Goofy's Kitchen or Ariel's for WoC?

[soaringirl]

So I decided to reserve Ariel's Grotto for the WoC dining package... not really excited about the food reviews, but after reading so many posts, I'm thinking that dining package might be a better option than the picnic boxes..
But I'm also reading so many good reviews about GK, and we're staying at the DHL, so I thought maybe switch them? I cannot do both...
This is my dining options for my 3 days:

• House of Blues (have a $25 dining certificate)
• IHOP (breakfast)
• Fire + Ice (also bought a $25 certificate)
• Ariel's or GK

So what do you think?? It's our first vacation to DL, and we're spoiled from the DDP in WDW it's hard to pay for our food now!!

 

[Ariel224]

So I decided to reserve Ariel's Grotto for the WoC dining package... not really excited about the food reviews, but after reading so many posts, I'm thinking that dining package might be a better option than the picnic boxes..
But I'm also reading so many good reviews about GK, and we're staying at the DHL, so I thought maybe switch them? I cannot do both...
This is my dining options for my 3 days:

• House of Blues (have a $25 dining certificate)
• IHOP (breakfast)
• Fire + Ice (also bought a $25 certificate)
• Ariel's or GK

So what do you think?? It's our first vacation to DL, and we're spoiled from the DDP in WDW it's hard to pay for our food now!!

Can't help you with the Ariel vs. Goofy dilemma, as we've never been to Ariel's. GK has an amazing variety of food and it's good. The characters were fun, but I just don't think of it as being worth almost $40 per adult, and certainly not worth it for how little my girls eat. I know others may disagree, but that's just me.....

I do want to mention that a lot of people have posted here about IHOP (on Harbor) being outrageously expensive (for an IHOP). Would hate for you to get the bill there & find that you just blew your food budget & have to give up something else on your trip.

 

[Belle Ella]

So if you do GK would you end up doing the picnic meal? If your priority is WOC I would go with Ariel's Grotto. If it's not, you can't go wrong with Goofy's Kitchen for breakfast, but I haven't heard many good things about it for dinner.

 

[ConnieB]

So I decided to reserve Ariel's Grotto for the WoC dining package... not really excited about the food reviews, but after reading so many posts, I'm thinking that dining package might be a better option than the picnic boxes..
But I'm also reading so many good reviews about GK, and we're staying at the DHL, so I thought maybe switch them? I cannot do both...
This is my dining options for my 3 days:

• House of Blues (have a $25 dining certificate)
• IHOP (breakfast)
• Fire + Ice (also bought a $25 certificate)
• Ariel's or GK

So what do you think?? It's our first vacation to DL, and we're spoiled from the DDP in WDW it's hard to pay for our food now!!

Are you looking to do Ariel's for the WOC "seating"? Right now people staying on site are being allowed into DCA early to get in line ahead of the off site guests for WOC fast passes.....meaning that they won't have to pay for medicore expensive meals just to get good places for WOC. Now...I don't know if this is a permanent thing or if they'll stop doing the early entry at some point, but it's something to consider.

I have to agree with the other poster....GK is great breakfast but so-so for dinner. Ariel's is ok food, but for the price you definitely deserve better than ok. But, in both cases I think you're paying for the extras not the food. IHOP is not only overpriced but actually low quality food compared to other IHOP's I've eaten in all over the country. Haven't done HOB in California, but in Florida it was very very good.

 

[Mommy2PrincessAbby]

You know Ariel's for WOC seating has no princesses too right? So if it is also about seeing characters, you'll have to do Goofy's or Ariel's for breakfast or lunch and not get WOC passes.

 

[silence]

The preferred dining area was worth it for us to do Ariels, especially for our first time seeing the show. I am almost willing to pay it again!

I will not however pay for Goofy's again for dinner. Both times we did dinner it was a bad experience, very little character interaction at all.

 

[soaringirl]

So if you do GK would you end up doing the picnic meal? If your priority is WOC I would go with Ariel's Grotto. If it's not, you can't go wrong with Goofy's Kitchen for breakfast, but I haven't heard many good things about it for dinner.

Hi Bella! Yes, if I do GK we'll go for the picinc meal... I'm not sure about being WoC my priority, I have to admit that my plan is to have a relax weekend (yeah right! it's the first Halloween Time weekend!! ), since last December we had a full-time shows in WDW.. actually I'm planning to skip Fantasmic! but WoC seems great, so I think I should not miss it.

 

[soaringirl]

You know Ariel's for WOC seating has no princesses too right? So if it is also about seeing characters, you'll have to do Goofy's or Ariel's for breakfast or lunch and not get WOC passes.

Yes!! I finally found out how to multi-quote! Yes, I know there is no princesses, and that's all right, we had our share of characters

The preferred dining area was worth it for us to do Ariels, especially for our first time seeing the show. I am almost willing to pay it again!
.

That's what I'm thinking!! but.. food vs good spot?? that's tough for me to decide!

Are you looking to do Ariel's for the WOC "seating"? Right now people staying on site are being allowed into DCA early to get in line ahead of the off site guests for WOC fast passes.....meaning that they won't have to pay for medicore expensive meals just to get good places for WOC. Now...I don't know if this is a permanent thing or if they'll stop doing the early entry at some point, but it's something to consider.

I have to agree with the other poster....GK is great breakfast but so-so for dinner. Ariel's is ok food, but for the price you definitely deserve better than ok. But, in both cases I think you're paying for the extras not the food. IHOP is not only overpriced but actually low quality food compared to other IHOP's I've eaten in all over the country. Haven't done HOB in California, but in Florida it was very very good.

And this is what I'm worried about, to pay extra for food and not being worth it. FP is not my option, this is our first vacation to DL and really we'll just be 2.5 days there, so I'm not crazy about wasting 1 hour in line.

 

[soaringirl]

So this IHOP is not good? My husband so wanted to go there, the IHOP that we have here is always sooo crowded on weekend mornings, so we wanted to go to one in our vacation but if it's not worth it I might consider doing GK and skip Ariel's...

 

[Belle Ella]

Hi Bella! Yes, if I do GK we'll go for the picinc meal... I'm not sure about being WoC my priority, I have to admit that my plan is to have a relax weekend (yeah right! it's the first Halloween Time weekend!! ), since last December we had a full-time shows in WDW.. actually I'm planning to skip Fantasmic! but WoC seems great, so I think I should not miss it.

It sounds like for you it may be a better idea to do the picnic meal and then do Goofy's Kitchen (although I still highly recommend GK breakfast over GK dinner).

 

[soaringirl]

I think that's the way to go Bella.. picnic lunch for me. Now that I decided for breakfast, I'll look into GK's menu, but also see other options like La Brea Bakery...
Thanks to everyone!