or dinner
Boma - dinner
'Ohana - dinner
Cape May - dinner
CRT - lunch
Akershus - lunch or dinner
Whispering Canyon - dinner
Coral Reef - lunch or dinner
Chef Mickey's - breakfast or dinner

 

[linda_loo]

Thanks so much, everyone! OK, I think we are pretty well settled with the following ADR's:

1900 Park Fare character dinner
LeCellier lunch
Sans Angel lunch
Biergarten lunch
Liberty Tree character dinner
Crystal Palace character lunch
Mama Melrose's

We are staying 9 nights, so I am thinking there will be a few more that we want to go to, including Cape May, Boma, Palio, Tusker House and Tony's.

What a fun question!

Glad you liked... I am a little nervous to post a already potentially overdone question.

 

[cinjam]

Here is what has been a hit for us (two boys age 2 and 5).

1) Cinderella's Royal Table (character lunch).
DS5 had an absoluetly wonderful time
2) 'Ohana (character Breakfast)
3) Sci Fi in MGM (lunch - kept both kids quiet for 30 minutes!)
4) Garden Grill in Epcot (character Lunch)
5) Cape May Cafe Clambake (dinner)
Writing on the table paper was a big hit!
6) LeCellier (dinner) - great food.
Servers really tried to keep the kids entertained

Food was good at all the restaurants we went to.