I'm trying to book my dining reservations, and I have know idea where to eat at what park.
So far I have booked CRT, and Chef Mickey for breakfast since we are staying in the CR.
It will be my DH and I, and our 9 yr old DD, and 2 yr old DS. I'm trying to choose restraunts that will appeal to all of us. I read really good reviews for The Garden Grill at Epcot. My DS would love to see Chip and Dale. Any other suggestions for Epcot and the other parks?
It's great that you have booked two big ones - CRT and CM. We did those on our first trip with our kids, and it was great!
We didn't like Garden Grill (the food was so awful that DH talked to the manager who gave us our TS credits back to use elsewhere).
At Epcot, we liked Le Cellier and Biergarten. Biergarten has fun music and dancing for the kids, and we liked the food. Just be aware that the tables are set for 8, so you might be sitting with 4 other people (we were sat with two retired couples the first time and another family of 4 the second time).
At AK, we loved Tusker House lunch, and I wouldn't hesitate to try breakfast. Characters are just at breakfast. For dinner after a day at AK, it is really easy to take a quick bus to AKL and eat at Jiko (where we ate) or Boma or Saana. A taxi back to our resort (ASMusic) was about $15 and completely worth the money not to spend over an hour getting kids back to our resort.
AT MK, we liked Crystal Palace for dinner. I wouldn't hesitate to go back just for the food, and your kids can see Pooh characters! Another near-MK-but-outside the park option is 1900 Park Fare at GF. We did this one night, and, again, took a taxi back to our resort. For dinner, there is Cinderella, the Prince, Stepmother, and Stepsisters (too funny). The food was good (strawberry soup!), but the atmosphere made me a bit nuts. (They serve breakfast, too, with Alice, Mad Hatter, Mary Poppins.)
For DHS, we did go to Hollywood and Vine for Playhouse Disney characters. The food was okay, and I wouldn't do anything but breakfast there (more difficult to mess up). I would definitely go there because, with your kids' ages, you won't need to go back. (My kids were just 3 and almost 8 when we went - they loved it.) On our next trip, I would like to try Sci Fi Diner - mixed reviews of food (not all bad) and it looks like fun for the kids! I would like to go to Brown Derby for the food (2 TS credits, though, if on the
DDP).
My only warning is don't book too many buffets in a row. I accidentally did (just the way that it worked out since I planned what park that we would be at on each day), and I was so sick of buffets! Our only two actual table service meals were at the end of our trip.
Definitely take a look at menus, as a PP suggested. That will probably help you narrow down options.
Have a great trip!