dinner recommendations for 1st time family

[skier]

Hey folks,

We are going to WDW in Dec...it will be the first time for us and would appreciate any restaurant recommendations for a priority seating dinner. The choices seem overwhelming. We have two boys (7 & 9) who are generally well behaved in restaurants. Thanks in advance.

 

[alboq]

Hi!! The last two trips to WDW my family went to the Sci-Fi Diner at MGM. The food is not bad, milkshakes are awesome, the kids meal came in glow in the dark frisbees. My son loved that. Also you are seated in old 50's cars like at a drive in movie. It also has a theater screen that runs those old b&w sci-fi movie trailers. Like th Blob, Killer ants, etc. The atmosphere is great. My son(4) loved this place so did me and DH. We've already talked about going back for our next trip. Have fun!! You'll get great suggestions from these boards. Bye

 

[GoofysPrincess]

The sit-down restaurants our boys most enjoy are:

Sci-Fi Drive In (as mentioned above)
50's Prime Time Cafe (also in MGM)
Biergarten (in Epcot)
Garden Grill (in Epcot)
Liberty Tree Tavern (in MK)
O'Hana's (at the Polynesian)
ESPN Club (on Boardwalk)
Whispering Canyon (at Wilderness Lodge)
Beaches and Cream (at Beach Club)

Also, consider going to the outdoor camp fire movies in Fort Wilderness. You can buy little s'more kits and roast marshmallows and then watch Disney movies. Lots of fun and, except for the s'more kits, it's free.

Happy dining!

 

[Doctor P]

If you want PS's, I would recommend 50's Primetime Cafe or Ohana.

 

[SnowWitch]

My boys enjoy:

Wispering Canyons Cafe (WL)
50's Primetime Cafe (MGM)
Boma (AKL)
Sci-Fi (MGM)-desserts only
Beaches and Cream (BC)

My kids love just snacking around Worldshowcase!

 

[TigrLvsPooh]

Here are my favorites! I have two boys also, but they are 1 and 3.

Family fun:
O'hana - great food, great entertainment for the kids
50's Prime Time - good food, fun atmosphere
1900 Park Fare - great characters, food is so-so
Restarantasaurus - quick food, great atmosphere for the boys
Tusker House - quick breakfast before the safari
Pizza Planet - quick food, kids will love it!


Fine dining:
Narcoosee's - great food, kids welcome, perfect for fireworks
Fulton's - great seafood, kid friendly, fun atmosphere, loud!
Palios' - great italian food, strolling musicians, lobster tortellini
Artist Point - great salmon, fun for the kids too, nice atmosphere
Le Cellier - great food, relaxed atmosphere, kid friendly, try the pretzel bread!!!

No matter where you eat you'll have a great time!

 

[sha_lyn]

I think most boys enjoy Donalds Breakfastosaurus at AK. I know My DS does.

 

[drusba]

Particularly for a first trip best is to stick with restaurants at the resort you are staying (or one you can otherwise walk to ) and the park restaurants, as trying to go to another resort can take a lot of time out of your schedule which will be heavily devoted to park time. MK best in my view is Liberty Tree Tavern for a character dinner, likewise Crystal Palace (closed until Dec) for a buffet character meal, and the restaurant in Cinderella's castle for steaks and prime rib (don't particularly like the food at Tony's). Epcot has many good places particularly in the World Showcase portion with personal favorites being Teppanyaki at Japan (chef prepares meal in front of you), Biergarten at Germany (German food buffet with nightly Oktoberfest band), San Angel at Mexico (with dangerous Margarittas), but only two there I personally would definitely avoid is Morocco and China. At MGM, Hollywood & Vine is a good buffet restaurant, Mama Melrose is decent Italian; Brown Derby is OK but too expensive for what you get; don't care for Sci-fi -- cannot stand those car designed seats and food is just so-so; likewise do not care for Prime Time--shakes and atmosphere are fine but food is mediocre. AKL really does not have a sit down restaurant for dinner except the non-Disney run chain Rainforest Cafe which I personally consider about the worst chain restaurant on the face of the planet but many like the place despite its notoriously slow service. Essentially all restaurants are kid friendly and thus you do not have to worry about taking the kids.

 

[BCV23]

I agree with drusba about not trying to run all over for meals during the day on a first trip. However if you have a car and if you're going when park hours are shorter, you may want to venture out for dinner. Even if park hours are long, you might want to go to HoopdeDoo. My boys loved it when they were young and we all still do now.

On MK days, it is very easy and enjoyable to hop the monorail to CR, Poly or GF and have a quiet lunch and see those resorts.

You're right, there are so many choices. Perhaps you could decide on which park for which day (or part of the day...what we prefer to do). Make a little grid. Then check out the menus at this site or wdwig.com and make your picks. After 30 some vacations at WDW, I still make my grid. In fact, I have two that I'm working on now. I guess I need to learn how to make a spreadsheet, but I like my grids .

 

[crisi]

I agree with drusba, with a couple of disclaimers:

We adore Morrocco, but it may not be the best choice for kids.

The other option at Epcot or MGM is to try one of the Epcot resort area restaurants. Its just a short stroll out of the International Gateway - and just across the road from MGM. Beaches and Cream and the Beach Club is a good choice for Burgers and Malts. These restaurants can be a life saver if you left home with no PS and don't want to see another chicken finger.

If you are interested in Ohana's (or one of the other MK resort restaurants), they aren't too far from the MK. I've never done sit down in the MK - its more of a fast food kind of place for me - but we have gotten on the monorail and gone to Narcoosees, Ohana's or Chef Mickey's.

It might be best to do this for a late lunch (1:00ish), you leave the MK at 12:30 (by which time it is usually shoulder to shoulder), and return around 3:00 (its usually still pretty busy, but the peak has passed).

I'd start with "where would we like to be" and then work on "what restaurants are nearby that the family would like to try"

 

[bamadisney]

Definately OHANA's at the Poly resort!!

 

[Carrieberry]

Another vote for Sci Fi and Donald's Breakfastasaurus. We love both of them and our son did also. In Dec we will be at both without our kids, but we love them both so much we just can't resist-esp Donald's!

 

[cindy_k]

Here's my 9 year old DS recommendations:
(He has eaten in each of these restaurants at least once, some of them more than once.)

Resorts

O'Hanas
Whispering Canyon
Boma

EPCOT:
Teppanyaki
Garden Grill
Living Seas

MGM:
50's Prime Time
Sci Fi

MK:
Liberty Tree Tavern ( Family Style Character Meal)

AK:
Rainforest Cafe.

Have Fun!
Cindy in NY

 

[MickeyMonstersMom]

I took my kids (ages 4 and 8) on their first trip, arriving just in time for dinner. We'd decided to try out 'Ohana, and it's one of the two places the children have deemed MUST-haves for return trips (the other was CRT for breakfast).

Lori