I think I'm driving myself insane!!!!!!

[mommy2paisley]

We are going to Disney end of Nov./first of Dec. and we'll be there eight days (two days at each park). Some days we'll want to start early/stop early, some we'll want to start late/stop late, others we'll want to start early/rest a long time during the day/stop late.....but we really don't know what days we'll feel like doing what!!! LOL And it's driving me BONKERS!!!!


Our last two trips, DD was 3.5 and then almost 5. If it were just the three of us again, it wouldn't be a big deal. BUT DS will be with us and he'll be 15 months old. I am just not sure what his schedule will be, though we're totally not schedule people. I mean, if he ends up an early riser, we'd be better off planning our days similar to that, right? And if he's not and enjoys sleeping in, we'd be better to plan later days. But I won't know in enough time to do good ressies!!!!

I will be able to make ressies in May and I'm seriously driving myself insane trying to decide what to do! I've got the days listed and am continuously changing our plans!!!! If only I could book two breakfasts, two lunches, two dinners each day and decide which time! LOL

And though we're not huge, huge eaters, we like most days to have sit-down meals three times. To us, it's just relaxing and a nice break from the day.

Anyone else having a hard time deciding on when the right times would be for meals??? Or am I the only overthinker on here? Surely not!!!!!

 

[DW2010]

I'm going through the same thing but only because I feel we have too many reservations. I'm having a hard time eliminating certain ones due to hype like 'Ohana and Le Cellier but that's $200 that could be spent better. I think we'd equally enjoy Earl of Sandwich in downtown Disney to be honest. We did eat at 'Ohana in 2010 and loved it but I'm not sure I want to shell out $100+ for it.

 

[Childs1stTime2Disney]

Tell me about it! I can sooo relate.

It's our first trip with DD (age 3.5). And we haven't been there in 10 years on top of that.

I have been going through this since JANUARY, since I booked. We are leaving in less than 3 weeks! I have made probably over 50 ressies that I have cancelled, booked, rebooked, cancelled, etc. I want to plan it all right but not sure how things will go!! And now when you finally think you have it down right, ressies are all gone.

It's so hard to plan, never knowing how things will go. I also have 2 sit downs a day planned. Not sure how much time that will take but I want to enjoy nice restaurants and have alot of character/entertaining meals booked, since I think that's a big part of going to WDW besides attractions and rides.

I have BAGS under my eyes from staying up late and rethinking all of this, searching for ressies, etc. I can't help it!!! It's such a huge trip and I am so looking forward to it that I want to plan it all the right way. B/c I truly believe w/o planning, you can waste just way too much time.

You are not alone!

 

[mommy2paisley]

I'm going through the same thing but only because I feel we have too many reservations. I'm having a hard time eliminating certain ones due to hype like 'Ohana and Le Cellier but that's $200 that could be spent better. I think we'd equally enjoy Earl of Sandwich in downtown Disney to be honest. We did eat at 'Ohana in 2010 and loved it but I'm not sure I want to shell out $100+ for it.

We always do the deluxe dining plan so I want to get all those reservations! LOL I'm sure we could save money not doing it, but we like to go and not think about money for things like eating. It's what makes it more stress-free for DH and myself! LOL I'm sure that sounds silly to most, but it's how we enjoy ourselves and a piece what we all look forward to.....family time at all the fun experiences around the World!!!!!

Now, I haven't done O'hana's dinner (the character breakfast was great!!!!!) but Le Cellier is one place DH and I really liked!!!! We just happened upon it Oct. '10 trip and got in with no ressies. It will be one DH will request each trip now! Can't wait to go back!!!! And DD LOVED the dessert they fixed for her!!!!!!

 

[mommyof3princess27]

I have been doing the same thing! I am planning an 8 day DxDP trip with 11 of us (3 being my DD's 13,8,4) I have the following places planned

WCC
T-Rex
Tusker House breakfast
RFC
Supercalifragilistic breakfast @ 1900 PF
Cape May Cafe Clam Bake dinner
O'hana breakfast
Chef Mickeys breakfast
Crystal Palace breakfast
Via Napoli
GF Cafe
Sci-Fi
50's Prime Time
Be Our Guest (if opened)
Princess Breakfast @ Akershus

I just have one or two more places to decide to eat. The funny thing is, when we go to Disney, even the adults LOVE the Character meals and the fun restuarants. I know we could better use the DxDP to do signature restuarants BUT thats not for us! I will be over the moon thrilled if we can have all of these ADR's. I have been writing 2 times next to them on a lilst. My WANT time and my alternate. Like for Crystal Palace, I would love to have 8:05 but if we cant, we will do a 10am that way we dont miss rope drop.

I also planned hard to get ADR's like O;Hana for later in my trip that way I have a better chance of getting them

 

[CuteAsMinnie]

Ahhh it is so easy for us to drive ourselves insane with out thoughts, isn't it.

Our DD and DS are teenagers and we have bring them to WDW since they were 2 1/2. Our experience has shown that we had a more magical time if we just chilled, be incredibly flexible and go along with their schedule, whatever that may be. If the little ones are tired and cranky and really need a rest (or we need one too!) the best laid plans all of a sudden are flying. out the window. Especially with DS, who was and still is always moving it was more relaxing for us to roam around the park or hang by the pool instead of having him and DD sit for a TS meal multiple times. It just didn't become relaxing for us until recently.

All that being said, perhaps you may consider this approach and only book a few special ADRs that you can plan for at a time when you are pretty darn sure your kids will be rested and happy. Perhaps a character breakfast in the morning or something in the early evening after a nap/rest.

Good luck and try not to stress too much. I found flexibility is really the key to traveling with small children... actually children of any age!

 

[mbrain101]

Same here! Our DS will be 22 months when we go in May and I am going nuts reading reviews and decided what ADR to make, etc. There are days we'd love to just play it by ear and just hang out at Downtown Disney or something, but I also don't want to spend our time waiting an hour to get in a restaurant if at all.

I did do an ADR for breakfast at Ohana on a non-park day as well as an early lunch at the Tusker for our Animal Kingdom day. I am leaving lunches open in case we have to get a long nap in and just grab a snack from quick service, but dinners are what I'm having a hard time narrowing down. We'd like at least a couple nice, sit down dinners we'd all enjoy. I saw T-Rex is booked solid when we are there, I'm not a fan of Rainforest Cafe's food, but DS would love the atmosphere I'm sure. Mommy and Dad would like at least ONE meal that is about the food more than the atmosphere though. I'm sure I'll be online the next 6 weeks changing my mind 50 times a day!

Good luck!

 

[ashg8r]

I'm in a very similar situation- one DD will be almost 4, the other, 16 months. I was planning to do DxDP, but decided we'd probably save money doing OOP and TIW. That way, if we completely change our schedule around b/c of DD We won't worry about losing credits. I figure I'll make ADRs for how I think she'll be, then can make changes as we get closer, but at least I'll have the most important ones (early dinner at CG on arrival night, and lunch at CRT on our last day, for example.)

 

[MBELSANTI]

I feel for you! We are only DS15 and I and WDW is all I can think of since I booked the plane tickets last month! I am pretty much driving myself bonkers as well! Going to WDW is a big investment of families funds and I totally get wanting to plan everything out to a T. I have made and cancelled more dining reservations than I can count...I think WDW came up with the online booking because of people like me calling and changing things every day! Plus, planning is part of the fun!!!

 

[Alicat3784]

I saw T-Rex is booked solid when we are there, I'm not a fan of Rainforest Cafe's food, but DS would love the atmosphere I'm sure.

I saw on another thread that if you call TRex directly they have available reservations, apparently they only give a small portion for Disney ADR. I don't have the phone number but if you search the threads I've seen it in multiple spots.