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r/WaltDisneyWorld•
RandomNerdGeek

Dining Critiques?

Dining

We're a family of three (one teen & parents) and plan on getting the Disney Dining Plan, and we're hoping to get the best food for our money, while trying new restaurants (not just 'Ohana, Chef Mickey, etc.). Could you give any suggestions for our dining plans?

Also, would it be feasible to use only two QS credits for ABC Commissary, Tangierine Cafe, and/or Backlot Express if we eat snacks later on? Thanks!

DHS Day 1

  • L: ABC Commissary
  • D: Sci-Fi Dine In Theater (out of pocket)

DHS Day 2

  • L: Backlot Express
  • D: Hollywood Brown Derby (Music of Pixar/F! package)

Animal Kingdom

  • L: Satu'li Canteen - considering Flame Tree BBQ also
  • D: Tusker House - should we switch to a lunch ROL dining package?

Epcot

  • L: Tangierine Cafe
  • D: Biergarten

MK Day 1

  • L: Columbia Harbour House
  • D: Whispering Canyon Cafe

MK Day 2

  • L: Pecos Bill
  • D: Cosmic Ray's (out of pocket)

Posted Jun 5, 2017, 1:14 AM UTC

34
G0ldenGn0me•

Here's my two cents:

  1. Unless you're dead set on going to HS for two days, I would strongly advise only going one day and using the other day for Epcot or AK, especially if you want to experience all of Pandora and the remainder of the park. There's just simply not two days worth of things to do as Toy Story and Star Wars area construction continues.

If it were me, I would choose Sci-Fi lunch (OOP) and HBD/Pixar/F! package. I personally do not care for any quick service options at HS, but I realize you're on the dining plan. Maybe someone else can advise about experience with and what best to choose from ABC or Backlot.

Also, if you add another AK day instead of HS, you can still get Satu'li and FlameTree which are both great options.

  1. You're probably already aware, but since Whispering Canyon is at Wilderness Lodge, it's going to take you about 30 minutes by the time you walk out of MK and are sitting down to eat. Unless you plan on ending your night there or it's the very last thing you do before you head back for Happily Ever After, it may take a good size chunk out of your park time.

I very much enjoy Whispering Canyon, but I don't like it enough to justify taking potentially 2 hours out of my time at the park.

I realize I didn't answer your other questions, but hopefully it's useful to you and someone else can jump in to help.

Enjoy you trip!

7
jjc55•

I'm guessing they don't have a park-hopper. My preference is to hit DHS early AM with either rope-drop straight-to's and/or fast-passes. You could knock out RnRC, ToT, and ST well before lunch. Then bus to another park with better dining options. Or trade RnRC for Everest & keep the MDE app open looking for FOP fastpasses.

None of those meal options excite me enough to prioritize them over maximizing my park/ticket value.

I preferred Via Napoli over Biergarten, but it didn't have the entertainment, which is fun. I also really liked the fish & chips.

1
ILeftMyBurnerOn•

  1. HS is great, and everybody has their preferences, but 2 full HS days seems like a lot, considering half the park is under construction. It just ups the wait times for RR and ToT.

  2. I thought Sci Fi diner had decent food but was just weird. Like, you sit and watch weird B sci fi movies, like you have to quietly whisper to your party? It's just a little odd, but some people really dig it.

  3. Ibe heard the best ROL view is with the dining package. It's worth looking into, you might be able to get a late lunch res?

  4. Just tried CHH for the first time last trip, I thought it was a great QS option! Good people watching upstairs too, and if you time it right you can eat and walk right out to the new Muppets show!

  5. Big fan of Whispering Canyon! Very fun and WL is my favorite. Swing by the new Geyser Point outdoor bar for a cocktail!

2
DuckDuckGoos3•

Biergarten is family style dining, so a table of 8 IIRC. Some people don't mind. My husband and I were sat with a really rude family of 5 last year and it hurt our experience. They asked the hostess if we could be seated elsewhere so they could have the table then the dad sighed heavily upon rejection of that suggestion by the hostess. They propped menus up between us at the table. We're an average couple in our 20s, so it was super unexpected. I'd hope most groups you dine with would be friendly, but just a heads up.

Sci Fi is great! That's the only other one I've had.

1