Next best thing to a character meal?

[verlee]

Dh does not want to do character meal this trip as we are trying to save money and it is a short trip. He says next trip.

My question is, what would be the next best thing. I want to do at least one (maybe squeak out two ) fun/special meal for the boys DS3 and DS6 ( OK, I'll be honest, I want to do a fun meal ).

So far, I am thinking the new T-rex, Whispering canyon, Boma... Any others I should be considering? Should I be considering the above? Any thoughts?

This our first trip to WDW as a family and DH and I have not been there for over 20 years. So, I have no idea what is there now. I can't wait to go!

 

[cymbaldiva]

We did Whispering Canyon this trip and it was alot of fun ... I can't say it was any cheaper than a character meal though

 

[jlcd]

My kids love Ohana, but again I don't think that would save you any money over a character meal.

 

[pigget74]

Unless you are really adventerous eaters I would skip BOMA. Good luck---I like WCC and even liked Sci Fi.

 

[jemgumby]

Sci Fi would be a fun option. Whispering Canyon Cafe (although as others have said it might not be any less than a character meal). If I were you I would go to allearsnet and compare the $$$ of the various restuarants to see what/or if you would save without doing a character meal.

 

[Evan&Kimberly]

I agree with Piggett with BOMA although there is a kids friendly section but you can get that anywhere,Sci-Fi would be great if you are on a budget hamburgers and fries at lunch are 11.99 and that is not bad for WDW and the setting is worth it, again coral reef is great and for kids 9 and under the meal is about 8 dollars not to bad,Ohana is nice,also if you are on a budget consider breakfast it is whole lot cheaper,Character breakfast run about 18.99 for adults and 10.99 for children 9 and under I think 9 and under someone will correct me if I am wrong.

 

[Eeyore's Pal]

Check out the prices of breakfast and lunch instead of dinner, there are some reasonable deals for character meals.

Another fun meal without characters is 50's Prime Time at DHS.

 

[septbaby]

Next best thing is FREE at Walt Disney World:

Attend the Campfire at Fort Wilderness Campground. Chip and Dale are your host, there is a sing along and you can buy smores kits there. You can hang around for the FREE full length Disney movie under the stars too.

 

[brendaziz]

We did the campfire thing and LOVED it. So much fun! You can call the month of and find out what movie is showing so you'll be sure to go on a night w/ a movie your kids like. But I would def do the T-rex place! I saw it the other day and was wishing it was open for my boys!

 

[ROEDISNEY]

Prime Time

 

[gigi1313]

Biergarten... great fun w/out characters...

 

[perriwinkleblue]

I'd like to second the advice to check out the menus and prices on Allears.net. You really may end up spending more elsewhere than you would for a character meal. A breakfast or lunch buffet at Chef Mickeys (Mickey and friends) or Crystal Palace (Pooh and friends) would probably be a better deal. Some people try for the latest breakfast reservation and think of it as brunch
I think I'd try to do one character meal and cut back somewhere else. For instance, we always split counter service meals. My kids can easily share a kid's meal, especially since they come with sides. Even splitting one, I seem to throw away half! Breakfast is also easy to split. There just always seems to be a lot food and it's such a shame to waste so much (IMO).
Good luck with your planning and have a nice trip.

 

[verlee]

Thanks for the ideas!

We were planning on doing breakfast or lunch anyway. We are not big eaters and we normally split meals. So, we are pretty good at saving in restaurants. Character meals you pay for no matter how much you eat.

I am planning on going to the campfire. We will be going to MK and AK. Unfortunately, We will not be able to get to some of those fun places.

I like the idea of a place with great atmosphere and maybe some fun activities.

 

[Goofy22]

I would say Whispering canyon they would probably love they have horse races during dinner and the kids get to go in them and they do lots of interactive things with the kids while dining! Sci Fi was also neat at Disney Hollywood studios you sit in a car to eat and watch sci fi flicks! We always do Rain Forest Cafe my DS 9 loves it! But he really loved Whispering Canyon it was really fun!(If you ask for Ketcup they give you like 10 bottles of ketchup then the next person that wants it your table has to bring all the ketchup to them and they have this big ketchup board they put near the table that has it and u take that too!) I can't tell you anything about the campfire since we never did that but if you chose to eat at Whispering canyon you can just hop on the boat to Fort Wilderness and goto the campfire afterwards! (Fort Wilderness may even be in walking distance from Wilderness Lodge not sure I just know that one boat takes you to Fort Wilderness and one takes you to the Wilderness Lodge from MK so make sure if you are only going to the campfire you are in line for Fort Wilderness and if your going to Whispering Canyon you have to be in the line for Wilderness Lodge )

 

[disneyin2008]

Next best thing is FREE at Walt Disney World:

Attend the Campfire at Fort Wilderness Campground. Chip and Dale are your host, there is a sing along and you can buy smores kits there. You can hang around for the FREE full length Disney movie under the stars too.

Is there anywhere online to see what the upcoming movies will be? I realize that it might just be what's planned for this week, but then I could check closer to our visit so we could choose which day to go. All the information I could find was to check the boards at the resort for that night's movie....but I was hoping for a little more advance notice.....compulsive planner ya know.

 

[Tricia1972]

I would suggest WCC dinner, or 50's PTC for lunch if you want to stay away from the characters.

However, seriously look at character breakfasts. They're about $18.99/adult which comes to just over $20 with tax. Even ordering a sandwich and a drink for lunch at 50's won't be a lot cheaper than doing a character buffet for breakfast.

Chef Mickey's is more, but Ohana, Crystal Palace and Tusker House are all pretty reasonable.

 

[DisneyDiva2006]

I'm with some of the others on comparing the character breakfast meals to the restaraunts you suggested. I would guess by the time you order from one of those they will be about the same price. Your boys are at a great age for a character meal, I would try to fit one in if you can budget it. Good Luck!

 

[DisneyDiva2006]

I'm with some of the others on comparing the character breakfast meals to the restaraunts you suggested. I would guess by the time you order from one of those they will be about the same price. Your boys are at a great age for a character meal, I would try to fit one in if you can budget it. Good Luck!

 

[disneyin2008]

Cape May has a character breakfast with Goofy, Minnie, Chip and Dale....for $18.99 adults; $10.99 kids.

Whispering Canyon will probably be cost wise about the same, maybe higher depending on what the adults order.....and depending on your kids' personality could be a lot of fun for them. Lots of hijinks and funny-ness, but if they're shy it may be too much for them too.

Boma has some decent kids choices, but I it wouldn't be my first pick for entertainment value for the kids like a character meal or WCC. And again, depending on what the adults order, it could be more expensive.


Sci Fi is also likely to be more expensive....and a caution on this one as well about the personality of your children.....you sit inside convertible cars which is always fun for the kids.....and you watch old time Sci-Fi shorts.....about an hours worth....but realize that what we as parents would view as camp and poor graphics, remember that as kids these were the "scary" movies of our generation or our parents (depending on your age, lol). There are lots of monsters jumping out at people, zombie people......all of which made the two little ones at the car a short way away from us scream and cry....the parents were obviously trying to distract them while waiting for their food and it was boxed up and they left, probably to eat outside where the scary monsters wouldn't frighten their children.

If you're truly looking just for the best sit down deal....that would have to be Trail's End....at $11.99 for adults $7.99 for kids breakfast, $1 more for lunch and $2 more for dinner it's probably the true bargain at all of WDW. Not much entertainment wise, but before or after your meal there is a lot of great outdoors to explore. And there are other things you can do at Ft Wilderness....boat rides/canoe/kayak, fishing, bike rides...not sure if they have child seats on the adult bikes, but there is a surrey bike, pony rides for the little ones (small fee), and just running and jumping too.