How Did YOUR Kids Do at These Restaurants?

[melomouse]

Hello All- ( melomouse is back and glad to see some of my old friends)

Cancelled our cruise and just booked 10 days at WDW w/ DDP, got awesome upsell to YC and have now booked all the dining essentially twice since Friday!!

I'm the widowed mom of DS(15) my Asperger's boy with the sensory issues who is somehow able to be more adventurous in WDW with his food choices. DD(11 right before we leave) will try new things and has days of hunger and large appetite and days of nibbling.

I've asked for their input on the restaurants and since this will be our first visit to an Epcot resort, and my son is enthralled with Epcot now, this is what I've reserved:

Yachtsman Steakhouse
Tappan Edo
Ohana
Chef Mickey's
California Grill
Prime Time Cafe
Mama Melrose
Spoodles
San Angel

We have only been to CM's and PTC before and I know the credit count is off for DDP but I will work it out OOP for DD and possibly sharing now and again. San Angel we selected just for the view - I have read negative reviews. I know Ohana gets mixed reviews also- but we've never been. LC is impossible, as we know - but we got in last fall when calling from our room one AM! -

Any thoughts/imput/changes you might think of for us? I am trying to firm this up as best I can now so I can move on to other planning - and I have..30 days??LOL

TIA, my expert pals!!!

melomouse

 

[atisikitabasket]

Hello I am a mom of a DS4 with PDD and he too has sensory issues but believe it or not when we are at Disney he is like another kid, no fits he talks alot and is really easy going there. That is why our December trip for his 5th birthday will be our 4th trip since he was 2 and half. We don't have a lot of money but just seening how he changes is so worth it to us he comes out of his shell while we are there.

We ate at Chef Mickey's and DS loved seeing the characters but was more interested in that then the food so he didn't each much. I would say if your son loves Epcot you could try the Coral Reef. Our son is timid with dark settings but had no problem there. He loved and even cleaned his plate. We will be elebrating his 5th Birthday dinner at Coral Reef in December. I think that is the only place on your list we have tried. We have done Kona, CM, Coral reef, Hollywood and Vine, Le Cellier, Wolfgang Puck and Liberty tree tavern.

Have a wonderful trip!!!

 

[Schucraig]

I would pick Garden Grill over CM. We like the food better and there was great character interaction and it was quieter. We also were not big fans of Ohana's, but we loved Kona! Hope that helps!

 

[OKWMom]

We have 2 NT kids and a DD on the LF end of the spectrum. She has many sensory issues, and boy do they show at meal times. We have tried the following places of those you asked about:

Tappan Edo - NT kids loved it. DD watched the show but didn't eat one bite there. I think it was because it was loud or maybe because of the activity at the grill. She became bored before we finished dinner, but didn't begin her meltdown until dessert was served.

Ohana - DD didn't participate in any of the antics here, but was fine during the entire meal. She wouldn't eat any of their "normal" offerings, but the server offered to bring her chicken strips or a burger (actually, she offered several other choices, those are the ones I remembered). She ate a few bites, but we took the rest back with us. My niece really enjoyed the coconut race and the other entertainment. She is an adventurous eater and ate everything except the salad.

Chef Mickey's - All our kids love this place. Breakfast here has become a tradition for us. If DD seems to be having an off day, I'll ask to be seated in the more quiet section of the restaurant.

Prime Time Cafe - Our NTs thought this place was neat and ate everything on their plates. Our server was very helpful in finding something DD would eat. We made it through the entire meal without even a hint of a meltdown. However, when I asked the kids which restaurant was their favorite in MGM, they said Sci-Fi. They didn't like the food as much at Sci-Fi, but they said they liked the cool cars and the ice cream. DD actually did really well at Sci-Fi watching the movie clips.

Spoodles - The kids thought the food was ok here and DD chose this place to kick her attitude into high gear. Lucky for me the restaurant was so loud, no one could hear her over the kitchen/restaurant noise.

 

[pooh2001]

Yachtsman Steakhouse - if you like steak, to eat. Large portions and you can pick your steak before they cook it.

Ohana - we think breakfast is great. You can get refills on anything you wish. The pineapple and breads are very fresh and tasty.

Chef Mickey's - we like any meal here. Many items to select from on the buffet.

California Grill - a bit pricey. Great views of MK fireworks. The portions can be on the small side.

Prime Time Cafe - what a blast. We had a wondeful server. Mind your P's and Q's and keep your elbows off the table. Nice sized portions and wonderful tastes of 'Moms' food.


Mama Melrose - Our friends really like this place. We did not try it- but maybe next time we are at WDW we will.

We also did Garden Grill the last time we were at WDW. We were very pleasantly surprised. We order the adut and kids platters. The food tasted great. You can refills of anything on the platters.

 

[tinkandpan]

of the ones you mentioned: I have a dd2 and a ds5


Tappan Edo - my kids loved the show but my picky little one didn't eat a whole lot.

Ohana- lots of fun, entertaining and decent food.

Chef Mickey's - terrific character experience where it is so loud there is no problem if your kids get a bit antsy


California Grill - i have never taken the kids there but when we have gone, there have been children there. Service is slow in the sense of not rushing you out the door.

San Angel - i thought it would be entertaining for the kids to watch the boats go by, as Mexico is one of my ds's favorite pavillions. hge got freaked out by the darkness of the restauarant and couldn't get comfortable. Just worth mentioning.

 

[melomouse]

Thank you all for the input! It really does help to get other's kids' reactions... I had never even thought about the darkness at San Angel nor the Ohana noise.

Not sure if I'll be changing ADR's yet AGAIN, but at least I feel better about the choices I have made, thanks to the great Dis'er's!!!