Disney food res. for Large Family

[leebee]

And, from looking around, I guess I was wrong about Backlot Express. I'd heard it was closed due to construction, but apparently not... so that's where I'd recommend you eat on a Studios day!

 

[CaLuCa]

Hi, I read your post when we were driving down to Disney last week. I am a mom of 4, so one less that you all, but I feel your pain. Nothing is more frustrating than dropping over $200 for a meal while your kids whine and complain the nuggets look funny or eat one dessert and half a roll off the buffet, and later you find them digging in the snack bag for the goldfish. My tween was the worst at this! I kept telling her to EAT up. She has a humongous appetite, but picks at a buffet. Seriously, a bowl of Fruit Loops??? I did not pay adult prices for you to have $.72 worth of cereal! She's getting better, though. Also, I'm a pretty savvy grocery shopper and cook, and I can feed them an entire week what one table service meal costs!

That said, this is what I have learned works for us. A couple of years ago, for my 40th birthday, I got my kids and I AP (my kids were 12, 4, 4 and 2). DH is not a fan of disney and came only a couple of times. Kids and I did 11 trips, and I went on one glorious girls only long weekend (WHO knew F&W could be fun! And that the W didn't stand for WHINING!). I realized I needed a mid day break in the AC with some one bringing me drinks and food. It recharged me and kept me from turning into a Disney monster mom (not the good fun kind either). Our favorite place to recharge is Sci Fi Diner at HS. It's cool, in the dark, and mom lets you get a milk shake for lunch! (As an aside, every healthy eating belief vacates our minds when we enter the bubble...my kids eat really well...minimal processed foods, lots of fruits, but if they see the box of Oreos on the table they start asking when we are heading to Disney! Oreos=fireworks in their mind.) Bonus, at HS is that you can literally ONLY order a milkshake if that is all your kids will eat. Irks me to see $8.99 plates of uneaten food.

I thought buffets would be good too, but there was way to much serving involved for me. One time I left Crystal Palace hungry. That should never happen at a buffet. But you have two adults, so it might be better. I do think that based on your kids ages, CP is a great choice. Try to get a PPO for one of you MK days. Keep trying till the day before and just be ready to roll out early. You probably won't find anything till the day before, but keep trying. That way you can jump on 7DMT andPP at rope drop. Garden Grill in Epcot is fantastic as they bring the food to you. Plus, it has Mac and Cheese. My kids ate their fill of M&C and rolls and cookies (OHHH, the carbs!). Their menu shifts around a bit (I really missed their sweet potato fries this last visit, and thankfully they have removed that foul fish, next X the sausage and replace the pot roast...formerly sirloin...with LTT's pot roast!), but they have the best salad...sure the fancy restaurants are better, but my group is not ready for CG or Narcoossee's.

Another fave is the Wave in the bottom of the Contemporary. Once again dark and really quiet. GREAT food. I've only had lunch there, but they had rainbow grilled cheeses that passed my connoisseurs' demands. Yep, that's an expensive grilled cheese, but the service, quiet, and the fact they'd eat it (and that my food was DELICIOUS) made it worth it.

The key in dealing with the expense of TS meals is remembering that unless you are at a buffet, you do not need to buy everyone a meal. And only those over 3 pay at buffets or family service.

I would like to give you a word of caution to Raglan Road...while it is really cool to see the dancers and the food is good/great (mine was heavy on the salt, like much of disney's), it is extremely loud in there. Like trying to talk in a bar loud. You can maybe hear what the person next to you is saying, but not anyone at the other end of the table.

I would also like to encourage you to think about Hoop de Doo Review. This is a fantastic family show and (dont' read this, Disney) worth it's price. I've been going since I was 4. I have never seen my kids laugh harder than at this ridiculousness. They love the fried chicken, corn, corn bread, and the infamous disney mac and cheese. Usually too full for the strawberry short cake, so they just eat the whipped cream off the top! Under 3 are not charged. Do no sit category 3. It is too hard with little ones. Category 2 is fine, but the 3 face backwards and you have to spin your chair around.

when we eat at Disney, we choose something we don't have at home. Like character meals, 50s drive ins, or a show. We only eat one meal and snack the rest of the time. Like I wrote, this is what has worked for us. I went to a small, local amusement park with my friend and her 3 kids (two moms, seven kids...14, 9, 7, 7, 4, 3, and 3), and her kids couldn't do our method. They had to have their meals at their regular times, and real food. Mine can subsist on gold fish and Nutrigrain bars...maybe because they don't eat it at home? also, I hold the ever wonderful mickey bar out as a possibility for the heat of the day.

I've eaten at almost every character meal (save the new Ariel one and the Goofy Garden Grove one). I've eaten at the vast majority of TS in the parks (not HBD and China and France...Go to Morocco...it's fantastic, if you like those flavor combinations and there is a belly dancer). If you need feedback on any of them from a mom of 4, I'd be glad to help. I just got back Friday and am already trying to figure out when to return. We are fortunate it is a drivable distance. Good luck! Other than the heat, that's a good time to go because Florida kids and a lot of us southern states head back to school mid August.

 

[MrsIncredible725]

I agree about letting the kids share meals. For that reason alone, I might avoid the buffets. I never feel like they're a good value unless you're a big eater. Have a great time on your trip

 

[DVC_Dad_Canada]

If you're staying in a cabin, go to Trail's End. Great food at a reasonable price.