I’m not sure we made the best restaurant choices…

[SpinDocMama]

Hi everyone!!! I was reading through my Disney unofficial guide and looking at the restaurant reviews, and many of the ones that we selected and reserved get bad reviews. Can you guys look over the list of the restaurants we chose and perhaps suggest alternatives or tell us which ones are good choices? We are on the Disney dining plan (one qs and one ts per night) and I have two boys, ages 8 and 5. We would like to have most of our meals in the parks and not travel to resorts just to eat. My kids are into Star Wars and Disney movies like Toy story, lion King, and superheroes. They also love animals.

Dinners: Coral reef, Tusker House, Hollywood and Vine, and Chef Mickey’s.
Lunches: Be our Guest (as), Biergarten, Akershus (I’m Swedish so I think this would be more for me)...

Please let me know if there are any other restaurants on the dining plan that you think would be “can’t miss” for our family. Thanks in advance!

 

[GoingSince1990]

Coral Reef is awful. Go to any World Showcase restaurant instead. And try to replace Hollywood and Vine with Sci-Fi Dine In. Your boys will love the atmosphere and eating in a car. Your other choices are fine.

 

[Lilsia]

Your choices look just fine. The thing about food is that everyone likes something different. You will get just as many "yes" to a certain restaurant as you will have "no". The buffets are great with little kids because you are not limited to just feeding them the stuff that is on the kid's menu. My kids really love Biergarten and Teppan Edo.

 

[CynBeth]

I always say ignore reviews and go and experience for yourself. There are restaurants we love that others don’t and vice versa. Of your list we love Coral Reef. We have only done TH breakfast but we really enjoy it. I would do dinner at BOG it is a great experience and you get The Beast.

 

[SpinDocMama]

Coral Reef is awful. Go to any World Showcase restaurant instead. And try to replace Hollywood and Vine with Sci-Fi Dine In. Your boys will love the atmosphere and eating in a car. Your other choices are fine.

Thank you for this honesty… Is there another restaurant that you would recommend in Magic Kingdom for us? And are there any Star Wars themed restaurants that are on the dining plan? I think I read somewhere that the best one was not on the dining plan?

 

[BrianL]

They look fine to me. Tusker House is excellent, as is Biergarten (two of my favorite places on property) and Be Our Guest is vere good (and worth it just to see inside that one!). Akershus has always looked interesting to me for the food, but you'll have a great time with the Princesses regardless. The same is true for Chef Mickeys - the food may not be that exciting, but it's quintessential WDW! Coral Reef is maybe questionable, but it's got a cool atmosphere and will likely be fine if not great.

You're good - don't worry about it at all!

EDIT: Also, if you're looking to add, I can never say enough good thing about Garden Grill at Epcot.

 

[Lilsia]

Thank you for this honesty… Is there another restaurant that you would recommend in Magic Kingdom for us? And are there any Star Wars themed restaurants that are on the dining plan? I think I read somewhere that the best one was not on the dining plan?

Coral Reef is in EPCOT. There are a ton of restaurants in Epcot, you have Biergarten and Akershus already. If you are looking for MK, go with Crystal Palace buffet.

 

[SpinDocMama]

Coral Reef is in EPCOT. There are a ton of restaurants in Epcot, you have Biergarten and Akershus already. If you are looking for MK, go with Crystal Palace buffet.

Yes, I know, but I was realizing that my reservations were Epcot heavy… I just switched to the sci-fi diner. My boys will absolutely love the atmosphere! That’s the kind of thing I’m looking for, And I know they will be talking about the cool factor of a restaurant long after they will be talking about the food. Thanks!

 

[Welsh_Dragon]

If the boys like animals, would they like to ride Jungle Cruise in MK, immediately followed by eating in Jungle Navigation Skippers Canteen? You could keep the adventure going as you eat.

 

[Asnell]

If the boys like animals, would they like to ride Jungle Cruise in MK, immediately followed by eating in Jungle Navigation Skippers Canteen? You could keep the adventure going as you eat.

I was also going to recommend Jungle Navigation Skippers Canteen. It's a favorite of ours, and it seems to never be busy, and has what we consider an interestingly varied menu. I don't see a lot of people recommend it here. I suspect many Disney visitors prefer food that feels familiar. Our family is used to eating lots of ethnic food, so influences like this restaruant has from Asia and Latin America get us excited!

My family liked Coral Reef on a visit five years ago. We enjoy seafood and thought the layout was fun. Garden Grill, which many people recommend, is completely unappealing to us. The food is kind of plain and American.

The point is, you have to know what your family likes to eat. You could visit the best, most delicious and authentic Indian restaurant in the world, but if you don't like Indian food, or are someone who doesn't care for new things, it won't be a good experience for you. OTOH, if you're open to a new type of food for the first time, Americanized ethnic places (which all the Disney ethnic locales are, more or less) can be fun and still feel safe.

I suggest reading the menus for any restaurants you're unsure of, and paying more attention to the reviews' mention of service, freshness, and atmosphere, rather than to critiques that may be based on not liking the type of food that is served.

FWIW, when my kids were 2 and 4, Chef Mickeys was the absolute best restaurant for our family. Lots of chicken nuggets, bread, plain pasta, mac & cheese, and characters. Plus, we got to ride the monorail to get there. Those were my criteria at that time. Nowadays? Well, we're super excited about Tiffins, Marrakesh, Boma, Sanaa, and Frontera Cocina, because those boys are now 17 and 19 and they enjoy food from all over, especially new food combinations.

Other Magic Kingdom (and nearby) restaurants we like are Pecos Bill and Kona Cafe -- both for the food more than the atmosphere (the atmosphere is good, just maybe not memorable for kids). Ohana can be fun for the atmosphere -- the dinners are not quite a luau but have some elements of that.

 

[RamblingMad]

Coral Reef is awful. Go to any World Showcase restaurant instead. And try to replace Hollywood and Vine with Sci-Fi Dine In. Your boys will love the atmosphere and eating in a car. Your other choices are fine.

Yeah. Coral Reef is stuck in the 90s. And the food isn’t good.

I went to the SciFi dine in as a kid in the early 90s, and my parents liked it more than me. It felt nostalgic to those that went to drive ins in the 50s and 60s.

 

[RamblingMad]

I always say ignore reviews and go and experience for yourself. There are restaurants we love that others don’t and vice versa. Of your list we love Coral Reef. We have only done TH breakfast but we really enjoy it. I would do dinner at BOG it is a great experience and you get The Beast.

True. I ignore Pete’s reviews since I’m a more adventurous eater, not a steak and potatoes kinda guy.

But I do like Liberty Tavern in MK for a thanksgiving meal. And I love Hoop De Doo, which I’d recommend to the OP.

 

[illinidp]

Coral Reef is fine for the price point. Some people go to a single credit restaurant and are disappointed when it isn’t a Signature Dining experience. I would avoid Hollywood & Vine and Chef Mickey’s.

 

[mickey916]

I would second the recommendation to go to the Garden Grill instead of Coral Reef. We're heading back after 10 years and it's the only restaurant my now-grown sons want to repeat.

 

[DWillowBay]

Aside from Coral Reef, your selections look terrific. Akershus is great...I'll be there in just 2 days. If you're looking for an EPCOT restaurant to substitute for Coral Reef, I'd suggest Mexico or Italy. Via Napoli (pizza and other Italian dishes) is another 'must do' on our trips. Have a great time!!

 

[GoofTroop4Life]

We went to a number of the restaurants on your list last summer. Sci-Fi diner is unique, but just be aware that it is extremely dark in there (it's hard to see your food) and the movie plays on a loop, so you will likely see the same clips multiple times. You also might be placed in a car with another group. On the plus side, our server was great and it's definitely not something we could experience at home. The character interactions at both Tusker and Hollywood + Vine were great, but we really had a blast with the HV characters. They spent a lot of time at each table and it was easy to get good pics. Some people knock the food, but we thought the selections were tasty for a buffet and there was something for everyone. We did the Fantasmic Dining Package, which is an awesome value on the dining plan (we paid for Sci-Fi out of pocket to save the credit for a more expensive meal). Whatever you choose, I'm sure you'll have a great time.

 

[tuckymom]

Coral Reef has a much better menu than it used to but the decor is straight out of 1990 and it isn't the "best" food on property by far.

Tusker House is one of our family favorites (adults and kids).

Chef Mickey while not my favorite at all is great for that age kid with the understanding its LOUD and basically Golden Corral meets Chuck E. Cheese.

I don't think Germany and Norway have the best food. But almost every restaurant can be incredibly fun and great experiences.

 

[DisneyWishes14]

Hi everyone!!! I was reading through my Disney unofficial guide and looking at the restaurant reviews, and many of the ones that we selected and reserved get bad reviews. Can you guys look over the list of the restaurants we chose and perhaps suggest alternatives or tell us which ones are good choices? We are on the Disney dining plan (one qs and one ts per night) and I have two boys, ages 8 and 5. We would like to have most of our meals in the parks and not travel to resorts just to eat. My kids are into Star Wars and Disney movies like Toy story, lion King, and superheroes. They also love animals.

Dinners: Coral reef, Tusker House, Hollywood and Vine, and Chef Mickey’s.
Lunches: Be our Guest (as), Biergarten, Akershus (I’m Swedish so I think this would be more for me)...

Please let me know if there are any other restaurants on the dining plan that you think would be “can’t miss” for our family. Thanks in advance!

Tusker House is great. Honestly, you are going to see Mickey and some of his friends there. Because of that, I, personally, would ditch H&V and Chef Mickey's. They food at both is pretty darn awful. It sounds like you already switched H&V for Sci-Fi? If so, great choice! I think the food is at least passable there, but the atmosphere alone is worth the visit. Instead of Chef Mickey's (if you are willing to switch going to Contemporary with going to Wilderness Lodge), consider Whispering Canyon Cafe. The food is good and there are some antics there younger boys will probably enjoy (ask for ketchup). My DS12 thinks that place is an absolute hoot!

Coral Reef is ok. If you are looking for better food, I would try Spice Road Table in EP. It looks like you might want to replace an EP restaurant with a MK restaurant? If so, the previous suggestion of going to Skipper Canteen in MK is a good one.

If they love animals, though it may not be convenient, consider going to Sanaa at AKL for lunch. During daytime hours, the animals typically walk right past the restaurant which has floor-to-ceiling windows.

 

[TotallyTink]

Coral Reef is a "never again" restaurant for me. I've never dined at Hollywood and Vine or Chef Mickey's so I can comment on those. I think the rest of your choices are great. Sci Fi is great! In MK, my family likes Skipper's Canteen

 

[soniam]

I have read glowing and scathing reviews of every restaurant on your list. The last review that the DIS did at Coral Reef was good. Deni was on the review; she seems to have fairly refined and adventurous tastes. We are eating at Coral Reef for the first time in July. Tusker House is a favorite. I know a foodie couple from NYC, and they enjoy Hollywood & Vine. I think it depends upon your expectations. I liked the old dinner at BOG. BOG breakfast and lunch are fine but pricey for what they offer. I would love to do Biergarten and Akershus, but our son is horrifically picky. I know everyone is touting Sci Fi here, but we really didn't think it was very good. The seating is bad for 3 people. The shakes were nothing special at all. The food choices are kind of limiting, unless you want a burger. We like 50s Prime Time, Hollywood Brown Derby, and Mama Melrose better. I have really not had a bad meal at WDW in the 8 years we have been going. I have had meals that weren't great. In fact, we probably won't go back to Teppan Edo. My family thinks that Benihana is way better. I don't regret going to Teppan Edo though; it was a fun experience. Don't overthink it. Unless you are going to Tiffin's or Victoria & Albert's, set your expectations reasonably. Don't try to equate the price to anything outside of the parks, and enjoy your trip!