Originally Posted By Susan of Vacaville Does anyone have a favorite? Breakfast or dinner? Looking for best value. I have a hard time paying so much for my 5 yr old girls to eat very little. I know it is all about the experience. To the "Disney Freaks" who attack anyone who voices the smallest dislike regarding DL, please stay off this thread. I'm looking to get the most for my hard to keep $$$ in this economy (DH is a CA state employee...furlough). Thanks in advance
Originally Posted By DyGDisney We've been to several: -Goofy's for Breakfast and Dinner -Storyteller's for Breakfast -Lilo and Stitch at Minnie's for Breakfast -Pooh and Friends at the Plaza Inn for Breakfast (this was several years ago though). -Aerial's for Lunch Our all time favorite is Goofy's. It is such a fun atmosphere, and there is a wide range of character interaction. They have games which involve the kids such as hand jive, the macarena, something where they banged on pots (this was a while back so I can't remember the specifics). The food is good for breakfast and dinner, BUT, it is all buffet style. So if your girls don't eat much, you still have to pay a lot. If you want to be able to order off the menu for your girls, the Lilo and Stitch breakfast at Paradise Pier has buffet and menu, and my husband said that breakfast buffet had the best food (in his opinion). I ordered off the menu there. Minnie, Daisy and Lilo and Stitch were there. Lilo and Stitch had some fun interaction and there was a hula lesson with Lilo at some point.
Originally Posted By DyGDisney Forgot to mention, Aerial's was our LEAST favorite. The characters barely came to our table (some didn't come so we had to go after them), the food was expensive and my kids didn't really like their meals very much. BUT, they have changed the menu since then, so it may be better now.
Originally Posted By gottaluvdavillains Dinner - We like Plaza Inn - we get a Salad to share - we don't like the blue cheese dressing - but they are willing to make the salad how you would like. I usually share it with my DD10 and DS12. We will sometimes add a Chicken Dinner to it (we get all white meat) If we get both it's usually under $30 with AP or AAA discount. We usually just drink water from the fountain. Breakfast - If the girls like Eggs or French Toast I would go to Tomorrowland terrace - you can get a breakfast with Eggs, bacon or sausage, muffin, and potatoes WITH a drink for about $7. Riverbell has simular dish for a little more without the drink. For my kids we will do the Egg dish and the French toast stix (also with drink and either sausage or bacon) and share between the three of us. If I have my 17 year old we will add the fruit platter (which does come with a drink too). If you are in DTD - ESPN Zone comes with lots of food and isn't too much money - easliy shared. In the Grand California Hotel they have the White Water Snacks (near pool and DCA entrance) they make the food and it's again generious - they have awesome nachos with real cheese (shredded) and meat (beef or chicken) and French dips. I have always ordered my kids an adult meal and let them share - it's much less than buying two kids meals.
Originally Posted By gottaluvdavillains I think the Minnie breakfast is now in the park at the plaza - it is less than the others and is fun. Ariel's is pricy now - but the princesses come and stop at each table. Breakfast there is family style not a buffet - not sure how the princesses do it for breakfast - only lunch... I am not a fan of the family style serving - we don't all like the same stuff. <a href="http://allears.net/dlr/din/menu/menus.htm" target="_blank">http://allears.net/dlr/din/men...enus.htm</a> We did have a good experience in sept at the storytellers breakfast - it was less than goofy's and they brought pancakes to the table while we were at the buffet.
Originally Posted By DyGDisney gottaluv -- I love your suggestions, but I think she was looking for character meal info! I second your suggestion about Plaza Inn for dinner though! My daughter and I share an adult meal, my younger gets a kid meal and dh gets a meal. Oh, also Pizza Port for lunch or dinner, we all share an order of chicken fusilli pasta (most excellent yumminess!!), a piece of pizza and salad or breadsticks. Under $30.00 wih discount. But I digress.....that's not a character meal either.
Originally Posted By gottaluvdavillains Oh and the Pizza Port is good for pasta - The pizza always seemed a bit pricey to me. We always drink cups of water since it seems alot of the food is salty. Ohh and you can request a cup of water from any restaurant even if you are not eating there.
Originally Posted By DyGDisney Now I want some chicken fusilli pasta. Would it be unreasonable to drive to DL this weekend just for that??
Originally Posted By Susan of Vacaville WOW! Tons of ideas, thanks ladies! DyG~are you an 87 or 88 zip? I am getting ready to put my girls in Kindy. They are in PEP school right now (Presby church on Hemlock). I am in Paydans district. I did open enrollment for Orchard and Alamo but I have heard great things about Markham's ACE program. This is kind of personal info I really don't want strangers knowing where my kids go. I posted my email on the other topic thread (can't remember the topic at this moment). Here it is again-siouxz67@sbcglobal.net villain- you have been a great help to so many including me! Thanks a bunch
Originally Posted By travellerandquilter My fave for character interaction is Minnie and Friends at the Plaza inn. I also enjoyed their breakfast menu. Goofy's is good also but I didn't like the food as much. We have done late breakfast and dinner there. The only other one we have been to is Storytellers breakfast and we were ignored by all the characters. It was just my DD12 and myself and as she is quite tall they must have thought she was older and left us alone. We had to ask for her to have a photo with any of characters.
Originally Posted By TINK-MOBILE Hi There....we went to Goofy's....we got our tickets from bcaa ..in canada.... triple aaa in the states...we had a blast it was so much fun...the characters were the mad hatter who was a hoot, alice was a darling, we got both of them going, by telling the mad hatter alice thought he was being too silly, and that the mad hatter said she told too many lies, well that really got the fun strarted, we saw brier bear..we saw the chip and dale characters, Goofy was great..the meal was just fine...we had a wonderful time.. we also went to see ariel...we had pictures with her before lunch but they were the wrong way for the picture frame folder they were in....the food was very slim...the princess only were there for a moment, apparently they come from the princess fair and only have a few minutes we didn't even get pictures ...they had to go....it was really not worth the money..and it wasn't much fun...we were there only 20 minutes and then we were rushed out...just wasn't much fun....
Originally Posted By gottaluvdavillains <.they had to go....it was really not worth the money..and it wasn't much fun...we were there only 20 minutes and then we were rushed out...just wasn't much fun..>> I am confused 20 minutes isn't enough time to even order your drinks. At lunch the princesses were very attentitive and spent 5 - 10 min each at our table. Do you mean after your meal they rushed you out?
Originally Posted By mater4 I went to the Storytellers breakfast and Chip and Dale along with Pluto played games with the kids. We had a great time and the food was yummy. Lilo and Stitch breakfast at PPH was good too. I prefer Storytellers between the two though. If you are going for the characters it seems that most people like Goofy's or Minnie's breakfast the best. They seem to have the most variety from what I have read on LP.
Originally Posted By gottaluvdavillains I haven't tried Lilo and Stitch - but when my kids were younger (they are 10,12,17,20 now) I found Goofy's a bit overwhelming - and even after being there and leaving as an adult full (needing to walk!!) the kids are hungry about an hour later... After seeing this a couple times I realize they never eat much because there is so much going on (goofy games....). Minnie's and Storytellers have many characters but less distractions. Although I personally love Goofy's!
Originally Posted By mater4 Villains you make a good point. My kids do not eat big at breakfast anyway. Throw some fun into the mix and they maybe ate half of their food. Now I just take them to Mimi's for the Mimi mouse pancakes. Our next trip we are going to Carnation Cafe since my kids have outgrown the character breakfasts.
Originally Posted By Amynleroy For Character dining on a budget I Suggest Lilo & Stitch...I havent been there myself but last I heard you can either do buffet of choose off of a menu. I have been to Goofy and Plaza many o times and have had nothing but great experiences at Goofy's! Also when I have gone down to DL on a budget we usually pack a cooler with lunch stuff & microwavable breakfasts. Usually we eat cont. breakfast and microwave some hot food then eat @ goofy's or Plaza late morning like 11 (i think they close the doors @ 11:30 to clean for dinner) then go to the hotel to relax then order pizza or go to a fast food restaraunt down the street. It really saves a us ton of money! It might seem like alot to do but I would rather spend the money on my kids than tons of money on meals in the park....hope this helps! PS sorry if any of this is confusing or type-o's I have a 3 year old bouncing all over me!!
Originally Posted By bobiascastle We LOVE Goofy's & go every trip at least once, usually for dinner. For us dinner is better but breakfast was good too. We did Ohana or Lilo & Stitch was great for breakfast & hope to try it for dinner soon. Our LEAST & i mean LEAST (we will never go again) is Ariel's Grotto. Food was not that good, not buffet (yet just as expensive as the buffets) & just not as friendly/fun.
