Need help planning!

[jenny-d]

hi there, you all seem like incredibly helpful and knowledgeable people! Here is my story: my family and I will be making our first trip to WDW in June 8-15, 2006 and I'm pretty much clueless! We have reservations at the Port Orleans French Quarter (hopefully a good choice after MUCH research! and also purchased the dining plan and park hopper tickets. Now I know it's time to start making dining reservations and that is where I need HELP! My children are 6 (girl) and 4 boy so I was thinking of doing 2 or 3 character breakfasts or dinners. I know my daughter would love to dine with Cinderella--but for those of you who have done this--is it worth the cost? I just don't know where to start! I don't know if it's best to go to MK first and do two days there or split days or how to plan it! I know my kids and realize this is going to be a lot for them and they won't last past 9pm or so. I want to get to see the fireworks at least one night. Here are some ideas of restaurants I think we would enjoy:
Cinderella's Royal Table
Chrystal Palace
Rainforest Cafe? at AK
Sci Fi Diner
Le Cellier Steakhouse
?Chef Mickey

Now I just need help figuring out when/how to do them! We arrive in Orlando at 3pm so I'm assuming we probably won't get checked in until dinner or after--is it safe to say we won't make it to any parks that day and just plan to get an early start Friday morning? Do we do the major CRT breakfast for the first thing on Friday morning? I'm pretty sure my kids will be anxious to head to MK first.
So if anyone can help me with this crazy planning--I'd be so grateful! I'm trying soooo hard not to get stressed about it.
thanks in advance!
Jen

PS complete side-note: has anyone booked their package with Southwest Vacations? I just wondered if it's normal not to get any documents in the mail until 7-10 days prior to departure. this is what they told me and you don't get any WDW stuff tickets until check in? I need my nerves to be calmed!

 

[abaldacci]

Rainforest Cafe is not on the dining plan or it was'nt last year so you might need to pick somewhere beside there check and make sure.
as far as SW vacations I don't know. CRT is 2 table credits on the dining plan and not one I would pick. I did it last year and sevice was horrid and rushed.

 

[Kitka]

I've heard bad things from people at my office and here about CRT so we cancelled and did dinner w/ Cinderella at 1900 Park Fare instead. 1900 is only 1 credit, and I heard the food is much better, so I'm hoping that was a good decision.

 

[hulagirl87]

Crystal Palace is a must do. We did that as a dinner the last time we were there and it was a blast. We do it every year and it's great. The restaurant is beautiful and the character interaction is fun! Sci Fi at MGM is great too. We did that one as a lunch last year and are doing the same thing this year. Chef Mickey's is a blast for breakfast. You could do that a morning that you are going to Magic Kingdom because you could hop on the monorail right to the park (or if you're going to Epcot, you could take the monorail to the Transportation and Ticket Center and switch to the Epcot monorail - that's what we're gonna do!)

You have some good choices for meals. I wouldn't recommend Cinderella's royal table. It's expensive and the food isn't that good. You should try 1900 Park Fare if you want a Princess-y meal. Or if you just want another character meal, try Liberty Tree Tavern at Magic Kingdom. Happy Planning!!!

 

[Tinkerbell10403]

Wow! How exciting your first trip!! As far as your first night...if you arrive at 3 pm, then allow atleast 2 to three hours to get checked in the resort and settle in. I would plan a meal around 8pm or so...perhaps at a resort on the monorail line if you wish. If you want to save that table credit for the rest of your trip, then just grab a quick bit at your resort, and take a tour of it, and then go back for the night and settle in..making sure to get plenty of rest for your first day! To start off your vacation...head out early, maybe do a park for a few hours, and then do a Character lunch worth one table credit. Have fun and plan around your familie's preferences...aka..when you all like to eat your meals, etc. If you are doing a dinner meal, I would suggest a time slot from 4-6 pm to allow for the max. experience at the meal..and park time when you are done! As far as the places you have listed..they all sound great! CRT is very pricey, yes, but is something I think everyone should experience once. If you want, you can take that table credit (if you save it from the very frist night of arrival) and eat at CRT. It is a really neat experience..especially now that they photgraph your children and it comes as part of the meal. Another lacation I suggest is Ohana's in the Polynesian resort...great family style meal and games for the children during dinner. Let em know if you need any more help!!

 

[cwnhokie]

Our first night traditon (I can say tradition now because we have done it twice) is to get a late reservation at Chef Mickeys and then watch Wishes from the observation deck at the Contemporary after. It's a great way to get into the Disney magic without using your park tickets. Then we start early the next day with a park. I would also reccommend an early morning ADR at MK. Either CP or CRT around 8:00 before the park opens. It's pretty neat to walk down main street all alone. Thanks to the wonderful DIS boards for these great tips!

 

[The Sweetness]

I would only do sci fi for lunch. I was not impressed with them in the least. There was nothing extrordinary about the service or food. Just a different atmosphere. I have only heard 3 menu items given a favorable review. Burger, shake, and rings. Do lunch if anything...

 

[twinsmamma]

hi there, you all seem like incredibly helpful and knowledgeable people! Here is my story: my family and I will be making our first trip to WDW in June 8-15, 2006 and I'm pretty much clueless! We have reservations at the Port Orleans French Quarter (hopefully a good choice after MUCH research! and also purchased the dining plan and park hopper tickets. Now I know it's time to start making dining reservations and that is where I need HELP! My children are 6 (girl) and 4 boy so I was thinking of doing 2 or 3 character breakfasts or dinners. I know my daughter would love to dine with Cinderella--but for those of you who have done this--is it worth the cost? I just don't know where to start! I don't know if it's best to go to MK first and do two days there or split days or how to plan it! I know my kids and realize this is going to be a lot for them and they won't last past 9pm or so. I want to get to see the fireworks at least one night. Here are some ideas of restaurants I think we would enjoy:
Cinderella's Royal Table
Chrystal Palace
Rainforest Cafe? at AK
Sci Fi Diner
Le Cellier Steakhouse
?Chef Mickey

Now I just need help figuring out when/how to do them! We arrive in Orlando at 3pm so I'm assuming we probably won't get checked in until dinner or after--is it safe to say we won't make it to any parks that day and just plan to get an early start Friday morning? Do we do the major CRT breakfast for the first thing on Friday morning? I'm pretty sure my kids will be anxious to head to MK first.
So if anyone can help me with this crazy planning--I'd be so grateful! I'm trying soooo hard not to get stressed about it.
thanks in advance!
Jen

PS complete side-note: has anyone booked their package with Southwest Vacations? I just wondered if it's normal not to get any documents in the mail until 7-10 days prior to departure. this is what they told me and you don't get any WDW stuff tickets until check in? I need my nerves to be calmed!

Firstly congrats on your first trip to disney you will have a blast, we love it there.
I would agree with others that it will take a few hours after you arrive in
florida to get to hotel and check in so if yu feel like going the first night I wold pick Chef mickeys it is great fun, character interactionis wonderful and food is great, hot and a good variety. They if you like you could hop over to Magic and see fireworks but you could also go watch from the observation deck at contemporary, this allows you to skip the crowds. If you want to just relax you can grab dinner at hotel either use c/s meal or pay oop for this meal and swim etc.
cindarellas castle was great but we went before the price increase and menu change so I would not be able to say whether it is worth the 2 t/s that it costs now, 1900 has a great meal with cindarella as well and the food is great. only 1 t/s credit.
i would do crystal palacce for breakfast and get a before park opening time so you can walk down main street with noone else around, will never happen when park is open great picture opportunity with the castle.
Sci fi i would never do again, not if my life edepended on it, the serrvice was horrible the food was even worse, the rest is cool to look at but in my opinion not worth it. however this is just my experience, you must decide for yourself it gets good revies w on this forum.
Rainforest is not on dining plan as far as I know, they do have great c/s places at animal tusker house and flame tree bbq.
le cellier is absolutely fabulous, definately go there.
I would plan to go to magic at least two days with small children, animal can be done in one day and mgm can as well if you plan properly, epcot would need at least two days as well, if your children are really into science fun the epcot could take a little longer, Wrold showcase is wonderful, however small children may not enjoy it as much as the adults. Having said this there is kidkot stations in each pavillion that kids can learn about the countries and make a kraft. the were ike flags that they took to each country and added something to them specific to that country. alos you can by passports at any gft shop in epcot that are $ 10 and the kids can get he cm 's to sign it for them. My children got he cm's to write maerry xmas in their native language in each area.
We also really enjoyed le alfredo in italy section at epcot. and concourse steak house in contemporary was also wonderful.