Solo parent and 4 y.o. ????

[firstWLvisit]

Looking for advice on 4 y.o. - friendly, sit-down restaurants. DD does well as long have the crayons handy. I prefer non-buffets because buffets are difficult to manage with just the two of us. We have the Silver Plan and plan to eat lunches btw 11 - 11:30. We're eating breakfast in our room and I'll pay cash for counter service meals. Here's what I have so far:

Day 1: Lunch: Everything Pop
Dinner - O'Hana (Should I plan after Wishes - 7:00 in Jan. - or during? I've not been to Disney before, so I don't know if you sacrifice too much by not being in the park for Wishes. If after Wishes, what time would be feasible?)

Day 2: Lunch: LTT or Plaza Restaurant???
Dinner: Hoop Dee Doo (5:00)

Day 3: Lunch: Rainforest in AK
Dinner: Marrakesh (I just have to try this! Hopefully bellydancer will keep DD entertained??? )

Day 4: Late Breakfast: CRT
Early Dinner/before Cirque: Wolfgang Puck's Cafe (Will DD be ok here??)

Day 5: Lunch: Crystal Palace (Buffet, but DD love's Pooh )
Dinner: Spoodles ????? (Looking for somewhere to go after Fantasmic. What time?)

Day 6: Lunch: Flame tree or Tusker house
Dinner: Not sure; Alfredo's or at a resort? Can I manage Boma?

Day 7: Lunch: 50's PT Cafe
Dinner: Everything Pop

Any recommendations are welcome! I only have PSs for CRT and HDD as of now.

Thanks,
Michelle

 

[bobcat]

Plaza Restaurant is delicious! This is my favorite place to eat at MK now. They have great sandwiches and an excellent german potato salad. If you can manage Crystal Palace then you can manage Boma. Tusker House is delicious and they have a great kids meal, PB&J on rainbow bread. You can also get mac n' cheese as well.

It looks like you have a lot of late dinners and you know your child best but he/she may be tuckered out by the time you get around to eating. WDW is exhausting and traveling as a solo parent even more so. I know we usually plan a late lunch or early dinner and snack for most of our other meals. Our first trip my DS was 4 and he fell asleep at Spoodles one night, curled up right in the booth.

 

[ahutton]

Just my opinion, but I would find LTT or Plaza and Hoop De Doo in one day to be a lot of food, and we probably would not enjoy the dinner show nearly as much. Also, for my DD (she'll be 4 next month) waiting until after Wishes would have been too late for her dinner. You might plan to eat around 6:00-6:30 at 'Ohana and then as you are finishing up the show will start. You will likely be able to see the show and the pipe in the music.

If you are planning to head over towards Boardwalk area after Fantasmic you might check out Tubbi's at the Dolphin. Certainly not fancy, but very good food and lots of kid friendly picks. It is not a buffet, but rather cafeteria style. I am not a huge fan of Spoodles for anything other than breakfast.

If you do decide to do a buffet you might ask to be seated "within sight" so you can get DD started and go for refills and still be able to see her from the line. I don't believe January will be very crowded so it may work. Although at home we've done a couple buffet places and DD has gladly followed me around the choices pointing out what she wants and letting me put things on my plate too.

 

[flynnmnstr]

Michelle-
Make your PS but be flexible if you DD doesn't cooperate. I am going on my own with DS Jan. 6-9th ; DH meets up with us in the afternoon on the 9th. I only made one or two PS and the rest of the time when I am alone with DS I am going to wing it. I don't think it is going to be that crowded at that time and I am hoping that if I am in the MK and I want to eat at a sit down I can pop in some where and get a table.

By the way, I heard that Tony's is one of the best sit down's at MK and its not a buffet (easier with the little ones when you are on your own). Aritist Point also has a character breakfast (its Pooh i think) that is not a buffet (we are going there one morning). Oh I just remembered you have CRT PS.

My only suggestion would be to make all of you dinner PS earlier(between 5-6pm). My DS who normally goes to bed on the later side at home (9pm) was passing out in his stroller at 7-7:30pm. THis time when I am on my own as well as when DH joins us we made all of our PS (except for Rose and Crown-we made a 7:30 hoping to get some patio seating and stay for Illuminations if DS cooperates and its not too cold) around 5:30pm. That way we can eat and then still have time to get a good seat for the fireworks, Illuminations, etc. or wander around the parks before they close.

Have a great trip!
Lauren

 

[firstWLvisit]

Thanks for the ideas.

Could the one hour time difference play to my advantage? We usually eat at 6:30 at home - so that would be 7:30 at Disney.

At first, I was thinking that we would eat in the parks for dinner but MK and MGM close at 7. We are planning to get an early start and go back to the resort for a rest after lunch. We could head back at about 4:00.

So here's the dilemma (that probably belongs on another forum): Should we take a break and then have a late - well, really usual time - dinner or stay all day and have an early dinner? This is why I have not made other PSs. Who knows what is going to happen?? I'm ok with that.

My main stress is this whole idea of PS. Can I just forgo them? I would rather be able to go with the flow. We will be there Jan 7 - 13 (Marathon Weekend).

Michelle

 

[MaryKatesMom]

We were there a week ago and although the park was uncrowded the PS's were essential. I normally take my two young girls myself and have the DH join later in the afternoon also and counter service is WAY too difficult to manage solo.

Two toddler's running around, me carrying a tray of food and searching for a table. NO WAY!!

The downside to table service is that if the restaurant doesn't have the right food (who knew they would turn thier noses up at LTT mac and cheese?) you end up paying for a meal that goes uneaten and a snack because they are hungry.

 

[MaryKatesMom]

Wasn't crazy about O'hana's. The girls would not eat a single thing and the waitress offered chicken fingers and french fries which was great but not at 9.99 a plate.

Also the games were distruptive. The food arrived just as they called the kids up and we all had to leave the table to go to the dance floor area. Unless you get a table nearby you need to follow your kids.

The food was very slow coming around. They took so long we got seconds on absolutely nothing. The girls were done with their dinner and ready to go and I left hungry.

 

[A1A1]

I have been going alone with dd since she was 1 1/2. She is now six. We have gone down at least twice per year. We have eaten almost everywhere from counter service to some of WDW finest like California Grill, Chefs de France and Flying Fish.

Here are my successes:

Marakesh was fun for dd. She was chosen to go up and dance with the dancer. Very fun.

Biergarten: The show was also entertaining. You might ask to be seated down near the stage. At one point all the kids got to go up and dance. DD even got chosen to do something special, but I don't remember what.

O'hana: Lots of different things for her to choose from. A buffet, but you don't have to leave your seats. DD loved the coconut races and the candy after. That is a good one for kids.

1900 Park Fare: Eventhough it is a buffet, Cinderella and the other characters will keep her occupied. Sit close to the buffet, and you should be okay. You can manage it. Just do one plate at a time.

Boma: I find it a bit more tricky, because the foods are experimental. This is my favorite buffet, but you have to experiment and taste a little of everything. More of a challenge to weave in and around all the tables to get to the buffet unless you are close. DD never wanted to try any of the other foods there, so it was not worth it. I always felt rushed to get out of there.

Cosmic Rays: Counter service, but there is a show....an animated larger-than-life character "plays" the keyboard and sings. Very entertaining for the little ones. This is at Tomorrowland at MK.

Prime Time Cafe: the TV is always a bit hit. DD loves this place because she gets to watch tv, and there is a good menu there. Lots of fun, but you must have a ps to get in there.

Tappanyaki Grill in EPCOT: a good and fun show. The grill is hot, so little hands have to stay away. There is no peanut butter and jelly or mac and cheese on this menu, so children have to have a taste for Japanese.

Coral Reef at EPCOT: a little pricey, but the giant aquarium is worth the price. The children love to eat and watch the fish. A must-do at some point.

Garden Grill: it is fun only because it revolves. Well okay, Chip and Dale make it more fun. The food is all you can eat, but you don't have to leave your seat.

I don't remember what resort you were staying at if you posted it. Where are you staying?

I find the counter service restaurants some of the most challenging. Places where I have had to carry jackets, push a stroller, get condiments and straws, and carry a tray are the biggest hassle. I have often told my daughter I was going to change her name to "stay with me" in those situations.

Hoop de doo was great fun. Cirque is amazing. We did Wolfgang Puck express. Fine for us. Another tray carrying incident. Why not make life easy for yourself that night.......give in to a little McDonalds then go to Ghirardelli (sp?) for a hot fudge sundae.


Be sure to ask for a table "close to the buffet" or "close to the games" or whatever. I have been accomodated each time I have made special requests. They can see that with just one adult and a child, some things are more challenging.

Let us know where you end up.