Ideas for dining with kids?

[butiflfeet]

So we've booked a trip to the World during free dining in August. I know it's a bit last minute (we just booked the trip yesterday) and I'm freaking out about ADRs while the rest of the fam is wondering why (none of them have been to DW in over 10 years).

I'm trying to figure out just 2 family meals for all of us during our trip, the rest we plan to just split up into our smaller groups. There's 13 in all, including 4 kids between 5 and 10 (2 boys and 2 girls) so I'm up for the challenge.

What are your suggestions for a big family meal? We have Cape May Cafe for a breakfast together already so I just need one more. Oh, and Chef Mickey's and Ohana are booked the whole week we're there , already tried those...

Should we try for another character meal or would something else work for the kids? I'm completely lost when there's kids involved and I can't make my 'adult' ADRs until we have these family meals nailed down

 

[shellybaxter]

I'd try for the Biergarten in Germany. Its not a character meal, but its a lot of fun. The food is good too. I wouldn't try it for the longest time because I hated the food when I visited Germany, but the food at the Biergarten is great. I like the white wine flight and Dh enjoys the large beers as well. There is a show usually once per hour and the kids can get up and dance in the front. Lots of fun

 

[MotherofLandon]

Try for Chef Mickey's at lunch time. They don't usually have a lunch time meal so alot of people don't think to try it, you may be able to get in then.

 

[butiflfeet]

I hear ya on Chef Mickey's lunch (it was available at 2 and 2:30 every day of our stay) but no one else in the fam wants to be nailed down for a lunch reservation in the middle of the day

Thanks for suggesting Biergarten! I've overlooked that one as I think of german food as brats and weird liver stuff but having looked at the menu it might be worth a try

 

[MariDisney]

I second Biergarten. I also think the Hoop Dee Do would be really fun with a group that size. Or, Whispering Canyon Cafe.

 

[brymolmom]

I think the Chef Mickey's lunch at the last minute would be best. Does your family know that it's just as easy as eating at one of the MK restaurants? A quick monorail ride and you're there - doesn't take much longer than Crystal Palace.

Another option might be Trail's End at Fort Wilderness followed by attending the nightly outdoor campfire/sing-a-long/outdoor movie. My kids are likely the same ages as some of yours in the group and they LOVE this activity. And the Trail's End buffet is yummy and good atmosphere for a big family gathering.

 

[MGNA]

Our DSs enjoyed everyplace we dined but had a lot of fun at the Ohana Character Breakfast. They really liked dinner at Kona too, as did we. They were thrilled when DH ordered the Kona Kone & gave the dessert to them.

Don't give up on Chef Mickey or Ohana. Be persistent & call often just in case a cancellation was made. I had given up on Tutto Italia but made an ADR a week prior to arrival.

 

[mattmommy]

I would try Prime Time Cafe. While there isn't seating for the whole family at one table, they could put everybody in the same room at different tables.

We usually have a group of 14 and let the kids sit together and then the group of seniors and then the middle agers.

The kids love that the parents tend to get picked on. My adult cousin had to stand facing the wall for saying damn. Another adult had the "cousin" do the airplane going into the runway feeding her. Hint--the soap in the bathroom is blue, but don't tell any of your family. The server will ask when they come back from the bathroom.

 

[Fall1]

I think you'd have a blast at Whispering Canyon....it's really fun and the food is good!

 

[sparkysfriends]

Hoop-De-Doo is always great, especially with a large group! I've never met anyone that didn't have a super time there. Biergarten would be my second choice. We are doing Biergarten in August. The only reason we are not doing Hoop-De-Doo is that we are going again in April with a large group and will do it then. August is just the 4 of us.

 

[Msjetaway]

Whispering Canyons. My kids loved it! Food was great! Our server was great also! We did it as a last minute change and was glad we did.

 

[shellybaxter]

Hoop-De-Doo is always great, especially with a large group! I've never met anyone that didn't have a super time there. Biergarten would be my second choice. We are doing Biergarten in August. The only reason we are not doing Hoop-De-Doo is that we are going again in April with a large group and will do it then. August is just the 4 of us.

I agree that the Hoop-De-Doo is great, but you are seated based on when you made your reservation, so the OP probably wouldn't be able to get very good seats, if there is any availability at all.

 

[kathiewe]

'Ohana is great for large groups. Not only is the food great -- but they have 2 large tables in front of the open fire grills for large groups. We are planning to go with 21 people in Sept.

Biergarten is another good choice for large groups -- more the merrier!

The other meal we are doing as a group is Mickey's BBQ.

Have fun!

 

[wdisnyw]

prime time
japan
mickeys backyard bbq

these are just some places you can have fun with kids and a big group of people

 

[ROEDISNEY]

CHEF MICKEYS

 

[butiflfeet]

Thanks for all your suggestions! I knew if I came to you guys I'd get more than enough help We have an ADR for Biergarten for all 13 of us based on your suggestions. For this family trip it's perfect. We may still try to do a Chef Mickey's lunch too but Ohana was not available for a group of 13 for breakfast or dinner during our trip, neither was Teppan Edo or Whispering Canyon.

 

[MickeyNicki]

We took our nieces and the places that won with them were character breakfasts....they ate a ton of food and they loved the characters...TS wise they did not like the food at all and did better with CS places