My Family Is Stuck-In-A-Rut... What are YOUR favorite WDW Restaurants and why??

[Captain Blue Sky]

I have to admit, we're stuck in a WDW restaurant rut...

We always seem to go to the same old places...

Lunch at Cindy's one day...

Sci-Fi Drive In Theatre for dinner another day...

Crystal Palace for a character dinner...

Etc., etc., etc...

It's become too predictable, too expected, too the-same-old-same-old!

Can you help us out??

What are YOUR favorite WDW restaurants, and why?

Here's the whole story: DW who loves Disney, DD 10 (loves everything), DD 5 (loves everything as well)

 

[n2mm]

Our favorites our:

the 50s PT (both lunch and dinner)
the Plaza Res. (both lunch and dinner--same menu)
Trail's end (lunch)

Chef Mickey's for character meal

We always visit these places 2-3 times per VISIT (granted my visits are seldom less than 8 days). The simple reason for these are the food and service. We have never had a bad meal at any of these places and you can't beat the service you receive. Nothing fancy at any of these and no one can beat the value of the Trail's end for lunch. Love the boat ride over.

As for character meals, we always choose CM for dinner. The food is good and we are NOT pooh people...."it all started with a mouse...."

WE are not fancy people and want good familiar food. Occassionally we choose LeCellier, but not wowed like others are. We don't like the food at SciFi. We like boatwrights and Whispering Canyon for breakfast.

 

[tarheelmjfan]

Here's our favorites:
MK - LTT (for dinner) I love the old tavern, colonial atmosphere
We like the Plaza Rest. for lunch, but I see you want to get away from it.

Epcot - Les Chefs de France (for best food)
Le Cellier (a close 2nd)

AK - RFC (this is a fun place for kids, & unlike the DTD location you can book PS)

MGM - sorry tried two sit-downs there so far, and didn't like either

Best Character Breakfast- 1900 PF (food is better than most buffets, & great character interaction)

Resorts - Artist Point (If you've read any of my dining post you already knew I'd pick this one. It's our fav. WDW restaurant.)
Flying Fish (We enjoy the food here, but it can get very loud)

DTD - House of Blues (We're going to be eating here for the 1st time in Dec. I'm basing this opinion on the one in New Orleans. We love that one!)

Enjoy!

 

[cranbiz]

Can you tell, we love BOMA.


We also do Chef Mickey's and Crystal Palace and La Cellier's (Love the cheese soup).

 

[BeamsofLight]

This is fun to think about ... you're helping to organize my next trip! Our favorites, by area:

MK
LTT, for lunch, good food, nice atmosphere, individual ketchup/mustard/mayonaise bottles (how cool is that? lol)
CRT, for dinner, good food, nice atmosphere, can sometimes see Wishes fireworks being launched and they pipe in the music
Columbia Harbor House, lunch or dinner, best counter service in the park

Epcot
Le Cellier, for lunch, great food, great service & price, usually need a PS though

MGM and AK
Don't really have one here .. mostly do counter service

DTD
Earl of Sandwich, for lunch, only eaten here once but we're soooo going back!
Wolfgang Puck (or Express), dinner, yummy yummy yummy!

Resorts
Trail's End at FW, for breakfast, I somtimes have dreams about eating here, no joke. Great 'homecookin' food, super friendly service, excellent price.
Artist Point at WL, for dinner, interesting variety of food, everything we've tried has been great, very nice atmosphere
'Ohana at Polynesian, for dinner, just a unique experience for adults and kids, great for meat-eaters, pineapple and caramel at the end! *drools*
Kona at Polynesian, for breakfast or dinner, breakfast has Tonga Toast, dinner has interesting combo of Polynesian and Asian cuisine, very tasty, nice atmosphere inside the Poly
Beaches and Cream at BC, big burgers, great sundaes, usually have to wait because it's teeny-tiny though, but where we usually head for lunch from MGM

I'm gonna stop there, or I could go on all day (and I'm getting hungry! lol).

Hope something on that list works for you!

 

[stacy6552]

Breakfast: Whispering Canyon and Spoodles.

Lunch: Pecos Bills and Mamma Melrose

Dinner: Liberty Tree Tavern and Hoop Dee Doo Revue

 

[Pooh67_68]

50's Prime Time Cafe

Planet Hollywood

Rainforest Cafe

Garden Grill

Cosmic Ray's Starlight Cafe (Cosmic Ray's Starlight Poulet- Rotisserie chicken with Mashed Potatoes)

Boatwrights expecially for breakfast (Port Orleans Riverside Resort)

 

[F1Julie]

We always go to 1900 Park Fare for breakfast or dinner (or both) or a tea party each trip. My DD4 just loves character meals and it's easy to go to one at a resort rather than at a park on arrival day or a non-park day. This trip in December will be the first trip at WDW without going to it.

 

[Gary M]

If your family isn't picky you might try Beirgarten at Germany for lunch. Good German buffet with a live band.

Have dinner at 'Ohanas at the Poly. Get PS's so that you can see "Wishes" from the restaurant. Ask for window seat. It's a meat lovers all you care to eat meal.

Beaches and Cream for burgers and ice cream is very good. It's a small '50's style ice cream shop.

I also agree with the 1900 Park Fare at the GF for either breakfast of dinner. Buffet with good characters and I have found the food to be good.

 

[Boardwalk Tigger]

We have made it a point NOT to get into a rut by trying many restaurants over the years We have eaten at all the full service restaurants in Epcot for instance. Some of these places have great food and if you try them for lunch they are not as expensive. We have been going to Disney for about eight years with the kids and we do hit our favorites repeatedly but we combine it with new resturants for each visit. Some of the best food in Disney are at the resorts though not in the parks. Our favorites are Boma's, Cape May, Spoodles, California Grill,Chef de France, Le Celliers, Teppanyaki. You may also want to go off Disney property for a change of pace. We went to a nonDisney restaurant for the first time this past March and LOVED it (Bahama Breeze) The food selection was very large, the place was informal but very nice and was inexpensive compared to Disney. Each time you go you should try at least one new restaurant. Even the kids were very surprised at how much they enjoyed new places. Good Luck.

I also book something we haven't done before so that we won't get bored with Disney( I can't imagine ever being bored but try to keep it fresh for the family)

 

[Mrs. Potts]

We like these (and do them every time we go);

Garden Grill
Le Cellier
Crystal Palace
Kona Cafe
CRT for dinner

 

[jacksmom]

Ohanas, WCC, LTT, Kona,50's PT,Cape May, Trails End!

 

[fmed845]

Ohanas - good food great atmosphere - dinner - entertaining for little kids
Liberty Tree Tavern - character dinner
Mickeys Breakfastosaurus - breakfast - like atmosphere better here than the other character breakfasts
Rainforest cafe - atmosphere for kids foods ok
Whispering Canyon lots of fun

Its amazing how much better food tastes when the kids are having a good time

 

[babynurse31]

My husband and I loved Ohana's on our 'adults only' trip. Does anyone know what alternative kids selections are available? I have one very picky child, but I know she would love the atmosphere!!!

 

[ricktib]

Norway's Restaurant Akershus
Germany's Beirgarten

 

[disneyfanatic60]

I won't say we are in a "rut" persay on our side but I have one finicky daughter (17) who lives on hot dogs, pizza and chicken strips. By the end of our trips, I've had enough! She hates trying anything new and I love to. I wish I could get her to broaden her horizons and taste buds.

Anyways, here are some of my favorites: Whispering Canyon (prefer lunch over dinner) is a "must" do. We really enjoy this restaurant so much. Our other fav's would include: Plaza Rest. (great food and a nice place to sit and relax), Chef Mickey's (breakfast), Ohana's (Mom's fav), and LTT in MK.

I try and push my kids to try something new each trip. This trip (next month) we are doing 50's Primetime (I've wanted to try it here for years and finally got the heads up from my DD). We are also trying to get over to Beaches and Cream. I've heard nothing but great things about this place.


Michele

 

[pirateofthecarolinas]

If you want a night out with your wife, Arthur's 27 in the Wyndham Palace at DTD. It is a 5 star restaurant.

We enjoy Le Cellier, LTT for lunch, and 1900 Park Fare for breakfast.

Lori

 

[whopper65]

I see you've gotten quite a few responses.

Your choices are many, since it's so good to see that your little ones are not so picky!

You have got to try BOMA, and AKERSHUS since it sounds like you want some variety and aren't afraid to try new things. BOMA is incredible! Try a little of almost everything. Chefs and CM's will describe ingredients and tastes for all dishes. Go back for your fav's. AKERSHUS is also different - lots of fish and meats. CAPE MAY is also very good if you like seafood. Not a huge variety, but what is there is very well prepared, and the service and atmosphere are classy, but still casual.

I also notice quite a few responses for O'HANA'S. If you like atmosphere, kids games, and great (and different) food, don't miss it!

Hope you try some of the above. You don't know how lucky you are to have children that aren't afraid to try something new and different. Our two daughters were the same, so we were able to try just about all the eateries and got the most of them.

Have a great trip!


DIS VET since '72

 

[Chicago526]

I love San Angel Inn at Mexico in Epcot. I love Mexican food anyway, and I love the cantina atmosphere. It's so dark, cool, and quiet that it makes a fantastic break from the hustle and bustle of the park.

We went in '83, and it was the first time my parents had tried Mexican. It started off a life-long love affair. They have since been less affraid to try new foods.

I also like the (I think it's called) the Plaza Restaurant in MK. They have fantastic sandwiches and unbeleivable deserts. Nicer than counter-service, not not as fancy or expensive as Cindy's. I also like Tony's for breakfast in MK, if you're looking to get away from CP's charactor meals.

 

[flyball]

Epcot: Le Chefs (lunch or dinner) Excellent food in a beautiful, airy restaurant.

Tangierine Cafe (Morocco) Delicious counter service entrees and you can eat in a gorgeous outdoor cafe

MK: LTT (lunch) Very cozy and the lunch entrees were enough so that we only needed a small snack for dinner

Crystal Palace (breakfast or lunch) Excellent character interaction (especially at lunch), great variety, and yummy desserts

Resorts: Boma (dinner) Exotic, plentiful, and delicous buffet with the added bonus of being in a beautiful resort where you can view incredible animals

Kona Cafe (dinner) Everything we ate here on our last trip was out of this world, especially their desserts!