ADR for Dinner on first day? - Is it do-able?

[Spanky2]

Should I book a dinner reservation for the first day we arrive? Our flight will land just after lunch, and we are taking Magical Express to the resort. I am getting advice that my kids will mostly likely be unable to contain their excitement to go "do things" and won't be happy sitting for dinner. Also, is it too stressful to worry about making the reservation that day if flights are delayed etc?

The day we arrive is also evening EMH for Epcot, so we thought we would head over there for the evening. BUT, I'd like to squeeze in a dinner at DHS that night. Is getting from DHS to Epcot frustrating? They seem to be close.

I've already make most of my ADR's and I just have one TS to book. Sci Fi was on the "to do list", but I can't seem to squeeze it in anywhere excep the first day.

Thanks!

 

[wdwobsessed]

That seems like a lot of running around to me personally.

It will still take you a little while to get from Epcot to DHS ... the are "close" but not that close. I would allow an hour .... even if you took the EPCOT resort ferrys. (It would either be that or taking a bus from DHS back to a resort than another bus to EPCOT)

I would make a ressie for whever you are going to be that night instead of hopping from one park to another ....

Good luck!

WDWO

 

[AuroraMeansDawn]

Dawn's Disney Commandment List

1. Thou shalt not make an ADR that does not fit into the touring plan and requires travel time.

I see it like this, ADRs exisit, in my world, to make my life and trip more convenient. When they suddenly become "must dos" that require me to adjust, move, park hop, grab a bus to somewhere I wasn't already going to be the ADRs take control of me rather than me using them to control the experience.

That's my take, FWIW. Enjoy!

 

[WAHMto5]

We always head down to DTD for the first night and have a nice QS as Wolfgangs so that we are not rushed at all

 

[DEA]

I'm going to agree with the PPs. That would be a lot of sitting on Disney transportation, especially on a travel day. If you are heading to Epcot, there are better TS options there, anyway. If SciFi is your destination, though, you may just want to make an evening of DHS.

 

[AmyinPA]

I was thinking the same thing. But our flight arrives a little earlier, around 10am. I plan on checking in online to speed up the process. We always have to go to Magic Kingdom our first day, its a tradition. Even if its just to walk around and see the castle! So I made ADR's for Tony's Town Square @ 6:30pm. But I agree, I would make it for whatever park you are in at the time.

 

[Neverland98]

I would stick with one park with an evening ADR for that first night, too.

However, have you considered squeezing in an ADR on the day you are at DHS for Sci-Fi for a snack? You would have to probably pay OOP if on the dining plan, but one idea we had for our trip was to make an ADR for a late afternoon milkshake/dessert at Sci-Fi. Then, you get to experience the atmosphere, but don't have to pay for a full meal. Plus, you'll free up the tables quickly for the next guests!

Happy travels!

 

[nicksmom87]

We, too arrive around lunch time. We have ADR for Mickeys Backyard BBQ that evening. I figure we'll head that way once we get settled in...do some park stuff on the way to dinner. Probably take the boat ride to the Fort Wilderness, which is where BBQ is. Nice start to the week.

 

[CarolMN]

Make an ADR for Prime Time 50's - the kids will love that.

You can take the boat to EPCOT from DHS - it's a nice ride. Boat ride takes about 35 minutes since it stops at the Swan/Dolphin dock,the BC/YC/BCV dock and the BWV/BWI dock before getting to EPCOT. Boat drops you at the International Gateway entrance (between England and France in World Showcase).

If you arrive after lunch, you should have plenty of time to do that. ME will take 90 - 120 minute from plane landing to resort. The real question is will you be too tired to do dinner and EMH on arrival day and will it get you off to a bad start for the next morning and the rest of the trip? Traveling wears me out, LOL. Don't plan a rope drop morning the next day if you do EPCOT's EMH.

 

[wolf29]

We always make an ADR for our night of arrival, but it's got to be something convenient for us. We begin our visit @ MK, so make our ADR for CP, or this year CM. I don't worry about travel delays affecting the ADR...worse comes to worse I can call & cancel if we are delayed. It seems to me if anything is going to be stressful, it's NOT having somewhere that I know we can have a nice relaxing meal. I certainly like having an ADR for arrival night so we easily dine without having to worry about what's available, but I wouldn't be park hopping for dining after a day of travel.

 

[arcticdisneylovers]

I wouldn't try to hit two parks the day you arrive, it might be too much for the kids. I would just pick the park and eat there.