First Timer Needs Suggestions!

[Nyla]

The fiance and I will be in WDW Sept. 7th, 2009 - Sept. 14th, 2009 for our honeymoon. It is the first trip ever for both of us, and we're unsure where to start. We have our initial reservations booked, but have no idea about restaurants!

We've heard California Grill is good, and while we enjoy a great steak, we'd also like to try different kinds of cuisine.

If any of you would like to offer some tips for first timers, I'd be most appreciative!!

Thank you!

 

[DisneyFaeriePrincess]

First of all congratulations on your engagement and future wedding! California Grill is amazing, my family and i went there this past summer and the food was out of this world, we loved it. If you do go there make sure you schedule it so that you can see wishes from there, it was beautiful. Also the Rose and Crown Pub in the United Kingdom has a wonderful view of illuminations if you can get an outside table, it was def. the best view of illuminations I have ever seen. Oh and Le Cellier has very good steaks since you said that you guys like steaks I would try to eat there, but remember the reservations for Le Cellier fill up fast so I would make them as soon as you can. There are menus on the dis so you wanted to see what kind of food they serve. There are so many other tips but for some reason right now I can't remember them, hopefully someone else can jumpstart my memory. Hope this helps some!

 

[tassma]

Congrats! I would suggest getting some recently written/published books for your review. The 2009 Unofficial Guide is wonderful and reviews all the dining options.

 

[Raenstoirm]

I would check this out
http://www.wdwinfo.com/wdwinfo/dining/diningmain.cfm

For the most part sit down food is very good at Disney. Character meals IMHO tend to be a little less quality food wise, but the environment more than makes up for it!

 

[Nyla]

Thank you all very much for your suggestions and help!!



We will definitely take a look at Le Cellier, and that book!!

*runs to link*

 

[JeanfromBNA]

First, best wishes for your future life together! And Hey to a fellow Nashvillian!

Having said that, pick up the Unofficial Guide. Lots of good information. Take a look at allears.net. Chock full of photos and details. It sounds like you've already realized that you are better off making dining reservations (ADRs) and it's true. You can always cancel if you have to, but nothing puts a damper on a honeymoon like waiting an hour for a table.

I usually decide on which days/which parks first, and make reservations from there. Either we dine in the parks, or in one of the resorts near the park we're at that day. On alternate days we may go to a resort restaurant or to Downtown Disney.

Our favorite meals have been at California Grille, Chefs De France, Restaurant Marrakesh, Spoodles, Boma, Raglan Road, and Artist's Point.

 

[BradyBz12]

I found it to be really helpful to review the menus and dining reviews online too. There are some great dining review with pictures here on the DIS...
http://www.disboards.com/forumdisplay.php?f=127

...and the menus can be found here...
http://www.wdwinfo.com/wdwinfo/dining/disneydining.cfm

Congratulations on your upcoming nuptuals and have fun planning your honeymoon!!

 

[TiggerificSox]

I love to help plan Disney trips! Friends and family call me the travel agent. If there’s anything you need help with… ask!

Food seems to be the focus of the board though so I’ll go with that! Epcot has numerous places to eat based on the cuisine for the particular countries in the World Showcase. So I would check that out. Eating at Cinderella’s Castle is always a treat… but reservations need to be booked as early as they will allow! This is a character breakfast with the Winnie the Pooh characters. Reservations are required here during peak park times, but not quite as in advance as the Castle! As for the hotels… my personal favorite is Ohana at the Polynesian. It is Polynesian food served in a family style manner. It is a very festive atmosphere and I’ve never known anyone not to like the food. Reservations are required here as well. I also love the one, Cape May Cafe I think it's called at the Beach Club. This is awesome as well.

Congrats on your engagement… have fun with the wedding planning!

 

[MaleficentFan]

DH and I honeymooned at WDW in 2001. We did a LOT of eating at Epcot! And I mean a LOT of eating! I echo the sentiment of a PP that outside at Rose and Crown is a great place to watch Illuminations while dining... it can be a tricky ADR to get though. We did a few character meals... Crystal Palace is our favorite. DH loves the breakfast buffet there. The food at character meals is no where near the quality of what is served at several of the signature dining restaurants but it's decent and the atmosphere and fun is what's it's all about!

We've eaten at Le Cellier... it's been hit or miss for us. We did enjoy eating in Mexico... more because of the ambiance. They gave us a table right up near the "water". California Grill is good for watching the fireworks at MK... but I always find it noisy. Narcoosees has great food and you can watch the fireworks as well... plus it seems to us to be more quiet and calm. We've enjoyed our meals at Flying Fish, Citricos and Artist Point. But our absolute favorite restaurant in all of Disney is Jiko. We first went there on our honeymoon and have returned on just about every trip. It has wonderful food... definitely a "different" menu than any other restaurant on property. And they have a wonderful wine list.

We've had some fabulous meals. I would make sure that when you male your ADR's you let them know you are on your honeymoon. We received some extra Disney magic because of that shared little tidbit! Enjoy your honeymoon.!

 

[auroralark]

Hi there!

I agree that you should pick up the Unofficial Guide - it's the best Disney guidebook out there in my opinion. It has lots of info on restaurants too.

My DH and I had our honeymoon at Disney in 2007 and my sister and her DH just went there for theirs this past August. We loved California Grill and Le Cellier at Epcot and would definitely recommend them.

If you want to try different kinds of food, you can't beat Epcot. And if you really want a special experience and don't mind fancy (and expensive!) food, you can go to Victoria and Alberts at the Grand Floridian. My sister and her DH did that and said it was fantastic.

 

[topmonkeygirl]

Congrats, we just spent our honeymoon/anniversary there also. I live in Florida and have been the Kingdom about 15 times. You'll love it.
First the best website to get the most info, and there is a ton of info which is updated almost daily, is allears.net which someone else has mentioned. Second we don't have any kids but we went to the Crystal Palace for breakfast (character dinning) and we loved it. Who doesn't want their picture taken with Pooh? My husband was making fun of it at first, it's just a guy in a bear suit, then when the characters started coming to our table he even had a great time and looked forward to the next one to come around.
So get a reservation for a character meal, they don't stay long so you have time to enjoy your meal but long enough to get a picture with them.
Third get the unofficial guide or the idiots guide to Disney there are a lot of little things in there alot of people don't know about, like the talking garbage cans, and where to stand for the fireworks.
Third try a dinner show. The spirit of aloha is good for honeymooners, the food is O.K. but the show is wonderful and the performers really get into, kind of hard to do when you do it night after night. It's a really romantic setting.
Fourth check out the Sci-Fi dine in theater. You sit in booths that look like old cars, watch bits of old corny sci-fi movies, and under the stars. I think they have the best burgers in all of Disney.
If money in no object you can take a cruise and watch the fireworks (you can also have dinner delivered to the boat if you wish).
Have a great Honeymoon.

 

[Nyla]

Thank you all so much for your wonderful ideas and tips! I'm sorry I haven't replied sooner but life has been hectic! I'm constantly amazed at how wonderful and helpful everyone is on this board!

Thank you again! I don't feel so overwhelmed now!

 

[jamescorey]

Something that you may want to consider is taking an afternoon, go to your local Barnes and Noble to the travel section and reading some of the Dining Books that are out there for WDW. One thing that I have found over the years is that the BEST places to dine are not necessarily the ones you constantly hear about. Places like Spoodles, Cape May Cafe', and Flying Fish are kinda "off the beaten path" but very good food. If I may suggest one restaraunt...Cinderella's Royal Table for Dinner during Wishes. Request a table by the windows and you can watch the fireworks while you eat. My wife and I got engaged at Disney World (I asked her on the steps of the castle before we ate...) and that is truly a special place to us. The food is probably the best in the MK and the atmosphere is magical!!

 

[belle_angeline]

Hi Nyla,

Congrats on wedding! We are in Nashville, too (West Meade). Okay, first of all, make your reservations the first day they open for you (March?). Then you'll have the best available options. Remember, you really need reservations if you want to have a sit down meal.

Character Meals:
Chef Mickey's is great at the Contemporary.
Ohana is with Lilo, Stitch, Mickey, and Pluto at the Polynesian.
The Crystal Palace in the Magic Kingdom has a great lunch buffet with Winnie the Pooh and friends.
I hear the Liberty Tree Tavern in MK has a good character dinner with Chip, Dale, Mickey, Minnie.
Garden Grill in Epcot has princesses.
Cinderella's Castle in MK.
1900 Park Fare at Grand Floridian.

Have a magical marriage!

 

[CaptMarge]

A lot of people tend to overlook Jiko at the Animal Kingdom Lodge. It is in my opinion (keeping in mind, I haven't been to Victoria and Albert's "yet") the best dinner at the WDW Resort. The Emu appetizer is pretty much the best thing I have EVER eaten in my life. Have a wonderful and Disney filled marriage...we are!

 

[princess-lola]

I would suggest Cinderella's Royal Table inside of Cinderella's Castle. My family and I didn't even know about the restaurant untill we were walking out of the gift shop & saw a menu with a glass slipper by it in a glass case. My dad talked to a cast member and found out it was a resturant; so we got reservations for the next night. Inside the Cinderella's castle there's a mosaic of the story of Cinderella on the same wall there was the Cinderella gift shop. On the opposite wall there is Cinderella's Royal Table, the restaurant when we went in and waited in the lobby. Cinderella was there sitting in a lavish chair; my brother & I got autographs. There is knight armor and the prettiest window. For an appetizer I had these red and yellow tomatoes and balls of cheese with a black sauce on top. For the main course I ate a grilled mushroom with carrots and asparagus. For dessert I ate the Cinderellabration slipper. It's a white chocolate slipper filled with chocolate mouse, sitting upon a piece of cake with chocolate drizzled over it. It's my favorite resturant ever; it's so magical, fancy, and unique!!!
I advise you to call ahead of time to be sure to get in if this sounds like a place you and your future hubby would like to dine!
Best of luck to you two!!! ^___^