Please help an ovewhelmed first timer with dining!

[smjrm]

Dh and I will be taking our 6 an 7 year old boys to WDW for the first time in June. We just made the reservations recently and I haven't made and ADR's yet. I started researching, reading reviews, etc and it's really overwhelming. Can anyone suggest a couple of good places for table service meals in each park? I know it's going to be hard to get much since we're only 39 days from vacation but I would like to try. I don't need character meals. We are doing the dining plan.

Thanks so much!!

 

[BriarRosie]

I know there's a menu tool on the wdwinfo.com part of the DIS, but I don't think it's as user friendly to complete novices as the AllEars menu site.

This lists all the restaurants by location, and you can click to view a sample menu, all subject to change. At least it gives you an idea where you might want to eat.

http://allears.net/menu/menus.htm

Keep in mind that some restaurants at resorts might be a good option over a theme park restaurant. If you're at the Magic Kingdom, you might find a good meal just a monorail ride away. At Epcot (or Disney's Hollywood Studios), you might want to eat at a restaurant located at one of the Epcot resorts, which are located between the two parks by a boat ride (or a slightly hidden walking path). At Animal Kingdom, the Animal Kingdom Lodge is just a short 5 minute bus ride, so you might want to end your AK park day with a 5pm dinner reservation at one of AKL's restaurants.

Then again, you might want theme park restaurants for their own merit, so happy restaurant hunting!

 

[dcherry]

I don't know if this will help much but my kids are picky eaters and on the dining plan kids can only select "kids meals" when offered at each table service place. So....knowing my kids were picky, I ended up choosing buffet table service dining so that the kids could eat anything on the buffet. This gave them a much wider choice and me some piece of mind knowing they'd probably find at least a few things they'd eat.

Other popular table service meals are:
Coral Reef
Le Cellier
Ohana's
California Grill

 

[Fatima1922]

If you are looking for Character meals I would suggest:

Crystal Palace - MK
Cafe Mickey - Contemporary
Ohana Breakfast (Lilo and Stitch) - Poly

I did others but I have a daughter so it was all about the Princesses!

I didn't do Tusker House during my last visit but am considering it for my next.

I would also suggest Rainforest Cafe at AK - less crowded than the one in downtown Disney.

 

[Hootch]

places do fill up but if you're flexible you should be able to find some good TS locations. A couple to try if you like the menus would be Biergarten and Donald's Breakfastsorous. I know people have had luck at both at later dates and both work well with kids. A couple of places on the monorail loop if you're at the MK is the Wave and Kona Cafe.. The Plaza in the MK has good sandwiches and ice cream treats. It's not the best for value on the dining plan, but it is refreshing.

 

[Dreamfinder2]

My best guesses/opinions ... I'm gonna steer you away from the hardest -to-get spots, but don't let that keep you from trying. Keep previewing the posted menus - while some of them aren't up-to-date, it'll give you somewhere to start:

MK -Crystal Palace (I know character meals aren't a criteria, but this one is good on its own merits), Liberty Tree Tavern
Epcot - Teppan Edo, Biergarten
DHS - 50s Prime Time and Sci-Fi Dine In
AK - All about the same

I like the idea of getting out of the parks - to any of the monorail resorts if you're at the MK, the Epcot resorts from Epcot or DHS; and at AK - well, it's cross country to anywhere except the AKL, and we love Boma. Y'all might enjoy Whispering Canyon, too, and it's just a simple boat trip from the MK.

 

[pavil]

Congrats on your first trip.....l

I would try to get some Char. Meals. It may not mean much to you now, but looking back on it, you will be glad your kids got to do them. At that age....almost every Char meal option is open as a possibility.





Try to at least snag some advanced dinner reservations before you go down.

Then when you get there, have the front desk people/ concierage help you try to get better places. That way at least you have fallbacks.

You will probably spend a lot of time at MK, Being a first time visitor, I would start there and also look into the Disney resort restaurants.

You will have an eaiser time getting reservations at the resorts as opposed to the Parks.

Good luck, you will be suprised what you will get for ADR's if you keep calling each day. Stuff opens up all the time, you will need to be very flexible with your times however.

Good Luck and Have Fun,

 

[irunnoft]

Don't let the fact that you're 39 days away shake you. Sure, places like Le Cellier might be gone, but you never know until you try. Also, just something to consider, you might have better luck getting ADRs in the resorts. FWIW, I just called and made two new bookings yesterday and got what I wanted and when I wanted.

Here's my list going from park to park.

Magic Kingdom:

Liberty Tree Tavern
Tony's Town Square

EPCOT:

Le Cellier (long shot but worth a try)
Teppan Edo
Coral Reef
Chefs de France

Hollywood Studios:

Mama Melroses (got an ADR for there yesterday)
Sci-Fi Dine-In (got an ADR for there yesterday)
50's Prime Time Cafe
Brown Derby (signature dining)

Animal Kingdom:

Yak and Yeti

Other locations:

Ohana's at Polynesian (got an ADR for there three days ago)
Kona Cafe at Polynesian
Whispering Canyon at Wilderness Lodge
Artist Point at Wilderness Lodge (signature dining)
California Grill at Contemporary (signature dining and my personal favorite of all WDW Dining)
Boma's at Animal Kingdom Lodge
Jiko at Animal Kingdom Lodge (signature dining)
ESPN Club at Boardwalk
Spoodles at Boardwalk
Beaches N' Cream at Beach Club

 

[irunnoft]

Check out the menus on www.allears.net

 

[FOURCRUZAN]

My boys (7 and 9 at the time) loved the following:

Ohana (dinner and breakfast) @ the Poly
Coral Reef (lunch) Epcot
Chef Mickey @ the Contemporary

They all have a great atmosphere and they were able to find something to eat. They also had great desserts! My youngest still talks about the desserts at Disney.

Hope this helpful!

 

[smjrm]

Thank you all so much for the suggestions! I'm going to look at them on the allears site. Does that site tell you which places are buffets? I would like to try one or two for the kids since they'll try new things that way but not by ordering a whole meal and risking not liking it.

Also, pavril (I hope that's right) mentioned that I should look into a character meal. Can someone please help me understand what is so great about them? What happens and what makes them so special? Having never been to one I truly have no idea, but I feel like they're all about princesses and the young version of Mickey and Minnie. My kids are into Star Wars and things like that, so what about a character meal is going to be fun for them?

Please excuse my lack of knowledge!

 

[tavettava]

We like
Trails End (buffet)-dinner
Grand Floridian Cafe-lunch
Ohana (family skillet)-breakfast
Sci fi-late dinner
50's primetime-dinner

 

[chloelovesdisney]

What resort at you staying at? Sorry if you mentioned it and I missed it.

Magic Kingdom -
Crystal Palace
Liberty Tree Tavern

Epcot -
Biergarten

HS -
Sci-Fi

Ak -
We never do table service here so I don't have anything to recommend. I do plan to try Tusker House this summer.

If it's convenient for you I would also consider a resort restaurant.

I love to go to character meals (as do all the adults in my family), I would really think your boys would enjoy it. It's hard to know for sure, but it's easy to get into the fun spirit once you're there.
Have fun!!!!!!!!!

 

[pavil]

are buffet style breakfasts or dinners where the characters come around to each table to greet, sign autographs and take photos. They tend to be rather pricey for the food but you are really there for your kids to see the characters up close without having a crowd of people waiting behind you. Each Char Meal has a different set of Characters that visit. Even though your kids are into Star Wars I seriously doubt they wouldn't like the chance to meet Mickey, Donald, Goofy, Pluto and Minnie at a meal and get their photos and autographs with them. You can do all this at Chef Mickey.

Most Char Meals only have about 3 characters at them.

I at first, was questioning my sanity for spending around $100 for Breakfast, but after my boys saw Donald and Mickey at Breakfastsaurous, it was worth every penny and it is a memory my boys will have the rest of their lives. Pretty inexpensive when you look at it that way......

If you are on the dining plan, most of these meals are only one Table Service credit.

Just poke around on this site.

Hope you have a Magical Trip. The first trip is always the best. Be sure to take the boat or Monorail over to MK the first time you go. It's always great to see your kids face light up as they see the Castle for the first time.


Have Fun.

 

[FigmentFan77]

'Ohana dinner!!! Best food and great kids atmosphere...a THOUSAND times 'Ohana!

 

[BriarRosie]

Thank you all so much for the suggestions! I'm going to look at them on the allears site. Does that site tell you which places are buffets? I would like to try one or two for the kids since they'll try new things that way but not by ordering a whole meal and risking not liking it.

Also, pavril (I hope that's right) mentioned that I should look into a character meal. Can someone please help me understand what is so great about them? What happens and what makes them so special? Having never been to one I truly have no idea, but I feel like they're all about princesses and the young version of Mickey and Minnie. My kids are into Star Wars and things like that, so what about a character meal is going to be fun for them?

Please excuse my lack of knowledge!

The link I provided (directly to the Menus page) has a left margin full of direct links, some of them being Character Meals and All You Can Eat Meals. You'll be able to determine which places offer that (vs. regular restaurant dining).

 

[MJAJmom]

Also, pavril (I hope that's right) mentioned that I should look into a character meal. Can someone please help me understand what is so great about them? What happens and what makes them so special? Having never been to one I truly have no idea, but I feel like they're all about princesses and the young version of Mickey and Minnie. My kids are into Star Wars and things like that, so what about a character meal is going to be fun for them?

My 2 boys are into Star Wars, Spiderman, Indiana Jones, Iron Man, etc... but they just loved character meals!! IMO, I don't think you can do disney properly without eating with the characters. What makes it nice is that there are typically 3-5 characters roaming the room and they come to your table for hugs, pictures, autographs and playfulness. You don't have to stand in lines at the parks to see them. My boys loved Chef Mickeys, Tusker House, and Cape May Cafe the best. During our Oct trip, we went to lots of character meals (see my trip report link for lots of pictures). We're planning more for our June trip. Have a great trip!

 

[smjrm]

I can't thank you all enough for all of this great info! It gives me more confidence and some great ideas to start with. I'm getting excited about the dining - now let's hope I can get some reservations! I'm going to look at all of this more tomorrow and hopefully be able to call and check on availability.

MJAj - see you're going to CBR in June. When are you going? That's where we're staying from 6/12-20.