Top 3 Restaurants in Disney?

[hlm2007]

What would be the top 3 restaurants you would eat at with a 2 yr old while in Disney? This is for dinner. Where are they located? In a park? Also, can you eat at a restaurant within a park if you don't have tickets to that park? We'll be there almost a week but won't be doing parks every day we're there (I'll be 7 1/2 months pregnant and my husband will be working while we're there). I have no idea if we can get into a restaurant IN a park if we're not actually doing parks that day.
Thanks for the help!
Jan

 

[saratogadreamin09]

If you don't have a ticket to a park you can't get in.

My favorite restuarant in disney is the Crystal Palace, its in the Magic Kingdom and is a character meal featuring Winnie the Pooh and friends. The characters and food are great here.

Another great restaurant is Ohana's. Its a family style meal at the Polynesian Resort. There's a lot of activites going on and the food is SPECTACULAR!!!!!!!!!! The bread pudding dessert is the bet part *YUMMY*



These are the only two I could think of that could be fun for a 2 year old

 

[Dreamfinder2]

Hey, Jan. I'll weigh in.

First, you'll have to have park admission to eat in a park restaurant. So that narrows your options considerably.

So, outside the parks ... if you've got a 2-year-old, you'll probably want to avoid buffets, just because of how hard it might be to serve yourselves. That might rule out some character experiences. And at two, most kids are going to be "ok" with most anything.

Here's my call - check out the menus at www.allearsnet.com and pick out what sounds good to you. All WDW restaurants, except V & A, are kid friendly. Whispering Canyon can be a lot of fun, but REALLY loud. 'Ohana is another option - these are both family style places. I'm really struggling to come up with a third.

Good luck!

 

[hlm2007]

Are the resorts with good restaurants within a park? Like the Plynesian or the Contemporary...do I have to have park admission to dine at those hotels?

 

[Pakey]

Are the resorts with good restaurants within a park? Like the Plynesian or the Contemporary...do I have to have park admission to dine at those hotels?

No, all of the resorts are outside of the parks.

 

[Leanne1977]

'Ohana breakfast at the Poly may be a good choice. Its served family style which may suit you better. The characters here are Lilo, Stitch, Mickey and Pluto. We had a great time and all the kids seemed to enjoy the little parade around the restaurant with the characters and musical instruments.
But you also have to consider that your child will eat for free at the Disney buffets so it might be better for you to look at the buffet option too.

 

[patsfan101]

Where are you staying? That could be a factor, too. Too much travelling on busses with a 2-yr old would be exhausting. I have to agree with O'hana for either breakfast or dinner - it's really fun. The food is very good and they do this fun music parade with the kids and maracas. You can also go for a walk along the beach at Poly afterward and see the castle and space mountain all lit up at night. Really magical!

I have been impressed with the level of kid-friendliness at all of the restaurants at Disney - even the very nice places!

I just re-read your post and saw you were looking specifically for dinner. I think O'hana after a day at MK would be really nice for you. Take the water launch right from the park over to Poly and have a nice dinner then a walk on the beach - how great is that?!! Then either the water launch or monorail back to MK for more fun or the bus back to your resort.

 

[webray]

First..do you want casual places for a two year old, or good food for you and hubby. We never choose restaurants based on what we thought the kids would like, as we believe in the you eat what is put in front of you rule.

So, choose restaurants you and hubby would like, let the two year old eat off your plates if you have groomed the child to have an open palate and you will have a wonderful trip.

 

[ROEDISNEY]

you can't eat in the park without a ticket.
Places to eat outside the park with your child
CM
1900 park fare
WCC
Cape May bk
Ohanna bk
inside the Park
MK- CP
DHS- H & V
AK- Tusker House

 

[Shleedogg]

I would definitely hit up Chef Mickey at the Contemporary. We loved their breakfast when we went in January. Mickey, Minnie, Donald, Goofy and Pluto were there and stop and take pictures with everyone. The food was also great!

We also liked Chefs de France in France in Epcot and Mama Melrose in DHS, both were very kid friendly, we had a 2 month old.

We did 1900 Park Fare for dinner and the characters (Cinderella, Prince Charming, Step-sisters and mother) were great, the food was so so. I actually thought the food wasn't that good, but I don't eat prime rib. Everyone in our party who does really liked the food. They also have a breakfast that I've heard was good. 1900 PF is at the Grand Floridian.

I haven't tried it yet, but would really like to try Spoodles at the Boardwalk.

 

[MickeyMomOfThree]

hands down, Chef Mickey. We go every trip twice, a dinner and a breakfast. Food is very good and the characters are great. It is our family's #1!!!!

 

[hlm2007]

We'll be staying at Windsor Hills the first 3 nights and Loews resort the last 3 nights. I'll probably be doing more of the parks the first 3 nights b/c my husband will be able to go with me. We will have our car the entire trip so I can drive anywhere which may be better rather than taking the buses alone with a 2 yr old She's really well behaved so I'm not worried about the restaurant type as just wanting to make it a good/fun experience for her, especially since naps and nighttime sleep may be a little messed up during the trip and we may have a grumpier than usual child. I really like all of the ideas and suggestions you all have given me. Thanks!

 

[hlm2007]

I just realized too that the Loews resort is on the Universal property. I have no clue about what's there that would suite us. I don't know anything about the area and hotels!

 

[Mickey_Man]

1. If you are in the mood for something a little upscale, we have seen many many families with children around 2-3 years old at California Grill (Contemporary)..it's noisy enough that you'll feel comfortable bringing a child of that age.

2. Kids tend to like Crystal Palace and the food there is really pretty darn good and at times, a little more complex than you standard buffet! Characters are always a big hit. (at Magic Kingdom)

3....still thinking..

 

[lpoeppelman]

Where are you staying? That could be a factor, too. Too much travelling on busses with a 2-yr old would be exhausting. I have to agree with O'hana for either breakfast or dinner - it's really fun. The food is very good and they do this fun music parade with the kids and maracas. You can also go for a walk along the beach at Poly afterward and see the castle and space mountain all lit up at night. Really magical!

I have been impressed with the level of kid-friendliness at all of the restaurants at Disney - even the very nice places!

I just re-read your post and saw you were looking specifically for dinner. I think O'hana after a day at MK would be really nice for you. Take the water launch right from the park over to Poly and have a nice dinner then a walk on the beach - how great is that?!! Then either the water launch or monorail back to MK for more fun or the bus back to your resort.

I love O'hana's. We stayed at the Poly and I was on my own a lot with two small children. It worked out great. And it would be easy to go to/from since you can just take the monorails to/from the resort from MK. So your only bus ride would be to MK, then monorail to the Poly. It would also be fun to go out on the beach. You could watch Wishes! fireworks or the light parade on the water. The Poly is just a magical hotel!

Good luck!

 

[AllyGirl_79]

I think if you have two adults at dinner, a buffet might work well for you. Characters would probably be fun for most 2 yr olds. (Though some seem scared by the characters.)

In a park (using a ticket to enter) ... Crystal Palace at the Magic Kingdom is a buffet Winnie the Pooh characters and nice food. And as mentioned before, the 2 yr old would be free. For non buffets, at Epcot, the World Showcase restaurants are pretty interesting food-wise and quite kid-friendly. We like Chefs de France the best. At Disney Hollywood Studios, 50s Prime Time has a fun atmosphere.

Outside of a park (no ticket required) ... Chef Mickey's at the Contemporary Resort is a buffet with the big 5 characters and good food. 1900 Park Fare at the Grand Floridian is also a great character buffet (particularly if your child is a girl). For non-buffets, Kona Cafe at the Polynesian is a nice atmosphere.

If I have to pick 3, it's Crystal Palace, Chef Mickey's or Kona Cafe.

At Universal, there is some character dining in the parks - ticket is required. There area also some nice restaurants in the resorts (Jake's and the Island Dining room at Royal Pacific, the Kitchen at Hard Rock, and Mama Dellas at Portofino Bay.) And there's dining at City Walk, which is kind of like Downtown Disney (no ticket). However, you really don't need to make reservations more than a day in advance for most places, so you'd be able to scope out the restuarants when you get there or talk to the concierge. Also, like at Disney, some of the counter service are very well themed (like in the Dr. Suess area). The food is better at Disney counter service in my opinion, but I think you'd do just fine in either place.

 

[SplashMom]

I think character dining for a 2 year old would be fun and Chef Mickey's is great. The characters are very common and it is a fun place. You don't need park admission either.

 

[Ron from Michigan]

California Grill
Jiko
Spoodles

 

[Dreamfinder2]

A question: Is it easy for you to manage a buffet with a 2-year-old? Because if it is, the out-of-the-parks options are much more varied for dinner. Chef Mickey's has been mentioned, of course, and 1900 Park Faire is a good option. Did I understand that for some of the time it will just be the two of you sans hubby? And it's dinner you're looking for?

I thought of the Rainforest Cafe, too, if your child can manage the periodic thunderstorm inside. There certainly is a lot for a little one to see!

 

[hlm2007]

Yeah, I think going through a buffet line with my 2 yo will be ok. She stays pretty close to me. And yes, I will be with her w/o hubby for 3 out of 6 of our nights there. I did get Chef Mickey's breakfast reservations, as suggested...so thank you! Once we're 90 days out I think I'll try Ohana and Crystal Palace also.