Originally Posted By NikkiLOVESMickey I don't mind eating counter service, but I can't do it for the WHOLE trip. While the variety of food has improved at counter service restaurants, it still gets old after a while. There are only so many times you can eat fries in a week before you become I'll at the sight of them. You usually receive such a big serving at table service restaurants - I can't eat that much every day. We're probably going to hit the Brown Derby this trip (I've only been once and the Mom has never been) and possibly California Grill. Definitely the Plaza, and we're also definitely going to eat a sundae from Ghirardelli's for dinner on either Ash Wednesday or the first Friday of Lent - there's no meat in ice cream, right?
Originally Posted By A Happy Haunt <<As it is we share 2 or 3 CS meals between the 4 of us.>>> We do the same! ^^^Nikki, that sounds more like a "Fat Tuesday" meal!! All this food talk makes me long for 1900 Park Fare!! I love that place!!!
Originally Posted By NikkiLOVESMickey ^^^^^It's not that bad if you eat it as your dinner. It's very filling .
Originally Posted By Liberty Belle I'm another one who counts table service meals as a big part of the whole holiday experience! I only get to a Disney park every 2 years on average, so when I go I go all out. I usually have one counter service meal and one table service meal each day.
Originally Posted By bobbelee9 Dining is definately part of the experience of going to WDW. We try to do a few new sitdowns every year. And I don't want something that I can make at home, I want new stuff. Experiment. HappySharon will complain that sitdown meals cut in on her ride time. I'm getting back at her for her July 4th comment!
Originally Posted By Ursula We like to do one sit-down per day. But, I find it just eats up a lot of my vacation time sitting and waiting to be called, then get served, etc. So, due to this and some other factors (we've eaten at a LOT of table-service) we're mixing it up more for this trip.
Originally Posted By Rebekah Since I live in the area I don't frequently make dining reservations 90 or more days out. I have found in the past that I can walk into the park early in the operating day and make a reasonable timed dining reservation. Two caveats to this -- haven't done it within the past few months and I don't have a party larger than 4, in fact most times its just 2. I'm sure the party size makes it much more difficult. Rebekah.
Originally Posted By A Happy Haunt <<HappySharon will complain that sitdown meals cut in on her ride time. I'm getting back at her for her July 4th comment!>> I DO enjoy a good sit down on a HOT FLA day but, not after 8 o'clock..that cuts into my HM time!! Rebekah, I agree .. my DD & I got into a Princess breakfast at the last minute once because we were a party of 2!! Although our big group of 10 also hit Yack & Yeti w/ little wait.
Originally Posted By NikkiLOVESMickey I know we had a problem making dining reservations, but then again we had a party of 8. This year we'll only have a party of 2. It also depends on whether or not there's hard ticket event that night. We wanted to eat dinner at Liberty Tree last year for my mom's anniversary, but we couldn't get a res three months out because they had a Pirate and Princess Party that night. Have they come out with Pirate and Princess dates for next year yet?
Originally Posted By dshyates "Wow - I do things totally differently. I don't eat out that much at home, and the World restaurants are a big part of my vacation." I really enjoy eating at fine dining locations, but first off the fine dining restaurants in the parks (epcot excluded) are pretty mediocre, crowded and loud. And going in all sweaty in shorts and tennis shoes to be hurded through seems a waste of money to me. I would rather CS it and then get back to enjoying the park. For our one big sit down meal I prefer to actually put on long pants and a collered shit and hit a less hectic restaurant like California Grill or Emeril's.
Originally Posted By danyoung >...the fine dining restaurants in the parks (epcot excluded) are pretty mediocre, crowded and loud. And going in all sweaty in shorts and tennis shoes to be hurded through seems a waste of money to me.< Well, there's the Brown Derby in the Studios. I have yet to eat in the Yak & Yeti, but I've read good things. And I tend to eat a LOT in Epcot, where as you say there are some pretty nice places. And I think going in shorts and a nice golf shirt is one of the benefits of Disney fine dining. I always go back to the hotel for the afternoon for a well needed nap and a shower, so I'm pretty clean when I hit the chosen dinner spot. And for the most part I've never felt herded in any way, especially at the nicer places. I had a wonderful 2 1/2 hour meal at the California Grill last year, and I hope to repeat that experience this October.
Originally Posted By dshyates See, The Cali Grill, in my mind, is very different than in park fine dining like The Brown Derby. I have never felt rushed at The Cali Grill. I like the Brown Derby OK, but I would rather keep doing theme park stuff while in the parks. First off I have to say that when we do Disney we are usually there for 5 days in the parks with one day off somewhere in the middle. That is barely enough time to see the stuff in the parks and repeat the favorites. So we are pretty busy while in the parks. If we vacationed like some of you guys spending 10+ days I am sure we would approach things differently. So when you only have 1 day per park plus one day to hit the faves and shop in parks and one down day, I don't want to spend a couple hours sitting still. So we plan our big sit down meal on the Down Day and hit one restaurant tht is one step up from the in park stuff.
Originally Posted By danyoung I'm sure that works well for you and your family, which is great. I don't consider restaurant time to be wasted at all. In fact, as I said, a nice dinner is one of the highlights of my Disney day. I'm sure the fine wine helps a bit . . .
Originally Posted By blueharvest82 <<Have they come out with Pirate and Princess dates for next year yet?>> No official dates but it is going to be from mid jan to march.
Originally Posted By vbdad55 <For our one big sit down meal I prefer to actually put on long pants and a collered shit and hit a less hectic restaurant like California Grill or Emeril's.< I usually wear a 'shirt'- LOL but I agree with this sentiment - especially for dinner
Originally Posted By alexbook >>I had a wonderful 2 1/2 hour meal at the California Grill last year, and I hope to repeat that experience this October.<< Okay, this is sort-of off-topic, but I always wonder when I hear people talking about meals that go on for hours: What makes the meal last so long? Do you chew everything a thousand times? Is the service really, really slow? I'm just having trouble imagining a meal lasting that long.
Originally Posted By vbdad55 at Cali grill- you can do say 5 courses as well as a great wine selection - service is usually impeccable there
Originally Posted By A Happy Haunt Well, cocktails, appertizer, salad, main course, more cocktails, dessert, coffee..yes, it can go on & on...don't forget...good conversation!! That is really the most important part!
Originally Posted By bobbelee9 ^^^Especially when the conversation is sharing stories about what you've seen/done at WDW and plan to do next.
