Help me narrow my dinner reservations!!!

[jrt1176]

We're going for 7 nights...so 7 dinners!

We're staying inside WDW for dinner because this with be 3 y/o niece's first trip! So, we thought it would be easier with her...

We've narrowed it down to these 8 places:

Bistro de Paris
Blue Zoo
California Grill
Citrico's
Il Mulino
Shula's
Tutto Italia
Wolfgang Puck's Dining Room

Please give me any opinions or if you think there are is a much better place than one on the list!

Thanks!

 

[jenseib]

Are you on the dining plan. If so, I don't beleive those are all included.
I have heard alot don't like the Italian place. I havne't heard of some of the places you listed though, so I can't say for sure.

 

[daisygirl902]

Most of the places you have listed are not a part of the DDP, or are considered signature dining...a few places I alwys recommend are Whispering Canyon (especially with kids - it's loud and fun)...Restaurant Marrakesh is also fantastic - great food and a belly dancer for entertainment.

 

[patsfan101]

Another consideration is where you may be each day. I try to book dinners that are easily accessible by Disney transportation from our planned day. Too many trips to Downtown Disney when you are staying in a MK resort is a lot of time on buses!

We have really enjoyed to Polynesian Resort restaurants Kona and O'Hana if you are staying near there.

 

[patsfan101]

I jsut noticed Callifornia Grill is on your list - love it! Definately book that one!

 

[vicki_c]

I think that's a lot of signature-type dining to subject a 3 year old to. With our kids (7 and 10), we might do 1 or 2 signature on a trip, sometimes not any - DH and I will go and leave the kids in the Kids Club.

Of all those listed, I've only been to Tutto Italia and I thought it was excellent. It seems to get very good or very bad reviews, nothing in between!

Are you staying at the Swan/Dolphin? I ask because you have 3 restaurants listed that are in the S/D.

And of course, as the others posted, make sure they're on the dining plan if you have that -- and recognize that (all?some?) signature places use 2 TS credits for dinner, not 1.

 

[jtlover]

We're going for 7 nights...so 7 dinners!

We're staying inside WDW for dinner because this with be 3 y/o niece's first trip! So, we thought it would be easier with her...

We've narrowed it down to these 8 places:

Bistro de Paris
Blue Zoo
California Grill
Citrico's
Il Mulino
Shula's
Tutto Italia
Wolfgang Puck's Dining Room

Please give me any opinions or if you think there are is a much better place than one on the list!

Thanks!

Blue Zoo is fantastic and the food at Cali is good

If it was me I would swop Citricos for Jikos.

Have fun with your planning

 

[jrt1176]

Thanks for the insight!

No, we're not on the DDP. We usually eat at most that arent on the plan or we eat outside of WDW at some fining dining places.

We're staying at the CR and will probably get taxi's to the farther places...

My niece is used to going out to dinner and is pretty well behaved. Worst case we just have to get her some ice cream when we get our entrees and she'll be fine!

 

[hill6]

Citricos has a nice kids menu and I have read alot of good about there.

 

[JennSaint]

Are you planning any kid friendly meals while you are there? I just think she would have more fun at some of the character meals etc. A 3 year old can be well behaved (I was a preschool teacher for 6 years I know this age well) but 7 nights in a row of fine/finer dining may be a bit much for her. I would probably pick 3 or 4 of those restaurants you have listed then leave the other nights open or schedule some dinners that would be more fun for her.
Just my honest opinion.

 

[LVSWL]

Hi! Lots of great places on your list! The only one that I would be hesitant about is Bistro de Paris. The menu does look yummy, but I think that this will be much quieter than California Grill or Citricos and that can be less enjoyable for a young child to sit through. What about the Flying Fish Cafe? Have a great trip.

 

[Pakey]

I've eaten at all of your choices except Shulas (can't go there due to my lobster phobia) and these are my thoughts:

Everytime we have eaten at Bistro, it's a very long dinner, over 2 hrs, and there is no children's menu there. Even a well behaved 3 year old is going to be bored to tears here.

We did not care for Wolfgangs upstairs, esp compared to all of the others on your list, I would sub out and go to Flying Fish or Jiko instead on that one.

 

[jrt1176]

We're doing a few character breakfasts for her.

To be honest, the trip is all about her...but, the dinners are for us!

Depending on the restaurant we may feed her before, etc.

Three may be a bit young for some places, but you gotta start them some time...

 

[mommy22pumpkins]

I have only eaten at Cali Grill, Tutto, and Cirticos....among those three I would say skip Citricos. Especially with kids. My kids loved CG and Tutto- especially the latter because the tablecloths are made of paper and you can color on them.

HTH!

Danielle

 

[falling2infinity319]

I would definitely take a 3 year old to Chef Mickey's. It's a lot of the fun and its a hop skip and a jump for the Magic Kingdom.

As some one already mentioned, Whispering Canyon is awesome too. I've never gone with a child, but we go because the food is excellent. I love the corn bread, lol.

As some one with out children, I can see how it can be a bit much though. For instance, if you ask for a bottle of ketchup, they bring you every bottle of ketchup in the restaruant, lol.

Wolfgang's is great and California Grill is probably my favorite restaraunt in the world. And I live in NYC! lol

 

[jenseib]

I still would scale it back a bit. A 3 YO (away from her parents I'm assuming) will have a long tiring week. And fancy dinners each night might work early on, but as she gets more tired it will take its toll. We took DD at 2 and 3 and this year she is 4, and I try to go go go, and each year by day 4 she has thrown up as we are going too much for her, and we aren't even getting up early. It's ALOT of stimulation for kids there. My DD is pretty good in restuarants, but when at Disney we schedule the meals around what she would like to keep her occupied as well. And she still can get antsy. I would say on the days you do your character meals, just do a few counter service meals at night then. And remember most 3 YO's can't get up early and stay up late. The yusually do one or the other, and some can't do either.

 

[jrt1176]

Well, I hear you guys on all the dinners, etc.

But, her father and grandmother(my brother and mother) will be there with she and I...

We have been to WDW many times and go at our own pace. We wont see everything this time, but we will see what we want. We'll just catch the rest next time, etc. So, the days will be fun, but we wont be racing through the parks trying to get everything in and we will be sleeping in! It's a vacation!

I will think about it and may throw in two nights when we just eat around the park or something...

But, we'll be doing that for lunches also...

I'll probably play it by ear and if we have to cancel we will...

 

[septbaby]

Perhaps let her father select the dinner places. The list you've shared with us is about as far away from "family" friendly as you can find at WDW.

 

[jrt1176]

Her father did help pick the restaurants.

We're staying on-site this trip. Normally we eat at fine dining place outside the world and in Orlando.

We've owned several restaurants, including a prime steakhouse, so dinner is a big part of every vacation.

Perhaps let her father select the dinner places. The list you've shared with us is about as far away from "family" friendly as you can find at WDW.

 

[angboys3]

I would take off the italian , Tutto. Whatever works for your family. We can take my older kids to a fancy restaurant and still have a good time but would rather stick something in my eye than take my youngest preschooler to one every night. I think we have one signature ressie picked while we are at WDW.

But, it really depends on the child and the situation. I would try to make earlier reservations, so you don't have a sleepy, cranky child though. Service at WDW can be slow, so you are looking at 2 hours meals probably for each one of those nights. All the rides, shows etc, take it out of some kids even if they happen to be usually well behaved night owls.

Kudos for going with your brother and niece. We haven't gotten any of the relatives to go us yet not even the aunt who promised she would take my kids when they were 7, uh, the oldest are like 10!