Advice for planning ADRs

[jgenie]

We're planning a trip for late January and considering booking a package with dining. I am clueless about making ADRs and which restaurants we should try to get reservations for. Anyone willing to give me advice?

I think we would like to try Chef Mickey's and Crystal Palace for breakfast. Can anyone offer strategy on the best time and day to try for. Should we try to book Crystal Palace for an early time slot on a day that MK has EMH or a day they do not have EMH? If we try for Chef Mickey's what time would we have to make the reservation if we want to be in the parks for rope drop and will be staying at AOA?

Are there buses that travel between park hotels or will we need to take a taxi if we won't have a car?

TIA

 

[Indians24]

Whether you go on EMH days really depends on how much use you'd get out of the extra hours. If they're morning ones, it's only an hour and so you should be there as soon as they start. The duration of the evening ones range a lot. When the parks first close there will still be a decent amount of people there, but as the night goes on the crowds get a lot lighter. If you don't think you'd take much advantage of the EMH, don't go. The crowds will be higher during the day because of them.

With regard to transportation, it is provided between hotels and parks. Buses do not run between resorts, nor do they run between parks (however,the monorail runs from epcot to the ticket and transportation center, and then connects to the magic kingdom, so it's easy to get between these two). I've never been to Chef Mickey's so you'll want to check with other people, but I'd imagine 1 1/2 hours is roughly how long you'd be there. You can actually walk from the contemporary hotel to the magic kingdom. the path only takes about ten minutes.

It's really very hard to recommend ADR's for someone you don't know. I don't know your budget or food preferences, but some of my must-do's are Jiko (dinner), Boma (i love the breakfast buffet, but they do have dinner too), Kona Cafe (always eat there for breakfast), and 'Ohana (family style/all you can eat; they do breakfast and dinner but I've only been to dinner).

I'd recommend making ADR's for most of your meals, because many restaurants will be reserved waay in advance.

 

[jodywgirl]

We have done both chef mickeys and crystal palace breakfasts. I think crystal palace is better but if you want to see Mickey it is a great way.I would do it not on a emh morning. We like to get reservations before park opens so u can get castle pictures without the crowds.
If you are thinking January you would need to try to get ADR's right away. Some of our other favorites are Ohana dinner, Teppan Edo, Le Cellier Lunch, Mamma Melrose