Stay in park to eat?

[SaraBeth07]

We're planning our first EVER trip to Disney in June and I'm totally overwhelmed! There will be 4 of us - me, my husband and our 6 and 8-year old sons. Is it best to just eat in the park while you're there? Or is it nice to leave and then come back? That just sounds like a lot of trouble and time wasted, if you ask me!

Any other tips you have to offer would be appreciated! I'm in the restaurant-booking phase of my planning.

 

[catheren]

We're planning our first EVER trip to Disney in June and I'm totally overwhelmed! There will be 4 of us - me, my husband and our 6 and 8-year old sons. Is it best to just eat in the park while you're there? Or is it nice to leave and then come back? That just sounds like a lot of trouble and time wasted, if you ask me!

Any other tips you have to offer would be appreciated! I'm in the restaurant-booking phase of my planning.

Congrads on your 1st trip to WDW! Don't be overwhelmed, that is what we folks on the DIS are here for ... to help you plan!

Ok are you staying onsite? Which meals are you talking about "eating in the parks"? Are you on the DDP?

We stay onsite, and leave in the afternoon for a "pool" break/rest, then head back to a park/s, depending on how late they are open.

As far as eating at the parks, CS (counter service/quick service) or TS (Table Service, a sit down meal).

Honestly, our favorite park to eat is Epcot, the rest of the meals are at a resort hotel. Again, depends on if you are a CS or TS family. We are a TS family and do not do buffets.

Please let me know, so I can assist you with your plans. Again, Congrads!

 

[arcticdisneylovers]

We've never left the park just to go eat and then come back it would be too much wasted time for us. But we have left a park in the afternoon for a break, had supper and then gone back to a different park. We always stay at the CR so it's really convenient for MK especially

 

[Kay1]

When our boys were young we got to the parks for rope drop, then had a nice TS lunch in the parks, then left very shorlly after. Then, after playing at the resort, we'd bathe and dress and go out again.

There are enough restaurants in the park I'd never leave just for lunch unless it was just for fun. (For example, when we're at DHS we like to take the boat to Captain's Grill for a nice break.) I hope yours is a wonderful trip.

 

[LindaBabe]

Short answer - if you're staying off property - DEFINITELY eat in the parks - it takes WAY too long to get back to the resort.

I do not have the stamina to do a full park day. I do what Arcticdl does - Morning through lunch at park A, return to resort for nap and swim, then either back to A or to another park B. This only works if you have park hopping. Otherwise you must return to A.

A young family I know does not get hopping, stays all day, and has a "quiet time" in the afternoon in an attraction like "hall of presidents" or one of the little parks where the kids can nap in the stroller.

Your family, with the kids being a little older, may well be able to go all day without a break.

Think about whether a table service at lunch would be a welcome, air conditioned rest - or would your family find it an interruption? counter service might suit that family better.

 

[Bonniec]

How long will you be there? When I have friends who come for a week and have never been, I usually recommend them to do 2-3 table service meals and that's it.

For the age of your kids, you'll likely want a couple character meals. If you are morning people, breakfast at Crystal Palace inside MK would be nice. Breakfast at O'Hanas or Chef Mickey would also be nice since it's close.

I would think ahead of time of what sort of experience do you want from the restaurants. Character Meals? Loud sillyness? (Whispering Canyon Cafe or 50's Primetime) Cool stuff to look at? (Scifi or Trex) More upscale? (Signatures)

Most TS is going to take a chunk out of your day and away from park stuff. So I would say to try some, but don't overload yourself with them either. Many of the Counter Service places are great and personally, I just love to snack around the world.

 

[Gibbygirl]

Once we're at a park we prefer to stay there. Leaving for a TS takes too much time, for us. Others like it for a break away from the madness. We will do a TS breakfasts at a resort then head to a park for the day or start at a park and may end it with a TS at a resort. Otherwise we find something in a park for most of our TS meals. If you're not doing the DP you won't have the "pressure" to use all those TS credits. Plus, if paying OOP you may not want the added expense of very many TS. Take advantage of big QS. It's easy to split many of them and save a lot of $. Really, it's a personal choice. Your kids may not want to leave a park to go eat. Enjoy your trip & have fun planning! (the planning is part of the fun for many of us!)

 

[B-Ride]

IMHO, a first visit to WDW should focus on the parks and not the food. There is just too much to do and not enough time.

I would recommend booking a character meal (say Crystal Palace because it is in MK) and another meal or two at Epcot and then just sticking with CS.

 

[zmanandshan]

Hi and welcome to the boards. Your question whether to eat at the park or outside depends on if you are staying on site. We used to stay offsite for years, but finally had our first on-site stay in 2008 and we will never stay offsite for many reasons to long to mention.

If onsite: I prefer a breakfast at the resort. We are not really breakfast people, so a bagel, or bowl of cereal is fine for us, or a quick snack in the park. We like to be on the Dining Plan (which may or may not be right for you), but will use it for either a quick Service lunch and a Table service dinner or vice versa. We usually like taking a break after lunch and returning to the resort for a while, and depending on how everyone feels, either enjoying the resort, or going back to a park (typically we have park hoppers, so we may go back to a different park later).

When offsite back in the day: Typically we would have a late morning snack to hold us off for a later lunch (usually QS), then leave the park for a late dinner in the international drive area.

 

[TwoAtDisney]

Congrats on your upcoming trip - how exciting for your family.

My wish for your family is that you take it very easy on your Disney visit. So many families wear themselves out, get too hot, rush around to try & see everything & then drag around very unhappy spouses & kids! Believe me, in the coming years your family will mostly remember the non-Disney things - funny personal interactions with each other, how funny Mom looked after getting soaked on Splash Mountain (be sure to buy the photo!), the funny look on someone's face when screaming down a roller coaster hill, the shared laughter, etc. No one will remember that they didn't get to ride such & such.

Since 1973 with 3 kids (9-13yo) and thru our grandchildren (now in college), we have never hurried thru the parks, but we do act very silly! The silly times are the times they talk about. We always went back to the Disney resort for a swim in the afternoon. I think this break & chance for everyone to relax (& get cooled off) is what kept our humor alive. For the early days when money was an issue, we usually ate away from the parks, & liked some non-Disney spots. Don't worry about going offsite takes too much time away from the parks - you have a very long day to fill!

Please keep in mind that June will be very hot. If your family is not used to the heat, you may want to plan for afternoons at the pool.

Enjoy!

 

[SaraBeth07]

Great info! A bit more info on us - we're staying on site at the Polylnesian and will only be there four days. We did purchase the dining plan - 1 TS, 1CS and 1 snack.