Vacation help
Jan. 22nd, 2007 04:24 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
eee1313To any of you who've been to Disney World any time in the past, oh, ten years or so, I could use your help. The Scientist and I need to make some dinner reservations for our trip next month. All the sites say to make reservations at the popular restaurants about a month in advance, but the thing is that neither of us have any real idea as to where to go. (He's only been to EPCOT and MGM, and I've only been to the Magic Kingdom and EPCOT, but that was in 1988 so my frame of reference dated, to say the least.) We've opted for the meal plan, which offers us 1 snack, 1 counter service restaurant, and 1 sit-down restaurant per day. The question is, what to choose? If any of you have thoughts for/against anything in particular, I'd really appreciate your suggestions.
Magic Kingdom:
For the sit-down meal, I'm debating on Cinderella's Royal Table for dinner, as it's all fancy and stuff. Plus, I went there when I was a kid and vaguely remember enjoying it. Is it worth it? Should we try to plan going here right before the fireworks begin, so we'd get a bird's eye view? Or is the food/view not worth it, and we should just go to the Crystal Palace buffet? (Please note I'm a bit iffy with buffets, as I don't like hordes of grubby-handed people potentially manhandling my food.)
For the counter service, I'm thinking the Pecos Bill Cafe, seeing as how it's about the most substantial food available at any of the Magic Kingdom's counter service restaurants.
EPCOT
This is a bit more difficult, as this park definitely has the greatest amount of food choices. That said, living around Chicagoland we're offered quite the array of cuisine, which means the World Showcase restaurants aren't as impressive for me as they might be for someone from Nowhereville, Montana or something. I mean, here I know of about four really great French places, five good Japanese restaurants, and more Mexican than I can shake a stick at. Therefore, I'm more inclined to go to a restaurant that really offers some bang for my buck.
For the counter service, I'm looking at Tangierine Cafe, or the Kringla Bakeri (the chef's special sounds different).
As for dinner, Le Cellier is spoken VERY highly of by the Internet crazies, so this may be an idea. Plus, the Scientist loves himself some steak. (I'm in it for the cheese soup.) Is this place as good as everyone says? Is there someplace better? What about restaurants in Future World section of the park? Are any of those worthwhile?
MGM Studios
This one seems tough. Both the Scientist and I flipped out when we saw the SciFi Dine-In, as the idea of sitting in a stupid half-car and watching B-movie trailers while we eat sounded right up our alley. But all the buzz on the Internet is that Denny's has better food. So now I'm thinking this isn't the way to go. Should we go to the Brown Derby? Or what about the 50s Prime Time Cafe (though I'm thinking that could drive me insane, due to too many reruns of The Andy Griffith Show).
For counter service, I'm thinking the sandwiches at Catalina Eddie's sound good. (The quick service stuff really looks about all the same. Is there anything that's particularly good?)
Animal Kingdom
No one seems to know ANYTHING about the restaurants here. The Scientist's brother said the Tusker House was good for breakfast, but there doesn't seem to be much there. As for other meals, the only other real restaurant seems to be the Rainforest Cafe, but I can get that at the mall here. Mind you, this tea company looks fabulous. But the lack of restaurants here, combined with an earlier closing time, makes me think that...
...we could always go out of the parks to other Disney-affiliated places to eat. I've heard amazing things about the Kona Cafe at the Polynesian. Is it easy to get to via Disney transportation? And then there's Captain Jack's at Downtown Disney, as well as a few other places at Pleasure Island that could be promising, albeit a tad dull. (Wolfgang Puck's? We have that at the airport...)
So yeah, any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.
Magic Kingdom:
For the sit-down meal, I'm debating on Cinderella's Royal Table for dinner, as it's all fancy and stuff. Plus, I went there when I was a kid and vaguely remember enjoying it. Is it worth it? Should we try to plan going here right before the fireworks begin, so we'd get a bird's eye view? Or is the food/view not worth it, and we should just go to the Crystal Palace buffet? (Please note I'm a bit iffy with buffets, as I don't like hordes of grubby-handed people potentially manhandling my food.)
For the counter service, I'm thinking the Pecos Bill Cafe, seeing as how it's about the most substantial food available at any of the Magic Kingdom's counter service restaurants.
EPCOT
This is a bit more difficult, as this park definitely has the greatest amount of food choices. That said, living around Chicagoland we're offered quite the array of cuisine, which means the World Showcase restaurants aren't as impressive for me as they might be for someone from Nowhereville, Montana or something. I mean, here I know of about four really great French places, five good Japanese restaurants, and more Mexican than I can shake a stick at. Therefore, I'm more inclined to go to a restaurant that really offers some bang for my buck.
For the counter service, I'm looking at Tangierine Cafe, or the Kringla Bakeri (the chef's special sounds different).
As for dinner, Le Cellier is spoken VERY highly of by the Internet crazies, so this may be an idea. Plus, the Scientist loves himself some steak. (I'm in it for the cheese soup.) Is this place as good as everyone says? Is there someplace better? What about restaurants in Future World section of the park? Are any of those worthwhile?
MGM Studios
This one seems tough. Both the Scientist and I flipped out when we saw the SciFi Dine-In, as the idea of sitting in a stupid half-car and watching B-movie trailers while we eat sounded right up our alley. But all the buzz on the Internet is that Denny's has better food. So now I'm thinking this isn't the way to go. Should we go to the Brown Derby? Or what about the 50s Prime Time Cafe (though I'm thinking that could drive me insane, due to too many reruns of The Andy Griffith Show).
For counter service, I'm thinking the sandwiches at Catalina Eddie's sound good. (The quick service stuff really looks about all the same. Is there anything that's particularly good?)
Animal Kingdom
No one seems to know ANYTHING about the restaurants here. The Scientist's brother said the Tusker House was good for breakfast, but there doesn't seem to be much there. As for other meals, the only other real restaurant seems to be the Rainforest Cafe, but I can get that at the mall here. Mind you, this tea company looks fabulous. But the lack of restaurants here, combined with an earlier closing time, makes me think that...
...we could always go out of the parks to other Disney-affiliated places to eat. I've heard amazing things about the Kona Cafe at the Polynesian. Is it easy to get to via Disney transportation? And then there's Captain Jack's at Downtown Disney, as well as a few other places at Pleasure Island that could be promising, albeit a tad dull. (Wolfgang Puck's? We have that at the airport...)
So yeah, any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.
![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png){kind=small}
no subject
Date: 2007-01-23 03:51 am (UTC)That's the place I was telling you about! (If it's on Pleasure Island.) Seriously, it was the best time ever. It was so fun we went back a second time. They even have a dramatic recreation of a radio show! That is one place I would recommend to EVERYONE.
And no, the Everest ride wasn't open. Damn! That sounds fun.