What time to book an ADR on first night stay?

[Karlius]

Hi All

Arriving at Orlando MCO at approx 15:30 in late April and I currently have a reservation for 6:30pm in our Hotel AKL.

I am starting to panic that this may be a little late.

This is the first time I have stayed on property and have no idea how long the travel and check in will take. Flying BA and used their option for car rental through AVIS (I have never used this firm previously).

Any one with any experience and estimated check in would be fantastic.

 

[Jon84]

I would guess this could be a little tight.

After touchdown at 3:30, you could be on your way in the car in 45 mins (if you take your luggage on the tram and get through passport control quickly), but it could be anywhere up to 2 hours worst case to be on your way (if the stand isnt ready for the plane, you put luggage on the conveyor, passport control is lengthy, car rental queue is long, and you hit rush hour dead on).

There is at least one a Virgin Flight due within half hour of you, which could make it busier upon arrival depending on delays or early arrival.

Personally, I'd push that ressie back by an hour and a half to be sure.


P.S, How long are you staying for?, we may be around at the same time lol

 

[Karlius]

Thanks think you are right. May change the Venue from Sanaa to Boma too. It should mean for a quicker meal so I can shoot off to bed ready for an early start.

There for 2 weeks so should be there in your second week. Possible that Frozen Ever After will be open that week too.

 

[Bonesdodisney]

I wouldn't make a reservation for the night we arrive you can never guess how long it will take or if you'll get delayed. Also a sit down meal is the last thing I want to do, we normally grab a quick service and try and stay awake.

If you make reservations I would give yourself plenty of time just in case

 

[Jon84]

We don't mind a sit down meal the first night. We've got BOG the first night in May at 9pm.

Usually get a few hours sleep on the flight to try and get in a routine. Always shattered when we get back to the UK though!!

 

[Shazzie B]

It doesn't suit us to have a big meal our first night either, did it once, never again. We were too full to sleep and then awake at silly o'clock. We only have a light meal now and bed about 9pm, we're up early but use that to our advantage with am extra magic hours.

If you're on the DDP it also means you have an extra credit for a Dinner Show of Signature restaurant.

 

[wilma-bride]

Personally, with the new cancellation policy, I wouldn't make a reservation for arrival night. We are never hungry enough for more than a full snack anyway, always really tired after a day of travelling and you can't foresee what issues there could be to prevent you arriving on time.

If you absolutely have to have a dinner booked for your arrival, I would suggest that 7.30 or later (with a flight arrival time of 3.30) is more realistic.

 

[Minniesgal]

We never book an ADR the first night. We have gotten through immigrate in 15 minutes and have waited 3 hours it is too unpredictable. The 15:30 flight can be slow at immigration as shift changes at 4pm and you can be a while waiting for new officers.

Also it is nice to play it by ear in terms of whether or not you want to eat. We either go to the POR QS for dinner or offsite to the Perkins Pancake place at the Crossroads. Neither need booking and just feed you when you turn up.

I definitely wouldn't do Boma after that flight. I find Boma hard to cope with at the best of times it would be way too chaotic for me when tired.

 

[wayneg]

Never eaten a full meal on first night, been to US over 40 times, every single time our first night is a snack, sometimes a sandwich from Walgreens or Walmart, couldn't eat a proper meal. It's a mixture of wanting to unpack, tiredness with traveling plus your body is still on 5 hours later than it actually is. I love my food but that first night has to be a snack for us.

 

[saintrob]

We've never booked an ADR for arrival night. Sometimes we've breezed through immigration but on one occasion we were there over two hours. A quick snack is usually the most we can face.

 

[Karlius]

I book an early flight specifically to be able to enjoy some of my first day and I am usually famished on arrival. After a 9 hour flight where I don't tend to eat much of anything due to plane offerings being glorified microwave meals, I find I need food or will have a restless night as I'm highly strung and wired on arrival and need to unwind.

I eat a good sized meal and this makes me tired, I go off to bed and have good sleep ready to face my first full day in the parks. It also insures I don't go straight to bed and wake in the early hours of the morning.

Only difference is this time I am staying on property on the Dining Plan and can't guarantee I can rock up to be seated without an ADR. On my last trip (2013) we booked into Planet Hollywood on the first night but I didn't have to pay if we didn't turn up then either.

Have to say thanks for the advice and am going to knock the reservation back by an hour or so.

 

[Disneynutinlondon]

We're also a no ADR on the 1st night family. Our 1st night tradition is go to Epcot and grab a quick service bite using our DDP credit and now with FP+ we can do TT and then watch Illuminations. By the time we get back to the hotel it's normally about 10:30 and we just plop into bed. Doing this routine had always worked for us as it means we get into a park as soon as we get there, get to experience an attraction or 2 and ensure we stay awake to a reasonable time.

 

[SianBeau]

We did an ADR the first night at sanaa after coming off the same flight as you last July.
We were staying at Kidani so was much easier, if your staying at Jambo I would say to book Boma though, you probably won't feel like walking far after a long flight. (we never do) Our dining reservation was booked for 7pm and when we arrived and checked in, we asked reception to let Sanaa know that we would be a little late (think we got here by 20 past 7).

 

[Elise79]

I am another that wouldn't book an ADR on arrival. We have been delayed too many times to even consider it now. That's with early and later arrivals.

We've had technical delays, weather delays and diversions. There is just telling what is going to happen and I don't want to be charged the $10pp.

The Mara at AKL does some really nice and unusual food for a QS and I would tend to be headed there or if you fancy heading a bit further the Pepper Market st CSR does some good proper dinner food too.

 

[Grimbold]

Was thinking of booking a ADR for the 1st night, however slightly different situation as we are flying in on an Internal Flight so no need to clear immigration (staying in Memphis for a few nights prior to visiting the World).

We are also landing at 15:30, so hopefully that will give us enough time for a 19:30 reservation at Magic Kingdom. If we can get one

 

[Karlius]

We did an ADR the first night at sanaa after coming off the same flight as you last July.
We were staying at Kidani so was much easier, if your staying at Jambo I would say to book Boma though, you probably won't feel like walking far after a long flight. (we never do) Our dining reservation was booked for 7pm and when we arrived and checked in, we asked reception to let Sanaa know that we would be a little late (think we got here by 20 past 7).

Thanks Sian that is really insightful. Think you're right about moving to Boma too. Walking over to Kidani may be a step too far!

 

[SianBeau]

Thanks Sian that is really insightful. Think you're right about moving to Boma too. Walking over to Kidani may be a step too far!

No problem, we've done it a few times, so if you need any other hints and tips please feel free to message me