How does a first timer even begin to plan?

[MissMaryMack]

Going in May for the first time with our 8 year old. He is not into the characters so I don’t plan to do character meals. We like to eat breakfast in the room so I believe that’s means the meal plan is not for us. We are planning 2 days in MK and 2 days at Epcot with a rest day in between. Staying at the Beach Club. How do I get started with where I need reservations?

 

[RADOPT]

Have you looked at the menus on allears website? They have updated menus with prices. We start with them and like watching dfb (Disney food blog) utube videos of the food at the parks. Decide which park you are going on which day and where you want to eat before 180 days out (if you are staying onsite). Be sure to set up a My Disney Experience and link everything. At 7:00 ET, you can get your ASR’s thru your account. Have fun planning.

 

[Kae]

Start with checking out the Disney food blog great site.

 

[Pumbaa_]

I would suggest using a Dreams Unlimited travel agent. They are experts in all things Disney and can help plan everything from fast passes to dinner adrs

 

[RADOPT]

I would suggest using a Dreams Unlimited travel agent.

I second this. We are using them for our November trip. Our agent has been wonderful.

 

[MissMaryMack]

I would suggest using a Dreams Unlimited travel agent. They are experts in all things Disney and can help plan everything from fast passes to dinner adrs

We have already booked our hotel. We just need the park tickets. Will they still help? I was told agents won’t provide full services unless you book the hotel through them.

 

[LavishWig]

I echo the sentiment of picking your parks for each day and then start looking at the restaurants. I would also recommend the Disney Food Blog, they have articles that talk through the best restaurants in each park which will help you identify which you'd be most interested in. Also consider resort restaurants too, Sanaa at Animal Kingdom Lodge was incredible!

I would really recommend a day at Animal Kingdom though, it's my favourite park and if you and your family like animals you'll have a great day!

 

[disneygirlsng]

I echo the sentiment of picking your parks for each day and then start looking at the restaurants. I would also recommend the Disney Food Blog, they have articles that talk through the best restaurants in each park which will help you identify which you'd be most interested in. Also consider resort restaurants too, Sanaa at Animal Kingdom Lodge was incredible!

I would really recommend a day at Animal Kingdom though, it's my favourite park and if you and your family like animals you'll have a great day!

This. I would absolutely do a day at AK over a 2nd day at Epcot, no question. Especially with an 8yo. Depending on when you are going, Epcot could be under quite a bit of construction as well.

 

[Pumbaa_]

I don’t know. Can you transfer the hotel portion to an agent? They work on commissions.

 

[mkla2015]

I always start planning our trips by deciding on where we will be on what days. I know hours aren't out yet but I use the previous years park hours for planning.

For you, I would suggest looking at allears.net at the menus to see what sounds good to your family. Once you've narrowed down the restaurants, watch dining reviews of those places on Youtube (there are TONS of reviews out there).

At 180 days out from the first day of your trip, you can make your dining reservations online (6am ET) or on the phone (7am ET). If you don't already have a my disney experience account, definitely set that up ASAP. I personally always make my dining reservations using the mobile app- to me it's easier and faster to navigate and I've never had any problems.

 

[_19disnA]

Honestly, you can reserve the hotel, get park tickets and make your own Fast Passes online. Unless a travel agent offers discounts not available to the general public, you might just as well do it yourself. If you use a travel agent, Disney will no longer talk with you if you have any reservation questions.

 

[littledebbie335]

Sounds like you've already picked your parks and days...great start!

My next step, if I were you, would be to think about whether I want to do quick service (QS) or table service (TS). QS can be a little stressful during busy times because you have to grab your tray of food, find a table, etc, but it is much cheaper and faster than TS, so it's great if you don't want to spend too much of your park days eating. TS can be a useful way of giving everyone a break from the heat and the walking, but is more expensive and can take an hour or two. (FWIW, we usually do one TS per day while we're in the parks, and we tend to switch between lunch and dinner, depending on what reservations are available).

Once you've decided whether you'd like to go TS or QS, start looking at menus/reviews/etc!

Some things to consider:
-Is your kiddo a picky eater? That can be an important limitation to consider. No use in spending big money on a TS meal at a restaurant where he won't eat anything on the menu!
-Some reservations are easier to get than others. It can be helpful to have a backup restaurant in mind in case you can't land the reservation you want.
-World Showcase in Epcot is a great place to "snack around the world." This can be a really fun way to spend an afternoon, especially if you aren't committed to a set lunch and dinner.
-Someone previously mentioned Disney Food Blog (DFB). They have FANTASTIC YouTube videos, and honestly, you could plan your entire trip by watching AJ's videos. Highly recommend!

Finally, don't stress too much over meals! "Worst" case scenario is you eat QS the whole trip, and you just hit up the nearest restaurant whenever you're hungry...and I put "worst" in quotes because it's really not a bad thing. Just depends on your family's vacation style and dining preferences. If you give us more specific information, such as, "we'd like to eat at a TS restaurant in MK but I/my kid/my spouse will only eat corn dogs, pizza, and fries," then folks on this board are great at suggesting specific restaurants.

Happy planning!

 

[sponica]

Don't fret so much about food. I don't think I did a sit down restaurant until multiple trips in, part of it was I never knew when my next trip would be, so I valued my time more than what I ate.

Look at menus, think of where you might like to eat. If it's table service, book it. If you don't want to be tied down to a certain reservation, just do counter service. I'd avoid peak meal times though...like noon for lunch. Everyone wants to eat at noon.

I'd still try a character meal, like a late breakfast at garden grill, to experience a character meal.

 

[FireflyTrance]

Like others have stated, I don't think you need two days at EPCOT. Half of EPCOT is the World's Showcase, which an 8 year old might find kind of boring. My 6 year old finds it boring. Animal Kingdom is such an awesome and unique park. The two Avatar rides are more technologically impressive than any ride at MK or EPCOT. I suggest you spend a day at AK. Also if your son has any interest in Toy Story or Star Wars, I suggest visiting Hollywood Studios as well. So maybe one day in each park? Unpopular opinion, but Magic Kingdom is my least favorite park since it's usually the most crowded.

As for restaurants, just search by park and see which ones are interesting to you, and then book them at 180 days out. Some restaurants are very popular and must be booked at 180 days out. If you aren't picky about where you eat, you can get some reservations closer to the date. EPCOT has a lot of restaurants in the World Showcase. My personal favorite there is Biergarten, which has fun live entertainment.

 

[LizGirl]

I realize this is probably an unpopular opinion on the restaurants board but my advice would be to not worry about reservations at all. IMO, table service meals take up a lot of time. If you find one that sounds really appealing, by all means go for it. But don't feel pressure to book every meal with a reservation. I don't like having to keep that schedule, it costs more and takes up valuable (to me) touring time. Our next trip is 10 days and I have only one ADR. There are plenty of places to grab food and keep going if you want to do it that way.

 

[HuskieJohn]

Figure out what your budget is first then start looking at places to be within it. Do not get all excited about that one great meal experience which will end up being double or quadruple what you are willing to spend.

Also keep in mind that ADRs lock you in to a place and time up to 6mo in advance where as Quick Service gives you flexibility as to when and where you eat when you are in the park...and its cost less too!

Our first trip we focused on the best 1 credit Table Service dinner for each day. This upcoming trip other than any reservations that get us into a park before it opens we will be avoiding any ADRs for our park days.

 

[littledebbie335]

I realize this is probably an unpopular opinion on the restaurants board but my advice would be to not worry about reservations at all. IMO, table service meals take up a lot of time.

I agree with this, but I also think TS can be really valuable opportunities to sit in the air conditioning for a little while. It could be very hot in May (our May trip a few years ago had real feel temps above 110F). Plus, there is less hustle and bustle, so we use TS meals as a break rather than going back to the resort for some down time. YMMV!

 

[nkereina]

Honestly, you can reserve the hotel, get park tickets and make your own Fast Passes online. Unless a travel agent offers discounts not available to the general public, you might just as well do it yourself. If you use a travel agent, Disney will no longer talk with you if you have any reservation questions.

The OP is a first timer and overwhelmed by the options. There is a plethora of information on the internet with all the Disney forums and planning sites, but not everyone has the time or energy to sift through that information and make a plan. This is where the benefit of a Disney-experienced travel agent comes into play. OP can work one-on-one with the TA to discuss what they like/don't like and must do's, and the TA can make recommendations accordingly.

But since OP is already booked, I would doubt that a TA would be able to assist unless they go through the process of transferring their reservation to a TA. Might be worth it though to have a single point of contact that will help with planning questions.

OP, if you go it on your own, I'd recommend reviewing the menus at WDW Info for the restaurants in MK and Epcot and narrow down where you might want to eat. You can also look at a property map to see which resorts are closest to yours and to these parks, and check out the restaurants there too. The biggest tip is not to over-schedule. I would NOT do a TS meal lunch AND dinner. I would do one or the other each day if you definitely want TS.

 

[Shellyred8]

I'll add another vote to do an Animal Kingdom day to replace one of the EP days.
During your off day, the pizza window at the Boardwalk might be a good option. They have pretty decent pizza there now, since re-doing their menu. If you need a gluten free option, they also make a pretty decent gluten free pizza. You might also want to check out the quick serve restaurants over at the Swan and Dolphin. They have some pretty good options there.

On your EP day(s), there are so many choices in the world showcase! Here are a couple of my favorite quick-service options: desserts at Les Halles Boulangerie & Patisserie. They make a great napoleon and they have several kid-friendly treats. I love the Peach Oolong iced tea at the Lotus Blossom cafe. Check out the Tangierine Cafe. I used to walk by this place and never give it a thought. Then one day I did and I was pleasantly surprised.

 

[Harambe]

Disney's quick service restaurants have really improved over the last few years, but it is a great idea to read thru the menus and have a few names in mind so when hunger hits you are prepared.

You should, however, make an ADR for a great table service place on your resort day, right at beach club or yacht club if you plan a lazy day pool side. It is wonderful to have a nice meal, then a short walk home to cap off a relaxing day.