Disappointed in dining choices

[skywaywaver]

Let me preface this by saying that I'm nowhere near 90 days but am starting to figure out where we're going to eat. Not on dining plan, staying at DVC 2 br BLT so we have a kitchen for most breakfasts.
However, I'm scanning through Allears.net and find that I'm not thrilled with the dining choices in MGM, AK and MK (Epcot is no problem). We've done Crystal Palace a few times and I'm just not feeling that this time. I didn't have this problem two years ago. Maybe it's because now we have 2 kids now, but I'm just not really impressed. I'm struggling to figure out where to eat to make everybody happy.
Now I'll be hiding under a table while you all throw things at me.

 

[Kathy Z]

Not being sure when your trip will take place I don't know if an outdoor QS will work for a meal. In AK we loved Flame Tree Barbeque, finding seats under the roofed patio with a view of EE. (The begging ducks and fries snatching birds are a bit of a nuisance but that is another thread.) For dinner that night we took the short bus ride to AKL for our ADR at Boma - my favorite meal of the week.

At DHS the Pizza place near TSMania was OK. Our TS that day was breakfast at 'Ohana (we stayed at the Poly.)

We really enjoyed lunch at Crystal Palace but I understand you're looking for other ideas in MK. Sorry that I can't help you on other TS there. It is easy to hop on the monorail for a TS meal at one of the MK resorts and then go back to MK.

 

[dgagnon519]

I am big on dining at disney. I feel it is half of the experience. So here are my suggestions.
For Hollywood Studios for a cs Toy story pizza planet is good with kids. the prices are cheap and the pizza is pretty good. If you are looking for TS my kids loved Sci Fi Dine in the food was just ok for mr, but the atmosphere is fun. I highly recommend 50's primetime cafe. We went there with a group of 7 and everyone of us loved it. Food was good and staff was fun.

For Animal kingdom. I recommend flametree for a cs. Food was good and nice area to sit. For a TS we really enjoyed Yak and Yeti. Food was excellent. If you feel like taking a bus ride over to AKV Boma is great too.

For Magic kingdom it is tough. CS restaurants are plenty and they are all good. Cosmic Rays is our favorite. For TS it is a little more difficult. We are fans of Crystal Palace, but know you are looking to try something different. Normally I would have said LIberty Tree Tavern, it had a very homey feel to it, but now it no longer offers charactes. The food was very good though and very filling. I was not impressed with Tony's. CRT is very expensive and food is good there and atmosphere is great. If you have not done CRT it is definitley something everyone should try once.
You might want to try Wave at your resort since you will be walking distance from MK or Chef Mickeys is also really fun.

 

[Disney_Dawg]

I'm with you . . . I don't think DHS, AK, or MK have good places to eat. I was hoping I would like the Brown Derby at DHS, but we had terrible service (our waitress dropped food on us . . . twice!) and the food wasn't that good. I haven't been impressed with any of the TS places at MK . . . DH and I prefer to snack there and eat other places. In fact, when we aren't eating at Epcot, we're eating at a resort.

 

[ROEDISNEY]

DHS- Always had good food at 50's Prime Time & MM. In my opinion BD isn't worth 2 tbs service.
MK- Always had good food at Tony's, LTT , The Castle, The Plaza for sandwiches. & CP has always had a good buffet. Now if you want a restaurant
that's really good and close to thew MK the Wave is very good.

 

[tggrrstarr]

We had similar feelings this trip about MK and DHS. We've always felt that way about AK. For AK, we always like to go to Boma. By the time dinner comes, we are done with the park, so a quick bus trip to AKL is no problem. My husband is the pickiest eater ever, and even he likes Boma.
For DHS, we are going to try the Cape May clambake. Its a quick boat ride from the park and we can go right back if we need to. I do agree about Sci-Fi for the kids, we ate there last year and even though the food wasn't fabulous, the atmosphere was worth the trip.
For MK, you can do the same, a quick monorail trip to any of the three hotels instead of eating in the park. Or CRT for breakfast is fantastic.
Almost every reservation we have for our next trip is at a hotel or Epcot.

 

[skywaywaver]

Thank you all for the suggestions!
Roedisney, what did you think of the Wave? We are staying at BLT so that is a definite possibility.

 

[ROEDISNEY]

Thank you all for the suggestions!
Roedisney, what did you think of the Wave? We are staying at BLT so that is a definite possibility.

We loved the Wave. I have sent a lot of ppl there and they all felt the same way. My parents I sent them last Sep they have been back 3 x'a already .
It's really good in my opinion.

 

[beroh2253]

For the MK I would take the momorail to Polly and try either O'Hanna or Kona.
For HS take the boat to the Boardwalk and try Spoodles or one of the many other resort restaurants around the bay.
AK- I still have to try YAk And Yetti myself but if you have hopper passes head to EPCOT (so many choices there)

 

[catne]

At MK, Plaza is good for burgers...if you're wanting more traditional restaurant choices like steaks & grilled fish, I'd hop the monorail & go to Kona Cafe at the Poly, or The Wave at the Contemporary, or Grand Floridian Cafe at GF...we actually find it very relaxing & refreshing to be outside the park for awhile and it's really convenient with the monorail (or you can take the boat launches to the MK resorts.) All three resorts are fun to wander on a little tour, if you're wanting a longer break from the park. Counter service inside MK - we really like Cosmic Rays for the non-burger choices (ribs & chicken)

At DHS, we really like Mama Melrose food (think Olive Garden) but we've found the service is slow...not bad if you know that going in there, and are not in a hurry to get anywhere. We like the pizza at Toy Story Pizza Planet, and the sandwiches at Starring Rolls (lunch only)

At Animal Kingdom, Tusker House Buffet has good food (I think it's characters at breakfast & lunch, but no characters at dinner) We liked Yak & Yeti table service restaurant (haven't tried the counter service there) For counter service, we like Flame Tree & Pizzafari. They are also offering the "picnic in the park" option which looks pretty good...think there's two versions - one is sandwiches, the other is chicken.

 

[kim_d]

We seem to eat at the resort TS more than the parks (except Epcot).

 

[Pooh&OurHunny]

If you are staying at BLT, I would try the Wave. I have doing research on the Wave and alot of people like it. We usually eat Brown Derby or Hollywood and Vine (characters for my son) when at DS but you can try a Epcot resort for a lunch or Beaches and Cream. And AK...we are goint to try Yak and Yeti (been looking over a couple of reviews and the reviews looks good).

 

[LowesChevy]

We eat more meals at the resorts than in the parks. Being at BLT you will find it pretty easy to hop on the monorail for access to Kona Cafe, O'hana, Grand Floridian Cafe, Narcoossee's, Citricos, 1900 Park Faire etc, as well as the dining at the Contemporary.

At DHS we stick to Mama Melrose's, MK the Plaza or Tony's, AK-usually hit the rides and leave. Epcot of course has tons of choices as you mentioned.

I always print out menus so everyone can pick a few places they like too!

 

[disneyfav4ever]

At MK my favorite is CP, but the lunch at LTT is good as well. Or you could always get on the monorail and eat at Kona or GF Cafe, or perhaps the Wave.

At MGM I like Mama Melrose's, but I love Brown Derby, I eat there every trip. Prime Time is a fun restaurant with decent food.

I like all the TS restaurants at AK, or if this is for dinner try Boma.

 

[LAS321]

Except for Epcot and Yak and Yeti at the AK, we eat our dinners entirely at the resorts. We do love Crystal Palace at MK for breakfast. Our favorites are Narcoosee and Citricos, Boma and Kona. We also had a great meal at Wolfgang Puck Cafe in DTD. The restaurants at DHS are just not worth it. I would start checking out the resort and DTD menus and see if they are more appealing to you.

 

[jen22984]

In fact, when we aren't eating at Epcot, we're eating at a resort.

Us too, with the exception of Crystal Palace.

 

[ShannonMB]

We are in the process of trying new things on each trip, and we are running out of things to try at HS, MK, and AK.

This time we will try:

HS -- 50's Prime Time (already tried Sci-Fi and H&V -- both meh)

MK -- Tony's (already tried CP and LTT - no characters now, boo)

AK -- We like to go to AKL and go to Boma, which is the only one we do every trip, but we also tried Yak and Yeti and LOVED it.

Then of course at Epcot, so many restaurants, so little time!!

We also love eating at the resorts, esp the ones on the monorail on a second MK day!

Best of luck!

 

[Moomduck1]

For Disney Studios, we love the Backlot Express. It's a CS. I think everyone should eat at the Prime Time Cafe at least once (we've never had a bad meal there) and the same with the Sci Fi. I'm not as thrilled with the Sci Fi food, but the atmosphere is really cool. I'm not fond of the Pizza Planet....crowded and the pizza reminds me of the kind you get at Pizza Hut Express.

At AK, we love Flame Tree BBQ for a CS.

As for MK, we always like Columbia Harbour House for a CS. Cosmic Rays is also good, but pretty crowded.

We tend to eat at CS more than TS because TS seems to take so much more time.