Dining recommendations for our one and only DLRP visit - plan second draft

[Teaspoons]

Hi Everyone,

We are visiting DLRP next October - this will be our one and only visit to Disneyland Paris (we hope to get to the US parks in the next decade!) so I 'd like some recommendations on the best places to dine please.

We haven't purchased half board, or anything and we're not really bothered about budget as this is a one time only thing.
We are arriving on Friday 10th and staying at Hotel New York, the meals we need to organise are:
Friday Dinner
(Saturday Lunch we will be in Paris City)
Saturday Dinner
Sunday Lunch
Sunday Dinner
Monday Lunch
Monday Dinner

We have 2 kids aged 2 and 6, so would prefer to eat earlier rather than later which I gather is against the grain in France but may also mean the restaurants are emptier???
Also down here in Australia we generally only eat a main and maybe dessert when we are out - are we able to order mains and desserts and forgo the starter which seems to be the norm? I'm going to be stuffed if we have to eat all that!

Thanks in advance, looking forward to being made hungry!

PS I saw one of those Cinderella slipper desserts in someone's photos and DD has her heart set on getting one - where are they?

 

[Belle's World]

If you really mean you want to go to the best places to eat and cost is not a problem then I would definitely recommend:
Walts-,lovely gourmet food, if you eat at the right time and are lucky you can view the parade from the window.
Blue Lagoon - mainly fish, the atmosphere is fantastic as you are part of the Pirates of the Caribbean ride.
Inventions Buffet - gourmet buffet with characters located in the Disneyland Hotel.

I believe the Cinderella slipper comes from Auberge du Cendrillon, a pricey Princess meet gourmet meal although I have never been so don't know for sure.

I would also recommend Earl of Sandwich in the village, it's cheap but delicious. We always get one and take back to our room to eat as only 2 mins away from Hotel New York, great for the last night when you need to pack.

You can order starter, main and dessert separately from all restaurants although they do set menus which sometimes work out cheaper to get all 3 rather than pay seperately for 2, however it depends if what you want is on the set menu.

Hope this helps

 

[Teaspoons]

Thanks Belle's world - that does help!

Definitely will put Walt's on the list - maybe for lunch one day?
DH would also like to go to Planet Hollywood one evening
I think Rainforest Cafe might be worth a visit.
I like your tip about Earl of Sandwich for an evening takeaway

I would like a character dining experience for the kids, I gather our options for this are Inventions and Cafe Mickey? Not sure if I want to bother with Auberge du Cendrillon, don't think DH and DS would appreciate princesses!

Will check out the menu for Blue Lagoon but not sure the others are into fish!

 

[Teaspoons]

I forgot to ask - what's the story with under 3's?
DS will be 2.5 when we go

 

[MissSkellington]

I second Walt's...it's our favorite at DLP and we go every visit. Fantastic atmosphere. And if you're lucky enough to get a seat in the front by the window during a parade, quite magical.

We've also done Inventions a few times, and while the character interaction can't be beat (it really is fantastic!) the food was just not for us, most of it anyway. We had the 'free' half board, so we tried making the most of them by using them at Inventions.

 

[Teaspoons]

I'm thinking lunch or dinner Monday for Walt's - what times are the parades usually?

 

[MissSkellington]

I'm not sure what time the parades will be running that time of year, but we also tend to eat earlier than most Europeans (we're American) ...usually trying to have dinner around 4, and you're right...much less busy and peaceful. Sometimes though, depending on which restaurant you're trying to go to, they won't be open around that time (example, we have reservations for Walt's next week...and have to be there at 3 as they close at 3:45...and won't open back up until 6).

I think for the most part though, the main parade tends to be around 4:45...ish.

 

[Teaspoons]

I(example, we have reservations for Walt's next week...and have to be there at 3 as they close at 3:45...and won't open back up until 6).

Is that enough time for you to eat?!

I was thinking to eat about 5.30 like we do at home. Bedtime for our two is normally 7pm but am going to try and stick to a routine of getting them to bed about 8 whilst we're away. Hopefully they sleep till 7-7.30, they normally wake about 6.30-7 in the mornings at home.
We'll watch dreams probably the first night we are there the Friday, depending what time it is and again on the Monday night, our last night. I'm not bothered if we have a late night on the last night, we've got a 20 hour flight to get home and I'd rather they sleep on the plane!!

 

[Danauk]

They may shut at 3:45 but they won't rush your meal. I would definitely book Inventions; nice food,very relaxing and great character interactions for young (an old!) ones!

Hope you enjoy your visit to DLP and England. I loved the time I spent in Australia a few years ago and very much look forward to visiting again one day!

 

[SingingMom]

Just had a mother/daughter trip to DLP while DD is studying in London. We had a wonderful late lunch/early dinner at Walt's. Expensive but worth it. Food was delicious and atmosphere was lovely !

"SingingMom" ....Sent from my iPad using DISBoards

 

[netimka]

as you are there on Sunday I would book brunch at Inventions, its quite pricey but everyone recommends here plus your little one will eat from free (he will eat fro free at all buffets)

have a look at this thread

http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=3048150

hths

 

[Teaspoons]

I've had a chat with DH and DD and this is our first draft:

Friday night - Rainforest Cafe
Saturday night - Annette's Diner
Sunday lunch - Buzz Lightyear's pizza planet
Sunday night - Cafe Mickey - is there character dining at all meals here or just breakfast?
Monday lunch - Walt's
Monday night - Earl of Sandwich

How does that look?
I did consider the Inventions brunch, but recent reviews haven't been too favourable - we're not die-hard Disney fans so not sure it'd be worth it for us

 

[Jonjo]

Good choices but I would go for the Blue Lagoon for Sunday lunch.

 

[aj2703]

I've had a chat with DH and DD and this is our first draft:

Friday night - Rainforest Cafe
Saturday night - Annette's Diner
Sunday lunch - Buzz Lightyear's pizza planet
Sunday night - Cafe Mickey - is there character dining at all meals here or just breakfast?
Monday lunch - Walt's
Monday night - Earl of Sandwich

How does that look?
I did consider the Inventions brunch, but recent reviews haven't been too favourable - we're not die-hard Disney fans so not sure it'd be worth it for us

My input for what it's worth is not to take the chance with Buzz Light years Pizza Planet. OK it was back in 08 i went there but it was a terrible lunch, rubbish everywhere, pizza was bland and it just have a bad vibe to it. If you do a search there are many posts by people who recently have had a bad experience. My advice if this is your only visit is to give it a miss. As you say your not die hard disney fans, what about Planet Hollywood (although that maybe a bit heavy for lunch) or somewhere like that.? I plan to go there on my next trip.

 

[Teaspoons]

DD liked the idea of Pizza Planet and I thought it'd be good as somewhere cheapish for a light lunch, but agree the reviews are less than favourable at the moment - and it seems to be closed a lot!

Will look up Blue Lagoon's menu - it's seafood mainly yeah?

DH suggested Planet Hollywood first off but we decided to go to the one in London and stick to places we can't go to elsewhere when we're at Disney

 

[markpsych]

OK it was back in 08 i went there but it was a terrible lunch, rubbish everywhere, pizza was bland and it just have a bad vibe to it. If you do a search there are many posts by people who recently have had a bad experience.

Agree....have eaten there several times over the years and had the worst food ever. Bland pizza that was literally like chewing on cardboard.

Odd because the pizza is perfectly okay in the other resort restaurants

On the other hand, it's relatively cheap, and my kids loved it! It has the play area, and whilst it might not be the greatest, it's is Toy Story themed

My kids wouldn't hesitate to go back....

 

[MissSkellington]

Have you considered the Hard Rock Cafe for London? When we lived in England we'd go down about once a month, and again when we were just there on vacation this past September...I've never had a bad meal there.

I've never seen Pizza Planet open (and we are always over that way during our trips, as DS loves Star Tours, so I always check)...even in October when it was 'supposed' to open, it never was while we re there.

Have you consider Agrabah?

 

[SingingMom]

Have you considered the Hard Rock Cafe for London? When we lived in England we'd go down about once a month, and again when we were just there on vacation this past September...I've never had a bad meal there. I've never seen Pizza Planet open (and we are always over that way during our trips, as DS loves Star Tours, so I always check)...even in October when it was 'supposed' to open, it never was while we re there. Have you consider Agrabah?

Ah... Hard Rock in London! On our mother/daughter trip this October to visit DD studying in London, that was her first request! Said she was dying for real nachos, potato skins and American bar food. Lol. It was fun!

"SingingMom" ....Sent from my iPad using DISBoards

 

[Teaspoons]

Have you considered the Hard Rock Cafe for London? When we lived in England we'd go down about once a month, and again when we were just there on vacation this past September...I've never had a bad meal there.

Have you consider Agrabah?

Ohh don't confuse me! Now I wanna go to Hard Rock as well as Planet Hollywood!
What's Agrabah like? Any recent reviews?

Ah... Hard Rock in London! On our mother/daughter trip this October to visit DD studying in London, that was her first request! Said she was dying for real nachos, potato skins and American bar food. Lol. It was fun!

"SingingMom" ....Sent from my iPad using DISBoards

You are making me hungry...mmm nachos

 

[Teaspoons]

Thanks for everyone's input - particularly around Inventions and Pizza Planet, we've come up with a second draft:

Friday night: Planet Hollywood
Saturday lunch: McDonalds in Paris as DH wants to taste the difference!
Saturday Night: Rainforest Cafe
Sunday Brunch: Inventions character brunch
Sunday night: Earl of Sandwich takeaway in hotel
Monday lunch: Walt's
Monday night: Annette's Diner/possibly take out

Monday is our last night so I'd like to catch Dreams at 8pm, not sure whether to grab take out from Annette's and eat it in the room or whether we should we actually eat in the restaurant. In a way I'd rather keep the momentum going until Dreams otherwise we might get back to the hotel and crash!
What are the chances of booking on the day/getting a walk in table?