Restaurants?

[MinnieMousse]

Hello Everyone! This is our first trip to Disney and we are looking for the scoop on the best (not necessarily most expensive) places to eat. We will be staying at one of the Deluxe Resorts so we should have easy access to just about everyplace. Since we haven't been there, we don't even know what each place's menu is like. Please advise.

Also, as I will be spending part of the day on my own I love any suggestions on what to do when flying solo.

Thanks!

 

[Katy Belle]

Hello and Welcome! You are going to have a great time! Check out this website for all the menus www.allears.net As for "the best" if you read this board a bit you will see that everyone has a different opinion! I'd look at the menus, see what appeals to you, then ask questions here. Good luck!
Katy

 

[jenjen212]

i agree.

everyone has different opinions. one person may say that the food at one place is horrible, then another person would say that it was the best food that they've ever had.

but, it also depends on what you are in the mood for, or what type of food you like to eat.

chef mickey's has a good dinner buffet, it has a little bit of everything. the prime rib here is very good. Here is their menu:

Dinner Buffet - Includes Premium Salad Bar and Soup du jour. On The Carving Board: Spice Rubbed Prime Rib and Oven-roasted Bone-in Ham. Chef's Buffet Specials: Kielbasa, Rosemary Citrus chicken, Tamarind glazed salmon, and Penne with zucchini. Wonderful Accompaniments: parmesan mashed potatoes, Mickey cheese ravioli, vegetable medley, broccoli au gratin, red beans & rice, and baby carrots. Includes the fabulous sundae and dessert bar. A gratuity of 18% will be added to parties of 8 or more. - $27.99 *

Ohana's at the Polynesian is also very good, but if you are not a big meat eater, you may not like it. they have an open fire pit in which they grill shrimp, turkey, steak, and pork. they serve an enormous amount of sides/appitizers. here is a quote from the menu:

Ohana's Dinner Adult 5:00pm - 10:00pm - Starters: Fried Wontons served with peanut sauce, chimichurri sauce and harissa, and Mixed Greens with Honey-Lime dressing. Appetizers: Sweet & Sour shrimp and Honey-Coriander chicken wings. Skewers (prepared over an oak fire): Marinated sirloin steak, Asian BBQ pork loin, Mesquite grilled turkey, and Hawaiian pork sausage with pineapple-teriyaki glaze. Accompaniments: Maui scalloped potatoes and stir-fried vegetables. Dessert: 'Ohana bread pudding a la mode with Banana Foster sauce. - $25.99 *

Good luck, if you see a menu that sounds interesting, come here and ask. or if you are looking for something in particular, someone here will be able to help you.

have fun!

 

[WI_DisneyFan]

Also, as I will be spending part of the day on my own I love any suggestions on what to do when flying solo.

I think this really depends on who you are going with. Personally, I would do the things that I know my DW would opt out of. For instance, if you are the thrill seeker type like I am, but your travel partner(s) are more like my DW, then maybe you spend your solo time in one of the parks taking in all of the thrill rides (Space/Big Thunder/Splash Mountains in The Magic Kingdom for instance). Or if you just want to relax, maybe do a little sightseeing. Ride the monorail and get off at each of the monorail resorts. You can walk the grounds of each and experience what each one has to offer for future trips. Or maybe just learn the lay of the land at your resort, and impress your travel buddy when he/she arrives with your knowledge of your resort. What I'm getting at is, try think of something the rest of your group probably wouldn't like and do that.

As for where to eat, I noticed somebody already pointed you to AllEarsnet.com. That is the first place I head when trying to figure out where to eat at WDW. Almost everything is good there, it just really depends on your tastes what you are in the mood for.

I hope you have a great time!

 

[Tiffer]

You got such great responses! I agree with everything so far...and THAT's RARE!

Definately check out the menus at allearsnet.com

Being your first time, Iwould try to hit the following, listed my fav to I likeit, but not my fav:

MK
Cinderella's Royal Table (Dinner)*
Crystal Palace (Lunch)*
Liberty tree tavern (lunch)*

Epcot
LeCellier (dinner)
Coral Reef (dinner)
Teppanyaki (dinner)
for a quick bite, I like the fish & chips stand in England..don' t know the name

AK
None really float my boat, but we do eat dinner at Rainforest cafe
brakfastosaurus (breakfast) is ok*

MGM
50's prime time cafe (dinner) **Our Faovrite!**
Hollywood Brown Derby (dinner)
Quick food backlot express
Sci Fi (lunch)

Contemporary
California Grille , if you time it right, you can see the MK fireworks, request a window seat(dinner)
Cef Mickey's (dinner)*

Grand Floridian
1900 Park Fair (breakfast, brunch)* ** another favorite that we never miss**
Narcoossee's (dinner) (haven't been yet, have an ADR for next trip)

AKL
Boma (breakfast) (haven't been yet, have an ADR for next trip)

Poly
Ohana (breakfast) * (haven't been yet, have an ADR for next trip)

Beach Club
Cape May Cafe (breakfast)* **(another never miss for us)**

Swan
Gulliver's (dinner on Friday Nights GREAT GROUPER!)*

Hope this helps, ther are others that are escaping me right now! Enjoy!

 

[MinnieMousse]

I really appreciate all of these great responses! I checked out AE and have some great ideas. Has anyone been to the Ghiradelli in DD? Do you know exactly where it is? I am definately going to try and book CG in the Cont. for a fireworks dinner one night. Does anyone know which parks have early hours when? or is there a website I can look that up too? I am sorry to be so overplanned, but I can't help it!

 

[jenjen212]

I really appreciate all of these great responses! I checked out AE and have some great ideas. Has anyone been to the Ghiradelli in DD? Do you know exactly where it is? I am definately going to try and book CG in the Cont. for a fireworks dinner one night. Does anyone know which parks have early hours when? or is there a website I can look that up too? I am sorry to be so overplanned, but I can't help it!

Ghiradelli's is endulgent!!!!! the sundae's ther are so good, and HUGE. When you get to the Marketplace in downtown disney Right across from World of Disney. FOLLOW YOUR NOSE. you can smell that chocolate in the air.

IF you got to disney's website, they have it the calendar posted with the early and late extra magic hours. If you go to the calendar:
http://disneyworld.disney.go.com/wd...darHome?id=MKCalendarParkHoursMonthlyViewPage you can change which park you want and you can find out the hours for that day. When you click on the specific date that you want to go. For instance, if you click on the 23rd for August for Magic Kingdom, you can see if and when they are showing spectromagic, and at what time Wishes is starting.

To view Extra magic hours:

http://disneyworld.disney.go.com/wdw/calendar/extraMagicHour?id=CalendarExtraMagicHoursPage

Good luck! Can't wait until I go!

Jen

 

[serendipity]

There are so many choices for food. I've been lucky enough to to go to Disney every year because my grandmother worked for the company and I spent summers with her as a child. Since growing up I still try to go once a year so I have dined at almost all of the restaurants. My advice to you is to pick up the 2006 or 2007 Unofficial Guide to Walt Disney World. It is the perfect book for someone without experience in the parks, it will give you reviews of all of the restaurants and describe attractions and whether or not they are child friendly. The book can be picked up at barnes and nobles or ordered on amazon.com. My personal favorite restaurants include Boma which is a African American French Fusion buffet which is 25 dollars per person. The food is different and I usually don't like anything too ethnic but this is a must see. They also include a childrens buffet with basic childfare. In the parks Epcot has the best food by far. Alfredos, Biergarten, if you want to splurge Bistro de Paris (avoid Les Chefs de France). The Prime Time Cafe in MGM is great for families. My favorite splurge is Artists Point at the Wilderness Lodge, and I think the best cheap food can be found at the All Star Movies resort. Good luck!

 

[MinnieMousse]

Has anyone tried to do the Polynesian Aloha show vegetarian? I see online that they have a set menu, I was wondering if anyone had tried calling ahead for veggie choices?