Dining reviews 5/15-5/22, A.K.A. How many times will my kid eat pasta and ice cream?

[Marthonica]

Love the honest report. We're going to WDW the 1st week of October (with our own 4.5 year old redhead! He too will probably eat the same thing for every meal - plain pasta or chicken nuggets. Not such a diverse eater!!

I'm with you on the restaurant thinking...we have restaurants at home, we don't have Disney parks at home. I've made all our ADR's to match where we'll be, and I've tried to pick restaurants that will appeal to the whole family - not necessarily the ones I'd pick on my own We did decide to book Citricos for our last night and we'll probably put DS in the Mousekeeter Club for that one so we can actually enjoy a meal while we are there! I don't know about your family, but we don't generally find dining with our 4 year old to be relaxing or low key!

 

[mom2aredhead]

Love the honest report. We're going to WDW the 1st week of October (with our own 4.5 year old redhead! He too will probably eat the same thing for every meal - plain pasta or chicken nuggets. Not such a diverse eater!!

I'm with you on the restaurant thinking...we have restaurants at home, we don't have Disney parks at home. I've made all our ADR's to match where we'll be, and I've tried to pick restaurants that will appeal to the whole family - not necessarily the ones I'd pick on my own We did decide to book Citricos for our last night and we'll probably put DS in the Mousekeeter Club for that one so we can actually enjoy a meal while we are there! I don't know about your family, but we don't generally find dining with our 4 year old to be relaxing or low key!

October is my FAVORITE time of year to go...if at all possible, try to get to Mickey's Not so Scary Halloween Party - it's a blast!

I agree about the relaxing dinner - my son is normally good in restaurants, but since he knows he's at WDW, I know a lot of my (non character) meals are basically on borrowed time before he decides he's done and wants to get back to the parks.

Have fun at Citrico's...we're going to try to a "grown up" dinner at Jiko next time.

 

[fenfur]

Thanks for your realistic view. I too don't get the "it's so good because it's at WDW" theory. Hey, they are a company trying to make money and feed thousands of people at a time, everything is not going be top rate, or sometimes even good.

So at most of the places you can get pasta plain? Do they have marinara sauce? That would make life SOOO much easier with one of my kiddos.

 

[Michelle_and_Aaron]

My stepson is also very picky and your review only confirmed what I was already fearing about the places we have reservations. So I guess you aren't the only one who will be feeding your kid pasta and ice cream for a week. I will make sure to stop by a store before the hotel so that we have a healthy breakfast and good snacks to balance out our Disney meals!

 

[mom2aredhead]

So at most of the places you can get pasta plain? Do they have marinara sauce? That would make life SOOO much easier with one of my kiddos.

Pretty much any place they had "beef and macroni" or "mac and cheese", you could get the pasta plain or w/butter. If they don't have a tomato sauce on the menu, then probably not. The beef/macaroni is a tomato meat sauce, so if your kids are "dippers" like mine is, it doesn't really work.

My stepson is also very picky and your review only confirmed what I was already fearing about the places we have reservations. So I guess you aren't the only one who will be feeding your kid pasta and ice cream for a week. I will make sure to stop by a store before the hotel so that we have a healthy breakfast and good snacks to balance out our Disney meals!

My son's menu is pretty limited at home too, though not quite this bad...so it's not really the WDW menus that are to blame for him eating pasta all that time. Blame me and his dad!
At home, we try to get him to at least sample whatever we're eating, but honestly, on vacation, I just didn't feel like dealing with the power struggle...it was my vacation too, kwim? Our breakfasts were relatively healthy - yes, he had lots of Mickey waffles, but lots of fresh fruit and yogurt too. And I brought from home a few "Jif to go" peanut butter cups and we made a few PB sandwiches (no jelly, no crust) for lunch...he also likes salad w/ranch dressing, which surprisingly was on a lot of the kid menus.

 

[emmabemmainc]

I loved your report!!! Very funny!

I have to tell you that I'm totally offended though(ok, not really...)--I am one of those people who LOVES Stouffer's mac and cheese but isn't crazy about Rainforest Cafe! LOL!! We have a RC about 25 miles away here in MI, and I'm always disappointed whenever we go--but we keep going, b/c my dd loves it. Give me some Stouffer's mac and cheese any day of the week!

What can I say--I have the taste buds of a typical 5 year old!!??

 

[mom2aredhead]

I loved your report!!! Very funny!

I have to tell you that I'm totally offended though(ok, not really...)--I am one of those people who LOVES Stouffer's mac and cheese but isn't crazy about Rainforest Cafe! LOL!!

Sorry - it was not my intention to offend the Stouffers eating population of the world. I like it on occasion as well...although I have to admit I'm more of a Kraft blue box kinda girl myself.

It just makes me laugh when people bash Rainforest JUST because it's a chain restaurant (because they cannot possibly ever be good) but yet the Mac and Cheese at LTT is "delicious" just because it was prepared at LTT. Helloooo - it's still Stouffers Mac and Cheese...you know - like in the freezer section of your grocery store??? Same thing goes for most of the pasta dishes at Tony's. Do we not see the "sponsored by Butoni" thing on the menu? People are funny...guess that's what makes the world go 'round. thank goodness there are lots of restaurants in WDW to pick from!

 

[emmabemmainc]

Sorry - it was not my intention to offend the Stouffers eating population of the world. I like it on occasion as well...although I have to admit I'm more of a Kraft blue box kinda girl myself.

It just makes me laugh when people bash Rainforest JUST because it's a chain restaurant (because they cannot possibly ever be good) but yet the Mac and Cheese at LTT is "delicious" just because it was prepared at LTT. Helloooo - it's still Stouffers Mac and Cheese...you know - like in the freezer section of your grocery store??? Same thing goes for most of the pasta dishes at Tony's. Do we not see the "sponsored by Butoni" thing on the menu? People are funny...guess that's what makes the world go 'round. thank goodness there are lots of restaurants in WDW to pick from!

Oh, I know!!

I don't dislike RC b/c it's a chain--it's just hard for me to find stuff there I like--I have to say though, their Volcano dessert is TDF! That is so good!

Just give me some Stouffer's mac and cheese and a large chocolate dessert with sparklers on it and I'm good!

 

[mom2aredhead]

I have to say though, their Volcano dessert is TDF! That is so good!

Just give me some Stouffer's mac and cheese and a large chocolate dessert with sparklers on it and I'm good!

Sounds like a great idea. I bet we could open that as a CS restaurant in Hollywood Studios like that - since people complain they don't like the ones that are there.

Sample menu...
Stouffers Mac and Cheese (from LTT)
(available with or without cheese, so my son could eat there too)
Krispy Creme donuts (from Tusker House)
Volcano Dessert (from RFC)
Island Sunset Drink (from Kona)

Sounds like a nice well balanced meal to me

 

[emmabemmainc]

Sounds good to me!

Alcohol and carbs--YUM! What more could you ask for?

I've been sitting her for the past 5 minutes, trying to think up a clever name..but I can't. I'm too tired! It must have been all those drinks and doughnuts I had last night!

 

[mom2aredhead]

Sounds good to me!

Alcohol and carbs--YUM! What more could you ask for?

I've been sitting her for the past 5 minutes, trying to think up a clever name..but I can't. I'm too tired! It must have been all those drinks and doughnuts I had last night!

Hmmm...a restaurant that serves all alcohol and carbs...I can't think of anything clever either.
But here's an idea - We could decorate it with some sexy Johnny Depp and Orlando Bloom pirate pictures to keep the husbands out. They wouldn't appreciate the subtle combination of chocolate and fruity alcohol anyway.

 

[janets]

Hey mom, glad to see you had a great trip. I'm so sorry that your return flight home turned out to be a disturbing one. Did you fly Cont or JB this time?

I totally understand the need to eat where it's convenient w/ a 4.5 yo. I'm lucky that my older son is now over 10 and loves (and I mean loves) to eat so making nice dining reservations works for him. Younger one will be 6 before our trip in August but is a more particular eater than older one. He's a fan of chicken fingers and the pasta as well (but we like a cup of melted butter and a cup of sauce on the side LOL!). We usually find that we're okay most of the time at the World, as long as they have popcorn and Itzakadoozies!

Oh, and BTW, are you as sick as I am about the Yankees? I'm just dying here!

 

[emmabemmainc]

Oooooooooooo...I like the idea about the posters of JD and OB! And maybe, just maybe, we could hire waiters that looked like Jack Sparrow.....and they could carry doughnuts on their swords (sort of like the skewers at O'Hana)--and serve you that way!

Don't feel so bad about the Yankees you two--it could be worse-- you could be a Tigers fan like me!

 

[mom2aredhead]

Hey mom, glad to see you had a great trip. I'm so sorry that your return flight home turned out to be a disturbing one. Did you fly Cont or JB this time?

I totally understand the need to eat where it's convenient w/ a 4.5 yo. I'm lucky that my older son is now over 10 and loves (and I mean loves) to eat so making nice dining reservations works for him. Younger one will be 6 before our trip in August but is a more particular eater than older one. He's a fan of chicken fingers and the pasta as well (but we like a cup of melted butter and a cup of sauce on the side LOL!). We usually find that we're okay most of the time at the World, as long as they have popcorn and Itzakadoozies!

Oh, and BTW, are you as sick as I am about the Yankees? I'm just dying here!

I'm looking forward to the day that I can make ADR's and confidently know that my son will eat like a normal person. What do I have, about 8...10 years?? Until then...pasta and ice cream all around!

Our flights were r/t on Continental, and started out great! It was a newer plane that had movies/tv/games free on demand in the seatbacks...so I was watching 27 dresses while my husband watched 30 Rock and helped my son play the Pooh and Tigger memory game. Once we hit around Virginia/DC, the weather changed, we ran into a wall of wind and the plane was all over the place. Quite a few people were airsick...you know it's bad when the flight attendents do a lap with glasses of water and wet paper towels. My brother in law flew home (to GA) from DC that same day, and said his flight was also miserable. Can't control the weather, unfortunately.

And oh yeah, speaking of sick - I am sooo sick about the Yankees...I keep telling myself that it's only May, but it's tough to watch. I guess we've officially entered the "rebuilding" era. And of course where I live, I'm surrounded by Met fans.

Oooooooooooo...I like the idea about the posters of JD and OB! And maybe, just maybe, we could hire waiters that looked like Jack Sparrow.....and they could carry doughnuts on their swords (sort of like the skewers at O'Hana)--and serve you that way!

OMG - Donuts on the swords - that's hysterical! And I love the idea of the look alike waiters. We really should work for the marketing department.

 

[TigerKat]

Oooooooooooo...I like the idea about the posters of JD and OB! And maybe, just maybe, we could hire waiters that looked like Jack Sparrow.....and they could carry doughnuts on their swords (sort of like the skewers at O'Hana)--and serve you that way!

Now that sounds like my kinda place!

 

[mom2aredhead]

I've been sitting her for the past 5 minutes, trying to think up a clever name..but I can't. I'm too tired! It must have been all those drinks and doughnuts I had last night!

Got it...

(Eye) Candy, Sugar and Rum

 

[mom2aredhead]

Or maybe "Aye" Candy...to tie in the whole Pirate thing
Sorry - I'm crackin' myself up over here.

 

[janets]

Oh, yes, surrounded by Mets fans...that would be living in my house. Husband and 2 sons. It's painful, let me tell you. But they aren't doing much better so everyone is sad at home.

I grew up in Queens and my dad grew up on Riverside Drive in Manhattan so he was a big Yankee fan, hence I have Yankee blue in the veins in one arm, Giants blue in the other. So at least half of my year ended well!

"Aye" candy....you guys crack me up

 

[emmabemmainc]

Those are great!!!!

Aye Candy--that's so good!! I love it!

 

[Michelle_and_Aaron]

Sounds like a great idea. I bet we could open that as a CS restaurant in Hollywood Studios like that - since people complain they don't like the ones that are there.

Sample menu...
Stouffers Mac and Cheese (from LTT)
(available with or without cheese, so my son could eat there too)
Krispy Creme donuts (from Tusker House)
Volcano Dessert (from RFC)
Island Sunset Drink (from Kona)

Sounds like a nice well balanced meal to me

Yeah I am totally down with that menu. Just maybe add those Dole pineapple icecream things. Yum!