Planning Where to Eat!

So, I did not just magically learn everything about Disney. I do tons of research and reading in order to become the most informed I can for each trip. Do you want to see behind the curtain and learn what this Disney Wizard does?

One of the first places that I start, is by reading different blogs through Pinterest. Just type in “Disney” and “food or “restaurants” and you will find a rabbit hole of information. I always check through these blogs to see their dining recommendations and start a list. With a good old tally system, I mark how many times a restaurant is recommended. I also have a list for the “not so great”, so I can do some research later to learn what is going on, and maybe avoid.

Armed with my list, I travel to the MyDisneyExperience page to look at their menus. I do not know about you all, but our family is notorious for being picky eaters. There have been many times that after looking over a highly recommended restaurant’s menu, that there was not anything that our family could eat. That is not a lesson that I would have wanted to learn in the middle of a HANGRY meltdown. Preparation is always better before you end up in a difficult position.

One example is Peco’s Bill. Everyone LOVES this place, and there are some things that our group might eat, but since we do not eat much more than meat and cheese, the value just wasn’t there for us. Who cares about an unlimited toppings bar when you do not eat any of those toppings? Columbia Harbor House is another restaurant that we know to be careful with. Not for anything wrong, but one of my littles has a shellfish allergy and we must stay vigilant when we eat here that he does not get any of this and get sick.

So, my list from earlier is now paired down to where we will actually want to eat. One of my favorite tools is AllEars.net. I use this to see how restaurants are ranked. It shows you reviews on one restaurant at a time, so you can decide if this would be a good fit for you. This site is also an amazing tool with many restaurants or booths still being closed. It would be so sad to wait all day for a restaurant that you love, only to find out it has not opened back up yet. Also, take note of the opening times. We spent an hour waiting for a place to open once because we JUST HAD TO have these special fries. I mean, it was worth it…but if I had realized I could have squeezed another ride in, then I would have.

With all this information, I then map out where the restaurants are. I cannot tell you how many times we were looking for a very specific treat, only to realize later that it was on the other end of the park. By mapping out the snacks according to lands, you have a much easier time making sure you hit all your favorites. Having a mapped-out version of food is also nice if you are doing quick service meals. We try and pick a few places that we would like in case we are having a slower day or lines are long, we have options that we like for our current land or the next to stop and eat. Check out the example here ------->

Are you still with me? This may feel like a lot, but I promise you that it is so worth it to not feel the stress while you are in the parks. Food is one of the top ways to ruin a trip. I cannot tell you how many friends have come back to me to get advice after a family meltdown or fight over where to eat when they were all exhausted. This crazy level of detail is also why I became a vacation planner to help people think through these decisions, when their brain does not work like this.

So, what are your tricks for planning your meals?

Are there any tolls that you have found useful?