Disney food res. for Large Family

[Penmac]

We are doing 3 days at the parks in late August. We are doing MK for 2 days and Epcot for 1. I am torn about what to do for meal reservations. We are NOT on the meal plan. We are staying at the cabins at Fort Wilderness so we have a kitchen and will prepare most of our own food. I just don't want the kids to miss out on the meal experience entirely.

I didn't book this trip until almost the end of June so a lot of stuff is booked up, but we do still have a few options. I am just not sure whether it's worth it for our huge party. A lot of the great meal options will cost us upwards of $250, and that makes me feel like we could have just done an extra day at the park for a few more dollars.... As of now we only have a dinner reservation at Raglan Road on the day we are not in the parks. We are Irish so I know kids will enjoy the atmosphere, even if the food is just OK. But I feel guilty I have not made ANY reservations at MK or Epcot, or another resort on our one day off from the parks.

We had a good experience at Tony's Town Square Tavern a couple years ago, but we had to wait an hour for our 7pm reservation, and felt that was time wasted we could have spent enjoying the park. Is that long wait even with a reservation typical? If I thought it was a fluke the last time we were there, I would definitely consider booking there again.

We loved Belle's castle for breakfast last year, but that is booked solid.

We did Germany in Epcot and it cost a fortune since we were not on meal plan and it was a buffet. None of us liked the food so it was a huge waste of money for us, even though the kids loved the atmosphere. I know at Disney you pay mainly for atmosphere, but $250 for my kids to eat dinner rolls was just not worth it. We did the fancy Italian restaurant there too, and although the food was good it seemed to be an older crowd. We could not get out of there fast enough with our babies and all the glass-ware on the table!

Would love some other recommendations at Epcot. Any amazing quick service places we are missing out on? We love Italian, Mexican, & my husband loves fish. Maybe we don't need a reservation, just a good quick service place!

We usually do Cosmic Cafe for quick service at MK, but we need to branch out a try something new. My kids are burgers and pasta kind of kids. Simple, easy meals. But any other recommendations would be great! I think they would eat tacos and some spicy stuff too, just nothing too out there.

At MK, Is Crystal Palace worth it for the characters? We have 5 kids ages 1 through 8 & I think they would like Pooh but don't feel strongly about it one way or the other. They seem to have availability during our stay. Chef Mickey's has a dinner res at 9:15pm on our night off. I considered booking that instead of Raglad Road since I have heard such good things about it, but we have an early start the next day at MK and our kids would rather watch fireworks from the campground than eat dinner that late.

 

[leebee]

Stop feeling guilty! You are taking your kids to Disney World- all SEVEN of you- and you have to spend your money where it'll be best-spent. On our first trip, we didn't eat in one single restaurant. Not one! You know what? We had an amazing vacation- and you will, too!

What are you planning on doing; cooking almost all your meals in the cabin? I would definitely do breakfasts there, and maybe pack your lunches to take into the park. I think it's a lot of running around to go back to the cabin for lunch. Time is money in WDW; you don't want to spend all your time going back and forth between the cabin and your resort.

Here are my opinions: Chef Mickey's will be a waste of money. The place is usually pretty messy (sometimes it smells like garbage to me), it's frantic, and the food is mediocre at best, usually not very warm, sometimes dried out, often flavorless. We've done it three or four times for the character interaction,and I am so, so thankful that we have outgrown that need, LOL! I honestly think that 9:15 is too late for dinner- and we regularly eat at 7:30pm at home. Your kids are going to be all worn out before they ever get to MK the next day.

Crystal Palace- We always enjoy our meals there, and as my DD was a huge Pooh fan, it was worth it for us. I always look at a character meal as something that saves me an hour (per character) in line at a Meet & Greet. We can stand in four individual M&G lines, at 45-60 mins each, or we can spend 60-90 mins at Crystal Palace, eat, and get 4 character interactions in. Maybe consider doing breakfast or lunch, to keep the cost down? I guarantee that there'll be food there that your kids will eat!

We like Pecos Bill's for lunch/supper in MK. I'd skip Tony's- it usually gets pretty dismal reviews.

Epcot is easy because there are so many QS options; you can check menu offerings at all ears.net. We like Tangierine Cafe in Morocco, but it's Moroccan food- not sure how your kids will feel about that. Many people like Sunshine Seasons in The Land pavilion in Epcot. If you are looking for a character meal, have you considered The Garden Grill? Also in the USA pavilion in World Showcase, there is a QS that is VERY American/average/normal food that your kids will enjoy. The times we've eaten there, the food's been good- it's just not exciting to us (but when DD was 4, sushi was a favorite food, so...). Mexico also has a good QS restaurant.

In AK... do your kids like pizza, or BBQ? Pizzafari makes good pizza, and we like Flame Tree BBQ. They do some larger meals that you could all share; DD and I usually share the half-chicken with beans and cornbread. It's more than enough for 2 of us!

Check out the menus at allears.net and see what your kids will like. Maybe instead of a full service sit-down meal, you should do a counter service (Quick Service) meal. PLEASE don't feel like your kids are missing out by not eating in a Disney restaurant. They are in DISNEY WORLD- my guess is they are going to be crazy-excited the whole time and not miss restaurants one little bit! (Maybe instead of restaurants, you should do a special treat in each park- Mickey Bars, dole whip, treats from world showcase bakeries, etc. Much easier on the wallet!

ETA: Since you are at Fort Wilderness, if you wanted to make a special dinner, you could to Trails End (http://allears.net/dining/menu/trails-end/dinner). You could do it on the night before you go to MK, then take the kids someplace to watch the fireworks before bedtime. It'd be like a special night out, and I bet that everyone would find something to eat that they really like!

 

[Penmac]

Thanks so much! Exactly what I needed to hear. I know many people consider dining a HUGE part of their Disney experience, but that's not our thing. I am definitely going to check out Pecos Bill and the Land Pavilion for QS. Thanks!

 

[agavegirl1]

Even though you are staying in a cabin, check out the Camping Forum for nearby food options. Maybe one evening you could pick up a Giddy Up and Go Family Dinner for an inexpensive treat. (fried chicken, mac-n-cheese and cornbread).

Love the idea of making breakfast in your cabin and there is no reason Quick Service restaurants should be skipped. Many have shareable meals. Portion sizes can be excessive for one person.

Don't feel guilty. I've done WDW with kids and no ADRs before. They were just happy to be there.

 

[DisneyWishes14]

You may want to consider Via Napoli. You can share large pizzas, entrees and salads there to keep costs down. There are great QS in EP as well. We really like Tangierine Cafe in Morocco.

In MK, I would try Pecos Bill or Columbia Harbour House.

 

[Munchkin_Mom]

I would absolutely not feel guilty about dining. You at Disney for rides and memories - NOT restaurants. I find myself in the same mindset when I think my kids are missing out by not going on a Disney Cruise. I can spend three weeks at WDW for what a week on a Disney Cruise would cost. I think your analogy of another day in the park proves a point.
Not that you still can't enjoy some unique dining. If you REALLY wanted to do a character meal I agree Garden Grill at Epcot is great. We haven't done breakfast personally, but I imagine it would be as awesome as dinner and probably costs less. I would focus on the uniqueness of World Showcase and make it an adventure for the kids. France has awesome ice cream place and a bakery.

 

[bumbershoot]

As of now we only have a dinner reservation at Raglan Road on the day we are not in the parks. We are Irish so I know kids will enjoy the atmosphere, even if the food is just OK.

The food is'nt just OK imo.

By chance did you book a Weekend Brunch? If not, check that out: http://www.raglanroad.com/the-rollicking-raglan-weekend-brunch

And if you book through opentable you get a bit more variety in reservation times and leniency in changes.

But I feel guilty I have not made ANY reservations at MK or Epcot, or another resort on our one day off from the parks.

No need to feel guilty. Most of the food there isn't THAT good IMO.

I would rather get a car or two and go somewhere offsite some evenings!

 

[HopperFan]

Thanks so much! Exactly what I needed to hear. I know many people consider dining a HUGE part of their Disney experience, but that's not our thing. I am definitely going to check out Pecos Bill and the Land Pavilion for QS. Thanks!

I almost always eat in room with foods I brought.
I often will pack sandwiches and pringles for our lunches.
I pack snack bars and other uncrushables for the parks.
Packing makes it less guilty to splurge on TS dinner.

Some trips we just do QS, and some we just snack for some meals.
We love to go TS and order only appetizers.
But your kids are young ....
QS Kids meals can be good and reasonable, even us adults will order them.

DO NOT feel like you have to do TS and spend all that cash, especially when you have a kitchen.

 

[Nancyg56]

If dining is not your thing, do not spend money on meals that you do not want. If you are in FW< why not look into Trails End if you want a break from cooking? I have not seen much that detracts from that restaurant and it is reasonable priced.

In the parks I would look at QS meals. Perhaps lunch at BOG to give the kids that Castle experience. Cosmic Rays is fun as well, and the meals are large enough to split.

In Epcot there are so may options to dine well and save money. You are still choosing a few meals to enjoy but you are not breaking your budget.

Personally, my family likes the dining so we do tend to spend time and money in that area. I know that this is stressful for a lot of families, just in regards to logistics. Never mind the money! DO not feel guilty vacationing your way!

 

[rwdavis2]

Stop worrying. We don't go to WDW for the food. I would bet the kids would rather spend time doing something else. Most of the dining is not worth the price anyway. I pretty much agree with bumbershoot's opinion.

 

[jsmla]

We were die-hard campers and ate in for most meals. Our restaurant splurges were always character meals because those are unique to Disney World. If I were able to snag an ADR for one of those that's what I'd go for with little ones.

If you can't get a character meal there's a campfire singalong with Chip and Dale at Ft Wilderness. You can bring your own s'mores fixings. It's a fun evening.

https://disneyworld.disney.go.com/recreation/chip-n-dale-campfire-sing-a-long/

 

[Penmac]

Loved reading all these responses. Thanks so much for the advice! We are going to skip ADR except for Raglan Road. We have never been-- I had read some so-so reviews of that place, but I think it will be right up our alley and the kid will love it. Both my husband's and my parents are from Ireland so we were raised on meat and potatoes.

 

[pjhootch]

Have your husband try the fish and chips in Epcot, across from the Rose & Crown. In Epcot the kids can graze and share QS meals. ADR's are tough on a budget when you have many children. . Carry some granola bars or something for a quick snack to hold a cranky young one over. No reason to feel bad about the kids missing anything. some of us focus on reservations but others arent at all interested. The kids will remember what they DID... not give a thought to missing a restaurant meal.

 

[Beth Pagan]

We are doing 3 days at the parks in late August. We are doing MK for 2 days and Epcot for 1. I am torn about what to do for meal reservations. We are NOT on the meal plan. We are staying at the cabins at Fort Wilderness so we have a kitchen and will prepare most of our own food. I just don't want the kids to miss out on the meal experience entirely.

I didn't book this trip until almost the end of June so a lot of stuff is booked up, but we do still have a few options. I am just not sure whether it's worth it for our huge party. A lot of the great meal options will cost us upwards of $250, and that makes me feel like we could have just done an extra day at the park for a few more dollars.... As of now we only have a dinner reservation at Raglan Road on the day we are not in the parks. We are Irish so I know kids will enjoy the atmosphere, even if the food is just OK. But I feel guilty I have not made ANY reservations at MK or Epcot, or another resort on our one day off from the parks.

We had a good experience at Tony's Town Square Tavern a couple years ago, but we had to wait an hour for our 7pm reservation, and felt that was time wasted we could have spent enjoying the park. Is that long wait even with a reservation typical? If I thought it was a fluke the last time we were there, I would definitely consider booking there again.

We loved Belle's castle for breakfast last year, but that is booked solid.

We did Germany in Epcot and it cost a fortune since we were not on meal plan and it was a buffet. None of us liked the food so it was a huge waste of money for us, even though the kids loved the atmosphere. I know at Disney you pay mainly for atmosphere, but $250 for my kids to eat dinner rolls was just not worth it. We did the fancy Italian restaurant there too, and although the food was good it seemed to be an older crowd. We could not get out of there fast enough with our babies and all the glass-ware on the table!

Would love some other recommendations at Epcot. Any amazing quick service places we are missing out on? We love Italian, Mexican, & my husband loves fish. Maybe we don't need a reservation, just a good quick service place!

We usually do Cosmic Cafe for quick service at MK, but we need to branch out a try something new. My kids are burgers and pasta kind of kids. Simple, easy meals. But any other recommendations would be great! I think they would eat tacos and some spicy stuff too, just nothing too out there.

At MK, Is Crystal Palace worth it for the characters? We have 5 kids ages 1 through 8 & I think they would like Pooh but don't feel strongly about it one way or the other. They seem to have availability during our stay. Chef Mickey's has a dinner res at 9:15pm on our night off. I considered booking that instead of Raglad Road since I have heard such good things about it, but we have an early start the next day at MK and our kids would rather watch fireworks from the campground than eat dinner that late.

We travelled with a huge family group and dining was very hard. I think quick service is the way to go. We did a few special things on each trip. We LOVED Hoop de Doo revue and it was so much fun to see Grandpa and kids laughing it up. I dont remember the food but know it was a highlight of the trip. We did the the Luau too but did not think that was worth the money. We did one adult only dinner and had the kids go to a Disney club house. Honestly it was great too since adults go to talk and relax . We ate at the Wave but you can eat anywhere. The kids also enjoyed the club a lot. Fort Wilderness has a great vibe so I would consider getting groceries delivered. I might do one character meal. My DD didn't love Pooh that much so we didn't love Crystal Palace. The best bang for your character buck is the Garden Grill in Epcot. It is family style with a lot unlimited food and Chip and Dale are fun. Farmer Mickey and Goofy came also. Lunch may be cheaper try to book when it is less crowded. They spent so much time with my DD when she turned 12. It was fantastic. Even if you dont do a meal, the characters are all over and they will see them .It is worth it to get the Disney Visa card. You get 2 photo/ character interactions for free. They were amazing. Hope you have a wonderful time!!!!

 

[twoolle]

Thanks so much! Exactly what I needed to hear. I know many people consider dining a HUGE part of their Disney experience, but that's not our thing. I am definitely going to check out Pecos Bill and the Land Pavilion for QS. Thanks!

We are a family of 6 with kids 7 down to 2 and I totally get what you are saying. We were fortunate enough to have "free" DDP the last 3 trips but I always knew it was not our thing. We have a trip in March and we plan to do 1 quick service per day. Our favorite is Columbia harbour house at MK. We will also do some fun snacks. So I agree with all the others, don't feel guilty! Now I will say we prefer ADRS for lunch as it gives our kids a nice quiet air conditioned break. If you book an early lunch at Liberty Tree Tavern you won't have to wait long. We also plan to do the new character breakfast at the place on the Boardwalk...that could be an option for your epcot day. We will book as late as we can so we can tour in the morning. It's also on the cheaper side for character breakfasts.

 

[monorailsilver]

We do a max of 2 TS meals and I don't feel guilty! I am trying to figure out a way 2018 too avoid TS but my kids want chef mickeys and/or whispering canyon cafe. We like both but do I really want to fork over $200-$300 for dinner?? I do have all my food money saved in free gift cards and I have more then enough that but still the cost.

But that being said I love the quick service options-sure we eat burgers and fries but there are salads, wraps, pizza, etc....

We like cosmic rays, pecos bills, caseys (grammar police sorry there are no caps, I am on the iPad laying in bed and I am lazy right now), turkey leg, The lands food court is a family favorite-ok a DH and I favorite the kids just have to eat there because we have the money!

Like a pp said, check out all ears for menus.

 

[VAfamily1998]

I have four kids and when my kids were younger we didn't do many table service meals. I found buffets to be especially difficult and stressful with several young kids--trying to get food for the kids, and me, and holding the baby, and keeping the youngest ones from touching things with their hands, and then taking so long I was worried about holding up the line, etc. We really enjoyed Garden Grill because they bring the food to your table.

 

[leebee]

Hey, OP, me again! I love the idea that you are going to do QS, with the exception of Raglan Road (which we are going to try on our 2 night "Happy Birthday to ME" trip in 2 weeks). I only have 1 child, but when she was young we used to travel with her 2 cousins. Here are the QS places we've tried that everyone has enjoyed:

MK- Pecos Bill's, Cosmic Ray's. We like Columbia Harbor House but not everyone enjoys fish/seafood, so don't go too often.

AK- Pizzafari (the pizza is good, they have a nice Cesar salad, good breadsticks- this is a good place for sharing meals), Yak & Yeti QS (we get fried rice and share egg rolls for lunch, or have shared 2 entrees among 3 diners for supper), Flame Tree BBQ (DD and I share the half-chicken meal for lunch, or get it with another side to share for dinner. That ribs/chicken/pulled-pork sampler looks like it could be shared pretty easily, too!

Studios- We think ALL the QS options here are pretty dismal. We used to choose Backlot Express, but it's closed now. Can't help you here much. Honestly, if we have to eat while at the Studios, we either take the boat over to the Boardwalk area and eat someplace there (we like Big River and ESPN but haven't tried any of the resort hotel QS locations) or if we have park hopper tickets, we'll hop to Epcot for lunch (because we love Tangierine Cafe). I think next trip, we might try one of the places at the Swan/Dolphin.

Epcot- Favorite QS include Tangierine Cafe, Boulangerie de Patisserie (simple but delicious), Katsura Grill, La Cantina (haven't tried La Hacienda). Sunshine Seasons gets a lot of love on these boards. It's not our favorite but the food is fine, and there are lots of choices. We've also found that Liberty Inn and Electric Umbrella are fine, but usually don't eat in any of the Future World places because... WORLD SHOWCASE FOOD!!

There are many QS places at the Disney resort hotels, too. We liked Pepper Market at Coronado Springs, and the FLoatworks at POFQ. The food courts at POP and AllStars are fine. Sounds like you are going to have a great trip!!

 

[Penmac]

Wow! So many good options here... Even though we are staying at FW, we will skip the Musical Revue since it seems pricey for the seven of us. We are driving from New England so will have a car and we will be able to grocery shop. I think the campfire sing-a-long with Chip N' Dale will be enough for my kids for character interactions/entertainment at meals, and then we can watch the Fireworks after. Our meal reservation for Raglan Road is early- 5:15, so I think we can head back to the campfire after and there will be plenty to do.

With that said, I think we can skip character meals elsewhere. We will do some princess meet and greets since we have 4 little girls, and since we have 2 days at MK I was able to book fastpasses for the fun roller coasters on one day and all the little girls princess stuff on another so we won't be waiting for too long. My 8 year old loves thrill rides, but she LOVES princesses too so it will still be fun for her to meet the princesses again. Jut wish Moana would be in Adventureland by then!

The advice about skipping QS in Future World and heading to the World Showcase is good advice... But it did smell SO good last year! We finished riding Living w/ Land and the food smelled so delicious. We then headed to Germany for our reservation and it was such a let down to walk in there and be greeted with the smell of boiled cabbage (at least that's what it reminded me of...). I kept thinking about how good Garden Grill & the food court smelled and we were stuck with German food none of us liked in 98 degree weather. Also did not help that my husband got sick riding Mission Space with our two older kids. He can eat pretty much anything and even he was not able to choke any of it down.

I am so excited for this trip! First time (and possibly only time) staying on property, too. We are doing one night at Caribbean Beach club (shhhh, putting too many people in the room for 5 for just one night- the two littles don't take up much space), and then heading to FW. Baby still in a pack n' play so we will fit nicely in there, but I am looking forward to CBC pool (despite construction elsewhere). We needed to cut corners since we really have no business taking 7 people back to WDW for the 3rd year in a row so that's why we are squeezing into CBC for a night. Plus, we are going to Epcot during our stay there so it will be nice and easy with transportation. Counting down the days and also dreading the post-Disney sadness/hangover I will have when it's all over. :-(

 

[GillianP1301]

I agree with the others in saying don't feel guilty. You're going to WDW and your kids will be thrilled regardless of anything else. That being said, you do have to eat and unfortunately feeding 7 people is not cheap (as you are well aware since you live it every day ) and WDW is even less so. I prefer TS meals because I just find it easier and more restful, so looking for options where you can share meals is a good way to cut down costs, so avoid the buffets and go where you can dine a la carte. Via Napoli is a good choice for this. If you do decide to go QS, there are a lot of great options at Epcot. We absolutely love Cantina San Angel and since you like Mexican, this may be a good choice for you.

At MK, The Plaza is a nice TS and the prices are not that much higher than a QS, I would recommend checking this one out. Really great sandwiches and ice cream.

Crystal Palace is a great character meal and your kids ages are perfect for it. I much prefer the breakfast there and that is a little bit cheaper than dinner as well.