Honeymoon dining and a character dining dirst timer question...

[qwerty2k]

Me and my fiance (me: 31m her: 31f) are going on our honeymoon at WDW in October, whilst there it will also be her birthday.

i have booked the following dining for when we are there (we are on the DDP):

Arrival: Thursday 25th October - check in to Polynesian and dine @ 7.35pm at Yachtsman Steakhouse (2 credits)

Friday 26th October - no sitdowns scheduled.
Saturday 27th October - California Grill @ 7.10pm (2 credits) - Fiancee's birthday
Sunday 28th October - No sitdowns scheduled
Monday 29th October - Via Napoli @ 7.15pm (1 credit)
Tuesday 30th October - 9:55am Chip 'N' Dale at the Garden Grill (1 credit) and Chef Art Smith's Homecomin' (1 credit) @ 9.20pm
Wednesday 31st October - Mama Melrose @ 7.20pm (1 credit)
Thursday 1st November - Be Our Guest @ 5.35pm (2 credits since it will be the new menu then?)
Friday 2nd November - Ohana @ 7:00pm (1 credit)

Departure Day: Friday 3rd November - Trails end Restuarant @ 12:00 (brunch) (1 credit)

So questions:

We are there for 9 nights, so have 9 TS credits, which would you pay out of pocket for to tally our credits? Thinking chip and dale since its breakfast and one other single TS meal or just pay for one of the signature dining?

The two days we have no TS scheduled are days we are planning to graze around Worlds Showcase for Food and Wine.

We have both never done character dining before and my fiancee decided she wanted to do it this time as it will probably be our last time for quite a while (coming from uk). We aren't the most outgoing and foward of people...is it going to be awkward? Any tips on how to make it less awkward?

Any other tips would be appreciated or suggestions of other places may be good to swap what we have for? (we like mama melrose as we have memories there from when we last went in 2013 so thats a no swap )

Thanks in advanced.

 

[Moliphino]

BOG dinner might be best out of pocket. It's only $55, so not a very good use of 2 TS credits.

 

[Barbydoll8]

Agree with Moliphino.

 

[Oneanne]

Based on what you have shared, Garden Grill is an excellent choice for your first character dining experience. The layout of the restaurant makes their visits feel more intimate and the food is served to you family-style, so you don't have to go back and forth to a buffet, trying to time out when characters will be at your table.

 

[Hopefully]

How are you arriving on October 25th? What time? Travel day is exhausting. Many delays are uncontrollable.
I never make an ADR any sooner than 5 hours after scheduled arrival.

 

[drwadadli]

First....I would pay out of pocket for Trail's End Brunch since that will run you about $20 - $25 a person which is probably the cheapest out of what you have listed. Breakfast at Garden Grill will run you about $32 a person.

Second....If you are looking for a quiet romantic dinner for her birthday, I would recommend (pick) Artist Point over California Grill. California Grill is neither quiet nor romantic. Or, even do Monsieur Paul and ask to sit by the window in time to see IllumiNations

 

[MomOTwins]

I prefer the princess character meals like 1900 park fare dinner, akershus, trattoria breakfast or cinderellas table. I find it less awkward to chat with a normal looking human that a costumed character that cant talk back.

 

[qwerty2k]

Based on what you have shared, Garden Grill is an excellent choice for your first character dining experience. The layout of the restaurant makes their visits feel more intimate and the food is served to you family-style, so you don't have to go back and forth to a buffet, trying to time out when characters will be at your table.

That sounds good that it will be a good first character dining experience then! We watched a few videos and quite liked the idea of the 'family-style' rather than buffet, plus the cinamon roll thing looks delicious!

How are you arriving on October 25th? What time? Travel day is exhausting. Many delays are uncontrollable.
I never make an ADR any sooner than 5 hours after scheduled arrival.

Arriving via plane from the UK, can't remember what time our flight gets in but i think its roughly midday.

First....I would pay out of pocket for Trail's End Brunch since that will run you about $20 - $25 a person which is probably the cheapest out of what you have listed. Breakfast at Garden Grill will run you about $32 a person.

Second....If you are looking for a quiet romantic dinner for her birthday, I would recommend (pick) Artist Point over California Grill. California Grill is neither quiet nor romantic. Or, even do Monsieur Paul and ask to sit by the window in time to see IllumiNations

We picked California Grill based on the dining reviews from the DIS and other reviews i've read about it being some of the best food on property and then viewing the fireworks from the deck after. May look into the other two though as options for other days, thanks for the suggestions .

I prefer the princess character meals like 1900 park fare dinner, akershus, trattoria breakfast or cinderellas table. I find it less awkward to chat with a normal looking human that a costumed character that cant talk back.

Having never done it before i dont know, but in my head it seems a bit more awkward with a 'real' person as opposed to some furry animal that can't talk?

 

[Disnsyncey]

Having never done it before i dont know, but in my head it seems a bit more awkward with a 'real' person as opposed to some furry animal that can't talk?

Well, you can actually UNDERSTAND the face characters, with others you gotta guess what they are saying......it literally took me a whole minute to figure out that Chewbacca liked my hat when I met him.....

 

[drwadadli]

viewing the fireworks from the deck after. May look into the other two though as options for other days, thanks for the suggestions .

Just to throw another thought out there. You can still view the fireworks from the deck as long as you have a receipt with that date on it from the lounge or restaurant. What I mean is: go to the lounge for pre-dinner drinks when it is quieter, head by boat over to Artist Point for dinner, then after dinner head back to CR and show your receipt at the elevator and you will get to see the fireworks from the balcony. <----- we have done that so as to enjoy a quiet romantic dinner elsewhere.