Economical Table Service Dining

[mousaholic]

Our family of four will not be having the DDP on an upcoming trip to WDW. What are some good table service choices that are not budget busters? Any tips are welcome! Thanks.

[Kairi_7378]

Cosmic Ray's (MK) has a family dinner that is very reasonably priced. Flame Tree (AK) has VERY large portions... DH and I split entrees when we were there. Some of the CS places in the World Showcase (Tangerine Cafe in particular) offer very large portions as well.

[snifflesmcg]

I don't know exactly what you mean by economical but the buffets run around $24 a head. I think one of the cheapest places to go is the 50's Prime Time Cafe in MGM. The fried chicken is excellent and it's about 15 bucks. Rose and Crown in Epcot is relatively inexpensive....you get entrees from $13-$22 and MK has the Plaza where sandwiches run starting from $9.

[Tinkerbellfan]

Hi-

I would recommend the following restaurants.

Bomas at Animal Kingdom Lodge - Great breakfasts or dinner.

Beaches & Cream at Beach Club - Great lunch and dinner. Burgers, hot dogs and yummy sundaes.

Spoodles at the Boardwalk - Great breakfast

Kona Cafe at the Poly - Great breakfast and lunch!

Wispering Canyon at Wilderness Lodge -Family style breakfast, lunch and dinner.

Good luck deciding!

[Iluvpooh]

MK-
The Plaza Restaurant- Sit down get a huge burger and good sandwhiches for a good price.

Tony's is okay too. Order a Pizza or Pannini for under $10.

Epcot-

Lunch at Garden Grill Character Buffet for $20.00 for adults and $11 for kids

Chef's de France lunch-3 course lunch for 17.00

Marrakesh-Dinner split the Night in Casablanca feast for about 15.00 an adult.

Rose & Crown Dinner-Fish and Chips for about 15.00
MGM-
I guess 50s Prime Time would be your cheapest bet. Not sure I really don't eat sit down here. I do know that Sci-Fi is OVER PRICED if that helps.

AK-
There isn't a sit down here(yet), but Tusker House and Flame Tree give you Sit Down quality at Counter Service prices!!

DTD-I rarley eat here, but there is a Wolfgang Puck Cafe' and most of the entrees like chicken and Pizza run about $10.00 for Dinner and cheaper for lunch.

Hope I helped. We have been several times with only 100 to spend on food for like 4 days. It is hard, but can be done. Remember that a lot of portions are large and can be shared. Desserts are cheap and HUGE at most places.

[DawsonAR]

I would recommend the Plaza or Tonys at MK--and Rose and Crown at EPCOT-- and 50's Prime Time at MGM-- and Rainforest has some reasonable items at AK.

[RockChalkKimball]

I haven't tried it myself, but I have read others who have posted that the Trail's Buffet at Fort Wilderness is a great deal. I think it is cheaper than most of the other buffets.

[crazypoohbear]

For the money, if you want a big dinner, then the buffets are the way to go. Something for everyone, lots of quantity.
Tusker and flame tree are good values.
IF you wand sit down then I recommend a very late lunch, you pay the lower prices and it's late enough to be dinner.
When we go and pay OOP we usually just do counter service and maybe one buffet. We also bring our own snacks.

[DisneyMomx7]

Plaza, Sci-Fi, Beaches and Cream are reasonably priced ts restaurants.

[DestinationWDW]

Would agree with above postings re: Cosmic Ray's and Flame Tree BBQ - Portions are HUGE for the price, 2 could easily share. It's been awhile since we were at Sci-Fi, but I do remember it as the most costly meal of our whole trip (with the exception of Cali Grill). Trail's End also very good -economical and taste wise! Also advise bringing along your own breakfast fixings (I like the oatmeal bowls -just need to add hot water, or cereal bars/power bars and fresh fruit) then you're set for a portion of your day. You can also toss pb&j's in your sack for a "hold me over" as well. Turkey legs also a great option! :eat::pizza:

[dolphinmickey9170]

Do your TS for lunch and they should be less expensive than for dinner and the food is just as good. Then you can use your CS meals for later at night.

Trail's End is great buffet at FW.
We also love The Plaza at MK. If you need a cheesesteak, this is THE place.
Flame Tree at AK is awesome, it's CS, but I ordered the chicken, it's a half chicken with two sides and less than you would think. Great food. I heard that Tusker was changing, you'll have to look here on Intercot to see what's going on.

[LandFan]

Liberty Tree Tavern (family style character table service) and Cosmic Ray's & Pecos Bill's (both counter service) are good at MK.

At Epcot: Tangerine Cafe and the Cantina de San Angel are good Counter service. The garden grill is a good character table service that isn't too $$.

Boma is a great buffet at Animal Kingdom Lodge and it isn't too $$ Like $25 per adult

O'hana's at Poly is also family style and not to expensive. Fun for the kids too.

At AK: go for FlameTree BBQ! Great food and large portions.

[Ayndi]

Chef's de France lunch-3 course lunch for 17.00



This isn't listed on the menu. Do you get a choice of food? Do you need a reservation?

[PAYROLL PRINCESS]

I liked Holywood & Vine's buffet and the Trail's End was good too. The buffets are usually your best values. Make ADR's though because you may not be able to get seating at any TS's without them.

[mousaholic]

Thanks for all of the tips...I knew I could get some good information here!

[Iluvpooh]

This isn't listed on the menu. Do you get a choice of food? Do you need a reservation?

The French Menu
$17.95

Soupe a l' oignon gratinee - Onion soup topped with Gruyere cheese

Croque monsieur et sa salade verte - toasted ham and cheese sandwich with a green salad

Creme brulee - vanilla creme brulee and a madeleine


It is one of my favorite things to do at EPCOT. Basically it is Onion Soup, a ham sandwich, and creme brulle dessert. Prioity Seating is always a good idea for WS TS.

[mudpuppysmom]

When DH joins DS and I on trips (he usually can't take a whole week off at a time so he comes for long weekends), he likes to sit down and eat, so he shoots our budget big time!! He likes to eat at the nicer places, but I've tried to scale him back without sacrificing too much quality.

That said, we have done Boma which DS and I enjoyed, but DH did not like the food choices -- he didn't leave anything there as says, meaning we don't have to go back.

We have done Kona for breakfast and dinner, which if you don't all get appetizers and dessert (meaning if you share a few things before and after dinner) it's not bad at all I think.

We just tried Biergarten and it was a great place to go for a family I think!!! DS got into the entertainment as did I and DS even ate the food.....which is saying something!!! The food was good and there was a variety to choose from -- WE all will go back there!!

You said you want to sit down, and AK doesn't have a sit down yet -- depending on when you go they will soon!! Until then Tusker House is AWESOME!!!

MGM in my opinion has nothing really worth sitting down for, so we grab something at Backlot Express. A few weeks ago we tried ABC Commisary and DS would not eat a thing. I was not all that impressed either.

MK has some good choices, but I think that some of the CS places are a good deal also -- Peco's Bills, Cosmic Ray's and Columbia Harbor House are where I'd steer you toward.

If you find yourself at DTD and need something try Earl of Sandwich.......sandwiches around $5!! The lines can get crazy, but the sandwiches are good.