Help with ADRs Please

[Jaythin]

Hello, my friends and I are travelling to WDW in September. None of us have ever been before so we are very excited. We all just graduated college so we're on a very tight budget, but we've saved up enough and plan to be on the dining plan. We dont' have any real experience with 'fancy dinners' so this is going to be great for us Our real problem, however, is that we are going to be there for a short period of time (five nights, so one day in each park) and would really prefer to stay in the parks or at least very very close for the most park (we're staying at Pop Century).

So basically, what we are looking for, is anyone's opinion on which four restaurants you would choose if you had to pick one and only one that was actually IN each theme park. The exception being that we will be going to downtown disney after animal kingdom, so anything there that is on the dining plan is fine. Thanks so much!

[krose78]

As far as table services at Animal Kingdom there is only Donald's Breakfastosaurus at Restaurant-osaurus for a TS at DD Capt n Jacks is good or Wolfgang Pucks. At MGM Sci-fi is really fun. At MK Liberty Tree Tavern is good.

[Crow]

at DD Wolfgang
MGM Scifi for atmosphere or 50s.
Epcot is where i eat most so i cant pick one......Le Cellier, 9 Dragons,San Angel

[Jaythin]

It's funny that both of you mentioned the sci-fi place, because we hadn't even considered it. Originally we had planned on doing the fantasmic package so we only looked at those three, but now we probably won't bother with it. We'll definitely look into that one.

As for Epcot, that's where we are having the most trouble deciding too I LOVE mexican food, but I'm the only one in the group who does, and none of us are big steak eaters, so it's a tough decision.

[mrsgaribaldi]

Epcot-Le Cellier (Canada) or Rose & Crown(England)
MGM- The Brown Derby
MK- Crystal Palace
Columbia Harbor House ( near Haunted Mansion, walk in, no ADR needed, food is good )
DTD- Earl of Sanwich ( no ADR, food is great )

[kakn7294]

MK - LLT or CP
MGM - 50's or Mama Melrose
AK - Tusker House (counter service)
Epcot - so many great ones! - 9 Dragons, Le Cellier, R & C - it all depends on what you like.
We also like to walk to ESPN Club (no ADR's though) on the Boardwalk (just 5 - 10 minutes outside of Epcot's WS entrance.
DTD - I've only been to Wolfgang Puck Express

[krose78]

MGM - If you were going to go with the Fantasmic Pkg, I like Mama Melrose. But Sci-Fi is fun just for the atmosphere. At Epcot the coral reef is nice atmosphere, being able to watch the fish swim by and the chocolate wave for dessert is great. the mexican restaurant is good too but your right if no one else likes mexican it would be a waste. I would suggest going to Info central and look at the menus, this is how I picked all my restaurants.

[Jaythin]

Thank you so much for the advice! I think what we've decided to do is instead of going to a table service place on the AK day, to put in two on the Epcot day (we just couldn't make up our minds So, right now we've got it down to:

MK- Crystal Palace
MGM- Either Scifi, H&V, or Mama Melrose

Epcot- Probably coral reef and chefs de france. This was a tough decision but when I showed pictures of the interior of coral reef to a friend (marine biology major) she insisted, even if the food isn't that great. And we didn't really want a buffet or family-style type. One thing, would you recommend france for lunch and coral reef for dinner, or vice versa?

And on our last day we'll do either ohana's or chef mickey's for our departing breakfast

Thanks for the help, great suggestions!

[maizey05]

These are my picks;
Magic Kingdom: Tony's Town Square
Epcot: Marrkakesh (don't think I spelled it right)
DTD: Raeglan Road
I've never eaten at MGM though.

[BellewanaB]

LOOK at chef's de france's menu before you go! It's very french!

For a young crowd, if you're not offended by the smell of souerkraut, go to the Beer Garden in Germany! It has awesome entertainment, banquest style seating and a wonderfully fun time! It is a buffer but I hope that doesn't detur you.

I would STRONGLY try to pursuade you away from the Coral Reef- I have not heard many good things about the food or service. Another idea is Rose and Crown- familiar food and if you can get ressies around 7ish, you can sometimes get seating out by the water and then watch Illuminations from your own provate table at 9! You need to be persistant about being seated there, though, and ressies fill up FAST at that time!

have fun!

[GenieOfPA]

MK - Liberty Tree Tavern
EPCOT - Alfredo's In Italy
MGM - Sci Fi
AK - Nothing... (honestly)
DTD - Earl Of Sandwich. better for lunch

you might also want to look into restaurants in the resorts of WDW. i would suggest O'hanas in the POLY or Narcooses in the GF. Narcooses is very good, but somewhat fancy.

[disneymom2000]

If you are still interested in information for dining I would recommend 50's Prime Time at MGM. If it is a group of college friends you couldn't be more entertained than having a meal here. The Coral Reef is beautiful but you won't get much food for your money, but it is pretty good food. Also, it is not as heavy as you would find at San Angel or Rose and Crown. Le Cellier is great but only if you really like steaks, since that is what they do best. I couldn't guide to any great place at MK.

[thejens]

AK park closes early. You're not far from AKL where Boma is a wonderful table service restaurant. You could check out the lodge, watch the animals, have a drink by the pool. Ahh, a nice way to unwind after the day at the park and check out a lodge and great African themed gift shop. There are many great choices that are both different and familiar. On the other hand, you could do Flame Tree and Tusker House for lunch and dinner(both great) and save your table services for Epcot as planned. Rose and Crown is a great Table service in Epcot, but Epcot is a great counter service place too!

[krose78]

If you are going to do two table restaurants in one day just make sure to space them out. They give you a lot of food. I would say an early lunch and dinner around 6-8. When we did the dining plan the last time I didn't think it was going to fill us up as much as it did but it really does fill you up. I think you itinerary looks good. Peoples opinions are going to vary on all the restaurants so just look at the menus and pictures and see what you think you and your group would like. If you don't like it, you'll just have to go back to Disney and try somewhere else Just take it slow and enjoy.

[Jaythin]

Well thank you all very much for the suggestions! We just made our ADRs. We ended up getting:

EPCOT-Early lunch at coral reef (for the atmosphere, knowing in advance not to expect the best meal ever), and dinner at chefs de france

MK-Dinner at Crystal Palace

Arrival Day-CA Grill at 7 (we hadn't thought of this originally, but after looking through all the different suggestions on the board, we ended up deciding to give it a shot)

MGM-We were going to get mama melrose but they said they were only available at this point from 4-4:30 and they were booked, so we'll have to call back later. Fallback plan is sci-fi, but we still kind of want to stay with the fantasmic package so we are positively assured of seeing it (our only chance!)

Departure Day-'Ohana's breakfast.


Thanks again for the help!

[mjaclyn]

If I were you, I would have an early dinner at Sci-Fi and just go to Fantasmic! about half an hour before it starts. We did the dinner package and the seats they give you really aren't that great. If I remember correctly, the seats are all the way to the right at the bottom so you don't get the full view of everything going on. DH and I went early and got our own seats right in the middle which were much better.

PS - Even if you don't do Sci-Fi for dinner, you should at least go in there for a quick milkshake. The themeing is SO COOL!

[MommyDisneyFanatic]

I would say
Magic Kingdom- Columbia Harbour House (CS)
Epcot- Biergrten or Le Cellier
MGM- 50's Prime Time
Ak- I would head over to the AKLodge and try Boma for Dinner its great
DD- Wolfgang Puck Express

[Princess_Pumpkin16]

I would re-think doing the fantasimic dinner package and go to the 50's prime-time Cafe! We always go here every trip and have a great meal and great time! We did the Fantasmic dinner package on our last trip getting stuck with eating at Hollywood and Vine buffet (never again) the only one available at time of booking and the "reseved area" seating wasn't good at all, I would have MUCH more prefered to sit more in the center. It is a HUGE stadium seating atmosphere and you will DEFEINITLY get a seat, but I think that you should be able to CHOOSE where you want to sit, instead of having the "package" choose for you!!! I think your other choices look good too! If you have any other Disney park questions write another post or need tips read the "tips" section on INTERCOT, it is REALLY helpful! Have a GREAT first trip to Disney World...the is no other place like it on earth!!!

[SBETigg]

If I had to stay in-parks (which is really a mistake with the Magic Kingdom when you can get much better meals- with drinks, the MK is dry- just a short monorail ride away and it makes a great break, hardly takes any time out) I would choose:

MK: Counter service- Cosmic Ray's or Columbia Harbour House (saves credits for...)

MGM: Hollywood Brown Derby (which you can do now because you saved those MK credits)

AK: Counter service- because you're doing two Epcot (good choice)

Epcot: Chefs de France for an early lunch and Coral Reef for dinner- but plan around Illuminations and keep in mind that dinner at Coral Reef can take a long time.