Newbie's First Post and a Dining Question

[QTMichele]

Hello there! I recently found these boards and have found them to be quite informative - THANK YOU! Now on to my very FIRST post...

I recently booked our Disney vacation and decided to make ADR ASAP due to the popularity of the free dining - I wanted to make sure we had reservations! So, here's what I booked for our table service meals (all dinner except for Chef Mickey's):

Boma, 50's Prime Time Cafe, Liberty Tree Tavern, Cape May Cafe & Chef Mickey's (breakfast).

Any strong feelings (good or bad) about these choices? I've been to the 50's Prime Time Cafe and Cape May Cafe and thought it would be fun to take my DH there (he hasn't been to Disney since he was a child), but I haven't been to the others. (We are travelling with our girls ages 7 and almost 4.)

In addition, we decided that using our table service credits for dinner would be the most cost effective. Am I correct?

ALSO... I'm a little "concerned" about the counter service meals. Any suggestions for the "best bang for our buck"? ANY info on this portion would be greatly appreciated! We will visit all 4 theme parks (no water parks) and plan to use our credits there.

THANKS so much for any suggestions and advice you can offer. I appreciate this soooo much!

Michele

 

[septbaby]

My advice would be to select meals when you want to eat at places you
want to eat. Don't focus on getting a bang for the buck, but rather feeding your family and having a good time.

I once had an employee order the most expensive thing on the menu 'cause the company was paying. She didn't even like lobster! huh?

It is virtually impossible to eat a TS meal and CS meal in a day and not spend $38.99 in a day. Your kids will easily order over $10.99 daily.

Like you we've booked a character breakfast, but recently added a TS lunch. We'll be opening a park that day and the good meal, AC and break will be good for us. We'll have a CS dinner at the resort that night before enjoying a long late night at the park.

Just plan a vacation, it really is not about "oh I saved x on the plan". As long as your family got enough to eat at some great places you've done well.

 

[atisikitabasket]

At the MK cosmic Rays you can get a combo platter that comes with a half roasted chicken and ribs with potatoes and another side I am thinking green beans but can't remember plus your drink and a dessert for 1CS credit. Anyway it is enough for 2 people to share.

Also you can use your snack credits at the MK bakery and get things like French Toast loaf for breakfast then use a CS for lunch and TS for dinner.

We had a issue at the end of the trip were we wished we would of used more of our snack credits thru the week but it was ok we went to the candy shop and got carmel apples and fudge and stuff to take back home.

 

[tlriv5]

Cosmic Rays has the best counter service meal. My DD(11) and I shared the combo. It was very good and we were full. I was new to this last year when we did free dining in October 06. We did the 50's cafe and Liberty Tree Tavern. We enjoyed the 50's cafe, the food was good. Our first TS meal of the trip was LTT and although we loved the character interaction (I think this is the only one Minnie mouse is at and their costumes were fun) we did not really enjoy the food. It all tastes like something you would get out of a Stopher's box. The dinner meal is a Thanksgiving feast, I have read that their lunch is very good.

Some friends of ours ate at Boma's and the Mickey dinner you are going to and they really liked both.

If you haven't already you can see the restaurants menu's at www.allears.net. I think I changed my reservations a few times with no problems. I will plug The Whispering Canyon at the Wilderness Lodge. The skillet meal was awesome and the restaurant is a lot of fun for families with kids.

 

[QTMichele]

Thanks so much for the great responses and great tip on Cosmic Rays. (I've never been there before and will have to check it out!) Any other great CS meals we should look for at the other parks? Quick and easy with good food is what we're looking for (we like hamburgers and fries and don't mind eating them a few times while we're there, but would like some better, healthier meals during our stay).

Just to clarify... my "best bang for my buck" comment meant that it would be cheaper for us to use our TS credit for dinner versus breakfast or lunch (I'm not worried about eating at the most expensive restaurant or ordering the most expensive meal - as septbaby said, we just want to eat! ). We definitely want to have a great time and not nickel and dime everything, but, to me, using all the TS credits for breakfast and then purchasing our own dinners seems silly when dinner is probably the most expensive meal. I'm assuming my thinking is correct?

Thanks again!!! Your comments have been very helpful!

Michele

 

[Brygida]

So, here's what I booked for our table service meals (all dinner except for Chef Mickey's):

Boma, 50's Prime Time Cafe, Liberty Tree Tavern, Cape May Cafe & Chef Mickey's (breakfast).

Any strong feelings (good or bad) about these choices?

Boma is great food! Top-ten on most people's list. Cape May Cafe is good too.

50's Prime Time and Chef Mickey's have average food. Fine, but it won't be your best meal.

Liberty Tree Tavern I found to be in-edible. That is the one I would cross of your list. May I suggest Raglan Road as a replacement? Best 1 credit Table Service at WDW! Chefs De France and Mitsukoshi Teppanyaki and Wolfgang Puck are also great choices!

 

[janets]

I also love Boma. There is something for everyone and if you're willing to try some slightly different things, you will be pleasantly surprised. There is a traditional kids selection as well if your kids don't branch out too much.

We enjoyed LTT when we went there but I've heard mixed reviews from people. The character interaction was great and very relaxed. If you like comfort foods, then 50's Prime Time will be a big hit. Their pot roast and fried chicken are very good. We did CM for dinner on one of our last trips and didn't care for it. Breakfast is good, basic breakfast buffet food.

CS is varied. We enjoy Cosmic Rays (the rib/chicken platter is very good) and we also really enjoy Columbia Harbor House (fish and chicken). If you're interested in trying something different, check out the menu at Pinocchio's Village Haus next to Small World. They have panini sandwiches there. Pecos Bill's has burgers (you can get a bacon double cheeseburger and split it by ordering an extra bun and using the toppings bar).

At EPCOT, you have a variety of selections for CS. Many like Seasons, which is on the lower level of the Land pavilion (near Soarin') which has a very varied menu of very good items. Just about every country has a CS selection so you can try different cuisines. I enjoy Morocco (the shwarma platter is yummy) and my dh LOVES to go to Germany and get a brat w/ sauerkraut and a pretzel for lunch.

At MGM, there are a couple of options, including Toy Story Pizza Planet, where there are no "kids" meals so everyone can get pizza. Backlot Express has standard burgers/chicken and ABC Commissary is also there. Many don't like it but we've had success there for our meals.

At AK, there is Flame Tree BBQ (now that Tusker House has closed as a CS) and I'm not sure what else.

Many find that their resort food courts are an excellent value for CS, with a varied selection of items available.

For your TS meals, also consider Whispering Canyon Cafe at the Wilderness Lodge (fun, loud place with antics), Wolfgang Puck Cafe at DTD (really good) or even Kona Cafe or 'Ohana at the Poly.

If you find that you have snack credits left, try getting over to DTD. Go to Goofy's Candy Company and you can make some delicious handmade treats for 1 snack credit that you can take home. YUMMY!

Have a great time. And if you have questions, just as the CM at any restaurant and they will help you.

 

[QTMichele]

More great replies! Thanks so much!

 

[septbaby]

If you want Chef Mickey's for breakfast I think its fine to use your TS credit that way(with tax and tip its still $25 out of pocket). That's a big meal and depending on your ADR time it might be brunch/lunch. Then you might want to use a CS for dinner, say the platter at Cosmic Rays or the Morrocco pavillion at Epcot(bigger meals). We're staying at the Caribbean Beach resort and our resort CS meals look very filling so I'm sure dinner there will be just fine for us on the days we use TS for breakfast or lunch.

Have a wonderful experience. We are DDP newbies too!

 

[QTMichele]

Thanks again, septbaby. We are leaving on the morning after our Chef Mickey breakfast. I thought it would be nice to have one TS breakfast and this fits our "needs."

We're staying at the CB resort too... never stayed there and am hoping it's nice. I've read several comments - good and bad - about the moderate resorts that I'm anxious to experience it myself. I've stayed at the Beach Club and Boardwalk before - very, very nice, but cannot justify the expense for this "mini" vacation (we're going for 6 days, but we're also visiting my DH's brother and sister in law - tooooo much to do in 6 days! LOL).

 

[Dizneydaz]

I think you'll love CB. And so will your kids! After POFQ, it's our next favorite mod. We stayed there Jan. 06 for the first time. It was DM, 2 Dsis, Dniece, and 1 Kid, my DD7. The main pool area is nice and we also enjoyed the quiet pool that was closer to our building. We stayed in Jamaica which was a short walk over the bridge to the main pool and food court. My DD really loved playing on the sandy beaches and on the playground.

As far as dining goes, other than what's been mentioned, we ate at Tangieriene Cafe CS (Epcot) for the first time last Sept. and enjoyed it. We had the Shawarma Platters-chicken and lamb. My DM and I shared it. We picked up lunch for DD a little later at Refreshment Port (McD's) just outside of Canada. She got a 9 piece McNuggets, choice of large or small fry, large soda, and a McFlurry for dessert! Even with our help, she didn't finish all of it.

We like LTT. Other than the mac 'n cheese (which is yucky!) we've enjoyed our dinners there. And we (especially DM) are not the easiest to please. We're eating there in Sept, just before MNSSHP so the characters will be in costume.

Happy Dining!

 

[atisikitabasket]

I would also do CS at Columbia harbour House I always get the 1/2 tuna sandwhich with a cup of clam chowder and it is so good. I am relaly picky about tuna salad but theirs is good.

We went to CM for dinner and our son loved it but he really didn't eat much and we thought the food was ok. Our favorite meal was Coral Reef and my 12 yr old niece said that is the only place we have to eat again. We actually liked LTT better than CM food wise.

Also my DH said I had to tell you to keep Kona at the poly in mind. It was his favorite meal the whole trip/

 

[momof1princess]

my family enjoyed LTT last year (before MNSSHP and characters were in costume)-they serve it family style, and it was TONS of food! wayyyy too much for the 3 of us. we also enjoyed pecos bills-the bbq sub sandwich is yummy! even my DH liked it, and he's really picky about his bbq, lol. you can also get the bbq sub at flatbread grill at MGM, but it's not always open (it was actually closed one day when we went there for lunch and we ended up getting burgers at backlot express next to star tours). we also LOVED flame tree bbq at AK (can you tell we love bbq? lol) and crystal palace (DH is crazy about the marinated flank steak). enjoy your trip!

 

[QTMichele]

Thanks, everyone! I've been writing down all your suggestions. Keep them coming if there's more to add!

Michele

 

[WisMom]

Hi
Value wise, dinners are more expensive than breakfast or lunch. So you are right, it makes the most sense to use your TS for supper. Breakfast buffets are pricey too though. If you go to All Ears website, they have menus and prices. They are also here on the Dis too. Go to the Dis Home page.

WisMom