Need help with restaurant suggestions (m)

[mom2jp]

We will be there in just a couple weeks, so we need to make our PS soon! We're already booked for CRT so that's taken care of. The rest of our breakfasts will be in our room and lunches we're planning to eat on-site at a vendor or counter service.

We will only be there 6 full days and want to eat at the following restaurants for dinner:

-Ohana's
1900 Park Faire (for Pooh)
-Whispering Cafe
-50's Prime Time
-Hollywood Brown Derby with the Fantasmic package

We are also considering Liberty Tree Taver, the Biergarten, or Rainforest Cafe. Any suggestions? We're looking more for fun experiences than the food.

Also, we are planning to go to the parks when they open, leave around noon or 1:00, go back to the hotel for naps (3 yr old and 7 mth old), then go to dinner around 5:00 pm and go to Epcot or MGM and other activities after that. Is this a good time for dinner? With PS will we have much of a wait being in the off-season?

Any comments you have would be appreciated. Thank you!

 

[MicheleC]

Your plan sounds good to me. I've never been to O'Hana's or 1900 Park Fare. We are doing Tony's for the Pooh meal and we are trying the Princess Storybook breakfast in Epcot. We swear by Liberty Tree Tavern, the character interaction is great there and so is the food. Also the Garden Grille in Epcot is one we like. We have a 4-yr old and a baby that will be 10 months when we go-our plan is similar to yours. We usually do one park in the morning then head back to the hotel to relax or do the pool for a little while and then head to another park for dinner. We've never had a problem getting priority seating on the morning of if we change our minds about dinner (in October). The only thing I would say is if the parks close early when you are going, I would do some things at the parks before closing and make a dinner seating time a little later--some of the restaurants stay open later than the parks. Have a great time!

 

[croach]

The 50's primetime is a blast. We were there a couple of weeks ago for the first time and it was really fun. The decor is pretty neat too.

I agree about Liberty Tree. We always go there. Lots of good food and the characters are great dressed up in colonial style clothes. Its family style so they just keep bringing the food. Its pricey like most character meals so be hungry when you go and get your money's worth.

I think Rainforest is overrated but that's just one person's opinion. If you have time check it out for yourself but I think there are better places to eat at Disney.

We really enjoyed Donald's Breakfastourous(Spelling?) One of the few chances to see Donald if you are into characters, as well as Mickey, Pluto, and Goofy dressed up like boy scouts I think. Pretty good food and wait staff.


Have fun and enjoy the food!!

 

[MatthewNY]

I'm like you, mom2jp, fun is more important than food for me. Thats an important distinction since most people talk food first and theming a distant second. With that in mind here are some thoughts:

Biergarten - I go almost every trip, the food is pretty average to me (its a german food buffet), but I'm not a huge German food fan to begin with. However, the dining area, while indoor, feels like a huge outdoor courtyard with a live band. They play folk songs and drinking music. All the kids dance and everyone forms a line and parades around. It's alot of fun and I love how they make the indoor area look feel like you are outside. You fill up on your huge beer anyway.
<img src="http://www.wdwig.com/e_ger2.jpg" border="0" alt="">

The Rainforest Cafe - I hated it in Downtown Disney, and when it was up here in NY before it went out of business. While it has good theming, it feels to me more the strategy is lets build a nice building with cool stuff and then jam as many people as you can in and make them wait forever to order and eat. Not much magic here, in my opinion. In fact the NY locations closed, probably cause they are too poorly run to be profitable.

The Liberty Tree Tavern - Probably the best place in the Magic Kingdom, it works because of nice authentic Colonial theming, a good hearty american meal, and characters dressed in really cool Colonial outfits. Chars were Minnie, Goofy, Pluto , Chip and Dale when we went. It works on all levels and is a great spot for a relaxing dinner when the park wears you down.

Ohana's - Mickey and friends for breakfast and an churrascuria style meat (all kinds) dinner where you can see the fireworks if you time it right. Sometimes they have events for the kids but you have to time it right. Overall not something we would go out of our way to see but we have been here a few times for the breakfast, if you aren't a meat lover I wouldn't do dinner here. The breakfast has Micky, Goofy, Chip and Dale in grass skirts and Hawiaan shirts. The dining room, like the entire resort is a very cool tropical theme. <img src="http://www.wdwig.com/poly43.jpg" border="0" alt="">

1900 Park Faire (for Pooh) - Dinner buffet is average, Breakfast is good. Now has Pooh and a couple of face characters. I dont know if I'd go out of my way for it.
<img src="http://www.wdwig.com/gf_1900.jpg" border="0" alt="">

Tony's Town Square - Crystal Palace , which usually had the Pooh, Tiger, Eyeore and Piglet characters is now closed, but the character meals have been moved to Tony's Town Square restaurant in the Magic Kingdom, so that is an alternative. While nice, Tony's Town Square isn't really that much to see either. Note: I remember the Crystal Palace being the only Pooh meal where you could see Piglet, so the same is probably true for Tony's.
<img src="http://www.wdwig.com/mk_tony3.jpg" border="0" alt="">

Hollywood Brown Derby with the Fantasmic package, 50's prime time - MGM gets tricky cause there are a few cool places to eat. According to this, (http://www.wdwig.com/fantdin.htm), the 50's prime time and the Sci Fi sometimes participate. So you don't necessarily have to eat at the Brown Derby just to get the meal. You can also do Hollywood & Vine for lunch which is a nice character meal, or Mama Melroses, which I dont really care for.

The Brown Derby - best restaurant in MGM food wise, and it is pretty cool thematically in that its a reproduction of the original Brown Derby, but its pretty much just a busy, lively restaurant.
<img src="http://www.wdwig.com/brderby.jpg" border="0" alt="">


Hollywood & Vine - buffet dining, I only did the breakfast but Minnie and Goofy all decked out like celebrities are pretty cool, Chip and Dale are dressed like artists. Pooh was even there when I went, but this was a while ago. They do a little dance every so often, its a fun spot. I could be a little hectic in the middle of the day, I went for an early breakfast when I tried it but it seems like it would be alot of fun anytime.

50's Prime Time - Really cute. Retro 50's style. All the tables are made to look like kitchen tables of the 50's with old sitcoms playing on these small black and white tv's. Very cool theming and I do like it but to me it plays second fiddle to the coolest of all the disney themed restuarants......

The Sci-Fi Dine In Theater - I really love this place. It's often criticized since the food isn't great but I dont think its bad at all. Or maybe I just don't notice cause I'm in my Disney glory being in such a cool spot. The tables are inside convertibles where you sit side by side and watch old sci fi clips for movies from the 50's. My daughter was 3 when we ate here last year and she got a real kick out of it, she even got her desert in a frisbie I think.
<img src="http://www.wdwig.com/mgm_scifi10.jpg" border="0" alt="">

I hope this helps a little, good luck. The bottom line is always, how bad can it be, its DisneyWorld !

OK, now I have question regarding Whispering Canyon Cafe for anyone who has an opinion. In the past I was under the impression that this place was a must see, but since then I have heard its nothing special. Is this a place worth going out of your way to visit ?

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