What are your top recomendations for first timer family with kids under 5?

[Carebare609]

Hello everyone I've been really enjoying reading through all the fantastic reviews but just have a few questions of my own now...

This will be our first family holiday to WDW (I went quite a bit as a child but i'm sure lots changed since then! ) We will be travelling from the UK for two weeks, staying offsite at a villa and have two boys aged 5 1/2 and 3 and a new baby daughter around 3 or 4 months. We are visiting in May 2011

Just looking for some tips and recomendations on good places to eat with the kids. My eldest is really looking forward to Trex so thats already on the cards. We'd also really like to do a character breakfast buffet, been looking at either Cape May or Chef Mickeys. With the two boys we thought they'd appreaciate the main characters more than the princesses/WtP characters at some of the other places.

As we're staying off property we probably wont be eating on Disney every evening so just looking for the best of the best. For lunches i would imagine for the most part we'll do CS, again making exceptions for things that are worth it. I remember really enjoying the sci fi diner from one of my visits so will probably go back there.

 

[pumba]

I think that sticking with buffets would be a good idea with the ages of the kiddos......we took our grandkids (plus their parents) last year and this May too....and their ages are 4 and 5 at the time. They enjoyed every character meal we went to. FOOD included...they loved Crystal Palace and the characters were so good with our granddaughter who was a bit shy. At the Princess breakfast in Norway. Our grandson had just as good a time as our gd...he was right into it and enjoyed the food also...

Dont forget to try Cosmic Rays for a counter service in MK ...The kids may like the music and the ???? alien singing.......

 

[scrappymel]

you could try donald's safari breakfast at tusker house (ak). main characters there too. and very, very popular!

 

[disneyfav4ever]

I think a lot of character meals would be a good choice.

I really like Crystal Palace at MK and breakfast at Tusker House at AK. Dinner at Chef Mickey's is a good choice, and Ohana is good for breakfast. Not sure you'd want to do a princess meal, but the breakfast at Akershus is wonderful.

If you want to do some non-character meals, Ohana is fun for kids, I always really like Boma, and Cape May Cafe has a nice seafood buffet for dinner.

 

[MagicalMawMaw]

Tusker House Safari breakfast at AK gets my vote.

Ohana at the Poly. for supper is good too. No characters but laid back delicious family style meal. Games like coconut races & singing for the kids. A really great restaurant to go to.

 

[TisBit]

I would say Whispering Canyon Cafe and Sci Fi are the ones I would look at going to. If you want to do a show, my kids enjoyed Hoop Dee Doo.

I wouldn't take mine (5 y/o twins, been when 3 y/o, 4 y/o and 5 y/o) to O'hana's, I think they would be fine, but I don't think they would like the food much and even the entertainment seems to be for when they are a little older. Any of the Disney restaurants are cool, but for theme'ing that a 5 y/o would love those are the two that come to mine. Rainforest and T-Rex are awesome great for the kids (T-Rex could be scary depending on the type of kid though, big growling Dino's can be scary )

 

[gigi1313]

my top b'fast recommendation w/a boy or more than one boy would be 'ohana... stitch is great fun and the little parade makes everyone happy...

also, the family style service of the food is sooo much easier on the parents than a buffet... you might even get to eat some hot food!

 

[Eastern]

I have 3 boys who are now older teens and they have always enjoyed CMC for breakfast and Garden Grill for dinner. Both have good food and excellent character interaction.

 

[crabbygal902]

The food is pricey, but the kids would probably enjoy Coral Reef for the aquarium. You could go there for lunch to save some $$.

I'll bet your boys would like the breakfast at 'Ohana with Lilo, Stitch, Mickey, and Pluto. It is probably our favorite breakfast because food is served family-style---you don't have to keep getting up and down from your seat to fill your plate. That is a big deal if you have three little ones to feed.

Our 2nd runner-up for breakfast is Cape May. It is much more laid-back and relaxed than Chef Mickey's. Don't get me wrong, I like Chef M's too...but Cape May is easier to navigate during the many trips to the buffet to help one kid or the other get something. (My eldest has Asperger's and requires more supervision than the average 10 year old.)

A word of caution...when my oldest was 4, the Sci-Fi movie monsters scared the bejeebers out of him. My youngest wasn't fazed at all when we took him at age 4. Funny how kids are different, huh?

You might want to also check out the seating arrangement of the 'car' tables beforehand since you'll have three small children with you. You can find pics online easily. Oh...I forgot you had said that you had already visited Sci-Fi, so you know about the tables.

Teppan Edo is another kid pleaser, with the chefs cooking at the table and providing entertainment.

 

[MyTwoPrincesses]

I'd say any character meal obviously, but also:

- Biergarten (there's an awesome oompa band - best dining experience for the entire family)
- 'Ohana dinner (haven't gone, but will go in March)
- Coral Reef (huge fish tank)
- Sci Fi (Food is ok, kids get a kick out of eating in cars)

 

[gardengirl628]

Tusker House breakfast is great. Chef Mickey's is good too.

I agree Coral Reef has awesome atmosphere. My daughter loved it when she was 6.

 

[divawife]

Absolutely Crystal Palace. Breakfast is my favorite. It is so pretty in the morning. The characters are wonderful. Then Chef Mickey-we like an early dinner. Then Lilo & Stitch Best Friends Breakfast at the Poly. Loads of fun.

 

[Sharkbyte]

The Polynesian has a nice meal for the family with chp and dale and minnie characters.

 

[klinlin]

I also have two boys. We did not do many buffets when they were small because I did not want to have to keep getting up and down in a crowded restaurant. I know some people love them, but we do not. Both of my guys have loved Sci Fi and Coral Reef since their first trip when they were 2 1/2 and 4. I would really look at the menus, and make sure there is something that your kids would eat. For example, Ohana looks like fun, but no one but my husband would eat all of that meat. We ate at Whispering Canyon when we stayed at WL, and the boys enjoyed the antics, but we didn't love the food.
My guys like Pizza Planet for CS as they love Toy Story. One time we got nachos and churros from Mexico and watched Illuminations, and they thought that was the best! Sometimes the big expensive plans are a bust because it is just too chaotic.

Have a great trip!

 

[Pooh&OurHunny]

Welcome to the boards
We have been taking our son since he turned 2 and he will be 5yrs old (this are the following restaurants he wants to eat on our upcoming trip)
He loves Crystal Palace (we tend to eat lunch here b/c its a nice break for us mid day and he loves Pooh, Piglet, Eeyore and Tiger)
He loves Tusker House breakfast with Donald, Daisy, Mickey and Goofy (they have a musical parade where your 2 son would enjoy)
He loves Cape May and Chef Mickey
He Loves Hollywood and Vine (you can go breakfast or lunch) they have a sing/dance ever 15 mins...we go here for the entertainment. they have a musical parade ever 30 mins.

Have a magical trip.

 

[perkinsrose]

Another vote for Crystal Palace with Pooh & Friends!

We like Chef Mickey's too but it is expensive if you're not on the dining plan and paying every meal out of pocket.
We usually enjoy dinner at Chef Mickey on the dining plan but breakfast would be much less expensive

 

[MicheinMA]

I would recommend

O'Hana for breakfast-Lilo & Stitch, the food is great
Garden Grill-Food is good, plenty of it, relaxing setting and tons of character interaction.
Sci Fi-Good food and a fun setting

Have fun!

 

[Carebare609]

Wow, thanks for all your input and personal recomendations!!!

So far, after talking to both boys and DH about it we've decided on Tusker House and Ohanas for character breakfasts (They just watched Lilo and Stitch the other day for for the first time so are very excited about meeting them)

Possibly doing CP for lunch one day.

So far have decided to try Boma (i think) for dinner one night, definately T-rex (they both adore dinos and we've watched a few youtube videos of the rest and i think they'll be aok). Hoop de do review one night as friends are staying at Wilderness Lodge so we'll go over there and do the show with them.

And then if DH and I are very lucky and my mum agrees to babysit one night, we're going to try Flying Fish after reading all the reviews and seeing some of the yummy pics!!!!!

Hope to firm up a few more plans over the next month before adr's are released for our dates but its a great start, so thanks for all the help!!

 

[brobrosmom]

My suggestions are Ohana breakfast and Hollywood & Vine breakfast. Ohana because the characters were great for boys and we liked the fact it was served family style so we didn't have to get up to visit the buffet. I know H&V is not popular but it was one of our favorites this past year and now that they have added Handy Manny and Oso my boys are especially excited about eating there.

Debating on trying either CP or Tusker House on our next trip. I would like to add at least 1 new character meal.

 

[pixarmom]

Wow, thanks for all your input and personal recomendations!!!

So far, after talking to both boys and DH about it we've decided on Tusker House and Ohanas for character breakfasts (They just watched Lilo and Stitch the other day for for the first time so are very excited about meeting them)

Possibly doing CP for lunch one day.

So far have decided to try Boma (i think) for dinner one night, definately T-rex (they both adore dinos and we've watched a few youtube videos of the rest and i think they'll be aok). Hoop de do review one night as friends are staying at Wilderness Lodge so we'll go over there and do the show with them.

And then if DH and I are very lucky and my mum agrees to babysit one night, we're going to try Flying Fish after reading all the reviews and seeing some of the yummy pics!!!!!

Hope to firm up a few more plans over the next month before adr's are released for our dates but its a great start, so thanks for all the help!!

Hello! It sounds like you already have a plan in place, but I just wanted to second the previous poster's recommendation for Garden Grill. We have three boys (ages pre-school to pre-teen) and they have all loved Garden Grill since they were toddlers. I think it's a particularly great choice for a first visit with children. It's always hard to predict how kids will react to characters. One of our boys loved Santa and other local characters, and was shy with Disney characters. Our youngest is terrified of Santa, Easter Bunny, etc., but immediately loved Disney characters.

The benefit of a first-visit character meal at Garden Grill is that GG is set up in a way that allows either extensive character interaction or none at all, depending on how the children react. The tables on the lower level are high semi-circle booths. If your children love the characters, you'll see Mickey, Pluto, Chip and Dale at least twice during dinner. The characters have never been rushed, and spend lots of time with our kids. On the other hand, if children don't wish to see the characters, you can tell your server or wave them by. If that's the case, the kids will hardly see them and can just enjoy the rotating scenes from the Land ride during dinner.

We think the food is fresh, very tasty and plentiful, so we don't feel like we're compromising food quality to dine with the characters at Garden Grill. We love that the food is served family style (instead of buffet), so we don't have to juggle plates at a buffet with little ones or take turns getting our food. This is great if your kids like the characters (no chance of missing them while you're at the buffet) and if they don't (they don't need to get past characters to get to the food.)

Our boys continue to love Garden Grill, and it has become our arrival night tradition.

Whatever you decide, have a wonderful trip!!!