We just booked our family`s first Disney world vacation for October 2014. Our children will be 10 and 8. We are doing the dining plan. I would love advice and tips from you all. Suggestions on restaurants (our children are not picky eaters). What should we expect during that time of year? What can we do to make our trip special?
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1st family trip, looking for advice
- Thread starter 1st time family
- Start date
O that's a great idea!
crispy
Well-Known Member
How long will you be there? Do you have boys, girls, or one of each?
Here are some of fun table service ideas for a first trip:
Epcot - Garden Grill (good food and service, fun character interactions, interesting atmosphere); Biergarten (good food especially if you like German food and a fun show); Akershus (food is just okay, but great character meal if you have a princess fan); Via Napoli (really, really good pizza)
DHS - '50s Primetime (good comfort food and a neat experience all around); Sci-Fi (food is okay, but atmosphere is awesome)
Magic Kingdom - Be Our Guest (if you can't get a dinner reservation, try to do lunch here); We actually rarely do table service at the Magic Kingdom and usually grab the monorail to one of the hotels.
Animal Kingdom - Tusker House (good food and you can do a character meal here for breakfast and lunch)
Resort Hotels - Kona Café (amazing food!); Grand Floridian Café (also has amazing food!); Chef Mickey's (the quintessential character experience at WDW; I would definitely try to snag an ADR for here); 1900 Park Fair (food is decent, but the character interaction is good especially the evil stepsisters); Whispering Canyon Café (good food and entertainment; definitely fun for older kids).
Here are some of fun table service ideas for a first trip:
Epcot - Garden Grill (good food and service, fun character interactions, interesting atmosphere); Biergarten (good food especially if you like German food and a fun show); Akershus (food is just okay, but great character meal if you have a princess fan); Via Napoli (really, really good pizza)
DHS - '50s Primetime (good comfort food and a neat experience all around); Sci-Fi (food is okay, but atmosphere is awesome)
Magic Kingdom - Be Our Guest (if you can't get a dinner reservation, try to do lunch here); We actually rarely do table service at the Magic Kingdom and usually grab the monorail to one of the hotels.
Animal Kingdom - Tusker House (good food and you can do a character meal here for breakfast and lunch)
Resort Hotels - Kona Café (amazing food!); Grand Floridian Café (also has amazing food!); Chef Mickey's (the quintessential character experience at WDW; I would definitely try to snag an ADR for here); 1900 Park Fair (food is decent, but the character interaction is good especially the evil stepsisters); Whispering Canyon Café (good food and entertainment; definitely fun for older kids).
RoyWalley
Well-Known Member
Here is the best advice i can give you:
https://disneyworld.disney.go.com/dining/
Contact Disney with any questions.
https://disneyworld.disney.go.com/dining/
Contact Disney with any questions.
MaxsDad
Well-Known Member
There is a lot that could be said in response to this. Yes, October is a great time to go.I will focus in on where to eat. Whispering Canyon Cafe is a great choice for families. I like 50's Prime Time at the Studios for families also. I like Crystal Palace at the MK. Most Epcot Table Services are nice. Read reviews if you like, as some are variable. Most kids would like Garden Grill I think. In the Animal Kingdom Area, non pikcy eaters would enjoy Boma or Saana at the Animal Kingdom Lodge, and both are great.
We will be there for 7 days. I have a boy and a girl. I thought I read October has a free dining plan but I haven't seen anything like that yet.
crispy
Well-Known Member
They usually do offer free dining for at least part of the month of October. The offer will usually appear a couple of months beforehand. Check out www.mousesavers.com for discount information.
For a 7 night trip with a boy and a girl, I would recommend Whispering Canyon, Sci-Fi, Chef Mickey's , Garden Grill, Be Our Guest, and Akershus. That would offer you a wide range of experiences and some fun character meals.
Figgy1
Well-Known Member
A most magical welcome here! As some others have said get the OG and read it cover to cover and then do it again. You must eat at BOG, CM and CP with children. Both the adults and children will love those. As for quick service again BOG is a must do for us. Also CR's is classic, PB's has the best burgers and fixings bar, SS the best selection and excellent food, Tangerine cafe is a hidden gem, Les Hailles for the best goodies, Flametree in AK is excellent. Most of all avoid Hollywood and Vile at lunch and dinner. Happy planning and have a magical trip.
HouCuseChickie
Well-Known Member
Definitely figure out where you want to eat before day 180 rolls around. The menus on allears are a great resource. Since you're traveling with children, you might also consider their favorite characters and try and work in a few character meals.
We've tried all of the character meals, and while everyone has their own opinions, these are our favorites...
Crystal Palace for pre-park opening breakfast, Chef Mickey's breakfast, 1900 Park Fare breakfast, Akershus lunch or dinner, CRT pre-park opening breakfast, H&V pre-park opening breakfast, and Garden Grill dinner.
Our kids also really enjoy California Grill timed with fireworks, 'Ohana dinner just before fireworks so you can head out afterwards to the Poly beach, Be Our Guest (make this the very first thing you book on day 180 if you want dinner here), Sanaa, T-Rex in DTD, Rose & Crown timed with Illuminations, and 50s Primetime.
As for other things to make it a special trip...MNSSHP will be going on and is a lot of fun, you could have a special cake delivered to a meal, I think they do hayrides around this time, and Food & Wine will be going on in Epcot which will be fun.
We've tried all of the character meals, and while everyone has their own opinions, these are our favorites...
Crystal Palace for pre-park opening breakfast, Chef Mickey's breakfast, 1900 Park Fare breakfast, Akershus lunch or dinner, CRT pre-park opening breakfast, H&V pre-park opening breakfast, and Garden Grill dinner.
Our kids also really enjoy California Grill timed with fireworks, 'Ohana dinner just before fireworks so you can head out afterwards to the Poly beach, Be Our Guest (make this the very first thing you book on day 180 if you want dinner here), Sanaa, T-Rex in DTD, Rose & Crown timed with Illuminations, and 50s Primetime.
As for other things to make it a special trip...MNSSHP will be going on and is a lot of fun, you could have a special cake delivered to a meal, I think they do hayrides around this time, and Food & Wine will be going on in Epcot which will be fun.
JillC LI
Well-Known Member
We had a wonderful October trip when our son was 9 and daughter 7. Definitely watch for a possible free dining promotion and use those Snack credits at the F&W Festival. Try to hit MNSSHP in costume (you might want to consider not getting a Park ticket for that day, sleeping late, enjoying the resort, and getting to the Park at 4pm when they will let you in for the Party even though it doesn't officially start until 7pm - you can still get a full 8 hours in the MK). Biggest suggestion is be at the Parks before rope drop to get in the most attractions before the crowds arrive. Second biggest suggestion is to do some advance research as to what you want to do in each Park, have a plan, and then be flexible with it.
As for meals, there are so many wonderful options. When our kids were that age, we liked to go to 1 or 2 character meals (1900 Park Fare breakfast was fun for both genders with Pooh, Tigger, Mary Poppins, Alice In Wonderland, and the Mad Hatter; breakfast at Tusker House or Crystal Palace gets you into a Park before opening). Other of our faves include Rose & Crown Pub (get a late ADR so you can watch IllumiNations from your table without having to stand in a good viewing spot for an hour before the show); 'Ohana; Le Cellier; Biergarten; Sci Fi Dine in; and Kona Cafe (we liked going here for a late breakfast after spending a few hours of uncrowded time in the MK during our last trip). Make your ADRs at the 180 day mark. Oh, and get a Dole Whip Float!
As for meals, there are so many wonderful options. When our kids were that age, we liked to go to 1 or 2 character meals (1900 Park Fare breakfast was fun for both genders with Pooh, Tigger, Mary Poppins, Alice In Wonderland, and the Mad Hatter; breakfast at Tusker House or Crystal Palace gets you into a Park before opening). Other of our faves include Rose & Crown Pub (get a late ADR so you can watch IllumiNations from your table without having to stand in a good viewing spot for an hour before the show); 'Ohana; Le Cellier; Biergarten; Sci Fi Dine in; and Kona Cafe (we liked going here for a late breakfast after spending a few hours of uncrowded time in the MK during our last trip). Make your ADRs at the 180 day mark. Oh, and get a Dole Whip Float!
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bmarkelon
Well-Known Member
Well, first off; welcome to the boards and you've come to the right place to start your planning! Where are you guys staying? I agree that you probably want to plan your dining line-up and be ready to book at the 180 day mark, so you have a couple of months of solid discussing time! As far as special events you can't miss Mickey's Not So Scary Halloween Party (MNSSHP) in Magic Kingdom (this requires a ticket to the event) and Epcot's Food and Wine Festival. They are both fabulous and the reason why Fall is my favorite time to visit.
A few of our go-to meals for our family of 5 (kids are 9, 6, and 4) are....
'Ohana at the Polynesian-it's a crowd pleaser and a stop by the Polynesian Resort is a must every trip
Via Napoli in Epcot-the pizza is amazing
Hoop Dee Doo at Fort Wilderness would be our dinner show choice
California Grill on top of the Contemporary will always be our favorite fancy dinner treat for mom and dad
Sci Fi Dine In at Hollywood Studios is a fun dining experience that the kids enjoy
As far as character dining, our personal opinion is to stick to them mostly for breakfasts. We're not the biggest fans of the buffet style dinners. We love Tusker House in Animal Kingdom, Chef Mickey's at the Contemporary and Crystal Palace in Magic Kingdom.
Hope this is helpful and happy planning to you guys!
A few of our go-to meals for our family of 5 (kids are 9, 6, and 4) are....
'Ohana at the Polynesian-it's a crowd pleaser and a stop by the Polynesian Resort is a must every trip
Via Napoli in Epcot-the pizza is amazing
Hoop Dee Doo at Fort Wilderness would be our dinner show choice
California Grill on top of the Contemporary will always be our favorite fancy dinner treat for mom and dad
Sci Fi Dine In at Hollywood Studios is a fun dining experience that the kids enjoy
As far as character dining, our personal opinion is to stick to them mostly for breakfasts. We're not the biggest fans of the buffet style dinners. We love Tusker House in Animal Kingdom, Chef Mickey's at the Contemporary and Crystal Palace in Magic Kingdom.
Hope this is helpful and happy planning to you guys!
slappy magoo
Well-Known Member
Not necessarily restaurant recommendations just some food for thought (see what I did there?):
1: At 10 and 8 years old, your kids might not have an overwhelming desire to meet the characters, but it might be good to consider a few character meals anyway. A good way to "scratch that itch" without waiting on line in the parks.
2: Consider the buffet meals. Not that I want you to be a glutton, but the nice thing about the buffet meals, even at their price point, is that there is bound to be something for everyone. You wrote that your kids aren't picky, which is great, and even if they wind up not liking a meal they ordered, history seems to dictate that any sit down restaurant will allow them to order something else...but you'd have to wait. The buffets afford them instant access to a do-over, get more of things they'd like, and little desserts so you can sample a few different things. It also gives them opportunities to deliberately try new foods
3: Another reason for the buffets - you wrote you'll be on the dining plan, as well as that your kids aren't picky. I'm pretty sure your 8 year old will be limited exclusively to kids' menus in the restaurants that have specific kids' menus. Some restaurants might look the other way or offer a kids-sized version of adult dishes if you ask, but otherwise your youngest might have to consume a lot of chicken fingers and cardboard pizza. Buffets eliminate that problem. BTW, my wife hates buffet meals everywhere else in the world, but loves them at WDW. They tend to keep the offerings fresh and frequent.
4: When it comes to your snack options, some of the snacks are, quite frankly, ginormous. For example, when we stayed at Bay Lake Tower and would get a quick lunch at the Contmporary, the cupcakes seemed routinely to be the size of our then-three-year-old's head. You could easily split a freshly-made or freshly baked snack between two people, and then have an extra snack to share later in the day, or take your unused snack options and buy pre-packaged snacks like small boxes of cookies or bags of pretzels to bring home, either as little gifts to family who didn't take the trip with you, or for you when you're feeling a little nostalgic.
5: If you get the Deluxe Dining Plan, it's a lot of food, but one thing you could conceivably do is use it as a way to visit more Signature restaurants. Use your two snacks for a light breakfast (a bagel and juice for example), use one meal credit for a late breakfast/brunch or early lunch, then use 2 credits for a really nice restaurant like Artist Point or Contemporary Grill (2 of our faves), or the Hoop De Doo Revue at Fort Wilderness
Having written all that, some of our favorite restaurants include: the aforementioned Artist Point at Wilderness Lodge
the aforementioned California Grill at Contemporary
Boma at AKL,
Chef Mickey's at Contemporary
Akershus for breakfast at Norway in Epcot's World Showcase
Crystal Palace in MK
Rose and Crown at England in Epcot's World Showcase (especially if you book a late dinner and can score an outdoor table, for Illuminations)
Wolfgang Puck Express is a great table service option, especially because, while you wait on line to order, they have cast members bring food to your table and check on you, refill drinks, etc. It's like almost a table service meal for the "price" of a counter service. Stick it to the Mouse!
'Ohanas in Poly
50s Primetime or Sci-Fi Dine In at Hollywood Studios. Not the greatest food, but still quite tasty and fun locales.
Whispering Canyon Cafe at Wilderness Lodge.
Hollywood Brown Derby at Hollywood Studios (another Signature)
1: At 10 and 8 years old, your kids might not have an overwhelming desire to meet the characters, but it might be good to consider a few character meals anyway. A good way to "scratch that itch" without waiting on line in the parks.
2: Consider the buffet meals. Not that I want you to be a glutton, but the nice thing about the buffet meals, even at their price point, is that there is bound to be something for everyone. You wrote that your kids aren't picky, which is great, and even if they wind up not liking a meal they ordered, history seems to dictate that any sit down restaurant will allow them to order something else...but you'd have to wait. The buffets afford them instant access to a do-over, get more of things they'd like, and little desserts so you can sample a few different things. It also gives them opportunities to deliberately try new foods
3: Another reason for the buffets - you wrote you'll be on the dining plan, as well as that your kids aren't picky. I'm pretty sure your 8 year old will be limited exclusively to kids' menus in the restaurants that have specific kids' menus. Some restaurants might look the other way or offer a kids-sized version of adult dishes if you ask, but otherwise your youngest might have to consume a lot of chicken fingers and cardboard pizza. Buffets eliminate that problem. BTW, my wife hates buffet meals everywhere else in the world, but loves them at WDW. They tend to keep the offerings fresh and frequent.
4: When it comes to your snack options, some of the snacks are, quite frankly, ginormous. For example, when we stayed at Bay Lake Tower and would get a quick lunch at the Contmporary, the cupcakes seemed routinely to be the size of our then-three-year-old's head. You could easily split a freshly-made or freshly baked snack between two people, and then have an extra snack to share later in the day, or take your unused snack options and buy pre-packaged snacks like small boxes of cookies or bags of pretzels to bring home, either as little gifts to family who didn't take the trip with you, or for you when you're feeling a little nostalgic.
5: If you get the Deluxe Dining Plan, it's a lot of food, but one thing you could conceivably do is use it as a way to visit more Signature restaurants. Use your two snacks for a light breakfast (a bagel and juice for example), use one meal credit for a late breakfast/brunch or early lunch, then use 2 credits for a really nice restaurant like Artist Point or Contemporary Grill (2 of our faves), or the Hoop De Doo Revue at Fort Wilderness
Having written all that, some of our favorite restaurants include: the aforementioned Artist Point at Wilderness Lodge
the aforementioned California Grill at Contemporary
Boma at AKL,
Chef Mickey's at Contemporary
Akershus for breakfast at Norway in Epcot's World Showcase
Crystal Palace in MK
Rose and Crown at England in Epcot's World Showcase (especially if you book a late dinner and can score an outdoor table, for Illuminations)
Wolfgang Puck Express is a great table service option, especially because, while you wait on line to order, they have cast members bring food to your table and check on you, refill drinks, etc. It's like almost a table service meal for the "price" of a counter service. Stick it to the Mouse!
'Ohanas in Poly
50s Primetime or Sci-Fi Dine In at Hollywood Studios. Not the greatest food, but still quite tasty and fun locales.
Whispering Canyon Cafe at Wilderness Lodge.
Hollywood Brown Derby at Hollywood Studios (another Signature)
SkipperButler
Active Member
On a daily planning note: research the the park hours and plan accordingly. The Mickey's Not-So-Scary Halloween Party will be taking place many night in October and is a really fun event. Crowds are usually heavier on days when the parties are not happening because those are the only nights that all park guests can see the fireworks. Try not to go to Epcot on a Friday, Saturday or Sunday during Food and Wine. Those are the evenings the locals show up and they can be pretty rowdy by the time evening comes around.
s&k'smom
Well-Known Member
October can be very quiet at times and one of the things we did was take an afternoon breaks and sit by the pool. Especially during the week at times we had the pool to ourselves. It can be very hot too so it's a nice way to recharge your batteries. Sometimes we would just have snacks in the room and relax, makes the evenings much more pleasant when your rested.
jlsHouston
Well-Known Member
Welcome! And how exciting for your family to be going to WDW! Have you decided where you are staying and if you will have a car or will you be using disney transportation to get around!
My grandkids are now 7 and 9 (boy and girl) and here are some of their favorite dining venues:
Sci Fi at HS
BOG for lunch or dinner
Flame Tree BBQ at AK
Park Fare 1900 for character dining breakfast and dinner
Cape May breakfast for character dining
Ohanas breakfast for character dining but they hate the dinner there so we started sticking them in the neverland club and they love that and they get fed
Chef Mickey of course doesn't matter which meal they love the fab 5 characters
Crystal Palace doesn't matter here either which meal they love Pooh and pals
Beaches & Cream they eat a hot dog and get a sundae
Tutto Italia this is the only tomatoe sauce they like at WDW on noodles
Pizza window at Boardwalk
Chocolate croissants at BC...they say they are the best there....
They like the pizza flatbed that you can get at all the resort quick service restaurants
They love T REX
They love Rainforest
Flying Fish..they will get all dressed up and act great here
Narcosses same as above but while the venue is great here the service was somewhat ....lacking for the cost
Enjoy your magical vacation!!! And how lucky you can do the Mickey Not So Scarey Halloween Party and wander around the World Showcase At Epcot and eat and eat and drink during Food&Wine...I would do the latter NOT on a weekend day...
My grandkids are now 7 and 9 (boy and girl) and here are some of their favorite dining venues:
Sci Fi at HS
BOG for lunch or dinner
Flame Tree BBQ at AK
Park Fare 1900 for character dining breakfast and dinner
Cape May breakfast for character dining
Ohanas breakfast for character dining but they hate the dinner there so we started sticking them in the neverland club and they love that and they get fed
Chef Mickey of course doesn't matter which meal they love the fab 5 characters
Crystal Palace doesn't matter here either which meal they love Pooh and pals
Beaches & Cream they eat a hot dog and get a sundae
Tutto Italia this is the only tomatoe sauce they like at WDW on noodles
Pizza window at Boardwalk
Chocolate croissants at BC...they say they are the best there....
They like the pizza flatbed that you can get at all the resort quick service restaurants
They love T REX
They love Rainforest
Flying Fish..they will get all dressed up and act great here
Narcosses same as above but while the venue is great here the service was somewhat ....lacking for the cost
Enjoy your magical vacation!!! And how lucky you can do the Mickey Not So Scarey Halloween Party and wander around the World Showcase At Epcot and eat and eat and drink during Food&Wine...I would do the latter NOT on a weekend day...
wolf gang puck and earl of sandwich are great counter service deals....other than that you cant go wrong..we always eat ohana
Do you know if you need to purchase tickets for the MNSSHP?