ADRs - first list - whats your opinion

[TheTink]

We are going in August for 11 nights with our DD then 7 who loves all characters but specially princesses and Frozen and DS then 16 months old who at the moment doesn't know what character is 😉. It is our first time there with the kids ( we also have not been for 15 years )
So I made a first list:
Cinderella's Royal Table
Akershus
Trattoria al forno
BOG for lunch or breakfast
Tonys Town Square parade package
Crystal Palace
Garden Grill
Tusker House
Sanaa
I am interested in
Space 220
Mama Melrose or Vine and Dine with Fantasmic Package
50s Prime Time
The new Snow White dinner
Park Fare
Ohana
Just don't want to spend to much time driving to the dinner - that's why I don't want to book too many ADRs in a resort. We are staying at AKL.
Any suggestions ? Tips?
Oh, we are on the DDP if that makes a difference .
Any opinions are very appreciated..😁

[sprocket]

Our AKL stay a few years ago consisted of:
Sanaa, Sanaa and Sanaa. Love the shared bread platter.

Royal Table is often seen as hit or miss, and thats if you can get a reservation.
We liked 1900 Park Fare (fav character dining), Crystal Palace and Tusker House for the characters. Not so keen on Ohana as they bring you a tray of food.

Epcot has a few good offerings like Via Napoli and Nine Dragons.

Have always hated the look of Garden Grill. Fish bowl comes to mind.

[Guest]

I have got seven of your nine in the first list booked, although my BOG is dinner. Of your “thinking of” list, I am also thinking of Space and I have also booked Hollywood Vine Fantasmic, Storybook Dining, 1900 Park Fare and ‘Ohana. So nearly all of them. We will be on deluxe dining plan so I also have quite a few signature dinners booked.

We won’t have a car, it can be awkward to get from resort to resort so we will probably use some Lyfts for early mornings and then I have tied things into our park plans e.g. ‘Ohanas breakfast then monorail to MK, Topolino’s Terrace breakfast then Skyliner to Hollywood Studios etc.

[AliceCooper9]

Good list I would do BOG dinner if you can stretch it. Lunch is ok nothing too exciting.

Mama Melrose Fantasmic Package better for food.
H+V Fastasmic better for characters.

Storybook dining I would do if you can maybe instead of GG or Tonys

[TheTink]

I want to stick with Tony's if I can get it.

Can't decide between Mama Melrose and Vine and Dine - one would be for the adults and one for the kids

And what would you favor - Storybook Dining or Park Fare (and Breakfast or Dinner - there are different characters ? )

And no information about Space 220 right now - will this be a Signature? Then we would not do it, don't want to spend two credits on that

[AliceCooper9]

H+V I wouldn't do unless you want to really meet the characters. Food is average. Standard WDW buffet. Maybe find some recent reviews to help you decide.

Storybook would be my preferred option.
Park Fare is ok more buffets. Depends on what characters you want to meet.

Storybook - Snow White, Evil Queen, Dopey, and Grumpy
Park Fare - breakfast - Mary Poppins, Alice in Wonderland, the Mad Hatter and friends(poss Tigger/Pooh)
Park Fare - dinner - Cinderella, Prince Charming, Lady Tremaine, and Anastasia and Drisella

Space 220 no news apart from speculation. Getting an ADR will probably be very difficult anyway.

[TheTink]

Mama Melrose Menu seems more appealing, just wanted Vine and Dine for Minnie - she is not at the other character dinners. But maybe we can meet her in the parks with not a very long queue.

Storybook dining sounds very good and you can meet the evil queen - think my DD really wants to meet the villains, she says she is now brave enough.

If we go to Park Fare breakfast, I maybe would skip Crystal Palace?
It is not easy to decide which of these characters are best, cause it is a surprise trip so cannot ask DD ...
If we make all the princesses we would skip Park fare dinner - we are from Austria, so DD just speaks a few words English, so she would not really understand the funny part of the Tremaine sisters..

What would you think would be the best for a seven year old girl?

[dx4100]

Good list in my opinion. I personally disliked Tuskers but liked the rest on your list.

Tony’s isn’t great but parade package makes it worth the credit.

[TheTink]

@Tusker House- thought we can meet Donald and Daisy, also want to change between buffets and a la carte meals, cause I don't know what's best for our littlest.
Why did you dislike it - for the food, the atmosphere or the characters?
Maybe change to Yak and Yeti or just QS meals in Animal Kingdom

I hope I can get all the reservations we wanna do. ADR day is on 23 th of February says my DIBB planer

[Stitch & Smudge]

We enjoyed Tuskers. If you go for a late breakfast slot they’ll encourage you to eat from the breakfast and lunch menus. The character interaction is pretty good, all in all it was pretty enjoyable. The first time we went our server was fantastic and really made the experience, the second time our server wasn’t very attentive and had some interesting accountancy methods when trying to get the best tip. Like most character dining experiences the server can make all the difference to how much you enjoy it. I’d recommend it.