Heatherwith4 Posted May 2, 2015 Share Posted May 2, 2015 We are going to DIsney World in November, and it is almost time to start making our dining reservations (at least the really hard to get ones.) What restaurants do we really need to go to? We are first-timers, and we will be there for 6 days. The kids are 10, 8, and 5, if that makes a difference. We are signed up for the dining plan that includes a counter service, table service, and a snack a day. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mmasc Posted May 2, 2015 Share Posted May 2, 2015 Our favorite character meal was Chef Mickey's. We also enjoyed Donald's Safari Breakfast. Those were our only character meals, but we loved both. All the other table meals just seemed like they took up too much time. :) ETA: It was our first time too. Our sons were 8, 5, and 3. Have fun! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ravin Posted May 2, 2015 Share Posted May 2, 2015 the restaurant in Norway in Epcot. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
QueenCat Posted May 2, 2015 Share Posted May 2, 2015 Sanaa at the Animal Kingdom Lodge.... even better, Lunch with the Animal Specialists at Sanaa. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shellydon Posted May 2, 2015 Share Posted May 2, 2015 Boma at Animal Kingdom Lodge, Askerhus at Epcot, Be Our Guest in Magic Kingdom. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
reign Posted May 2, 2015 Share Posted May 2, 2015 Cinnamon rolls at Gaston's Tavern when in DisneyWorld. We liked lunch in Morocco at Epcot. The Drive in Restaurant at Hollywood Studios was lots of fun. We liked the food when we met the princesses in Norway but had more fun with the characters at The Floridian for breakfast. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JenneinCA Posted May 2, 2015 Share Posted May 2, 2015 I like Cosmic Ray's in the Magic Kingdom. It is counter service place and there is a totally silly space alien dj that does a show. My family thinks I am strange but it is just not a complete trip without seeing Cosmic Ray. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
leeannpal Posted May 2, 2015 Share Posted May 2, 2015 Biergarten and Coral Reef are good restaurants in Epcot. We loved the character interaction at Akerhus and Tusker House too. Oh Yak and Yeti is really good, and my daughter loves the 50's Prime Time Cafe. I haven't tried Boma or Sanaa, but I keep hearing great things about these restaurants as well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
monstermama Posted May 2, 2015 Share Posted May 2, 2015 What kind of food do you like to eat? Are you adventurous eaters? Do you like buffets or would you rather order off a menu and get off your feet for a while? Here's a list of menus so you can check out the type of meals that are served at each place. Personally, we're fans of Boma (Various African-style dishes, buffet style, at Animal Kingdom Lodge) and Biergarten (German buffet in Epcot). I was not a fan of Chef Mickey's - I thought the food was meh and it was just a madhouse. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kroe1 Posted May 2, 2015 Share Posted May 2, 2015 No bad restaurants at Disney. Having reservations drives me crazy because I am looking at my watch all day. I would advise just making your character dining reservations only. The rest just wing it depending on where you happen to be. November is not bad except around Thanksgiving. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
katilac Posted May 2, 2015 Share Posted May 2, 2015 A lot of it is really about the experience and not the food itself, so I would definitely read all the descriptions to see what sounds intriguing, and then maybe ask again. Yak and Yeti is great, probably some of the more interesting food, and we've had good luck with walking in at off times (rather than having a reservation). Coral Reef is a lot of fun and had fabulous desserts. Sci Fi Diner was way too insanely loud for us to truly enjoy (but we are sensitive to noise). We enjoyed all the character meals when our kids were younger - the interaction was excellent at all of them, but particularly so at the Grand Floridian and the Norway Castle. We didn't like the Norwegian food, though! I've heard they've 'ruined' it since then by Americanizing it, so that may be a good or a bad thing for you. Grand Floridian definitely wins for great characters and interaction. Cosmic Ray's is good for counter service and has a lot of choices. Be Our Guest has fabulous atmosphere but kids aren't likely to love the food (although I don't know what is on the kids' menu, my kids have been Disney 'adults' for a while). The only thing I really liked there was the French onion soup. They're doing breakfast now, though!! I'd be all over those pastries. 50s Diner is fun if you're willing to play along, not fun if you just want to relax and eat. The French and Norwegian bakeries for dessert. We live near New Orleans, so we generally have a plastic spice jar in our hip pack. And Tabasco, but that's a glass jar and we had it confiscated at the gate once :lol: 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JFSinIL Posted May 2, 2015 Share Posted May 2, 2015 If I ever get to Florida I want to get into Be Our Guest. Just the ambiance sounds cool. And I hear the gray stuff is delicious! 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
umsami Posted May 3, 2015 Share Posted May 3, 2015 I haven't been in ages, but we always enjoyed the Chinese restaurant in Epcot. Sounds boring, but the Victoria and Albert was also very good. (Grand Floridian...expensive special occasion type restaurant.) I loved the Norwegian bakery after the Viking boat ride, but I'm not sure if it's still there after they closed the ride and are "Frozen"-ifyng it. I love almond flavored things....and they never fail to deliver. :) After watching the Great British Bakeoff, I'd probably look for a Princessa Torte. (Not sure if they'd have it, as I think it was associated with one of the other Scandinavian countries, but I'd look.) When I used to live in Orlando, we loved going to the Gospel Brunch at the House of Blues in Downtown Disney. (Sunday a.m.) Oh...we always get Mickey ear ice cream and the Dole pineapple fluff/whip stuff. :) I read that they have GF beignets somewhere....I need to check where....because DS2 would be in heaven. :) If you want to eat cheaply, outside of the park, Publix subs are great. You can also pick up a Publix rotisserie chicken and sides that you could eat back at your hotel. (I recommend their mojo flavored ones.) Urban Spoon : http://www.urbanspoon.com/n/26/2508/Orlando/Disney-World-Area-restaurants Disney Food Blog: http://www.disneyfoodblog.com/the-best-restaurants-series/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
katilac Posted May 3, 2015 Share Posted May 3, 2015 Another one: we really like the fish and chips in England at Epcot, just the little quick service kiosk. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MeghansMom Posted May 3, 2015 Share Posted May 3, 2015 We love Akershus, in Norway at Epcot. Great food and interaction. Germany's Biergarten is fun and delicious. The French bakery is a must and Grey Goose slushies, yum! Mexico has great ambiance . We love Crystal Palace. It is a buffet meal with the Winnie the Pooh characters in the Magic Kingdom. Cinderella's Royal Palace to us is a must do at least once in your life and it is also in the Magic Kingdom. For counter service, we like Columbia Harbor House. They have a good tuna sandwich and salads. At Animal Kingdom, we love the counter service called Flame Tree BBQ. It is under renovation but should open soon, however they have their food items at a nearby kiosk or something like that. We go to Boma for dinner when we do AK. It is in the Animal Kingdom Lodge. Disney Hollywood Studios does not have good counter service places but we like SciFi Diner and 50's Prime Time Cafe. We have not been in several years though and I would love to go to Be Our Guest. :) I hope you have an incredible time!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
happyWImom Posted May 3, 2015 Share Posted May 3, 2015 My dc loved the 50's Cafe (they are into retro & love the atmosphere), the Kona Cafe at the Polynesian and the big hit was Tomorrowland Terrace Fireworks Dessert Party. We lucked out & had one of the best seats for the fireworks, so that was great, but they loved every single dessert that they tried. I tried to hold them back, but it was a once in lifetime type thing. :001_smile: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sunshine72 Posted May 3, 2015 Share Posted May 3, 2015 One I don't see listed is Garden Grill at Epcot. This has become an unexpected favorite of ours. The food is served family style and has always been good. It is a character meal and the restaurant rotates around Living with the Land. Now on the other hand I was very underwhelmed with Be Our Guest. A friend RAVED about it and pushed us to try and get in for lunch. That was probably the only meal I left still hungry on our last trip. I would have rather eaten at Columbia Harbor House. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MeghansMom Posted May 3, 2015 Share Posted May 3, 2015 If I ever get to Florida I want to get into Be Our Guest. Just the ambiance sounds cool. And I hear the gray stuff is delicious! Just ask the dishes! :p Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AmandaVT Posted May 3, 2015 Share Posted May 3, 2015 We just went in November. Loved: Rose and Crown in England, Tutto Italia in Italy and Hollywood and Vine at Hollywood Studios. Liked less than the last time we went: Brown Derby at Hollywood Studios, Restaurant Marrakesh in Morocco. Didn't care for: Pizza planet, Hollywood studios Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Heatherwith4 Posted May 3, 2015 Author Share Posted May 3, 2015 Thanks for all the suggestions! :) Someone asked if we are adventurous eaters. DH and I will eat anything. The kids are pretty good eaters, too. I'm looking for a mix of familiar foods and more unusual foods. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
*lifeoftheparty* Posted May 3, 2015 Share Posted May 3, 2015 No bad restaurants at Disney. Having reservations drives me crazy because I am looking at my watch all day. I would advise just making your character dining reservations only. The rest just wing it depending on where you happen to be. November is not bad except around Thanksgiving. I completely (respectfully) disagree, like 100%. I would never ever tell a first timer with 3 young kids to wing it. Many, many restaurants are booked solid, and to wait stand-by can mean waiting 1-2 hours for a table. Can you imagine first timers walking up to a restaurant, with three hungry kids, only to be told that the wait (if even available) is more than an hour, and they don't want to wait, so they walk around looking for another place, only to be told the same thing? We see people do this all the time, and we always go during the "slow" seasons. There's always people walking up without reservations who get mad when they are told there is no availability at all. We were at Le Cellier once, (in September!) and a guy walked up and asked what the wait was, and the lady told him they didn't have any availability for walk-ups, and he asked about the next day, and she said no, and he asked, "Well, what day this week could we get in?" And the lady was like, "Sir, we are booked for the next 3 months." He. Was. So. Mad. Don't wing it for table service, make your ADR's. We leave Thursday for Disney World :) We are eating at.... Be Our Guest for breakfast Liberty Tree Tavern Breakfast at Tusker House The Rainforest Cafe (the food is meh, but the atmosphere is awesome) San Angel Inn (again, atmosphere is AMAZING) 50's Prime Time Cafe Ohana Character Breakfast Ohana Dinner 1900 Park Fare Breakfast Breakfast at Kona Cafe The rest of our meals will be quick service. We usually have more table service ADR's, but this is my 2 yr. olds first time, and he's not very patient at restaurants ;) The character breakfasts are the places we eat at every single time we go. Same with Ohana dinner, which is partly because we used to live in Hawaii, and it's nostalgic, lol. The only Disney restaurant I hated was Whispering Canyon Cafe. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
*lifeoftheparty* Posted May 3, 2015 Share Posted May 3, 2015 By the way, you might know this already... But, you can go to www.allears.net and find the "dining" section- they have all the current menus, with prices, for every restaurant (table, quick, even snack carts) on Disney property. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
*lifeoftheparty* Posted May 3, 2015 Share Posted May 3, 2015 A lot of it is really about the experience and not the food itself, so I would definitely read all the descriptions to see what sounds intriguing, and then maybe ask again. Yak and Yeti is great, probably some of the more interesting food, and we've had good luck with walking in at off times (rather than having a reservation). Coral Reef is a lot of fun and had fabulous desserts. Sci Fi Diner was way too insanely loud for us to truly enjoy (but we are sensitive to noise). We enjoyed all the character meals when our kids were younger - the interaction was excellent at all of them, but particularly so at the Grand Floridian and the Norway Castle. We didn't like the Norwegian food, though! I've heard they've 'ruined' it since then by Americanizing it, so that may be a good or a bad thing for you. Grand Floridian definitely wins for great characters and interaction. Cosmic Ray's is good for counter service and has a lot of choices. Be Our Guest has fabulous atmosphere but kids aren't likely to love the food (although I don't know what is on the kids' menu, my kids have been Disney 'adults' for a while). The only thing I really liked there was the French onion soup. They're doing breakfast now, though!! I'd be all over those pastries. 50s Diner is fun if you're willing to play along, not fun if you just want to relax and eat. The French and Norwegian bakeries for dessert. We live near New Orleans, so we generally have a plastic spice jar in our hip pack. And Tabasco, but that's a glass jar and we had it confiscated at the gate once :lol: Hip pack huh? Is that just a fancy way to say fanny pack? ;) I resemble this post so much, lol. I think we also were able to walk into Yak n' Yeti as well, for lunch. I agree Sci-fi is loud- I really liked it- but I remember getting slightly nauseous there... It was weird and I think it had something to do with the shaky movie clips and noise- not sure. We also like Cosmic Rays for CS. And we are doing the breakfast at BOG :) Oh, and my family is from and lives in Metairie :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
katilac Posted May 3, 2015 Share Posted May 3, 2015 Hip pack huh? Is that just a fancy way to say fanny pack? ;) <snip> Oh, and my family is from and lives in Metairie :) It's the, uh, slightly less dorky way of saying it. I have my pride, y'know! Metairie, cool beans! We are on the west bank. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rivka Posted May 3, 2015 Share Posted May 3, 2015 If you're on the dining plan, make ADRs (advance dining reservations) for your table service meals, ABSOLUTELY. We loved: Boma, at Animal Kingdom Lodge - grilled meats and excellent, really interesting salads, plenty for kids to eat, buffet style Teppan Edo, the teppanyaki place in the Japan section of Epcot. (It's one of those places where the chef does fancy tricks for you.) Biergarten in Epcot (music and dancing during dinner is always a hit with kids, and the food is buffet style and good) Sci Fi Drive-In at Hollywood Studios - really fun atmosphere Crystal Palace - character dining with Winnie the Pooh at the Magic Kingdom, surprisingly good food for a character meal For quick service: Flame Tree Barbecue Columbia Harbor House Be Our Guest is quick service for lunch, and I thought the food was excellent - plus the atmosphere can't be beat My absolute favorite quick service: Sunshine Seasons in Epcot. Really good, really varied food. Something for everyone. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Just Kate Posted May 3, 2015 Share Posted May 3, 2015 We are taking our first WDW trip in just 44 days, and we also have the same dining plan as you. After a TON of research, here is what we are doing (this trip is my mom, 7 year old dd, and me - very girly trip planned!): Magic Kingdom - day 1 8am breakfast at Be Our Guest (breakfast and lunch here are considered quick service, but still require reservations) Dinner at The Crystal Palace MK day 2 Cinderella's Royal Table Epcot Akershus Hollywood Studios Mama Melrose (we got the Fantasmic Dining Package) Animal Kingdom Tucker House MK day 3 Be Our Guest lunch (may cancel...we had this before breakfast became available) Tony's Town Square 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MeghansMom Posted May 3, 2015 Share Posted May 3, 2015 Oh yes, MAKE ADVANCED DINNER RESERVATIONS! Six months in advance but if you can not get the places you want, try on and off because people cancel and their are openings here and there. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
itsheresomewhere Posted May 3, 2015 Share Posted May 3, 2015 No bad restaurants at Disney. Having reservations drives me crazy because I am looking at my watch all day. I would advise just making your character dining reservations only. The rest just wing it depending on where you happen to be. November is not bad except around Thanksgiving. You must have not eaten at Chefs de France. Liberty Tree Tavern, Crystal Palace, Kona, Akershus, 1900 Park Fare, Garden Grill, Beaches and Cream, and Trail's End are our top ones. Liberty Tree Tavern is one we eat at every year and sometimes twice a trip. Whispering Canyon Cafe is not bad (ask for ketchup :lol: ). 1900 Park Fare- the characters are priceless. The dinner with the stepmother and stepsisters it hysterical. The breakfast with the mad hatter was a hoot. Honestly, it has some of the best character interaction in that place. Cosmic Ray's is one of the best deals for counter service. Chef Mickey's has become very hit or miss. It used to be very good. I can't eat anymore at Sci Fi after those pictures came out but they did have a nice burger before I saw those. Hoop de Doo Review is a nice use of dining credits. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Murmer Posted May 3, 2015 Share Posted May 3, 2015 Ohanas is an always for us...this trip we did Teppan Edo and really enjoyed it. Garden Grill is so yummy. My favorite character meals are Hollywood and vine and Crystal Palace. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JonesinIndiana Posted May 4, 2015 Share Posted May 4, 2015 We loved Yak and Yeti in Animal Kingdom. I'm hoping we eat there on Thursday when we go. :) We were all set to try the "buffet" in China in Epcot but the website was misleading: it wasn't a buffet, it was a sit down meal. I still want to try it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
displace Posted May 4, 2015 Share Posted May 4, 2015 If you're at downtown Disney, the T. rex restaurant is really cool. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kroe1 Posted May 4, 2015 Share Posted May 4, 2015 Yes, I would always recommend a first timer with 3 small kids NOT to book dining reservations in advance except for the character meals or really hard to get into restaurants. Here is why: 1. I have been to Disney over 100 times and have had to wait on getting into a restaurant one hour or more, never. Nothing is worth waiting that long, in my opinion. There is always somewhere to get food, although one may have to forego a sit down restaurant for counter service sometimes. 2. With 3 small children, life is unpredictable. On the day if dining, Disney now charges your credit card if dining reservations are changed at the sit downs, even if you are swapping one Disney restaurant for another. 3. No one has to stay at a restaurant if a wait time is long. Just go up to the restaurant, ask when you can be seated and come back then. We do it all the time. 4. Trying to time rides, reservations, walking tired ones, naps, etc. is a real pain. My best trips require no watch, just meandering through the parks. 5. I do not believe there is any restaurant I have not eaten at Disney except a handful. I have had probably less than 5% bad meals over the years. I have noticed in the past 5 years that prices have skyrocketed while portions have gotten a little smaller. Some of the non-Disney owned restaurants are better quality and more affordable, in my opinion. But, that varies. 6. Things you must have a reservation for are: A. Any character meal. B. Any of the kids only dining like the pirate cruises, Alice in Wonderland Tea party, etc. C. Any food on the night of a special event such as Mickey's Not So Scary.... D. The super restaurants on the weekends, i.e. Citricos. E. Special seating to see fireworks during dinner. F. Picnics on the beaches at the Poly. G. Any food on the boats such as dessert and wine during the fireworks at Epcot. H. Food allergy families probably should make all reservations in advance. I. Anyone wanting a special cake or food for a celebration meal. For example, when we eat at Boatman's we ask the chef to make a special pot roast for us served over mashed potatoes. That is all I can think of at the moment. Happy dining everyone. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mom31257 Posted May 4, 2015 Share Posted May 4, 2015 My absolute favorite quick service is at Epcot in Morocco, Tangierine Cafe! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
itsheresomewhere Posted May 4, 2015 Share Posted May 4, 2015 If you are going during Jersey week, don't plan on a chance of walk ups anymore. Make reservations for what you want in advance. Another quick service- At Fort Wilderness next to Trails End is a take out. You can get a bucket of fried chicken (10 pieces), mashed potatoes, mac n cheese and cornbread for 25. It is very good and we take it down to the docks to eat. Depending on the timing, you can time it to eat and watch the fireworks from Magic Kingdom. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Heatherwith4 Posted May 4, 2015 Author Share Posted May 4, 2015 If you are going during Jersey week, don't plan on a chance of walk ups anymore. Make reservations for what you want in advance. Another quick service- At Fort Wilderness next to Trails End is a take out. You can get a bucket of fried chicken (10 pieces), mashed potatoes, mac n cheese and cornbread for 25. It is very good and we take it down to the docks to eat. Depending on the timing, you can time it to eat and watch the fireworks from Magic Kingdom. Jersey Week ends on the 8th, and we are arriving on the 11th. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
*lifeoftheparty* Posted May 4, 2015 Share Posted May 4, 2015 I haven't been over a hundred times- but I've been going all my life, and I would never ever try to eat at a Table Service without reservations. Nor would I recommend a first timer, especially one with small children, go without reservations. Getting a table for 5 without reservations isn't easy. OP, when are you planning to go in November? Wine we went in November, it was the last 4 days or so of the month, and the first 10 days of December- that was a great time to go. Crowds were lower, and Christmas decorations were up. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
*lifeoftheparty* Posted May 4, 2015 Share Posted May 4, 2015 Jersey Week ends on the 8th, and we are arriving on the 11th. The crowds should be pretty good during that time- but the end of your trip (depending on how long you're staying) would be getting close to Thanksgiving- so definitely make your reservations. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
itsheresomewhere Posted May 4, 2015 Share Posted May 4, 2015 Jersey Week ends on the 8th, and we are arriving on the 11th. We will see you there. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeannie in NJ Posted May 4, 2015 Share Posted May 4, 2015 50's Prime Time Diner, we just love it. Last time we were there, a teen boy at another table was being "disrespectable" to his "cousin" the waiter so the waiter pushed the teen boy in his chair all the way across the restaurant to our table and made him eat with us. We have a beautiful teen girl so we don't think the teen boy minded too much. We just love the playfulness of the servers there as our "cousin" or "aunt" as they make us eat our veggies, take our elbows off the table. One time dh was there with his sister and the servers had everyone in the restaurant playing a game together to name all the one title Disney movies. Also one time we were there late and spent a lot of time with our waitress talking, it turned out she was a transplant from our area so anyway when we left the restaurant, there was a line of cast members (as all Disney employees are called) waiting for us. It turned out that we were the very last visitors in the entire park. They walked us out thru the park and there was a bus waiting for us to take us back to our resort. The bus driver told us that all the buses had stopped running for the night as it was so late but the park had called to have a bus come pick us up to take us to our resort. Of course we were the only ones on the bus. Thank goodness for Disney caring about us getting back to our resort. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
QueenCat Posted May 4, 2015 Share Posted May 4, 2015 50's Prime Time Diner, we just love it. Last time we were there, a teen boy at another table was being "disrespectable" to his "cousin" the waiter so the waiter pushed the teen boy in his chair all the way across the restaurant to our table and made him eat with us. We have a beautiful teen girl so we don't think the teen boy minded too much. We just love the playfulness of the servers there as our "cousin" or "aunt" as they make us eat our veggies, take our elbows off the table. One time dh was there with his sister and the servers had everyone in the restaurant playing a game together to name all the one title Disney movies. Lol, love 50s Prime Time Diner too. One of our group didn't finish her dinner so her "uncle" the waiter "airplane" fed a few bites to her. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeannie in NJ Posted May 4, 2015 Share Posted May 4, 2015 Coral Reef in Epcot Future World has amazing atmosphere and great deserts. our favorite quick service are: Sunshine Seasons. Lots of different stations. ex. Asian station, sandwichs (huge and really good), 1/2 rotassaire chicken and pork chop area, salads, etc. really good food this is in Epcot where Soarin is. At Magic Kingdom, Columbia Harbor House . I love the tuna sandwich Animal Kingdom. People seem to really like Flame Tree Barbeque (I will be trying it on next visit) Hollywood Sudios, our favorite is Starring Rolls, good sandwichs (huge) and HUGE fantasic cupcakes, plan to share. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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