Disney Newbie...Help with Restaurants

[essenzza]

I'm a newbie to Disneyworld. Going for the 1st time in January with my 2 daughters (6 and 3.5). We will be doing 2 days in MK, 1 in Hollywood Studios, and another shorter day in Animal Kingdom.

What do you recommend for food? We def want to do some character dining -- like princesses, Fab 5 and Winnie the Pooh. I was thinking of doing the Disney plan with 1 quick service and 1 table service.

Recommendations? I assume table service would be best for dinner to not lose time of the day but I hear breakfast ones are cool too.

Ideas?

 

[Disney4family]

Congratulations!!! What a magical time for your daughters!!!

Magic Kingdom
Cinderella's Royal Table - We've done b'fast when my kids were little & loved it. It was a must-do for us. We just did dinner & it was outstanding. The girls will meet Cinderella downstairs. Ask her to point out Jac & Gus!! 4 princesses will be announced & come around the tables for autographs and pictures. The girls will get magic wands and wishing stars. There will be a wishing ceremony with music & fanfare. It's expensive, but magical fun. They automatically charge your credit card when you reserve. You can keep the payment like that, or the waiter will change it to your dining plan. It will take 2 table-service points of your plan.
http://allears.net/dining/menu/cinderellas-royal-table/breakfast
http://allears.net/dining/menu/cinderellas-royal-table/lunch-dinner
http://allears.net/dining/menu/cinderellas-royal-table/child-lunch-dinner
Crystal Palace - We've also done both, but love breakfast. It's still a must-do for us. There's a fun parade when your daughters can march with Pooh & friends. It's a beautiful restaurant with an awesome location right near the castle.
http://allears.net/dining/menu/crystal-palace/breakfast
http://allears.net/dining/menu/crystal-palace/lunch-dinner

Hollywood Studios
Hollywood & Vine - Princess Sofia, Doc McStuffins, Handy Mandy & Jake from the Neverland Pirates are here for b'fast and Mickey, Minnie, Donald, Daisy & Goofy are here for dinner. We did b'fast a long time ago. It wasn't the best, but my kids loved the characters.
http://allears.net/dining/menu/hollywood-and-vine/breakfast
http://allears.net/dining/menu/hollywood-and-vine/dinner
Mama Melrose - We're not a fan of this Italian restaurant, but others don't seem to have a problem with it & Italian is usually a safe bet with little ones.
http://allears.net/dining/menu/mama-melroses-ristorante-italiano/lunch-dinner
http://allears.net/dining/menu/mama-melroses-ristorante-italiano/child-lunch-dinner

Animal Kingdom
Tusker House - We haven't done it, but it gets great reviews. "Donald's Safari B'fast" is the theme!
http://allears.net/dining/menu/tusker-house-restaurant/breakfast

 

[essenzza]

Thank you! So far I had the Royal Table, Crystal Palace and Hollywood & Vine on my list so I guess I'm doing okay..lol. Any thoughts on 50s primetime cafe, be our guest or Sci-fi?

 

[Disney4family]

Thank you! So far I had the Royal Table, Crystal Palace and Hollywood & Vine on my list so I guess I'm doing okay..lol. Any thoughts on 50s primetime cafe, be our guest or Sci-fi?

The 50s Prime Time Cafe has great food. We're going back this summer after a long break. My kids love sitting in a car at the Sci-Fi so we've been doing that for a decade. My only concern with the 50s is how sensitive your girls are to teasing. If you get a CM who is really into his/her role, there could be a lot of (fun) kidding around. We didn't realize how sensitive my daughter was to everything. She was very upset when my dad was teased about putting his elbows on the table. She was inconsolable when the waitress told her she wouldn't get any dessert unless she finished her veggies.

The Sci-Fi is fun. There are campy, B horror movies playing on the screen. Even though they're silly, I guess be careful if the girls will be scared. Ask the waiter for a driver's license for the girls. He'll also take your photo in the car. This place has the best milkshakes on property!
http://allears.net/dining/menu/50s-prime-time-cafe/lunch-dinner
http://allears.net/dining/menu/50s-prime-time-cafe/child-lunch-dinner
http://allears.net/dining/menu/sci-fi-dine-in-theater/lunch-dinner
http://allears.net/dining/menu/sci-fi-dine-in-theater/child-lunch-dinner

Be Our Guest is beautiful. You can request the ballroom when you check in, but there are no guarantees. I've heard b'fast and lunch are gross. We've always done dinner. The dinner menu is changing as of July 27th this year. You can take your picture with the Beast after you dine there.

 

[correcaminos]

Thank you! So far I had the Royal Table, Crystal Palace and Hollywood & Vine on my list so I guess I'm doing okay..lol. Any thoughts on 50s primetime cafe, be our guest or Sci-fi?

50s Prime Time has comfort food really. They play with you there and tease about elbows on the table and eating your veggies.
Sci-Fi has the movies that may or may not be a hit with the kids that age. Food is pretty unremarkable. Personally with Hollywood & Vine I wouldn't add another to the list.

BOG - only the Beast is at dinner which is going to be redone and prix fixe. I am not a fan of dinner. Lunch is okay, but all around the kid's meals are disgustingly bland there. We tried more than I care to say. The ambiance is nice, but honestly again if you are doing another big meal that day in he park, I wouldn't opt for 2.

 

[essenzza]

For Animal Kingdom - would Tusker House be the best bet or is there any other recommendation for dinner?

 

[JillC LI]

Akershus was fabulous for the multiple princess interaction although we didn't care for the dinner foods there. Breakfast is pretty standard fare there though, so I recommend that. 1900 Park Fare is also great for breakfast with their "legendary" strawberry soup (it really is delicious) and unusual characters (Mad Hatter, Mary Poppins, plus Tigger and Pooh I believe). Tusker is a great place for characters in AK.

 

[slappy magoo]

If you're considering Hollywood & Vine, they do offer "packages" there that include reserved seating for Fantasmic. Well...reserved-ish, there's a section for people who get the package.

As far as Cinderella's Royal Table goes...I guess it's a place everyone dine at once, but man is it really really overpriced. I know price is relative especially at DW, But we're talking as much as $140 for one adult and two kids for breakfast (more for lunch or dinner), for food that's OK but miles from fine dining, and plastic wands for your kids. It's crowded, it's loud...and I gotta admit, it always seems filled with the aura of disappointment, dozens of people thinking as one "we paid HOW much...for THIS?"

You might want to consider 1900 Park Fare at the Grand Floridian. Not as Princess-y, but they usually have Cinderella and Prince Charming (plus the wicked stepmother and stepsisters) at dinner, and Mary Poppins, Alice in Wonderland and the Mad Hatter (plus Pooh and Tigger) at breakfast. Much less expensive, much better selection (it's a buffet so it's also AYCTE), and the resort is on the monorail so you can always enjoy a day at MK, monorail or boat over for dinner, then go back to MK for the night.

 

[Disney4family]

For Animal Kingdom - would Tusker House be the best bet or is there any other recommendation for dinner?

The Rainforest Cafe would be fun for the girls. Honestly, my kids still love it and they're teens now. We've always had a great meal there and it's a lot of fun. We took my 79 year old mom there in September and she loved it. It truly is as they say - a wild place to eat and shop. The menu has a huge variety of different food and the store has adorable clothes & toys. There's a "thunderstorm" every so often and all the animals wake up. The waiters encourage you to walk your kids around so they can see all the fun animals all around. I would highly recommend it. We're going back in a few weeks! Can't wait!!
http://allears.net/dining/menu/animal-kingdom-rainforest-cafe/lunch-dinner
http://allears.net/dining/menu/animal-kingdom-rainforest-cafe/child-lunch-dinner

You could also eat at the Yak and Yeti restaurant.
http://allears.net/dining/menu/yak-and-yeti/lunch-dinner
http://allears.net/dining/menu/yak-and-yeti/child-lunch-dinner

or Tiffins -
http://allears.net/dining/menu/tiffins/lunch-dinner
http://allears.net/dining/menu/tiffins/child-lunch-dinner

 

[essenzza]

Does Hollywood & Vine and Tusker House have characters at Lunch and dinner? I seem to see conflicting info. Crystal Palace has characters for every meal correct?

 

[Disney4family]

The characters are at every meal for The Crystal Palace.

Here's Disney's link about Hollywood & Vine -
https://disneyworld.disney.go.com/dining/hollywood-studios/hollywood-and-vine/

Here's Disney's link about Tusker House -
https://disneyworld.disney.go.com/dining/animal-kingdom/tusker-house-restaurant/

 

[essenzza]

The characters are at every meal for The Crystal Palace.

Here's Disney's link about Hollywood & Vine -
https://disneyworld.disney.go.com/dining/hollywood-studios/hollywood-and-vine/

Here's Disney's link about Tusker House -
https://disneyworld.disney.go.com/dining/animal-kingdom/tusker-house-restaurant/

Thanks!
BUt yea that's what confuses me.... So for Hollywood for example, if it's not during the seasonal time that means no one is around for lunch or dinner? Tusker seems to be all day so that's good. I don't need 4 character meals anyway just trying to place it.

 

[MaryJaneP]

We have a tradition of Chef Mickey's at the Contemporary Resort and it is a great place for the Fab 5. Food is merely passable, but Monorail and characters help make it memorable.

 

[Disney4family]

Thanks!
BUt yea that's what confuses me.... So for Hollywood for example, if it's not during the seasonal time that means no one is around for lunch or dinner? Tusker seems to be all day so that's good. I don't need 4 character meals anyway just trying to place it.

I haven't dined at H&V lately so someone else could answer that better, but it looks like there could be no characters for lunch or dinner at times. You could always call Disney Dining, too, if nobody here who has eaten there replies to your question. I always tell them I prefer talking to a human than trying to figure out stuff online. They're great.

I agree with @MaryJaneP . Chef Mickey's is a must-do for us, too.
(Actually, I've found their food better than The Crystal Palace the last few years - although nobody can beat Pooh's Stuffed French Toast)

 

[danyoung56]

Be Our Guest ... I've heard b'fast and lunch are gross.

Lunch is actually pretty good. Get the pulled pork and the french onion soup - delish!

Breakfast is not exactly gross, but it's not fine dining, either. Your food will probably be cold, and not much of it, either.

 

[Disney4family]

Lunch is actually pretty good. Get the pulled pork and the french onion soup - delish!

Breakfast is not exactly gross, but it's not fine dining, either. Your food will probably be cold, and not much of it, either.

Then I misspoke. Glad to hear it's not as horrible as others have said. It's a beautiful restaurant. It would be nice to think anyone who dines here has a yummy meal.

 

[danyoung56]

I definitely don't do the BOG breakfast for the quality of the food. I do it for the early entry, and the multiple rides on SDMT even before the park opens. Very much worth a so-so breakfast!

 

[correcaminos]

Then I misspoke. Glad to hear it's not as horrible as others have said. It's a beautiful restaurant. It would be nice to think anyone who dines here has a yummy meal.

Truthfully lunch is glorified QS. The food isn't bad at all. For Disney prices it's not bad either. It's better than burgers and fries at least. Though for similar foods, I'd rather eat at the Plaza. I find that quality better, but neither is awful. I personally thought BOG was better at lunch than dinner.

Breakfast is a miss though. Overpriced and nothing special at all.

 

[jackson2005]

50s Prime Time has comfort food really. They play with you there and tease about elbows on the table and eating your veggies.
Sci-Fi has the movies that may or may not be a hit with the kids that age. Food is pretty unremarkable. Personally with Hollywood & Vine I wouldn't add another to the list.

BOG - only the Beast is at dinner which is going to be redone and prix fixe. I am not a fan of dinner. Lunch is okay, but all around the kid's meals are disgustingly bland there. We tried more than I care to say. The ambiance is nice, but honestly again if you are doing another big meal that day in he park, I wouldn't opt for 2.

I would do BOG at lunch, it is just a quick serve food was ok, the girls will love eating in the castle.

 

[Ted Daggett]

Our last breakfast at BOG, my girls had a crepe filled with yogurt, which they wouldn't eat because the yogurt wasn't flavored, and they said was disgusting...
I had a delicious egg and brie sandwich, however. Our breakfast was at 8:05, so we were done our breakfast at 8:45, and we got an early start in the back of the park before opening, which is the real reason I wanted to eat there in the first place.

Based on my daughters' aversion to the breakfast, I hadn't ever wanted to return to BOG for other meals, however our last time in the park, I got a 2:00 lunch reservation, and we each only ordered a cupcake with the "grey stuff", and used it as a mid-afternoon snack, rather than a lunch. As the song says, the grey stuff WAS delicious...