"ADR", or why didn't I just book our trip 7 months out?

[nbs2]

As you can see to the left of this post, I'm clearly pretty new to this whole Disney thing. I went to WDW twice when I was a kid and DL/CA for a day while I was in college. But, now that I have kids of my own, I figured it was time to start planning a "magical vacation." Coupled with some potty training struggles, a reward trip seemed to be the best idea. Well, the struggles were overcome, and now we're heading down. At first, I was going to try and book our trip around a CRT reservation that I made over the phone. Then I noticed an incredible price if we went down the week after Thanksgiving, since we hit Value rates and Free DDP (2 adults, 1 child, 1 plate eater). Of course, we couldn't resist the deal and plan on making future trips, so we jumped on it and are staying at CS. However, our dining options are pretty limited. Still, I have hope things will work. I'm making calls everyday, so if a CRT shows up, I'll bail on Sunday dinner and one of the MK meals.

What I seek from you, the wise and experienced folks at DIS, is some sort of confirmation that I've done things right. Suggestions, questions, compliments, and thoughts about how I'm a rambling idiot that doesn't know what he is doing are all appreciated. If you think we should rearrange our park schedule, reservations, anything - let me know.

Sun (HS) -
B: On the road as we finish our drive down
L: Fairfax Fare or Pepper Mill (QS)
D: Boma @ 1930 or Ohana @ 2135 (TS)
Notes: I know that Ohana is a really late reservation, and will probably be all adults, but I'm not sure how the kids will be after 16 hours of driving over 2 days - they may end up tired enough that we'll go back to the hotel after some time in the park and they'll nap, making a late reservation worthwhile.

Mon (MK) -
B: Milk/Cereal (bought, along with some snacks, on the way in on Sunday) - same each day of the week
L: Pecos Bill or Cosmic Ray's (QS) - split one
D: Crystal Palace @ 1525 (TS)
Notes: I figure splitting one meal from a solid QS place will be enough to get us to the CP meal. If we get the munchies later in the day, another QS could be split easy enough. If we don't do CP, I have a Ohana reservation for 2145(!). Same concerns for this Ohana as the night before. Also, I'm sad there are no earlier openings.

Tues (E) -
L: Yorkshire (QS)
D: Biergarten @ 1630 or Akershus @ 1850
Notes: It all comes down to convincing the missus that Sommerfest for lunch would satisfy her Deutsch-roots well enough.

Wed (AK) -
L: Flame Tree (QS)
D: Tusker House @ 1620 or Boma @ 1640 (TS)
Notes: I'm not sure which to do. I'm leaning towards TH, only because we may have eaten at Boma already. But, if the kids were too tired for Boma on Sun, I'm not sure which is better.

Thurs (MK) -
L: Crystal Palace @ 1410 (TS) or Pecos Bill/Cosmic Ray's (QS)
D: Pecos Bill/Cosmic Ray's (QS) or Kona Cafe @ 1925 (TS)
Notes: I really have no imagination on the QS, do I? Nevertheless, the CP reservation is there because I don't know how good it is. If it is really good, then we'll go again. Otherwise, to the Kona Cafe we will go.

Fri (E) -
L: Sunshine Seasons (QS)
D: Akershus @ 1705 (TS)
Notes: I originally had Akershus scheduled for both of out E days, but the missus wanted a day to celebrate her German heritage. If I can convince her to shift to Sommerfest...

Sat (?) -
L: Wherever we go, if have a QS left, we'll eat and then head out to make the long drive back up to MD.
D: On the road

Snacks I would like to use to get chocolates and fudges and suches.

Am I doing this right?

 

[maddiesmom0116]

As you can see to the left of this post, I'm clearly pretty new to this whole Disney thing. I went to WDW twice when I was a kid and DL/CA for a day while I was in college. But, now that I have kids of my own, I figured it was time to start planning a "magical vacation." Coupled with some potty training struggles, a reward trip seemed to be the best idea. Well, the struggles were overcome, and now we're heading down. At first, I was going to try and book our trip around a CRT reservation that I made over the phone. Then I noticed an incredible price if we went down the week after Thanksgiving, since we hit Value rates and Free DDP (2 adults, 1 child, 1 plate eater). Of course, we couldn't resist the deal and plan on making future trips, so we jumped on it and are staying at CS. However, our dining options are pretty limited. Still, I have hope things will work. I'm making calls everyday, so if a CRT shows up, I'll bail on Sunday dinner and one of the MK meals.

What I seek from you, the wise and experienced folks at DIS, is some sort of confirmation that I've done things right. Suggestions, questions, compliments, and thoughts about how I'm a rambling idiot that doesn't know what he is doing are all appreciated. If you think we should rearrange our park schedule, reservations, anything - let me know.

Sun (HS) -
B: On the road as we finish our drive down
L: Fairfax Fare or Pepper Mill (QS)
D: Boma @ 1930 or Ohana @ 2135 (TS)
Notes: I know that Ohana is a really late reservation, and will probably be all adults, but I'm not sure how the kids will be after 16 hours of driving over 2 days - they may end up tired enough that we'll go back to the hotel after some time in the park and they'll nap, making a late reservation worthwhile.
it depends how late you kids normally stay up, I would be hard pressed to get myDD6 to start a meal at almost 10pm by the time you are seated and drinks. I love Ohana, but I would keep trying for a earlier ADR.

Mon (MK) -
B: Milk/Cereal (bought, along with some snacks, on the way in on Sunday) - same each day of the week
L: Pecos Bill or Cosmic Ray's (QS) - split one
You can easily feed 2 people on a meal at cosmic rays
D: Crystal Palace @ 1525 (TS)The kids will love this one
Notes: I figure splitting one meal from a solid QS place will be enough to get us to the CP meal. If we get the munchies later in the day, another QS could be split easy enough. If we don't do CP, I have a Ohana reservation for 2145(!). Same concerns for this Ohana as the night before. Also, I'm sad there are no earlier openings.

Tues (E) -
L: Yorkshire (QS)
D: Biergarten @ 1630 or Akershus @ 1850If your older child is a girl, Akerhaus would be my choice, interesting food, but the princesses cannot be beat, the dessert is good too.
Notes: It all comes down to convincing the missus that Sommerfest for lunch would satisfy her Deutsch-roots well enough.

Wed (AK) -
L: Flame Tree (QS)
D: Tusker House @ 1620 or Boma @ 1640 (TS)
Notes: I'm not sure which to do. I'm leaning towards TH, only because we may have eaten at Boma already. But, if the kids were too tired for Boma on Sun, I'm not sure which is better.

Thurs (MK) -
L: Crystal Palace @ 1410 (TS) or Pecos Bill/Cosmic Ray's (QS)
D: Pecos Bill/Cosmic Ray's (QS) or Kona Cafe @ 1925 (TS)I like CP and we do this every trip, but twice is a little much, the food is not what you will get at Kona. I try and split the ADRs, one character meal= a nice meal for adults, that way you are not eating the same buffet food over and over again
Notes: I really have no imagination on the QS, do I? Nevertheless, the CP reservation is there because I don't know how good it is. If it is really good, then we'll go again. Otherwise, to the Kona Cafe we will go.

Fri (E) -
L: Sunshine Seasons (QS)
D: Akershus @ 1705 (TS)
Notes: I originally had Akershus scheduled for both of out E days, but the missus wanted a day to celebrate her German heritage. If I can convince her to shift to Sommerfest...

Sat (?) -
L: Wherever we go, if have a QS left, we'll eat and then head out to make the long drive back up to MD.
D: On the road

Snacks I would like to use to get chocolates and fudges and suches.

Am I doing this right?

Have you tried to get Chef Mickeys or Tusker Hause breakfast? the kids will love either of those meals, or even Garden Grill at Epcot.

Remember, no matter what you chose, you will have so much fun watching your kids on their first trip.

 

[nbs2]

Have you tried to get Chef Mickeys or Tusker Hause breakfast? the kids will love either of those meals, or even Garden Grill at Epcot.

Remember, no matter what you chose, you will have so much fun watching your kids on their first trip.

It's good to know about the 30 spread between reservation time and actual meal. I had thought that it would be 5-10 minutes, at worst. The kids normally go to sleep late - the infant keeps infant schedules and the older (yes, a girl) one goes to bed between 8:30 and 9, only to play in her bed until close to 11. But, not eating until 10 suggests that we won't get back to the hotel until 11:30.

I hadn't really looked at the breakfasts - it was 16 years ago, but I remember the mornings being the easiest time for rides. Is that not the case anymore?

 

[maddiesmom0116]

It's good to know about the 30 spread between reservation time and actual meal. I had thought that it would be 5-10 minutes, at worst. The kids normally go to sleep late - the infant keeps infant schedules and the older (yes, a girl) one goes to bed between 8:30 and 9, only to play in her bed until close to 11. But, not eating until 10 suggests that we won't get back to the hotel until 11:30.

I hadn't really looked at the breakfasts - it was 16 years ago, but I remember the mornings being the easiest time for rides. Is that not the case anymore?

Unfortunately I have had many occasions of waiting 30 minutes after my ADR time, but they strive for no more than 15 minutes after ADR time. Ohana is one I have had some issues both for dinner and breakfast. Even at 15 minutes, you then have the time to be seated and drinks etc... and that can stretch to 25 minutes after expected. In Ohana's defense, it is an atmosphere rich restaurant and the food is great.

As far as the mornings, it can be a great time to ride rides, but many times you can snag a ADR for before the park opens. Hollywood studios has the playhouse disney meal where you have Handy Manny, JoJo, and the Little Einsteins, it sounds like your kids may be in the perfect age range for that one.

 

[nbs2]

Unfortunately I have had many occasions of waiting 30 minutes after my ADR time, but they strive for no more than 15 minutes after ADR time. Ohana is one I have had some issues both for dinner and breakfast. Even at 15 minutes, you then have the time to be seated and drinks etc... and that can stretch to 25 minutes after expected. In Ohana's defense, it is an atmosphere rich restaurant and the food is great.

As far as the mornings, it can be a great time to ride rides, but many times you can snag a ADR for before the park opens. Hollywood studios has the playhouse disney meal where you have Handy Manny, JoJo, and the Little Einsteins, it sounds like your kids may be in the perfect age range for that one.

We're looking for a pre-opening ADR, but nothing is available anywhere we look. Very sad.

It's good to know about the timings on how long it take to get eating after the ADR time. It makes some of our other bookings a little more tenuous (Boma at 7:30, maybe we don't get out until 9:30, which is kind of late).

The most frustrating are the directed mailings. The previous owner of our house just got one, which offers free dining for the dates that we originally wanted (and at during F&W). I made the mistake of checking with dining while I waited for our TA to get back to me, and made lots of very nice reservations. She hasn't called back yet, but a call to Disney discovered we get no love. Now I'm sad.