First timer! What are must eats>

[gymmyhix]

It will be my families first time at WDW in May. We have the meal plan. What are musts for restaurants? I would appreciate CS and TS options. We are staying at Coronado Springs. We will be there for 6 days with the park hopper.
Thanks in advance!
gymmyhix

 

[DisneyDeeva]

I think it really and truly depends on your family's preferences. My advice would be to review the menus on wdwinfo.com or allearsnet.com as a group to decide what will be best for you.

 

[wdwdancerwannabe]

How many nights are you staying?

Are you traveling w/ children - what age(s)?

Where will you be spending your time at most?

Are you willing to giving up 2 TS's for a Signature Restaurant?

Do you avoid buffets? Do you want to do Character meals?

Are there certain cuisines that you love/hate? (Chinese/Mexican/Italian/Polynesian/African?)

 

[familyS]

We have many restaurants that we really like, but our only musts are Crystal Palace breakfast, Boulangerie Pattiserie lunch, and Mickey ice cream bars for snack.

 

[gymmyhix]

6 nights
DD 12, DS 9
Don't know where we will spend most time. Staying at Coronado Springs, but we have never been to WDW before.
May be willing to give up 2 TS for a signature. Do you recommend that?
Buffets would be fine. Don't have my heart set on Cahracter meals.
Pretty open on what cuisines we want. Kids are not very adventurous though.

 

[Pakey]

For us, our one must do is BOMA at AKL. 1. AKL is so beautiful that it's almost enough just to go to the resort to look around. 2. BOMA is a wonderful buffet offering a combination of interesting new items and some standards for picky eaters. There is a lot to offer there.

 

[Elmo888]

I would definitely do at least one character meal with Mickey and Co. A good one to try is Chef Mickey's at the Contemporary.

If you decide to do another, since you have a daughter, I would try a princess meal. Akershus in Norway has good reviews. CRT is good, too (who wouldn't like to eat in the castle?) if you can get it. However, it is 2 TS credits, and, if you aren't into character meals, that might not be worth it.

I have found that one 2 TS meal is worth it, but I wouldn't do two 2 TS meals on the dining plan. Last time we did CRT, and this time we are doing Jiko (at AKL).

After that, I would look at some places in Epcot. Le Cellier is nice, and I've read that Biergarten is fun (we are trying it when we go in January).

Some resorts can be difficult and time consuming to get to, so I would stick with restaurants in the parks or at resorts that are easy to get to from a park (monorail resorts such as GF, CR, and Poly and Epcot resorts such as YC/BC/BW which are easily accessed from the back of Epcot).

Most buffets have foods for picky eaters. We really liked the dinner buffet at Crystal Palace, but it is a character meal with Pooh and friends.

Check menus here...

http://www.allears.net/menu/menus.htm

Have a great trip!

 

[wdwdancerwannabe]

I highly recommend O'Hana and LeCellier

Stay away from Boma -- but many like this restaurant. But if you're not "adventurous" - then you probably won't like Boma, either.

I hear Prime TIme @ MGM is good - we're trying that one next.

Sci Fi is fun atmosphere, but food is nothing extraordinary

We try to do as many Character meals as possible - so I'm probably not the one to get advice from.

Though, Liberty Tavern food (character @ MK) is good. Doesn't have the "cheesy" character atmosphere that many don't wish to attend.

Try the new Yak and Yeti!!! Of course, I've never been....

 

[ILuvDVC2]

6 nights
DD 12, DS 9
Don't know where we will spend most time. Staying at Coronado Springs, but we have never been to WDW before.
May be willing to give up 2 TS for a signature. Do you recommend that?
Buffets would be fine. Don't have my heart set on Character meals.
Pretty open on what cuisines we want. Kids are not very adventurous though.

This sticky thread will likely answer a lot of your questions about how to use the plan.

Remember that your DD 12 will have to order off the regular menu. Your DS 9 will have to order off the children's menu, except where one isn't available.

Do at least one signature meal. We like Artist Point, Citricos, Flying Fish Cafe, The Brown Derby, California Grill, and Jiko, with the last two as our favorites that we always go to every visit.

As for other TS recommendations, I agree with familyS that Crystal Palace in MK is a great experience and I'd go back again. We also like Kona Cafe and 'Ohana at the Poly, and 1900 Park Fare and the Grand Floridian Cafe at GF. Whispering Canyon at WL is also worth the trip.

At Epcot, we like Chefs de France, Le Cellier, Rose and Crown, Restaurant Marakesh, San Angel Inn and Coral Reef. In the Epcot area, we like Spoodles, Cape May Cafe, and Beaches & Cream.

At Disney's Hollywood Studios (I have to start using the new name now or I'll never remember it), we like Mama Melrose & 50s Prime Time Cafe.

At AK, we can't wait to try Yak & Yeti and the new Tusker House. Yak & Yeti isn't on the DPP list at the moment , but we'll go anyway. At the AKL, Boma is a MUST, in my opinion. We love it!

While it's out of the way if you aren't staying there, we always find comfort in the food at Olivia's at the Old Key West resort. We are also hearing good things about the Turf Club Bar & Grill at Saratoga Springs Resort. However, don't go out of your way if you don't feel like it.

As for CS options, there are so many it's hard to choose, so I'll limit my tips to the four theme parks. We have had good experiences at Cosmic Ray's & Columbia Harbor House at MK, Cantina de San Angel, Yorkshire County Fish Shop & Sunshine Seasons at Epcot, Backlot Express & Starring Rolls at DHS, and Flame Tree Barbeque & Pizzafari at AK.

I also recommend that you plan your budget to include a couple meals off the DDP so you can try restaurants that don't participate in DPP, or if you don't have enough credits to go someplace you have your heart set on trying. We started doing this on our last trip and were happy we did so.

Have a fantastic trip, and enjoy your dining experiences!

 

[Redbudlover]

CS - I really liked Pizzafari in AK( decent pizza plus you get a lot of fruit with it, which is nice, Columbia Harbour House in Magic Kingdom because if you eat upstairs it is a nice quiet refuge from the madness for a brief time to recoup your energy and the food is excellent and fresh. Crystal Palace for a TS buffet is outstanding - the only buffet I like besides Boma which I love! I would also highly recommend the Brown Derby in MGM for a signature restaurant. I used to always choose Narcoosees for the signature restaurant, but now if I had to choose between them, I would go for the BD. I also love Kona in the POLY for a great breakfast - or Boatwrights at the POR. Having stayed at CSR I liked the Pepper Market for the quantity and numbers of choices, but the quality could be better. Oh, another terrific CS is the Fish and Chips place at the UK. Incredible fish!!!

I am such a foodie - and those are some of my favorites... Enjoy!

 

[SomDayMyPrnceWillCom]

On our first trip this summer, I loved Boma. DD11 insists that we return to Coral Reef in Epcot and Chef Mickey's. We also both like Crystal Palace breakfast. So CP, CR and CM are on our return list and I am adding some new places to try for our return visit i.e. 1900 Park Faire dinner, Narcoosees, Sci Fi (DD11 really wants this one) Mama Melrose, Teppan Edo, Spirit of Aloha. I think there may be a couple more, but I won't be making our ADR's until first of year. We will be doing DxDP this time. We loved the DDP so much last summer.

 

[LMO429]

the Sci Fi in Hollywood Studios. The food isnt the best but the atmosphere cant be beat!!!

 

[fmed845]

Ohana's at the POLY is our first choice.
Boma's at the AKL
Liberty Tree Tavern for lunch or dinner at Magic Kingdom
California Grill
LeCellier or Biergarten at Epcot
50's prime time cafe at MGM.
ESPN over at the Boardwalk
Oh there is just so many to choice from.

 

[Snork]

In addition to the allears link for menus, you can also check out Brinbaums WDW Dining Guide. It is a great book that gives you simple descriptions, and you can read it during those times you are not connected to a computer.

But, my favs are Crystal Palace for character dining. Mayan Grill for breakfast. Boatwrightes Dining Hall. Earl Of Sandwich. Brown Derby. Sunshine Seasons. And any cart that has a Mickey Bar (this can be a dinner, don't judge me).

 

[the Fidge]

We have a few musts for our trips heres the where and why's:

Whsipering Canyon at the Wilderness Lodge, why: food is good but the antics are great!

Le Cellier in Epcot, why: DH just loves the filet mignon there and it is only 1 ts and is very good food and atmosphere. After dinner we view the fireworks just steps away.

Coral Reef in Epcot, why: DS loves the huge fish tanks and the divers and the food is very good, my favorite dish there is the catfish.

Sci-Fi in MGM: for lunch, DS and DH love the drive in and watching the silly ole B movies. Stick with the burgers.

Crystal Place breakfast buffet in Magic Kingdom: DH loves the buffet and the characters, that right I said DH! LOL

Biergarten in Epcot: DH and DS love the place the buffet and the music, me not so wowed by the buffet.

Mamas favorite: Narcoossee's in Grand Floridan Resort why: it is a 2 ts but well worth it in my book. I made ADR around 8 so after dinner we can view the fireworks for the dock from Magic Kingdom. ALso the water pageant can be seen from the deck.

CS AK: flame tree
MK: Cosmic Rays

 

[ZoZo]

We do much more CS than TS. (We go during Food and Wine Festival time, so we often snack our way around Epcot.) I like the following:

Table Service

• Le Cellier
• California Grill
• Kona Cafe
• Crystal Palace (I have only had breakfast there - it was very good)
• Tambu Lounge at the Poly (not officially a TS restaurant, but they have the most amazing lettuce wraps!)

Counter Service

• Columbia Harbor House
• Casey's
• Sunshine Seasons (one of my favorites)
• Fish and Chip shop at Epcot
• Flame Tree
• Earl of Sandwich
• Wolgang Puck Express