input into dining choices

[choirfarm]

I've gotten no responses to the post about my itinerary, so I thought I would try here to see what people thought about my dining choices. Any suggestions would be apreciated:

Here is my itinerary. Anyone have any comments or suggestions. It is for a family of 5 with boys ages 13 and 11 and a 6yo girl:

Friday September 5th
Drive
Stay??

Saturday September 6th
Arrive at Disney mid morning
Epcot: ( to illuminations at 9pm)
Lunch at Coral Reef ( 5TS)
Desserts at World Showcase (5 snacks) Actually, can use more if we wish

Sunday
All Day at magic Kingdom (evening magic hours) 9am to 12am
Breakfast- snack credit at All-Star Music (5 snacks)
Kona Café- 12-3 lunch or dinner 5-10 (5TS) dinner best value,
5 counter service ecos Bill or Pinocchio Haus

Monday September 8th
Kennedy Space Center 9am-6pm
Counter Service Dinner(5 CS)
Snack Breakfast (5 snacks) or maybe a counter service if don’t want one last day
Sandwiches and snacks at Kennedy from cooler

Tuesday September 9th
MGM 9am – 8pm
Breakfast (5 snacks)
Pizza Planet – (5CS)
50’s Prime Time Café- (5 TS)

Wednesday September 10th
All Day at Animal Kingdom (evening magic hours) 9am-8pm
Donald’s Safari Breakfast (4 5 ts) (8:10-10:30)
or
Boma at Animal Kingdom Lodge – 7:30-11;
Flaming Tree BBQ (5 CS)

Thursday September 11th
No Park
Breakfast (5 snacks)
Sleep In, Enjoy the Pool, Tour resorts, ‘Downtown Disney
CS Resort somewhere Earl os Sanwhich.. play it by ear (5 CS)
Hoop De Do Review??( 10 TS credits) Dinner
Or Spirit of Aloha
Or maybe just eat at a resort that is 1 TS and save the other TS for last day


Friday September 12th
Epcot extra Evening magic hours 9am-10pm
Breakfast (5 snacks)
Biergarten Boys TS
Princess Dinner Askerhaus- Megan and Me TS
Sunshine Seasons (5 CS)
Or Tangerine Café (5 CS)


Saturday, September 13th (5)
Mk 9am to 9 pm
Breakfast at Crystal Palace with Pooh and Friends (5 TS)
5 Counter CS somewhere

Sunday
Check out and Go home
Use a counter service or ts remaining credit to eat at a resort before we go

Monday
Arrive at home

Budget:
2 nights hotel (2 there, one back) $150
Meals on the way there and back $100
8 nights rack rate hotel and tax $1,476
Tips $120
6 day park pass $1,131
Kennedy Tickets $166.75
Souvenirs $250 dollars ( 50 dollars allowed, for each person... may be less)
Gas $350

Total $3, 743.75

Bring sandwiches and snack stuff for trip there, back and Kennedy

Other Options:
Kennedy with 7 day pass: $3,803.75
No Kennedy with 7 day pass $3, 643.75
No Kennedy, 6 day pass (7 nights with day of rest, leave on Saturday and arrive home on Sunday) $3,377.75
No Kennedy, 6 day pass, 6 nights (no day off) $3, 177.75 Arrive home on Saturday (or travel other places)j


Any thoughts?
Christine

 

[Aurora's Mommy]

I hate when no one answers me! So, let me give it a shot. Keep in mind I have not been to WDW in 4 years, so very little of my information is recent or first hand, mostly what I have read hear on the disboards. We're going next month!

I've gotten no responses to the post about my itinerary, so I thought I would try here to see what people thought about my dining choices. Any suggestions would be apreciated:

Here is my itinerary. Anyone have any comments or suggestions. It is for a family of 5 with boys ages 13 and 11 and a 6yo girl:

Friday September 5th
Drive
Stay??

Saturday September 6th
Arrive at Disney mid morning
Epcot: ( to illuminations at 9pm)
Lunch at Coral Reef ( 5TS)
Desserts at World Showcase (5 snacks) Actually, can use more if we wish

Sunday
All Day at magic Kingdom (evening magic hours) 9am to 12am
Breakfast- snack credit at All-Star Music (5 snacks) 13 and 11 year old boys happy with a muffin for breakfast? Your call, but I'm thinking you may have to spring for some waffles! Also, you might want to consider getting the refillable mugs for the kids. Kona Café- 12-3 lunch or dinner 5-10 (5TS) dinner best value, Dinner at Kona has become a tradition for us, and we will be continuing it on our next trip. Reviews have been mixed of late, but we always enjoy it, and it gives us a chance to enjoy the Poly on our POP budget. As my DS is only 9and will have to order from the kid's menu, I figure I will have to eat his dessert so that he can order a Kona Cone! 5 counter service ecos Bill or Pinocchio Haus Pecos Bill has a limited kids menu, and my DD (also 6) does not care for hamburgers or salad. It does not appear the Pinocchio Haus has a kids menu, they offer pizza, and supposedly you can get a milk shake on the DDP. We've tried Pecos Bill in the past, and I don't remember is being particularly bad or good, and Pinocchio Haus has been getting decent reviews. Advantage: Pinocchio Haus

Monday September 8th
Kennedy Space Center 9am-6pm We went to KSC two summers ago prior to boarding the DCL. It was fantastic! DH is a real space nut, but the kids (7 and 4 at the time) enjoyed it, too.
Counter Service Dinner(5 CS)
Snack Breakfast (5 snacks) or maybe a counter service if don’t want one last day
Sandwiches and snacks at Kennedy from cooler

Tuesday September 9th
MGM 9am – 8pm
Breakfast (5 snacks)
Pizza Planet – (5CS) Reviews have been mixed, mostly people saying that the pizza isn't that good, but no one has said it is inedible. 50’s Prime Time Café- (5 TS) We are trying this for the first time in April. Reviews of the food have been good, the only problem seems to be if you get a dud server. Here's hoping you (and I) get a good cousin, aunt or uncle.

Wednesday September 10th
All Day at Animal Kingdom (evening magic hours) 9am-8pm
Donald’s Safari Breakfast (4 5 ts) (8:10-10:30)
or
Boma at Animal Kingdom Lodge – 7:30-11;
Flaming Tree BBQ (5 CS) We have always enjoyed the BBQ here, and the only real negative seems to be people complaining about the seating. We have always found the seating to be very pleasant, and you should note that the animals painted on the seating are predators, while the animals painted on the tables are prey (for example, anteaters on the chairs, ants on the table). We won't be going this year because we are trying Tusker House lunch buffet.

Thursday September 11th
No Park
Breakfast (5 snacks)
Sleep In, Enjoy the Pool, Tour resorts, ‘Downtown Disney
CS Resort somewhere Earl os Sanwhich.. play it by ear (5 CS)
Hoop De Do Review??( 10 TS credits) Dinner
Or Spirit of Aloha Have done neither, but the reviews tend to give Hoop de do the edge. Personally, if I'm going to go to a luau, I want to do it in Hawaii!Or maybe just eat at a resort that is 1 TS and save the other TS for last day


Friday September 12th
Epcot extra Evening magic hours 9am-10pm
Breakfast (5 snacks)
Biergarten Boys TS
Princess Dinner Askerhaus- Megan and Me TS Ah!
Sunshine Seasons (5 CS)
Or Tangerine Café (5 CS) Have heard excellent reviews of the Tangerine Cafe, and it is on my list to try this trip


Saturday, September 13th (5)
Mk 9am to 9 pm
Breakfast at Crystal Palace with Pooh and Friends (5 TS)
5 Counter CS somewhere

Sunday
Check out and Go home
Use a counter service or ts remaining credit to eat at a resort before we go

Monday
Arrive at home

Budget:
2 nights hotel (2 there, one back) $150
Meals on the way there and back $100
8 nights rack rate hotel and tax $1,476
Tips $120
6 day park pass $1,131
Kennedy Tickets $166.75
Souvenirs $250 dollars ( 50 dollars allowed, for each person... may be less)
Gas $350

Total $3, 743.75

Bring sandwiches and snack stuff for trip there, back and Kennedy

Other Options:
Kennedy with 7 day pass: $3,803.75
No Kennedy with 7 day pass $3, 643.75
No Kennedy, 6 day pass (7 nights with day of rest, leave on Saturday and arrive home on Sunday) $3,377.75
No Kennedy, 6 day pass, 6 nights (no day off) $3, 177.75 Arrive home on Saturday (or travel other places)j


Any thoughts?
Christine

 

[1hero2princesses]

Well I haven't been in a long time and I am taking my kids for the first time in September.. my only thoughts are... I know you want to make the most of your time but maybe add a partial day and take the afternoon off to swim and go back to the park for dinner and the evening. It just seems like a pretty tough schedule for a 6 year old to keep up with, but that depends on your child. If someone is a huge space nut I would do Kennedy but otherwise I would skip it. It will take you awhile to get there and get back.... traffic. Unless your family has their heart set on it maybe a water park instead?

 

[belle&sebastiansmom]

We don't really plan our counter service meals. Some are better than others, obviously, but we never know where in the park we'll be, and if we're hungry and it's time to use our CS, then we will. We always plan for our table service meals though. So I'd say be flexible with your cs plans, since you don't want to over schedule yourself.

And for a family of 5, you may need to budget more for your "traveling" food. $100 doesn't seem like a lot, but I guess it all depends on where, how many meals, what you bring yourselves.

Have a great time!

 

[choirfarm]

Well I haven't been in a long time and I am taking my kids for the first time in September.. my only thoughts are... I know you want to make the most of your time but maybe add a partial day and take the afternoon off to swim and go back to the park for dinner and the evening. It just seems like a pretty tough schedule for a 6 year old to keep up with, but that depends on your child. If someone is a huge space nut I would do Kennedy but otherwise I would skip it. It will take you awhile to get there and get back.... traffic. Unless your family has their heart set on it maybe a water park instead?

Thanks for the insight. So you don't think that my scheduling Thursday as a day off was enough of a break?? I agree about Kennedy. We have been to NASA in Houston, but the boys and dh are space nuts, so I think I am outvoted. Also, I think my 6yo is pretty hardy. It may actually be the 13yo and me going back to rest. Grin. No seriously, I know I said all day, but we may leave in the middle of the day to rest and/or split the party if need be and have me go back with my daughter, but she really is the most adventurous of my children and the most energetic. We decided to stay on site precicely so we could split up if need be. Thanks again!

 

[Disneymommy2006]

Hi! We will actually be at Disney the exact same week you will! Are you waiting or doing bouncback Free Dining? We are hoping to get it for our week, I've heard it may be announced on April 10th! Either way we are using the DDP. Here are our plans (we only schedule the TS...)
Friday 9/5 (travel day) going to Epcot and using CS for supper

Sat. 9/6 Sci-Fi Dine in (paying out of pocket- only getting milkshakes and one appetizer or so to share, Crystal Palace for supper

Sun 9/7 Grand Gathering Safari with family and friends (we have a large group of 15 or so all going) and buffet at Tusker House (counts as 2 TS)

Monday 9/8 San Angel Inn supper

Tuesday 9/9 Ohana supper

Wednesday 9/10 1900 Park Fare supper

Thursday 9/11 Le Cellier supper

Friday 9/12 Chef Mickey supper

Sat- not sure yet thinking of trying new restaurant at Contemporary The Wave
We've made ADRs for all these except Sat. Let me know what you think

 

[tiggerx3]

We went last year and enjoyed Flame Tree BBQ and Pizza planet. In past years, we enjoyed the Hoop Dee Doo and Spirit of Aloha.

Keep in mind, you're going in September and it's really hot at that time of year. Snack credits may go a quick with drinks and ice cream to keep cool.

We too will be there the same time as you this year...traveling 1,125 miles and worth every mile!!