Dining Reviews and MYW plan

[JJsmama]

Just back from 5 days. Loved it. Loved the Dining plan. We thought it was SO convenient and SO much food. We would definitely do it again. Loved being able to have the bottled water instead of sodas included too.

Background: Our group was 3 adult women (me, sister, mom) and 4 boys (10,7,6,4.) We do like fairly healthy food and we do eat at fairly nice restaurants regularly. We were all on the Dining Plan.

First night: Whispering Canyon
Great food. Actually, TONS of food. We didn't even each order an appetizer, even though the plan allowed it. We ordered 2 nachos and 2 chicken wings for all of us. Yummy! WAY too much. We could have done with 1 each. I loved the Nachos and everyone said the wings were fabulous. They were big, fat wings. They also brought two big baskets of great cornbread to the table as appetizers. The kids got chocolate milkshakes as drinks. They were delicious! I had the steak and potatos. I liked it. Boys got roasted chicken and (1) baked apples and (1) corn on the cob. They loved it and I felt they were eating healthy. I was so stuffed that I didn't even orderdessert even though it was included. Save room. Great games and entertainment, but I thought it was WAY too loud and hard to talk in there. We had P.S. Waited about 20 minutes.

Second night: Liberty Tree Tavern Character dinner
Good Food, simple food. Good for kids and adults. Great for character interaction. The characters all came around and took time for autographs and pictures with each table and no waiting in line! The drawback for us was that our kids were exhausted after a long day and it was tough getting out of the MK since everyone was lined up for the parade. We'd do it again. We had P.S. and still waited a long time (45min-1 hour) for a table.

Third night: Germany's Biergarten in Epcot.
Loved it. Had P.S., parks were packed but they took us right in to our table with no waiting. Not crowded inside. Great food. The kids loved it. Buffet, so no waiting. No long lines at buffet and good variety of food. We loved the food, bier (beer) and entertainment. This was the surprise favorite.

Last night: Ohana at Polynesian
Had P.S. Long line at check in but they sat us right away. The food actually arrived too quickly. Fabulous food. Really impressive. Beautiful atmosphere. Fun games for the kids (push the coconut around the restaurant with a broom.) Salad was wonderful. Didn't have dessert since one child got sick at the table and we had to rush out. Somehow I don't blame Ohanas--just one of those things.

Table service we ate: Contemporary Game room = Ok.
Roaring Forks at WL= Ok
Pecos Bill's pretty good (loved the chocolate pie!)
UK's (Epcot) Fish and Chips = pretty good
Casey's hot dogs =OK

LOTS of ice cream and bottled water. We didn't even use all the credits for ice cream and drinks that the plan provided. Yum. I hope I walked enough to negate the damage.
Advice: GET Priority Seating--even if it is only a back up plan. You may need it!
Good luck and any questions?

 

[mom23boys]

I am glad you had a good time and enjoyed the Dining Plan. It sounds like it would be really worth it. I so wish I could get a Dining Plan. We own DVC, and are getting a two bedroom in August, but I will not cook lunch and dinner and would love the convience of the Dining Plan.

 

[JJsmama]

Mom23,
That stinks that you guys can't get the plan. The rumor is that Disney is working on it. Hopefully by August the rule will have changed.

 

[Luv2Roam]

Thanks for the reviews. We have never eaten at Biergarten, but lately I have heard so much good about it. We need to give it a try!
Rosa at DDE mentioned they allow the 20% discount on black out days.

 

[jenr812]

Loved reading your reviews. Thanks for posting them

 

[JodyTG]

The Biergarten was excellent when my family and I ate there a few years ago. My DH spent quite a few years in Germany when he was in the military and he said the food was very authentic. I just wonder what he and that cute waitress were saying to each other in German...hmm...

 

[Goofyta]

Thanks for the review of the dining plan, it's nice to know you get your moneys worth and then some.

 

[Minniespal]

Great reviews ~ Thanx for sharing.

 

[princessknb]

Thanks for sharing your experiences, we have ps's for 2 of those places.

 

[Kaycee]

Thanks for the reviews - it sounds like you had some wonderful meals! Biergarten was the surprise of our December trip too. We loved it!

 

[Disneyonmymind]

We are going to eat at every one of your dinner choices! Except for WC, which is a repeat, the others we are trying for the first time. It's great to see your positive reviews. I am sooo excited!

I don't know why I get so excited about Disney restaurants, but I do. We don't eat out much at home anymore (kids), but when we do, I don't get excited about it. I just think it's nice. Must be that mouse

Jackie

 

[pmtaylor]

Thanks for the review! We are doing the dining plan when we go in Dec.

 

[TwingleMum]

Thanks for the reviews. Sounds like a fun trip!

 

[kajohn]

Background: Our group was 3 adult women (me, sister, mom) and 4 boys (10,7,6,4.)

Did your 10 year old order off the adult menu? Did the waitresses ask his age everytime or just let him order off the adult menu without questioning?

I have the dining plan booked for November and my son will be 1 month shy of 10. At this time we have him booked as a 9 year old, but he hates to eat off the kids menu.

I'm debating whether to change our reservation and say that he is 10 to get the adult package for him, but I hate having to pay more when I don't have to yet. (if I pay the $35 for the dining plan I also have to get him the MYW adult park ticket as well).

My hope is that the waitresses will just assume he is older and let him order off the adult menu without questioning it.



Also, for the other kids, were they permitted to order an appetizer and dessert off the regular menu, or just limited to the kids menu? Since kids menus don't normally have an appetizer, and very limited desserts I was just curious. If my 9 year old could order an adult appetizer and dessert, I may be able to get him to order a child's portion for the main course!

 

[JJsmama]

Basically, we ordered what we wanted. No one ever asked the kids ages in the restaurants --although they did ask ages when we called to make PS.

Yes, the youngers can order appetizer off the adult menu. However it was SOOO much food we never ordered one per person anyway. The kids usually wanted the dessert that was on the kid's menu, so I don't know about adult desserts.

As to the question of the 9 yr old eating adult meals:

Are you asking about counter service or table service? Is your concern portion size or choices?

At counter service, the cashier never differentiated between the adult and kid's meals with our credits as far as we could tell. I did order them an adult meal at counter because they don't eat pizza or hot dogs. However it was so much food, that I had them split one meal (came with dessert and I gave the other child my dessert so they each had one.)

Honestly, Dessert was the least of our concerns. At first, you want to make sure you get it, but then you have dessert at lunch, dessert at dinner and ice cream in between?? By the second day, we were not definitely not all ordering desserts at every meal.

At Table service restaurants, I think it depends where you are going to eat. 3 of our restaurants were either buffet (Biergarten) or Family style (LTT & Ohana) so we all go the same thing no matter how old we were. I think most restaurants would work with you. Even if they required him to eat as a 'kid', I think they would bring him a kid's portion of an adult meal. In our experience, they were all flexible. I would not change him to an adult. The plan gives SOOO much food, I think you'll be fine with him as a 'kid.'

 

[CBear]

The kids usually wanted the dessert that was on the kid's menu, so I don't know about adult desserts.

Is the Kids menu usually a separate menu at table service restaurants, or is it just part of the main, regular menu?

We've got the dining plan, but I think my 13 year old DD will sometimes want to order off the Kids Menu. But, she's a 13 year old who people often assume is 15 or 16, so it's not likely we'll be offered the Kids Menu if it's separate and I think she'll be embarrassed if I ask for the Kids Menu.

 

[kajohn]

Yes, the youngers can order appetizer off the adult menu. However it was SOOO much food we never ordered one per person anyway. The kids usually wanted the dessert that was on the kid's menu, so I don't know about adult desserts.

As to the question of the 9 yr old eating adult meals:

Are you asking about counter service or table service? Is your concern portion size or choices?

Both for table service! My 9 DS eats way more than a kids portion normally, and also prefers steak or a seafood type entree vs. chicken nuggets type kids menu food. He also is fighting us over the "stigma" of ordering off the kids menu, he feels he has outgrown it, and we have to coax him to order off the kids menu when dining out now at home (hate paying an adult entree if he still qualifies for a kids meal).

We just got back from a cruise, and he LOVED getting to choose anything on the menu, he ate a full adult appetizer, adult entree and dessert every night at dinner, so I know he could eat that after walking the parks all day!

I'm going to stick with him being on the kids plan for now, unless they change the program to differentiate between kids and adult meals on the number of meals per family before our trip in November.

Thanks so much for all your help!