Where to dine at the theme parks???

[father0f3]

Ok I need some more help and you have come through for me so far.
We plan on visiting Magic Kingdom, Epcot, Animal Kingdom during our stay at WDW Aug 9-15.
We consist of My wife and myself a 5yr old son 4yr old daughter and 3 yr old son. We enjoy all types of cuisine. Where have you eaten at these resorts and what do you suggest.
Our travel agent a has booked us one princesss character breakfast I beleive at epcot, but we need some suggestions so we can plan and make more reservations.
We have purchased the dining plan as well.

Thanks in advance

 

[Sapper383]

There are loads of good places and alot depends on your budget and whether you want counter or table service.

Because you have young children it would be fab to book the crystal palace, MK for breakfast with Pooh and friends. If you book for an early BF you will get in the park before it opens. Great for your children to walk down mainstreet with hardly anyone else around.

Another good character meal is at the Garden Grill, Epcot with Chip and dale. They only do dinner there now.

you could have a look at some of the reviews on WDW info, but sometimes it comes down to personal preferences.

Whatever you decide you'll have a fab time with your children....It will be my DD4 first trip in September (my 3rd) and I can't wait to see her face!!

sam

 

[woodkins]

I would check out the restaurants board to see more info about specific restaurants. I am not sure if you have the QS dining plan or standard but if you are looking for table service restaurants I would make your reservations TODAY!! Many people (like me LOL) book at 7am the exact 90 days in advance of their trip, so you may have a hard time getting the times and locations you want.
Some of our favorite restaurants with our dd over the years (she is now 7) are:
Chef Mickeys Character Meal (B,L) at the Contemporary
Ohana Character breakfast at the Polynesian
Crystal Palace (B,L) at MK
Coral Reef (D) at Epcot
1900 Park Fare at Grand Floridian
Tusker House Character Breakfast at AK

 

[3boymthr]

the good news is you are not tied to eating in the parks. You can eat an any resort, too. Almost all restaurants at WDW are on the DDP, just check ask the CM or check the list when booking. And to ease your worries, if you can't find ADRs for every day or to cover all your credits, there are a few restaurants on the Boardwalk and at the nearby BC that take the DDP but don't take ADRs; ESPN Club, Big River Grille & Beaches & Cream. At these locations you have to get there early but that's not a bad option with little ones. Also remember that you can do lunch.

Slightly easier to get locations that we enjoyed were:

Tony's Town Square in MK
Whispering Canyon Cafe at Wilderness Lodge
Tutto Italia in Epcot
Cape May Cafe Character Breakfast

We didn't eat sit down at AK but I've heard that both the Yak & Yeti and Tusker House have good food.

Any character meal is going to be harder to get than a non-character meal.

Other less popular restaurants that take ADRs include Liberty Tree Tavern in MK and the Captain's Grille at the YC and the restaurant at Fort Wilderness (I forget what it's called). Two weeks before our trip there was tons of availability at these locations.

If your kids have well developed palattes there are lots and lot of choices on the quick service front. Check out the menus on allears.net for an idea of what each restaurant serves.

You didn't say where you are staying, but if it is a restaurant with a sit down menu I'd plan one or two meals there. I'm guessing with 5 that you're either at ASMu, FW, POR or one of the Deluxes which means there is a good chance you'll have a TS restuarant at your hotel. There were several times when I wished we could just walk down to the lobby for our meal or just walk to our room right after our meal and our kids are older than yours.

Don't forget to check for Lunch ADRs if you can't get breakfast or dinner. Many of the TS locations have an extensive luncheon menu.

 

[lntsmom]

Do the Tusker House character breakfast at AK! This is one of the best character meals anywhere, and the food is great, too. If you go on a day that isn't EE at AK, you can make your reservation for before the park opens. That way you are in the park and have eaten before they release the rest of the crowds.

As for Epcot, my suggestion would be to not do a sit down meal at all. You can graze your way through World Showcase rather than subject small children to a sit down meal in a formal atmosphere. If you're on the other side of the park I'd suggest the Electric Umbrella. Yes, it is fast food, but it is good. Whatever you do, do NOT go to the restaurant in Mexico. Their food is horrible.

I'd agree with the above poster about WCC. Your kids will LOVE the atmosphere. The food was good- not great- but all the hijinx that go on there are really fun for the kids. We went on a day when we were at MK. You can grab a boat to and from Wilderness Lodge from there with no problem.

 

[Lesley Mahler]

Do the Tusker House character breakfast at AK! This is one of the best character meals anywhere, and the food is great, too. If you go on a day that isn't EE at AK, you can make your reservation for before the park opens. That way you are in the park and have eaten before they release the rest of the crowds.

As for Epcot, my suggestion would be to not do a sit down meal at all. You can graze your way through World Showcase rather than subject small children to a sit down meal in a formal atmosphere. If you're on the other side of the park I'd suggest the Electric Umbrella. Yes, it is fast food, but it is good. Whatever you do, do NOT go to the restaurant in Mexico. Their food is horrible.

I'd agree with the above poster about WCC. Your kids will LOVE the atmosphere. The food was good- not great- but all the hijinx that go on there are really fun for the kids. We went on a day when we were at MK. You can grab a boat to and from Wilderness Lodge from there with no problem.

I second Tusker House for breakfast!!! Awesome assortment of food and the food was wonderful!!!

 

[natnelliesmom]

It's probably a little late to get ressies for the more popular places at peak times. You may have to settle for counter service for some meals. Everyone here complains about eating CS and having chicken fingers all trip.... but I have never found this to be true!
There are many great options!
At AK- I would recommend Flame Tree BBQ. Excellent BBQ and good kids choices too. Yak and Yeti is usually not booked- we've always been able to be seated pretty quickly at not peak times. They have a wonderful kid's menu.

MK- The CS place in Frontierland is great- lots of healthy choices, good taco salad that is big enough for two. Sometimes you can get lucky with late breakfast times at the Crystal Palace. My DH loves the buffet there. If can swing the late breakfast it works for lunch!

Epcot has a great CS place in The Land. It's great! LOTS of choices, fresh and healthy selections and a wonderful dessert selection. The Garden Grill is good if you can get a ressie. We've had luck with walk-ups there- sometimes only a 1/2 hour wait. Again- try at off times. The food there is wonderful and the rotation feature is fun for the kids.

Many of the restaurants around World Showcase book up early- but we have always been able to score a table as a walk up for lunches. Try a little early or a little late. Or have your resort concierge check for what's available each morning. Many CS places around WS are excellent choices too. We love the menu at Morocco and Mexico's CS places.

Good luck, and have fun! Check the online reservation system- you may just luck out!

-Sarah

 

[Luv Bunnies]

If you go to www.allears.net you can look at all of the menus at the parks and resorts. We did this before our trip since we have 2 very picky boys. We made ADRs at places that we would all enjoy. If we were doing counter service, I already had an idea of where everyone would like the food so we didn't have to wander around reading menus.

 

[Mrsdennison]

We just returned and here are a few places we enjoyed and ones we didnt enjoy.

Crystal Palace with Pooh- great food, character interaction was good. not too loud

Chef Mickeys- food was good, characters were fun, it was loud and packed ( glad we did it once)

Cinderella's Royal Table 8:10 am reservation. It was great. Not that many people yet, so it was quite and calm. Princess were wonderful. Food was good.

Garden Grill- Too small for me, brother-in-law didnt enjoy the movement, not enough food brought out. Characters good. we love chip and dale. I will not eat here agian.

50's Prime Time- dh favorite. Smores dessert Need I say more.

Whispering Canyon- little loud, food was great, Canyon Skillet, cheesecake for dessert. UMMMM!!!

Fast food places
Comic Rays-MK
Flame Tree- AK
Pecos Bills-MK
those were our top three picks

Snacks- Dole Whip

Now I'm hungry. LOL

Mrsdennison

 

[Lesley Mahler]

What is the name of the CS restaurant in MK everyone raves about where you can go upstairs to eat and it's not loud and it is air conditioned?
TIA

 

[stacy6552]

Wow. Ok ok here are our best pics:

MK: Crystal Palace, best buffet on property. Pecos Bills, best counter service is definatly at the MK.

Epcot: We like Marrakesh for lunch with the bellie dancer, and Coral Reef because the kids are speechless the whole time and DH and I can chat.

DHS: Sci-fi Dine In and Mama Melrose are both good. The Sci-fi shows 50's monster movies, so parent be ware.

AK: We always did Donald's breakfast before opening to beat the gate crowds, which always get bottlenecked at opening. See if you can have breakfast there.

Resorts: Whispering Canyon @ WL, a must every trip. Cape May Cafe @ BC has a nice seafood buffet for dinner. Kona Cafe @ Poly. And of course you gotta do teh Hoop Dee Doo Revue @ FW.

 

[stacy6552]

What is the name of the CS restaurant in MK everyone raves about where you can go upstairs to eat and it's not loud and it is air conditioned?
TIA

That's the place in Fantasy Land, Gipetto's I think, but be quiet we dont want that secret getting out!

 

[Lesley Mahler]

I have the PassPorter's book and I don't see that on my map or in the dining section??? I thought it was either Columbia Harbor House or Pecos Bill...but I couldn't remember??? Now I'm really confused

 

[father0f3]

Thanks for naming your favorites it really helps, now hopefully we can make some ADR's.

 

[momof1princess]

here are our favorite meals:

Counter Service:
MK - Pecos Bill's (yummy BBQ sub, burgers and chicken)
Pinocchio Village Haus (pizza & salad meal is enough to split)
AK - Pizzafari (beware, it gets crowded, but the pizza is good and the pizza & salad is enough for 2)
Flame Tree BBQ (delicious BBQ! but seating is outdoors, not so great in the summer heat)
DHS - Toy Story Pizza Planet - (yummy pizza, and again, salad & pizza is enough for 2)
Backlot Express - great burgers and chicken
Studio Catering Company - love the bbq sub
Epcot - nothing special here for us...we eat at american adventure and gets burgers

Table Service
MK - Liberty Tree Tavern, but it's not worth it w/o characters
Crystal Palace - DH loves the marinated flank steak they have at lunch and dinner. and they have tigger, pooh, eeyore and piglet
AK - Tusker House breakfast is AWESOME! they have anything and everything you could want! plus, they have donald, daisy, mickey and goofy
DHS - we tried Hollywood and Vine once, but weren't really impressed.
Epcot - Biergarten - the pork schnitzel is to DIE for!

Resorts
Polynesian - Ohana Breakfast is yummy and has mickey, lilo, stitch and pluto
WCC - we got the skillet for dinner and it was delicious! and the interaction with the wait staff is great, lol.
Pop Food Court has lots of great choices if you're staying there. the chicken strips are very good.

i second the recommendation of allearsnet.com. you can find menus there to help you plan where you want to eat. we never make reservations for a new place without checking there first.

 

[strmtroopr96]

I have the PassPorter's book and I don't see that on my map or in the dining section??? I thought it was either Columbia Harbor House or Pecos Bill...but I couldn't remember??? Now I'm really confused

My guess is that you are thinking of Columbia Harbour House. Yummy food and always a place we stop to eat at at least once every trip!

 

[BABY_EINSTEIN'S_MOM]

For us the #1 best service, best character meal is at the Crystal Palace. We have dined there twice, and will always include it on our trips!

 

[BABY_EINSTEIN'S_MOM]

sorry/double post