Restaurant Suggestions

[texjen]

I've made some reservations for our trip in January, but wanted to get some new suggestions. We are trying to go to different places since we seem to do the same. We are intentionally skipping Chef Mickey this time. Read some not so great reviews lately and wanted to try Ohana since our son likes Stitch.

Here is where we have reservations:
Cinderella Castle dinner - doing this for our 6 year old daughter
Ohana breakfast
Via Napoli dinner
Tusker House breakfast
Raglan Road dinner - not sure about this one
Be our guest breakfast - heard this is quick service

Thinking about maybe doing one of these?
Whispering Canyon
Liberty Tree - we've been there before but really like it
Mama Melrose - better than Via Napoli?

Any other must go to restaurants?

 

[wdwrich]

You state that you aren't sure about Raglan Road. Can I ask why? I've read nothing but good reviews about it, and got a great verbal report from a family member. We have a dinner ressie there in December and are looking forward to it.

 

[texjen]

we've just never done downtown Disney and didn't know if it's worth a trip with a 9 year old and 6 year old. I've also read good things.

 

[Alesia]

Of all the restaurants you've picked, Raglan Road is the best. I wouldn't skip it.

 

[DisneyWishes14]

I like your list! Via Napoli is far, far better than Mama Melrose, so definitely keep Via Napoli. Liberty Tree might be interesting depending on what they did (if anything) during the refurb. You may want to look at the new Jungle restaurant in MK when it opens later this year - that could be new and exciting. Whispering Canyon isn't our favorite, but WL is gorgeous and it's fun to go look at the resort.

 

[shaneray]

1900 PF dinner just to interact with the step family, and video it.

 

[WIcruizer]

Be Our Guest is technically QS, but it "feels" a little bit like TS. Choose the West Wing for dining area.

When in doubt, you can always choose one of the other Epcot restaurants. Easy to get back and forth from MK or HS, so always a good choice. Germany, France, and Morocco are all good- but maybe not best choice for younger children. But you can take a look at the menus. If they like Mexican food, a couple choices there.

 

[addiln]

We were just at WDW last month and I was not impressed with Via Napoli. I kept hearing how great this place was and how it was a bucket list place to eat so I wanted to give it a try. Overall the food was fair and the price was ok but it was nothing special and not a place that I will be going back to any time soon. Whispering Canyon I thought was very good food was but we did it as a late lunch and the cast member really did not do anything that you always hear about. I would like to try this place again at dinner time to see what it is like. I really want to try Raglan Road. Every time I went down there I have never been able to get in for a time that works for me.

 

[GeorgiaHoo]

Downtown Disney is basically an outdoor shopping center. Not sure your kids would be very interested. We sometimes spend a couple hours walking around there but it isn't particularly exciting -- picture a bunch of Disney-themed stores that you visit to buy clothes or other souvenirs. If you skip the area altogether then no need to make a special trip for Raglan Road. If you do go to DTD then Rainforest Café might be more fun for your kids. We really enjoyed Mama Melrose. Can't compare it to Via Napoli since we haven't been but has a more diverse menu than Via Napoli. I wouldn't go back to Liberty Tavern if you didn't enjoy the first time. Other places that I would consider would be Boma (good food for a buffet) and especially Teppan Edo - your kids are at the age where they would have fun and food is good.

 

[Oneanne]

I concur that Boma and Teppan Edo are both excellent choices for something a little bit different but they are still good choices for kids: Boma for the variety of choices on the buffet and Teppan Edo for the grill-side entertainment from the Chef, but I've also had dinners there where the Server spent time with the kids doing cultural sharing, including teaching some Japanese words. One choice that doesn't often make the kids list is Yak and Yeti... it has some of the best, totally immersive theming on property and again the food is kid appropriate.

 

[ZephyrHawk]

I'm going to disagree. Downtown Disney is great for kids (and terrible for your wallet)!

Stuff your own Potato Head parts box. Make your own lightsaber. Design your own t-shirt, lego character, stuffed dinosaur. Design your own candy treats. Movies! Bowling! Disneyquest! Oh, and like, the biggest Disney store ever.

Also, I love Raglan Road. Good food, good entertainment. Go for it. Also a big fan of Whispering Canyon.

 

[WIcruizer]

Just goes to show we all have different tastes! Don't like Whispering Canyon, mostly because DH is a BBQ guru and his is much better. Some people rave about Raglan Road, ate there and it was good but nothing special- but very fun. Boma has strange tasting bland food, not a real good choice for some.

All his goes to show restaurants (and really anything at Disney) is a matter of taste. Here's what I always suggest. First, TS meals at WDW are about the magic, not just the meal. Aside from the signature restaurants, none of them are great and none of them are bad. But some are more "fun" than others. Like Raglan Road, Ohana, Biergarten, etc. So I always suggest (especially with kids) pick restaurants that have menus with food you know they'll like, maybe reach a bit on one of them.

But never choose a restaurant because one of us raves about it, may not be a good choice for you and your family. I love Yak Yeti, love Biergarten but you and/or your kids may hate that kind of food.

Oh, and I will second the comment about DTD. Most kids love it there, and now they have those aquacars, fun to watch for a while- even for adults!