Help! 5 kids and the DDP are keeping me up at night!

[Vickibean]

We just booked a 3-night trip at the end of January with the DDP. It's DH and I, and 5 kids, ages 12, 10, 6, 5 and 1. The 12-year old will eat as an adult and is looking forward to it. He loves to eat. The 10-year old couldn't care less about DDP and would rather eat from the kids menu (but she is not a child according to Disney). 6 and 5 year-old eat from the kids menu no problem and 1 year-old shares with us.

So the value-oriented vacation planner I am, I spend my time on the DIS boards and I try to pick the best restaurants for our DDP dollars. I come up with Pepper Market CS day 1, 4:00 day 2 at Coral Reef (kids will love the fish), 5:00 day 3 Chef Mickeys for Dinner and 2:40 day 4 at Le Cellier.

Then I started thinking last night. I am the only one who cares about this. The 4 youngest don't care what they eat. The oldest would rather eat at a buffet. DH dislikes steak. I am starting to detest the DDP for keeping me up at night.

Help! I like Pepper Market, Coral Reef and Chef Mickey's for our family, but I think Le Cellier may be the wrong place for 6 of the 7 of us. Does anyone have any recommendations for our family?

 

[Sugardimples]

My advise is that you stop worrying about getting the best value for dollar and focus on what will be the most enjoyable meals for your family. I'm thinking that with children the ages of yours that Crystal Palace would be fun.

I would not go to the Pepper Market unless you are staying at CSR. It's an OK place, but in my opinion, not worth making a special trip for it.

Chef Mickey's will probably be a hit and it sounds like your children will enjoy watching the fish.

Another nice buffet is the Cape May Clambake at the Beach Club Resort. Buffets really do have something for everyone.

 

[DisneyKidds]

Check out the menus and see if there is anything they'll like.
http://www.wdwinfo.com/wdwinfo/dining/diningdetail.cfm?Restaurant.ID=137

I think they'll find something, and our kids really like Le Cellier. First off is the bread. They have a really good pretzel bread. On the DDP they can get a shake or smootie as their drink. Our kids love the Chocolate Moose dessert from the kids menu, as does my wife.

I think your plan sounds good. Pepper Market has a lot of variety and you can get a lot of food. My wife doesn't thing it's worth a special trip there, but if you have a car it's easy to get to. Chef Mickey and Coral Reef are good choices, and you can't go wrong with Le Cellier.

Have fun.

 

[rkwells]

My kids were 8 and 11 when we used the free DDP in August 05. If I remember correctly we ate at Chef Mickey's (a family tradition and "Must do" for us), Restaurant Akershus, LeCellier Steakhouse, Restaruntsaurus, Sci-Fi, 50's Prime Time Cafe, Liberty Tree and Whispering Canyon Cafe.
Rest. Akershus had just started doing the "Princess" character meals and there was ALOT of interaction. I don't think know if this is the Norm but even Cinderella was there. My son even thought it was fun. The food was just OK.
My husband and I Loved LeCellier but to the kids it was just any old restaurant and they were in a hurry to finish and get going.
We did a character B-fast at Restaurantsaurus. No raves about the food but we had a very goofy fun server who pulled pranks with the kids through the whole meal and so it was worth it. We did feel a bit rushed here also.
Sci-Fi is one of my least favorite but the kids thought the whole car and movie thing was fun.
50's prime time is also alot of fun if you get a great server who really gets everyone into their character. However, the seating in this restaurant felt cramped and crowded which might be a bit stressful w/ a 1 year old.
Liberty Tree also had good character interaction and the food was pretty good, I prefer Chef Mickeys.
Probably one of my favorite meals was at the Whispering Canyon. We had the best "Loud Mouth" Server, I wish I could remember her name. The kids road around the resturant on Stick horses, all the dads had to do a little dance to the song "My little Buttercup"..VERY FUNNY!! My kids loved this meal.
If you want a dignified quiet dining experience, don't go here!

Anyway, I am with the poster that stated, don't worry about getting the best value for your money. Just go make some memories, have a good time and relax!

 

[fakereadhed]

My girls are 12 and 13 and light eaters. They would have liked to order off of the kids menu.

They could have made meals out of the appetizers alone, and split a dessert.
Example: Whispering Canyon. Appetizer portions of nachos and wings were more than my kids could eat in a sitting for a meal. So be sure to take a look at the appetizers to see if that is something your kids would like.

We thought DDP was way too much food, even when we split 3 credits between the 5 of us(DH,me,DDs,and 2yo.)and ended up with a fridge full of desserts that we threw away at the end of our trip. If I had to do it over I would split more credits and maybe only use 2-3 per meal rather than 3-4. They came home and said they didn't ever want to eat like that again...too many desserts that they wanted to eat and didn't have room for.

 

[Vickibean]

Thanks for everyone's input.

We're relying on Disney transportation, so I don't want to spend too much of our vacation on buses trying to get back from dinner. I'm now thinking of replacing Pepper Market with one of the following:

O'hana
Whispering Canyon
50's Prime Time

...and cancelling Le Cellier.

 

[rkwells]

Thanks for everyone's input.

We're relying on Disney transportation, so I don't want to spend too much of our vacation on buses trying to get back from dinner. I'm now thinking of replacing Pepper Market with one of the following:

O'hana
Whispering Canyon
50's Prime Time

...and cancelling Le Cellier.

Vickibean, Make sure and have one of your kids ask for ketchup at Whispering Canyon....Their's a little surprise in store!

When we go to WDW in March we are going to try O'hana's for the 1st time also...I have read alot of great things about it.

 

[Frantasmic]

Add Ohanas

 

[JimMIA]

Vickibean, Make sure and have one of your kids ask for ketchup at Whispering Canyon....

Good tip.

You'd think --at a family restaurant -- they'd be able to provide ketchup...but there never seems to be any on the table, so you have to ask.

 

[Lisa F]

Even if you are not getting the BEST value for your dollar, you are still getting a REALLY good value for your dollar. You just need to get out of the mindset that the only way the program is worth it is if you squeeze every last cent from it. Adjusting your attitude will also help you when you are faced by the dilemma of wanting to eat the $6.99 appetizer on the menu but seeing that there is a $9.99 appetizer, or wanting to eat the $20.99 entree on the menu but seeing that there is also a $31.99 item. It's also a good mindset to have when you are at a buffet so you don't eat yourself sick thinking that value = quantity. I think you'll have a much better trip that way.

 

[DCDisney]

My kids both really liked Le Cellier and they have one of the best kid menus. In terms of non-steak entree there are a few perhaps DH could check out the menu? In terms of transportation I agree on dropping Pepper Market. If you are looking for better CS places mayve Earl of Sandwich or WOlfgang Puck Express at Downtown Disney? On a day when we are doing a character breakfast we are going to do WPE for dinner which works out nicely.

YVonne

 

[WAHMto5]

We laso have 5 children and LOVE the DDP and wouldn't go without it. There are soo many great places to eat, especially for kids. My kids favorites that they request EVERY trip are: LeCelliers, Ohanas and Sci~fi.
The kids will love the fact they they can order anything off the menu, including a appitizer and a dessert!! It also saves us on having to budget for food and specding soo much time watching what they order, ect..
Have fun, I am sure you will all enjoy it