First Night Non Park Dinner?

[Leigh123]

Where do you have dinner (non park) arrival day that gives you that magic feel and why does it???

Thanks in advance

 

[psimon]

We usually stay at OKW and have dinner there. Olivia's is a very good restaurant that is a little off the path (which is good because waits without PS, aren't too bad )

The food is very good and, for Disney, is fairly reasonable. Poke around the gift shop afterwards and you will certainly get the feeling you are in "The World"!

----Paul in Southern NJ

 

[ugadog99]

Chef Mickey's for us!! We love to go to the Contemporary, have dinner, and ride the monorail loop. Chef Mickey's is just so much fun with the characters. I think 'Ohana would also be good for a first night.

 

[CamColt]

On our past few trips we have found ourselves at ESPN for our first meal. Our kids really love it there, we find the food to be very good, and its nice to stroll along the BW, getting into vacation mode.
With that said, there are so many restaurants on the BW, in the other resorts, and at DTD to pick from, that Id have to say it really depends on personal preference.
On our upcoming trip we will start off with a late lunch at Beaches & Cream, then a drink/snack around the monorail tour.

 

[MrsJ Henry]

Chef Mickey's!!
We are also planning to check out the hotels on the loop afterwards also. Then plan on watching the water parade.

 

[honeymo78]

We always do the Hoop Dee Doo. It's a bit of a family tradition and we love it!

 

[LAWalz23]

Chef Mickey's is our first night tradition. It gets us in the WDW mood.

 

[Kaycee]

Chef Mickey's is a popular choice with a lot of people, as you can see from the responses so far.

We like to go to DTD our first evening, and we usually have dinner at Rainforest Cafe. We tried Planet Hollywood last trip instead, but we're going back to Rainforest Cafe next trip because we enjoyed it a lot more.

As CamColt said, the Boardwalk is another fun place to spend your first evening, and there are quite a few places to dine there.

 

[Boardwalk Tigger]

We like to stay close to our resort the first night because we are tired from getting up so early to fly in. We usually eat at Cape May the first night! Then we walk in to see the fireworks in Epcot AHHHHHHHH!

 

[Micca]

Any of the monorail resorts will work. Ohana is good at Poly, Concourse at CR, 1900 Park Fare at GF The other Disney resorts will have some special places too

 

[minnie56]

Our first day being travel day is tiring..so we skip a park and head to Downtown Disney , browse around and eat at the Rainforest Cafe.It's just a ritual and we love how it feels.

 

[JKanownik]

DH and I went to Boatwright's at POR on our first night. Once we finished dinner, we walked the grounds a bit and then took the boat over to DTD. We love that boat ride and make a point of hitting it at least once every trip. It is my favorite transportation in all of WDW.

 

[Charleston Zurg]

Beaches and Cream

 

[crisi]

If you like Boma, it would be a good night to head over there. There is a lot to do at the lodge - with looking at the Savannah and the animals.

WL is another favorite resort to visit.

Our DVC home is BWV, so the BW area is good. Next trip its a late lunch at B&C, I think.

We avoid any place from which you can see the castle (i.e. the Contemporary or the Poly or the GF) - once the kids see the castle, I figure its all over and we are using a park day.

 

[disneyag]

If you have kids that love characters, I'd pick Chef Mickey's. What better way to start a trip to WDW than having dinner with Mickey!!

 

[yecats]

Trail's End buffet in Fort Wilderness. We did a lot of camping when I was a kid and it always gives me the feeling that I am finally on vacation.

 

[goofy4tink]

Chef Mickey's is always our first meal in WDW!!! It's a nice way to start the trip and see Mickey and friends. If we want to go to a park, fine. But if we don't, we've had some 'magic' that day.

 

[helenk]

We always eat at Ohana's our first night, the food is good, and depending on how late you eat, you can see the MK fireworks.

 

[AspiringCindy]

We will be eating at Ohana's on our first night(parkless day)! I have never eaten there...but everyone says it is alot of fun!

 

[eeyoregirl]

We usually do Downtown Disney the first night. It gets us in vacation mode.

This year we are breaking tradition and having dinner in the Castle by the light of the fireworks in celebration of my parents' anniversary!!!