List of Table Dining?? Which one for my kids??

[mindymouse1]

Hi I have a few questions??

I have been to Disney several times but have never had anything beyond counter service. SOOOOO.....

Is there a list of all the restaurants somewhere and kind of like a little rundown on the highlights on each one???

Is there a list for the other non-Disney parks also???

Do you know what you would recommend for a 12 yr old girl (going on 30) and a 6 yr old boy??? Both of whom love animals...

I really only think I will be able to afford two table service meals so I want it to be special. We will be on my son's make a wish trip and I need to go ahead and get it reserved. I think I am going to make a reservation at "Dine with Shamu" on his birthday and one more.

Thanks in advance....

Mindy

 

[Hootch]

at this link. There are reviews on this site but the link has them arranged so they are easier to read for a particular location. There is a link to the menus for each individual restaurant at the top of the review page.

My oldest is only nine so I'm not much help there. When my son was six and my daughter now like character meals. Tusker House breakfast or Chef Mickey's for breakfast or dinner are good. You get most of the major characters at one meal. You could also go to Boma. It's a buffet style restaurant in the Animal Kingdom Lodge. You could take a look around the lodge which is very well themed and maybe look out over the savanah where the animals roam during the day.

One other possibility is Sci Fi Dine In. It has old B movie clips running and many of the tables are built like cars. he food is so so but some kids like the kitchy feel. Go for lunch and stick with burgers and onion rings or fries. Those are probably the best items and they are reasonable by Disney stadards.

And yet another thought. Whispering Canyon Cafe in the Wilderness Lodge. They have all kinds of antics going on. It can be loud. An added benefit is the Lodge itself. It's designed after the national park lodges out west.

Good luck.

http://land.allears.net/reviewpost/showcat.php?cat=32

 

[ilandrazdsw]

Tusker House and Chef Mickey's are great options for breakfast. We enjoy Rainforest Cafe (they should have a web site...animals galore).

Boma is yummy, but a can be a little more for an exotic taste (D).

Sci-Fi was not good for dinner (lousy food and long wait time with ADRs)

50's Primetime had great food (portions are large enough to share) and if you are willing to interact it is a hoot!!!

There are also some dinner shows.

Outside of WDW we went to Midevil Times...IT WAS AWESOME!!! DD3 and DS5 loved it (as did DH). You eat the really yummy food with your hands and see a terrific show.

 

[mindymouse1]

Thanks for all of your suggestions!!!!!!!!

 

[vicb]

mindymouse1, Hi! I can tell you some of the places that have been hits and misses with my kids over the years. We have been 4 times as a family, the first time the kids were just 6 and 3 and we did mostly counter service but since then we vowed to take advantage of the fun dining at Disney. My kids are now 13 and 16 but our trips have covered the age ranges of your kids.

Japan has by far always been their fav dining experience, we've eaten there twice: DD used her souvineer money to do the pick a pearl activity there and have it put in a necklace (she still wears it 5 years later) fun experience, DS loved the selections of Pokemon cards and interesting Japanese candy. We watched the drum show then ate in the Teppan dining room. Maybe because it is so different is why they love this. We usually watch Illuminations from there too, one year we watched from up on the balcony because it was raining so we were covered.

I think the Epcot countries provide a great opportunity to combine activities and make a meal special. Kids did the passports one year too. Or combine a nice sit down meal with a fireworks show... we ate a Wispering Canyon, rode the boat over to MK to watch fireworks and do extra magic hours.

Also one last tip, we have done some of our table service meals for lunch as it is less expensive than dinner time (Le Cellier for example).

Other hits:
50's Prime Time
ESPN
Plaza Rest. (MK)- great milkshakes!
Sci-Fi Drive Inn
Le Cellier (cute kid desserts)
Morocco Rest (belly dancer and shish-ke-bobs)
Whispering Canyon Cafe
Biergarten

Misses: (sometimes we had not so great food or just didn't live up to the
hype)
Tony's Town Square crazy2: worst disney food)
Chef Mickey's
Rose and Crown

Fav. character meals:
Crystal Palace (but that was the year they were soooo young)
Cape May breakfast (Beach Club)
Garden Grill (DH didn't like it but the rest of us did)

Lastly, not to rain on your parade but we did dining with Shamu in San Diego and it wasn't great. Food was mediocre buffet and you ate off paper plates, plastic juice cups and plastic silverware. Maybe it's better in Orlando? You might ask around the board for reviews on that.

Good luck!