We're still debating the character meal- what about Pirate Dinner Adventure instead?

[Kimberlina]

DD is 4, loves princesses AND pirates. LOVES, loves loves the Pirates movies, even as gruesome as they are.

I just read somewhere here about the Pirate Dinner Adventure. It is a bit less expensive than the Disney character meals.

My thoughts:
-save money by going to PDA
-do something not quite Disney
-meet the princesses and such at the Fantasy Faire and other characters around the park instead of at a meal

Any insight, anyone?

 

[bumbershoot]

t is a bit less expensive than the Disney character meals.

?????????

from their website:

Adult (ages 12 and older) Prices: $53.95 + tax
Child (ages 3 - 11 years) Prices: $35.95 + tax


Meet princess at the faire, pirates on the island, and do some other character meal? Or the pirate dinner, but it's not cheaper!

 

[spazzyjazzy]

We did not like The Pirate Dinner as much as we liked Medieval Times. We went to both last summer. The kids got kinda bored and the food was not as good.

 

[Katie0677]

From what I've heard, the PFF has some crazy long lines!
Katie

 

[bumbershoot]

From what I've heard, the PFF has some crazy long lines!
Katie

This is true. If DS wants to go again in the future, we will go as soon as it opens in the AM.

 

[Kimberlina]

?????????

from their website:

Adult (ages 12 and older) Prices: $53.95 + tax
Child (ages 3 - 11 years) Prices: $35.95 + tax


Meet princess at the faire, pirates on the island, and do some other character meal? Or the pirate dinner, but it's not cheaper!

You're absolutely right. DH just corrected me. I just had a number in my head that I thought was the price per, but was actually the price in total. I have to check the character meals again, but now that I have my head on straight, it seems like they are about $3oish?

I will have to think on this some more....

 

[bumbershoot]

OK whew!

Check dlresortinfo and/or allears.net for menus and prices (noting that prices increased in late sept/early oct, so the more recent listing the better!).

 

[devmer]

Personally, I think the character meals are totally worth it. The lines to see the characters are so long and take so much time, then when you get to the front you see the character for a minute. At the meals the characters have a lot more time to interact with your kids. Plus character lines are the slowest lines. There are so many other things to do at Disneyland, I don't want to waste all that time standing in super slow lines.

 

[lkohawaii]

Sign up for the pirate e mail. They sent me an e mail that said 1/2 off until maybe Feb. I can't remember. I'm not going until March so it didn't fit in my time schedule. Maybe it will fit in yours.

 

[Kimberlina]

Sign up for the pirate e mail. They sent me an e mail that said 1/2 off until maybe Feb. I can't remember. I'm not going until March so it didn't fit in my time schedule. Maybe it will fit in yours.

Oh, thanks so much for that info! I did sign up for the email from them, but have only gotten my welcome email from them so far (it has only been a couple hours, though.) I was hoping for big $$ off like the ad claimed.

We are going to be in California for two weeks - end of Feb/beginning of March, so if it runs through March, we can use the coupon.

Thanks all for the insights so far! Still pondering....

 

[lkohawaii]

Make sure that when the e mail comes in to keep it. I trashed mine. When I go to the site now and try to get that discounted price it's nowhere to be found.

 

[JadeDarkstar]

i will have to sign up lol when did you for the one that expires in feb?
I think the pirates meal looks grate I will love it even if full price, but I will do charcter meals too so if i had to chose I cant figuer out what id chose.

 

[Kimberlina]

Okay, I've read some reviews. Not terribly favorable. I think that if I get the 1/2 price coupon, we will go, otherwise, I'm not going to pay that much for entertainment of questionable value, though I think if the price was right, we could enjoy it.

FWIW, I did find an online coupon for $4 off an adult ticket and $2 off a children's ticket. There are other So Cal coupons, too.

It is here, and it is a PDF: http://www.visitbuenapark.com/images/20074PgCouponBook.pdf

FWIW, I tried to tiny url this so the link would be shorter, but that site is one of the websites that I can't post here. Sorry if the link doesn't work.

 

[spazzyjazzy]

Be prepared for alot of singing and it is soooo long. We really did get bored at the Pirate's Dinner. It kinda just went on and on. One of my rugrats loves Pirate's also and he kept asking when it was going to be over.
The cool thing about it was that one of the main character's from the Pirates Dinner was the announcer at Disneyland for the Jedi Training Academy.

 

[tlovesdis]

We did the Pirate Adventure Dinner in June and would not do it again! It was just ok!

Medieval Times is much better!

 

[fairycat]

We were going to go to Pirate's and everyone I know who had been talked us out of it, so far I have not heard one positive review.

If you are thinking charecter meal vs pirates so charecter meal and go to Rainforest later and see the thunderstorm, its probably better then the whole show at pirates.

If you still want to do a dinner show do Medieval times now thats FUN! Food isn't bad either.

 

[JadeDarkstar]

ive heard alot ppl liked the pirate food better then the food at midevil times
i am going to pirates in oct, and in dec probly doing the christmas special at midevil times and maybe pirates christmas special. I will be sure to do a report on pirates dinner for sure when get back

 

[Kimberlina]

I don't have anything against Medieval Times per se, but I like the fact that PDA has a vegetarian meal option available. Also, we live not very far from a Renaissance Fest, so I've seen funny Ren shows and jousting many, many times (my friend worked there, so we went a lot.)

More importantly, I don't like the idea of having to smell a horse and its requisite smells, KWIM? I've read elsewhere that it isn't the most pleasant thing in the world.

I'm still holding out for that 1/2 off coupon. If I can get it, I think we're in. If not, then maybe not so much.

 

[JadeDarkstar]

Renaissance Fest here in AZ is where i got my legs messed up, had a real bad girl there who liked to push ppl when they werent in her way. (needless to say I triped and ow)
well i hope to find the half off tickets too.since im not going till oct. im not going to sign up till sep and see if i get it

 

[pixiewings71]

We've done all 3, character meals, Pirate dinner, Medival Times. Out of them all I would chose a character meal but out of the other 2 our family much preferred the Pirate dinner. We all got food choices and you don't get that at Medival Times, and my girls got to participate in the Pirate show!! It was very cute!! Lots of singing, some high flying, some sword fighting and hand combat. It was a ton of fun! Get there early and enjoy the appetizers and pre-show.

Medival Times was also a ton of fun but the food left much to be desired. It was completely dark so my kids wouldn't even try the food really.......they ate a little but not enough to justify the cost. I would do it again but only without the kids.