ADRs - Christmas Week [BOOKED AT 7:00 AM]

[DisneyFan06]

This is going to be our first time on the Disney Dining Plan. We had a difficult time picking, choosing, and planning on the many resturants Disney has to offer. We think we finally made our decision and would like some input from our DIS friends who have experience with the plan and making ADRs. We are going during one of the most crowded weeks in the year at Disney (Christmas). We are well prepared and equiped to handle the crowds - we are going more as a way to relax, since this will be our honeymoon. We debated on several resturants. Example, we wanted to eat at Cinderella's Royal Table and then decided not to. Are we going to regret that later? Since we are Florida residents we visit often but hardly ever eat at a nice resturant - we used to stick to the basic C.S. resturants. I am hoping to make this special. This is what it looks like so far....

December 22 - Monday
Drive from Port Orange, Florida to the Magic Kingdom.
Arrive at Magic Kingdom at 8:30.
Note: We are doing Keys to the Kingdom Tour before we check in.
Have lunch at Columbia Harbor House (Included)
After, go to Pop Century.
Go back to 'Ohana for Dinner.
We do NOT know of a good time. We don't know if we want to see Wishes (9:00 PM) from 'Ohana or go back to the Magic Kingdom. We do have another day planned for the Magic Kingdom. So, I guess I am asking for some tips and ideas. What time should we schedule this reservation?

December 23 - Tuesday
Wake Up.
Catch the bus from Pop Century to EPCOT.
Grab something for lunch from Biergarten @ 12:45
Note: We are going to pay OOP for this meal.
After, we are going to depart back to Pop Century.
Catch the bus from Pop Century to EPCOT.
Dinner at Cantina De San Angel @ 7:00 (After Tree Lighting Ceremony)
Illuminations @ 9:30
This is an Evening Magic Hours Night. We plan to take advantage of this offer. We did it in the past at EPCOT and it worked well for us. We want to eat at Biergarten because of the good reviews. We bought the Offical Guide and they said it is one of the BEST in all of Disney. We are going to give this a try for lunch. We are going to eat Dinner at a C.S. resturant. We never ate at Cantina De San Angel before and were looking forward to it. Does this sound good to you?

Note: We are paying OOP for the lunch because we are saving a T.S. credit for a special meal later during our stay. Paying for this meal would be cheaper than paying for the meal later in the week.

December 24 - Wednesday
Breakfast at Pop Century.
Catch the Bus to Hollywood Studios.
Ride Toy Story Mania < FIRST >
Watch the Parade at 3:00 PM
We are going to have dinner at 50's Prime Time Cafe @ 5:45 PM
Note: This is not on the Fantasmic Package. We are well aware of this. We are doing the late Fantasmic, so we will have time to wait.
Fatasmic @ 8:30
This is an Evening Magic Hours Night. We are going to take advantage of this and explore the Osborne Lights. We never done this before but are looking forward to it. We been talking about going for the past year and this time were going to do it.

Were not sure if we will be taking a break this day or not. Having the parade at 3:00 really makes it hard to put it in the schedule. They do have shows at H.S. so we might just do those as a break. If DF can do it. We really want to eat at 50's Prime Time. We love the classic TV shows and it will really be fun to actually 'eat' in that 'time.'

December 25 - Christmas Day
Today, is going to be very busy for us.
The Magic Kingdom has Morning Hours. We are going to arrive early.
We will eat Breakfast at Crystal Palace at 7:30?
Note: Will we arrive on time? Will the busses be running? We are thinking that they will begin running at 7 AM because of the Morning Magic Hours. If this is not the case, we will arrange to change the time. We would love to go into the Magic Kingdom BEFORE it opens for our ADRs. I told DF of the lovely empty park pictures.
We will watch the 12:30 Christmas Parade
We will go back to the resort after, when the crowds pile in.
We will eat Dinner at Liberty Tree Tavern @ 6:00 or 7:00
Sugggesstions?
We will watch Spectro and Wishes.
Will this be the special Christmas Wishes?

December 26 - Friday
This is a break day.
We will wake up and go to Downtown Disney.
We will eat C.S at Earl of Sandwich
Note: Is this a C.S resturant? If not, we need another option.
We will go from there to visit the MK resorts and Christmas decorations.
Go back to POP and get cleaned up.
Go to Boma for Dinner @ 6:45 ish
Then, what?
Note: We are not sure what to do. Should we just go back and relax or what else could we do?

December 27 - Saturday
Express Checkout.
Breakfast at Pop.
Drive to Animal Kingdom.
Lunch at Flame Tree BBQ
Jungle Parade at 3:45
Drive home at 8:00 PM, when park closes.

We are open to almost anything. Just note, we do not have hoppers. We are looking forward to our stay and want to take full advantage of our Dining Plan. Any ideas for special snacks?

This is going to be our Honeymoon. I would love to arrange something where we come back to the resort after a long day and there is ballons or something in the room. It is our graduation and honeymoon trip all in one.

Thanks!!!!

 

[DisneyFan06]

Comments?

 

[DisneyFan06]

I made my ADRs tomorrow. I am still skeptical as to whether we should do Biergarten or not. I have been reading mixed reviews - some say it is really good and others say it is not so good.

Help?

 

[DisneyFan06]

Well, I set my alarm for 6:45. I kept calling and calling, which seemed like forever. Finally, at 7:00 AM they opened and I think I was the first one because the phone literally didn't ring or anything someone just simply said, "Hello?" I booked and already rebooked. It was a crazy situation but here is what we decided to go with - for now. We pretty much got everything we wanted, and then some...

December 22 - 'Ohana at 7:40 P.M.
December 23 - Biergarten at 1:45 P.M. CP Package for 5:00 Show
December 24 - 50 Prime Time at 5:45 P.M.
December 25 - Crystal Palace 8:10 A.M. and Liberty Tree Tavern at 6:45.
December 56 - Boma at 6:20 P.M.

Were excited. We are paying out of pocket for Crystal Palace on Christmas Morning. We decided to go with the CP Package. We orginally was not going to do it but they talked us into it. Were still not sure if we want to stick with it or switch to the Storybook Princess Lunch. But, for now this is what we have!

 

[Irish Twins]

I have been to WDW 5 times but only on the DDP once so I will comment where I can for you. I am happy that your reservations went though for what you wanted. Here are my thoughts:
We ate at the Biergarten and HATED it, I will never ever go there again. The beer was gross as was most of the food. I know some people out there like it but we sure didnt. I was so mad (still am) that I choose to go there over Le Cellier or Askershus.

When we went to DTD we ate at Wolfgang Puck Express it was great. Check out their menu and see if you would like it. We didnt go to the Earl of Sandwich.

Some snacks that I hear are good, are the School Bread in Norway, Dole Whips in Adventureland, Figaro Fries at Pin. Village Haus, Ics Cream Sandwiches at the Main street Bakery, Shakes at Mins in DHS, all different things at Goofy's Candy Store in DTD.

Hope this helps! Have a great time and hope you dont mind how harsh I was about the Biergarten. No Hoop Dee Doo this trip, huh? That was too too much fun! Maybe you can still work it in??

 

[DisneyFan06]

Well, we couldn't do Hoop Dee Doo because we didn't have enough credits and our budget is already tight as it is. Hopefully we will hit that another time. We had Biergarten booked then switched to Askershus. Then we called back and switched it back to Biergarten so we can have the CP package. Will we really regret switching back? I heard this was the BEST table service resturant; however, I keep reading mixed reviews.

 

[MermaidsMom]

You should carefully check the menu and be sure you would like most of the foods served there. If the overall menu doesn't appeal to you then absolutely book elsewhere. The restaurant theme doesn't make up for food you won't like. We have never eaten there because of the menu, but we may give it a try at some point just to find out in person.

 

[TyRy]

Take this with a grain of salt as I've never been during Christmas week, but you have on your schedule to leave the MK Christmas Day and then come back. I know I've read on the Disboards before that due to crowds they sometimes reach capacity and do not allow anyone else in. Again, it's guranteed to be able to get into a park, not any park. My worry would be that you'll leave and they hit capacity and you won't be able to get back in.

Perhaps someone who has been there for Christmas will chime in and let me know if I'm remembering this correctly.

Ty

 

[Vickis3js]

I know from everything I've read that I would maybe rethink some of your Christmas day plans. We will be there from the 20-27 and we are using Christmas day as our day off. You said you want to be out before the crowds come but after the parade from my understanding they will be at or have the potential to be at capacity before the parade even starts. And if you plan to leave getting back in could be an issue. Just something to think about.

I know I am very nervous about the crowds that week myself but its that week or never and well thats just not an option!