Current ADRs + Where else should we go?

[mcbutler23]

We are planning for September 7-14 and have the DDP. It's me, DH and DD4. DD4 is a much better eater than DH. DH is the picky one! As of right now, I have ADRs for:

Cinderella's Royal Table (breakfast)
Akershus (breakfast)
1900 Park Fare (dinner)
Chef Mickey's (dinner)
Liberty Tree Tavern (lunch)

DD4 LOVES the princesses so the 3 princess meals seems like overkill, but I know she will be excited. My questions are:

1. I've been reading not so great reviews about Chef Mickey's - should I cancel that ADR and try something else?

2. What are some other recommendations? I am trying to get an ADR for BOG lunch. Other places we've thought about are Beaches and Cream and 50's PT. If you had to rank your top 5 must eat places, which ones would they be?

TIA!

 

[Disney_Alli]

What parks are you going to and for how many days will you be in the parks? How many credits do we have to play with (DDP for Disney Dining Plan or Deluxe Dining Plan? All these questions will greatly affect the recommendations we make. So far if you have the standard plan you've used 6 of your 7 credits for restaurants either in or right around MK with only one exception. Which days do you have each meal planned for?

 

[plutosgirl]

Our FAVORITE Character meal is the Garden Grill in Epcot. Food has always been really good and it seems a lot quieter than other character meals and we have always had the best interaction with them. They really seem to take their time and we've gotten great pictures. My girls are now 18 & 20 and this is the one place they always ask to go.

Other Character meals we like are Tusker House in AK (best breakfast buffet in all of Disney I think), Ohana's breakfast is also a good one and also Crystal Palace breakfast for Pooh and friends.

 

[mcbutler23]

We have park hopper passes and park tickets for 7-14. Wednesday the 7th would be a partial day (duck into MK mid-late afternoon) and we would do counter service for dinner. I figured our first two full days (8th and 9th) would be spent in MK. Sunday spent at Epcot. We will be back in MK that night for MNSSHP. That's about as far as I've gotten with the planning. We have the standard Disney Dining Plan. Here are the days/meals we have ADRs for:

Thursday, September 8 - Liberty Tree Tavern @ 1pm; Chef Mickey's @ 8 pm
Friday, September 9 - Cinderella's Royal Table @ 8:15 am
Saturday, September 10 - 1900 Park Fare @ 7:35 pm
Sunday, September 11 - Akershus @ 8:25 am
Monday, September 12 - Be Our Guest @ 1:55 pm

Do I need to be more strategic? I was really booking ADRs based on what was available.

 

[Robertfam08]

We have park hopper passes and park tickets for 7-14. Wednesday the 7th would be a partial day (duck into MK mid-late afternoon) and we would do counter service for dinner. I figured our first two full days (8th and 9th) would be spent in MK. Sunday spent at Epcot. We will be back in MK that night for MNSSHP. That's about as far as I've gotten with the planning. We have the standard Disney Dining Plan. Here are the days/meals we have ADRs for:

Thursday, September 8 - Liberty Tree Tavern @ 1pm; Chef Mickey's @ 8 pm
Friday, September 9 - Cinderella's Royal Table @ 8:15 am
Saturday, September 10 - 1900 Park Fare @ 7:35 pm
Sunday, September 11 - Akershus @ 8:25 am
Monday, September 12 - Be Our Guest @ 1:55 pm

Do I need to be more strategic? I was really booking ADRs based on what was available.

Do you check out on the 14th or is that your last full day? Either way, you are currently using half of your TS credits in the first two days of your trip. I would drop one of the TS meals on Thursday and save it for another day. (Personally, I'd keep Chef Mickey's for your daughter, but maybe shoot for an earlier time.) I also wouldn't do any more TS breakfasts, because you will use up lots of your QS credits for lunch and dinner that way. (We try to avoid using many meal credits for breakfast and either eat something in the room or use snack credits. But breakfast is usually a smaller meal for us, and we like to have a nice lunch or dinner as a break every day.) We maybe do one special breakfast each trip. Consider BOG for breakfast on a MK day if you are interested in a pre-park opening reservation and save some TS credits there.

I definitely recommend Tusker House when you visit AK. At this point I honestly wouldn't worry about not getting the exact ADR's you want right away or at the perfect time. SO much will open up between now and then. Even just days before you leave you can score good reservations, and there are trackers to help you get them. With your family size it should be pretty easy to get what you want in the end. (In other words, don't let your meal times and what's available right now dictate your trip...keep it the other way around. Plan out your park days and activities, and I don't think you should have many issues getting meals where you want within reasonable time frames.) Good luck with all of your planning!

 

[KendallR]

I would definitely keep the breakfast at Royal Table, and would consider a meal at Be Our Guest , it is my favorite experience in the park-preferably dinner. Chefs de France is really nice in Epcot as well.

 

[emnems34]

I think you have made fantastic choices and all of the others you are thinking about are great as well! I wouldnt cancel chef mickeys. A lot of people think the food is sub par which may be true but I think it's a place you go more for the character interactions than the food, and it's nice and close to MK. Have fun!!!!

 

[katt789]

You've got great choices, especially if it involves pickier eaters or princess lovers!! I personally LOVE Chef Mickey's for dinner, we've always loved all the food, and the characters have been great!!

As for other options, here are some of my favorites around the resort
-Via Napoli in Italy in Epcot: great pizza & pasta, awesome drinks, we've always had good service
-Garden Grill, Epcot: amazing food, AMAZING character interaction, usually a little slow on service, also neat that its a spinning resturant
-50s PT is my go to in DHS, there's not much else that's tasty there IMO, it's good homecooked food, and a nice time, the service is good, and they play around a lot, so it's a fun time!
-Yak & Yeti TS is my favorite over at DAK, the food is a little more adventerous though, so I'd look over the menu first!
-Tusker House if YY seems too much, it's got some African flair (more at lunch) and characters!

 

[crabbygal902]

We are planning for September 7-14 and have the DDP. It's me, DH and DD4. DD4 is a much better eater than DH. DH is the picky one! As of right now, I have ADRs for:

Cinderella's Royal Table (breakfast)
Akershus (breakfast)
1900 Park Fare (dinner)
Chef Mickey's (dinner)
Liberty Tree Tavern (lunch)

DD4 LOVES the princesses so the 3 princess meals seems like overkill, but I know she will be excited. My questions are:

1. I've been reading not so great reviews about Chef Mickey's - should I cancel that ADR and try something else?

2. What are some other recommendations? I am trying to get an ADR for BOG lunch. Other places we've thought about are Beaches and Cream and 50's PT. If you had to rank your top 5 must eat places, which ones would they be?

TIA!

I would not cancel Chef Mickey's! Your DD will only be 4 once, and it will be such a magical experience to meet the Fab Five and not stand in long lines to do so! The pictures of our little guys at 4 at Chef Mickey's are treasured mementos.

We really enjoy Chef Mickey's, especially when our kids were little. I think the food is good, the atmosphere spectacular (monorail whizzing by!!), and the character interaction terrific. We have had good service and pretty bad service, but it really hasn't hurt our experience. We still have a good time and everyone can find something they like on the buffet (parmesan potatoes...mmmm!) It is not fine dining, but it doesn't have to be for us to enjoy it.

Our priorities have changed as our kids have grown older, but with a 4 year old...Chef Mickey's is a great dining choice.

I think BOG lunch is a great option! It's our favorite CS restaurant at WDW. Since you already mentioned that one, here's my top 5:


5. Wolfgang Puck Express in Disney Springs (CS, GREAT value on the DDP, such delicious food)
4. Biergarten in Epcot (TS, entertainment during your meal, good food, great atmosphere, great service)
3. La Hacienda in Epcot (TS, you may get to watch Illuminations from the restaurant with a bit of pixie dust and timing)
2. Tangierene Cafe in Epcot (yet another CS, the shawarma platter...I dream of it)
1. 'Ohana at the Poly (my family loves this place! The apps, the meats, the dessert, and the entertainment and games during dinner)