First of all, can we please take a moment of silence to
honor Carrie Fisher, the woman who so beautifully portrayed the legendary
Princess Leia?
 |
| (Photo from People.com- R.I.P. Ms. Fisher) |
Ok thanks. I have decided that for my Princess Half Marathon
Run in February (I am only running the 5k due to a VERY limited amount of time
in Orlando) that I will be wearing a Star Wars-related ensemble, though I have
yet to finalize my costume. I have a feeling that many others will be doing the
same and honoring a legend. Rest In Peace, Ms. Fisher.
 |
| (Disney Princess Half Marathon Weekend 2017 will take place February 23-26 and will include the 5k, 10k, Half Marathon, and Kid's Races) |
You may notice that I did not post a December entry. I took
the month off to enjoy friends, family, and food. I hope that everyone enjoyed their
holiday season as much as I did!
 |
| (My son and nephew on Christmas Eve 2016 wearing their matching Mickey Mouse PJ's) |
And speaking of food- if you have visited this blog before,
you know that I can’t go too long without writing a food post. This month, I
would like to give my thoughts regarding table service meals versus quick
service meals while at the parks.
 |
| (The entertainment at one of my favorite Epcot table service restaurants, Biergarten in Germany) |
Personally, I believe that a healthy mix of quick service
AND table service restaurants is key to a great trip, but your beliefs may
vary. While table service locations take a significant amount of time, they
provide a great break from the craziness of the theme parks to relax with your
family and get away from the elements, whether that be the heat, rain, etc.
Quick service locations require at least one member of your party to wait in
line, typically for at least ten minutes (or longer), and then walking around
looking for an open table, which can take some time as well.
 |
| (Enjoying dessert at Cosmic Ray's Starlight Cafe, a quick service spot located at the Magic Kingdom) |
Personally, I think quick-service locations are appropriate
if you are spending the day at a park with shorter hours, park-hopping, or
planning to go back to your resort at some point for a nap or swim. These days
at the parks are already shortened, and taking a couple of hours for a sit-down
meal may make you feel rushed and stressed to get everything you planned into
your day, which kind of ruins the experience, in my opinion. If you are looking
for a more ‘special’ quick-service meal, try Be Our Guest for breakfast or
lunch at the Magic Kingdom, La Cantina de San Angel at Epcot, or Flame Tree BBQ
at Animal Kingdom.
 |
| (Enjoying a snack with friends waterside at La Cantina de San Angel, a quick service spot located in Mexico at Epcot) |
Be Our Guest is unique in that it offers advanced
reservations for quick-service dining (breakfast and lunch only are quick service [dinner is table service] and reservations are available 180 days in advance), and the
ability to pre-order your meal before you even arrive at WDW. There are three
heavily-themed rooms in this restaurant, including the beautiful ballroom and
the West Wing from Beauty and the Beast. La Cantina de San Angel and Flame Tree
BBQ offer GORGEOUS water views overlooking their respective theme park, and the
food that each of these locations offer is some of the best quick service food
in the theme parks (but I love Mexican food and BBQ- again, your opinion may
vary!).
 |
| (My son enjoying his meal in the ballroom at Be Our Guest at the Magic Kingdom) |
If you are researching table service restaurants, and you
find one that you think your family will love, then by all means, book it and
give it a try! In particular, I find that a visit to Epcot’s World Showcase is
just not complete without trying one of the superb table service restaurants.
Trying the local cuisine of the country you are visiting, plus meeting some of
the locals of that country who have come to Walt Disney World to work, have
been highlights of our trip in the past! In my previous Epcot post located here,
I highlight a few of my family’s favorite table service locations!
 |
| (One of my family's favorite Epcot table service restaurants, Teppan Edo, located in Japan at Epcot) |
I also want to point out that if you’ve got characters that
your family can’t miss meeting, then a character meal with these characters may
be a lot of fun, in addition to actually saving your family time! At times, the
lines to meet characters at the parks are slow and long, and so getting to meet
these characters at a meal ends up being a great decision! You can find my list
of characters at each meal here.
 |
| (Character dining just 5 minutes from the Magic Kingdom at Chef Mickey's at the Contemporary Resort) |
I also think that for larger families traveling together,
table service meals provide better ‘quality time’ together. I often find that
at quick service spots, not everyone’s food comes out together. Then, everyone
is getting up and down for drink refills (where available), visits to the condiments
bar, etc. The only exception to this would be a buffet, where you would still
have the issue of everyone getting up for food at different times. However, at
table service restaurants such as Chefs de France at Epcot, a traditional
table-service meal provides ample family time to visit with one another.
 |
| (Enjoying quality time with my husband on our last trip before our son was born in 2013 at Chefs de France in France at Epcot) |
Of course, there is the factor of price to consider. Quick
service meals are obviously going to cost significantly less than table service
meals. If you are not a big eater, and choose to drink simply a cup of ice
water, then a quick service meal can cost less than $10. On the opposite end of
the spectrum, a table-service buffet can cost upwards of $50 with tax and tip,
with a Signature Dining location costing more. If you are traveling on a
budget, then quick service dining may be a better fit for your family.
 |
| (A decently-priced breakfast sandwich at Epcot at Sunshine Seasons located in The Land at Epcot) |
One last thing that I would like to point out is not to
overlook the option of an early-morning table-service meal before the park
opens, or a late-evening dinner after the parks close. These options allow you
to spend precious park time IN THE PARK, while still having time to enjoy a
leisurely table-service meal. There are many resorts which provide easy access
to the nearest park (think Magic Kingdom resorts on the monorail loop or Epcot
resorts by boat). A 7:00 or 7:30 breakfast before a 9:00am park opening, or an
8:00 dinner after a 7:30pm park closing may be ideal for your family. There
also are typically reservations at the restaurants in the parks during the
aforementioned hours, but be aware, they are difficult to score! In 2015, my
family enjoyed an 8:40pm reservation at an Epcot restaurant, which fell just 20
minutes before park closing. When we strolled out around 10:45pm, we enjoyed
seeing an empty Epcot park, which of course, is rare! This reservation was
difficult to obtain, and more difficult due to the fact that I needed a
reservation for a party of 9, but it was possible!
 |
| (A nearly-empty Le Cellier, a table service restaurant located in Canada at Epcot, after park closing in 2015) |
As always, if you have any Disney or travel-related
questions, feel free to email me at dana_aimee@hotmail.com.
Happy Travels, and stay warm out there!