Rank Our Choices

[PlutoTheDog89]

Finally sat down with my family to discuss our final Christmas trip for a few years. Here's what we came up with...

12/24: Dinner at Maria & Enzos or new Italian place (really looking for some feedback on this restaurant)
12/25: Dinner at Cali Grill (backup is Artist Point)
12/26: Quick Service Dinner (Thinking of Art of Animation)
12/27: Dinner at Homecomin'
12/28: Breakfast at Boma/Dinner at Quick Service (Polite Pig, D-Luxe, etc.)
12/29: Dinner at Sci-Fi Dine-in
12/30: Quick Service Dinner/Dessert Party
12/31: Dinner at Yachtsman Steakhouse

12/24 we're arriving a little later than usual, so we'll probably do a dinner around 7 or 8pm. Usually we arrive at Disney around 12pm, are starving from not eatin breakfast, so we stuff our faces and ruin our meal. This time around we'll get there around 1 or 2pm and try and be disciplined (we'll have breakfast, so...)

12/25 is gonna be tough to get Cali Grill, but fingers crossed. We'll have a backup of Artist Point... and possibly The Wave. If we do the Wave, we'll have an additional dining credit leftover.

With it being our last trip for a while, we're happy to finally try some cult favorites, like Boma for breakfast and Sci-Fi Dine-in for dinner. Boma is my favorite dinner restaurant and we loved breakfast at Tusker House, so I'm excited to try it for breakfast.

12/30 is tough. Usually we go to MK for the pre-NYE show and late-night EMHs. The problem is, we get there too early. After fighting the crowds for a few hours, we are shot by 1am. I think I figured out a solid plan. We'd grab either an early QS dinner, hang at the resort, then go to MK around 9-9:30 for the dessert party... or go to MK for like 8pm, grab a light dinner, then do the Dessert party. The first plan allows us to relax for most of the evening and "reserves" a spot for us for the fireworks.

 

[Spencer Wright]

Finally sat down with my family to discuss our final Christmas trip for a few years. Here's what we came up with...

12/24: Dinner at Maria & Enzos or new Italian place (really looking for some feedback on this restaurant)

...

This is an extremely diverse, well put together dining agenda!! For an Italian place, might I recommend Mama Melrose in Studios?

Like a lot of people on here, I come from an Italian background in the NE so eating Italian anywhere else is sort of sketchy. However, many people I know who have gone (my mother included) love it!

 

[TheSouthernBelle]

Like all your choices, for your 12/30 at MK Pecos Bills or Pinocchio are good QS dinner choices. We also like Sci Fi dine in, our favorite at DHS. Enjoy, sounds delicious!!

 

[Huff]

Looks good! Have not been to AoA food court but they have the create your own pasta station that is similar to Port Orleans Riverside which is excellent.

We go to POR mostly as a break in the day. We leave a park and head to Disney Springs. Shop a bit then take the boat ride to POR. It's a nice relaxing ride along the river. It also stops at French Quarter where you can get some good beignets for dessert.

 

[BEASLYBOO]

Looks good, great choices (Boma, Sci-Fi, Cali Grill), we’re trying Maria & Enzo’s in August!

 

[Jadyreen1282]

I....like it. Ask for Barry at Yachtsman.

 

[Huff]

I....like it. Ask for Barry at Yachtsman.

We'll be at Yachtsman our first night in November. Didn't know you could ask for a specific waiter if they're working that night. Barry's good huh?

 

[Disneypapa]

Another vote for Mama Melrose for an Italian meal

 

[Jadyreen1282]

We'll be at Yachtsman our first night in November. Didn't know you could ask for a specific waiter if they're working that night. Barry's good huh?

He is incredible.

 

[crabbygal902]

Finally sat down with my family to discuss our final Christmas trip for a few years. Here's what we came up with... Final trip for a few years? So sad!
12/24: Dinner at Maria & Enzos or new Italian place (really looking for some feedback on this restaurant)
12/25: Dinner at Cali Grill (backup is Artist Point) For your back up plan, perhaps consider Narcoossee's if a view is part of what you are looking for. I love the view from the porch there, watching the fireworks with a Grand Martini in my hand.
12/26: Quick Service Dinner (Thinking of Art of Animation) We may be alone in this opinion, but we don't enjoy AoA quick service. It is the only time on our many visits to WDW where we opted to go off-property for dinner rather than to go back to AoA.
12/27: Dinner at Homecomin'
12/28: Breakfast at Boma/Dinner at Quick Service (Polite Pig, D-Luxe, etc.) I love breakfast at Boma, the rest of my family disagrees (who ARE those people?? Also, I can't wait to try Polite Pig!
12/29: Dinner at Sci-Fi Dine-in this place is such fun! Stick to the burgers, fries, and shakes that fit with the theme. The other menu items haven't been as good for us as those simple choices.
12/30: Quick Service Dinner/Dessert Party at MK? We really enjoy Columbia Harbor House and Pecos Bill. It is also fun to take a park break and walk over to CR for dinner at Contempo Cafe. Those seasonal cupcakes are worth the walk, and I just love the atmosphere with the mural and the monorail whizzing by.
12/31: Dinner at Yachtsman Steakhouse

12/24 we're arriving a little later than usual, so we'll probably do a dinner around 7 or 8pm. Usually we arrive at Disney around 12pm, are starving from not eatin breakfast, so we stuff our faces and ruin our meal. This time around we'll get there around 1 or 2pm and try and be disciplined (we'll have breakfast, so...) There are plenty of delicious snacks at DS, perhaps you could eat your dessert first at Ghiradelli's. I know that there are lots of other new options for sweets, but that is still my favorite.

12/25 is gonna be tough to get Cali Grill, but fingers crossed. We'll have a backup of Artist Point... and possibly The Wave. If we do the Wave, we'll have an additional dining credit leftover.

With it being our last trip for a while, we're happy to finally try some cult favorites, like Boma for breakfast and Sci-Fi Dine-in for dinner. Boma is my favorite dinner restaurant and we loved breakfast at Tusker House, so I'm excited to try it for breakfast.

12/30 is tough. Usually we go to MK for the pre-NYE show and late-night EMHs. The problem is, we get there too early. After fighting the crowds for a few hours, we are shot by 1am. I think I figured out a solid plan. We'd grab either an early QS dinner, hang at the resort, then go to MK around 9-9:30 for the dessert party... or go to MK for like 8pm, grab a light dinner, then do the Dessert party. The first plan allows us to relax for most of the evening and "reserves" a spot for us for the fireworks.
The only thing that I might consider is park closure to new guests due to crowds. Granted, you are staying on property so it would have to be a higher level closure to affect you, but I guess it is still possible. I haven't visited over the Christmas/New Year Holiday, but I follow along at home. Park closures for new arrivals definitely do happen, and I've heard that you can't get in even with a dining reservation. Perhaps someone here can confirm or deny this and give your more insight.

Enjoy your trip! Make lots of memories to last until you can visit again.

 

[PlutoTheDog89]

Thanks for the feedback! Replies to your replies in black

Final trip for a few years? So sad! Yep! We've been going for Christmas since 2009 (skipped in 2011). Last year we became AP holders and went all out: Easter '17, Halloween '17, Christmas '17, Pro Bowl weekend, and Easter '18. We're doing Christmas again, then taking a break. 2019 is gonna be nuts with SWGE and we wanna do a trip to Italy in Fall 2019... so we're gonna hold out until 2021.

For your back up plan, perhaps consider Narcoossee's if a view is part of what you are looking for. I love the view from the porch there, watching the fireworks with a Grand Martini in my hand.
We love Narcoossee's, but have been there the past 2 Christmases. Looking for something new.


We may be alone in this opinion, but we don't enjoy AoA quick service. It is the only time on our many visits to WDW where we opted to go off-property for dinner rather than to go back to AoA.
We may change this. My dad loves it and in order to keep him going, we need to keep him happy.


I love breakfast at Boma, the rest of my family disagrees (who ARE those people?? Also, I can't wait to try Polite Pig!
I've read some average reviews of Boma Breakfast, but I love it for dinner and we always do a breakfast, so... Polite Pig is my favorite spot!

Stick to the burgers, fries, and shakes that fit with the theme. The other menu items haven't been as good for us as those simple choices.
We've sort of accepted that the food is gonna be less-than stellar, but it's a Disney classic and we've never been.

We really enjoy Columbia Harbor House and Pecos Bill. It is also fun to take a park break and walk over to CR for dinner at Contempo Cafe. Those seasonal cupcakes are worth the walk, and I just love the atmosphere with the mural and the monorail whizzing by.
Agree on Contempo. I wanna get to MK around 9-10. I think that's the best bet. In past years, we'd get there, stand around, get tired and call it a nice early. I feel like Pecos doesn't stay open past 9, but I can't remember. My sister did have Pecos last trip and loved it.

There are plenty of delicious snacks at DS, perhaps you could eat your dessert first at Ghiradelli's. I know that there are lots of other new options for sweets, but that is still my favorite.
I think we'll do a small salad from Ale and Compass Marketplace, maybe. Our usual go-to is Boardwalk Bakery. We always say we'll split but never do.

The only thing that I might consider is park closure to new guests due to crowds. Granted, you are staying on property so it would have to be a higher level closure to affect you, but I guess it is still possible. I haven't visited over the Christmas/New Year Holiday, but I follow along at home. Park closures for new arrivals definitely do happen, and I've heard that you can't get in even with a dining reservation. Perhaps someone here can confirm or deny this and give your more insight.

Enjoy your trip! Make lots of memories to last until you can visit again.
Believe it or not, we've never been turned away. I'm not worried about getting into the parks. Having gone so much, our view is: if we ever get turned away, we'll find something else to do.

Thanks for the feedback!!

 

[disneygolfer1985]

I saw that you have been going for Christmas for awhile. Have you been to the Candlelight Processional before? One thought would be to maybe consider doing the Candlelight Processional dinner either Christmas Day or later? We were there last year for Christmas and Epcot was a ghost town on Christmas Day in the evening. We had dinner at Artist Point and did the Candlelight Processional on Christmas Eve. Artist Point is really good and I have always had a great meal there.

 

[gharter]

Looks like a really group of restaurants.
A few suggestions:
If you can't get California Grill, Artist Point is not a bad option. Our favorite id Jiko.
If you are looking for Italian, Moma Melrose is good, Il Mulino at the Swan is awesome.
Really enjoyed breakfast at Boma.
How can you not have fun at Sci-Fi? Great burgers.

 

[PlutoTheDog89]

I saw that you have been going for Christmas for awhile. Have you been to the Candlelight Processional before? One thought would be to maybe consider doing the Candlelight Processional dinner either Christmas Day or later? We were there last year for Christmas and Epcot was a ghost town on Christmas Day in the evening. We had dinner at Artist Point and did the Candlelight Processional on Christmas Eve. Artist Point is really good and I have always had a great meal there.

That's a great point. You know... we've never done Candlelight. I think the overall feeling is that you can't really get in unless you do the dining package and spending 2 dining credits never interested us. Maybe we should take advantage, being so close to Epcot.

 

[disneygolfer1985]

That's a great point. You know... we've never done Candlelight. I think the overall feeling is that you can't really get in unless you do the dining package and spending 2 dining credits never interested us. Maybe we should take advantage, being so close to Epcot.

You can pay out of pocket for it, which I think is better. I highly recommend it as we always see it on Christmas Eve when we go over Christmas. It is a great way to enjoy the park when it is crowded because you won't have to deal with the crowds as much since you will be at the Processional. You can also watch it from behind the seats, but if you have never been, then I would highly recommend seeing it.