What should I cut?

[DisGirl819]

DH said we should have about 3 character meals during our 7 day trip. Currently I have about one a day, except for Chef Mickey's and CRT which are both on our first day since we have to meet Mickey first thing and eat in the castle. We are on the DxDDP so I'll have to replace them with something else, preferably not a buffet. We do have park hoppers, but don't really park hop with two little kids, age 1 and 3. PHs come on our military tix. Oh and Mickey is the favorite of my kids...they don't care for Handy Manny, princesses or Pooh and friends. DD likes princesses but isn't a "princess girl" but I know she'd love dining in the castle.

This is what I have:

Day 1(MK): Breakfast at Chef Mickey's, Dinner CRT
Day 2(no park): T-Rex (not really character but kind of)...and pay OOP
Day 3 (Epcot): Garden Grill for dinner
Day 4 (no park): Ohana Breakfast
Day 5 (AK): Donald's safari breakfast
Day 6 (DHS/Epcot): Hollywood and Vine breakfast
Day 7 (no park): 1900 Park Fare breakfast

We have other meals planned but I only included the character meals for this post. Any help or suggestions on how to cut these character meals down would be great.

 

[Darcy03231]

DH said we should have about 3 character meals during our 7 day trip. Currently I have about one a day, except for Chef Mickey's and CRT which are both on our first day since we have to meet Mickey first thing and eat in the castle. We are on the DxDDP so I'll have to replace them with something else, preferably not a buffet. We do have park hoppers, but don't really park hop with two little kids, age 1 and 3. PHs come on our military tix. Oh and Mickey is the favorite of my kids...they don't care for Handy Manny, princesses or Pooh and friends. DD likes princesses but isn't a "princess girl" but I know she'd love dining in the castle.

This is what I have:

Day 1(MK): Breakfast at Chef Mickey's, Dinner CRT
Day 2(no park): T-Rex (not really character but kind of)...and pay OOP
Day 3 (Epcot): Garden Grill for dinner
Day 4 (no park): Ohana Breakfast
Day 5 (AK): Donald's safari breakfast
Day 6 (DHS/Epcot): Hollywood and Vine breakfast
Day 7 (no park): 1900 Park Fare breakfast

We have other meals planned but I only included the character meals for this post. Any help or suggestions on how to cut these character meals down would be great.

I've eaten at Chef Mickey's (breakfast & dinner), CRT, O'Hana (breakfast), Tusker House (Donald's safari breakfast), and 1900 Park Fare (both breakfast and dinner). I'd keep the O'Hana breakfast, Donald's Safari breakfast and 1900 Park Fare breakfast.

I found my kids did better with the characters first thing in the morning when they were well rested. Later in the day could be hit or miss, especially if they were tired or wired.

I'd get rid of the others because:

Chef Mickey's - for us the food has been so/so to bad. Breakfast was better than dinner. Character interaction was really good though.

CRT - We've eaten there for dinner twice now and were very disappointed. Again food was so/so to bad, service was lousy and the princesses rushed through so fast both times we were there we could hardly snap a picture. If you really want a princess meal I would recommend 1900 Park Fare for dinner (Cinderella, Prince Charming, Step mother & Stepsisters) or Akerhaus Princess Breakfast - Belle is usually the greeter and you get four other princesses (they rotate through). Last time we had Snow White, Jasmine, Sleeping Beauty and Mulan. Both places are family favorites.

T-rex - Solely because you have to pay OOP

Garden Grill - I've never eaten there, but it does get good reviews. I'd cancel this one solely because its a dinner based on my kids reactions at character dinners.

Hollywood & Vine - gets consistently bad reviews.

 

[DisGirl819]

Ok, so I'm thinking of keeping these character meals now:
Tusker House breakfast
CRT
Ohana breakfast
Garden Grill

I'm thinking of replacing the others with:
Chef Mickey's breakfast with breakfast at The Wave
TRex with Raglan Road or Capn Jacks (suggestions?)
Hollywood and Vine with The Wave or Kouzzina (can we walk from there to DHS?)

 

[dskib]

To be honest, I don't see anything wrong with that many character meals. If you're having a TS meal anyway, why not have the characters? This is assuming, of course, that you're not giving up someplace you really wanted just so that you could schedule a character meal instead.

And I'd lose T-Rex. Why pay for any meal when you're on the deluxe plan?

 

[Johnny_B]

I have had dinner at Hollywood and Vine twice and it was totally disgusting both times. I will never go again. Never been for breakfast, but I can't imagine it's that much better.

I see you are thinking of replacing it with Kouzzina. I was there in Feb for breakfast and thought it was very good. You CAN walk to DHS from there, but it's a hike. I would suggest the boat from Boardwalk to DHS -- it takes about 15 mins.

 

[Quin]

Ok, so I'm thinking of keeping these character meals now:
Tusker House breakfast
CRT
Ohana breakfast
Garden Grill

I'm thinking of replacing the others with:
Chef Mickey's breakfast with breakfast at The Wave
TRex with Raglan Road or Capn Jacks (suggestions?)
Hollywood and Vine with The Wave or Kouzzina (can we walk from there to DHS?)

Have not been to the new breakfast at The Wave but it certainly looks like a good option since you can either get the buffet or order off the menu.

Don't know that I would recommend Raglan Road with a 1 and a 3 year old; save that for an adults night out. Don't know that I would recommend Capt Jack ever. Hard to know what to suggest because I don't know your specific tastes or what your other meals are. If you like seafood and it's a non-park day there is the non-character dinner buffet at Cape May (YC) which has wonderful crab legs.

Kouzzina does not appeal to my tastes but I see that it gets generally good reviews so it would certainly make a good breakfast option. I agree with the PP that you *could* walk to DHS from there but that you should NOT. Take the boat; from the BW it only makes 1 more stop at the Swan/Dolphin and then drops you at the DHS front gate.

 

[DisGirl819]

Thanks!! I was wanting to do Chef Mickey's simply because its in our hotel and its Mickey which both of my kids adore. I know its a zoo though, we took DD on our last trip and nearly lost our minds. But I think other Mickey options are better.

And thanks for the tip on the boat to DHS from Boardwalk! The kids will love that!

 

[Disney Commando]

The one breakfast I would keep no matter what, whould be 1900 Park Fare, IMO it's the best breakfast going, with a great mix of Characters

Not on your list but Cape May Cafe is also a really good breakfast.

 

[DisGirl819]

The one breakfast I would keep no matter what, whould be 1900 Park Fare, IMO it's the best breakfast going, with a great mix of Characters

Not on your list but Cape May Cafe is also a really good breakfast.

I avoided 1900 PF because DD doesn't know who Mary Poppins, Alice, or Mad Hatter are. I can't get her to watch those movies I try.

I thought about Cape May...maybe a good option instead of Kouzzina. I think I need to look at their menu.

And now I need a suggestion for lunch at DTD, how is Wolfgang Puck Cafe?

 

[farfalla818]

I'm super fond of T-Rex but with a 1 and 3 yo, your kids might be intimidated.

Glad you are keeping what you have, sounds like great expereiences!

Garden Grill and Donald's safari are our faves!

 

[Racemom17]

I would definitely keep your Tusker House in AK and your Ohana, they are two of our favorites....

 

[CAJUNWDWFAN]

You could also try Kona Cafe at the Polynesian. They have a great non-character breakfast.

 

[ilovepete]

By what you said they liked, I would cut out Hollywood & Vine and 1900 Park Fare.

 

[MrsLS]

Do you still want a breakfast? If not instead of H&V at DHS, I would do an early (like 11am) lunch at Sci fi. If you want breakfast that morning, you could always use a snack credit on some muffins or something when you get there or at your hotel.
At Epcot, I would skip garden grill and choose any other TS - chefs de france, tutto italia, rose & crown or any really without a character.

 

[KTJAY]

We love to do Cape May on our DHS day and take the boat. Their breakfast is alot of fun with great character interaction!! And the Clambake was one of my fav meals on our trip last year and I don't like seafood!! Great desserts!!

 

[arcticdisneylovers]

We do DxDDP on each trip and we always do a character breakfast every morning. We've gone to all of your choices and they were all great for different reasons. H&V was the best character interaction we've ever had. CM is probably the worst in terms of food. If I had to cut one I'd cancel 1900 Park Fare, only because of the characters. The food was good but my DD wasn't really familiar with Mary Poppins, Alice etc..

 

[marielynn724]

I'd cut hollywood and vine. not major disney characters - its the ones from the disney channel cartoons (unless your little ones are into that) plus the food and atmosphere is bleh. the others you picked are much better!

 

[footballmouse]

I would have to suggest keeping the Chef Mickey breakfast, this is actually my favorite and my boys had a blast w/the characters.

We also like Cape May Cafe so I would throw that in the mix.

I would get ride of Hollywood & Vine and definately T-Rex b/c if I had the DP I sure wouldn't pay for a meal.

 

[Disneyliscious]

I do not recommend Chef Mickeys at all. The appearance is that of a hospital cafeteria and the food was on the same level (not bad tasting, but not $170 tasting either).

 

[hannahdrewmom]

With kids your age I'd get rid of 1900 PF, since they won't know the characters and T-rex since "scary" can be an opinion there and it's oop when you already have ALOT of food.

If your kids don't watch disney junior I'd get rid of HV but if they do it's a great interaction. The food is typical buffet at breakfast.... no great shakes.