Need some help choosing

[sammie1884]

There is now 1 week till we go so I am now going into planning overdrive (typical me) and I just have a question/would like your opinions on Buffet restaurants in the park.
I have now decided that with a 2 year old it may be easier next monday to eat our main meal at one of the buffet restaurants as Chester is starting to get a bit fussy about eating dinner and I dont really want to waste money on food he is not going to eat! Anyway, on to the point ... lol I have been looking at the dining reviews on here (and they have been helpful) but I just can not decide what park buffet restaurant would be best to eat in with a 2 year old. I am kind of swaying towards the stars one (sorry cant remember the name, the one with Remie the rat) but that is only because of the fact that Remie would be there.
Also I am not sure if it would be best to go to a buffet restaurant at lunch time or book for an hour before the park closes? We originally was going to eat in disney village or back at hotel chyeanne after the parks have closed but I am now thinking that will be too late for Chester and I dont want to tire him out to much as we will have a busy day on tues (we are only there for one night)

I would be very greatful for your opinions/sugestions/ideas on this

Thank you
xx

 

[mommy2ash]

i would eat at whatever time you normally eat at home. we usually eat a big lunch and have something smaller for dinner so that is what we try to do at dlp.

i would say the plaza gardens would be good. there is a lot of choice. my dd loves it there. i brought her when she was three and she ate loads.

we went to restaurant des stars as well and we didnt like it as much as the plaza gardens to be honest

 

[Kazzabelle]

I would say plaza gardens too, we always have to make a stop here as the food is so yummy. my dd is a fussy eater too and when we went here she ate loads of different things. we always tried to eat around the kids normal meal times about 4 ish it was nice and quiet in there.
we did pop in and have a look at what they served at the restaraunt de stars but even tho it looked nice im not sure what my dd would have eaten there. hope you have a magical time

 

[sarahb74]

Plaza Gardens is great - lots of choice. Restaurant des Stars is good too, we usually eat there on our Studios day, but has less choice, and DS (4) is still terrified of Remy, even though he loves the "full-size" characters, I guess its a bit too real for him

 

[Mum to Belle]

Buffets are a great idea and you'll guarantee yourself somewhere warm to sit down!

Pizza Plant is now a buffet too, there isn't as much choice but it is cheaper than the other buffet restaurants. Not much good if you don't like pizza or pasta though!!

Don't forget to bring some snacks for your 2yo or pop into the shop by the train station for best value.

 

[sammie1884]

Awww thanks everyone, I didnt realise that Plaza Gardens had more choice. Its more or less the same price as Restaurant des stars isnt it?
Mum to Belle I have been thinking about pizza planet too because my DH and my DS both love Buzz Lightyear and we all love Toy Story. I am just not sure because my DH is not to keen on pizza. Do you know if the play area in there would be suitable for a 2 year old?

 

[tinkerbellfans]

We have just returned from Disney this week.

We got caught out a couple of times with eating because the restaurants closed early than they said they were going to, so check what time they are open when you are planing where to go. Also remember the parks during the week now close at 6.00pm

 

[sammie1884]

We have just returned from Disney this week.

We got caught out a couple of times with eating because the restaurants closed early than they said they were going to, so check what time they are open when you are planing where to go. Also remember the parks during the week now close at 6.00pm

Where on the internet will i find the restaurant opening times? or will it just be a case of checking when we get there? Thank you

 

[mommy2ash]

if the parks close at six while you are there, there are very few options for a late meal. i think the plaza gardens are open until closing but you wont be able to go at six. the last reservation could well be at five or even earlier.

if you want to eat in the evening i would think more about the village restaurants or the ones in the hotels

 

[sammie1884]

Thank you, yeah we were thinking of having dinner at about 5ish so I think I will ring and ask what restaurants will be open at about that time. But I have also just realised that the parade might be at that time and we do not want to miss that either so may have to re think all of our options

 

[lilacgems23]

Id go for rest des stars over Plazza Gardens, we ate at Plaza Gardens after being recommend via here and was disappointed. Food choice was poor and DD wouldnt eat much, rest stars has loads more choice and more for kids to eat. Im not sure if Pkaza Gardens was having a bad patch or has changed now.

 

[sammie1884]

Id go for rest des stars over Plazza Gardens, we ate at Plaza Gardens after being recommend via here and was disappointed. Food choice was poor and DD wouldnt eat much, rest stars has loads more choice and more for kids to eat. Im not sure if Pkaza Gardens was having a bad patch or has changed now.

Was this when you went end of last year? What sort of things are there for kids to eat? Thank you x

 

[tinkerbellfans]

The restaurants had there times on the boards outside, which we looked at in the afternoon and decided where we were going to eat, but when we went back they were closed, it was mainly the counter services ones and the pizza place that did this, the plaza gardens and lucky nugget closed at 6.30 and the park at 7.00 last week, but I know both parks are closing at 6.00 Mon-Fri and Studios 6.00 Sat/Sun, Disneyland Sat 9.00 and Sun 8.00.

Hope this helps

 

[sarahb74]

We did both restaurants about 3 and a half weeks ago. I still think there is much more choice at Plaza Gardens, even for the children, but I guess different people like different things to eat!

Off the top of my head, at plaza gardens there was a great starter selection of salads etc, for mains I had poached salmon, carvery gammon, lasagne, veg and rice, dh had lots of meat stuff (he's a bit blokey like that!) think there was pork or possibly turkey steaks, eldest ds (9) had similar to me, plus a large plate of mussels, youngest ds (4) had pizza, chicken nuggets, lasagne, mussels.
At rest des stars I didnt bother with starters, but dh had another large plate of salad stuff, youngest only really liked the spaghetti and meatballs (but then he wasnt feeling well), cant really remember what exactly the rest of us ate, there were mussels again, no salmon, no pizza, think there might have been chicken nuggets again, there was moussaka (or similar) - it was more large dishes of meat/veg "stew" or "casserole" type foods, so if you dont like ingredient "x" (like eldest ds doesnt like peppers) that could rule out a couple of the dishes for you, which I think is why we preferred plaza gardens as you could get your meat and veg separately!
Deserts are pretty similar between the 2. We happily eat at both and will do again in May as they help to balance out our more expensive meals at Inventions, Walts and Buffalo Bills! Determined to take food photos this time, even if dh thinks I'm nuts!

 

[sammie1884]

The restaurants had there times on the boards outside, which we looked at in the afternoon and decided where we were going to eat, but when we went back they were closed, it was mainly the counter services ones and the pizza place that did this, the plaza gardens and lucky nugget closed at 6.30 and the park at 7.00 last week, but I know both parks are closing at 6.00 Mon-Fri and Studios 6.00 Sat/Sun, Disneyland Sat 9.00 and Sun 8.00.

Hope this helps

Thank you, yep it deffo helps I think we will prob now try and eat at one of the buffet restaurants at lunch time and then maybe get a mcdonalds for me and DH on way back to hotel after the parks have closed. I am gonna go through all of this with DH this evening and once we have decided (I have changed my mind about 10 times since yesterday lol) I am gonna ring and book, just incase its busy (I dont know how busy a monday in the parks will be?)

 

[sammie1884]

We did both restaurants about 3 and a half weeks ago. I still think there is much more choice at Plaza Gardens, even for the children, but I guess different people like different things to eat!

Off the top of my head, at plaza gardens there was a great starter selection of salads etc, for mains I had poached salmon, carvery gammon, lasagne, veg and rice, dh had lots of meat stuff (he's a bit blokey like that!) think there was pork or possibly turkey steaks, eldest ds (9) had similar to me, plus a large plate of mussels, youngest ds (4) had pizza, chicken nuggets, lasagne, mussels.
At rest des stars I didnt bother with starters, but dh had another large plate of salad stuff, youngest only really liked the spaghetti and meatballs (but then he wasnt feeling well), cant really remember what exactly the rest of us ate, there were mussels again, no salmon, no pizza, think there might have been chicken nuggets again, there was moussaka (or similar) - it was more large dishes of meat/veg "stew" or "casserole" type foods, so if you dont like ingredient "x" (like eldest ds doesnt like peppers) that could rule out a couple of the dishes for you, which I think is why we preferred plaza gardens as you could get your meat and veg separately!
Deserts are pretty similar between the 2. We happily eat at both and will do again in May as they help to balance out our more expensive meals at Inventions, Walts and Buffalo Bills! Determined to take food photos this time, even if dh thinks I'm nuts!

Thank you for this, atm I am swaying towards Plaza Gardens but I know that my DH will sway towards the rest des stars but only because of the remmie rat. Did the rat come round when you was there? If so was it worth it?
I am finding it sooooo hard to weigh it all up, I am a planner and hate that I can not decide what to do with only 6 days to go lol!

 

[Kazzabelle]

when we went in Nov last year we ate at the plaza gardens we had pretty much what others had i think there was some pate, cheese board, pork, ribs and chips (not french fries), gratten potatoes 9if that's how you spell it) dd loved the fact she could have little bits of everything and if she didn't like it she could go back for more. The desserts were very yummy lots of different cakes and gateaux dd probably ate her weight in jelly and whip lol

 

[sarahb74]

Thank you for this, atm I am swaying towards Plaza Gardens but I know that my DH will sway towards the rest des stars but only because of the remmie rat. Did the rat come round when you was there? If so was it worth it?
I am finding it sooooo hard to weigh it all up, I am a planner and hate that I can not decide what to do with only 6 days to go lol!

Remy at Rest. des Stars is basically an animatronic rat-size rat (rather than the one that does photos round the park) - someone dressed as a chef walks round with a trolley with a big silver cover on it, they walk up to each table in turn, lift the cover and there's Remy surrounded by cheese and grapes. You get to take a photo and that's pretty much it. My youngest is really scared of him, he did stand for a photo but with lots of protest - somehow he thinks its ok to cuddle a mouse bigger than him, but a 6 inch rat is just too much The first time we went the chef was really funny, running round, laughing and joking, this time he just walked up to you lifted the cover and asked if you wanted a photo - we go because we like the buffets and if we are spending a day at the Studios its convenient, we dont go for Remy specifically (unlike Lucky Nugget that we did for the characters more than the food).

I know what you mean about planning, we're sorted for restaurants for end of May, even which ones on which days and what time Dh just leaves me to it - his job is to drive and take photos!

Whatever you decide, have a wonderful time.

 

[sammie1884]

Thanks Sarah, I am wondering wether that will be the same with my son.
aw bless him! The deciding factor for us going to disney was because we met mickey mouse and his clubhouse camper van at a shopping centre recently and Chester loved him! We thought he would be really scared but he proved us soooo wrong and only got upset when we had to leave!

lol my hubbie wont even let me let him take the photos because he knows I will tell him he is holding the camera wrong or not taking the right thing
I am so mean lol