Dining strategies at Disney World

As every foodie knows, it takes luck, persistence or a very famous name to get a reservation at one of the world's gourmet meccas, places such as The French Laundry in California, The Fat Duck in Britain, El Bulli in Spain.

But they're all a piece of cake compared to snagging a seat at Cinderella's Royal Table at Disney World. For a coveted spot at this Magic Kingdom hot spot, you have to reserve exactly 180 days in advance and, according to one of the many guidebooks devoted to the topic, it's a good idea to synchronize your watch with the atomic clock in order to time your call within a second of when the operators are likely to pick up (for the record, 7 a.m. Eastern time).

And this is supposed to be a vacation?

On our family's recent Disney expedition, we didn't even try, having committed the apparently unforgivable error of booking only four months in advance. No matter, we reasoned. Our 4 1/2-year-old "princess" would never know what she was missing, and her brother, nearly 6, would have considered the whole thing a colossal waste of time anyway.

But just because we weren't going to dine with royalty didn't mean we didn't want to dine royally. So with the clock ticking, we (well, mostly me) set out to discover the best dining Disney had to offer. And in the end, for the most part, we ate very well. If Disney is in your future, here are some things we learned that might help smooth your way when it comes to eating. Avoiding the long lines at Soarin' and It's a Small World, another story altogether.

THE DINING PLAN

Guidebooks offer pages of advice on whether the dining plan is a good deal or not, but, since our early December trip was considered low season, the dining plan came free with our package (which included a one-bedroom villa at the Beach Club and daily theme park admission tickets).

Included in the plan: one snack, one counter service meal and one table service meal a day, per person. Seems simple enough, but, like everything at Disney, not necessarily so.

First hitch: Many of the World's top restaurants -- "Signature" in Disney speak -- count as two table service meals. And that includes room service, an indulgence at almost any hotel, but it still seemed steep. We were also docked two table service meals at the Coral Reef in Epcot because the only reservation available was one that came as part of a package that included "reserved" seats to the Candlelight Processional, a glorified high school Christmas pageant that's free and open to anyone in the park.

The plan is also not kind to the waistline -- all counter service and table service meals come with dessert. We'd have preferred to sub in an appetizer, but no dice -- for that, you pay, along with any kind of alcohol and tips. On the plus side, while some Disney dining critics knock the plan for requiring kids under 10 to choose from the child's menu, we found the kiddie offerings perfect for our two.

Should you be contemplating, the Disney website lists these prices for the 2011 dining plan, which is available only if you purchase a vacation package: $45.99 a day for adults, $11.99 for children 3-9 (prices are slightly higher during peak weeks). Plus, you can upgrade to a premium plan that has no restrictions on where you eat, and there's also a wine program.

TOP TABLES

Along with missing the character breakfasts, we were too late to the table to snag one at some of Disney's top-ranked restaurants. The California Grill atop the Contemporary hotel sounded sublime, but was booked four months out. Ditto, Le Cellier Steakhouse in Epcot (though I wasn't really looking forward to having to sing "Oh, Canada" for my supper, which guidebooks suggest is part of the festivities). We were locked out of Victoria & Albert's at the Grand Floridian from the get-go, since children younger than 10 aren't admitted.

Nevertheless, we had some fine meals, most notably at Jiko -- The Cooking Place, an African-themed restaurant in Animal Kingdom Lodge. Stunning and elegant, Jiko is the kind of place you'd never dream of taking your kids if you weren't at Disney. (Imagine the maitre d' at Per Se presenting your young ones with crayons and a coloring book.) The grown-ups feasted on beet and heirloom tomato salads, shrimp curry and pork loin (and a lovely sauvignon blanc from the extensive South African wine list), and the kids' steak and salmon plates were well above standard fare. Service was a little slow, forcing us to bag dessert (we'll live). The major downside to Jiko was the $30-plus cab ride from the Beach Club, a must, since the intricate Disney bus system would have probably taken an hour each way.

We totally enjoyed our dinner at Coral Reef, the Epcot fish house set against one side of the park's huge aquarium, where a giant sea turtle surveyed diners from the wet side of the glass. The kids were more taken with the belly dancers than the couscous at the Moroccan Marrakesh, and they declared the hummus substandard to their local fave.

Our last night, out of dining credits, we headed back to Epcot (a 10-minute walk from our hotel) for dinner at the La Hacienda de San Angel. With a vast expanse of windows overlooking the Epcot lake (a perfect place for late eaters to view the laser/fireworks show), it was probably the most beautiful of all the restaurants we ate in. The lime-raspberry and rose petal margaritas weren't bad, either, and the food was far more inventive than standard Tex-Mex. Dinner for two adults, two kids, with drinks and tip, totaled $130.

FAST-FOOD, DISNEY STYLE

Planning dinners four months in advance was one thing, but committing to lunch spots that early seemed beyond ridiculous. Like we were going to get out of line at Dumbo or the Mad Tea Party just to dash to a noon reservation somewhere. So we winged it for lunch, using our counter service credits to eat at whatever version of Disney fast food was closest.

We hit Pecos Bill Tall Tale Inn & Cafe in Frontierland, where the burger bar provided the ingredients to build an ample taco salad. Columbia Harbour House in Liberty Square offered passable clam chowder and not-so-great mac and cheese. At Animal Kingdom, the popular Flame Tree Barbecue served up an agreeable grilled chicken and baked beans. And Cosmic Ray's Starlight Cafe in Tomorrowland was a huge food court with stations providing burgers, sandwiches and wraps and chicken and ribs. The desserts that came with all these meals -- remember the dining plan -- were of the prepackaged cookie or chocolate pudding variety and generally not worth the calories.

SNACKING

The daily snack the dining plan allowed each of us could be anything from a bottle of water to a box of popcorn to a piece of fruit. Carts dispensing all of the above were easy to find just about anywhere.

But we ended up using most of our snack credits at the bustling Marketplace in our hotel, where hard-boiled eggs, yogurt parfaits, even hot entrees like French toast made for quick, easy breakfasts. We found a lot more snack/breakfast options at the sprawling Sunshine Seasons Food Fair in the Land Pavilion at Epcot, where we ate while waiting for our Fast Pass entry time for Soarin'. Next time we'll plan on getting there at lunch, in order to sample from tempting stations offering everything from deli sandwiches to sushi.

THE BIG SPREADS

We missed entirely any of the big buffets, like the Crystal Palace on Main Street, a beautiful Victorian spot that gets good reviews in lots of guidebooks and that always seemed crowded at lunchtime. But without a reservation (you've heard this before), we couldn't get in. We were even shut out of the breakfast buffet at the Cape May restaurant in our own hotel, because it's the location of one of the park's most popular character breakfasts -- which I must confess left me a tad indignant. But, as we learned, Disney's World, Disney's rules. Next time, we'll know.

READER PICKS

We asked Newsday readers who've recently vacationed at Disney World to recommend a spot for a great meal or snack for fellow readers. Here are some of the responses:

Whispering Canyon Cafe at Disney's Wilderness Lodge

SUBMITTED BY Jack Dooley, Massapequa Park

WHY You will laugh longer than you eat. The wait staff is purposely loud and rude -- but don't tell the kids so you can watch their reactions. Ask for ketchup and you'll get 15 bottles. Problem with your meal? The chef will come out and argue with the waiter in front of you.

Le Cellier at Epcot (Canada)

SUBMITTED BY Lisa and Steve Gardner, Farmingdale

WHY Filet mignon served with wild mushroom risotto and white truffle-herb butter sauce is the best. Starting this month (March), it now costs two service credits at dinner with Disney's meal plan -- but it's still worth it.

Spirit of Aloha Dinner Show at Disney's Polynesian Resort

SUBMITTED BY Barbara DeChiaro, Farmingdale

WHY It's my husband Ralph's favorite meal -- he enjoys the all-you-can-eat chicken and ribs, and the salad is excellent.

The California Grill at the Contemporary Resort

SUBMITTED BY Denise Ruszczyk, Bayside

WHY Great for celebrating a special occasion -- the food is delicious and the view is absolutely amazing. If you time your meal right you can see the fireworks over Cinderella's castle.

Aloha Isle at the Magic Kingdom

SUBMITTED BY Kerrie Ferrara, Shirley

WHY If you're looking for a snack idea -- the cafe's pineapple Dole Whip Float is pure heaven in a cup. Our next trip is months away and I'm already thinking about it.