Help me choose a non-park restaurant for our first night...

[RamseyTrio]

Hi there -

We'll be arriving at the world on Sunday, Oct. 10th (Columbus Day Weekend). We've enjoyed many of the WDW restaurants but we are travelling with friends who have never been. There will be 8 of us total: 4 adults and 4 boys (ages 2,5,7 & 8). Would like to take them someplace to sort of get them into the mood for WDW.

What non-park restaurant would you choose to do on the first night of our trip? I was thinking of something fun and festive.

We won't be at any of the parks on that day so it has to be a resort restaurant.

Thanks guys!

 

[JKanownik]

I would suggest Ohana's at the Poly, then once you are through with dinner, you could grab a spot on the beach and watch the fireworks at the MK. No park admission needed.

 

[MickeyMonstersMom]

Originally posted by RamseyTrio
There will be 8 of us total: 4 adults and 4 boys (ages 2,5,7 & 8). Would like to take them someplace to sort of get them into the mood for WDW...I was thinking of something fun and festive.

Two ideas come to mind right away.

1. Chef Mickey's: buffet, something for everyone, plus characters and general silly fun;

2. 'Ohana: great food, coconut races for the kids, fantastic atmosphere.

If you time either one right, you can see the Wishes fireworks after you eat - or even see it from your table at 'Ohana with the music piped in.

 

[madalex]

Spoodles at Boardwalk. Good, reasonably priced family food. Ice cream store is right next door or Beaches & Cream for ice cream is right across the bay at BC. Epcot fireworks visible from bridge on way from Boardwalk to Epcot.

I just love the whole Epcot resort area, so this is where we always go for the first night without a park ticket.

 

[oogieboogie]

From top to bottom:

1. Ohana - time it right and you get Wishes and EWP
2. Whispering Canyon - EWP
3. Trail's End - great food, modest price - then campfire with Chip and Dale
4. Chef Mickey's - characters!
5. Spoodles/ESPN Club/Beaches & Cream - time it right and you could see Illuminations
6. Boma - Yummy food, great resort to walk around, see animals!

 

[SamanthaL]

O'hanas or Cape May clam bake.

 

[stacy6552]

whispering canyon. it was our very first disney meal and a great way to start.

 

[zulaya]

'Ohana is always our first dinner in the World.

 

[foofanella]

It got us all in the modd - it was like being at the park with all the characters and the "party" every 15 minutesa!

 

[ugadog99]

Given the ages of the children, I have to vote for Chef Mickey's. We always include CM in our must do restaurants. Depending on our traveling dates, CM is either our first night meal or last night. It is perfect for getting in the Disney mood and would be perfect for "first timers".

 

[AspiringCindy]

Whispering Canyon at WL! The boys will especially like it!

 

[mskani]

Chef Mickey's! We went during our last trip (June 2002) and we plan to book for our first night in August. It just seems to put you in the Disney mood. Our kids wore shirts that had a picture of Mickey and Goofy on it that said "I'm with Goofy" I thought that was so cute.

 

[AZKathy]

Whispering Canyon, Ohanas, or Chef Mickeys. All great places for children and the food is great also! If the kids want to see characters, then Chef Mickeys is a great first night! Whispering Canyon is my personal favorite!

 

[tiggersmom2]

I would say 'Ohana's or BOMA. The food is to die for and it is very festive.

 

[iloveeeyore]

We love the festive atmosphere at Chef Mickey's our first night. My kids were 7 and 5 first time they tried it and it was really magical. Afterwards, we rode the monorail over to the Poly for EWP (there was no fireworks that night, but now Wishes is every night.) I am a total food snob and am prejudiced against buffets, but we found CM's to be surprisingly good (maybe it was the low expectations). I thought the kids would be over it by now and we can try a new first night place, but they insist it has to be CM's! (They're now almost 10 and almost 8).

DH and I really loved 'Ohana's. The kids liked it okay. Each found something to eat, but it couldn't compare to the kid-size buffet at CM's. The games were fun, but couldn't compare with characters. They'd eat at CM's every night if we'd let them!

 

[Bbgrizzle]

Hoop Dee Doo Revue. We aren't going to the parks the day we arrive so we wanted to do a non-park restaurant to put us in the mood too. So we are doing Hoop. Our next choice would be O'hana, even though we haven't eaten there yet. We've done Hoop before and loved it so much we know it's the perfect choice for next time.

 

[mrslane]

Whispering Canyon is my top vote! It's fun for all!