I've never done any Disney dining before. Can you assist?

[happylittlefamily]

We are a large family, however, we don't eat much. We snack often, but don't eat large meals.

I had gastric bypass surgery, we have 4 kids-3 of whom are under 4 years old and the 8yr old is on meds that keep him from feeling hungry, and my hubby is not much of an eater.

We don't go "out" to eat often, only because it's a huge waste. We stay at off-site resorts and I cook almost all of our meals.

We will be going up in a few days for another week (we are at Disney A LOT) and was thinking it would be nice to add on some real Disney meals. But, I need a little help. Can you tell me if they offer a typical sit down experience with a menu and allow families to share? Or is that looked down upon?

Here's an example of what we normally can eat out:

A few days ago, we were at MK and went to Launching Pad to get some dinner before the parade started. We hadn't eaten lunch since 1pm and it was just before 8pm. We ordered 3 cheeseburgers w/fries and 2 large drinks.

We ate: 2.5 cheeseburgers and almost no fries. We did drink our drinks.

If we order a meal at Outback for example, we can split 2 Outback Specials (1 6oz, 1 9oz) and have leftovers!! We just aren't big eaters.

Were can we eat and still get some of the Disney Dining experience?? Without paying for food we'll be tossing in the trash?? Thanks!!

 

[wdwcrazy]

I have eaten at quite a few restaurants but I don't know of any sit down restaurants where you can order just for 1 or 2 members of your party. I would suggest probably the Wave at the Contemporary resort. Not because you can order for just 1 or 2 but because of the portion sizes. This is the only restaurant where my husband left hungry after an appetizer and an entree. The portions were so tiny he wound up buying a burger when we got back to the Beach Club. You want a little fun, go to Beaches and Cream at the beach club for dessert and order a kitchen sink. It costs around $22 and will feed everyone. It is a huge ice cream sundae served in a sink. And they make a fuss when you order it. We did this with some friends and they laughed and laughed. Maybe this will give you a little Disney magic.

 

[jimmiej]

With the exception of buffets, you should be able to share. My wife & I share meals often at Disney.

The first place that came to my mind was Liberty Tree Tavern at the Magic Kingdom. Good comfort food in an historical setting.

Rainforest Cafe at Downtown Disney or Animal Kingdom might be fun also.

 

[Lauralooneyfordisney]

I would suggest a place where they serve a dinner as an all you can eat meal to share with the whole family. That way you all get to eat as much or as little as you want without it costing any more. Garden Grill at Epcot is great and has the characters. Also the Whispering Canyon Cafe as an all you can eat skillet to share and it is great too.

 

[PictureJumpr]

I specifically would avoid all-you-can-eat of any type, buffet or family-style, simply because everyone in the party will be charged the full meal price.

I would, however, book tables at a-la-carte TS places where I wished to dine, and enjoy appetizers split among us and/or share entree plates as I saw fit, and then pay the proper tab and be gone.

We do this often in the afternoon, when we aren't interested in large lunch meals but like to take a break. Most times, if the server is told we are sharing something, they will bring it from the kitchen already divided onto two plates.

We have never had anyone refuse to serve us just what we ordered.

 

[happylittlefamily]

I "love" the Kitchen Sink idea! My kids would get a huge kick out of that! I can't eat much sugar without feeling pretty sick, but if I could sample from a big ol' sundae, that would be fun as I never would order one for myself.

Another great question might be...

Where would you recommend we go "sampling" around the resorts and parks?

Ideas like the Kitchen Sink that would make it fun for the kids. Since we have never ventured into the resorts, other than a couple early stays at All Star Movies when our family was MUCH smaller, we just haven't toured them.

However, we will be touring the resorts on our next trip to look at all the neat Christmas stuff that I keep hearing about, so it would be great to know where you think we'd have a good time stopping in for a couple appetizers or desserts or small meals.

We went to Rainforest Cafe a month or so ago and got 2 orders of the chips and Queso. We were STUFFED and never even ordered dinner because we ended up taking home chips and queso with us! LOL I think the server may have been irrked when I told her weren't going to order meals afterall. LOL We tipped her just fine, but still, I guess they assume we are being cheapy because we don't order much. But we were just way too full. It was my daughter's birthday and we ordered the Volcano dessert thing as her birthday dessert to share as a family and we never finished it.

I love all of your ideas and look forward to more. Think "kid-friendly" if possible. We never eat out at sit-down meals, so I definitely wouldn't want to take them somewhere where they'd be expected to sit still or be quiet, which is impossible on a great day! LOL

 

[happylittlefamily]

I specifically would avoid all-you-can-eat of any type, buffet or family-style, simply because everyone in the party will be charged the full meal price.

I would, however, book tables at a-la-carte TS places where I wished to dine, and enjoy appetizers split among us and/or share entree plates as I saw fit, and then pay the proper tab and be gone.

We do this often in the afternoon, when we aren't interested in large lunch meals but like to take a break. Most times, if the server is told we are sharing something, they will bring it from the kitchen already divided onto two plates.

We have never had anyone refuse to serve us just what we ordered.

I agree. All you can eat is NEVER a good fit for our family. No matter how cheap, we just can't eat enough. Even Ci-Ci's pizza is a waste for our family. LOL All 6 of us MAY be able to finish a large pizza on a day when we are all super hungry. Otherwise, there is usually at least a couple pieces left even then. We've done Character breakfasts before and I dislike wasting so much money for so little food, but that is the most economical time to do a "character dining" experience. I'd love to do a prime rib dinner...however, we'd have to split it between at least hubby and I, if not all of us.

I guess I need to research which places are considered table-service (that's what TS means, right? LOL) and go from there. We have no problem splurging for those special foods you can't easily make yourself, like Japanese hibachi style or special steaks, roasts, good wholesome foods. Nothing seafood or anything too fancy or the kids won't be comfy going. I'm excited. I want to plan this as a little adventure for them. They will have a blast sampling here and there And boy will I be pleased to pass on another Launching Pad burger. hee,hee

 

[TDC Nala]

I'm assuming your family is not considering the dining plan. If you are, you probably shouldn't.

I will agree with the above advice - avoid buffets, all you can eat family style restaurants, dinner shows, and CRT or Akershus. All these will charge each party member (except the 2 year old) a full fixed price regardless of how much or how little they eat. Unfortunately this includes all character meals - so if you are looking for a character meal, you may have to splurge a bit to pay for one.

 

[snykymom]

We had no problems sharing the last time we were there. There were two of us; we'd order and appetizer, sometimes 1 or 2 entrees, and share a dessert. Sometimes one wouldn't order anything and we'd share whatever. We weren't on the DP. They didn't charge a "sharing fee" or anything like that.

You shouldn't have any problem.

 

[JimmyV]

I'm going to come at this from a slightly different angle. I think that you should plan one (or two at the most) sit-down Disney meals and try to divorce yourself from the notion that you have to achieve “value” for your meal, and instead enjoy the experience for what it is. Don’t think of it as a “meal” so much as another new adventure at WDW. Look at it this way. If you add up the price one pays for each ride down one of the water slides at a water park, or the price one pays for each ride one does in a single day at the MK, are you really getting your money’s worth? If you go to Epcot one day and only visit FW and skip WS, did you still have fun, or do you sit and worry about getting your money’s worth? The same attitude can apply to a restaurant visit where you don’t eat all the food that they serve you, especially if you are only going once. Do it. Order meals. Eat half of it. Enjoy the experience and look at the cost as a cost of entertainment and fun as opposed to a cost for food that you did not eat. If you were going to spend $60 buying a couple of meals to share, spend $90 instead and avoid the angst. As posted above, you can certainly share. I am not suggesting that everyone order their own app and entree. Order what you are comfortable with. Whatever "extra" money you spend over a "typical" meal for you is an entertainment cost. And don’t be afraid to bring the leftovers back to your hotel. Many offsite places have refrigerators, and even if they don’t, $5 at a local Publix will get you a Styrofoam cooler that you can pack with ice and turn it into your own fridge.

 

[bijoli666]

Teppan Edo (in Japan, EPCOT) may be a good fit---it does the hibachi grill cooking, and I've heard it's yummy Steamed rice, veggies, meats. The kids would probably like the chef cooking right in front of them, and I've heard the portions are not too large.

 

[Quin]

In the parks, Sci-Fi Diner comes immediately to mind as a good place to just order some random items - 3 apps & 1 dessert? - and share while you enjoy the entertainment.

In the resorts, obviously those with food-court arrangements would let you order to suit yourselves, and even at those you don't HAVE to get a burger. Pepper Market at CSR might be a 'crossover' experience. But for fun resort sit-down non-buffet table service? I'd suggest you spend a full day reading menus - both kids and adults, because while people on the Dining Plan have to stick to their own age-group-menu, people paying cash usually do not. Pretty much ignore the entrees and focus on appetizers and desserts. It sounds like those will best fit your needs. And I think the servers at Disney restaurants are used to all types of eaters - big, small, picky, allergic, whatever. They shouldn't bat an eye at pretty much anything.

 

[DCDisney]

Sharing isn't a problem with entrees between 2 people or appetizers for the whole table. Sharing kids meals though I'm not sure if they'll do because mainly they are pretty small to start with. The kids TS burger is less than half the size burger you shared for example. Chicken is 1 leg or 4 nuggets. There is also a tiny little cup of ice cream to create your own sundae for dessert which would be very hard to share nicely. I agree with the PP of perhaps doing a few meals as experiences. If you go somewhere neat like Sci Fi DIne In or 50's Primetime and share 1 adult meal and get 4 kids meals or just do a bunch of apps and desserts for the table I think you'll have fun. You may throw away lots of fries from kids meals but the protein serving is small.

 

[Beckypooh1972]

I'm going to come at this from a slightly different angle. I think that you should plan one (or two at the most) sit-down Disney meals and try to divorce yourself from the notion that you have to achieve “value” for your meal, and instead enjoy the experience for what it is. Don’t think of it as a “meal” so much as another new adventure at WDW. Look at it this way. If you add up the price one pays for each ride down one of the water slides at a water park, or the price one pays for each ride one does in a single day at the MK, are you really getting your money’s worth? If you go to Epcot one day and only visit FW and skip WS, did you still have fun, or do you sit and worry about getting your money’s worth? The same attitude can apply to a restaurant visit where you don’t eat all the food that they serve you, especially if you are only going once. Do it. Order meals. Eat half of it. Enjoy the experience and look at the cost as a cost of entertainment and fun as opposed to a cost for food that you did not eat. If you were going to spend $60 buying a couple of meals to share, spend $90 instead and avoid the angst. As posted above, you can certainly share. I am not suggesting that everyone order their own app and entree. Order what you are comfortable with. Whatever "extra" money you spend over a "typical" meal for you is an entertainment cost. And don’t be afraid to bring the leftovers back to your hotel. Many offsite places have refrigerators, and even if they don’t, $5 at a local Publix will get you a Styrofoam cooler that you can pack with ice and turn it into your own fridge.

I couldn't agree more! I suggest a themed restaurant - one of our faves with our kids is The 50's Primetime Cafe in H.S. - the food is great especially palatable for kids and the atmosphere is really cute - you get the sense of being in a 1950's sitcom with all the knick knacks and kitsch. Three of you could eat on the fried chicken dinner alone if cost is truly an issue.

 

[happylittlefamily]

The cost factor isn't the issue, though I would definitely cringe at spending $125+ on meals that we really didn't need and would either be thrown out or probably never get eaten even if brought back to our resort. It's the waste factor. The unnecessary waste of food...especially after having had such a drastic surgery, you know?

The night we went to Rainforest at DTD, the 2 orders of chips and queso, the kids having Shirley Temples, hubby and I have a drink + a soda, and then the dessert, we paid over $85 after tipping. Hefty for a bag of chips and cheese dip and brownie with some ice cream, plus a couple beers. LOL I did think it was funny when the server got a little lazy with us after we ordered realizing we weren't ordering full meals, even though I told her we were stuffed with the chips and queso. It wasn't until we actually requested to-go containers to take home the leftovers that she realized we weren't being cheap and truly were just not big eaters. Hee,hee.

We would never order kid meals as adults. That was never something we would have considered doing. I don't care to order kid meals for my children either. I prefer ordering something we all enjoy from the regular menu and sharing to avoid them eating foods that are generally not very healthy. Also, it allows them to explore other foods since most kid menus tend to have the same 4-5 options.

No, we wouldn't be doing the dining plan, as that hasn't been something we've ever felt drawn to at this point. Well, until I realized how extensive Disney dining can be! OMG. I had no idea there were so many places to explore and try! I think we might have to stick with a la carte type places or the typical restaurant style dining. My kids love going to hibachi Japanese steakhouses, which we do to entertain them and they LOVE the food, so it's a great experience.

We use "Little House on the Prairie" as a part of our homeschooling curriculum and have embraced Pa's "cash on the barrel" mentality. We have no debt and pay cash for everything, live without credit cards, etc, which helps keep our priorities in line when we go up to Disney. We do Disney at least monthly for at least a few days to a week at a time, which we value greatly. I want to gift the family some of these great dining experiences, but only if it doesn't keep us from being able to keep doing what we love most, which is being able to enjoy coming back...often

 

[MSSANDRA]

Maybe your family would enjoy "eating around the world". Not sit down but you could order 1 meal at one country and all eat a little bit and then move on and order something else at another country till you all have enough. Lots of things to try.


I think any sit down is going to give you the same feeling you had a RFC (one I was going to suggest), it's going to cost you a lot of money for a little food. You just have to decide if it's worth it or not. DH and DGS and I share a lot and it's not an issue.
.

 

[happylittlefamily]

Maybe your family would enjoy "eating around the world". Not sit down but you could order 1 meal at one country and all eat a little bit and then move on and order something else at another country till you all have enough. Lots of things to try.


I think any sit down is going to give you the same feeling you had a RFC (one I was going to suggest), it's going to cost you a lot of money for a little food. You just have to decide if it's worth it or not. DH and DGS and I share a lot and it's not an issue.
.

I actually think we will end up trying that and also visit the counter service type spots as we see ones we think fit our liking. I am sure if it was just hubby and I, or even hubby and I and one of our children, splitting a meal wouldn't seem like a big deal, but when restaurants see a large family like ours split 2 meals or a couple appetizers and a meal, it just doesn't seem like it sits well with them. It's unfortunate that we can't really tour the restaurants the way we'd like to be able to, but I guess, until the kids are older and have much larger appetites, it is what it is. LOL Thanks for your help! I've yet to visit the WS side of Epcot, so it'll be a treat for all of us when we do on our next trip! We love to eat...just not a lot at once

 

[Mouse's Shadow]

Restaurant Marrakesh is a lot of fun. Check out their menu. They have a sampler meal that all of you might like to try. We were a party of 7 with some very picky eaters, and it was one of our favorite dining experiences. The food is very good. The kids will love the show and they can even participate.

I agree with PP, choose restaurants you want to experience. You won't have any trouble sharing meals. 50's Prime Time is always a hoot. Sci Fi is fun to sit in the cars at the drive-in-theater, The aquarium at Coral Reef is great. If the kids have never been to a Japanese restaurant then you could try Teppan Edo where they make a show out of preparing your food in front of you, Les Chefs de France has an interactive Remy from Ratatouille, and although I've never eaten there, I've heard that Whispering Canyon is great for kids.

 

[NMW]

I actually think we will end up trying that and also visit the counter service type spots as we see ones we think fit our liking. I am sure if it was just hubby and I, or even hubby and I and one of our children, splitting a meal wouldn't seem like a big deal, but when restaurants see a large family like ours split 2 meals or a couple appetizers and a meal, it just doesn't seem like it sits well with them. It's unfortunate that we can't really tour the restaurants the way we'd like to be able to, but I guess, until the kids are older and have much larger appetites, it is what it is. LOL Thanks for your help! I've yet to visit the WS side of Epcot, so it'll be a treat for all of us when we do on our next trip! We love to eat...just not a lot at once

I understand completely. I don't eat a ton of food at a time either. Last week at On the Border I had some of our guacamole appetizer and wine. By the time my dinner came, I took almost the entire thing home with me.

My sons are the ones that would make sharing a couple meals impossible in our family! They are 12 and 14 and play football and lacrosse pretty much year round and are always starving. They can easily eat an appetizer and full dinner at WDW TS reataurants and most times can even eat the dessert. They are thin but very active! If I told them they had to split a meal, they would look at me like I was crazy.

My DD 8 on the other hand, is a light eater although she likes many different types of foods. She just can't eat that much of it. Except for tacos...for some reason that girl can come close to matching her brothers with tacos.

I would take the advice of other posters that advised that you just book the restaurants you want to experience and enjoy the atmosphere as well as the food. I would not feel bad about only ordering a couple meals and splitting them. Just go and enjoy yourselves!

 

[MusiqChic99]

In the parks, Sci-Fi Diner comes immediately to mind as a good place to just order some random items - 3 apps & 1 dessert? - and share while you enjoy the entertainment.

In the resorts, obviously those with food-court arrangements would let you order to suit yourselves, and even at those you don't HAVE to get a burger. Pepper Market at CSR might be a 'crossover' experience. But for fun resort sit-down non-buffet table service? I'd suggest you spend a full day reading menus - both kids and adults, because while people on the Dining Plan have to stick to their own age-group-menu, people paying cash usually do not. Pretty much ignore the entrees and focus on appetizers and desserts. It sounds like those will best fit your needs. And I think the servers at Disney restaurants are used to all types of eaters - big, small, picky, allergic, whatever. They shouldn't bat an eye at pretty much anything.

Yes Sci-Fi is a good choice for sharing.

Wolfgang Puck Cafe...the table service... is great for sharing too. We got a pasta dish and a pizza and it was enough for 3 of us to share. The pizza is delicious too!

Even at the CS meals you can share. 4 of us shared nachos at the new CS Mexican place. We considered it a snack but quickly realized it was pretty filling. I can easliy see a family sharing some tacos and the nachos.

Good luck in your search for dining!