Need adviSe from Disney-philes

auntflo2point0

We need to make our dining reservations.  Info: We have park hopper passes for all parks.  We also have the dining plan. It will be DH, me and DD, who is a mature 6. 

1. Which breakfast/lunch/dinner gives you the most bang for your buck for characters?
   
2. We'll be there on our wedding anniversary.  Any recs for an anniversary dinner?  We went to Paris on our honeymoon - is there anything in France at Epcot that might work for a romantic dinner for two plus a 6 year old picky eater?  
3. Any other recommendations?

TIA for adviCing me.  

TTFN

ETA: This is for Walt Disney World.

kmmssg

I am a Disneyholic.  I absolutely adore Chef Mickey's for the character breakfast.  Food is good (even for a buffet!) and it was just a blast.

Just a heads up - most little kids don't have the best time at Epcot.  It really is more of an older kid/adult thing.  That being said, the little mermaid thing is freaking awesome.  You ride "under the sea" and at the end is an absolutely awesome aquaruim!  Just be prepared for your little one to say "I'm bored" at Epcot.  The first time we went in 2003 and again in 2005 DS was a real pain there.

How he is 19 and still likes going to Disney and enjoys Epcot.

Are you going to take your DD to Bibbidy Bobbidy Boo to get he Princess Makeover?  It is ungodly expensive if you do the princess dress there, but you can buy one somewhere else and take it with you.  I love love love watching the little girls dressed up like their favorite princess.

mrsconn23

My parents kept the kids for a night  the last time we went WDW and told us 'kids' to go have some fun on our own in the parks.  DH and I ate at Marrakesh.  It was awesome.  My sister and BIL ate at the French restaurant.  I THINK all of the restaurants offer a kid's menu that doesn't exactly follow the actual theme, so you can have your escargots and she can have chicken fingers. 

Fast pass the 'can't miss' things. 

We planned 'break' days or half days in the parks.  I call Disney a 'working vacation' because you're on the go constantly.  That said, I'm so jealous.  I'm a closet Disney freak.  I'd go a lot more than we ever will because I love it so much.  DH had fun, but he definitely felt it was a 'one and done' thing for him. 

auntflo2point0

We're doing this trip as if it's our only Disney trip.  A lot of our expenses are paid due to an amazing gift we received, so we're going all out. I cannot express to you how grateful we are to be able to do this. All three of us are Disney freaks so we are super excited.

That being said, I doubt we'll do anything like the princess makeover, because I feel like there are just too many other things to do to spend that much time doing it.

Also, I think my DD will love Epcot and will not be bored.  She's very interested in the world and other cultures. 

mrsconn23

My mom said if she paid for one of those make overs, she'd be sticking sparkles back on a child for a week because each one probbably cost $2 each.  LOL

I liked Epcot as a kid.  I do remember (the now closed) boat ride on Norway scaring the shit out of me. 

Oh and we went in June.  We rode Pirates of the Caribbean like 6 times because it never had a line and it's a long, air-conditioned ride. 

Heffalump

1.  If your DD loves princesses, go for Akershus in Epcot.  (Breakfast is American with some Norwegian offerings, lunch and dinner are more Norwegian.)  We did Cinderella's Royal Table and Akershus last time, and far preferred Akershus.  It was more relaxed, less of an assembly line than CRT, and we all thought the food was better at Akershus. 

With all due respect to kmmssg, we hated Chef Mickey's.  It was a complete zoo, loud and chaotic.  If DD is into the Big Five and noise doesn't bother you, go for it.

Crystal Palace is great if she loves Pooh characters--good location, good food.  Breakfast is especially good, and an ADR will get you into the Magic Kingdom before the general public, if that's something you would like.

2.  IMO, all of the menus there are pretty accessible for kids and less adventurous grownups alike, so I don't think you would have a problem.  In my experience, Chefs de France is more casual than Monsieur Paul, but I think they would both work.

Also going to have to disagree with kmmssg here.    DD loved Epcot.  Loved-loved-loved it.  Soarin' was one of her favorite rides of any of the Disney or Universal parks.  She spent a ton of time in the Seas with Nemo and Friends--not just the ride (which is fine, if your kid likes Nemo), but the actual aquarium exhibits:  dolphins, manatees, fish, tons to see and do.  She also loved ImageWorks, in the Imagination Pavilion.  I could go on, but depending on your kid, she may actually love Epcot--especially since she's a mature 6.

3.  Recommendations:  when are you going?  In general, I ditto mrs.conn's breaks--we should have done more of that on our last trip, and we suffered for it.  I could kick myself repeatedly for not taking DD to a water park or spending more time at the resort pool.  One of the women on the Passporter Moms podcast says "Do less, enjoy more" and I think it's excellent advice.

FastPass+ for sure, and if you don't get what you want, keep checking back--I've heard so many stories of people not getting what they wanted initially, and later getting it.

Heffalump

Oh, and also:  don't overlook the Kidcot stops.  There was one in Norway that Woozle loved.  It was just basically coloring a stupid Duffy bear cutout, but after the go-go-go of the rest of the trip, she had such a good time just sitting down and coloring.  The cast member in Norway was really sweet, she drew a Norwegian flag on the back of the Duffy Bear for Woozle and they chatted and it was just a really nice, low key break.  Wooz still has that Duffy among her treasures.

Heffalump

Oh, and if you get a chance (not sure where you're staying), eat at Boma.  It was hands-down everyone's favorite meal of the entire trip last time, and I have never seen anything but raves for it.

auntflo2point0

We are going at the end of April, so it should be hot, but not unbearable.  DH does not like to slow down, so it will be hard to get him to break.  Hopefully though, since we have the park hopper, he'll be more flexible.  We'll see.  

We're staying at the Pop Century - so we've skimped there. We normally prefer to spend our money on experiences and food and go cheap on accommodations.  I hope it doesn't bite us in the ass, though, because of the amount of time it takes to get back and forth between the resort and the parks.

auntflo2point0

Boma is the buffet at the Africa resort?  My bro and his family raved about it, too.  Definitely on the short list.

DixieNormous330

Make your meal reservations now. We're going in a month (and booked the trip only a week ago) and I can't get a single reservation for any of the character meals. I might call and plead my case.

Heffalump

auntflo2point0 said:

Boma is the buffet at the Africa resort?  My bro and his family raved about it, too.  Definitely on the short list.

Yep, that's the one.