Our dining choices - comments encouraged

[jgreen]

Let me start by saying this is my 1st post, and this site is amazing with all the information and help that is provided.

I recently booked our family's first trip to WDW to take advantage of the free dining plan. We (DH-45, DW-41, DS-11 & DD-8) will be staying 9 nights at the AKL, and arriving late afternoon our first day. These are our choices:

Day 1 - Dinner - Jiko 4 TS credits, paying for kids separate

Day 2 - Breakfast - Room
Lunch - EPCOT Counter 4 CS credits
Dinner - Le Cellier 4 TS credits

Day 3 - Breakfast - Room
Lunch - MK Counter 4 CS credits
Dinner - Kona Cafe 2 TS credits, paying for kids

Day 4 - Breakfast - Room
Lunch - AK Counter 4 CS credits
Dinner - Flying Fish 4 TS credits, paying for kids

Day 5 - Breakfast - 'Ohana Character 2 TS credits, pay for kids
Lunch - MGM Counter 4 CS credits
Dinner - Mama Melrose 4 TS credits (will try for FDP with this)

Day 6 - Breakfast - Room
Lunch - EPCOT Counter 4 CS credits
Dinner - Teppanyaki 4 TS credits

Day 7 - Breakfast - Room
Lunch - MK Counter 4 CS credits
Dinner - Cali Grill 4 TS credits, pay for kids

Day 8 - Breakfast - Room
Lunch - AK Counter 4 CS credits
Dinner - Concourse Steak 4 TS credits

Day 9 - Breakfast - Room
Lunch - MGM Counter 4 CS credits
Dinner - Narcoosee's 4 TS credits, pay for kids

Day 10 - Breakfast - Cape May Character 2 TS credits, pay for kids
Lunch - Counter at one of the parks before going to airport 4 CS

Our kids are not real big eaters, and this is why we will pay for their meals separately at quite a few places and let us add the Signature dining choices. Fortunately they are real well behaved and will not be a problem at places like Narcoosee's or Jiko.

I encourage any input at all on my choices and the logistics of going to some of the resort dining choices from the parks. We do plan on renting a car so this should help somewhat I hope. Thanks, and again, this board has been a BIG help in my planning so far.

 

[CamColt]

Welcome to the Dis, jgreen!

It looks like you have a lot of good choices there. We have eaten at Kona Cafe and Mama Melrose multiple times and they are consistently wonderful experiences with great food and service.

 

[disney queen]

sounds good to me! as a suggestion at the flying fish, which is fabulous, ask about the chef's counter. you are seated where you can watch/interact w/the chefs.

 

[GinaGrumpyDwarf]

First, let me say that if you have looked at allearsnet.com and seen the menus, then go for it...since this is your first family trip, i just see a few things that may be difficult, or "different"

We Personally dont like Jiko...or Boma...never have, never will..lol

Flying Fish can take a flying leap...lol

never eaten at Narcoosee's , but i cant believe that you would go to MGM and not eat at Sci-Fi or Prime TIme....

It seems that the Dinners you chose are geared towards the adults, rather than the children...i guess you DO HAVE ohana's and Cape May...

Crystal Palace is great in MK..

LIke i said....it's all in what you like...

 

[barbeml]

Hi and welcome!

I can't imagine staying at AKL and not trying Boma! It is one of our must restaurants. So much variety and something for everyone. We have enjoyed breakfast and dinner there.

You picked several of our favorites, including Kona Cafe, California Grill, Le Cellier & Mama Melrose.

Have a great time!

 

[crisi]

You have some excellent choices. My only caution will be since many of them are in hotels, you may have significant travel time involved. Especially if you don't have a car. For instance, by the time you finish eating at the Contemporary or Poly in September, there is a good chance the MK buses will have stopped running. You'll be taking a MK resort bus to DTD and transferring. On day nine you have a counter service lunch at MGM, and dinner at Narcoosees. If you move straight from MGM to Narcoosees, plan on 40 minutes of travel time via bus. Even with a car, plan on half an hour. (Narcoossee's is tucked back against the back side of the GF, it may take you ten minutes just to find it!)

The restaurants you picked are (IMO) some of the best. I just wouldn't spend that much travel time to eat there on a first trip.

 

[Stacy_C]

We were told that we could not use the dining package for a "Fantasmic Dinner Package" as you plan to do at MGM. I have read here, though, that sometimes you get lucky and your server will let you use your credits anyway. So, be prepared to pay out-of-pocket in case the server won't let you use your TS credits for it.

 

[Christine]

You have made some excellent choices!! The only "iffy" ones that I see are Teppanyake and Concourse which don't have very consistent, good reviews. Other than that, sounds wonderful!

 

[leighmidd]

All look great to me. We tried Jiko for the first time last Dec and loved it. Probably our best dining experience while we were there (and their were a LOT of WONDERFUL experiences)! The only caution I give you is finding counter service at MGM. We've yet to find one that has anything palatable. I would try getting a lunch reservation at Sci-Fi Diner. You could split plates and it would be about the same price as counter service. This is the one park that needs more quick service options...what they have now is SLIM PICKINS!

 

[SqueakyMouse]

You have some excellent choices. My only caution will be since many of them are in hotels, you may have significant travel time involved. Especially if you don't have a car. For instance, by the time you finish eating at the Contemporary or Poly in September, there is a good chance the MK buses will have stopped running. You'll be taking a MK resort bus to DTD and transferring. On day nine you have a counter service lunch at MGM, and dinner at Narcoosees. If you move straight from MGM to Narcoosees, plan on 40 minutes of travel time via bus. Even with a car, plan on half an hour. (Narcoossee's is tucked back against the back side of the GF, it may take you ten minutes just to find it!)

The restaurants you picked are (IMO) some of the best. I just wouldn't spend that much travel time to eat there on a first trip.

If you have a car, this won't be a problem. We spent 10 days at WDW in May (8 at AKL!!) and had many resort meals (Cape May for dinner, 1900 Park Faire for dinner, Kona, Whispering Canyon, etc.). It was not difficult to drive ourselves. At GF, take advantage of the valet parking. Self-parking for guests is way, way far away from the hotel.

 

[newchic99]

Unless my math is off, I think you are 2 TS over. You are using 4 each of 9 days, that is your allotted 36. There isn't enough left for that Cape May 2 TS.

 

[LAWalz23]

Welcome to the DIS boards! I think you have made some great choices. We love Cape May for breakfast. If your kids are not big eaters you may be able to use 2 CS for breakfast and 2 CS for lunch. Have fun!

 

[jgreen]

Thanks everyone for all of the advice so far.

I really like the suggestion to try and get the Chef's counter at the Flying Fish.

Yes, the meals are mostly geared towards the adults. The kids are fairly picky eaters, and since they will probably stick to burgers, nuggets, etc., the wife and I may as well go ahead and try to enjoy some fine dining. They're getting 10 days at WDW, so that's what is most important to them, LOL.

I'm aware of some people being denied the Fantasmic Dinner package when using the dining plan, but I figure we'll give it a try and hope for some pixie dust.

Good point on the slim pickings on counter service at MGM. I've seen that mentioned often in a lot of threads. Since the one day that we will be spending at MGM we will be having breakfast at 'Ohana, maybe we'll skip the lunch, or have just a light snack midday. Then maybe we can use the CS credits for breakfast platters at the hotel some morning.

Good catch on the total number of TS credits newchic99. The spreadsheet I made was correct, but I didn't copy it over to the post correctly. I had meant to use only 2 Ts credits at Kona on Day 3, and pay for the kids separate.

We are planning on renting a car, so I'm hoping that will help in getting around to some of the dinners at the resorts from the parks. The valet suggestion at GF is a good one, thanks SqueakyMouse.

 

[crisi]

We are planning on renting a car, so I'm hoping that will help in getting around to some of the dinners at the resorts from the parks. The valet suggestion at GF is a good one, thanks SqueakyMouse.

That turns this from "pain in the back end" to doable. But don't underestimate the amount of time it takes - even with a car - to move around the world. A lot of first timers think that getting from the back end of MGM to Boma will take five minutes - and in reality, its probably closer to 30 or 40 to leave the park, get to your car, drive over to the other end of the park, park at AKL and get to the hostess desk. MK is the worst - its almost impossible to get to anywere that is't a MK resort in half an hour. The World is LARGE.

(We don't rent cars, but make liberal use of cabs, which is expensive, but the fastest way to get around, since - except for the MK, and there we walk to the Contemporary - its door to door).

 

[bkhibiscus]

Hi and welcome!

I can't imagine staying at AKL and not trying Boma! It is one of our must restaurants. So much variety and something for everyone. We have enjoyed breakfast and dinner there.

You picked several of our favorites, including Kona Cafe, California Grill, Le Cellier & Mama Melrose.

Have a great time!

Ok, flame retardent suit on again (Boma criticism alert). We loved Le Cellier and California Grill. Le Cellier will definitely let you pay for the kids. Just a heads up, our server at California Grill was reluctant to let us pay for our daughter, and she wanted the Rice Krispy Treat sushi anyway, so we used credits.

Boma...I know it is on many must dos and that is personal preference. For us, it was a lot of filler, and not a lot of substance. It also was not what we would consider "exotic", the "pods" were buffet stations and, at least on the night that we were there, the staff were not very helpful to the people who did not know what certain items were, a woman in front of me kept asking me and the other man on line because she was being ignored. Now I have heard great things about Jiko, although it is a signature.