Restaurant advice for non Disney in laws

[FSU Girl]

Yup, I totally get this. I'm going through it right now too with my in-laws. They get annoyed because I'm asking what they want to do and they say they don't care but I'm afraid they're going to show up and struggle because nothing has been planned.

Years ago, I had a manager at work who was stressing out about a team that was going to miss a deadline and our director said: "let them fail". It was really eye-opening. So that is what I've decided to do. I've offered help, it's been rejected, so now I'm going to let them handle it themselves. It's been a weight off me haha

I might have to try that lol. I feel like non Disney people just don’t understand how not planning can make for a stressful vacation and having some stuff booked in advance is a good thing. Going to bring it up at thanksgiving dinner we’ll see how that goes lol

 

[FSU Girl]

Have you thought about going off property for a couple of these meals? There are some steakhouses and Ale house near DS that might work? I would avoid any restaurants inside the parks since you already said you aren't sure if they'll go into any of the parks. It will be a waste of money to get them ticket just to eat.

My only worry with that is transportation. They are looking into doing the bright line train to get up there to avoid a long drive and then will get a car service to Disney. Just with their mobility issues I want to make getting around as easy going as possible

 

[MsChristy12]

My only worry with that is transportation. They are looking into doing the bright line train to get up there to avoid a long drive and then will get a car service to Disney. Just with their mobility issues I want to make getting around as easy going as possible

Would they mind taking an uber? If they don't want to, then the monorail resorts restaurants will be your best options to make it more convenient for them.

 

[sponica]

I might have to try that lol. I feel like non Disney people just don’t understand how not planning can make for a stressful vacation and having some stuff booked in advance is a good thing. Going to bring it up at thanksgiving dinner we’ll see how that goes lol

I always think this is a red herring, people go on vacations all the time and plan them somewhat, they buy books or look up restaurants nearby so they don't end up in the weird dive bar.

I've never gone on a vacation where I didn't have an idea of where to go? Heck even at home I need to book a reservation at least 2 or 3 nights in advance, there's no same day reservations at the steak house in town on a Saturday night.

 

[FSU Girl]

I always think this is a red herring, people go on vacations all the time and plan them somewhat, they buy books or look up restaurants nearby so they don't end up in the weird dive bar.

I've never gone on a vacation where I didn't have an idea of where to go? Heck even at home I need to book a reservation at least 2 or 3 nights in advance, there's no same day reservations at the steak house in town on a Saturday night.

You’d be surprised. There was a mom in my mommy and me group who did zero research and went to Disney with her family and baby for the first time booking everything two days out. She went on and on about how horrible the trip was and she might never go back.

Even my parents love to travel and do zero planning. They book nothing in advance and just go, sometimes booking hotels same day. If they went to Disney with their usual habits I don’t think our trip would have been good. Luckily they let me plan everything and listened to me on most stuff

 

[Marthasor]

I would stick to restaurants on the monorail. Definitely Steakhouse 71, maybe 'Ohana dinner? If you can make it over to WL, I would do Whispering Canyon.

 

[erinch]

Golden Corral?
Or Dennys?

 

[Pyxie]

I don't have a lot to add. I just want to say good luck.

 

[MaintenanceMan17]

I might have to try that lol. I feel like non Disney people just don’t understand how not planning can make for a stressful vacation and having some stuff booked in advance is a good thing. Going to bring it up at thanksgiving dinner we’ll see how that goes lol

How did the Thanksgiving conversation go? Did they understand the need to plan?

 

[Brob2132]

I don’t have much to help other than some words of encouragement: I love my parents to death but in situations like this I feel like there’s no pleasing them. I was much happier once I just made the plans and told them they could take it or leave it, their loss.

 

[FSU Girl]

How did the Thanksgiving conversation go? Did they understand the need to plan?

lol. They did not. So I’m just going to make reservations for 6 and tell them they are invited and if they want to join great and if not that’s ok too. I have around 2 weeks before the dining date so I’ll try and talk to them again about it in case something changes

 

[Spectre8]

Grand Floridian Cafe has some fairly traditional menu items and has a convenient location you can access by monorail.

 

[senadler]

I think being at the Poly gives you a lot of great options. I think you can give them a little Disney even without the parks. I would definitley suggest Ohana breakfast. Food is basic and they can see how much fun the kids are having, also at your resort. Steakhouse 71 is a great option, and anything on the monorail makes transportation easy. Another way to include them in some Disney fun without the parks is Hoop Dee Doo. Menu is basic, the show is really fun, and you can take the monorail to MK and a boat to Fort Wilderness.

 

[blana]

I would stick to restaurants on the monorail. Definitely Steakhouse 71, maybe 'Ohana dinner? If you can make it over to WL, I would do Whispering Canyon.

Whispering Canyon seems to check most of the boxes. Silliness for the kids. Meat (and lots of it) for the in-laws. And a fairly easy ferry ride to get there.

 

[Nancyg56]

My FIL can’t do a scooter he uses a wheel chair to get around most places and wouldn’t be able to steer the scooter. My MIL walks normally but has bad knees so can’t do a lot of walking. It would be hard because she’d need the scooter but usually pushes the wheel chair. My husband could push the wheel chair but they don’t want to have long days and be with us the whole time and we have two single strollers for the kids so that makes it hard with pushing everyone. If it’s a short distance my MIL could walk to a restaurant but Disney springs is a bit spread out so that might be hard

I would avoid DS like the plague. It is sprawling and if they cannot use scooters they will be miserable. There are plenty of options that are going to be more manageable. If you already have to cope with them finding Disney not fun, this would likely put them over the edge

 

[Nancyg56]

lol. They did not. So I’m just going to make reservations for 6 and tell them they are invited and if they want to join great and if not that’s ok too. I have around 2 weeks before the dining date so I’ll try and talk to them again about it in case something changes

That would be it for me. I would make reservations that I wanted and include them. If they want to come, fine. If not, they can roam on their own.

We plan trips and if we have people joining us we try to get their feedback, but I refuse to participate in this nonsense. My daughter and son in law invited me on their last trip. It was their trip. They asked me what I wanted, and they truely wanted my feedback, but I never woudl have placed any level of stress on them or asked them to read my mind

 

[Kae]

We love character breakfasts did a ton on our last trip. I think they’d like that although probably not the characters lol. Ohanas breakfast skillet is probably basic enough they’d like it

I was going to say Ohana for breakfast, Family Style, so don't getting up to a buffet.

 

[Nancyg56]

I’m just worried if I leave the planning to them they won’t get much scheduled which is hard with Disney and then they won’t have a good time. With my parents on our last time I booked everything and just told them when and where we were going. We changed some stuff last minute but overall they followed what I booked.

I understand, Plan your trip to Include them. If they come along, they come. If they don't they don't. You asked them and they had no idea. That is understandable, they don't know what they do not know. If you want to target what they dont want to do, that may be better. You can decide what is really important to you and your family and you do that anyway. They can join you or not. If there are things that they want to avoid, after you narrow it down, and you are okay with skipping those things this trip, then accommodate them.

Character meals? Yes or no?

All day in the parks? yes or no?

Non park days by the pool and resort?

Resort hopping on the monorail or Epcot?

I love character meals. Turns out my crew finds them awkward. Okay, we skip them now.
Parades? Most of my crew hates them. We split up
I like Fantasmic. We go every other time.
Fireworks? I love them, the rest of the crew thinks they are okay. They watch them with me.

I wonder if they really have no idea so they cannot help with the planning.

 

[FSU Girl]

I understand, Plan your trip to Include them. If they come along, they come. If they don't they don't. You asked them and they had no idea. That is understandable, they don't know what they do not know. If you want to target what they dont want to do, that may be better. You can decide what is really important to you and your family and you do that anyway. They can join you or not. If there are things that they want to avoid, after you narrow it down, and you are okay with skipping those things this trip, then accommodate them.

Character meals? Yes or no?

All day in the parks? yes or no?

Non park days by the pool and resort?

Resort hopping on the monorail or Epcot?

I love character meals. Turns out my crew finds them awkward. Okay, we skip them now.
Parades? Most of my crew hates them. We split up
I like Fantasmic. We go every other time.
Fireworks? I love them, the rest of the crew thinks they are okay. They watch them with me.

I wonder if they really have no idea so they cannot help with the planning.

Thanks this is a really great way to break it down. I think presenting it like this might help get better answers from them