Lunch at DHS?

[bangzoom6877]

We're (DH, me, DS7 and DS4 who will be 5 by then) going back to WDW in July, and we will be spending 2 days at DHS. On one of the days, 6 other family members are joining us so we will eat lunch at Sci-Fi and dinner at 50s Prime Time on that day, since they want to try both.

I'm trying to figure out where to go to lunch on the other DHS day. I was thinking about Hollywood & Vine because Jake is there "from "Jake & the Neverland Pirates") and my kids like him, but then when I found out about the Pirates & Pals Fireworks Voyage, DH and I opted for that instead. I just don't think the character lunch at H&V is worth it since they're not into the rest of the characters there. Mama Melrose is out for sure, because we're too picky about Italian food (Italians from Brooklyn, NY). That leaves Hollywood Brown Derby as the last TS option, but it's too expensive for lunch.

So, that leaves CS at DHS. We will be going on an EMH morning so by 11:30 or 12 we will be ready for lunch. We do prefer TS though, we're really not into CS in the theme parks. We are staying at Boardwalk Villas, and we can boat it over to that area for lunch, but then I don't think we would want to return to the park. Not sure what to do. Any suggestions?

 

[thegib95]

When we are at DHS we always make time to go to Pizza Planet for Lunch, straight out of Toy Story it is just part of disney magic we have to include in our trip, we plan very few counter serve meals, if we do not have a ADR for something we plan on winging it for that meal, but we make a point to put Pizza Planet on our itinerary!

Just what we love!

 

[bangzoom6877]

When we are at DHS we always make time to go to Pizza Planet for Lunch, straight out of Toy Story it is just part of disney magic we have to include in our trip, we plan very few counter serve meals, if we do not have a ADR for something we plan on winging it for that meal, but we make a point to put Pizza Planet on our itinerary!

Just what we love!

Thanks for the suggestion! We went to Pizza Planet in 2008 and liked it. I don't eat theme park pizza so I got the salad with chicken in it, which was delicious. DH said the pizza was OK, but he's not a pizza snob like I am. Is it hard to find a table there? Can one of us sit down with the kids while the other adult gets the food? These are the things that make me avoid CS places.

 

[nkereina]

We ate at Pizza Planet in September and hated it. We thought it was hard to find a table - it's one of the smallest seating areas for a CS restaurant. We had to sit outside (in that September heat) and pull up a high top table to the brick wall and sit on the wall to eat. Also, my pizza was not sliced and when I asked the CM who put it on the tray if it was supposed to be sliced he said "it's supposed to be. There's knives by the napkins" - basically telling me to use a plastic knife and do it myself. It was a turn off to me.

If I were you, I might try to go over to Beaches & Cream at YC/BC for lunch. No ADR required, and if you go around 11 when they open, there's little wait. We also love ESPN Club at Boardwalk - again, no ADR required, great menu, and everything we have eaten there has been good. ESPN Club may be better for a larger group too. It would be a nice way to break up the day, and you can avoid the stress of a bigger group at a CS restaurant.

 

[bangzoom6877]

We ate at Pizza Planet in September and hated it. We thought it was hard to find a table - it's one of the smallest seating areas for a CS restaurant. We had to sit outside (in that September heat) and pull up a high top table to the brick wall and sit on the wall to eat. Also, my pizza was not sliced and when I asked the CM who put it on the tray if it was supposed to be sliced he said "it's supposed to be. There's knives by the napkins" - basically telling me to use a plastic knife and do it myself. It was a turn off to me.

If I were you, I might try to go over to Beaches & Cream at YC/BC for lunch. No ADR required, and if you go around 11 when they open, there's little wait. We also love ESPN Club at Boardwalk - again, no ADR required, great menu, and everything we have eaten there has been good. ESPN Club may be better for a larger group too. It would be a nice way to break up the day, and you can avoid the stress of a bigger group at a CS restaurant.

Wow, that is a turn-off! I would never want to go back if something like that happened.

On the day we would need a CS, it will just be the 4 of us. ESPN Club sounds like a good idea...maybe we could head over there at around 11:30. That would give us 3 and a half hours at DHS (it's an EMH morning) before taking a break, and we should be at ESPN by noon. I think that with the second DHS day, we will get to do everything we want. Or maybe we can take an early break, and go back to DHS for the afternoon parade, stay at the park for a little while and then head to our ADR at Yachtsman Steakhouse for dinner...although it might be way too hot at that time in the afternoon, we'll see.

 

[Sagginit]

i liked H & V buffett/ character meal, and we go without kids! we simply asked to be seated away from the action. we both felt like they had a good variety and it was convenient. we did not eat at pizza planet because believe it or not they do not carry pizza as an allergy option for me (which they do at other locations so its really puzzling). we also did cuzzina one morning for breakfast before HS but since you are staying there i am sure you will go there often.

 

[DisneyFamily123]

Well one thought... SciFi Diner and 50s Prime Time (love them both) serve big portions. We would do a 11am lunch at SciFi and later dinner at 50s or only one on the same day. We also have had wonderful food at Brown Derby... again, big portions... if not a big eater, 2 people could split the cobb salad and have soup each for lunch. Their soups are the best!

Nothing counter service at HS really appeals to us. For a "quick meal", I'd prefer to go to SciFi and just get something small. 2 people could easily share one of their big double burgers. We have gone in there and been out very quickly.

 

[jjsdad]

You could go into Pizza Planet at 1130 and find a table no problem and yes one parent can sit at the table with kids or without while the other goes up and orders the food.

 

[GBBTomorrow]

Another CS option you might want to consider is Starring Rolls bakery. They have very good sandwiches in there, and on a nice day it can be very pleasant to pick up a few things and eat at one of their outdoor tables. In addition to the sandwiches, they have great cupcakes and also a neat package with strawberries and cheeses. I think this is the best CS in DHS.

 

[goofyintoronto]

Sorry but pizza planet has horrendous pizza. its the typical disney pizza they serve everywhere, which i dont think is very good at all. But hey, thats just me. kids seem to like it thou, as it is fun with the arcade being right there.

I'd either go to boardwalk for Hurricane Hanna's or Beaches n' Cream.....or if you wanna stay in the park, eat at starring rolls.

 

[aripantaloon]

I'm not a big fan of the CS at HS, either. That's how we ended up going to Sci Fi on our last trip I had the club sandwich and a salad and they were pretty good. We are going back again this trip with a Sci Fi lunch and a Prime Time dinner in the same day. That's what I would do.

 

[minnie mum]

Another vote here for an al fresco lunch from Starring Rolls. I'm not into TS lunch as a general rule (too much food when the weather's hot), and especially if we're already booked for a TS dinner. We've never been disappointed by the sandwiches or desserts there, and they're big enough to share for those with smaller appetites.

 

[bangzoom6877]

Thank you everyone for the suggestions! I spoke to DH again, and we looked at some menus together. We decided to go for a second ADR at Sci-Fi, since there are many things on their menu that we could get, and easily eat different things for lunch in 2 visits. The kids eat typical kids' menu foods anyway so for them this will be great...they also love Sci-Fi so they will be happy to go there twice. I made an 11:30am ADR, since I know by then they will be hungry on an EMH morning.

 

[tarheelmjfan]

Thank you everyone for the suggestions! I spoke to DH again, and we looked at some menus together. We decided to go for a second ADR at Sci-Fi, since there are many things on their menu that we could get, and easily eat different things for lunch in 2 visits. The kids eat typical kids' menu foods anyway so for them this will be great...they also love Sci-Fi so they will be happy to go there twice. I made an 11:30am ADR, since I know by then they will be hungry on an EMH morning.

We love their burgers & onion rings, & I'm not really a big burger fan. That sounds like a good plan to me. I thought DisneyFamily123 also had a good suggestion to share a meal at HBD for lunch. We don't like to leave the parks to eat. If we do, we don't go back. I can see why you'd be hesitate to do that. Apparently, it works for some, but we like to spend as little time as possible commuting from one location to another.

FWIW, I agree with the pps who recommended Starring Rolls, if you ever find yourself needing a CS lunch at DHS

 

[bangzoom6877]

We love their burgers & onion rings, & I'm not really a big burger fan. That sounds like a good plan to me. I thought DisneyFamily123 also had a good suggestion to share a meal at HBD for lunch. We don't like to leave the parks to eat. If we do, we don't go back. I can see why you'd be hesitate to do that. Apparently, it works for some, but we like to spend as little time as possible commuting from one location to another.

FWIW, I agree with the pps who recommended Starring Rolls, if you ever find yourself needing a CS lunch at DHS

We also loved the burgers at Sci-Fi last time we were at WDW, and they have other nice options on their menu for lunch as well. Last time, DH and I shared the onion rings and we each got a burger. The boys got burgers from the kids' menu and were happy. They loved dining in the car and the movie clips on the screen. I'm sure they will be more than happy to go there twice on one trip!