1st draft for ADRs, 180 days out is tough.

[SurfinTX]

We, me 38, DW 36, DS 15, DD 9, DS 8, are heading to Disney World June 6th through the 11th. Here is my first attempt to plan the meals combined with our expected parks. I used the park calender for 2009 to try to coordinate when we would see the various evening shows and try to avoid EMH parks if we are not using those benefits. Watch Disney change everything up this summer and make all this a moot point.

Some information about us.

Me: I love eating and trying new things. My pallette isn't that discriminating. Heck, I eat what I cook myself if that tells you anything.

DW 36: 1st time to Disney as well as the kids. Peanut allergy. Other than that pretty much the same as me.

DS 15: Eats like a horse. Will eat me out of house and home. Will eat seafood as well as typical teenager tastes.

DD 9: Eats like a bird. Groans if it isn't pizza or chicken nuggets. Rumor has it that a veggie has touched her lips at school on occasion.

DS 8: Hates most food until it's placed in front of him. Then, after goaded into trying it, loves it! He does this just to get attention.

I've tried to limit the amount of travel before dinners and actualy tour the parks before the ADR. I've tried to have dinner in the park before watching shows such as IllumiNations and Wishes.

We will be staying at the Poly Club so we will be taking advantage of the breakfast and occasionaly afternoon snacking to hold us until a possible late ADR.

First number is CS and second is TS remaining.

Sun NA B: NA
MK L: Cosmic Rays 4/5
Ep D: Coral Reef 4/4
IllumiNations

Mon Pol B: Club 4/4
DHS L: Toy Story Pizza 3/4
DHS D: Sci Fi 3/3
Fantasmic

Tue Pol B: Club 3/3
AK L: Flame Tree BBQ 2/3
DD D: Planet Hollywood 2/3

Wed Poly B: Club 2/3
Ep L: Sunshine Seasons 1/3
MK D: Cind Royal Table 1/1
Wishes

Thu Poly B: Club 1/1
Univ L: 1/1
Poly D: Ohana 1/0
Offsite Universal

Fri Poly B: Club 1/0
MK L: Pinocchio Village 0/0
Hom D: Home 0/0

This is by no means final. If anyone has suggestions it will be welcome. My biggest concern is that Disney will change the schedule of Fantasmic or an EMH for '10.

 

[BlueFairy]

Can't speak to your specific ADRs, but I thought I'd give you a bump. I too am wondering how people are planning their ADRs at 180 days with no rhyme or reason to the park hours and show times. I need a strategy. We also prefer to avoid EMH and that seems to shift around, too, right?

 

[larryb241]

I subscribe to touringplans dot com. They are great over there.
Their crowd calendar helped me plan. I'm heading to POR Feb 6-13.
I chose parks by the crowd calendar, then fit in ADR's to work around.
I'm still a little scared, but I have my travel agent helping me out too.
Good luck!
BTW - Please call the dining number and/or the actual restaurants to notify them of your peanut allergy - they can absolutely accomodate anyone!

 

[SurfinTX]

Well, the good news is that Disney released March's hours and they pretty much match up with March '09. I now have a bit more confidence in my planning. The bad news is in just 24 hours I have discovered several events that will force a change.

I had planned to ride the Monorail from Poly into MK when we first arrived at Disney. It's my tradition and walking down Main St. is perfect to introduce all of these first timers. However, that Sunday is the only day Star Wars weekend will be running during our stay...but no Fantasmic that night. I can't imagine the wait for TSM if we arrive at noon...via a bus. They love Star Wars though. Might have to call Disney and move up our arrival to Saturday to free up all day Sunday to do DHS right.

I'm starting to go a bit

 

[gerows]

I would suggest Boma in AKL. HUGE buffet. There was something for everyone (even nuggets and fries). The food and atmosphere were amazing. We traveled with another family that has a pretty severe food allergy, and the Chef was great (as most all WDW chefs are with allergies). I would definatly give yourself tons of time to walk around and explore the grounds too. Try to time it so that you are there for the nighttime animal viewing (AKL provides nigh vision goggles).

 

[bradyloganmom]

Everything sounds good. Pixie dust that you get everything as you want it!!

 

[purpliequeen]

I think that your list thus far looks great. You have some great restaurant choices.

I think that, yes, 180 days out is rough; however, it's nice to not have to "fight" so much for ressies, as less people are apt to make dining ressies 180 days out (I'm talking about non-DISers, i.e. normal people ), giving us (DIS-ers) a better chance at our first choice. And keep in mind, if the schedule does change (keep your fingers crossed that it doesn't), you're staying concierge level so Poly should be able to help you with any changes.

 

[BlueFairy]

Well, the good news is that Disney released March's hours and they pretty much match up with March '09. I now have a bit more confidence in my planning. The bad news is in just 24 hours I have discovered several events that will force a change.

I had planned to ride the Monorail from Poly into MK when we first arrived at Disney. It's my tradition and walking down Main St. is perfect to introduce all of these first timers. However, that Sunday is the only day Star Wars weekend will be running during our stay...but no Fantasmic that night. I can't imagine the wait for TSM if we arrive at noon...via a bus. They love Star Wars though. Might have to call Disney and move up our arrival to Saturday to free up all day Sunday to do DHS right.

I'm starting to go a bit

Where did you find the March hours? The DIS doesn't have them past Jan 2010.

 

[SurfinTX]

Where did you find the March hours? The DIS doesn't have them past Jan 2010.

http://disneyworld.disney.go.com/wdwi/en_GB/calendar/parkhours/calendarHome?id=MKCalendarParkHoursMonthlyViewPage&date=20100301

The Disney UK site has them up.

 

[danielle.st]

You restaurtant choices look fun. We tend to prefer more buffets ourselves, just because that way both the picky and the more adventurous in the family can find something
My only question is why you've chosen to split parks almost every day? I know some people like to park hop and find it more fun to spilt it, so maybe that is why I just wondered because you seemed to want to maximize your time in the parks (mentioned not going to the parks with emh because of crowds, etc) and park hopping does eat into your time.
Like a pp mentioned, I also used touring plans to help me make my itinerary. I'm a cheapskate that just borrows it from the public library to get the answers needed to log in and see the extended crowd calendat though It tells you which are the best parks and which are the parks to avoid for each day according to expected crown levels.
Good Luck!

 

[SurfinTX]

You restaurtant choices look fun. We tend to prefer more buffets ourselves, just because that way both the picky and the more adventurous in the family can find something
My only question is why you've chosen to split parks almost every day? I know some people like to park hop and find it more fun to spilt it, so maybe that is why I just wondered because you seemed to want to maximize your time in the parks (mentioned not going to the parks with emh because of crowds, etc) and park hopping does eat into your time.
Like a pp mentioned, I also used touring plans to help me make my itinerary. I'm a cheapskate that just borrows it from the public library to get the answers needed to log in and see the extended crowd calendat though It tells you which are the best parks and which are the parks to avoid for each day according to expected crown levels.
Good Luck!

The primary reason is to rest mid-day. The other reason is due to a multiple of factors. Keep in mind none of this is set in stone at this point.

Pulling everything back a day already due to Star Wars weekend so...

Sat.
Arrive Poly concierge about noon.
Monorail to MK, eat lunch, do a few rides, watch afternoon parade.
Return to Poly to check luggage, rest a bit.
Monorail to Epcot, see a few sights and rides, eat at Coral Sea or Teppan Edo. Watch IllumiNations. Sleeeeep.

Sun.
Go to DHS for full day. See Star Wars stuff. Go to Poly when we get tired. Go to Downtown Dis and eat at Planet Hollywood and check out the stores. Sleeeeep.

Mon.
Animal Kingdom. Catch a show.
Clean up at Poly.
Go to DHS, eat at Sci-Fi. See Fantasmic. Sleep.

Tue.
Universal Studios. Harry Potter, etc.
Come back and eat at Ohana. Sleeeeep.

Wed.
Epcot during the day.
Clean up at Poly.
Go to MK and have my birthday at CRT. See Wishes after.

Thu.
Pack. Go to MK for half day and ride as much as we can. Head to the airport in the afternoon/evening.*

* All of the above is subject to change due to availability, how we feel, and acts of God.

 

[danielle.st]

ah, I see. I was forgetting how easy it will be for you to get to Poly from MK or Epcot in particular Sounds like you have a plan there!