Have I got the right mix of food, dining experience and value?

[El Tel]

My wife, two teenage kids and I are going to WDW in October. We are on the Dining Plan so I've chosen the following TS restaurants and times. Having looked at all the posts it's been really tricky choosing these. Do you think I have the right mix of good food, dining experience and value for money on the dining plan? Any suggested changes before it is too late? Thanks.
Dinner Boma
Dinner Brown Derby
Dinner Crystal Palace
Dinner 50s Prime Time Café
Dinner Teppanyaki Dining Room
Lunch Biergarten
Dinner Rose & Crown
Dinner California Grill
Dinner Whispering Canyon Café
Dinner Liberty Tree Tavern
Dinner Garden Grill
Breakfast Boma
Dinner Le Cellier

 

[tjmouse]

I think you picked some great places. You have some great places for value on the DDP and great food selection for the teens. Good job!

 

[tjmouse]

I was thinking about your Crystal Palace selection. That is the only one I might change. Have you thought about eating at a monorail resort rather than in the MK that night? If they will like the characters, great. The food is good and they have a good variety. If not, you might consider 'Ohana at the Poly. Just a thought!

 

[Suzyq9241]

What and Where is this.... it's not on the 2006 dining location.... is it also called "boatwrights dining hall?

 

[maxsmom]

If you are reffering to Ohana's, then it's at the Polynesian Resort. Other wise I'm not sure what you mean.

 

[aviva5675]

its at port orleans riverside (boatwrights)

 

[gigi1313]

wow, whatta great lineup!! dare i ask how long you'll be in wdw? that's a lot of TS credits! LOL! i hope you will be there in time for free dining!

 

[Amyrlin]

Ot looks great, the only one I would change is Rose and Crown. You probably have it so you can try to see Illuminations from there, but it is only the outside tables that ger a view, and if you get one during a busy time you may find you are trying to eat while other guests are crowding around you. They are also diffuclt to get even arriving at 7pm they have usually all be taken.

Also, the food is not that great.

 

[El Tel]

Gigi1313, I'm going for 14 nights - I've decided to pay for the Biergarten lunch out of pocket. Considering the CS meals and the recently uprated snacks allowance, I'm fully expecting to come back the size of a whale.

Amyrlin, you are spot on with your guess about the Rose & Crown. There appear to be many good reviews for the food, but some mediocre ones too - so I wasn't too sure. Maybe, like the beer, it seems to be good authentic UK food to people who aren't familar with real UK food - e.g McDonalds Seriously, I take your point about viewing problems. This is the kind of feedback I was after, so thanks. With Le Cellier being so popular, I was wondering whether to do it twice!!!

 

[El Tel]

Thanks for the suggestion tjmouse.
Nice idea, I'd mainly considered dining in the parks, but I've already got a fair selection of character meals, and LTT wold probably suffice. 'Ohana does seem to be a popular suggestion and it would mean seeing more of The World. I'll investigate some more and look up food photos on the site. Cheers

 

[bicker]

It's pretty close to the decisions I'd make:

Dinner Boma
Dinner Brown Derby
Dinner Crystal Palace I would choose Kona Cafe instead.
Dinner 50s Prime Time Café
Dinner Teppanyaki Dining Room I would choose Marrakesh instead.
Lunch Biergarten
Dinner Rose & Crown
Dinner California Grill I would choose Artist Point instead.
Dinner Whispering Canyon Café
Dinner Liberty Tree Tavern
Dinner Garden Grill
Breakfast Boma
Dinner Le Cellier I would choose Chefs de France instead.

 

[Amyrlin]

El Tel, imagine bad pub grub, with the prawn cocktail and microwave puds and that is it. The Fish and chips is a bit better, but the size is very small and they don't get the batter quite right. However, I am assued that the manange tio serve beer at the right tempreture if you need a change!

There are loads and loads of goof viewing places around the lake.

A place that is often underated, and appears to have got a lot better recently is Nine Dragons in China. There are some bad reviews around, but they look to be mostly older.

Do you have a car, if so it may be worth looking at the odd meal off site.

 

[El Tel]

Ah! Put like that, I'm really not sure about Rose & Crown. Especially if Fish & Chips is the best thing going - I'm not keen on Harry Ramsden's batter (not the best the UK has to offer IMHO). :-(

I will be dining offsite on a number of days - when off to Universal, Busch Gardens, etc.

We decided to go for the dining plan this time because we ate too much junk food last time we were there to keep costs down. Also, the restaurants should add to the experience. It would be nice to sample all the World has to offer, but I think I'm going to have to pay excess baggage on the way back as it is - just to cover my weight gain!!!

 

[El Tel]

Oh - and as for the beer - I'm a member of CAMRA, so I'm really not expecting a lot anyway. The listed beers hardly count as real ales IMO, but should make a welcome change at that point in time. Hic!

 

[El Tel]

Bicker. Thanks for your suggestions. Some may be a bit tricky to do because of location and the particular (not to say peculiar) tastes of my wife and kids. I think a couple of them may be acceptable though. I'll wait for other views then work out what is best.

 

[Cruz Family]

How about Chefs de France in place of Rose and Crown?
Comming from the UK I can't imagine Rose and Crown better then what you get back home. Even if you keep it as is it looks great to me , Happy Planning!

 

[Amyrlin]

When you are off site if you want a nice rssturant that is different from what we have over here in the UK I would highly recommend Texas de Brazil
www.texasdebrazil.com
it is on International drive, not far from Universal, not cheap but extemely good.

 

[El Tel]

Chefs de France certainly looks more upmarket. The kids didn't seem so keen on it - maybe they thought they would be force-fed l'escargot.
Looks like I'll have to get them to reconsider about the Rose & Crown as it doesn't seem to be that great in view of the comments above. Thanks for your help.

Terri, thanks for the link to Texas de Brazil. Nice website and very nice food. It seems ideal for one of our days down I-Drive. Looks similar(ish) to the fayre served at 'Ohana which was recommended earlier on this thread. You say it is pricey - will I have to take out a second mortgage or merely sell a kidney? Is there a dress code or anything that means I'll have to take the kids in for a makeover?

 

[Amyrlin]

It is abut $45 per person main course, plus drinks etc. It is much much better than Ohana in food quality Ohana just does not compare (and I love 'Ohana).

If you sign up to their newsletter you get special offers. For example, if you sign up then on your birthday you get a certitficat for a fee meal, useful if you are away for a birthday. Also, when you first sign up you get a 15% off voucher. I don't think they are vlaid on Saturday nights. So it may be worth signing up a week beofre you go, as they are vlaid for 4 weeks.

 

[El Tel]

OK thanks. With current exchange rates that seems even better value. Any other I-Drive recommendations for the other day there?