ADR Plan and question

[flashattakk]

This is our first trip and I have been stalking the boards for a year looking for tips. Finally decided to post the ADRs I got and ask a question as well. It will be Myself, DW, DS(5), DS(2), and MIL. Staying at the Poly in October. Both kids are used to full days at theme parks such as Kings Island and can rest during meals and/or stroller nap. We will still try and head back to the hotel on our MK, Epcot or park hop days. We are on the deluxe dining plan.

Day 1: Flight in at 11:45am - will spend some time in MK
Dinner: Kona 5:10pm

Day 2: HS
B: Hollywood & Vine 8:05 am
L: 50s Primetime 11:25 am
D: Brown Derby(Fantasmic Pkg) 4:00 pm

Day 3: MK and MNSSHP
B: Crystal Palace 8:15 am
L: Whispering Canyon 1:30pm
D: QS

Day 4: AK/ Pirates and Pals fireworks cruise
B: Tusker House 8:05 am
L: Yak & Yeti 1:00 pm
D: Boma 5:20 pm

Day 5: Water park/Downtown Disney
B: Chef Mickeys 7:50 am
L: Beaches & Cream 2:00 pm
D: T-Rex 6:00 pm

Day 6: Epcot
B: Akershus 8:00 am
L: Biergarten 12:45 pm
D: Coral Reef 6:30 pm

Day 7: MK then Epcot
B: CRT 8:10 am
L: BOG 12:15 pm
D: Garden Grill 6:30 pm

Day 8 AK/flight home at 6:30pm
B: O'hana 7:45 am
L: Unscheduled

I know its a lot of sit down meals but my kids really expect 3 meals a day and hopefully us adults can pace ourselves properly.

Now the question. Should I consider changing from Kona on the arrival day to the Spirit of Aloha show? Right now I have 1 extra credit(if I pay OOP for QS meals) and 1(beaches and cream) I wouldn't mind paying out of pocket for, so I have some wiggle room for any other suggestions.

Thanks

 

[aaarcher86]

I wouldn't. I'd leave it and just relax.

I honestly think you're already doing a ton. We love the DXDP but we do a QS lunch. Do you guys usually eat big meals every 4 hours? Have you taken into account travel time?

Just on your first day you've only given yourself about 2 hours between meals to do things with breakfast and lunch.

 

[Pumbaa_]

I have a personal policy, no non-refundable ADRs on arrival day. Too many things can go wrong. My last flight, scheduled to arriveat 10:30 am was cancelled and we got in at 4pm. Does not happen every day, but I do not want to lose $$ due to late arrivals

So for me, have Spirit of Aloha show on arrival day is too pricey to risk not getting there in time

Personally, for a first trip, you are spending a lot of time in restaurants. Figure min of 60-90 minutes for each, plus waiting time

The mornings (for us) are hte best touring time. Low lines, less heat, I would not want to spend that time at a TS breakfast.

Your day 2 meals are very close together. Esp a buffet for breakfast, i would not schedule a second meal until at least 1 or 2

YMMV, but you may want to have a backup plan after the first day or 2. Maybe throw some signature dinners in there and do more CS bfasts?

Good luck and I hope you have a magical trip!

 

[Lucius Best]

I've seen some other threads recently, numerous people complaining that they can't get ADRs at the times/restaurants they are looking for. But I think I discovered the reason, you got them all!

Agree with previous posters, you have a ton of meals planned, that's a lot of time waiting/eating/traveling, which takes away from time in parks and on rides.

 

[Capang]

On our first trip we found out how much food really is involved in table service. It is not the same as popping into a restaurant at kings island or cedar point. The meals take forever and it is a HUGE amount of food. The QS meals are plenty to eat and you can still sit down and eat at a table. Also, depending on the heat (even though it will be October, you never know) you may not want to eat a large amount of food. Day 5 is going to be difficult logistically. Getting from a water park to chef Mickey to beaches and cream and over to T. rex. will be a tricky. Transportation can take forever.

I'd compnsider moving spirit of aloha just in case.

 

[supersnoop]

I think all your dinners are too early. They seem to be only four hours after your lunch reservation. Since lunch could take an hour and a half, you're going to be sitting down to dinner just two and a half hours after finishing your lunch dessert. I think you'll come back after your trip saying it was way too much food.

 

[flashattakk]

I didn't really like day 2's plan much myself because it was hard to fit a lunch in there before the early dinner so I may cancel that and just snack between breakfast and dinner. How much time would you allow to get from Jiko to the contemporary for the pirates and pals cruise? That's one of the signature restaurants that intrigues me the most.

 

[Tonberry]

It looks pretty good to me.
I would change your Kona reservation on your first day to a little bit later. 7:30 maybe. If your flight is arriving at 11:45 and you get to the Poly at 1:00 for example, check in, head to the MK for 1:30, then you only have a little over 3 hours before leaving and going off to dinner at 5:10.
I also never assume that flights arrive on time. And it being your first time, you'll need a little extra time to get where you need to. MCO is big and can be confusing if you have never been.

Pick up a snack at the MK and it will tide you over until dinner.

 

[mom2AidanAndEli]

You've got lots of great places planned there. Hope you can fit a few rides in, in between the meals!

But seriously, you are going to be spending most of your days getting to ADRs, waiting for a table, sitting through the meal, traveling back to a park. Only to turn around and do it all over again! Even if you're used to three meals a day, they're not meals like you'll be getting here!

If you do add a break/nap time in on certain days, you're really going to have very, very little park time!

 

[OhThePain]

I think Disney should forbid first time visitors from using the DxDP. DxDP really works best for those who plan on eating a Signature meal each day. Sure, it looks like you have things spaced out nicely, but once you factor in waiting for a table and the general length of each meal, in some cases you are giving yourself 90 minutes from the end of one meal until you have to start heading to your next meal.

For example, by the time you are done at Akershus on day 6, it's going to be roughly 9:30 (if all goes smoothly). That gives you just enough time to get into FW, ride 2, maybe 3 things depending on your FP+, before you have to head back into the WS for your 12:45 ADR (not to mention that one is AYCTE family style and the other is a buffet). I'm a big guy that can eat and I can't even handle that.

I would suggest dropping down to the DDP if you want to use a plan. Space your meals out and enjoy the parks (there is more to WDW than just food). Also, with F&W at EC while you are there, you might want to spend some time grazing around the WS, which will be really tough to do given your current schedule.

 

[Jadyreen1282]

That's a ton of food. We tried three TS a day once. We were stuffed and our meals took up way too much Park time. The deluxe plan is definitely for eaters.

 

[Pumbaa_]

DXDP can work well with lots of Signature dining and dinner shows thrown in (2 credit meals). 3 is tough and really does suck up time

OP, try this - go out one day this weekend, and start with a TS bfast, then go to your favorite chain 4 hours from start of bfast. Order an app, entree and dessert for each person. Repeat 4 hours later for dinner. That will be your vacation I couldn't hang

 

[senadler]

We did the deluxe plan on our first few trips, but we never did more than two table service meals a day. We either mixed in a 2 credit meal, or did a counter service meal. Most of our days we would have a quick snack in the morning, followed by lunch in the park and a dinner show or signature meal. Other days we would do a character breakfast, have something QS for lunch, then a TS dinner. We also schedule dinner closer to 7 PM. I think most of your meals are way to close together, and if you are only planning one 2 credit meal (CRT) I'm not sure the deluxe plan makes a lot of sense for you.

 

[mom2travel]

I'm with everyone else - too many TS meals. We usually aim for just 1. On some days, we may do 2, but a breakfast and a dinner. Our kids enjoy snacking instead of full meals - more fun stuff to try

Keep in mind that you may or may not be seated at the exact time of your ADR. And even if you are, you still need to order and wait for your food. We always budget 60-90 minutes for meals, depending on type and whether or not there's characters.

Day 2 and day 6, and even day 7 jump out to me the most. On day 2, I'd cancel lunch. On day 6, I'd either cancel lunch, or push both lunch and dinner back (but only if these are must-dos for you).

 

[Vernie822]

I agree.. way too many meals for us. At least for my liking, the portions are large and I feel like 1 TS meal, 2 tops, per day is good with me. You could always do a breakfast for 1 TS and a signature dinner for 2 TS. Or, you could do the regular dining plan and pay out of pocket for a couple of extra meals that are TS.

 

[Vernie822]

Keep in mind that you may or may not be seated at the exact time of your ADR. And even if you are, you still need to order and wait for your food. We always budget 60-90 minutes for meals, depending on type and whether or not there's characters.

Just wanted to echo this. We've had meals (and I'm sure everyone has) where you arrive 15-20 minutes prior to your ADR, wait to get seated, and by the time you're out, it's 90 minutes. Raglan Road took us 2 HOURS last year from sit down to getting the check.

 

[mom2cgj]

We do the DxDDP and enjoy it (and yes, I've done the math and for us it breaks even or we come out a little ahead - enough to make it worthwhile). But we usually do a TS breakfast, QS lunch or just snacks, and a TS dinner. Some of those are 2 credit meals (CRT, HDDR). We are 3 meal a day people, too, but we could not eat 3 TS meals in one day. The only exception is on our DHS day. We aren't fans of any of the QS, so we sometimes schedule 3 TS there, but not always.

 

[Hopefully]

I agree with the PPs. Your meals are way too close together. And I agree you are going to be spending most of your days traveling to a meal (WDW is huge - I think it is 47 square miles), waiting to be seated for meals, eating big meals, most TS meals take 60 - 90 minutes, not counting wait times. Then shortly thereafter you start the whole process over again. You will quickly tire of this routine.
I suggest one of 2 things. Schedule either an early breakfast OR lunch TS and a Signature dinner, or change to the regular DDP with 1 TS, 1 QS and 1 Snack/person/night. I totally get wanting to do it all and wanting to experience the DxDDP. I desperately wanted to do that on our first trip. I am SO GLAD I did not.
WE are not commando tourers by any stretch of the imagination. We usually do a light breakfast in the room - early enough to be at the park for rope drop, a mid day QS lunch, often followed by a break for a swim or a nap in the room and a nice TS dinner in the evening. This gives us the prime morning touring hours before crowds build in the AM, a nice break in the middle of the day if we need it, and a relaxing sit down dinner.
I hope you will rethink your plan
Good Luck

 

[flashattakk]

Ok, looking at this it's not unexpected. I was thinking the same things which is why I posted to kind of confirm before making too many changes. Already looking at canceling lunch on day 2. Day 4 switched Boma for Jiko, wasn't available when first planned. Day 6 really want Biergarten so may push it back and cancel dinner also could do Kona breakfast at 7:30 and try and push dinner back a little. And most likely canceling lunch day 5, really wanted to fit that in but just don't think it works.

I am trying to keep the breakfasts as TS because my kids generally eat better sitting in a restaurant and not out and about. And think most are early enough to not interfere with optimal park time.

Thanks for all the input. Any other recommendations very welcome.

 

[cjsquared]

The first time we did the DxDP I tried three meals a day. After the first two days I had to call and rearrange all of our meals, changing it to a character breakfast in the mornings and 2TS dinners. We spent so much time going from ADR to ADR that we didn't get a chance to enjoy the parks. Also, keep in mind that with the deluxe plan you also get 2 snacks/night, those snacks can easily sub a meal. Spread the meals out. Four hours in between seems like enough time, but you will spend about 1 to 1/2 hours at each meal. Time goes fast when you're having fun, next thing you know, it'll be time for the next ADR.

To answer you question, I wouldn't schedule an ADR on arrival day, way too many unknowns. The one and only time that I did, I was sweating bullets trying to get to Le Cellier for dinner, and that was with an early morning arrival. Lesson learned! We usually go to DTD on arrival days, TREX or any of the restaurants that allow you to walk up.