<p>Well, we’re almost at our six month point, so time to start making those Disney ADRs! I know I should direct this to the Disney board, but I want to get some advice from my peers. You know, those with college age kids, going without kids.</p>
<p>We will be on the Deluxe Dining Plan, want to do mostly signature restaurants. Don’t try to talk me out of this. Husband is insistent, wants to splurge and not look at prices.</p>
<p>Oh, and no coat and tie, so that fancy one is out!</p>
<p>We will be staying at the Contemporary and thought of California Grill for our actual anniversary night, but need to narrow it down to some others for the other six nights we’ll be there. Include rec for travel day of arrival and last night before flying out next morning.</p>
<p>Hint, husband loves fireworks, so rec on time to watch fireworks while eating would be helpful!</p>
<p>This is Disney World, by the way, in Florida, and we’ll be there in early October.</p>
<p>Will you be eating in the parks? LeCellier is nice in Epcot. You should go to Boma at Animal Kingdom Lodge, too, if you are even slightly adventurous eaters.</p>
<p>We’re Disney Vacation Club owners.Favorite Disney restaurants include:
Flying Fish Cafe @ the Boardwalk is fabulous, best meal ever @ Disney! Then you could walk off dinner or take water launch into the back end of Epcot (International Gateway) to see Illuminations fireworks show. Just know, it requires park admission. </p>
<p>Also, Le Cellier in Canada is an excellent steakhouse, great pretzel breadsticks served at the table. Nine Dragons in China is great, and Le Chefs du France also. Ask if Remy can come out from the kitchen.
Any restaurants in the parks require park admission.</p>
<p>50s PrimeTime Cafe is comfort food (meat loaf and fried chicken, etc) and service is just like you were eating in Mom’s kitchen, no elbows on the table! Fun to try at least once.</p>
<p>I agree on the Prime Time Cafe and Le Cellier - we’ve tried those and loved them. We’ve had anniversary meals at both Citrico’s in the Grand Floridian and California Grill at the Contemporary - both were very special and not disappointing in any aspect. We also like Mama Melrose and the Brown Derby at the Hollywood Studios. Does your husband want to see the Magic Kingdom fireworks, or would he be interested in Illuminations at Epcot or Fantasmic at the Studios? I understand there are dining packages at Mama Melrose’s and the Brown Derby that include special seating for Fantasmic. </p>
<p>The Prime Time Cafe makes me think of the Sci-Fi Dine-In Theater, since both are at Hollywood Studios. It’s absolutely not for a special occasion, but fun in a cheesy theme park kind of way, if you like that (and I do). The first time we took our kids there, the youngest was 3. Before we arrived, she must have heard us talking about aliens in the movie clips shown during dinner. When we got to the booth, which looks like a 50s-era convertible, I tried sliding her in and she balked. She dug her heels in, climbed all over me, and would not sit next to the replica of the drive-in speaker that was affixed to the table. She seemed terrified and I couldn’t figure out what was wrong with her. Finally she whispered to me, “There’s an alien over there and I don’t want to sit near it.” It was the drive-in speaker! Poor deprived kid - she had never been to a drive-in movie and couldn’t imagine what the speaker was for.</p>
<p>We will have park hoppers for the whole time, so no problem with park admission. Only problem is that Mickey’s Halloween Party going on at the same time, so can’t go to Magic Kingdom on those nights, because won’t have required admission for that. </p>
<p>We do plan on doing Fantasmic dinner package at either Mama’s or Brown Derby.</p>
<p>I’m pretty sure that the following are all Signature Dining for dinner:
Citricos and Narcoossee’s (both at Grand Floridian, but don’t require coat & tie like V&A)
The Brown Derby at Hollywood Studios
Artist Point at Wilderness Lodge
Jiko at Animal Kingdom Lodge
Yachtsman Steakhouse at the Yacht Club Resort</p>
<p>For California Grill, I think if you make a res. between 7:30 and 8:15 you’ll get to see the 8:00 p.m. fireworks at MK from the balcony before eating.</p>
<p>A reservation between 7:00 and 7:45 at Yachtsman Steakhouse would probably give you time to see the 9:00 p.m. fireworks portion of Illuminations at Epcot.</p>
<p>The last time we had dinner at Le Cellier, our reservation was for 7:15 p.m. and we finished just as Illuminations began. It was one of our lengthier meals at WDW.</p>
<p>In the morning I’ll look back at records. i do recall eating at the French restaurant in Epcott. We ate lunch at the Mexican site, as well as at the Norwegian site. Too tired now, but I’ll throw out suggestions for each park</p>
<p>We always make a stop at the Rose & Crown in Epcot (but my family is from England so I enjoy British food ;)</p>
<p>We also thought Raglan Road in Downtown Disney was enjoyable.</p>
<p>Boma in Animal Kingdom Lodge was really good when we ate there in 2002.</p>
<p>Chef Mickey’s in the Contemporary is always fun; you could make a reservation to coincide with fireworks at the MK.</p>
<p>We were disappointed in the 50’s Prime Time Cafe. We’d tried to go a few other trips, but didn’t make it till this summer. Maybe we’d expected too much.</p>
<p>Here are the restaurants that stand out in my mind:</p>
<p>Jiko at AKL
Mama Melrose at DHS
Le Cellier at Epcot
Akersus Princess Lunch at Epcot</p>
<p>I liked the atmosphere at Brown Derby (I’m pretty sure that we sat in the [copy of the]booth that Lucy and Ethel sat in in the Willam Holden episode), but I was not blown away by the food.</p>
<p>Kona Cafe is pleasant and it’s just a monorail ride away from MK if you want to get away from the park for a short time.</p>
<p>I feel like Kouzzina has gone downhill. I’ve been there 3 times. First was amazing, second pretty good, third not good at all including fruit flies around the table. </p>
<p>Flying Fish Cafe is amazing. Also the pacific northwest place in the Wilderness Lodge, I’m blanking on the name.</p>
<p>To add to frazzled–my favorite restaurant at Disney World is the Sci-Fi Dine-in Theater. Food is only okay, but sitting in those convertibles watching the black-and-white B-movie trailers is priceless. It’s the one restaurant I make a point to go to during each trip–every time I just giggle through the whole meal. </p>
<p>I also used to enjoy the Coral Reef Restaurant at Epcot–fairly good food, but really cool watching all the fish (and occasional diver) swim around while you eat.</p>
<p>I’d definitely do some research on the places you’ll be eating after you’ve locked in your reservations. I took the kids to the Whispering Canyon Cafe at the Wilderness Lodge one trip and had read that you were supposed to ask for some ketchup during your meal. I won’t reveal what happens when you do. . . ;)</p>
<p>We are staying at the Contemporary, but I wonder if dinner reservations at the different resorts might be a good way to check them out. Would we lose a lot of time going to them, and would you suggest them for dinner or lunch? I figure lunch at the parks will be best. Of course, will have to do some dinners at the park for the special events, like Fantasmic and Cinderellas Castle.</p>
<p>Are you going to have a car? I wouldn’t go to other resorts if you don’t. It’s a big pain to use their transportation but you can always use a taxi.</p>
<p>It’s not that hard to go to a Epcot resort if you are going to be at Epcot that day. I like to go to the Animal Kingdom Resort since it’s so different than any other but it’s a long way.</p>
<p>I love Cinderellas Castle, the food isn’t that good but it’s an experience. I wouldn’t miss it if you haven’t ever been there.</p>
<p>I would at least eat at one of the restaurants in the Animal Kingdom. I have eaten in both Sanaa and Boma. I liked both of them, but if I had to pick only one of them I would pick Boma. If you do not want a buffet, then don’t pick Boma. Sanaa is not a buffet. If you choose Sanaa, then eat there early and request a window seat to watch a few animals outside (ask when you are most likely to see some animals. Too early and it may be too hot for animals to be in the hot sun, so you could miss them). Also, allow for time to go out to hotel’s balcony (I don’t what they a call it) to see more animals. Just sitting for 20 minutes to relax in their lobby is wonderful!</p>
<p>If you love LOTS of crab legs, I highly recommend looking into the buffet at the Yacht Club. The restaurant is Cape May Cafe. This is my FAVORITE restaurant because of the crab legs. Also, I enjoyed sitting their lobby for a few minutes too. The restaurant also offers unlimited mussels, clams and much more (carving stations) as part of their buffet.</p>
<p>“It’s a big pain to use their transportation but you can always use a taxi.”</p>
<p>I guess it depends on the time of year, but I’ve never had a problem with their transportaion. Other than having to wait a few extra minutes once in a while. All in all, I think it’s pretty good.</p>
<p>Just got back from WDW! Make sure you have breakfast at Cinderella’s Royal Table (MK). The food (especially Filet & Eggs) was outstanding, service is wonderful and it is so much fun to see the little girls all “princessed” out living the dream…lol. Makes you want grandchildren!</p>