Disney First Timer: Can't Choose! About This Page:

[Asuka]

Hello everyone!

I will be going to WDW for the first time this September. I've made a ton of dining reservations. Way more than the dining plan can cover! Still, I wonder if going to all these different places is worth it.

Info:

I got the regular dining plan (for free!), Five nights.
I am going with my boyfriend. We are both in our 20s.
He is a big eater but I'm not as much.
I very heavily embrace my inner child and love characters, especially Princesses.

I reserved:
1900 Park Fare (Breakfast and Dinner)
Akershus (Lunch)
Tokyo Dining (Dinner. We'll be ordering ala carte)
Mama Melrose (Lunch, Fantasmic Dining Package)
50s Prime Time (Dinner)
Crystal Palace (Dinner)
Garden Tea Room

Is this overkill? Am I trying to do too much in one trip? What would you drop if you had to?

Thank you for all your help.

[cdnmickeyfan]

I don't know if I'd do 1900 Park Fare for both breakfast and dinner. We did breakfast and that was alot of fun so I might do dinner somewhere else. Le Cellier is great for dinner!!!!! The best meal Ive ever had. Everything else looks good. Im sure you'll have a great trip!!!!!!!!!

[Kworrell0514]

I think it looks like fun!! We've been to the 1900 Park Fare breakfast and it was a hoot! We are coming back in November and I'm planning on doing the dinner because I, I mean the kids, would love to interact with The Stepfamily and Prince Charming! I think you're okay with both @ the GF because there is a totally different cast of characters at breakfast and dinner.

50's Prime Time is one of our faves. Even the kids! One of our "must dos" on the next trip as well. I've never been to Mama Melrose but have heard good things about it. Hubs and I dined at Brown Derby for the Fantasmic package and LOVED IT. Everything about it!

Crystal Palace is fun too! Especially if you love the Pooh characters! One of my all time favorites is Eeyore. And my daughters love Piglet!

I've never been to the others on your list. But they're all on my "to do" list for a future trip.

Hubs and I loved dining at Via Napoli in Italy when we were there in the fall. Another of his favorites is the O'hana dinner at the Poly. I will definitely try to do that again next trip.

Have fun!!

[mattnkatsmum]

Unless there have been changes (and I am out of touch, I confess) I don't think you can do the Garden Tea Room on the DDP so I would not pay out of pocket, simply because you have so much to eat on the dining plan, it seems a waste of money. Also, whilst the tea is nice, I wouldn't say it is unmissable and you will still enjoy the romance of the GF with your visit (or two) to 1900 Park Fare.

I would be inclined to swap one of the 1900 Park Fare ressies too. Not because the experiences are alike, but because it is your first trip and there are so many wonderful places to see. What about breakfast with Stitch in the Poly? Or with Mickey and friends at the Garden Grill? Or, if your credits can be shuffled about a bit, breakfast at CRT?

One way or other, you have some great choices there, and I am sure you will have an amazing first trip.

[andygu3]

Originally Posted by Asuka

Hello everyone!

I will be going to WDW for the first time this September. I've made a ton of dining reservations. Way more than the dining plan can cover! Still, I wonder if going to all these different places is worth it.

Info:

I got the regular dining plan (for free!), Five nights.
I am going with my boyfriend. We are both in our 20s.
He is a big eater but I'm not as much.
I very heavily embrace my inner child and love characters, especially Princesses.

I reserved:
1900 Park Fare (Breakfast and Dinner)
Akershus (Lunch)
Tokyo Dining (Dinner. We'll be ordering ala carte)
Mama Melrose (Lunch, Fantasmic Dining Package)
50s Prime Time (Dinner)
Crystal Palace (Dinner)
Garden Tea Room

Is this overkill? Am I trying to do too much in one trip? What would you drop if you had to?

Thank you for all your help.

Depending on which resort you stay at, the 1900 park fare can be a bit overkill. If you are not staying on the monorail and since you'll have to bussed in, I would recommend doing Chef Mickey's for breakfast at the Contemporary. Then go to dinner at 1900 park fare.

Epcot dining looks fun!

Hollywood Studios dining is a pushing for time, I would recommend staying with Mama for lunch. Depending on the time for Fantasmic, you may not have time for dinner.

Crystal Palace is fun to see Pooh and friends.

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[HiddenMickey]

As a first timer, I would not do anything more than the five meals that come with your plan. You will feel like you are spending all your time in a restaurant and missing out on park touring time.

I'd also suggest taking off the GF Tea Room and skip breakfast at 1900 Parke Faire (more bang for your buck at dinner) and 50s Prime Time (keep Mama at DHS). That leaves you with a nice mix and only five meals that your plan will pay for.

[Asuka]

Thank you all for your wonderful advice!

I'll probably drop the tea reservations and save that for my next visit. Still stuck on where to go the last day though. We will probably be in AK so maybe Pizzafari?

I would love to do CRT but it does take 2 credits. Basically why I chose Akershus instead. :3 But I want to do CRT at some point.

I totally get about dropping one of the 1900 Park Fare meals. I'd probably drop the dinner before the breakfast though. I adore Mary Poppins so it just seemed so perfect!

Is Chef Mickey worth it? I've heard so many mixed reviews.

[lauriep]

If you're in AK on your last day you could bus to AKL for lunch or dinner at Sanaa (at Kidani Village) or dinner at Boma (Jambo House). Not sure where you're staying, but if it's not at AKL it's definitely worth a visit and at Sanaa you get a view of the animals on the savannah.

[Kworrell0514]

We enjoyed Chef Mickey's but it is loud for breakfast. With three magicmakers of my own, it's always nice to have a place like that to go to. I have to say that I haven't gone for any other meals there.

Breakfast with Stitch and Lilo is another of our favorites because the food rocks and the characters are some of our favorites.

I have found that the other members are correct in that you get plenty of food with the sit down meals that come with your plan! Out of pocket meals are not necessary unless you do some of the 2 credit meals.

The peeps on this board have great advice!!

We're from South Jersey too! No matter what you decide, I'm sure you'll have a wonderful time!

[andygu3]

Originally Posted by Asuka

Thank you all for your wonderful advice!

I'll probably drop the tea reservations and save that for my next visit. Still stuck on where to go the last day though. We will probably be in AK so maybe Pizzafari?

I would love to do CRT but it does take 2 credits. Basically why I chose Akershus instead. :3 But I want to do CRT at some point.

I totally get about dropping one of the 1900 Park Fare meals. I'd probably drop the dinner before the breakfast though. I adore Mary Poppins so it just seemed so perfect!

Is Chef Mickey worth it? I've heard so many mixed reviews.

We always pay at AK and go to Rainforest Cafe.

I personally like Chef Mickey's for breakfast but didn't like it for dinner but it's worth going just to see Mickey, Minnie.... so maybe Chef Mickey's for dinner

[chezp]

I think you've already got some great advice. Personally, we love sit down meals, so you are talking my language with these choices! We love being able to stop for lunch midday through our park touring and then again for dinner. As you can tell, we're not big breakfast fans.

1900 Park Fare (Breakfast and Dinner) - I'd keep one of these. As others have said, there's so much else to enjoy at Disney.
Akershus (Lunch) - I'd keep this one. In my view, much better value (and food) than Cinderella's Royal Table
Tokyo Dining (Dinner. We'll be ordering ala carte) - definitely keep. We went there for the first time on our last visit and were blown away by how good it was. Mama Melrose (Lunch, Fantasmic Dining Package) - probably the best out of the bunch for a dining package.
50s Prime Time (Dinner) - this is good fun and a great Disney themed place to eat!
Crystal Palace (Dinner) - one of my favourites, thanks to the presence of a special donkey there!
Garden Tea Room - if you don't get to it on this trip, do plan on it for a future trip. We found you get more food here than perhaps you think - we ate there a couple of years ago and were then too stuffed for dinner at Chef Mickey's later that night.

[jhoshowski]

I only have two to give feedback on -
I know a lot of people like 50s Prime Time, but I found the food to be "blah" both times I ate there. I think you can get better food elsewhere on property. Plus, my husband was very uncomfortable with the interaction with the servers. He loves other places with server/guest interaction, he just didn't like feeling pushed to eat something he didn't want, in front of everyone.
We did Crystal Palace for breakfast, and the food was good, but it was so crowded and LOUD - the size of the building, the high ceilings, etc reflected every scream, shout, cry, whatever, to the point where we rushed just to get out of there. We may have just had a bad day, but all six adults in our party (we had four kids, as well) said they didn't want to go back.

Everyone has different opinions, and I tend to say go with what YOU want. I do agree that there are so many places to eat that I would drop one meal at 1900 Park Fair. Good luck!

[yalibrarian]

As a first timer, I would not do anything more than the five meals that come with your plan. You will feel like you are spending all your time in a restaurant and missing out on park touring time.

I agree; are you leaving any time for the parks???

Although your choices are good, I think you might regret having so many ressies for a less than week-long trip. Your DP will come with a CS meal per night too, and a snack, so you will probably be quite full, believe it or not. Give yourself the chance to spontaneously snack or pick up a quick service meal, like fish and chips at the Rose and Crown takeout window, or a couple of egg rolls and a Yak Attack in Animal Kingdom. Then plan another trip to hit some more of the wonderful dining spots you missed. I personally would dump the garden tea and maybe one of the meals at Park Fare as suggested. We liked Boma at AKL (great buffet) but Sanaa would be an excellent addition to your line-up too. Have fun!

[Asuka]

So far I've cancelled our Garden Tea ressie and moved 50s to the last day for lunch. Still pondering cancelling the 1900 Park Fare dinner.

Thank you all for your continuing advice!

[Sue M.]

Originally Posted by HiddenMickey

As a first timer, I would not do anything more than the five meals that come with your plan. You will feel like you are spending all your time in a restaurant and missing out on park touring time.

I'd also suggest taking off the GF Tea Room and skip breakfast at 1900 Parke Faire (more bang for your buck at dinner) and 50s Prime Time (keep Mama at DHS). That leaves you with a nice mix and only five meals that your plan will pay for.

I was going to suggest the same thing.