Help! Completely overwhelmed by all the options & need carnivore/vegetarian info too

[PastorsWife]

I'm so glad to find this site, I've been devouring the threads.

in 2000, we made a trip to WDW and stayed offsite at a 2br condo. This was our wedding present from my parents, and my husband really wanted to bring his sister and her girlfriend with us and my kids - as a "last roadtrip" kind of thing. Well, drama put aside, we ended up parting ways in Florida (their car), and so with the cost of a rental car for the week and also $500 to drive back home (plus gas) our food budget was MINIMAL. We had one dinner at the mayan pyramid at Epcot and thought we were living like kings. Other than that we ate PBJ sandwiches brought from home. The shoestring budget coupled with the drama made for a not very pleasant memory.

8.5 years later - we are ready to do it right. We are staying 7 days/6 nights at POFQ and have purchased the dining plan and PH/water etc.

My head is reeling from the choices, and the responsibility of making ADRs and stuff.

Can you recommend some restaurants (both TS and CS) knowing the following?

***
The cast:
Kids are 10 (girl) and 14 (Boy). Kids are adventurous but do not eat seafood.
Husband is an ovo-lacto-vegetarian, allergic to eggplant (eats eggs, cheese, does not eat "animals" - seafood, birds, mammals)
I like everything except for shrimp and really "fishy" fish.
Spicy is OK - we eat a lot of "ethnic" food (except sushi), our fave - middle eastern or Thai. We consider eating out to be a real treat, and would lean toward the educational/dramatic experience over quick or fun. I think that my kids are "over" the characters, etc.

I'd prefer to keep the TS and CS in the parks, so that we don't spend all our time waiting for a bus or leaving a park early to get to a resort that we are not staying at.
**********

Can you recommend CS/TS places that give generous portions? Sometimes we will order 2-3 of a meal and split it between the 4 of us so that DH gets the "sides" and the kids and I get extra meat.

Also, if you have an ADR and don't show (for whatever reason) do you get charged credits?

last question (well, for this post anyway) do you have kids my age that have gone to the adventurer's club with you? What was your experience?

I'm sorry if these questions were asked in a previous thread - I have been reading for several hours now...

Thank you so much. This is an awesome site.

 

[pumba]

check out this area of the dis and look at the restaurants and the menus.

http://www.wdwinfo.com/wdwinfo/dining.htm

 

[Sandy321]

I agree with Pumba -

also, make sure to note dh's allergies when making your adr's and have the chef talk to you - sometimes they sneak sauces in you dont even know!!

In MK - Crystal Palace has a nice Buffet, Liberty Tree Tavern is basic food, and my picky dd (11yrs) requests us to go every year - its nice to get that one around 6:45 7 on the night of Spectromagic, as you finish eating you go out to the parade!! CS - whichever side of the park you are on - in Tomorrowland that CS place has several stations, and not all food is the same - at Frontierland, all lines have the same food, great burger toppings!!

Epcot - I'm prejudice LOVE LeCellier, steaks, they do a nice job of being a/c and quiet - great respite from the parks - we also enjoy Rose and Crown for the CS place hands down go to Seasons down by where you get on for Soarin - amazing choices - make sure you go all the way to the end to find the bakery items!! All the World Showcase has great choices for CS - the one that surprised me was Morroco - I liked it!! never expected to!!

Disney Studios - not great for CS - if Backlot Express is open, its near Indiana Jones ride, so you have to time it - we eat the Hollywood and Vine Buffet, and enjoy it for the Fantasmic Dinner pkg - we've tried to get other places, but havent had luck (DD has gotten sick!!)

Animal Kingdom - we just ate at the Yak and Yeti CS place its like take out chinese - but we liked it, think chicken nuggets with a honey sauce!!

so just read the menus from the link Pumba posted - and good luck!! Everyone has an opinion - so you have to decide what works for your family!

as far as not going to resorts - it does take time - but I think 1900 park fare is worth it - you go to MK for the day, then monorail or boat over - same if you want to go to Ohana's or Kona at Polynesian, both are worth it!!

 

[Pumbaa_]

Another suggestion is to read dining reviews. People that are recently back with post dining reviews of where and what they ate. Recently, there have been a few vegetarian reviews od what they ate and where. That may help you find some great options for your husband.

Have fun planning this trip and hope it is better than your first trip!

 

[PastorsWife]

Thank you. I was turned off by the half dozen or so reviews I read as many of them seemed to think anything besides (x american fare and y american fare) was icky icky icky.

I'll look for the vegetarian reviews.

I'm going through the menus and X-ing off restaurants. I assume that if a place offers, say shrimp alfredo, that they can serve it minus the shrimp since it's "inclusive" without making a big deal over the adjustment, right? Are there restaurants that will let you order off-menu? I'm from Chicago, so I'm spoiled, restaurant-wise.

Thank you all very much

 

[Sandy321]

I'm from the Chicago area, and my bff had a restaurant in Chicago - not that it makes a huge difference...

The Chefs at Disney take pride in their work - I am a picky eater, but I am not a demanding person - I just take it all in!! I truly would use the search function and hit vegetarian esp in the Dining Reviews - I've really enjoyed reading several reviews over the years!!

You take what you give in my opinion - and Disney has wonderful experiences, as well as some not so wonderful - but it doesnt make or break our trip!

So do make your ressies, and ask to speak to the chefs - they are very accomadating and do take pride in their work - they do an awesome job imho - staying at POR - you may want to try and take a sidetrip to Boma at AKL so many post wonderful things about it - but like you I dont like to go to far out of the parks for food - the parks and the magic is what I'm there for, everything else is just perks!!

I can get so excited about a Casey's hot dog on mainstreet - but its not to my taste - nothing like some of the Dogs in Chicago - ds loves Portillos, and I agree - but its the atmosphere of Caseys... same for the Liberty Tree Tavern - I dont care for that food so much, and it has gotten some bad reviews... but dd, she loves it, so I take it in thru HER eyes, and I dont complain, I enjoy it thru HER experience!!

So if you have high expectations, you probably will hate it in Disney... but if you go with an open mind and heart, you can find much fun and joy in Disney!

 

[Sandy321]

I just was debating on doing a dining review they take so much time -

and I love reading and I so appreciate the work others put into the reviews...

http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=1602708&page=4

Here's a review with pictures of several different areas - very detailed and enjoyable - this is page 4 with the AKL review - now I know you were interested in Vegetarian fare - so that is why I suggested the search function - but the pictures of the food are incredible!!

 

[PastorsWife]

I did read that review earlier and enjoyed it very much. Quite funny and informative. Boma sounds good, and buffets are almost always veggie friendly because he can take a ton of side dishes.

Yeah, we have our minivan, so heading out to AKL is not out of question. Thanks for reminding me of them.

..minus the scary radioactive drink.

 

[pumba]

I am thinking that when we went to disney WITH the whole family. We had one vegetarian, two picky kiddos, two on ww's .one elderly lady, and two who would eat anything. We tried to go to the buffets. Our favorites were Crystal Palace at MK, Biergarten in Epcot, Hollywood and Vine in MGM studios. My son in law who was the vegetarian loved the portabella mushroom burger he got at Planet Hollywood. Most of the places were able to accomodate anything that a vegetarian wanted in most all the other restaurants.
We are going in May with a large group. We sat down with most of us and went over each menu .....seeing what would appeal to the majority. It worked for us..
Have a good time anyways

 

[PastorsWife]

This is what I have so far - hope it comes over OK from excel.

Magic Kingdom
Snack Pinocchio Village Haus
Epcot
Dinner Restaurant Marrakesh

Animal Kingdom
Lunch Flame Tree BBQ
Dinner Tusker House

Downtown Disney
Lunch Wolfgang Puck Express
Dinner Planet Hollywood

Free Day - CS. Probably Water Parks and hangin at the hotel (laundry)

Breakfast Buffet somewhere where kids don't scream insanely
Hollywood Studios
Dinner Sci Fi Drive in

Epcot
Lunch Kringla Bakeri Og Kafe
Dinner San Angel Inn

Epcot
Lunch Sunshine Seasons
Dinner Le Cellier

Free Day - CS. Whatever the kids want to do on the last day

 

[pumba]

We didnt get a water park pass this time but if you want to indulge into something that is WONDERFUl.........the little mini donuts in the area before you get to the water .....they are just as good as the ones my grandmother made back in the old days....delicious.

 

[TDC Nala]

I know it is not a restaurant thing but I can answer your Adventurers Club question.

I am there often. I see a lot of kids. I don't have any myself. I am not an advocate of bringing little kids there much past 9 PM. However, the show contains a lot of innuendo, which generally flies right over the heads of smaller kids. I think the show's OK for teens if you remember that while the cast has to keep it sort of Disneyfied, they don't have any control over what the drunk guests say. As for your ten year old...I 've seen some preteens have a great time and some are bored.

I have no idea if you are asking if the show is suitable for children or if the kids will like the show. If your kids are into comedy shows, they might like it. If they're ok with live participatory entertainment, they'll enjoy it.