Need to choose 8 dinners :) update post 29

[rentayenta]

Please help me choose 8 dinner ADRs. Our party will include myself, DH, DD15, DD13, and DS11. The kids are not picky and have no dietary restrictions other than we don't eat pork. We enjoyed Boma but generally buffets are not our thing. I eat small portions and often share with my middle DD as she has a small appetite too. We love appetizers, often sharing a couple and enjoy a few bites of dessert but never would we order one dessert per person. We will have the TiW card. Below are our choices. The ones in bold blue we've been to and I'm not opposed to repeats. I did remove some from the TiW list as we've been but didn't enjoy or they are not appealing. Our trip is 12 nights total but we'll be in a 2 bedroom DVC so we'll cook/grill and I'm sure order pizza one night.


ETA: Pink bold are ones at the top of our list....for now.




Boma-Flavors of Africa

Jiko-The Cooking Place

Sanaa

Artist Point

Beaches & Cream Soda Shop

Cape May Cafe

Big River Grille and Brewing Works

Flying Fish Cafe

Kouzzina by Cat Cora

California Grill

The Wave

Hoop-Dee-Doo Musical Revue

1900 Park Fare

Cítricos

Grand Floridian Cafe

Narcoossee's

Olivia's Cafe

'Ohana

Kona Cafe

Spirit of Aloha Dinner Show

The Turf Club Bar and Grill

Whispering Canyon Cafe

Yachtsman Steakhouse

Cap'n Jack's Restaurant

Fulton's Crab House

Portobello

Raglan Road

Wolfgang Puck Cafe

Biergarten Restaurant

Bistro de Paris Restaurant

Chefs de France Restaurant

Coral Reef Restaurant

Garden Grill Restaurant

La Hacienda

Le Cellier Steakhouse

Nine Dragons Restaurant

Restaurant Marrakesh

Rose & Crown Pub & Dining Room

San Angel Inn Restaurante

Tokyo Dining

Tutto Italia Ristorante

Via Napoli

50's Prime Time Cafe

Sci-Fi Dine-In Theater Restaurant

Liberty Tree Tavern

The Crystal Palace

The Plaza Restaurant

Tony's Town Square Restaurant

Tusker House Restaurant

Il Mulino New York Trattoria

Shula's Steak House

 

[OhThePain]

I'm not going to sift through each of the restaurants you selected since you listed about 75% of the restaurants. However, given what you have mentioned I will give a few choices.

Jiko- I think your kids are old enough to enjoy a nice quiet signature meal. The food is fantastic and I think if you are sharing with your middle DD a couple of flatbreads and an entree would be perfect for you 2. We personally aren't fond the dessert selection and usually head to Ghirardelli's for dessert after Jiko.

50's- We usually do this one for lunch on our DHS day. Nice comfort food, good desserts and shakes (try the s'mores). Good atmosphere, some of the CM's are hit or miss with the antics, but the atmosphere may remind you of your parents or grandparents house when growing up.

Flying Fish- One of our top choices for food. The carmelized banana napoleon may be the best dessert on property. Take a walk on the Boardwalk after your meal. If the entertainers are out they are a lot of fun to watch, if not the walk is still nice and relaxing and quite beautiful.

HDDR- I have gone to the show on most of my trips since I was a kid. Our upcoming trip will be the first trip that either I planned or my parents planned that I will be skipping it. The show is very cheesey in a great way and the food is pretty good. I am sure you will all love it. The unlimited beer (Bud Light), wine and sangria is a nice plus.

La Hacienda- We are trying this one on our next trip, so I can't tell you anything from experience. But the reason I suggest it is that they have 2 different meals that are for 2 people that you and middle DD might look into sharing.

These are the restaurants I would strongly suggest over the others.

 

[Trollingforthimbles]

50's was awesome, Really fun and yummy food.
Cape May had a nice fresh selection that we found lovely
Le Cellier was simply fantastic.

Hope that helps

 

[rentayenta]

I'm not going to sift through each of the restaurants you selected since you listed about 75% of the restaurants. However, given what you have mentioned I will give a few choices.

Jiko- I think your kids are old enough to enjoy a nice quiet signature meal. The food is fantastic and I think if you are sharing with your middle DD a couple of flatbreads and an entree would be perfect for you 2. We personally aren't fond the dessert selection and usually head to Ghirardelli's for dessert after Jiko.

50's- We usually do this one for lunch on our DHS day. Nice comfort food, good desserts and shakes (try the s'mores). Good atmosphere, some of the CM's are hit or miss with the antics, but the atmosphere may remind you of your parents or grandparents house when growing up.

Flying Fish- One of our top choices for food. The carmelized banana napoleon may be the best dessert on property. Take a walk on the Boardwalk after your meal. If the entertainers are out they are a lot of fun to watch, if not the walk is still nice and relaxing and quite beautiful.

HDDR- I have gone to the show on most of my trips since I was a kid. Our upcoming trip will be the first trip that either I planned or my parents planned that I will be skipping it. The show is very cheesey in a great way and the food is pretty good. I am sure you will all love it. The unlimited beer (Bud Light), wine and sangria is a nice plus.

La Hacienda- We are trying this one on our next trip, so I can't tell you anything from experience. But the reason I suggest it is that they have 2 different meals that are for 2 people that you and middle DD might look into sharing.

These are the restaurants I would strongly suggest over the others.

I know the list is long. I appreciate your feedback.

Both 50's and Flying Fish are on my maybe list. 50's looks fun and I like the boardwalk idea after Flying Fish. We may be staying a few nights at the BWV so proximity is perfect although it's easy enough to get anywhere.

My kids would be great at any signature. They are well behaved and have good social skills. We love AKV and Jiko would give us a good reason to visit. It's a gorgeous resort.

DH would like the unlimited beer, wine, and sangria at HDDR. Love not having to drive when at WDW. I think I can use the TiW card for the 9:30 show only which seems a little late for dinner.

La Hacienda is the new one in Epcot, right? DH wants to spend a lot more time in WS this next trip.

 

[rentayenta]

50's was awesome, Really fun and yummy food.
Cape May had a nice fresh selection that we found lovely
Le Cellier was simply fantastic.

Hope that helps

Everything helps, thank you! The only criticism I have read about Le Cellier is that it's impossible to get into. Must be terrific.

Our friends love Cape May and go every trip. Fresh is great!

 

[dchronister]

We loved Le Cellier, repeating again in 5 days, yyyaaaahhhh!!!!!!. We also liked Wispering Canyon, alot of fun for the kids. Are trying Grand Floridian Cafe and Cape May this time, have heard very good things about both. Also trying Shulas for a night out without the kids. Most of the rest I can take or leave.

 

[OhThePain]

I know the list is long. I appreciate your feedback.

Both 50's and Flying Fish are on my maybe list. 50's looks fun and I like the boardwalk idea after Flying Fish. We may be staying a few nights at the BWV so proximity is perfect although it's easy enough to get anywhere.

My kids would be great at any signature. They are well behaved and have good social skills. We love AKV and Jiko would give us a good reason to visit. It's a gorgeous resort.

DH would like the unlimited beer, wine, and sangria at HDDR. Love not having to drive when at WDW. I think I can use the TiW card for the 9:30 show only which seems a little late for dinner.

La Hacienda is the new one in Epcot, right? DH wants to spend a lot more time in WS this next trip.

9:30 seems late, but it's not so bad. You are done by 11:15. There are buses waiting outside to take you back to the resort after the show so there is no need to worry about transportation. Even if you left the parks to take a break at 5:30 it should give you plenty of time to shower and rest before heading out to Ft. W.

Yes, La Hacienda is the new Mexican restaurant. We have it planned for the day we plan on doing Future World at EC. If we get done early, we will walk around WS and sample anything that really catches our eye. Besides that we have 2 other days planned at EC, one for the sole purpose of walking around F&W (we don't plan on having dinner that night). Maybe you can plan a night where you don't make an ADR and just taste around the world (I would personally suggest that over going to LC, which, in our visits, has been disappointing.

If you are not buffet people and especially if middle DD isn't a big eater, I would skip any dinner buffets. For a big eater it's hard to get your moneys worth, for someone who doesn't eat a lot it would seem like a bit of a waste. Biergarten isn't as bad since you also get the band playing. They are a lot of fun. Also, if DH would like the unlimited beer at HDDR, he might also like the litter beers at Biergarten (they help to get into the Octoberfest spirit).

 

[Dsnygrl1205]

You have some of my favorites on your list. A few of them are; Fulton's Crab house, Tutto Italia, Kona Cafe (dinner) and Grand Floridian Cafe (breakfast).
Planning ADRs can be overwhelming for sure but not making to all the places you want to get to is an excuse to go back!

 

[rentayenta]

We loved Le Cellier, repeating again in 5 days, yyyaaaahhhh!!!!!!. We also liked Wispering Canyon, alot of fun for the kids. Are trying Grand Floridian Cafe and Cape May this time, have heard very good things about both. Also trying Shulas for a night out without the kids. Most of the rest I can take or leave.

I read a little about Shula's and it's one if the nicer on the list. That might be a good idea for just the two of us sans kids. I know we'll be doing one night without them. WS was my original idea.

Another for Cape May? Adding to the maybe list.

Whispering Canyon is the ketchup place that serves in skillets, rt? Looks fun especially for the kids.

 

[rentayenta]

9:30 seems late, but it's not so bad. You are done by 11:15. There are buses waiting outside to take you back to the resort after the show so there is no need to worry about transportation. Even if you left the parks to take a break at 5:30 it should give you plenty of time to shower and rest before heading out to Ft. W.

Yes, La Hacienda is the new Mexican restaurant. We have it planned for the day we plan on doing Future World at EC. If we get done early, we will walk around WS and sample anything that really catches our eye. Besides that we have 2 other days planned at EC, one for the sole purpose of walking around F&W (we don't plan on having dinner that night). Maybe you can plan a night where you don't make an ADR and just taste around the world (I would personally suggest that over going to LC, which, in our visits, has been disappointing.

If you are not buffet people and especially if middle DD isn't a big eater, I would skip any dinner buffets. For a big eater it's hard to get your moneys worth, for someone who doesn't eat a lot it would seem like a bit of a waste. Biergarten isn't as bad since you also get the band playing. They are a lot of fun. Also, if DH would like the unlimited beer at HDDR, he might also like the litter beers at Biergarten (they help to get into the Octoberfest spirit).

I've thought about it being F&W and you're right, we'll need some time to stroll and taste and won't want an ADR. Biergarten sounds fun and I am totally unfamiliar with German food so it would be new for all of us.

Is LC Le Cellier? If so, you didn't like it?

I wish I could handle a 9:30 ADR but Utah is 2 hours behind and not sure I could sit, fill my belly, and stay awake.

I'm glad WS has La Hacienda. The critiques on San Angel were hit and miss; good atmosphere, sub par food.

 

[TinkandGoofy'sMom]

The more times we go , the longer our list of favourites becomes! It's hard to fit in our favourites to repeat, while still trying new things. Our favourites include Coral Reef, Le Cellier, Teppan Edo, Tutto Italia, Yak & Yeti, Kona, 'Ohana, Cape May Cafe, and Wolfgang Puck Express. We also enjoy buffets, especially for breakfast, with tusker house being our favourite.
Enjoy your vacation!

 

[rentayenta]

You have some of my favorites on your list. A few of them are; Fulton's Crab house, Tutto Italia, Kona Cafe (dinner) and Grand Floridian Cafe (breakfast).
Planning ADRs can be overwhelming for sure but not making to all the places you want to get to is an excuse to go back!

My oldest DD loves crab and I am guessing Fulton's is a good place to go. Tutto looks good too; we love Italian. I've read Via is terrific too.

ADRs can for sure be overwhelming but fun overwhelming. I know we'll be back but this trip is super special. It's my middle DD's bat mitzvah gift.



She'll want to do a character meal for sure. She loves Chip n Dale so it looks like Garden Grill. We've done CRT and Chef Mickey's and won't go back anytime soon.

 

[rentayenta]

The more times we go , the longer our list of favourites becomes! It's hard to fit in our favourites to repeat, while still trying new things. Our favourites include Coral Reef, Le Cellier, Teppan Edo, Tutto Italia, Yak & Yeti, Kona, 'Ohana, Cape May Cafe, and Wolfgang Puck Express. We also enjoy buffets, especially for breakfast, with tusker house being our favourite.
Enjoy your vacation!

: I do enjoy a good breakfast buffet every once in a while but we can never seem to get moving that early and when they do wake up, they are starving and need to eat right then.

Tusker is inside AKV though I think so that could work; are there characters? I could make my family of night owls wake up early on an AK day as long as we weren't at EMH the night before. If there are charachters I could kill two birds with one stone and then find Chip n Dale later in one of the parks.

I really like 'Ohana too and it's our traditional first night meal. There is something about visiting the Poly on the first night. We may stay with 'Ohana; I hate change.



Think it might be time to edit my choices list.

 

[bicker]

Jiko was our favorite restaurant, especially when Marianne Hummel was in charge there, but has fallen badly in our last few visits. It's only "very good" now, rather than being close to a religious experience.

Sanaa is good, but we found the food there dryer than it should be been, in our estimation.

Cape May Cafe was a pleasant surprise to use a couple of visits ago, especially after so many "forced" trips there in years before, where the place was bordering between mediocre and worse. We've actually gone back again within a year, that's how good it was. Very surprising and perhaps one of the three best buffets at WDW (along with Tusker House and Crystal Palace).

I wouldn't make a special trip to Big River Grille. It is what it is, and unless you're into microbrew, it isn't anything special.

Kouzzina is good, but I think a lot of people go to the place expecting Iron Chef quality food, and that's simply not what you get there. It's run-of-the-mill for WDW, but if you like that cuisine (and we do) then it is worth considering the place.

The Wave is the most underrated sit-down restaurant at WDW. We've been there a number of times already, and it consistently performs, breakfast, lunch and dinner. If you have any reason to be near the place during dinner time, definitely include it.

Chefs de France is perhaps the best overall sit-down dining experience among us and the folks we bring with us to WDW. It's a very good value for the money, even though it isn't cheap. For a 1TS restaurant, the food and service are remarkable.

We recently ate at Coral Reef after many years of not visiting there. It remains a "very nice" restaurant, but nothing that I would go out of my way to visit. If you haven't been the Chefs de France, do that first.

Le Cellier Steakhouse was overrated before it got upgraded. It's probably doubly overrated now.

Rose & Crown Pub & Dining Room is okay, for what it is, in the same way that Big River Grille is, except that what Rose & Crown is isn't something you see at every mall in America.

San Angel Inn Restaurante is consistently very good, and if you like that kind of cuisine, a good choice. I find the restaurant abusively dark though.

Tutto Italia Ristorante disappointed us greatly, both in terms of food and service. Bleh.

Via Napoli was okay, but really the pizza was nothing special, and wasn't even that well prepared.

50's Prime Time Cafe is always fun, and if you've never been there, then you should consider it a must-do. It is the quintessential Disney dining experience.

Tusker House Restaurant is the best buffet at WDW afaic. It's a rare jewel in an otherwise unimpressive array of dining choices at AK.



I noticed you left our absolute favorite restaurant off your list: Artist Point has never failed to not only satisfy us, but amaze us. Year after year after year, it puts out the most interesting and great tasting food we enjoy at WDW, and does so with consistently expert and gracious hosts and servers. You should consider it.

 

[rentayenta]

Jiko was our favorite restaurant, especially when Marianne Hummel was in charge there, but has fallen badly in our last few visits. It's only "very good" now, rather than being close to a religious experience.

Sanaa is good, but we found the food there dryer than it should be been, in our estimation.

Cape May Cafe was a pleasant surprise to use a couple of visits ago, especially after so many "forced" trips there in years before, where the place was bordering between mediocre and worse. We've actually gone back again within a year, that's how good it was. Very surprising and perhaps one of the three best buffets at WDW (along with Tusker House and Crystal Palace).

I wouldn't make a special trip to Big River Grille. It is what it is, and unless you're into microbrew, it isn't anything special.

Kouzzina is good, but I think a lot of people go to the place expecting Iron Chef quality food, and that's simply not what you get there. It's run-of-the-mill for WDW, but if you like that cuisine (and we do) then it is worth considering the place.

The Wave is the most underrated sit-down restaurant at WDW. We've been there a number of times already, and it consistently performs, breakfast, lunch and dinner. If you have any reason to be near the place during dinner time, definitely include it.

Chefs de France is perhaps the best overall sit-down dining experience among us and the folks we bring with us to WDW. It's a very good value for the money, even though it isn't cheap. For a 1TS restaurant, the food and service are remarkable.

We recently ate at Coral Reef after many years of not visiting there. It remains a "very nice" restaurant, but nothing that I would go out of my way to visit. If you haven't been the Chefs de France, do that first.

Le Cellier Steakhouse was overrated before it got upgraded. It's probably doubly overrated now.

Rose & Crown Pub & Dining Room is okay, for what it is, in the same way that Big River Grille is, except that what Rose & Crown is isn't something you see at every mall in America.

San Angel Inn Restaurante is consistently very good, and if you like that kind of cuisine, a good choice. I find the restaurant abusively dark though.

Tutto Italia Ristorante disappointed us greatly, both in terms of food and service. Bleh.

Via Napoli was okay, but really the pizza was nothing special, and wasn't even that well prepared.

50's Prime Time Cafe is always fun, and if you've never been there, then you should consider it a must-do. It is the quintessential Disney dining experience.

Tusker House Restaurant is the best buffet at WDW afaic. It's a rare jewel in an otherwise unimpressive array of dining choices at AK.



I noticed you left our absolute favorite restaurant off your list: Artist Point has never failed to not only satisfy us, but amaze us. Year after year after year, it puts out the most interesting and great tasting food we enjoy at WDW, and does so with consistently expert and gracious hosts and servers. You should consider it.

Wow, thanks! Artist Point? Where is that located? I must have thought it was a CS as I tried to remove those.


Does Tusker House serve breakfast only? Does it always have characters?

DH is a huge foodie, much more than myself. He's also a terrific cook. We'd all rather eat DH's food than go to dinner 90% of the time. We're very lucky that way. He likes the menus at both Jiko and Sanaa. Having said that, he hates to pay a fortune for something he can make.

I'll have to look more into The Wave.

I'm the one who loves English food and wants to try Rose and Crown as I had English roomies in college and they cooked often. DH is neither here not there with English fare. He likes Irish though and enjoyed Raglan Road. That was a fun night without the kids.

I've been wanting to try Chefs de France so that's going on the list too.

Can you suggest good Italian?

I'm also adding the Turf Club at SSR as that's where we'll be for the first 8 nights. I was pleasantly suprised by Olivia's when we stayed at OKW.

 

[bicker]

Wow, thanks! Artist Point? Where is that located?

Artist Point is the signature restaurant at Wilderness Lodge. It features Northwestern cuisine.

Does Tusker House serve breakfast only? Does it always have characters?

I don't remember if Tusker House serves breakfast. I do know that it serves lunch and dinner, and there are no characters.

Can you suggest good Italian?

Yes, but you'll need to come here to Boston, and head to the North End.

Seriously, the best Italian food at WDW is probably at Il Mulino, but we've never been there. We had eaten at the predecessor Italian restaurant at the Swan and Dolphin resort, and it was head and shoulders above what any of Disney's own Italian restaurants offered.

 

[rentayenta]

Artist Point is the signature restaurant at Wilderness Lodge. It features Northwestern cuisine.

I added it and am going to AllEars to check out the menu.

I don't remember if Tusker House serves breakfast. I do know that it serves lunch and dinner, and there are no characters.

I thought I remember reading about it having characters but I could easily be confused.

Yes, but you'll need to come here to Boston, and head to the North End.

Salt Lake City has a few decent Italian places but nothing like Boston I'm sure.

Seriously, the best Italian food at WDW is probably at Il Mulino, but we've never been there. We had eaten at the predecessor Italian restaurant at the Swan and Dolphin resort, and it was head and shoulders above what any of Disney's own Italian restaurants offered.

I'll have to check out their menu too. Our first trip to WDW was in 2007. Been to Disneyland hundreds of times and there isn't near the dining options.

 

[AggieTexan]

Can you suggest good Italian?

Seriously, the best Italian food at WDW is probably at Il Mulino, but we've never been there. We had eaten at the predecessor Italian restaurant at the Swan and Dolphin resort, and it was head and shoulders above what any of Disney's own Italian restaurants offered.

I have not eaten at the Il Mulino at the Swan, but we ate at the new one here in Houston last night. Our meal was excellent! I think Il Mulino takes the TIW card, so that might be an option for you.

 

[bicker]

I thought I remember reading about it having characters but I could easily be confused.

I think there was a breakfast-only character meal in Dinoland.

 

[rentayenta]

I have not eaten at the Il Mulino at the Swan, but we ate at the new one here in Houston last night. Our meal was excellent! I think Il Mulino takes the TIW card, so that might be an option for you.

I didn't know it was a chain? Cool. They do take the TiW card too. All the restaurants on my list take the TiW card.






With DVC we can do the DDP for a day or two if the price will work out better but I only see it working if we choose a buffet as the options on the DDP are too limiting for us as far as no app and have to have dessert......