Is this a dream list for an 8 yr old?

[LaurenT]

OK..here it is - final list.
This will be the first trip where it's just my 8 yr old daughter, Becky and me!
We're going for 2 weeks at the end of August! I did leave 2 days with no ADR, we will have a condo with full kitchen - so we can wing it a bit.
Here are my choices (I have decided against any signature places...I don't think it would be enjoyable without DH...we'll hit those in Oct).

CRT - Breakfast
Via Napoli - Dinner
Spirit Of Aloha - 8 pm show (I know we risk uncomfortable heat, but have
read several mid summer reviews where they were fine at the 8 pm
show...I think there re overhead fans)
Hollywood & Vine - lunch (I know...but Becky REALLY wants some face time
with Agent Oso).
Mama Melrose - Late lunch, fantasmic package.
Garden Grill - Dinner
Hoop De Doo - 5 pm Cat 1 seats! - this will be after a typhoon lagoon day.
1900 Park Fare - Late breakfast (Alice & Madhatter)
Tusker House - Breakfast
Boma - Breakfast
Teppan Edo - Dinner

Any thoughts? I really tried to make picks based on what an 8 year old would love....

 

[Quin]

They look fine!

Since Garden Grill is a family-style set menu, make sure the food items all appeal to her. Same concern with Teppan Edo; the presentation is fun but it's useless if the kid does not actually like the food. If you need to substitute out one or both, other good Epcot options would be the Biergarten buffet, Coral Reef to eat while watching the fish, and/or Chefs de France (fancy mac-n-cheese, timed so that she gets to meet Remy).

Can't you get the F! package with the H&V ADR? Unless she is a big Italian food fan she may not be thrilled with MM (and if she does like Italian she might enjoy the theming and menu choices at Tony's in MK better).

 

[LaurenT]

They look fine!

Since Garden Grill is a family-style set menu, make sure the food items all appeal to her. Same concern with Teppan Edo; the presentation is fun but it's useless if the kid does not actually like the food. If you need to substitute out one or both, other good Epcot options would be the Biergarten buffet, Coral Reef to eat while watching the fish, and/or Chefs de France (fancy mac-n-cheese, timed so that she gets to meet Remy).

Can't you get the F! package with the H&V ADR? Unless she is a big Italian food fan she may not be thrilled with MM (and if she does like Italian she might enjoy the theming and menu choices at Tony's in MK better).

Thanks for all the advice!
I would have been very happy to combine Becky's Oso request with the F! package...but the H&V F! is dinner only and...no characters at dinner! I',m not a fan of H&V..just going there for Oso...no Oso...no go!
We do like the food at Mama Melrose..the service has been hit or miss...but I don't think we'll be in a rush this time....
Becky is a pretty adventurous eater for an 8 yr old! She'll love Teppan Edo - we go to hibachi locally...my DH doesn't really care for it, so I figured I'd take Becky this time since he won't be with us.
Love Coral Reef, but again, saving that one to share with DH. We just did Chefs de France...it was Becky's b'day and Remy came around a second time for us..I was very surprised ince I've been told they never do this (and I didn't even ask..the CM hooked us up..seeing how much Becky loved Remy).
I have never been to Biergarten...I actually had it on the list and then changed it when I started thinking seriously about heavy german food in the heat of the Orlando summer...maybe we'll try it when we go back with DH..I hear it's alot of fun!
I hope she likes Garden Grill...I always say I'm going to try it - and never do...it's Chip and Dale..right?

 

[CathieArms]

OK..here it is - final list.
This will be the first trip where it's just my 8 yr old daughter, Becky and me!
We're going for 2 weeks at the end of August! I did leave 2 days with no ADR, we will have a condo with full kitchen - so we can wing it a bit.
Here are my choices (I have decided against any signature places...I don't think it would be enjoyable without DH...we'll hit those in Oct).

CRT - Breakfast
Via Napoli - Dinner
Spirit Of Aloha - 8 pm show (I know we risk uncomfortable heat, but have
read several mid summer reviews where they were fine at the 8 pm
show...I think there re overhead fans)
Hollywood & Vine - lunch (I know...but Becky REALLY wants some face time
with Agent Oso).
Mama Melrose - Late lunch, fantasmic package.
Garden Grill - Dinner
Hoop De Doo - 5 pm Cat 1 seats! - this will be after a typhoon lagoon day.
1900 Park Fare - Late breakfast (Alice & Madhatter)
Tusker House - Breakfast
Boma - Breakfast
Teppan Edo - Dinner

Any thoughts? I really tried to make picks based on what an 8 year old would love....

It looks awesome! The only thing that doesn't look quite as much fun is the Spirit of Aloha, but that's just cuz it doesn't appeal to me. If it's something she's interested in, I think you should do it.

I'm kinda wishing I was your 8 year old daughter! Would you like to take a 40 year old woman instead?

 

[nathaliabrown]

When I went with my daughter when she was 8 her fav was Chef Mickeys. This is one we cant miss each time we go. We also did both dinner shows and she enjoyed the Spirit of Aloha a whole lot more then Hoop de doo. We have the habbachi style cooking here in town and my kids from 3-12 always love going to this type of eatery I think she would really enjoy Teppan Edo. Enjoy

 

[MickeyNicki]

Looks good to me...I think it all depends on the child.

My niece would be thrilled with nothing but character breakfasts every single day but she could care less about lunch or dinner (picky eater)

 

[LuvLuvLuv]

Hollywood and Vine's Breakfast is pretty yummy. Have you thought about doing a before the park opens breakfast, or a later breakfast?? That way you don't have to suffer thru their lunch food!

 

[Magic3forme]

we did 1900 Park Fare for dinner not breakfast, and it was the Step sisters, Cinderella and PC. it was the most entertaining meal we have had... it is loud... The step sisters were screaming at each other in the middle of the restaurant... and the food was really good. My son wasnt thrilled, because Anastasia kissed him, but the video is priceless.

 

[LaurenT]

When I went with my daughter when she was 8 her fav was Chef Mickeys. This is one we cant miss each time we go. We also did both dinner shows and she enjoyed the Spirit of Aloha a whole lot more then Hoop de doo. We have the habbachi style cooking here in town and my kids from 3-12 always love going to this type of eatery I think she would really enjoy Teppan Edo. Enjoy

I've had really bad luck with chef mickeys! I've tried it twice and both times it was a disaster...there are plenty of people who love it though - so I guess it's hit or miss (I just prefer something more consistent for those prices!).
I'm glad your DD likes Spirit of Aloha...it's gotten mixed reviews - I know Becky will love Hoop De Doo because she cracks up at any kind of slapstick...I hope she loves Aloha too!

 

[LaurenT]

Looks good to me...I think it all depends on the child.

My niece would be thrilled with nothing but character breakfasts every single day but she could care less about lunch or dinner (picky eater)

I got lucky with Becky...she's a pretty adventurous eater - she was 9 months old when we brought her home from China and she was already eating spicy Hunan food from our chopsticks during our trip over to get her (we were assured that all the Hunan babies like spicy food)!
She'll always have some broccoli for me and will at least taste new things...

 

[LaurenT]

Hollywood and Vine's Breakfast is pretty yummy. Have you thought about doing a before the park opens breakfast, or a later breakfast?? That way you don't have to suffer thru their lunch food!

I've got pre park bkfsts at CRT and Tusker already..I was getting a little concerned with getting Becky up that early too many times..but it is a thought!
How badly can they mess up breakfast!
I'll check availability - thanks!

 

[LaurenT]

we did 1900 Park Fare for dinner not breakfast, and it was the Step sisters, Cinderella and PC. it was the most entertaining meal we have had... it is loud... The step sisters were screaming at each other in the middle of the restaurant... and the food was really good. My son wasnt thrilled, because Anastasia kissed him, but the video is priceless.

That sounds awesome! Hmmm....I'll have to look at switching that to a dinner! Maybe we can do an early one after our afternoon break (we've never done breaks before....but we've never done 2 weeks in Aug before) and then head back into MK...
I can get the resort monorail from TTC without switching - right?

 

[LaurenT]

OK, I switched H&V to a breakfast and 1900 Park Fare to a dinner!
Anything else?

 

[Magic3forme]

That sounds awesome! Hmmm....I'll have to look at switching that to a dinner! Maybe we can do an early one after our afternoon break (we've never done breaks before....but we've never done 2 weeks in Aug before) and then head back into MK...
I can get the resort monorail from TTC without switching - right?

yes the GF is the 2nd stop from the TTC. just head for the Resort monorails.

 

[Chelley00]

DD and I did a mother daughter trip for her 8th birthday in 2009.

We did some of the similar ones you are doing. I agree with changing H&V to breakfast instead of lunch. We loved breakfast, and if you go after 9am or so, the place will clear out and you'll have Oso and the others to yourself.

 

[Wendy31]

Your choices look fun!!

For my DD, you'd only be missing a meal w/ Minnie. My DD fell in love w/ Minnie on our 1st trip & almost liked her as well as the princesses.

Too bad LTT is not still a character meal. The only places to eat w/ Minnie are Cape May (breakfast) & Chef Mickey's. Cape May would be cute - Minnie & Goofy are in their swim attire.

It's another breakfast, but, since you switched 1900 Park Fare to dinner, you could add another breakfast now! You could do Cape May before your EPCOT day...

 

[LaurenT]

Your choices look fun!!

For my DD, you'd only be missing a meal w/ Minnie. My DD fell in love w/ Minnie on our 1st trip & almost liked her as well as the princesses.

Too bad LTT is not still a character meal. The only places to eat w/ Minnie are Cape May (breakfast) & Chef Mickey's. Cape May would be cute - Minnie & Goofy are in their swim attire.

It's another breakfast, but, since you switched 1900 Park Fare to dinner, you could add another breakfast now! You could do Cape May before your EPCOT day...

We love the Cape May breakfast! But we'll be staying at BCV in Oct - so I'm sure we'll do it then.

 

[LynneyPooh]

I think DD will love garden grill. We took DD there when she was
6. She asked if we're going again in June. (She'll be 9). All the charecters were great, we went for Mickey, but she's still talking about chip and dale, and the one - I can't EVER remember which one is which- that "ate" her mac and cheese.

 

[pharmgirl69]

we did 1900 Park Fare for dinner not breakfast, and it was the Step sisters, Cinderella and PC. it was the most entertaining meal we have had... it is loud... The step sisters were screaming at each other in the middle of the restaurant... and the food was really good. My son wasnt thrilled, because Anastasia kissed him, but the video is priceless.

I second this one! We just did 1900 for dinner last week and both my DD8 and DD18 fell in love with Prince Charming. The stepsisters were hysterical. The food was mediocre but the character interaction was fantastic

 

[LaurenT]

Chip has a black nose (think chocolate chip for a nose).
That's how I tell them apart....

Very excited for 1900 Park Fare Dinner..glad I changed it. I got a 5:00 dinner slot - so, we'll stay in MK until noon, go back for a swim, shower go back to TTC, then we can do 1900 PF and head back into the park for the evening!