Dining with Grandparent (my parents)

[Cindy's Mom]

My mom and dad will be joining me and the kids this March for a short weekend get a way. I'm wondering where we should eat. We are all on the dining plan and are just doing 2 nights. My parents winter in Delray Beach - so I am flying into Lauderdale, staying a couple nights with them there, then driving to WDW, staying a couple nights there, and back to Delray for the remainder of the trip. So when I say short, I mean short.

My dad is 75 and somewhat active and happy My mom is 66 and pretty much goes with the flow.

I really really want to go to CM's for dinner. I would like to hear from some people who have went there with their parents.

Also, while my daughter isn't thrilled with the idea, I'd like to have dinner w/ Cindy at 1900. I think that will be a calm atmosphere for my dad. Any thoughts.

Me and the kids do not care for WCC, so we can skip that. I think the b-fast at the CP prior to MK opening may be magical for them as well. We are only doing MK this trip. Any suggestions or past experiences is more than welcome.

 

[bas71873]

We vacationed with my parents (last 50's) in Feb of 2008 for a week. I just made all the dining ressies, they just went with the flow and soaked it all up with DD5. We really enjoyed all of our character dining. No CM for us, could not work it in the schedule, but, we had GREAT experiences at:

Castle breakfast with Cinderella at MK

Princess breakfast in Norway at Epcot

1900 PF dinner was fun. The step mom & sisters are a hoot and the Prince asked DD to dance so that made her day.

Coral Reef was our favorite of the trip (not character obviously, but we had great food & great service)

Our Crystal Palace breakfast was good too.

If you are going for dinner, 1900 is in my opinion a good fit. The GF is fun to walk around and look at and the dinner was fun and the food was pretty good. Standard Disney buffet, but we werent' rushed and the atmosphere was nice.

 

[Topo Bella]

My parents travel with us every trip. They are in their mid-60's and they seem to enjoy the character meals. Their favorite so far for dinner was Crystal Palace, but they also really loved 'Ohana for breakfast.

In so far as non-character meals go, Prime Time is one of their favorites for a "fun" meal.

 

[mickeyluv'r]

I really really want to go to CM's for dinner. I would like to hear from some people who have went there with their parents.

Also, while my daughter isn't thrilled with the idea, I'd like to have dinner w/ Cindy at 1900. I think that will be a calm atmosphere for my dad. Any thoughts.

Me and the kids do not care for WCC, so we can skip that. I think the b-fast at the CP prior to MK opening may be magical for them as well. We are only doing MK this trip. Any suggestions or past experiences is more than welcome.

I was at CM's for dinner during free dining, and it was the worst meal of our trip. It was not nearly as good as in the past. Maybe it was free dinign promo, but the meal was nearly all white.Gone were all the veggies and fresh fruit that I enjoyed. Also the carved beef was really bad. The service was better thanin the past. CM's can also be rather loud. If you go, dine early - like 5pm.

I would also say that 1900 PF can also be loud. The food was pretty good, as was CP. But no character meal is ever 'relaxing and quiet' IMO. My folks enjoyed CP when we went last year. I was a little surprised. Though agian, I have to sy, last spring the character interaction was rather weak. It was so bad we skipped it in the fall.

By contrast, I really enjoyed our meal at 'Ohanas. Some of the meat was a bit dry, but there was SO much to choose from. It IS huge quantites of food, so be prepared...but mostly it was excellent with: great fresh bread, dessert, and lots of fresh veggies!

 

[GranddadTom]

We've enjoyed the 50's Prime Time Cafe. It gets the older folks talking about growing up in the 50's. All depends on whether or not you want to hearabout it!

 

[Pakey]

Well I'm a grandparent. I would NOT want to have to do Chef Mickey's. We are going with grandchild in 4 weeks and we are doing CP, breakfast with Donald, Cape May, Sci Fi, 50's PTC. I'm fine with all of those. I would be fine with 1900 Park Faire, Cindy's. I would not be fine with CM or WCC.

 

[Cindy's Mom]

OP here...thank you all for your insightful responses The only reason I am "stuck" on CM's is because for 1) its my family's night of arrival tradition 2) when I was a kid, we stayed at the Contemporary, so my parents can stroll down memory lane 3) We can take a monorail ride 4) view fireworks from 4th floor at CR.

I know that we don't have to dine at CR to do all of the above....I'm thinking 1900 dinner. back in the olden days, my folks stayed at GF before (not with their kids though ) so I guess we can pretty much do all I want to do from there as well.

Thanks everyone

 

[lurkernj]

Hubby and I went in Sept with our kids (10 and 13), and the hubbys parents (68 and 69). We did several character meals including crystal palace(dinner), chef mickey (breakfast), and Tusker house(breakfast). We all had such a great time, and no complaints about the food. The inlaws enjoyed getting their pictures with the characters.

I think it depends on the personality of the grandparents, which only you would know. Are they likely to have fun (if only for the kids benefit), or are they likely to be bothered by the disruption during the meal.

 

[Cindy's Mom]

Hubby and I went in Sept with our kids (10 and 13), and the hubbys parents (68 and 69). We did several character meals including crystal palace(dinner), chef mickey (breakfast), and Tusker house(breakfast). We all had such a great time, and no complaints about the food. The inlaws enjoyed getting their pictures with the characters.

I think it depends on the personality of the grandparents, which only you would know. Are they likely to have fun (if only for the kids benefit), or are they likely to be bothered by the disruption during the meal.

My parents surprise me sometimes. Last year while visiting them, I said "let's go to Sea World", and they packed up and came with us. It of course was all part of my master plan to get them to Disney, so I figured I'd start with baby step. They both went on the Sea World equivalent to Splash Mountain and had a blast. We stayed at the Marriott Residence's Inn Seaworld and then when driving back to Delray, my car automatically went to WDW I wanted to show them the YC where my family would be vacationing in June. As soon as we walk through the lobby out to SAB, my dad says "why the heck didn't we stay here"

Long story short....I don't think I give them enough credit. They just ADORE my kids and would happily sit though a meal at CM's, just to see the kids expressions as they hug Mickey and Minnie. My 8yo daughter (going on 18 mind you), just turns into a little baby once she's in Minnie's arm.

Thanks for setting me straight !!!