Where to eat? MK/Epcot day!

[NJlauren]

I am having a hard time picking a sit down meal for a Friday in November, we will spend the day in MK before hoping to Epcot around 4-6 depending how our day at MK goes. It’s a Halloween party day so latest we hop is 6.

I’m all over the map, eat at 5 at MK? Eat at an MK resort? Epcot resort? Epcot?

We are a party of 8, 4 adults, 4 kids (14,9,9,5). I debated Via Napoli it’s fast, good, and everyone will enjoy it, but half the group just spent a month in Italy and we are from NJ so I always feel funny eating pizza in Disney….

Other spots I considered Ale and Compass but worried going to a resort will eat too much time. Space but takes so long and don’t live the prefix.

What do you suggest?

ETA we like all types of food, only the 5 year old is picky and we won’t accommodate/skip a place because of that, we can always grab her quick service or something else.

 

[The Foolish Mortal]

It would help if we knew more about what kind of food you want (other than probably not pizza). I would suggest one of two approached: get the latest possible reservation at MK so you can enjoy the party-goers and prep on the way out (I like Jungle Skipper). Or if there is a particular type of cuisine you want, go for a TS meal at Epcot

 

[Miffy]

Of course, I'm not you, but I'm leaning toward an MK resort on the monorail line. My first thought was GFC, which I always enjoy. Then afterward, you're 2 monorail rides away from Epcot. Easy. And you won't get to Epcot and be starving.

I wouldn't leave MK, go to a non-MK area to eat, then go to Epcot. Too exhausting. And you'll already be exhausted after spending the day at MK. In July, when I did an Epcot-MK park hop, I had nearly 10 miles on my pedometer at day's end.

 

[Disneylover99]

A party of 8 sounds perfect for The Biergarten.

 

[buzzgirls&dad]

I would eat away from MK and MK resorts as they will be really busy with party goers. As another poster mentioned Beirgarten is really fun. Chefs of France, Rose & Crown and La Hacienda are all solid choices. Going to an Epcot resort will eat a lot of time. Enjoy the planning.

 

[RoseGold]

The pizza window in Italy is pretty solid, but it's not a sit down reservation.

I enjoyed La Creperie, but that's totally opposite in transportation on the backside of Epcot. You could take the bus to BC/BW from MK and walk in the back of Epcot.

My favorite TS in MK is hands down Skipper Canteen. It's not impossible to book and it has some of the more adventurous things, including some of the only actually spicy food at Disney. That might work better for your timing. Early dinner, then just have some snacks at Epcot later.

 

[sipnride]

Take a minivan to boardwalk and eat at flying fish. As poster above noted MK and surrounding resorts will be slammed. The walk from FF to back entrance of Epcot is short but could take the boat too if everyone's tired. Great food, easy to get res for large party.

 

[sipnride]

The pizza window in Italy is pretty solid, but it's not a sit down reservation.

I enjoyed La Creperie, but that's totally opposite in transportation on the backside of Epcot. You could take the bus to BC/BW from MK and walk in the back of Epcot.

My favorite TS in MK is hands down Skipper Canteen. It's not impossible to book and it has some of the more adventurous things, including some of the only actually spicy food at Disney. That might work better for your timing. Early dinner, then just have some snacks at Epcot later.

If it's going to be MK then skippers is best but even with a res be prepared to wait. I've waited every time I've gone, even when it's slow, for at least 15 minutes but as long as 45. And that has always been party of 2.

 

[weather_lady]

A party of 8 sounds perfect for The Biergarten.

I was about to recommend the same!

 

[NJlauren]

It would help if we knew more about what kind of food you want (other than probably not pizza). I would suggest one of two approached: get the latest possible reservation at MK so you can enjoy the party-goers and prep on the way out (I like Jungle Skipper). Or if there is a particular type of cuisine you want, go for a TS meal at Epcot

Only picky person is the 5 year old, and I won’t accommodate her worst case she gets a pretzel or Mac and cheese and a quick service.

Of course, I'm not you, but I'm leaning toward an MK resort on the monorail line. My first thought was GFC, which I always enjoy. Then afterward, you're 2 monorail rides away from Epcot. Easy. And you won't get to Epcot and be starving.

I wouldn't leave MK, go to a non-MK area to eat, then go to Epcot. Too exhausting. And you'll already be exhausted after spending the day at MK. In July, when I did an Epcot-MK park hop, I had nearly 10 miles on my pedometer at day's end.

Yeah that’s what I was worried about it adds a lot, I’ve never done GFC, maybe I’ll check that out!

 

[NJlauren]

A party of 8 sounds perfect for The Biergarten.

I was considering this one!

 

[CynBeth]

MK - Liberty Tree - It is not prefix but an all you care to eat and you get a lot of food for the price which I think is a good deal and they can work with you on changing things with the platters if needed.
Epcot - Coral Reef and Chefs de France.

 

[Skippyboo]

Only picky person is the 5 year old, and I won’t accommodate her worst case she gets a pretzel or Mac and cheese and a quick service.

Biergarten has Mac and Cheese, pretzel rolls. Cheese cubes, fruit

 

[RoseGold]

If it's going to be MK then skippers is best but even with a res be prepared to wait. I've waited every time I've gone, even when it's slow, for at least 15 minutes but as long as 45. And that has always been party of 2.

IMO, all Disney table service is slow. If park time is at a premium, just stick to mobile order. There's plenty of it, and it's better than the sit down anyway.

 

[Marthasor]

Eating in MK around 5 pm isn't a bad idea - crowds tend to pick up at MK at 4 pm as party guests start to arrive and it can get a bit congested. If you want to eat in MK, I would consider Skipper Canteen or Liberty Tree/Diamond Horseshoe. If you would rather maximize your MK park time, I would hop directly to EP at 6 pm and eat somewhere closest to one of the entrances - if entering from the main entrance, maybe Coral Reef (though it's not great) or bus to BC and eat there (at Cape May) or consider anything in World Showcase (Chefs de France or Rose and Crown will be closest to the IG entrance). Or just do QS that night and maximize your park time? If you were to do that, I would just go to Connections Eatery in EP which is close to GoTG. The food is pretty good, IMHO. Other than going to the Cape May buffet at BC, I think stopping at another resort for a meal is going to eat into your park time.

 

[jemtx]

Steakhouse 71 at the CR? Quick monorail or walk over at 6pm when park closes. Could use monorail to hop over to Epcot after dinner

 

[NJlauren]

Steakhouse 71 at the CR? Quick monorail or walk over at 6pm when park closes. Could use monorail to hop over to Epcot after dinner

Oh I have wanted to try steakhouse 71!!

Looks like they don’t take reservations for 8, but can do a 6 and a 2 or 4/4

 

[yellowfish78]

A sit-down meal when Food and Wine Festival is going on?? GASP!

Really though - our trip has two MK/party nights planned... One includes dinner at Hoop-Dee-Doo at 6:15p and the other ends it with a 5:45pm at Skipper Canteen, then EEH's at Hollywood Studios. We grabbed an Oga's for 8:30pm; have you thought about doing a QS somewhere then grabbing desserts at Food and Wine?

 

[erinch]

Unless everyone is pretty energetic, adding a monorail resort means you are going 3 places. I would be stuck with my crew deciding to can Epcot and go back to the resort instead. Maybe your crew is more gungho? Outliers, but we like San Angel, because it is so much fun to eat by river, and I think their food has come up in quality. Biergarten is fun, now that the buffet is back. We like Hacienda a lot. Rose and Crown is a solid option and good for a larger party. You could also do a TS at MK earlier, like Crystal Palace or LTT or Skipper and then have some fun with festival booths and quick serve at Epcot.

 

[NJlauren]

A sit-down meal when Food and Wine Festival is going on?? GASP!

Really though - our trip has two MK/party nights planned... One includes dinner at Hoop-Dee-Doo at 6:15p and the other ends it with a 5:45pm at Skipper Canteen, then EEH's at Hollywood Studios. We grabbed an Oga's for 8:30pm; have you thought about doing a QS somewhere then grabbing desserts at Food and Wine?

Haha! Love this reply! It’s the 2nd to last F&W day and I don’t want to rely on the lines being super short. But now Im kinda rethinking some aspects of this trip…. As we were also going to hit Epcot the next night as well and that’s the final day of the festival, so maybe this is asking for trouble….

Unless everyone is pretty energetic, adding a monorail resort means you are going 3 places. I would be stuck with my crew deciding to can Epcot and go back to the resort instead. Maybe your crew is more gungho? Outliers, but we like San Angel, because it is so much fun to eat by river, and I think their food has come up in quality. Biergarten is fun, now that the buffet is back. We like Hacienda a lot. Rose and Crown is a solid option and good for a larger party. You could also do a TS at MK earlier, like Crystal Palace or LTT or Skipper and then have some fun with festival booths and quick serve at Epcot.

It’s a very short trip, 2 full park days and Sunday which is most of the day…so I’ve made it very clear we are going with the aggressive plan, but can scale back as the day goes on and people want to take breaks or stop.