$$ for one more *Disney Dining Experience*

[CrazedDisFan]

We are going to be traveling with my parents. We are planning on paying for most, if not all, of their meals.

We are staying off-site at HIFS and plan on dining there 3 times. I have made a PS for O'Hana's at 8 p.m. one night. We should be able to catch the Water pageant from what I've read here on the boards. If that's not right or I should request a different time, please someone tell me.

Now onto the question. I have about another $150 budgeted for the second meal (dinner). Where should it be? We will have 4 adults, 2 girls 9&6. I can adjust the budget amount to $200 if necessary.

My dh & dad are very much meat and potatoes kind of men. They would be very uncomfortable at a place like V&A's.

THANKS!!!!!!

 

[MikeWazowski]

Great Question, but it took me a while to come up with some kind of answer. Budgeting is always my hardest part of a WDW trip.

I only bring my parents with me to WDW because I know they will spring for the bill everytime (they know I don't have much money, LOL). JUST KIDDING!!!

But, if your parents are like mine they will NEVER let anyone else (unless their my grandparents) pay for a bill. IT DRIVES ME CRAZY!!! I do have a little bit of money (especially for a WDW trip). That is always a fight, but to calm them done I have them leave the tip instead of paying for the whole thing (makes them happy).

Sorry I got a little side tracked. If you figure about $30 per adult ($120 for all adults, which may be a little high, but it always better to think higher then lower) and about $15.00 per child ($30 total, which is probably very high, my 6yo niece has 4 chicken nuggets a day at the most), your looking at $150 total. That is about every fine dining restaurant (except V&A's).

Few Good Picks:

1. California Grill- Great View, but you need to be open to different types of food
2. 1900 Park Fare- It made everyone in my family happy, it really has somthing for everyone, you must try the strawberry soup
3. Le Cellier- Meat and Potatoes and CHEESE SOUP
4. CInderella's Castle- Great Prime Rib, and it is the Castle
5. Restaurant Akershus- I hesitated to add this one, it was very good a year ago for dinner, but for the Princess storybook Breakfast I could not believe the amount of dust in the air (sorry germaphobic)
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   Have Fun

 

[Belle5]

You didn't ask but I'll give you my opinion anyway. I've been to WDW 18 times with my kids --4 times with grandparents. I would take that $150-200 extra that you have and put it with the money you were planning on spending at HIFS for dinner and I would eat other places. Plain and simple--I wouldn't plan on eating at HIFS for more than one dinner. I would eat at offsite locations such as Chili's or Olive Garden before I would do that. You could stretch your dollars by choosing Kona over 'Ohana and then walking out onto the beach to see the water pageant. Stay away from the deluxe resort restaurants with your budget. Your money will go a lot further with the following restaurants:
1.) Kona
2.) Shutters
3.) Boatwrights (Good meat and potatoes)
4.) Trail's End (Good meat and potatoes buffet--cheaper at lunch)
5.) In the parks LTT is a good value and is a meat and potato kind of place.

Sorry if I've overstepped my bounds. I know kids probably eat free at HIFS but I think there are some off site places where you could eat , you all could share meals and come away just as inexpensively and have a nicer experience in the process.

 

[crisi]

We had two preschoolers who ate kids meals, two seniors and my DH and I. Every dinner came to between $140 and $170 - except Narcoosees. We generally had three courses, though often split the first and last course. We often had four adult beverages (wine, drinks). So I think your budget is doable.

I think the top resort restaurants(V&A definately - thats $100 a person - but its hard to get out of CG, FF, or AP for less than $50 each) will have you busting your budget. And if I were you guys, I'd try and budget in another meal....I'd trade dinner for two late sit down lunches and then catch something on the way out of the parks. Disney has some pretty good dining and any eating you do off site is going to cut into your time in the parks.

Le Cellier was definately a hit with my steak loving husband. Marrakesh is very good (think kabobs - it isn't really that unusual).

 

[TJA]

I would choose LeCellier in EPCOT (Canada) and bring that $200 rather than $150. I suspect your bill will come to between those 2 amounts. I'm suggesting LeCellier because it has wonderful, wonderful steak (filet mignon especially). The cheese soup is a wonderful appetizer too. Sounds like you've put a lot of thought into your planning, and it truly sounds like a good plan. But from my past experience, planning doesn't work when in Disney (to a certain degree)!! We often find ourselves starving during the day at the parks, so we eat a big meal around 3:00 or so. Then we eat light later on, and of course a snack back at our resort. Each day we feel differently about when we want to eat, so we just play it by ear instead of making set plans. Just useless information you probably don't care about, but I thought I'd pass it along. Have FUN!

 

[CrazedDisFan]

Thanks for the great ideas everyone!

To the poster who thought they may have overstepped their bounds, you didn't. Thanks for your ideas.

I should clarify that we are eating at the Club Car in the HIFS once. We bought the gift certificates on ebay. Also a Disboard member was kind enough to ship me 2 pizza party g.cs., so we will have that one night. (I have 2 rooms booked.) The third meal at HIFS my mom and I will cook. We have adjoining familysuites and one residential suite. So we plan on making spaghetti or something simple one day for everyone, just to break up the restaurant eating.

We (dh, kids & I) have stayed at HIFS previously and I can honestly say I have blatantly refused to dine at the Club Car more than once this trip. The food is not very good. I equate it to the .99¢ shrimp cocktails in Vegas, gross.

Thanks for the ideas everyone. Now to decide. More suggestions are certianly welcome!!!!
:

 

[AspiringCindy]

Definitely LeCellier...especially if the guys are meat and potatoes kind of men! The atmosphere is masculine yet elegant without being too fancy. They offer some great selections of steaks as well as salads etc. Besides, the cheese soup is reason enough to go!

 

[Deb & Bill]

Yachtsman Steakhouse is pretty good, too. But Boatwrights has some good "normal" meals also. How about LTT??? That's good meat and potatoes. And they have wonderful lunches, love the pot roast. My husband loves the roast turkey dinner. And my son loves the fried cheese.

 

[DisneyBabe04]

You might want to try the Prime Time Cafe at MGM. A great atmosphere, and you can get some great meat dishes too! Your parents might like the setting of the Prime Time Cafe. After your dinner, you might want to catch Fantasmic. You may want to check out www.allearsnet.com the dinning section for menus and prices.


P.S. My dad loves the Pot Roast at PTC.

 

[Mad4Dizne]

Thought I might suggest these, or Cape May Cafe--at The Beach Club Resort. I believe they all have mashed potatoes, beef and the like as well as your salad, desserts...as they are buffets????? Thought I'd just mention those as it has a little bit of everything and the "meat and potatoes" your looking for.

Have a great Trip!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[suevee]

Are you planning your main meals for dinner or lunch? If you are big eaters and would like to do the late lunch options then have you thought about the Lunch Vouchers through Hotwire for $30 per adult? This would be great for L'Cellier or RFC at Animal Kingdom. They include appetizers, entree, dessert and non- alcholic drink. At the RFC at Animal Kingdom I think they can be used as late as 5pm. There you could get the chicken strips as appetizers for the kids meal, and lobster and steak for the grownups. The 2 volcano desserts are more than enough for your group to share. Your whole meal plus tax and tip would be about $120. Also since you pre paid the vouchers your parents wouldn't have any choice but to let you treat! (taken this route before with my parents).

If you are big meat and potatoes eaters then you might like to look into the character buffets. My parents (70's) love watching their great-grand children interact with the characters. They love Chef Mickey's, Chrystel Palace, and Cape May buffet. Again your price is fixed and easily budgeted.

 

[luvsTink]

With that group I think that I would seriously consider Chef Mickey's. Their carving station is quite good and my kids loved the food selection and the characters! We had great service there and to top it all off, when I asked my 3 dd's (16, 6, 4) which restraunt they would "for sure" want to do next time their overwhelming answer was "THE CHEF's!) My husband and I also liked it very much.

Anne