Table Service with a 2 yr old.

[turningleaf]

Hi, we are going for 3 days with an almost two year old. We don't have a Dining Plan.

We were thinking of doing quick service for lunches and table service for dinner if we can make early dinner reservations (so she can have regular bedtime).

I need suggestions for Dinner at table service places where a two year old will be welcome as well as entertained. OR, do you recommend we don't do Table Service for her age and stick to room service or quick service dinners?

Thanks!

PS. Oh, I forgot to mention we only have 2-day tickets and are planning to spend them both at MK. So meals will have to be there or at other resorts! We are staying at WL so we'll probably do better with something accessible by the boat or monorail. We are trying to avoid the buses.

 

[katedrew94]

When our daughter was 18 months she loved the Coral Reef in Epcot. The fish were really entertaining to her and kept her interested a lot.

 

[shellybaxter]

Magic Kingdom has the Crystal Palace - which is a character buffet with Winnie and gang. The food is good and there are lots of children. They also have Liberty Tree Tavern - a family style meal with Thanksgiving type food - might be something a 2 year-old would like to eat. At your hotel they have the Whispering Canyon Cafe - always noisy and fun. This might be a good choice since you are staying at the hotel.

I know you might not want to make reservation but I would at each of these restaurants if you want to eat at them

 

[tinkandpan]

If you are going to be at magic kingdom- you could do Crystal Palace for dinner- although it is personally not a fave (prefer bfast). Libery Tavern could work at MK. Also on the monorail line- Kona is actually very kid friendly, O;hana's as well (you can request some kids food), . Plaza restaurant n main street is table service but essentially like a little diner. Epcot has a lot, but you aren't going to be over there.
One suggestion to think about- we usually stop and have a ts lunch and take a nice break during the day. At that age sometimes I found my kids were in a better mood during liunch

 

[auntfrannie]

In the MK you also have Cinderella Castle where you have dinner with the princesses (not sure which ones). The package also gets you a picture with the fairy godmother so that would be a nice keepsake of her first visit to the MK.

Ohana's at the Polynesian is also good for kids. Although at 2 she probably wouldn't be able to participate, they have coconut rolliing contests where they gather all the kids and give them each a small broom and they roll their coconut around the restaurant. They also have hula lessons and a singer that entertain during dinner.

At the Crystal Palace, they also do a parade with Pooh & Friends. Kids join in the parade and I've seen moms & dads carrying their little ones in the parade if they were too young to walk by themselves.

You have some great choices! Don't settle for room service!! Have a great time!

 

[llqool]

My personal choice (given your options) would be Kona....not only is the food there excellent, but it is kid-friendly (which, as the parent of toddlers, now means to me "loud"!)

Of course there are all the buffet options (Chef Mickeys, 1900 Park Fare, etc), but the food there isn't nearly as good! And we didn't find AP in WL to be very child-friendly (but we never tried WCC....that might be another option, since I know it's a pretty loud and rowdy place!)

 

[abc999]

In the MK you also have Cinderella Castle where you have dinner with the princesses (not sure which ones). The package also gets you a picture with the fairy godmother so that would be a nice keepsake of her first visit to the MK.

Actually, the princesses are not at dinner and you get a picture with Cinderella. At dinner time, the Fairy Godmother, Perla and Suzie (the mice) do a little show.

 

[Mom2JPL]

My kids are young too, and I found that a character breakfast or lunch was better for them than dinner. They were not tired and really enjoyed the characters. We would get up early and hit the earliest possible breakfast (before park opening) or get to the park at opening and then hit an early lunch (around 11:00 or so). After lunch we go back to the room for a nap (or swim for our older two) and then head to the park for a CS dinner. This works for us.

Close to MK character meal restaurants we like are Crystal Palace for breakfast or lunch, 'Ohana for breakfast, and 1900 Park Fare for dinner. We haven't tried Chef Mickey yet, but I'm planning on it for our next trip (thinking of going there for our arrival night).

Have fun planning!

 

[goofygal531]

I agree, my kids are all for the character meals.

We love Crystal Palace!

Also, with a child that age you can feed them ahead of time then let them sleep in the stroller while you enjoy an adult meal.

 

[lillykat]

We went when DD was 15 months old and we did a lot of meals at EPCOT so that won't help but here is where we ate out of the parks and at MK:

Crystal Palace
Ohana
Kona (don't recommend)
Chef Mickey's

Our other meals were at EPCOT - but she loved those.

 

[FlyingBelle]

We've eaten at a couple w/ my DD when she was both 13 months & 15 months.

Whispering Canyon is a great option - lots of distrations to keep her busy (and it's already loud)

Chef Mickey's was fun for a late lunch - she loved seeing the characters.

 

[EAH]

After doing the dining plan a couple of times (both regular and deluxe), I have found that sometimes the CS meals are not faster or easier than the TS. We have a 5 & a 2 year old and if the lines are long, the CS is a real pain. When you can be seated at a TS restaurant and not have to stand in line, it can be worth the extra $. Sometimes it doesn't even cost that much more. And you're served pretty fast.

 

[Ariel on Land]

We just got back with two 24 month olds and we had a decent experience at most meals. Though it depends on what you want out of it- I found my two did not eat well at all at any of the character meals. Now, they LOVED the characters, but they were so excited about them that they wouldn't eat.

Especially CP- they way they seated us, the boys could look in the mirrored wall behind us and watch the characters the entire time. So they seriously didn't eat anything. Also, out of the 3 character meals, as far as character time went, I was most disappointed here. They stopped, snapped a pic, and ran off to the next table, which honestly, upset my little guys. Our best interaction BY FAR was the Garden Grill in the Land at Epcot. The chipmunks were AWESOME, even Mickey took the time to let the boys get down from their chairs, walk over to him, give him hugs, high 5s... etc. This was the first time they met any of the characters at all, so one DS was particularly shy (the other, not at all go figure...) but both Chip and Dale spent time playing peekaboo, and things like that to get my shy guy to warm up to them. It was really sweet.

Now, if you want them to eat- go figure, the boys ate best at Coral Reef and Le Cellier! Apparently my little guys love steak!!! Also, as far as MY enjoyment of the meal went, I preferred the non-buffet places. Too much running around for mom and I know I didn't get my money's worth out of those meals!

Oh shoot, I just re-read and saw that you're only going to be in MK!!! OOPS! So scrap the Garden Grill recommendation! But don't feel like you can't take her anywhere because she's young, it's Disney World- little kids will be at the nicest of WDW restaurants, no one bats an eye. Bring some familiar food w/ you so you have something to feed her immediately, and enjoy your dinner!

 

[brandylouwho]

No new ideas, but I know that my young children (ages ranged from 4 months to 5 yrs on various trips really liked:

Crystal Palace--especially if you ever watch the TV show or read Winnie the Pooh books to her. Some of my favorite vacation photos were taken here of my eldest when she was 2 and my youngest when she was 19 mos old. The girls were all smiles (whereas neither liked the princesses much at that age).

Whispering Canyon Cafe--It is loud enough here that I didn't feel like I had to keep the kids quiet. When they were that young, they did not get up & participate in things, but did enjoy watching the pony races, waving their napkins, etc.

Others that have potential:

Chef Mickeys--I have found buffets go well with little ones as they don't have to sit & wait forever for their food. And who doesn't love Mickey?

'Ohana could be nice too (our family didin't care for the food though--but many others do like it). It had enough activity going on to catch a little ones attention.

Whatever you decide---you will have fun.