On a budget and need to let go of either Crystal Palace breakfast or Garden Grill dinner.

[Jnbm63]

We are on a budget and I have gift cards for Rainforest Cafe at Disney Springs our arrival day and already have Cinderella's Royal table breakfast paid for our second MK day. I have a 10 ds, 9 dd and 7 ds plus my husband and I. We are staying at OKW and I have ordered groceries from garden grocer. I have a early dinner at Garden grill our Epcot day and a pre park opening breakfast at Crystal Palace on our first MK day.

My question is, which reservation would you drop if you had to between Garden Grill and Crystal Palace?

Thanks!

 

[sullyfam]

I wouldn't give up the Crystal Palace pre park opening ADR. Love the breakfast buffet there and there's nothing like getting into MK early. I know people rave about Garden Grill, but we weren't overly impressed with it for dinner.

 

[DisneyHardin]

Honestly, I would try and switch your Garden Grill to a breakfast because I think breakfast there is better than dinner.

Of the ADRs you already have, I would keep the Crystal Palace breakfast and cancel the GG dinner.

 

[Marthasor]

Honestly, I would try and switch your Garden Grill to a breakfast because I think breakfast there is better than dinner.

Of the ADRs you already have, I would keep the Crystal Palace breakfast and cancel the GG dinner.

I agree with this. I'm wondering if, with the ages of your children, they are really interested in meeting Winnie the Pooh and friends? GG breakfast is better, IMHO, and would cost less than GG dinner. Quite honestly, with kids that age, I would consider dropping CRT, too. If you want to do a princess meal, Akershus is cheaper.

 

[Nancyg56]

I think it depends on why you chose your ADR's. PPO CP is not a huge benefit any longer. Everyone is allowed into the MK early, so that "empty" Main Street no longer exists. The PPO advantage for attractions is really only at BOG lately, I have heard.
If you chose CP because of characters. keep it. If you chose it because you want breakfast in the park before you begin touring, keep this one. If you wanted an advantage, I would skip it.

As far as GG, I would book breakfast. It is less expensive than dinner. Again, because this is not PPO meal, there is no advantage for it other than what you are eating and the character interaction. I like the Chipmunks, so I would cancel CP breakfast, change my GG ADR from dinner to a late breakfast. It will cover both breakfast and lunch.

 

[mom2rtk]

I would consider 2 things:

1) Which characters would everyone prefer to see?

2) Which one works best with your touring plan?

 

[Jnbm63]

I agree with this. I'm wondering if, with the ages of your children, they are really interested in meeting Winnie the Pooh and friends? GG breakfast is better, IMHO, and would cost less than GG dinner. Quite honestly, with kids that age, I would consider dropping CRT, too. If you want to do a princess meal, Akershus is cheaper.

My daughter really wants to eat in the castle, otherwise I would. Thanks!

 

[Jnbm63]

I would consider 2 things:

1) Which characters would everyone prefer to see?

2) Which one works best with your touring plan?

They both work good with our plans. They really only want to see Eeyore for Crystal palace. I think they do prefer Garden Grill characters. If I switch to GG breakfast, it doesn't work well with our touring plans. I will have to see what I can do.
Thank you.

 

[Jnbm63]

I think it depends on why you chose your ADR's. PPO CP is not a huge benefit any longer. Everyone is allowed into the MK early, so that "empty" Main Street no longer exists. The PPO advantage for attractions is really only at BOG lately, I have heard.
If you chose CP because of characters. keep it. If you chose it because you want breakfast in the park before you begin touring, keep this one. If you wanted an advantage, I would skip it.

As far as GG, I would book breakfast. It is less expensive than dinner. Again, because this is not PPO meal, there is no advantage for it other than what you are eating and the character interaction. I like the Chipmunks, so I would cancel CP breakfast, change my GG ADR from dinner to a late breakfast. It will cover both breakfast and lunch.

If I can get a late GG breakfast that might work best with our plans. We have only 32 days left. Thanks!

 

[mi*vida*loca]

I would keep Crystal Palace. It works better with your plans and there is lots of variety. GG does bring the food to you but your kids are big enough to get their own food from the buffet so that wouldn't be a big deal to me. Plus it's in the MK. It's a bit more magical IMO.

 

[SaintsManiac]

I'm going against the grain and saying drop CP. The early entry advantage is gone due to Main St. opening to everyone at 8am.

The meal can take quite a while and by the time you're out you're behind the masses.

I'm also biased toward GG. I think it's the best character meal at WDW.

 

[martikus]

GG for dinner is our favorite. We have done it twice and would do again. Very relaxed and we like the food. Last time we did an early dinner and left park after as we had been there at rope drop. It was a great way to end day.

We don’t feel we eat enough breakfast to warrant the prices ever so we never pick breakfast. Prefer to enjoy rides with low lines instead.

If budget is truly a worry you could also drop both. While the meals are fun WDW is magical without. I think sometimes on the boards we get caught up on all the add ones we MUST have. My son thinks getting the popcorn bucket is plenty of excitement.

Have fun!

 

[crabbygal902]

I'd choose to keep GG dinner.

In my experience, CP is a madhouse and just...well, dirty. We've given it a try several times but I think I'm done unless somebody else is paying for it!

I love a good family-style meal where no one has to get up, worrying that they will miss meeting characters while they're getting their food.

Pre-park or 'magic hour' breakfasts just aren't my thing, either. I'd rather not rush through an expensive meal because I wanted to make rope drop or otherwise be anxious to start touring. I also don't want to miss that 1st couple of hours of touring when the crowds are low.

Whatever you decide, I hope your vacation is magical!

 

[jacknsally19]

CP and GG are my favorite character meals so that is a tough call for me. For my family, I would likely get rid of CP purely because rushing in the AM for a reservation doesn't work for us. I also cannot eat that much food first thing in the AM for it to be 'worth it' I would enjoy CP much more as a brunch (or later) option.

I think GG is delicious for dinner. I don't know what they do to the turkey there but oh my is it good!

 

[Jnbm63]

GG for dinner is our favorite. We have done it twice and would do again. Very relaxed and we like the food. Last time we did an early dinner and left park after as we had been there at rope drop. It was a great way to end day.

We don’t feel we eat enough breakfast to warrant the prices ever so we never pick breakfast. Prefer to enjoy rides with low lines instead.

If budget is truly a worry you could also drop both. While the meals are fun WDW is magical without. I think sometimes on the boards we get caught up on all the add ones we MUST have. My son thinks getting the popcorn bucket is plenty of excitement.

Have fun!

That is an option, too. Then we could have more snacks! Thanks!!!

 

[Lisa F]

I chose CP breakfast because I prefer breakfast character meals to dinner. I find the food more average at dinner while breakfast there is less variability in what you can get IMO and I'm a lot easier to satisfy.

I loved PPO CP breakfast, we were done by 9. I love that it didn't take any park time. I also love GG breakfast but that is not a choice. I am not wild about the offerings at GG dinner, especially at higher dinner prices.

I will say though that GG is overall more laid back than CP and I am a fan of the family style over buffet. I think if they were both dinners I'd chose GG.

 

[Queen of the WDW Scene]

Price wise giving up GG dinner would be more budget minded.

But as far as characters, food, and atmosphere I'd probably keep GG dinner and give up CP breakfast.

Besides a PPO breakfast at any MK restaurant can turn into a RD breakfast if MK extends hours.

Honestly a PPO for GG breakfast would give you a cheaper price and better advantage. (not sure if that's an option for you but something to consider)

 

[4evryoung]

I vote for Garden Grill because the meal is delivered family style to your table so you won't be having to supervise three kids as they make repeated trips to the crowded buffet (and of course you get to eat your own food while it is still hot). We found that it was a constant race to get back to the table with our food to avoid missing a character visit at CP, but at GG you remain at your table as the characters come around. It felt a lot less stressful with multiple children present.

 

[TwoMisfits]

If you're on a budget, I'd drop both...instead, I'd sit back and make Cinderella's Royal Table a special memory and not rush through it to get park time. Give yourself back the park time by having breakfast in your room before MK and enjoying a nice CS meal in the international village in EPCOT.

I mean, ages 7-10 are old enough to wait a couple of minutes to meet characters in parks...and at the price of the meals you recommended, it's more than worth the wait...

I say this having taken my family to the recent Texas De Brazil 20th anniversary deal...since we are not a small family, they all knew how much it cost and we made the event special...and they all knew they'd do it once (we had a birthday to celebrate) and they could get ready for it, take pics for it, practice their manners, and really take their time and enjoy it.

When you do things multiple times in the same week, they get less special, especially at the current Disney character meal prices. But doing up CRT right, and you can all make a really special memory and have it "worth" more than it costs...

Right now, GG dinner would be ($55.38 *3) + ($33.02 *2) * 18-20% tip or about $275 for a single dinner. CP breakfast would be (40.47*3) + (24.50*2) * 18-20% tip or about $200 for a single breakfast. For me (also a budget vacationer with kids), that's a single time experience on a vacation, and CRT would be the one I'd do, b/c that's your must do.

 

[Jnbm63]

If you're on a budget, I'd drop both...instead, I'd sit back and make Cinderella's Royal Table a special memory and not rush through it to get park time. Give yourself back the park time by having breakfast in your room before MK and enjoying a nice CS meal in the international village in EPCOT.

I mean, ages 7-10 are old enough to wait a couple of minutes to meet characters in parks...and at the price of the meals you recommended, it's more than worth the wait...

I say this having taken my family to the recent Texas De Brazil 20th anniversary deal...since we are not a small family, they all knew how much it cost and we made the event special...and they all knew they'd do it once (we had a birthday to celebrate) and they could get ready for it, take pics for it, practice their manners, and really take their time and enjoy it.

When you do things multiple times in the same week, they get less special, especially at the current Disney character meal prices. But doing up CRT right, and you can all make a really special memory and have it "worth" more than it costs...

Right now, GG dinner would be ($55.38 *3) + ($33.02 *2) * 18-20% tip or about $275 for a single dinner. CP breakfast would be (40.47*3) + (24.50*2) * 18-20% tip or about $200 for a single breakfast. For me (also a budget vacationer with kids), that's a single time experience on a vacation, and CRT would be the one I'd do, b/c that's your must do.

Thank you! I am definitely considering it! I got 6-7 meals, drinks and snacks from garden grocer for $215. Then to pay that same cost or more for one meal is a lot!