When the family and I went to Disney World the first couple times (in the early 90s) I made a few dining reservations. I don't think there was a dining plan (if there was I never read about it). We got a character meal with our vacation package though, and we definitely made reservations for those. First trip was the Crystal Palace. The second year we had breakfast at Hollywood & Vine. The characters were from Hunchback ((my favorite movie)) and Pocahontas). We had a fantastic time. We also ate at the Sci Fi Dine Inn, Chef Mickey's and San Angel Inn. I must have made reservations for those as well.
For my trip with DD in 2010, I was all about the ADRs. I even changed my mind a couple times. I checked the every day we were there for a chance for breakfast at 1900 Park Fare (without luck). But even then I didn't do the reserving. We went with my brother who is a DVC member, so we just told him what we were hoping for and he let us know what we got. We had thad some fantastic food. We ate at CRT, Tutto Italia, Sanaa, San Angel Inn, and Le Cellier. I keep thinking of making a Better Late Than Never dining report about that trip. Reading everyone else's really makes me want to relive mine.
This year, it is up to me to make the reservations. We looked at menus, talked about our favorites and planned our hopefuls for the week. Since we're going with the company, and we don't have any kind of number to associate with our stay, I didn't get the ten extra days of the 180+ten. I had to call as each day of our stay reached the 180 day mark.
It wasn't bad though. I'm up early anyway, so I just logged on and checked the boxes. We've ended up with a great schedule, and I still have plenty of time to change or find "better" times.
The first couple days I didn't even try for any spots. On the Thursday that we arrive, we don't really want to be tied in to a reservation. On the Friday, Dx will be at work all day and evening, and since it was just DD and I, I thought we should save good dinners for when we could all be together. (I changed my mind about this later, but that's what I was thinking at the beginning).
180 days before the Saturday we were there I logged on. We had decided to always try for Le Cellier first (not that it's the best but it's the trickiest to get). I was shocked to see a reservation come right up for 2pm. I was thrilled. Woohoo, lucky me, all that. And then I realized that the date had reverted to that day's date, and early as it was, I knew I couldn't make it to Orlando by 2pm. I changed to the correct date in December, and nothing was available. Oh well, it was only the first day.
Our second choice was for 50s Prime Time Cafe. It's early magic hours at HS that day. I know not everyone is a xmh kind of person, but we dig them. So we plan to show up early, get those pesky high demand rides ridden as much as possible, and then slow down to enjoy the rest of the day. We'll have lunch at 1:25. None of us has eaten there before. We hope it will be fun. I dig the vintage surroundings and it's just Dx's type of food, so I expect we'll like it.
The next morning I was making reservations for the Sunday of our trip. Checked for Le Cellier first, no such luck. That morning we will be heading to EPCOT. I got us lunch reservations at San Angel Inn. We've eaten there every trip and we all have very fond memories. Dx will miss the old boat ride for sure. He remembers it fondly as lovely and relaxing, neither of which are true any longer.
I found a 7:10 time for dinner at the Sci Fi Dine Inn. We all ate there in the early 90s and thought it was fun, if not super tasty. We didn't go last time, and both Dx and Dd are into it so we made the reservations. The question is will we really want a big dinner at 7 after we just had one at 1? I don't know, but HS is open till 11 that night so we'll be in that park anyway. Again, we'll have to wait and see. I like the 7:10 time though. My birthday is July 10, so 7:10 is my favorite number (it's also the time we make it to our home airport at the end of our trip).
Morning again and I'm making plans for our Monday. No luck at Le Cellier, but I got the earliest Tusker House I could get at 8:05. Dx and DD are big breakfast lovers and Dx really liked the menu. It would be a great time - except that's AK's early magic hours day. We'd miss the magic hour and leave breakfast just in time to colide with the crowd. So I don't know. I might try to do it earlier or might just decide no tot do it.
I also made late lunch reservations in the Magic Kingdom for a 4:20 at Liberty Tree Tavern. None of us have eaten there before and I'm kind of excited. I think the salad and the pasta look terrific and Dx sees several things he likes.
I continued to check for available lunch spots at Le Cellier through the week. We all decided we'd take whatever we could get so I kept trying.
Now since we booked our own AoA room, we did have the 180+ten for that stay. Since it is the end of our trip though, it was only 180+1. I thought maybe that would give me a leg up for the reservations. I logged on ready to make plans for the Tuesday and Wednesday of our trip. I was hopeful, but still, no such luck.
After failing again at LC, I decided to add an extra meal at San Angel Inn. Just in case. We love it and we're planning to be at EPCOT that afternoon so I did it. It was a lunch reservation at 1:10.
We had spots at all the other places we wanted to try, so I left Wednesday and Thursday free of ADRs, keeping in mind we could find others later if we really wanted to.
About a week after that I was talking with a friend who is a Disney Vacation Planner. She said she thought Disney was holding some of those reservations for something or other, and that she'd let me know when they were released so I could try again. Shockingly, I was reading the disboards right here when her text came. I logged right on to Disney.
I really wanted to eat at LC on Wednesday, but that day was full. I tried Tuesday and what do you know? There was a spot at 2:05. Perfect! Or close enough. When I took it, the helpful online reservation system reminded me I already had reservations at San Angel Inn, but then was nice enough to cancel them for me. I gave them my info and we are all set.
A few days later I was thinking about the day DD and I will be on our own in the parks while Dx has his work stuff. We both love Indian food, and seriously enjoyed Sanaa on the last night of our last trip. It occurred to me it would be the perfect night for just the two of us to head out to Kidani Villas for dinner at Sanaa. We have reservations at 7:05.
And so that's it. I think. You know how these things are. I'm sure I'll feel the need to add or change something in the next 5 months. Especially if it turns out we are able to add dining at some point. Then I expect there will be a mad shuffle to add a few more reservations.
But so far, so good, don't you think?