Any dinner suggestions at Disneyworld?

[TravelinGuy]

Our waitlist for a two-bed at Disney Beach Club Villas (Dec. 21-24) just came through! Woohoo! :whoopie:

Now we're trying to decide on a couple good places/times to make some dinner reservations.

Any suggestions?


(We're three adults, one teen-ager; no rental car.)

 

[chriskre]

Just got back today from Disney. Some easy ressies to get are:

The poly luau. The food was actually pretty decent for a dinner show. The ribs fall off the bones and they do all the food with pineapple/polynesian sauces. The fire dancers were awesome too.

Also highly suggest trying Sanaa if you haven't been yet at Kidani. You get a great savannah view of the animals. We saw 6 zebras and 3 of some kind of storks outside the windows while we had lunch. And the food is very exotic too. Lots of curries and tropical sauces with cilantros, mangoes and chilis.
They do a culinary tour around 3pm most days and they'll let you sample some of the breads with some of those exotic sauces to tempt you to stay for dinner. It's free so worth doing if you find yourself wandering to see the Animal Kingdom Lodge.

 

[TSPam]

the wave at the Contemporary is a great restaurant that is easier than others to get.
The Grande floridian cafe is also good and not crazy busy

Christmas week is busy so you might need to take what you can get. Check out the restaurant menus and reviews at allears.net

 

[Janann]

Take what you can get!

As mentioned by TSPam, definitely go to www.allears.net to see the menus and restaurant reviews. The window for Advance Reservations during your trip dates opened back in mid-June, so your meal times and choices will probably be limited. Remember too that if you are at your resort, you can only get to another resort on the Disney bus by switching buses once. Its a hassle to go to another resort just for a meal.

 

[heathpack]

Ohana if you can get. Bedlam kitsch with endless meats on skewers, what's not to like?

Jiko for a great, creative adult meal. Saana if you have kids in tow.

Whispering Canyon for family fun and yukking it up. We like the breakfast skillet.

Hoop de Doo Revue for foot-stompin', knee-slappin', corn-pone hilarity.

H

 

[glypnirsgirl]

Our favorite restaurant is Brown Derby at Hollywood Studios. We have never had trouble getting in.

One of the things to make it easier to do the restaurants at other resorts is to plan those meals for the same days as the near-by park.

So Wave (I think that it is one of the most underrated restaurants at WDW - people just do not seem to have discovered it) at Contemporary and Citrico's at the Grand Floridian and Kona at the Poly work great for Magic Kingdom days. (All of those are among my favorites).

The Beach Club location can't be beat for access to great places to eat. We love to watch Illuminations from the Rose and Crown.

And one warning DO NOT GO TO THE JAPANESE RESTAURANTS when it is crowded. They miss their estimated seating times by hours when it is crowded.

Have a GREAT TIME!

elaine

 

[glypnirsgirl]

And Morocco is fun with a G rated belly dancer and great food. Even the fast food place there has some tasty tagines.

elaine

 

[glypnirsgirl]

[Duplicate post deleted]

 

[dwojo]

If you go to Downtown Disney try the Rainforest Cafe or Bongos.

 

[Skittles1]

My family loved Biergarten in Germany at Epcot. The food is really good, and there is a band that plays. It is a really fun atmosphere! And they have enormous beers there! You gotta love that! From what I've read, it is one of the easier places to get a reservation.

Staying at Beach Club, you have so many great options within walking distance. Cape May Cafe has a character breakfast that is very good, and a clambake at night.

 

[Twinkstarr]

My favorites are the California Grill(Contemporary), Artist Pointe(Wildnerness Lodge) and Jiko's(Animal Kingdom Lodge).

We'll be trying Saana and Todd English's Bluezoo on our trip in 2 weeks.


Over at Downtown Disney, Wolfgang Puck's Express is the best kept secret in all of WDW in our opinion. We also enjoy Raglan Road.

Tangerine Cafe in Epcot is also a favorite.

I remember Brian Noble and I checking out the online ADR reservation system for the holidays a few years ago. It's pretty easy finding ADR's for the high end places for dinner. Even pulled up a late Cali Grill for 4 for NYE!

 

[chriskre]

Just an FYI,
Disney is now going to start charging $10 per person for each reservation that is a no-show starting October 26th. You'll have to cancel 24 hours in advance if you are not going. Hopefully with this new system it will free up some of those coveted prime dinner ressies.

 

[chunkygal]

just a hop skip and a jump across the bridge is our all time favorite, the Flying Fish at BWV. We tried Cat Cora's (where spoodles used to be) and it was good, but prefer the FF.Great ambience.

We used to like the California Grill, but since the Disney Dining Plan they seem to have relaxed the dress code and it is a different crowd. Last time during our romantic date night, the people next to us let their kids run around in diapers and tee shirts under our table. We won't be going back at those prices.

 

[lprstn]

Loved
T-Rex in Downtown Disney

 

[cindi]

Loved
T-Rex in Downtown Disney

Glad to hear it.

We are eating there for the first time next weekend with our 4 year old grandson.

If we can get him to eat instead of looking around.

 

[cindi]

Just an FYI,
Disney is now going to start charging $10 per person for each reservation that is a no-show starting October 26th. You'll have to cancel 24 hours in advance if you are not going. Hopefully with this new system it will free up some of those coveted prime dinner ressies.

I am glad to hear that. Often it seems people book multiple reservations and then just don't show up.

But how are they going to enforce that? I have a weeks dining reservations booked for Jan and I sure didn't have to leave a credit card reference.

 

[thebreards]

We love the Garden Grill in Epcot for some good home cooked type foods. The Steak Restraunt at Coronado is good too and usuallly easy to get into. Definately try Beaches and Cream one day at your resort!

I am just curious....did you reserve through DVC or exchange with RCI?

 

[rickandcindy23]

Just an FYI,
Disney is now going to start charging $10 per person for each reservation that is a no-show starting October 26th. You'll have to cancel 24 hours in advance if you are not going. Hopefully with this new system it will free up some of those coveted prime dinner ressies.

Thanks for that info. I am also glad.

I suppose they can charge the card registered at your resort, if you are on Disney property, but otherwise, how would they charge someone just willy-nilly forgetting about a reservation, staying at a nearby resort?

 

[luvsvacation22]

Thanks for that info. I am also glad.

I suppose they can charge the card registered at your resort, if you are on Disney property, but otherwise, how would they charge someone just willy-nilly forgetting about a reservation, staying at a nearby resort?

When you make the ADR they will now take a credit card number at the time of the reservation.

 

[MichaelColey]

Loved
T-Rex in Downtown Disney

It's basically a Dinosaur version of Rainforest Cafe, so overpriced mediocre food (kind of like Disney) but with a really cool theme. Our kids loved it. I always think about how we could have had a NICE meal for the money we spent there (or at Rainforest Cafe).

Disney is now going to start charging $10 per person for each reservation that is a no-show starting October 26th. You'll have to cancel 24 hours in advance if you are not going. Hopefully with this new system it will free up some of those coveted prime dinner ressies.

I am glad to hear that. Often it seems people book multiple reservations and then just don't show up.
But how are they going to enforce that? I have a weeks dining reservations booked for Jan and I sure didn't have to leave a credit card reference.

I suppose they can charge the card registered at your resort, if you are on Disney property, but otherwise, how would they charge someone just willy-nilly forgetting about a reservation, staying at a nearby resort?

I think it's only for NEW reservations made (at specific restaurants) since they changed the policy. They'll ask for a credit card when you make the reservation, to guarantee it.

 

[luvsvacation22]

My children are young adults and we love California Grill (signature dining) and Saana. We also like Ohana and Whispering Woods Cafe.

Our our next visit I would like to try Flying Fish, I have only heard good reviews about this restaurant.

 

[SueDonJ]

... I think it's only for NEW reservations made (at specific restaurants) since they changed the policy. They'll ask for a credit card when you make the reservation, to guarantee it.

I think so, too. Here's a pretty good post from the disboards that lists the pre-pay and credit card guarantee restaurants.

 

[TravelinGuy]

Thanks everyone, for the great advice and dining suggestions!

I am just curious....did you reserve through DVC or exchange with RCI?

We reserved it through a DVC member here on tugbbs actually. We put in our original reservation on Sep-1 for two nights at Saratoga and one night at BWV; and then we added ourselves to the waitlist for the same three nights at either BWV or BCV. Just four days ago, the waitlist for BCV came through. We're pretty excited, since we've never stayed right on the Disney grounds before.

 

[got4boys]

Thanks everyone, for the great advice and dining suggestions!



We reserved it through a DVC member here on tugbbs actually. We put in our original reservation on Sep-1 for two nights at Saratoga and one night at BWV; and then we added ourselves to the waitlist for the same three nights at either BWV or BCV. Just four days ago, the waitlist for BCV came through. We're pretty excited, since we've never stayed right on the Disney grounds before.

You may want to think about adding the Disney Dining Plan onto your reservation, especially if you are going peak season. The meals are more expensive during that time. Since you are going through a DVC member, that would have to be prepaid 48 hours to arrival.

You would just have to plan on whether you will be doing sit down during that time or quick service.

 

[TravelinGuy]

You may want to think about adding the Disney Dining Plan onto your reservation, especially if you are going peak season. The meals are more expensive during that time. Since you are going through a DVC member, that would have to be prepaid 48 hours to arrival.
You would just have to plan on whether you will be doing sit down during that time or quick service.

Thanks for bringing that up. We've thought about using Disney Dining. The restaurants we're leaning towards are Wave, Le Cellier, Sanaa, Coral Reef, and Chef's de France, for combinations of lunch and dinner. We're not much breakfast eaters.

We'll probably spend most of our time in EPCOT, and also were thinking it might be nice to have later lunches and dinners (e.g. 1-2pm and 8-9pm). I haven't even begun to see what's available as far as reservations go. Can reservations be made before we decide on the Disney Dining plan?