jm106
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- Jan 3, 2009
- Messages
- 2,038
I thought I would side track a bit to talk about FOOD! Now this is one of my favorite subjects. I love to cook, I love to plan healthy meals and I love to see how great my kids are at meals, non picky and well behaved 
Through out my early planning I was really leaning towards DDP. I did some reasearch and considered how we like to tour, how much spontanaity we like and home much planned time we would want. We decided to lean away from DDP.
Once I looked at menus and thinking about eating habits on previous trips including WDW, I started to see that as much as we love great foods and sit down meals at home, on vacation we tend to change it a bit. My little ones arent big breakfast eaters, and I often skip it until mid morning snack. I also realized that DH and I can get away with sharing and adding an appetizer or soup/salad because we snack on vacation and arent as hungry at meal times.
In addition to not being as hingry, we really dont want to stop the fun just for a meal every day 3 times per day. In St Thomas in June, we were a group of 8, 4 kids and 4 adults and I dont think we planned out one meal time all week. We stopped as needed or snacked instead. We realized it was easier to entice children out of the pool with a big bowl of fruit, crackers and cheese then saying dry off, get showered and dresssed and sit for a meal.
SO this is my motivation behind my familes food choices.
Dh and I discussed character meals. We decided on 2 then went back to just one. Chef Mickeys. Ods most vivid memory from '08 was chef mickeys, he evenplays chef mickey not kitchen or cooking at home. He loved it and we were sure it was a must do.
On the second one, Ohana was my choice. I wanted Ohana for dinner on one of my Magic Kingdom days but couldnt make it work time wise. I have a determination to get to Ohana. During '08 trip, hard as I try I couldnt get Ohana. I called (pre Online ADR) and called and finally after I think 8 calls I found a spot!! So on the day we headed onto MK and the rains came I knew it wasnt in the cards. We took a midday rest back to our resort but on the way, huge accident in front of us. It was bad and we dat on the highway, hungry and wet for almost 3 hrs. By the time we made it back to Hilton, it was too late to have lunch and rest, clean up and with it still raining head back.
Ok Back to 2011- So on our Day one MK day we didnt want a stop to back track out of MK to Poly for Ohana with a later day arrival in the park. My second MK day, ADR were only available at 8:30 pm, too late for small kids.
I had already planned my day of rest for DTD but thought, no reason we cant add Ohana for dinner and still head to DTD after
yeah a plan! I checked and sure enough 5:20 ADR just for us! Oh happy day
Then it was how many places did we really want to get to eat. DH and I have special feelings for San angel. Again, canceled that adr last time with weather and we were sad. I was torn however, on trying La hasienda but the atmospher in San Angel is great so why mess with it.
DHS, UGH the choices are not my favorite. As it stands. no ADR. Ods has made his choice of Piazza planet VERY clear. Maybe lunch or possibly dinner. Now that said, I think he's not going to like the food, just the place because... its Toy Story, nuff said. We live in NJ, grew up on NY style pizza. We have a pizzaria down the road and its darn good. Times we get pizza from restaurants that arent offical pizza places, the kids were less then thrilled. DH ordered them pizza from a chain place and the verdict- well Ods ate DH sausage and bean soup as a "trade" and yds had my fettuchini and salad
My kids know good food.
So meals were done for me until... Tomorrowlands Dessert Party came across my screen. I thought, What is this, I must know more. Fireworks and brownies, moosue and cookies?? It didnt take much to make that call. I love the idea! No crowd for WIshes, no trying to get a spot or adults standing in front of the kids and a nice restful viewing along with dessert! I asked ods if he wanted this over ADR someplace and it was a firm yes. I didnt have to ask my sweet toothed DH, and yds is still free.
So the finall tally on ADR
EP- San Angel Dinner
Ohana on non-park day
Chef Mickeys on last MK day, early,yikes
and WIshes Dessert Party. This will be our exit as its our last night, a great way to finish. We wanted to keep the tradition of finishing at MK with Wishes.
And that is it. I will admit, Sci Fi is a consideration but only if it works time wise for a walk in upon return to DHS from break, maybe. I looked into Sanna (?) at AKL, but I think foods are a bit exotic for DH. Our resort will fufill breakfast and lunches when we happen to be there. Flame tree, DH has made his request for at AK lunch.
And now for some sleep, and dreams of what tomrrow will bring on day 3 of our wondeful world of disney...

Through out my early planning I was really leaning towards DDP. I did some reasearch and considered how we like to tour, how much spontanaity we like and home much planned time we would want. We decided to lean away from DDP.
Once I looked at menus and thinking about eating habits on previous trips including WDW, I started to see that as much as we love great foods and sit down meals at home, on vacation we tend to change it a bit. My little ones arent big breakfast eaters, and I often skip it until mid morning snack. I also realized that DH and I can get away with sharing and adding an appetizer or soup/salad because we snack on vacation and arent as hungry at meal times.
In addition to not being as hingry, we really dont want to stop the fun just for a meal every day 3 times per day. In St Thomas in June, we were a group of 8, 4 kids and 4 adults and I dont think we planned out one meal time all week. We stopped as needed or snacked instead. We realized it was easier to entice children out of the pool with a big bowl of fruit, crackers and cheese then saying dry off, get showered and dresssed and sit for a meal.
SO this is my motivation behind my familes food choices.
Dh and I discussed character meals. We decided on 2 then went back to just one. Chef Mickeys. Ods most vivid memory from '08 was chef mickeys, he evenplays chef mickey not kitchen or cooking at home. He loved it and we were sure it was a must do.
On the second one, Ohana was my choice. I wanted Ohana for dinner on one of my Magic Kingdom days but couldnt make it work time wise. I have a determination to get to Ohana. During '08 trip, hard as I try I couldnt get Ohana. I called (pre Online ADR) and called and finally after I think 8 calls I found a spot!! So on the day we headed onto MK and the rains came I knew it wasnt in the cards. We took a midday rest back to our resort but on the way, huge accident in front of us. It was bad and we dat on the highway, hungry and wet for almost 3 hrs. By the time we made it back to Hilton, it was too late to have lunch and rest, clean up and with it still raining head back.
Ok Back to 2011- So on our Day one MK day we didnt want a stop to back track out of MK to Poly for Ohana with a later day arrival in the park. My second MK day, ADR were only available at 8:30 pm, too late for small kids.
I had already planned my day of rest for DTD but thought, no reason we cant add Ohana for dinner and still head to DTD after

Then it was how many places did we really want to get to eat. DH and I have special feelings for San angel. Again, canceled that adr last time with weather and we were sad. I was torn however, on trying La hasienda but the atmospher in San Angel is great so why mess with it.
DHS, UGH the choices are not my favorite. As it stands. no ADR. Ods has made his choice of Piazza planet VERY clear. Maybe lunch or possibly dinner. Now that said, I think he's not going to like the food, just the place because... its Toy Story, nuff said. We live in NJ, grew up on NY style pizza. We have a pizzaria down the road and its darn good. Times we get pizza from restaurants that arent offical pizza places, the kids were less then thrilled. DH ordered them pizza from a chain place and the verdict- well Ods ate DH sausage and bean soup as a "trade" and yds had my fettuchini and salad

So meals were done for me until... Tomorrowlands Dessert Party came across my screen. I thought, What is this, I must know more. Fireworks and brownies, moosue and cookies?? It didnt take much to make that call. I love the idea! No crowd for WIshes, no trying to get a spot or adults standing in front of the kids and a nice restful viewing along with dessert! I asked ods if he wanted this over ADR someplace and it was a firm yes. I didnt have to ask my sweet toothed DH, and yds is still free.
So the finall tally on ADR
EP- San Angel Dinner
Ohana on non-park day
Chef Mickeys on last MK day, early,yikes
and WIshes Dessert Party. This will be our exit as its our last night, a great way to finish. We wanted to keep the tradition of finishing at MK with Wishes.
And that is it. I will admit, Sci Fi is a consideration but only if it works time wise for a walk in upon return to DHS from break, maybe. I looked into Sanna (?) at AKL, but I think foods are a bit exotic for DH. Our resort will fufill breakfast and lunches when we happen to be there. Flame tree, DH has made his request for at AK lunch.
And now for some sleep, and dreams of what tomrrow will bring on day 3 of our wondeful world of disney...