**A Disney Salute! June 2011 Military Discount/Anniversary PTR!** Update 6/23 Pg 12

[SOUTHERNtinkerBELLE]

What a wonderful birthday! It sounds like you are really loved at your school! How sweet of the students to get you flowers.

And how awesome that you got to meet Jim Shore! He sounds like a really sweet man.

Can't wait to see your ADR's!

 

[therussells08]

Hi everyone! I'm sorry it's been so long since my last update! I know I have left you all in suspense about what our ADRs are, right? Part of the reason it has taken me so long to post them is because I STILL haven't exactly decided on them! I guess I got spoiled by the DxDP on our December trip, because I have had the hardest time narrowing down my choices to fit within the regular DDP. Even after all my deliberation, I have still added a few restaurants that we will pay for OOP.

Now, here's the really fun part. I need your help deciding where we should eat! There are a few days that I have finalized the ADR plans for, but there are several where I have a few (ahem) extra ADRs because I can't make up my mind! For those days I will post "Option A" and "Option B" (possibly "Option C" too!) and I would love your input! Thank you!

Arrival Day- June 11, 2011

On this day we will be arriving for our fabulous vacation! Our plans for this evening are to hop on the boat from POR to Downtown Disney and do some trip kick off shopping. So, here are our options:

Option A:

A 5:15 dinner at Planet Hollywood. I know a lot of people don't love this place, but John and I have always really enjoyed it. We are huge movie buffs, so it's a ton of fun checking out all of the memorbilia. Plus, an early dinner would give us ample time to walk off some calories and shop 'til we drop!

Option B:

A 9:45 dinner at Ohana. John and I ate here for the first time on New Years Eve and fell in love. This is probably my favorite food in Disney World, hands down. However, this would require us to leave DTD, go back to the resort, get our car, and drive to the Poly for a pretty late dinner. The food is unforgettable, but is it worth that journey on our first night?

Day 1- June 12, 2011

For our first full day at Disney we will be heading to John and my favorite park in the morning, Disney's Hollywood Studios, and to the park that started it all in the evening, Magic Kingdom!

The choice for this day was easy. We have only been to this restaurant once and it was on our very first trip, so we are ready to go back!

We have a 5:45 dinner planned at Tony's Town Square! I am really excited about this ADR because I love Lady and the Tramp, I love Italian food, and it leaves us plenty of time to get a great spot for Wishes!

Day 2- June 13, 2011

On our second day at Disney we will be going wild at Animal Kingdom in the morning, and heading back to Disney's Hollywood Studios for an evening with the stars!

There was no question about this ADR either, because as you all know, it's our favorite Disney restaurant!

We have a 6:20 dinner scheduled at Sci Fi Dine in Theater! I don't think I will ever get tired of the atmosphere in this restaurant! I used to go to the drive in all the time when I was young, but they closed them all down near my home. Now I can count on Disney to bring that experience back to life for me!

Day 3- June 14, 2011

On this day we will be relaxing in the morning and then heading to Epcot for a long day! I am pretty well decided on this day too, even though I'm a little worried about how close the ADRs are.

We have a lunch ADR scheduled at Tokyo Dining at 12:10. We will be paying for this meal OOP. This is John's only request for the trip, because he says that Disney's sushi is the best sushi he's ever had! I have to agree, it's pretty darn good, so I'm more than happy to eat here sans DDP!

For dinner we have a 5:00 ADR at Coral Reef Restaurant. John and I ate here on our Disneymoon and really enjoyed it, plus I love the Full House memories it brings. However, I'm not very happy that we are eating our two meals so close together. I am checking the website everyday hoping for a later dinner ADR!

Day 4- June 15, 2011

This is our free day at Disney. We're still not even sure what we want to do this day, but it will probably involve some lounging around the pool and some serious shopping at Downtown Disney! I am struggling with reservation choices this day more than any, so I really need your help!

Breakfast- Option A:

A 10:00 breakfast at Grand Floridian Cafe. We were supposed to eat here on our last trip but ended up not being able to. I have always wanted to go to the Grand Floridian to reenact Full House moments, plus the breakfast menu here sounds delicious! For this option I envision sleeping in and having a nice relaxing breakfast sipping mimosas.

Breakfast- Option B:

This is another restaurant that we tried for the first time on our last trip. I absolutely love it! I don't think I've ever craved a breakfast dish as much as I crave Tonga Toast. Just thinking about that strawberry stuff you drizzle on it makes my mouth water. I like this option because it would allow us to pay OOP for a pretty inexpensive meal. Plus, it would get our free day started earlier!

Lunch- Option A:

A 1:00 lunch ADR at Rainforest Cafe in Downtown Disney. This would be another OOP meal, but we haven't been to Rainforest Cafe since 2007, and I really enjoy the atmosphere. We would probably eat pretty light and just enjoy being there, but I'm wondering if it's worth our time.

Lunch- Option B:

This option would be no ADR. We would just use a quick service credit to grab a bite somewhere. I like this option because it allows us to us the DDP, plus there's a lot of flexibility.

Dinner- Option A:

A 7:20 dinner ADR at Boatwright's Dining Hall at POR. I love the cajun options on this menu, and the restaurant looks gorgeous. Plus it would be fun to eat a nice dinner at our resort.

Dinner- Option B:

This would be another night that we could do Ohana if we didn't do it the first night. The ADR for this night would also be 9:45. I kind of like the idea of doing Boatwright's, but I'm not sure if we end up doing Planet Hollywood, because then I wouldn't get Ohana at all! See my dilemma?

Day 5- June 16, 2011

On this day we will be heading to the one and only Magic Kingdom in the morning and then finishing our trip at Epcot in the evening! I am having a hard time deciding on our dinner for this evening.

Dinner- Option A:

A 7:10 dinner at Teppan Edo. I have been up in the air about this one the whole time. I really want to try it someday, but I'm just not sure if the experience would be that unique. John and I eat Japanese all the time, so is it worth spending our last night at Disney there?

Dinner-Option B:

A 7:20 dinner at Garden Grill. I ate here with my mom and sister in 2007, but John's never tried it. I remember really loving the food, but I also remember the character interactions being just "ehh". I'm just not sure if it's worth our last little bit of time in Disney either.

Option C:

This option would be to have no ADRs this day. This would allow us to use on credit on another meal I planned on paying OOP, and it would give us the entire day to enjoy the parks.

************************************

Okay folks, there you have it! Now you have seen all of my ADR issues! I would really appreciate any suggestions you can give. I am determined to make up my mind ASAP so I can cancel the extra reservations. Thank you!

By the way, all of these images were found on Google!

 

[stephielela]

Option A:

A 5:15 dinner at Planet Hollywood. I know a lot of people don't love this place, but John and I have always really enjoyed it. We are huge movie buffs, so it's a ton of fun checking out all of the memorbilia. Plus, an early dinner would give us ample time to walk off some calories and shop 'til we drop!

Option B:

A 9:45 dinner at Ohana. John and I ate here for the first time on New Years Eve and fell in love. This is probably my favorite food in Disney World, hands down. However, this would require us to leave DTD, go back to the resort, get our car, and drive to the Poly for a pretty late dinner. The food is unforgettable, but is it worth that journey on our first night?

I would go with Planet hollywood, if youa re a fan. I used to love that place, and 9:45 is really late for 'Ohana

Day 4- June 15, 2011

This is our free day at Disney. We're still not even sure what we want to do this day, but it will probably involve some lounging around the pool and some serious shopping at Downtown Disney! I am struggling with reservation choices this day more than any, so I really need your help!

Breakfast- Option A:

A 10:00 breakfast at Grand Floridian Cafe. We were supposed to eat here on our last trip but ended up not being able to. I have always wanted to go to the Grand Floridian to reenact Full House moments, plus the breakfast menu here sounds delicious! For this option I envision sleeping in and having a nice relaxing breakfast sipping mimosas.

Breakfast- Option B:

This is another restaurant that we tried for the first time on our last trip. I absolutely love it! I don't think I've ever craved a breakfast dish as much as I crave Tonga Toast. Just thinking about that strawberry stuff you drizzle on it makes my mouth water. I like this option because it would allow us to pay OOP for a pretty inexpensive meal. Plus, it would get our free day started earlier!

I LOVE Kona Cafe! We are going back and paying OOP for it in October. It was super yummy!Lunch- Option A:

A 1:00 lunch ADR at Rainforest Cafe in Downtown Disney. This would be another OOP meal, but we haven't been to Rainforest Cafe since 2007, and I really enjoy the atmosphere. We would probably eat pretty light and just enjoy being there, but I'm wondering if it's worth our time.

Lunch- Option B:

This option would be no ADR. We would just use a quick service credit to grab a bite somewhere. I like this option because it allows us to us the DDP, plus there's a lot of flexibility.

I would go with B. I'm not a huge fan of Rainforest Cafe, and flexibility is always good!
Dinner- Option A:

A 7:20 dinner ADR at Boatwright's Dining Hall at POR. I love the cajun options on this menu, and the restaurant looks gorgeous. Plus it would be fun to eat a nice dinner at our resort.

Dinner- Option B:

This would be another night that we could do Ohana if we didn't do it the first night. The ADR for this night would also be 9:45. I kind of like the idea of doing Boatwright's, but I'm not sure if we end up doing Planet Hollywood, because then I wouldn't get Ohana at all! See my dilemma?

I would go for 'Ohana, that way you can do Planet Hollywood the first night
Day 5- June 16, 2011

On this day we will be heading to the one and only Magic Kingdom in the morning and then finishing our trip at Epcot in the evening! I am having a hard time deciding on our dinner for this evening.

Dinner- Option A:

A 7:10 dinner at Teppan Edo. I have been up in the air about this one the whole time. I really want to try it someday, but I'm just not sure if the experience would be that unique. John and I eat Japanese all the time, so is it worth spending our last night at Disney there?

Dinner-Option B:

A 7:20 dinner at Garden Grill. I ate here with my mom and sister in 2007, but John's never tried it. I remember really loving the food, but I also remember the character interactions being just "ehh". I'm just not sure if it's worth our last little bit of time in Disney either.

Option C:

This option would be to have no ADRs this day. This would allow us to use on credit on another meal I planned on paying OOP, and it would give us the entire day to enjoy the parks.

I would say B or C, since you are doing Tokyo Dining already. I ahve heard great things about Garden Grill, but if you want the flexibility (which might be valuable in the busy summer months) there are tons of great QS places in Epcot.
************************************

Okay folks, there you have it! Now you have seen all of my ADR issues! I would really appreciate any suggestions you can give. I am determined to make up my mind ASAP so I can cancel the extra reservations. Thank you!
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My thoughts are in purple! You have so many good choices! I can imagine it would be hard to decide!

 

[SOUTHERNtinkerBELLE]

I always have such a long list of ADRs that I want, so I have a hard time trying to fit them all into the DDP, too! I've read of people having a hard time using up the credits, but I don't think I could ever have that problem!

Anyway, here's my thoughts on your ADRs:

Arrival Day: I think I would go with PH. I think DTD is a great way to start a Disney vacation, especially when it involves taking the boat from POR. I agree that there are a lot of "logistical" issues with dinner at 'OHana that night, and since traveling is normally pretty tiring the late time might be too late.

Day 4: I'm going to go with the GF cafe, here. I think for a free day, a later breakfast is nice. I would like to try it sometime, too! I've heard great reviews. I think just grabbing a CS lunch would be good so you don't have to worry about making it to an ADR and you can just enjoy being free and not having plans. For dinner, I'd definitely pick 'OHana! I just can't imagine a trip without it. I don't hear too much about Boatwrights...

Day 5: I'm going to go against my normal "gotta have a TS meal for dinner" self and go with option C - CS meal! I think the nice thing about Epcot is the great CS options they have. Between TE and GG I would definitely go with TE, but since you're eating at Tokyo Dining earlier in the week it might be fun to try some other cuisines.

 

[Nermel9]

I'm having a hard time with my ADR's, fitting everything in too! I did mine at the beginning of the month, and I keep thinking of more I want to add, and I just can't fit them in!

For your arrival day, I'd go with Planet Hollywood. I admit, I'm not a huge fan-the food is good, but it's so LOUD in there! I couldn't concentrate! But I think eating an early dinner and then having time to hang out and shop in DTD is a great idea!

For Day 4 Breakfast, I think both places sound good, but I think I'd go with the Grand Floridian Cafe, since I know how much you love that Full House episode! And you get to sleep in a little

For lunch, I'd probably just use a counter service credit instead of Rainforest Cafe. I love RFC too, but there are a lot of great CS places you can go, and you will be able to use a DDP credit! You can always do Earl of Sandwich or WPE if you're going to be at DTD again!

And dinner, I'd definitely do 'Ohana this day! You have to do 'Ohana if it's your favorite Disney food!

For your last day, I would do either Garden Grill or just do a CS again for dinner. I've never done Garden Grill, but it sounds like fun! And if you do a CS, there are SO many amazing places to go in Epcot! And you will spend less time eating and have more time for rides!

Can't wait to see what you end up with!

 

[TinkerbellLuvr7]

Wow ADRS!!!!!

I would do PH on your first day. If you don't mind eating that late than do Ohana!

I would drive to DTD, shop, and then drive to Poly. I wouldn't take the boat to DTD, boat/bus back to POR, and then drive to Poly..that would take too much time!!

Your last meal: Of course my vote is Teppan Edo and add the sushi on from Tokyo Dining so it will eliminate a meal you have to pay OOP and then you can use a CS lunch and not be as full before you head to Coral Reef for the early dinner.

If you have CS's to use, use them! My friend that worked CS at DHS always commented on how people would have so many CS's on their last day and they go unused..you've paid for the, make sure you use them so if you have unused CS, I would use that instead of paying OOP for meals.

When I do mine I break it down by days with TS/CS

Day 1: TS (1) : PH or Ohana
Day 2: TS (2) : Tonys ~~~ CS(1): Lunch/Dinner (don't remember your ADR times)
Day 3: TS (3) :Sci Fi ~~~CS(2): Lunch/Dinner
Day 4: TS (4): Coral Reef ~~~ CS (3): Lunch
Day 5: TS: (5): Boatrights ~~~ CS: (4): lunch
Day 6: TS: (6) Teppan Edo~~~CS: (5): lunch
Day 7: ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ CS: (6): breakfast/lunch/dinner?

We try to never use CS's for breakfast since you don't get as good of a value with it and come on, the desserts too! We try to get packaged desserts so if we don't eat them, we pack them and take them home..we've even brought back the mini cakes that you get!

If you are really wanting some quality pool time of your day off I'd do the following:

-Breakfast at Kona or GF, paying OOP
-Afternoon at the pool including lunch at the resort food court or POFQ's food court using a CS
-Dinner at DTD Restaurant: PH or RFC /shopping at DTD

or

-Breakfast at Kona or GF, paying OOP
-Afternoon at the pool with lunch at the resort food court using a CS
-Early dinner at POR TS and then go to DTD for the rest of the night



For us it comes down to menus and what we want or don't want. I'd rather know what the menu is and know if I'm going to like something or not than to guess and waste my money!

Good luck with your decisions and sorry for the long post!!!!

 

[TanzUnited99]

Good luck with getting your ADRs sorted! Let's see, I would...

choose PH for arrival day - you will be at DTD anyway and it makes sense to eat somewhere nearby then have to travel for a later ADR.

go for GFC on your free day, esp if it means you get to sleep for longer! I know you love Full House so it would be a good way to start the day.

have lunch at RFC - I have heard many great things of the atmosphere at this place and having eaten here (not at the Disney one) we had a great meal.

choose Ohana for dinner.

go for Teppan Edo on June 16th. Although you eat Japanese all the time it will be good to experience it at Disney World.

Let us know how you get on

 

[dtr_angel]

I'm in on your PTR! Here are my thoughts on your ADRs...

On arrival I'd pick Planet Hollywood, just out of the convenience factor.

Day 4 - Grand Floridian Café for Breakfast so you can finally have your Full House moments!
You can always get Tonga Toast from Captain Cooks any morning and save a TS meal and some moola. For Lunch I would say option B, there is a lot of good CS in Disney! I think Boatwright’s for dinner, but I’ve never eaten there. I think the time is what is making me pick POR, as 10pm is a LATE dinner and a good time to be at a park, but those are just my thoughts.

Last Day – I vote for Garden Grill, it’s on my to do list for my next next trip since we’ve never eaten there. We ate at Teppan Edo, and while it was fun for us since we never eat Japanese, you won’t be missing out. Plus you already will have eaten at Tokyo Dining already so I’d say go for Garden Grill.

Your next trip has a lot in common with my next trip. We booked at the end of February for mid May, we had about 13 weeks out which isn't a lot when you're talking Disney and wanting specific ADRs. We also had not planned on going to Disney World again until after I graduated and were either going to go to Disneyland/SoCal, or go on a cruise since our previous 3 vacations had been to WDW. I got an email with 40% off PIN in February and before we knew it, we were on our way to WDW again and I couldn't be more excited. We also were on pins and needles for about 2 weeks waiting to hear exactly when my DH was getting his vacation.

I can't wait to read more about your plans!

 

[Disneyfreak616]

Hey there! I jumped over from your TR.

Looks like you've got a great trip planned! I've always wanted to stay at POR! I stayed a POFQ once and loved it, and I've heard great things about Riverside.

I am going to the World for a week at the end of July with my Dad who is in the Air Force and lives in California, and who I don't see much, and my older brother who is 18. We also got the wonderful military discount and were able to get the 40% off deluxe resorts (the POLY!!!! ) AND the $138 four-day park hoppers. Don't you just LOVE those discounts?!!?

I LOVE Tangled. I watched it for the first time the other night and absolutely fell in LOVE. I love the part when they're in the boat with the lanterns; (before Flynn sees the two evil guys on the little island thing and gets all scared) it reminded me of The Little Mermaid! (my other all-time fave.)

As for your ADR's, you've got some great ones! For Arrival Day I would go with Option B and eat at Ohana. You can get to POR, check in, catch the boat to DTD for some shopping, and then catch the DTD bus from there to Ohana! Plus, you can watch Wishes from the Poly beach before dinner if you get there a little early if you like and make it a lovely romantic evening for you and John. Then just catch the monorail over to MK after dinner and catch the POR bus back from there for a nighttime swim to work off your late dinner.

For Day 4, that's a tough one! I would say the Grand Floridian Cafe just because Full House is my all-time FAVORITE SHOW EVER and I love going there and remembering that episode. Then you can sleep in and have your mimosas and enjoy the gorgeous GF. Of course, tonga toast sounds lovely as well! I suppose I would still go with the GF though. IMO.

Also for Day 4, I would say just grab a CS lunch somewhere and have a nice meal right at POR at Boatwright's. I have heard nothing but great things about this place and it is very convenient for you guys!

For Day 5 (which by the way is MY BIRTHDAY!!! ) I would suggest Garden Grill for two reasons:

1) You are already doing a Japanese meal at Tokyo Dining, and granted it is only sushi, but you still may want some diversity.

2) I LOVE LOVE LOVEEEE Garden Grill! The character interaction was absolutely the BEST I have EVER had at a character meal, and the food was soooo good. Our service was excellent as well, and I love that it rotates around Living with the Land. I LOVE the Land pavilion so I just am on with the atmosphere of this place. I made a ressie here for our last night on my trip in August because I think it is the best way to either kick off (like we did in January) or end a trip.

Whatever you chose, you have some awesome plans so far! I can't wait to hear more!

 

[chunkymonkey]

I'm so excited that you guys get to go ahead so soon after your last trip! It's so nice to be back so soon, as I found on my last trip. Everything seems so much more fresh in your mind. Hehehe. Loving the plan so far. I'm gonna catchup on your TR and this PTR tonight!

 

[TeresaG]

Hi! Hope you don't mind me dropping by. I was drawn to your PTR because we're going around the same time (June 8th-June 16th) and we were just there in Dec 2010 too. Nothing like finding another crazy Disney couple.

This time we're celebrating my 30th bday and what better way to spend it than at Disney World?

Sounds like you have a lot of things already planned. I need to buy some shirts for me and the kids since I like us to wear Disney shirts each day too.

 

[dancin_princess]

Joni!!! I'm playing catch-up on as many TRs as I can When I got to yours, I saw you started a new PTR so I had to come right over and join in. Yay for another trip. What an exciting way to celebrate your 3 year anniversary!

Tangled is my new favorite Disney movie. It's that good. And I met Eugene in December, he did the smoulder and it was hilarious!

It is so awesome to meet the artist that created the art that is in your house. Very cool experience and one you will remember forever.


Arrival Day: Option A, so you don't have to do all the "extra" traveling on your arrival day.
Day 4: Breakfast - Oh, I'm torn between these two options because I want to try Tonga Toast and want you to eat it for me but...I would have to pick Option A so you can reenact those Full House moments.
Lunch - option B, grab a QS whereever you are at the moment.
Dinner - Option B
Day 5 - Option A, yes you eat Japanesse often but not Disney Japanesse

 

[therussells08]

My thoughts are in purple! You have so many good choices! I can imagine it would be hard to decide!

Thank you so much for all of your suggestions!

I always have such a long list of ADRs that I want, so I have a hard time trying to fit them all into the DDP, too! I've read of people having a hard time using up the credits, but I don't think I could ever have that problem!

Anyway, here's my thoughts on your ADRs:

Arrival Day: I think I would go with PH. I think DTD is a great way to start a Disney vacation, especially when it involves taking the boat from POR. I agree that there are a lot of "logistical" issues with dinner at 'OHana that night, and since traveling is normally pretty tiring the late time might be too late.

Day 4: I'm going to go with the GF cafe, here. I think for a free day, a later breakfast is nice. I would like to try it sometime, too! I've heard great reviews. I think just grabbing a CS lunch would be good so you don't have to worry about making it to an ADR and you can just enjoy being free and not having plans. For dinner, I'd definitely pick 'OHana! I just can't imagine a trip without it. I don't hear too much about Boatwrights...

Day 5: I'm going to go against my normal "gotta have a TS meal for dinner" self and go with option C - CS meal! I think the nice thing about Epcot is the great CS options they have. Between TE and GG I would definitely go with TE, but since you're eating at Tokyo Dining earlier in the week it might be fun to try some other cuisines.

I'm having a hard time with my ADR's, fitting everything in too! I did mine at the beginning of the month, and I keep thinking of more I want to add, and I just can't fit them in!

For your arrival day, I'd go with Planet Hollywood. I admit, I'm not a huge fan-the food is good, but it's so LOUD in there! I couldn't concentrate! But I think eating an early dinner and then having time to hang out and shop in DTD is a great idea!

For Day 4 Breakfast, I think both places sound good, but I think I'd go with the Grand Floridian Cafe, since I know how much you love that Full House episode! And you get to sleep in a little

For lunch, I'd probably just use a counter service credit instead of Rainforest Cafe. I love RFC too, but there are a lot of great CS places you can go, and you will be able to use a DDP credit! You can always do Earl of Sandwich or WPE if you're going to be at DTD again!

And dinner, I'd definitely do 'Ohana this day! You have to do 'Ohana if it's your favorite Disney food!

For your last day, I would do either Garden Grill or just do a CS again for dinner. I've never done Garden Grill, but it sounds like fun! And if you do a CS, there are SO many amazing places to go in Epcot! And you will spend less time eating and have more time for rides!

Can't wait to see what you end up with!

Thank you for all of your help! I really appreciate it!

Wow ADRS!!!!!

I would do PH on your first day. If you don't mind eating that late than do Ohana!

I would drive to DTD, shop, and then drive to Poly. I wouldn't take the boat to DTD, boat/bus back to POR, and then drive to Poly..that would take too much time!!

Your last meal: Of course my vote is Teppan Edo and add the sushi on from Tokyo Dining so it will eliminate a meal you have to pay OOP and then you can use a CS lunch and not be as full before you head to Coral Reef for the early dinner.

If you have CS's to use, use them! My friend that worked CS at DHS always commented on how people would have so many CS's on their last day and they go unused..you've paid for the, make sure you use them so if you have unused CS, I would use that instead of paying OOP for meals.

When I do mine I break it down by days with TS/CS

Day 1: TS (1) : PH or Ohana
Day 2: TS (2) : Tonys ~~~ CS(1): Lunch/Dinner (don't remember your ADR times)
Day 3: TS (3) :Sci Fi ~~~CS(2): Lunch/Dinner
Day 4: TS (4): Coral Reef ~~~ CS (3): Lunch
Day 5: TS: (5): Boatrights ~~~ CS: (4): lunch
Day 6: TS: (6) Teppan Edo~~~CS: (5): lunch
Day 7: ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ CS: (6): breakfast/lunch/dinner?

We try to never use CS's for breakfast since you don't get as good of a value with it and come on, the desserts too! We try to get packaged desserts so if we don't eat them, we pack them and take them home..we've even brought back the mini cakes that you get!

If you are really wanting some quality pool time of your day off I'd do the following:

-Breakfast at Kona or GF, paying OOP
-Afternoon at the pool including lunch at the resort food court or POFQ's food court using a CS
-Dinner at DTD Restaurant: PH or RFC /shopping at DTD

or

-Breakfast at Kona or GF, paying OOP
-Afternoon at the pool with lunch at the resort food court using a CS
-Early dinner at POR TS and then go to DTD for the rest of the night



For us it comes down to menus and what we want or don't want. I'd rather know what the menu is and know if I'm going to like something or not than to guess and waste my money!

Good luck with your decisions and sorry for the long post!!!!

Thank you thank you thank you! I really appreciate all the time you took doing that for me!

Good luck with getting your ADRs sorted! Let's see, I would...

choose PH for arrival day - you will be at DTD anyway and it makes sense to eat somewhere nearby then have to travel for a later ADR.

go for GFC on your free day, esp if it means you get to sleep for longer! I know you love Full House so it would be a good way to start the day.

have lunch at RFC - I have heard many great things of the atmosphere at this place and having eaten here (not at the Disney one) we had a great meal.

choose Ohana for dinner.

go for Teppan Edo on June 16th. Although you eat Japanese all the time it will be good to experience it at Disney World.

Let us know how you get on

Thank you for your help! I'm very grateful!

 

[therussells08]

I'm in on your PTR! Here are my thoughts on your ADRs...

On arrival I'd pick Planet Hollywood, just out of the convenience factor.

Day 4 - Grand Floridian Café for Breakfast so you can finally have your Full House moments!
You can always get Tonga Toast from Captain Cooks any morning and save a TS meal and some moola. For Lunch I would say option B, there is a lot of good CS in Disney! I think Boatwright’s for dinner, but I’ve never eaten there. I think the time is what is making me pick POR, as 10pm is a LATE dinner and a good time to be at a park, but those are just my thoughts.

Last Day – I vote for Garden Grill, it’s on my to do list for my next next trip since we’ve never eaten there. We ate at Teppan Edo, and while it was fun for us since we never eat Japanese, you won’t be missing out. Plus you already will have eaten at Tokyo Dining already so I’d say go for Garden Grill.

Your next trip has a lot in common with my next trip. We booked at the end of February for mid May, we had about 13 weeks out which isn't a lot when you're talking Disney and wanting specific ADRs. We also had not planned on going to Disney World again until after I graduated and were either going to go to Disneyland/SoCal, or go on a cruise since our previous 3 vacations had been to WDW. I got an email with 40% off PIN in February and before we knew it, we were on our way to WDW again and I couldn't be more excited. We also were on pins and needles for about 2 weeks waiting to hear exactly when my DH was getting his vacation.

I can't wait to read more about your plans!

and thank you for all of your suggestions! I really appreciate it!

Hey there! I jumped over from your TR.

Looks like you've got a great trip planned! I've always wanted to stay at POR! I stayed a POFQ once and loved it, and I've heard great things about Riverside.

I am going to the World for a week at the end of July with my Dad who is in the Air Force and lives in California, and who I don't see much, and my older brother who is 18. We also got the wonderful military discount and were able to get the 40% off deluxe resorts (the POLY!!!!) AND the $138 four-day park hoppers. Don't you just LOVE those discounts?!!?

I LOVE Tangled. I watched it for the first time the other night and absolutely fell in LOVE. I love the part when they're in the boat with the lanterns; (before Flynn sees the two evil guys on the little island thing and gets all scared) it reminded me of The Little Mermaid! (my other all-time fave.)

As for your ADR's, you've got some great ones! For Arrival Day I would go with Option B and eat at Ohana. You can get to POR, check in, catch the boat to DTD for some shopping, and then catch the DTD bus from there to Ohana! Plus, you can watch Wishes from the Poly beach before dinner if you get there a little early if you like and make it a lovely romantic evening for you and John. Then just catch the monorail over to MK after dinner and catch the POR bus back from there for a nighttime swim to work off your late dinner.

For Day 4, that's a tough one! I would say the Grand Floridian Cafe just because Full House is my all-time FAVORITE SHOW EVER and I love going there and remembering that episode. Then you can sleep in and have your mimosas and enjoy the gorgeous GF. Of course, tonga toast sounds lovely as well! I suppose I would still go with the GF though. IMO.

Also for Day 4, I would say just grab a CS lunch somewhere and have a nice meal right at POR at Boatwright's. I have heard nothing but great things about this place and it is very convenient for you guys!

For Day 5 (which by the way is MY BIRTHDAY!!! ) I would suggest Garden Grill for two reasons:

1) You are already doing a Japanese meal at Tokyo Dining, and granted it is only sushi, but you still may want some diversity.

2) I LOVE LOVE LOVEEEE Garden Grill! The character interaction was absolutely the BEST I have EVER had at a character meal, and the food was soooo good. Our service was excellent as well, and I love that it rotates around Living with the Land. I LOVE the Land pavilion so I just am on with the atmosphere of this place. I made a ressie here for our last night on my trip in August because I think it is the best way to either kick off (like we did in January) or end a trip.

Whatever you chose, you have some awesome plans so far! I can't wait to hear more!

Thanks for jumping over!

I am really excited to stay at POR. We stayed at POFQ on our Disneymoon and loved it, so I'm looking forward to trying this one!

That's so cool that you get to use the military discount too! I love it! It is so nice to get those cheap tickets, and with park hopper! Oh, and YAY for getting to stay at the Poly! How exciting!

Tangled is so great! It is the perfect balance of hilarious and heart warming.

Full House is my alltime favorite show ever too! I own all of the seasons on DVD and I watch them constantly! I am addicted!

Thank you for your suggestions!

I'm so excited that you guys get to go ahead so soon after your last trip! It's so nice to be back so soon, as I found on my last trip. Everything seems so much more fresh in your mind. Hehehe. Loving the plan so far. I'm gonna catchup on your TR and this PTR tonight!

I am really glad that we are going so soon too! When we went in December it was a little overwhelming because it had been so long since our last trip. We were trying to cram everything in! This trip will give us the opportunity to relax a little bit!

Hi! Hope you don't mind me dropping by. I was drawn to your PTR because we're going around the same time (June 8th-June 16th) and we were just there in Dec 2010 too. Nothing like finding another crazy Disney couple.

This time we're celebrating my 30th bday and what better way to spend it than at Disney World?

Sounds like you have a lot of things already planned. I need to buy some shirts for me and the kids since I like us to wear Disney shirts each day too.

Of course I don't mind! It's great to have you!

That is so cool that we are going around the same time! Maybe we will run into each other!

What a great way to spend your birthday! That is awesome!

The Disney Store has the best shirts, and they're pretty affordable!

Joni!!! I'm playing catch-up on as many TRs as I can When I got to yours, I saw you started a new PTR so I had to come right over and join in. Yay for another trip. What an exciting way to celebrate your 3 year anniversary!

Tangled is my new favorite Disney movie. It's that good. And I met Eugene in December, he did the smoulder and it was hilarious!

It is so awesome to meet the artist that created the art that is in your house. Very cool experience and one you will remember forever.


Arrival Day: Option A, so you don't have to do all the "extra" traveling on your arrival day.
Day 4: Breakfast - Oh, I'm torn between these two options because I want to try Tonga Toast and want you to eat it for me but...I would have to pick Option A so you can reenact those Full House moments.
Lunch - option B, grab a QS whereever you are at the moment.
Dinner - Option B
Day 5 - Option A, yes you eat Japanesse often but not Disney Japanesse

Yay! I'm so glad you're here! You will hold a special place in my heart forever, my first DIS meet!

I LOVE Tangled so much! I could watch it nonstop!

Meeting Jim Shore was awesome! I will never forget that experience!

Thank you for all of your suggestion!

 

[therussells08]

Hi everyone! I want to start by saying thank you SO much for all of your suggestions! It really meant a lot to me that so many of you took the time to really think about it and give me your opinion!

Now, with that being said, I've got some big news! After much deliberation, I have completely changed the plans. Are you ready?
....

....

....

Are you sure?
....

....

Okay, I'll tell you! I have decided to cancel the Dining Plan for this trip! Now, let me explain this choice.

On our last trip we were on the Deluxe Dining Plan and it was a wonderful experience. We ate at so many nice new restaurants that we would have never dreamed of trying if we were not on than plan. However, we also spent A LOT of time either waiting around for an ADR, rushing to make it to an ADR, or actually sitting there enjoying the ADR. This was all fine and dandy for a December trip when it was crazy cold and crazy crowded, but this had two effects on me.

1. It kind of made me sick of TS restaurants. Sounds crazy, I know. But I started to miss the "simpler" meals that you can get at a CS location.

2. It made me not very keen on the idea of spending our next trip planning around ADRs.

Is it starting to make sense? Also, I have another few reasons that made me feel like this was the right choice for us. First, I think that my inability to decided on ADRs wasn't stemming from my excitement about the restaurants, but rather my lack of enthusiasm. I wasn't completely sure on a lot of them because I honestly didn't care.

Furthermore, if we are going to be at Disney in the middle of June in the million degree weather, I don't see myself wanting big meals all the time. I eat like a bird when it's hot out, because my appetite is just not what it usually is. I think that having a TS meal everyday would almost be a waste of money, because there's no way I'd eat it all.

Lastly, I really miss those good ol' days when John and I were new to this whole Disney thing and we just kind of went with the flow. Don't get me wrong, I love planning meticulously for our Disney trips, but I want to go back a little bit to just doing what we felt like at that exact moment. I mean, I'm still planning which parks we will go to on which days, but I don't want our entire trip to be ruled by ADRs!

Well, there's my reasoning in a very large nutshell. I hope you all don't think I'm too crazy, and I hope you will stick with me when I do my TR, because I still plan on stuffing my face like I always do. This will just give us the opportunity to try some awesome CS restaurants that we've never had before!

Sorry for this lengthy post with no pictures! I will be back in the next day or two to post the ADRs we kept and the CS restaurants that we are going to enjoy!

 

[Nermel9]

LOL, I was wondering if you would post about this today! Yay, I'm so happy for you! I really want to do the same thing! Although, I suppose once I'm there, I could cancel an ADR and do something else if I really feel the need to!

I've been pricing things out with the DDP vs OOP...it seems like you pretty much break even. And I've been doing some research on the DIS and it seems like you only save money if you order the most expensive thing on the menu. I'm going to bring it up to Brandon and see what he says, but I'm guessing I'll keep the DDP for this trip, and hopefully not do it for the next one.

That being said, I'm going over my itinerary and ADR's tonight to see if I can free up some time and cancel and/or shuffle around some ADR's so we have a little more freedom to just do whatever! It's hard though, because honestly, our park hours for the week we are going are awful! I love EMH nights, and there are 3 in a row when we first get there, Sunday, Monday and Tuesday and then that's it for the week. So I'm having a tough time planning this trip!

Ugh...sorry, I didn't mean to hijack your PTR! I definitely think you made the right decision, canceling the DDP!

 

[SOUTHERNtinkerBELLE]

As much as I love TS meals, I completely understand your feelings! Getting to ADR's can be stressful at times, especially if it's an in-park restaurant and you're trying to time out what attractions you have time for (as we've both experienced). Sometimes, I feel like my whole day is built around our meals! I think after being on the DDxP, not doing the dining plan and having less structured meals will be nice.

 

[Disneyfreak616]

Thanks for jumping over!

I am really excited to stay at POR. We stayed at POFQ on our Disneymoon and loved it, so I'm looking forward to trying this one!

That's so cool that you get to use the military discount too! I love it! It is so nice to get those cheap tickets, and with park hopper! Oh, and YAY for getting to stay at the Poly! How exciting!

Tangled is so great! It is the perfect balance of hilarious and heart warming.

Full House is my alltime favorite show ever too! I own all of the seasons on DVD and I watch them constantly! I am addicted!

Thank you for your suggestions!

I am excited because my mom just told me she wants to stay at POR for our big summer trip next year! I am SO excited for the refurbed rooms!!!

I am so excited about that discount!! The Poly has always been on my Disney "bucket list," so I am thrilled to finally stay there!

I just bought Tangled on DVD today!!! I can't wait to surprise my lil' sis!

I own the first six seasons, and I watch them ALL the time! That show is so great. Reminds me of my childhood.

And as to dropping the DDP, I say go for it. Keep a couple of your favorite ADR's, and then do CS for the rest. Try some of the places in WS that you never have, I've eaten at most of them and loved them all! Plus, doing mainly CS will give you a lot more flexibility and free time.

 

[stephielela]

Having also done the DxDP in December, I know exactly what you mean! We spent way too much eating, and during the busier times, you already get less accomplished in the parks, so add in 6 hours of eating everyday, and you are left with not enough time. If we don't get free dining for our trip, we will be doing all OOP too. The prices seem to be pretty even paying OOP and buying the plan. Of course, I am still hoping for free dining in the fall, because if it's free, we will definitely take it!

 

[Parla]

Good for you! I'm glad you figured that out before you got there and regretted all the ADRs. Everyone is different and trips can be different too. Have fun and eat good food wherever you are.