talk to me about our dining choices & kids

[LandChildWorldAdult]

Our trip is 7 days and 6 nights. We are going to be there for 6.5 full days because we are coming in a late the night before our WDW stay.

The kids have never been to WDW and will be 10, 7 & 4 when we arrive. We are staying at the Contemporary ...

Here are the ADRs I made this AM:

Day 1: no ADR, but I think I need one Rainforest Cafe ??
Day 2 Coral Reef 4:25 (early dinner before MVMCP)
Day 3 Whispering Canyon 7:45
Day 4 Chef Mickeys 10:40 and Luau 8
Day 5 California Grill (mom & dad) 7:40 Never Land for the kids
Day 6 Cinderella's Royal Table (mom & ms. 7) and Le Cellier 8:10

I had wanted Le Cellier for Day 2 and will probably cancel one of the ADRs because we are OOP for at least 3 TS meals before I added Coral Reef.

DH wants mostly beef and vegetables, the kids are probably pretty flexible foodwise (and I have one kid who orders off the adult menu, so I have some flexibility).

Comments? Suggestions? Am I mad to think the kids can make it from an 11 or so lunch to an 8 or so dinner with a snack in between? Other things I'm not thinking of ...

Thanks in advance for helping someone who hasn't been in almost 12 years

 

[Darcy03231]

I find we like to have one day without any ADR's so we aren't planning time around meals. I also like to keep meals as close a possible to the time we eat at home (otherwise I've found people get crabby and grumpy). I really don't think the kids can go from 11 am until 8 pm without wanting something to snack on. Personally, if it were me, I would cancel the Whispering Canyon and not do an ADR that day at all.

 

[vicki_c]

Our trip is 7 days and 6 nights. We are going to be there for 6.5 full days because we are coming in a late the night before our WDW stay.

The kids have never been to WDW and will be 10, 7 & 4 when we arrive. We are staying at the Contemporary ...

Here are the ADRs I made this AM:

Day 1: no ADR, but I think I need one Rainforest Cafe ??
Day 2 Coral Reef 4:25 (early dinner before MVMCP)
Day 3 Whispering Canyon 7:45
Day 4 Chef Mickeys 10:40 and Luau 8
Day 5 California Grill (mom & dad) 7:40 Never Land for the kids
Day 6 Cinderella's Royal Table (mom & ms. 7) and Le Cellier 8:10

I had wanted Le Cellier for Day 2 and will probably cancel one of the ADRs because we are OOP for at least 3 TS meals before I added Coral Reef.

DH wants mostly beef and vegetables, the kids are probably pretty flexible foodwise (and I have one kid who orders off the adult menu, so I have some flexibility).

Comments? Suggestions? Am I mad to think the kids can make it from an 11 or so lunch to an 8 or so dinner with a snack in between? Other things I'm not thinking of ...

Thanks in advance for helping someone who hasn't been in almost 12 years

Yes, you need an ADR for Rainforest.

I would not be eating in Epcot at 4:25 on the night of the Christmas party in the MK. You can enter the MK for the party at 4 PM. If you're in Epcot eating, you won't even get to the party until 6:30 or so. I would use that time and get to MK early and eat somewhere there if you want.

I think your other choices are good - but no, I don't think kids under 10 are going to be able to last from lunchtime to 8 PM. We make all our dinner reservations in the 5:30 - 6 PM timeframe - we could never eat at 8 PM or later, but others do.

 

[MouseMomx2]

We do the same thing...late breakfast, no lunch, snack & dinner. It works very well.

I think your choices are good ones. You wouldn't be able to use the DDP at the Rainforest Cafe so you'll have to pay OOP for that one. Other than that, you won't have to pay OOP for everyone. The way your schedule is currently it looks like your two sons will be covered and you'll just have to pay OOP for a few meals for the rest of you. Of course, if you split meals here and there you won't have to pay OOP for as much and you'll be able to keep all of the meals you have.

This is what I come up with...

D1: Rainforest Cafe OOP
D2: 1TS for each person
D3: 1TS for each person
D4: 3TS for each person
D5: 2TS for mom and dad
D6: 3TS for mom, 3TS for DD, 1TS for each person

That breaks down to:
Dad - 8
Mom - 9
DD - 8
DS - 6 each

So if your kids could share twice you'd be all set for the kids' meals. Then you'd just have to pay OOP for 5 meals between you and your DH.

If it were me I'd pay OOP for the adults at the Luau or the California Grille meal. That would bring you down to paying OOP for just one more adult meal.

If you want to cancel something I'd go with the Coral Reef. That would let you get to the party earlier and save you 1 TS credit each. You could use a CS credit that night at the MK instead.

Hope that helps. Have a great trip!

 

[LandChildWorldAdult]

Thanks! I did not know -- the ticket info says that MVMCP is from 7 to 12. We were planning that to be an Epcot day, clearly a short one -- but I expect to be able to start at rope drop that day, since the day before is AK and park hours are short.

If MVMCP is from 4 to 12 ... that does change things and would argue for a CS meal in MK that night. Any suggestions? We'll want to eat early so we have room for hot chocolate and cookies (free! after you pay $250 for 5 people to get in )

I don't expect them to last from 11 lunch/brunch to 8 pm without eating, only that we'd be best off getting snacks to fill in. If folks are hungry in the early AM I expect we can eat desert from the night before or pay for a pastry if I run out of snack credits. I have big eaters, but I keep hearing that the DDP is sooo much food.

Yes, you need an ADR for Rainforest.

I would not be eating in Epcot at 4:25 on the night of the Christmas party in the MK. You can enter the MK for the party at 4 PM. If you're in Epcot eating, you won't even get to the party until 6:30 or so. I would use that time and get to MK early and eat somewhere there if you want.

I think your other choices are good - but no, I don't think kids under 10 are going to be able to last from lunchtime to 8 PM. We make all our dinner reservations in the 5:30 - 6 PM timeframe - we could never eat at 8 PM or later, but others do.