Disney Dining Reservations

[Alexandrasmom]

We are a couple of weeks out from being able to make out Disney dining reservations and I think I have them down. We have not been to Disney for a full week since we were little. Our family includes DH (40), me (35) and dd (7). My DH is not huge on buffets so I had to limit those. I would love to get any feedback you might have regarding these restaurants since we are newbies :-)

Sunday- 5pm Chefs de France
Monday- 8am Ohana; 6:30pm 1900 Park Fare
Tuesday- Only Counter Service meals
Wednesday- Only counter service meals- DD and MVMCP
Thursday- 6:30pm Ohana
Friday- 12pm Le Cellier; 7pm Via Napoli
Saturday- Might throw in Chef Mickeys

[NandK]

Definitely throw in Chef Mickey's. The last time we were there (Feb. 2010) the food was good and we had a great time with the classic characters. Everything else looks good. We haven't done all of the places you are hitting but I have heard good things. We are trying Ohana and 1900 PF this year for the first time and I have extended family that raves about Ohana. Le Cellier was good for dinner but now that it is 2 table service credits we probably will not be returning for awhile due to having young children (4, 2.5, and 3 months). Have fun planning!!!

[vicki_c]

Remy from the movie Ratatouille is at Chefs de France intermittently during the afternoon (about 12:30-5 or 6 I think but I would have to check) but he's not there on Sundays, which is when you're planning to go there. If you have any interest in that, Sunday won't work. It really is very cute, but nothing I would extensively tear up my itinerary for.

Have you already made your decisions on which park you are going to each day, and then based your dining locations on that? Vs. making dining first then just going to that park - that is not necessarily a good approach.

As for Chef Mickey's, I would only go for breakfast, which we find okay, even good, but thought dinner was one of the worst Disney buffets we had had.

[Janine]

Good point! You definitely want to establish which parks you're going to which days (based on Josh's recommended parks), and then plan your meals where you are going to be. If you already considered that, great.

I love 'Ohana as well (I've only done dinner). I would only go to Chef Mickey for the characters. The breakfast food was mostly just ok (a couple things were pretty good), but it's a wonderful character meal. I think DD7 would really enjoy it. You just gotta eat with Mickey, right?

[jhalpin76]

If any of the available times happen to be your ak day we preferred donald's safari breakfast over chef Mickey. The latest breakfast (10:30ish) was a good time and good food

[jilly7896]

All good choices. I've been to all of them except for Via Napoli. Les Chefs and 'Ohana are actually my family's favorite restaurants! On the morning you are going to 'Ohana, where are you going that day? MK? do you have a MK RD planned? If you are doing MK that day, I would consider making RD and scheduling 'Ohana for the last breakfast seating.

[Brandie]

:welcome: Alexandrasmom!

Ohana and 1900 PF in one trip! You are so lucky. I always make my family choose one or the other. As Jill mentioned, we think Tusker House breakfast is great. We almost always have a pre-park opening breakfast here.

[Alexandrasmom]

Vicki C- Thank you so much for the tip... I had no clue Remy was not at Chefs de France on Sunday, so I will definitely move my reservations around. Not that it is a deal breaker but it would be nice to see him :-)

Jilly 7896- I hadn't really thought about rope drop. As you can see I am very "green" at Disney. Although I would like to have some structure, I don't want to be too obsessed with planning and sticking to a plan because I know my family won't have a good time. However, I like your idea of being in MK at rope drop and then stepping out for a nice breakfast!

As far as parks are concerned, there are a few days in which we are planning on attending the parks that are "Not Recommended" but simply because we want to take advantage of the Extra Magic Hours. We plan on starting early, coming back to the room after lunch for some down time and then head back out early evening.

Any other tips are greatly appreciated! I am certainly overwhelmed with all of the information :noidea:

[vicki_c]

It can be overwhelming to a first timer, but don't worry - you'll be fine.

I just wanted to comment on that late breakfast thing as well - we did that on our last trip for the first time. At MK, we toured from 9-10:15 (might have been 8-10:15, I can't remember), and then went over to the Contemporary and had breakfast at the Wave around 10:30. On another day, we went to Epcot from 9-10 then walked over to Kouzzina on the Boardwalk for breakfast. My husband was skeptical because we were going to be in the parks such a short amount of time before leaving, but it actually worked out quite well. Of course, we have been to the parks a zillion times, so we don't feel quite as pressured to get it all in. But it's still a workable approach!

My only other comment - I would avoid the parks with the EMH. The only time we ever do EMHs are when they are unavoidable, like Easter & Christmas weeks. I really find the non-EMH parks to be less crowded and more enjoyable.

[blyday]

Although I would like to have some structure, I don't want to be too obsessed with planning and sticking to a plan because I know my family won't have a good time.

Commenting on this......having a plan is extremely important if you want your family to have a good time. No, you don't have to be obsessed with it to a point of no flexibility but you will really want to have a touring plan for every single park. My DSIL argued with us right up to trip time about how her family would not be okay with following a plan and that if I kept pushing for one that it would just blow up in my face. By the end of day one, she told me within 1 hour of park opening how useful she could see the plan was because we weren't wasting time trying to figure out where to go to next, let alone the lack of lines!!! And the 17 year old who she told me would in no way follow a plan that evening got upset with me when I handed them all the FPs we'd collected and give them a list of any time attractions and told them to choose where we went to. He simply responded with, "Isn't it your job to tell us where to go? You say what is next, we go, have a good time and then you tell us the next place to go. Get back to WORK slacker!!!" So.......the plans really do make for a better trip. We did go off of plans once in a while when a ride wasn't open yet or we needed a snack break, etc. But having plans are what allow you to avoid long lines as well as avoid standing around a map in the middle of the park having that 15 minute discussion of where to go to next!!!

OK.......stepping off of my :soapbox:

Looking at your dining choices, I'm surprised that with your statement about your DH not liking buffets that you only have 3 menued restaurants in the bunch. Although O'hana's is not a buffet in that fact that you go up to a buffet bar to get your food, it is an all you care to eat location where they bring the food to your table. Basically....they bring the buffet to you!! Now don't get me wrong....I love O'hana's and all of your locations but just surprised that you have so many of those types of meals.

Also, I've been commenting on your itinerary that is posted in the itinerary thread. I really think that you need to sit down and put together and finalize your park plans before you jump into your restaurants. For example, I'm surprised to see you going to O'hana's after a day at HS. (The very same day that you have following your MVMCP). I'd really look at moving your meals around to go to a late breakfast at O'hana's the morning of your MVMCP then maybe some shopping at DTD followed by a break until you leave for your MVMCP about 3-4 PM. That way, you are having to leave the park on your MK day or arrive late for that O'hana's breakfast.

[tedescokid]

I'm with Brenda :)

[jilly7896]

I'd really look at moving your meals around to go to a late breakfast at O'hana's the morning of your MVMCP then maybe some shopping at DTD followed by a break until you leave for your MVMCP about 3-4 PM.

We did this exact plan back in 2007 and it worked out perfect.

[Alexandrasmom]

Another great suggestion about a late breakfast. Thank you!

In regards to the buffets, he'll eat it but his preference is not a place where everyone is touchings utensils, kids coughing/sneezing near the food. I think he will like the food selections/menu at these places, plus several of these selections were made because I think dd will like them :-)