Please help me meal plan... early stages!

[Wendy31]

Doing the happy dance because I finally can start planning our Disney meals again!!

Last time we were there was June 2008, in 2009 we had a baby , & in 2010, we visited EPCOT for our "Disney Give a Day - Get a Day" day while we were in Florida for a beach vacation.

Fastforward to now, & we're planning a trip for September 2011! And the MNSSHP which has been a dream of mine for a long time!!

Anyway, because I'm so excited & the time to make our ADRs will be here soon (March!), I've started thinking about our meals...

We'll be staying at the WL. I think we'll be okay w/ the basic dining plan, but DH wants to go ahead w/ the deluxe since that's what we had in 2008. So, we'll see. We've always had parkhoppers too, but, this time, I'm going to try to make it w/o parkhoppers.

Anyway, this all depends on the dates for MNSSHP, but here is what I'm currently thinking...

Tuesday, Arrival Afternoon/Evening - MK & "Wishes"

Dinner: Whispering Canyon Cafe or CRT or 'Ohana

Wednesday, 1st Day - EPCOT, Future World

Breakfast: Roaring Forks
Lunch: Sunshine Seasons
Dinner: Coral Reef

Thursday, 2nd Day - Disney Studios & Fantasmic (hopefully this is a day Fantasmic is scheduled)

Breakfast: Roaring Forks
Lunch: Sci-Fi
Dinner: Mama Melrose or Brown Derby - Fantasmic Dinner Pckg

Question: Which would be better? We've always done Mama Melrose for the FDP, but I've read some recent mixed reviews. I'm willing to try Brown Derby & DH thinks their menu looks good. However, I really don't want to waste 2 TS credits on an "okay" place. I'd rather just waste 1 TS credit on an "okay" place like Mama Melrose, if that makes sense. Is Brown Derby that much better than Mama Melrose?

Friday, 3rd Day - AK

Breakfast: Roaring Forks
Lunch: Flame Tree
Dinner: Boma

Saturday, 4th Day - MK

Breakfast: Roaring Forks
Lunch: Crystal Palace
Dinner: 'Ohana or WCC or CRT

Sunday, 5th Day - EPCOT, World Showcase & Illuminations

Breakfast: Chef Mickey's
Lunch: Cantina De San Angel... maybe
Dinner: Teppan Edo

Question: If we have the deluxe dining plan & eat at Brown Derby (instead of Mama Melrose's) on our DS day, should we try Italy (can't remember the name) for lunch? Or Le Cellier for lunch? Or Teppan Edo for lunch and Italy for dinner? We normally try a new WS restaurant each trip, so Teppan Edo is the one we want to try this year, but lunch is kinda open...

Monday, 6th Day - MK & MNSSHP

Breakfast: Roaring Forks
Lunch: Columbia Harbor House
Dinner: CRT or 'Ohana

Tuesday, Departure Day - DTD

Breakfast - Grand Floridian Cafe (if on deluxe plan)
Lunch: Earl of Sandwich

* Will be sharing some credits at Roaring Forks for breakfast to make up the extra credits elsewhere. If we're on the basic dining plan, we'll be eating poptarts in our room! LOL!

I'm used to summer hours & not working around early park closings & MNSSHP dates. The above scenario is if the MNSSHP parties are scheduled for the Friday & Monday we're there. (I'm going by the projected dates on the DIS calendar.) I realize I might need to switch things around.

My goal - I want us to be able to go into the MK on our arrival day/evening for the normal "Wishes". I also want to attend MNSSHP at some point during our week. And I want to end our trip on our last night in the MK - either for normal "Wishes" or the MNSSHP.

We've always started our trip by eating dinner at LTT on our first night. However, LTT is no longer a character meal, so I was thinking starting the trip with CRT. But then I thought CRT might be better on the MNSSHP night. We've always ended our trip w/ 'Ohana. So, I'm also deciding where to put WCC & 'Ohana. Any suggestions?

Thanks for helping a (little bit early) excited girl plan!!

 

[3Minnies1Mickey]

Are you going to get tired of Roaring Fork breakfast by the end of the week?
All your choices sound yummy. How do you like DxDP with kids? I'm considering it for our September trip too.

 

[Disney Crazy Debbie]

I see that you have an 11 year old daughter, have you thought about doing 1900 Park Fare (GFR)? They have Cinderella's step-sisters. I was wondering about the many breakfasts at Roaring Forks, too. Maybe you would want to change that for a character breakfast at the Crystal Palace one morning. They have Winnie the Pooh characters and you get to enter the park before it opens, at least as far as the resturant. We are planning on doing the Brown Derby this year as well, we usually do H&V for the Fantasmic Package but thought we'd try something different. You know H&V has a character meal with Jo-Jo characters as well.

 

[Disney Crazy Debbie]

PS. I forgot because it is something new that we are thinking of trying for AK but they have Picnic in the Park and you order your picnic when you enter the park with a time that you will pick it up. It is certainly an easy one to share and pay out of pocket.

 

[Wendy31]

Thanks for the suggestions!!

Are you going to get tired of Roaring Fork breakfast by the end of the week?

I was wondering about the many breakfasts at Roaring Forks, too. Maybe you would want to change that for a character breakfast at the Crystal Palace one morning.

We really aren't breakfast people. If we don't do the deluxe plan, we'll just have a poptart or something in our room for breakfast. It's not that I don't like breakfast (because I love a good breakfast), it's more that I don't like mornings! LOL! I'm doing well to get up, grab something to eat, & make it to park by park opening.

However, I have ALWAYS wanted to do the early Crystal Palace breakfast. One year, we had an ADR for the character breakfast at AK, & we barely made it though!

Normally, what we like to do is grab something quick for breakfast, get to whichever park by opening, & then break for a nice, sit-down lunch. However, we've always gone in June, so, by lunchtime, when it's getting hotter, we needed a cool break.

But, maybe, instead of Roaring Forks every morning, we could try the Main Street bakery...

How do you like DxDP with kids? I'm considering it for our September trip too.

Last trip, we loved it! The basic dining plan, as you know, is 1 quick-service & 1 table-service/day. I always make more ADRs than we have days! LOL! For example, on our DS day, we normally have lunch at Sci-Fi & dinner at Mama Melrose's. One day, we'll do breakfast at Chef Mickey's & then a table-service for lunch. Also, we do CRT which is 2 TS credits. So, for us, the deluxe plan made it so the only OOP costs were for any of the extras (adult beverages, extra snacks, etc.) Plus, the deluxe has 2 snacks/day - and, if you consider that you're going to get at least a drink + some sort of snack/day, that's a saving as well. Of course, you get the refillable mug too which was nice. And appetizers! We even added California Grill which was a wonderful experience!

I didn't want to make 3 ADRs/day because I didn't want us to feel like we were rushing from meal to meal, so I just made the ADRs I wanted, & I still feel like we came out ahead. But you do need to figure in the extra tip costs.

However, this year, DD & older DS will be considered "adults", & I'm just not sure that they will eat enough to warrant the extra cost - like, I think DD will still order from the kids' menus sometimes.

DH likes having everything prepaid though, & he wants us to go ahead & do the deluxe. But I'm still wavering a little bit.

I see that you have an 11 year old daughter, have you thought about doing 1900 Park Fare (GFR)? They have Cinderella's step-sisters. <snip> We are planning on doing the Brown Derby this year as well, we usually do H&V for the Fantasmic Package but thought we'd try something different. You know H&V has a character meal with Jo-Jo characters as well.

Every year, I think about doing 1900 Park Fare! LOL! But I just never can work it in our plans! (Plus, we're not crazy about buffets.) However, I think the 1900 Park Fare would be a fun experience w/ different characters - Prince Charming & the stepsisters. If we add a night, I might add this dinner & then skip breakfast at the GF Cafe on our departure morning.

We've really enjoyed Mama Melrose's for our FDP but are considering Brown Derby... the mixed reviews I've read worry me though.

And I'm waiting until our younger DS gets a little older to do the H & V character meal.

And, oh yes! Picnic in the Park!! That sounds fun too! But we would really miss Flame Tree.

I think I just need like 2 full weeks at WDW!

 

[cbg1027]

I have not been to Mama Melrose's, but I think the Brown Derby is worth the 2 TS credits. I really enjoyed it there, especially the Cobb Salad and Grapefruit Cake!

There are two restaurants in Italy now - Tutto Italia and Via Napoli. VN is a pizzeria while Tutto's main focus is on non-pizza dishes.
The only WS place you mentioned that I've eaten at is Le Cellier, which I enjoyed, but not for the steaks. Those were just average. The other dishes were great though.
I personally would avoid Teppan Edo. Teppanyaki joints are a dime a dozen. It's an experience you can find easily outside of Disney for half the price, so I would want to spend my time and money on a more unique experience.