Should I or Shouldn't I Keep My Reservations?

[bumbershoot]

My kids eat like birds so it might be a waste of money.

Birds eat a ton for their size, and constantly, but I get what you mean.

Your 12 year old is a Disney adult for buffet pricing. So she's not going to be charged the kid price at those meals. Kid buffet prices end once kids turn 10.

Chef Mickey is disgusting for breakfast. Crystal palace was tolerable 6 years ago but I wouldn't go again.

Find places with foods you like. I wouldn't do a buffet personally. 50s has the act that your bossy cousins are set if you and they make you clean your plate etc. that does NOT work for me. Will it work for your family?

Check the menus at allears. Find what your family will like. Don't pick restaurants because of what it was like 8+ years ago. Menus change.

We all have budgets of some sort, so you want to plan so you don't end up just eating junk food.

 

[bumbershoot]

This is a thread that's kept up to date with buffet pricing.

http://www.disboards.com/threads/buffet-character-shows-aycte-pricing.3108466/

 

[ELSA711]

I would bump out Crystal Palace and Chef Mickeys
You could use the GG dinner for the Mickey interaction but it's also plausible to you FP at Epcot for this since their tier 2 options are so low key.

If your children won't be into the characters, I wouldn't pay those prices for breakfast food.

 

[ShellyShell]

This is a thread that's kept up to date with buffet pricing.

http://www.disboards.com/threads/buffet-character-shows-aycte-pricing.3108466/

Thank you!

 

[ShellyShell]

Birds eat a ton for their size, and constantly, but I get what you mean.

Your 12 year old is a Disney adult for buffet pricing. So she's not going to be charged the kid price at those meals. Kid buffet prices end once kids turn 10.

Chef Mickey is disgusting for breakfast. Crystal palace was tolerable 6 years ago but I wouldn't go again.

Find places with foods you like. I wouldn't do a buffet personally. 50s has the act that your bossy cousins are set if you and they make you clean your plate etc. that does NOT work for me. Will it work for your family?

Check the menus at allears. Find what your family will like. Don't pick restaurants because of what it was like 8+ years ago. Menus change.

We all have budgets of some sort, so you want to plan so you don't end up just eating junk food.

I've decided to ditch Chef Mickey's and Crystal Place. Been there already. I don't really remember how the food taste but the experience was ok. I'm definitely doing 50s PT. I'm not worried about them bossing us to eat our food. I know how to tell people to F off too but I know it's all in fun. lol I'm still on the fence about GG but thinking about keeping it because I've never been there before.

Thanks everyone for the suggestions!

 

[Mousetopia]

I currently have 5 restaurants reserved for our stay and I do not have the dining plan. Is it worth it? I really don't want to spend a ton of money on restaurants. I definitely have a budget. I'd rather buy crap..lol. These are the 5 I have reserved. I'm not even sure of the pricing. Which ones do you think I should cancel?

Crystal Palace for Breakfast
Whispering Canyon for Dinner
50s Prime Time I have reserved for Lunch and Dinner. Can't decided which one will be final.
Garden Grill for Dinner
Chef Mickey's for Breakfast

Dining plan does not guarantee you a "Deal" on dining. You can end up paying more than you would have. Whether your choices are worth it is up to you and what you like to eat. Their are menus post on the walt disney world web to see what they have and decide if a good value. ..and reviews galore out there too.

 

[Octoberbaby]

I currently have 5 restaurants reserved for our stay and I do not have the dining plan. Is it worth it? I really don't want to spend a ton of money on restaurants. I definitely have a budget. I'd rather buy crap..lol. These are the 5 I have reserved. I'm not even sure of the pricing. Which ones do you think I should cancel?

Crystal Palace for Breakfast
Whispering Canyon for Dinner
50s Prime Time I have reserved for Lunch and Dinner. Can't decided which one will be final.
Garden Grill for Dinner
Chef Mickey's for Breakfast

If you're on a budget, I would cancel all of the restaurants except for 50s PT. CP, CM, and GG are all pretty expensive for the quality of food that you get. They are basically priced for the experience. As far as WCC goes, if you go for lunch, and stay away from the platter, that wouldn't be too expensive. There are really good QS options though and cost less than the places you have booked.

 

[WDWNY]

I personally hate Garden Grill- quick service tastes much better in my opinion

 

[alex9179]

I currently have 5 restaurants reserved for our stay and I do not have the dining plan. Is it worth it? I really don't want to spend a ton of money on restaurants. I definitely have a budget. I'd rather buy crap..lol. These are the 5 I have reserved. I'm not even sure of the pricing. Which ones do you think I should cancel?

Crystal Palace for Breakfast
Whispering Canyon for Dinner
50s Prime Time I have reserved for Lunch and Dinner. Can't decided which one will be final.
Garden Grill for Dinner
Chef Mickey's for Breakfast

Out of your selections, I've only eaten at 50s. We had a great time, though. The server ribbed me throughout the meal and the kids were cracking up the entire time. The food was ok. The good entrees were Mom's favorites, the fried chicken (which my 3 kids shared), and the PB&J shake.

As long as your meals fit into your touring, I don't know that I would try to convince you to change them. Buffets and family style meals ARE expensive. If you think that your family would be OK to share, I'd change them to more traditional a la carte eateries.

You need to think about how you all usually eat and what you want to accomplish at the parks. For instance, we don't eat big breakfasts and my kids are usually too excited about being at WDW to eat normally. Something light in the morning, I schedule a lunch after we've done most of the rides that get long waits, then we get something light for dinner and a treat. My TS vs QS will depend on the time of year and how we want the day to play out. Honestly, my kids would just graze all day but I need to sit down and enjoy someone seeing to my service once in a while!

So. If you'll share how you've planned for the parks/day and the type of food that's a no-go, then we'll be able to help you and offer options that may suit you better. Also, when you're going and how your family usually eats at home...although that can change on vacation. Summer can really dampen appetites!

 

[Alicefan]

The Beast is not at BOG for lunch, only dinner. At dinner, he is available to meet in the room off to the side. He doesn't come to the tables.

Breakfast at CP for ages 3-9 is around $20. Adults are $34.

We paid closer to $40 last year in January. I don't know what the deal was, but maybe it was because it was lunch.

 

[Paula Sedley-Burke]

Glad to read you are keeping Prime time. This is one of our favorites. Also we found some of places in resorts cheaper like the charming Oliva's at Old Key West and for a buffet the one at Fort Wilderness is very good value. No characters. Just good food!

Have fun!

 

[TwoMisfits]

I'd cancel them all but one. If 50s Prime Time is your #1 choice, keep that as the "special" dinner. If it's Whispering Canyon, keep that one. TS meals are EXPENSIVE and if you are on a budget, you won't want to feel like you have to eat the cheapest, lousiest meal on the menu to stay in budget (been there, done that with a sister-in-law - never seen so many "side salads" as meals and then having her complain about them). You can make the one meal a "special" occasion and enjoy cheaper options the rest of the trip.

And if you are truly on a budget, I'd put in a grocery order that will cover at least your drinks and breakfasts for the week - if you can pay $.30 for a soda vs $3, this will add up to large savings fast. Plus, then you don't have to rush in the morning figuring out when and where you'll eat.

 

[IrishNYC]

I really don't think my kids would care for the characters at GG that much. My 7 yr old son is not even into Disney Characters and my 12 yr old daughter...well she's 12..lol I was going more for me because i've never been there. lol I've been to CP with my 12 yr old when she was 4. 7 yr old wasn't born. It was nice but it's not a must and yes i've put it into my plan for the day. I'll have to look at WC's menu. I loved that place. That was one of my favorite. So i'll look at the menu to see if it's worth it. I wanted to do CM's because I wanted to interact with Mickey. I don't remember if the food was good. We had dinner there but it was pretty cool. I have some days to decide but thanks for the recommendations for Quick Service meals.

We loved CM breakfast. My daughter was 5 at the time. DH and I liked the food, and the character interactions were some of my favorite on that trip, and it was definitely the best character meal of the trip. We're a family of 3, and when Minnie came to us she sat down in our empty seat and really got into playing with DD. Even DH who was an anti-Disney grump before that trip loved it. I will say though that it is pricey to pay OOP for, but isn't everything there?

 

[ShellyShell]

I'd cancel them all but one. If 50s Prime Time is your #1 choice, keep that as the "special" dinner. If it's Whispering Canyon, keep that one. TS meals are EXPENSIVE and if you are on a budget, you won't want to feel like you have to eat the cheapest, lousiest meal on the menu to stay in budget (been there, done that with a sister-in-law - never seen so many "side salads" as meals and then having her complain about them). You can make the one meal a "special" occasion and enjoy cheaper options the rest of the trip.

And if you are truly on a budget, I'd put in a grocery order that will cover at least your drinks and breakfasts for the week - if you can pay $.30 for a soda vs $3, this will add up to large savings fast. Plus, then you don't have to rush in the morning figuring out when and where you'll eat.

I've decided to keep 3 out of 5. Yes on a budget but can stand to spend the money on the 3. Just didn't really want to overdo it on food. Can't take that home.

 

[Maggie'sMom]

We paid closer to $40 last year in January. I don't know what the deal was, but maybe it was because it was lunch.

Yes, lunch and dinner are more expensive than breakfast at CP. Lunch and dinner are around $48 for ages 10+ and $29 for ages 3-9.

 

[ShellyShell]

We loved CM breakfast. My daughter was 5 at the time. DH and I liked the food, and the character interactions were some of my favorite on that trip, and it was definitely the best character meal of the trip. We're a family of 3, and when Minnie came to us she sat down in our empty seat and really got into playing with DD. Even DH who was an anti-Disney grump before that trip loved it. I will say though that it is pricey to pay OOP for, but isn't everything there?

I took my daughter when she was 4. It was Amazing!!!! She's 12 now so we can skip it..lol

 

[rosiebean]

I was there last week and did both GG and Crystal Palace.

After hearing amazing things about GG for years I was rather disappointed. The seating arrangements (we were in an oval booth) and narrow isle made it *very* difficult to interact with the characters. The meal (breakfast) was lackluster, IMO. Eggs were cold and tasted like they were powdered, sausage was greasy, tater tots were tater tots, bacon was cold, Mickey waffles were tasteless without butter/syrup...sticky buns was the only thing outstanding. The character interaction was very lackluster, though I blame the narrow aisles and seating for this...very little room for improvisation between characters and diners. The characters mostly posed (alone) in front of our table . It was hard to have members of our party take pics with them given the narrow isle which had servers were going back and forth with big skillets full of food for other diners.

Crystal Palace, which I expected to be a let down based on what I'd heard before, was a huge success. Plentiful, varied, *good* food at lunch. And the character interaction was among the best I've had at Disney. Not only was it easy for us to get up from our round table to interact with the characters, the characters here were just amazing at personalizing their play with our table. Seriously, Piglet's interaction with my 6 ft. plus tall nephew who just turned 30 was worth the price of the entire trip alone much less the cost of lunch.

In short, I would be hard pressed to go back to GG ever gain, and I'd go back to CP in a heartbeat for any meal.

 

[CynBeth]

I would keep CP. They have a wonderful selection of food and the characters are great interacting even with adults who have no kids like us. We also love 50's PTC. Have only done breakfast at WCC and there is some of the antics and might be a less expensive option than dinner. Have not had breakfast at Chef Mickey's for a while but if I remember correctly they did not have a huge food selection but the character interaction was great. Not sure if you would be interested in this or not but we tried Cape May for breakfast at the BC a few days ago and it was great!