Do I plan a PS somewhere or just wing it with counter service?

[alohamom]

Well, our first time at DL is next Thurs! (I am going to burst waiting and anticipating)We have done WDW in Fla quite a few times and we are generally addicted to the magic. Last time we went I did not make any ps arrangements for any of the parks and it was ok but we did end up doing a table service restaurant for lunch because we really needed a break. So having a ps would have been a good idea but it is hard to predict when everyone is going to be hungry(especailly since we are from a totally different time zone and our hunger clocks will be set for our home times). I am not sure where and when to make a ps for in both DL and DCA parks, or even to do it. I have been reading some of the dining reviews and am more confused than ever. What do you usually do? Where do you highly reccomend to do a ps? Blue Bayou seems very popular but we will have our ds(6) and dd(8) with us and it seems adult oriented ( I keep reading words like romantic etc). HELP! Any input is appreciated, thanks in advance...

 

[CDSTapisRouge]

We are from Orlando so we frequent WDW, but we vacation to DL... Hubby and I very rarely make any reservations at DL. Here are our favorites when we are there...

At MK we like to have lunch at the French Market (between Pirates and the Haunted Mansion)...it is a counter service, but the food is great, we actually do that the very first day as soon as we get off the plane we head right there. We also like Blue Bayou (you should make PS for this if you want to go, but it is not always needed). It is a nice restuarant also in New Orleans Square by Pirates, if you have been to Epcot it is like San Angel in the Mexico Pavillion. It is "romantic" as you stated, but it is also pretty cool, it is along the Pirate ride, so you can see the boats floating by, the food is excellent and we always see kids in there, so I would not worry about that. We have eaten at Redd Rockets Pizza Port as well, although I have to be in the mood for Pizza, it is a good one as well.

At DCA we like the Wine Country Trattoria kinda in the middle of the park, it is a full service, sit down restaurant, but we have never needed a reservation, it is very informal, outside or inside seating, to me it is like a quick service dining but with a server, if that makes sense... We also like Taste Pilots Grill (over by Soarin') for a quick service for basic burgers, chicken, etc.

When we are there, we tend to have a quick breakfast (I am not a huge breakfast eater) a quick service (or the Trattoria for lunch) and then we have dinner at one of the hotels.

At the hotels, we LOVE Storytellers Cafe at the Grand Californian (for any meal) we have found breafast (which is character) and dinner need a PS but you can usually walk in for lunch, there is a park exit/entrance to/from DCA at Grand Californian, you can use that entrance to go to Stroytellers from the park, it is very easily accessible. At the Disneyland Hotel Goofy's Kitchen is always fun, you would need a PS (it is like Chef Mickey's at WDW), buffet with characters. At Paradise Pier the PCH Grill is great for any meal as well. Breakfast is a character dining so a PS would be needed, you could walk in for lunch (no characters) and Dinner depends on the time (also no characters) PS would be a good idea but we have not always needed them.

DTD is a lot like the one at WDW. The restaurants are Participants for the most part so you have House of Blues, Rainforest Cafe, etc... we don't usually eat there because it is stuff we can have a home. The LaBrea Bakery is really good for Breakfast and we have heard great things about Catal and Naples Pizzeria although we have not tried them.

I hope that helps out a little bit. My biggest suggestions are Storytellers Cafe at Grand Californian and the French Market in New Orleans Square at MK (we never miss these)...

 

[cgbsilver@hotmail.co]

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[victorandbellasmom]

We always try to make ps when we go to disneyland. It saves time waiting around in lines. We've really only done character meals and Blue Bayou. We've got 2 young kids (4 and 7) and they have no patience for waiting around when hungry. We usually plan breakfast before the park opens, if not then their last seating. If we plan a late breakfast/lunch then we feed teh kdis a light breakfast and bring along snacks in case they hungry before then. We've done Goofy's Kitchen, Storyteller's Cafe, and Airel's Grotto. We normally schedule Blue Bayou for lunch since it's cheaper than dinner. We've liked all teh above restuarnst fro priority seating.
My kids are normally hungry around noon, except when at disneyland. They sometimes get too excited and forget about eating. Don't worry too much about what time you schedule your meals so long as you make a ps, just make sure you bring snacks just in case they get hungry before your reservation. We've never really eatern anywhere in downtown disney except for Rainforest Cafe and we alwasy make reservations. Last time we went, there was an hour's wait for walk up. There are a lot of counter service retaurants in the DLR, our favorite is White Water Snacks inside the GCH. When we've gone, it was never busy and the staff always took teh time tochitchat and see how your day is going. The food is so good and plentiful.

 

[hlbtimes2]

We rarely make PS for our trips. We made two for the last trip and only used one of them. We are fine with counter service and like to eat where ever we are when we get hungry. We don't typically eat 3 meals a day. Two and some snacks seem to work just fine for us. This trip we'll eat breakfast at the hotel (free), then probably a good size lunch, and light dinnner most days. We'll make a PS for the plaza character breakfast for our last day there. We like to end the trip that way. I might make one for Ariels, for just me and dd, but I really hate to be committed to being anyplace at any certain time. Makes it harder for us to enjoy the parks.

 

[got2travel]

There are so many great counter service places, that unless you have your heart set on a character meal or the Blue Bayou, you don't need a PS.

Also, if you wake up one morning and think you might want to try one of the table services, there is a phone in City Hall that you can dial 9 (I think it's 9, but double check with the CM) and be connected to Dining. They can tell you if they have anything for that day.

There have been times when I planned a trip thinking we were not going to go to Goofy's Kitchen, but when we are there, I miss it. I've always been able to add a late brunch for that day or the next. Unfortunately I have never been able to get Blue Bayou same day.

 

[Pir8girl]

I usually have one or two ps every DL trip regardless of the time of year, because I want to know we're going to have a few sit down decent meals.
And I'm a bit of a control freak when in comes to DL and and I want to be sure we see everything and that the details are taken care of.

Blue Bayou is great for kids. Their kids menus are pirate hats and we all usually end up wearing one. I'd recommend BB for lunch and you need to go before March 6 as it is closing for the Pirates rehab.

I agree with the op who recommended French Market. Good food, huge portions. I think you can get a decent meal at any of the sitdowns in DL; Carnation Cafe and Plaza Inn. And yes, sometimes they are same day service. We go knowing we might have to wait a bit for service even tho we have ps. I carry snacks in my backpack for such occasions.

You can always make a ps and cancel later if it doesn't work into your plans.
As far as meal timing goes.. I make a guess. Say 1 p.m for lunch. We'll either get up a bit later or have a mid morning snack to carry them over.
If we have an early lunch - say noon - I drag them out of bed early and we have an early breakfast.
I'd make a ps for your 2nd or 3rd day. Hopefully by then your clocks will be on PST. Of course my kids NEVER adjust to time changes until about 2 days before we're going home

 

[Amy&Dan]

At WDW I generally have a ps for most days because they seem to not take as many walk ups and I find a lot of the cs places at WDW to be pretty bad. At Disneyland however, I have had better luck making ps' at the last minute and I also think their counter services places offer better meals in a much nice atmosphere. I usually make a ps for Goofy's Kitchen for dinner and sometimes Blue Bayou for lunch. I know Blue Bayou is usually very hard to get in on the day of but I was able to make a ps for the following day this past trip and that was during a busy holiday weekend. I think Disneyland has such a huge local patronage that don't frequent the sit down places as much you just don't need them to quite the extent. Still, if you have a place (Blue Bayou in particular) that you really have your heart set on it can't hurt to have a few. As for DTD restaurants, I generally like to have a ps for dinner, especially on weekends and during the week if we go right after park closing. For lunch however, I have always been able to walk right into most places, especially if I go a bit late or early.

 

[GreenGirl8]

I would make one PS a day and cancel them if you don't want to use them.

Catal is an amazing sit-down restaurant in Downtown Disney. I have stopped going to Storyteller's since they raised the prices by quite a bit, took off my favorite menu items and service has gone down hill.