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Post by izzyscraps on Jul 5, 2018 16:41:36 GMT
Pea Friends! I need help with Dining at Disney! My husband is taking me for my 40th birthday and we have the Disney Dining!
Where do we reserve for Seated dinners? What’s your favorite Disney World Restaurant??
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johnnysmom
Drama Llama
Posts: 5,687
Jun 25, 2014 21:16:33 GMT
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Post by johnnysmom on Jul 5, 2018 17:00:27 GMT
You need to set up My Disney Experience account at disneyworld.com then you can reserve dining (it's under "things to do"). The sooner you can do it the better, up to 180 days out. If you really want something but can't get it go to touringplans.com/walt-disney-world/reservation-finder you can setup a search and they'll send you a text when something opens up, but you have to move quick to reserve it once you get the notification (I just got a text today for California Grill in mid-August). Dh insists when we do Disney we go all out for dining so we end up with many sit down dinners, it's a sacrifice I'm willing make to go to Disney  For our upcoming trip we have reservations at: Artist Point (twice, dh loves this place) California Grill (both dinner and Sunday Brunch) Princess Breakfast @ Akershus (ds17 requested this one....he says for the food ) Bon Voyage Breakfast (this is new for us) Cape May Seafood Buffet Tusker House Breakfast Garden Grill Breakfast (new for us) Homecomin' (new for us) Ohana Breakfast Jungle Canteen (new for us) Most of those are pretty casual but who knows how fancy you had in mind  I would recommend California Grill if you can get it. We liked Narcoosee's (depending on timing you can see the fireworks from here or Calif Grill) and Jiko too. Artist Point is good as well, however, I heard they're not taking reservations past late Oct. so depending on when you're going that might not work. |
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Post by izzyscraps on Jul 5, 2018 17:03:52 GMT
I have tried to get reservations at Ashkersus. But I haven’t had any luck so far! Think we have Tusker House for dinner and I just got BOMA? Is it good??
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Post by aljack on Jul 5, 2018 17:11:23 GMT
It depends on which park you are at? There are so many good choices but definitely set up Disney experience and see when you are able to reserve dining selections if more than 180 days out.
The Disney app will give you menus for each restaurant and prices. It also lists specials dining experiences depending on the season. For instance, there is the candlelit professional at Christmas, Easter has special dining, etc.
We usually do a big breakfast and then light lunch and midsize dinner.
We prefer to be in the park for meals unless it’s check out day or evening arrival because we want to max out time there. Transportation from park to park eats away at your park time. Plus adding in fast passes will make it a challenge to ensure you get back if you leave unless it’s close to park like Contemporary.
Have a magical time!
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Post by tallgirl on Jul 5, 2018 17:24:45 GMT
My favourite is dinner at O'Hana (at the Polynesian Resort). But I'm also partial to Whispering Canyon Café (Wilderness Lodge), 50s Prime Time Café (Hollywood Studios), Yak and Yeti (Animal Kingdom), and Coral Reef (Epcot).
To me, it's worth it to leave the park for a couple of hours if necessary to hit dinner at one of these restaurants.
Note that in most cases, it's just as much about the experience as it is the food.
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Post by izzyscraps on Jul 5, 2018 17:37:09 GMT
I’ve heard about Whispering Canyon Cafe! I’ll see about that one too! Thanks!
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johnnysmom
Drama Llama
Posts: 5,687
Jun 25, 2014 21:16:33 GMT
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Post by johnnysmom on Jul 5, 2018 17:52:44 GMT
Where are you staying, what time of year are you going, for how many days? That'll help us narrow down our preferences Oh and kids....yes? ages? genders? |
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Post by izzyscraps on Jul 5, 2018 18:40:14 GMT
We are going sept 27th through october 1st. NO KIDS! Is that bad we are leaving them at home?? Lol
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Post by izzyscraps on Jul 5, 2018 18:40:29 GMT
Oh we are stay in the all star music. 😁
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scrappinmama
Drama Llama
Posts: 5,672
Jun 26, 2014 12:54:09 GMT
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Post by scrappinmama on Jul 5, 2018 19:04:12 GMT
One of my favorite places is Sanaa in Animal Kingdom Lodge Kidani building. The food is delicious, and the atmosphere is great!
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Post by melanell on Jul 5, 2018 19:08:43 GMT
When it comes to ADRs, "If at first you don't succeed, try, try again." definitely applies! People tend to make more reservations than they need to give them a bit of flexibility and because you can cancel quite close to your time before you suffer a cancellation fee, people hang on to them for awhile. BUT, that also means that tons of people are dumping their extra reservations all over the resort every single day. So just keep trying. Even if you don't yet have a reservation when you arrive, keep trying, either manually on your own, and/or through the touring plan mentioned above! Most people have good luck securing a reservation even much closer to their trip than the 180 day mark if they are persistent about it.  |
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Post by JustCallMeMommy on Jul 5, 2018 19:26:16 GMT
If I were you, I would start by picking the park you are going to each day, and then set up 1 table service a day near that park. By near, if I am going to concentrate on Magic Kingdom one day, I like to make my reservations at that park or at one of the monorail resorts (Contemporary, Polynesian, or Grand Floridian) because they are easy to get to from MK. We use table service meals as our break time, so we don't want to travel too far. On my first trip, I made the mistake of planning too many meals way away from the park of the day, and we quickly learned that we didn't like that at all! Your options right now may be limited for those dates. I would make initial reservations based on what looks good and then check availability from time to time to see if there is something better.
You will be there during Epcot Food & Wine Festival, so read up on that and plan to spend some time trying the foods in Epcot.
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johnnysmom
Drama Llama
Posts: 5,687
Jun 25, 2014 21:16:33 GMT
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Post by johnnysmom on Jul 5, 2018 22:37:51 GMT
If I were you, I would start by picking the park you are going to each day, and then set up 1 table service a day near that park. By near, if I am going to concentrate on Magic Kingdom one day, I like to make my reservations at that park or at one of the monorail resorts (Contemporary, Polynesian, or Grand Floridian) because they are easy to get to from MK. We use table service meals as our break time, so we don't want to travel too far. On my first trip, I made the mistake of planning too many meals way away from the park of the day, and we quickly learned that we didn't like that at all! Your options right now may be limited for those dates. I would make initial reservations based on what looks good and then check availability from time to time to see if there is something better. You will be there during Epcot Food & Wine Festival, so read up on that and plan to spend some time trying the foods in Epcot. ITA with this. If you've got Tusker House and Boma (never been but have heard good things) those are in/near Animal Kingdom. I'd eat "dinner" via snacking around Food & Wine Festival. If you want to do Whispering Canyon that could be on the Magic Kingdom day, it's not on the monorail but you can take a boat to Wilderness Lodge from MK, keep in mind that Whispering Canyon can be kinda loud (though I've heard they've toned it down a bit). That leaves you Studios day (assuming you're doing a day in each park), and honestly I can't seem to find a decent place to eat in that park except maybe Hollywood Brown Derby (we didn't love it last time, but it could've been an off night), maybe look for something in the Boardwalk area?? |
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Post by dualmaestra on Jul 5, 2018 22:48:53 GMT
I just returned from DW last week! We had lots of nice dinners and also had the dining plan.
Our favorites were:
1. California Grill (we did not use dining plan because it's 2 credits per meal). We decided to pay for this one. Average was about $50 per meal. We celebrated my birthday and my niece's bday there. After dinner we went out to their balcony to see the fireworks show from Magic Kingdom (they stream in the music as well). I highly recommend it, and it does have a dress code.
2. Boma - a buffet, very yummy - Close to Animal Kingdom
3. Ohana - family style, but delicious as well.
4. Ashkershus - we had lunch here and also very good. (only girls ate here, we sent the guys to a german restaurant, Biergarten).
Keep trying with the reservations like some mentioned. Because if you stay onsite, the window to make dining reservations opens 6 months before your stay, most places are booked way in advance. I know made extra reservations, cancelled a couple a couple of months before we left and cancelled only 1 while on the trip.
Enjoy your trip!
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Post by izzyscraps on Jul 6, 2018 2:07:15 GMT
Thanks!!! I have BOMA booked! And Ashkersus is on my list to keep trying! I don’t know where else to try to book. Ha
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Post by JustCallMeMommy on Jul 6, 2018 15:31:51 GMT
Thanks!!! I have BOMA booked! And Ashkersus is on my list to keep trying! I don’t know where else to try to book. Ha
What days do you have open and what parks? I like looking at the available choices.  |
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Post by cakediva on Jul 6, 2018 16:04:32 GMT
We really enjoyed Trails End - it's a buffet, and it is in the Fort Wilderness Campground. Comfort food for sure.
We also never miss going to Cape May seafood buffet for dinner on one night. It is all you can eat crab legs, but the buffet does have a ton of other options.
When I was there in October for 2 days with a friend, we ate lunch at Kona Cafe in the Polynesian resort - it was amazing! We also did lunch at Yak & Yeti right in Animal Kingdom. We did the sit down, table service for lunch there. Amazing food as well. Both of these were order off a menu, not buffet.
Enjoy!!
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rickmer
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 4,185 
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Post by rickmer on Jul 6, 2018 16:42:32 GMT
we loved california grill too - and also booked later dinner to watch the fineworks but like mentioned before it's a 2 credit meal.
did not like coral reef at all, our biggest disappointment! our reservation was almost an hour late, it was packed and made me feel claustrophobic. food was average, at best. wouldn't go back.
we had breakfast at ohana at the polynesian and it was pretty good - family style all you can eat but not buffet. their dinner with all the skewers intrigued me so if we went back i would do that instead.
we liked tusker house, had late breakfast so got to do one pass of the buffet with breakfast items and then another as they brought out lunch items. always wanted to try boma as i have heard good things about it.
others i was keen to try were via napoli and le cellier - (in the italy and canada pavilions at epcot)
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Post by izzyscraps on Jul 6, 2018 16:59:20 GMT
We haven’t picked certain days for certain parks yet! And everything is open. Ha. We have a few reservations but it’s all up for change outs!
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Post by cannmom on Jul 6, 2018 22:18:28 GMT
We love Le Cellier at Epcot. O'hana is a favorite of ours in the Magic Kingdom area. If you go to the website allears.net you can find menus from every on-site restaurant. Hope you have a great visit.
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I would recommend California Grill if you can get it. We liked Narcoosee's (depending on timing you can see the fireworks from here or Calif Grill) and Jiko too. Artist Point is good as well, however, I heard they're not taking reservations past late Oct. so depending on when you're going that might not work.
