Advance Dining Planning...Ugh! This hard! Help!

[christie629]

I just today booked a 7 day, 6 night to POR for my family in late August. (Me, DH, 14 & 9). After tons of research we got it all settled and booked it with the Free Dining Promotion, Yeah! Then I find these discussion boards which have been great but have totally stressed me out. I knew going in that I 'may' want to make some ADR but I had no idea how much you HAD to! Wow!

This is our first trip to Disney and I have hard time trying to plan from my office chair where we will be each day and what time we might want to eat. How tired will we be? Will the kids have had enough? Will it be so crazy hot our whole plan one day may be modified? I am a planner by nature but I'm having a hard time deciding how to do this dining thing.

How have most of you travelers done this? Since we are at 91 days out we can make the reservations tomorrow but there is no way I can figure this all out tonight.

Based on some of the threads I see the following as possibilities. I get Quick Service, 1 Table Service and 1 Snack Per day...All I want to do is get the table service ideas nailed down.

I know we want to see Illuminations at Epcot. Where should we dine for that??

I was thinking from reading these boards the following... any advice would be MUCH appreciated!

-La Cellier
-Boma - I guess this should be the day we visit AK??
-Ohana - Is it a real pain to get to other hotels from your hotel with Disney transportation? Should we stick to places in the parks or my hotel?
-Boatwrights - We are staying at POR so that is an easy choice
-I was thinking Coral Reef but saw so many negative reviews that maybe we should pass

-Do most of you just make dinner reservations? I think trying to make lunch reservations would be very difficult unless you've totally planned out your day 91 days in advance...which I haven't yet

Any good place for Breakfast or would you reccomend using the Counter Service for breakfast?

Sorry this is so long and again...thank you!
Christie

 

[Peanut&Piglet'sMom]

Congrats on booking your trip!

I had to reply right away because I saw you said you'd try to do Boma on the day you do AK.

Just in case you didn't know....Boma is at AK LODGE, not the park. I read about someone who got their schedule all out wack thinking that!

As for your ADR's...what you've suggested looks good.

Coral Reef....is a matter of your opinion. As is any of the resturants! Some people might like it, others not. You'll never know unless you try.

(disclaimer: I've never been there)

Using Disney transportation to get to other hotels....you need to transfer from a park or DTD to get to a different hotel. It's not that bad as long as you allow time to do so.

I'm sure many other DISers will have some good suggestions. In the meantime...hit the Menu's page and start looking over the menu's and resturants to help you decide for sure where to get your ADR's.

 

[robandkelly13]

It seems impossible at first, but it's quite fun once you get started. We just write down all the restaurants we want to eat at and for what meals (we typically do all character dining b/c DD loves it). Then we try to space out which meals are in or near to the different parks. Once it's done we know where we'll be for dinner and which parks we visit on those days just falls into place. GOOD LUCK! Let us know what ADRs you book!

 

[swooshfan2]

When we did the basic dining plan last December, we saved the TS credits for our dinners and used the CS credits for our breakfasts at the food court at our resort. That being said, we didn't have any kids on our trip, so you might want to mix in at least one character breakfast like a Chef Mickeys or a Crystal Palace.

As for some of your other questions...

Le Cellier - Is one of the hardest ADRs to get, but is definitely worth it. I lucked into it by calling every day in the last two weeks before my trip and catching a last minute cancellation. Great food, great service, great atmosphere...in my opinion, its the best single credit meal you can get at Disney.

Coral Reef - I've never been there for dinner, but I have for lunch, and I thought it was very good. The service isn't remarkable, but the food is good and the setting is a lot of fun.

 

[septbaby]

Your choices look good, no need to change or shy away from any of them. We had lunch at Coral Reef and absolutely love our meal and the atmosphere. We each ate everything on our plate! Your kids will give you "cool" points, go for it.

We booked Boma for dinner after AK closed. Park closed at 5pm, we had a 6p ressie. It takes about 5 mins by bus to get from AK to AKL. In general its easy to get around via Disney transportation, so if you want 'Ohana, book it, the Mouse will get you there.

 

[Tinkerbell10403]

Don't stress out! Just because your window opens tomorrow does not mean you have to make all of your ressies tomorrow. If you book right at 90 days, you will definately have your choice of places and times. So if you need an extra week to finalize your plans, you should be in good shape. I have eaten at Coral Reef and really enjoyed it!

 

[christie629]

Thank you all so much for your advice. It is a bit overwhelming at first!

I printed the Aug schedule to try and make a plan. Hard to believe we'll be at the park for 6 days and there are no Epcot EMH!

I've come up with the following plan... Any feedback would be great. 90 days is tomorrow so I'll call tomorrow to make the reservations:

Sunday - Arrive and Afternoon at Animal Kingdom -- Dinner at Boma
Monday - Magic Kingdom Day -- Dinner at La Cellier
Tuesday - Epcot Day -- Dinner at Whispering Woods
Wednesday - DS - Lunch at Sci Fi and Dinner at Ohana
Thursday - Magic Kingdom again? -- Dinner at Boatwrights
Friday - DS?? -- Marrakesh

Thanks!
Christie

 

[disneyJMD]

I would do Ohana on the Magic Kingdom Day (use the monorail or boat from MK to the Poly)and Le Cellier on the Epcot day. (since you will already be in that park) On Thursday if you are going back to MK, I would go to Whispering Canyon as that is a short boatride to the resort too) My family usually needs two days at Epcot, but not HS--maybe do the last day there instead and either try Coral Reef or Marrakesh? That would be my suggestion. Also, if you go with your original plan, be sure you have a Park Hopper as you will need this feature to jump from one park to the other on the same ticket. Have a great trip.

 

[francie57]

If I were you I would try to book LeCellier among the first you ask for. We did our ADRs today and got LeCellier on the 19th of Aug. and there was only one time frame open. Since people are allowed to book at 90 days and do 10 days of trip the times go quickly so make sure to do the must haves first and have alternate times/days just in case. Not as easy as it used to be with the 180 day window.

 

[christie629]

Very good advice! I took your suggestions DisneyJMD and moved Ohana and La Cellier around. I will be sure to ask for La Cellier first!

15 minutes until I can call!

Thanks again!!

 

[labdogs42]

I'd book 1 table service per day and you can always tweak your plans later. I agree with the others -- book Le Cellier first, get whatever day and time you can get! Then go from there.

I'd switch your MK and Epcot dining around. Le Cellier is in Epcot. Eat there on an Epcot day and Whispering Canyon on your MK day. You seem to have a lot of park hopping built into you schedule just for dining. I try to eat near the park I plan to be in.

Good luck! I know you're calling soon!

 

[christie629]

I'm on hold now.... It's 8:01 when I called and it said the wait time would be MORE than 30 minutes! Yikes! I'm at work....ssshhh!

 

[MGNA]

Good luck! I hope you're able to reserve the restaurants on your list!

This is our first Disney trip too so I completely understand how overwhelmed you feel. I was lucky when I called but have tweaked our reservations several times since. I cannot get lucky though and find an opening at Tutto Italia (at Epcot).

mgna

 

[christie629]

Thanks! Tutto Italia, that's a good one I hear.

It's been over 29 minutes...still holding

 

[disneyJMD]

I was on hold at work this morning too...it took about 45 minutes to get through and I had to modify my time for Le Cellier on the 21st, but was able to book an early dinner for 4:50pm. (I had originally wanted 7pm), but I will take what I could get!
I wish all good luck and am glad I could help christie629!

 

[christie629]

After 1 hour and 11 minutes on the phone...I wasn't as lucky as you...No La Cellier or No Ohana They didn't have anything for either one at dinner. Dang!

I got:
16th - BOMA
17th - Liberty Tree --- We are in MK this day...not sure about this choice - the Disney reservations agent suggested it
18th - Tutto Italia
19th - Sci Fi for lunch and Whispering Canyon for Dinner
20th - Boatwrights
21st - Marrakesh

 

[arjones31]

I think you got a great mix of restaurants - congrats! I LOVE Marrakesh; hope you enjoy the atmosphere and food. I had a LTT ressie, too, but changed it after seeing that the service is family style (i.e. you eat with other families at one large table and pass around plates). I can't see doing this with all the illnesses going around. What if the guy sitting next to my DS didn't wash his hands after going to the RR and now he is touching the serving spoon?? I'm a bit of a germaphobe... But my brother LOVES LTT and says the food is superb. Have a magical trip!

 

[MGNA]

Aww you were able to reserve Tutto Italia

If you're really wanting Le Cellier or Ohana don't give up! Be persistent & call often. That one call may be the lucky time when someone else just cancelled.

Glad you were finally able to get through!

 

[robinb]

16th - BOMA
Great choice! Boma is one of my favorites .
17th - Liberty Tree --- We are in MK this day...not sure about this choice - the Disney reservations agent suggested it
Ewww. I really didn't like LTT. Others rave about it but I thought the food was terrible.
18th - Tutto Italia
I liked the food here! When is your reservation? I would make sure that it's no later than 7:15 if you want to see IllumiNations.
19th - Sci Fi for lunch
So-so food, but fun atmosphere.
Whispering Canyon for Dinner
Good fun and really fun atmosphere!
20th - Boatwrights
Eh. I would have passed on Boatwrights. I have read a lot of fairly bad reviews of the place.
21st - Marrakesh
Another place with good food .

One thing that is seriously missing ... where is your character meal?!? You NEED a character meal. I would swap out Boatwrights or LTT for a character meal somewhere.

I had a LTT ressie, too, but changed it after seeing that the service is family style (i.e. you eat with other families at one large table and pass around plates). I can't see doing this with all the illnesses going around.

You don't share a table at LTT. By "family style" they mean that the food is served in bowls and platters and you serve yourself like you would at home. AFAIK the only places where you sit with other people at the same table is Biergarten and Teppan Edo. At the Biergarten you get your own food from the buffet and at Teppan Edo the chef serves you from the grill.

 

[christie629]

I really wasn't hip on Liberty Tree but I couldn't think of anything else since I was shot down for La Cellier and Ohana.

I think I will change it to something else... not sure where to go though? Maybe Coral Reef?

I'm glad you asked me about the time of the Res for the Italian place because I didn't write down the time! Oops!
I'm going to call back now to get it.

My kids are older so they weren't too excited about a character meal. Since you had to use 2 table service credits I thought I'd skip it if they werent' into it. Honestly, I'd be more into it then they are. Haa-haa

Thanks!!
Christie