Am I doing this all wrong??

[PrincessPatty]

I've been lurking around here for quite some time, and I keep reading about everyone's ADR's and plans to get around the park, where to be when and so on. We are heading down the last week of September, and we have NO plans whatsoever.

There will be 9 of us total, from 58-18months. I wasn't worried about it, until I started reading all of this. We all have been to Disney plenty of times before, but never had a plan-other than to have as much fun as we can !!

We're not too worried about eating with the characters, but Im not sure if there will be anywhere for us to eat!! Ive read alot of places are booked and we are on the MYW dining plan so I'm not sure if we will have any TS meals!!

Just wondered what everyone thought and if there is anyone else that travels the way we do?

 

[GinaGrumpyDwarf]

omg no ADR's?? you have GOT to be kidding! I have a very good feeling that the restaurants will be PACKED even with the ADR's and from what DH's cousin says (he's a cm at ESPN now) there will be no walk-in's taken. With a group of 9, i'd be really careful! Esp. if you have the FREE DINING...

 

[GinaGrumpyDwarf]

ps..i'm from PITTSBURGH too...going Sept 24th to Oct. 2nd....

 

[grimley1968]

Depending on when you're going, there may be plenty of TS places you can just walk up to and be seated within 15-30 minutes. If you were going right now, you'd have a tough time, but getting into September and October, I'd really say you could walk up to many TS places. We've made several ADR's, but we also plan to just try our luck with walking up at some TS places.

You'll definitely wait longer than if you had TS's, but I think you should be ok.

 

[NCombs]

At a minimum, make some ADR's.

 

[BrerMama]

Well, it's not how I would do it, but I'm very obsessed. I would think with that size of group, it would be helpful to plan. And I'd hate to see you not take advantage of the dining plan by having some great meals. However, I think thousands of people visit WDW every day without the benefit of all the planning that loyal DISers do, and that those who don't plan are able to have fun. Maybe not in the same way, or as much fun, but I'd be sad to think that they didn't enjoy themselves. So if you're not a planner, you certainly don't need to feel guilty.

 

[ziggystardust]

That time of year is usually slow but with the free dining the restaurants will be packed. I would get a general idea of what day you'll be where and grab at least 1 TS meal a day (if you're on the dining plan) or just a few through out the trip. With a party that large, if you want to eat together you should have at least a back up plan.

Call now, remember you can always cancel ADRs if you decide to stay at the hotel or go somewhere else. But if you are all hungry and dying to try out the Prime Time at 6pm, you might be out of luck - and be forced to eat somewhere else (like counter or even outside of the park)

Good Luck! (BTW, there is no harm in not knowing yet, I've gone that way numerous times, regardless I always have fun!)

 

[missypie]

With a party of 9, you need some ADRs for TS. If it's fine for your group to eat counterservice the whole time, you don't need ADRs.

If it were me, the larger the group, the MORE I would plan. I HATE wandering around with a large group...what do you want to do next? I don't know, what do YOU want to do? It would make my head explode!!!

 

[HaleyB]

To each his own.

I plan where we will eat, which means I plan which park we will visit each day. I use Tourguidemike.com to figure out which park to do each day based on his least crowded advice.

I have done it both ways, zero planning and full planning, and I can tell you first hand that we had a much nicer trip and a lot more fun with planning. I had no idea you could visit the MK without long lines, we always thought that was just the way it was. Not anymore. Tourguidemike kept us out of lines for our whole trip last year. It was the best $21 I spent on the vacation. However if you do not like to plan his site might not work for you.

If you like to wing it, I am sure you will be fine. There is always somewhere you can eat- you might have to spend some time looking for a place with openings and you might have to wait a few extra minutes to be seated... but I am sure it will be OK. How can a trip to WDW not be wonderful?

 

[jennib5426]

I am also going the at the end of September on a last minute trip we booked last week. I stared making ADR's the other day and all my first choice times for Fri, Sat & Sunday were gone I got all the restaurants I wanted but the times are off by 30 to 60 minutes of my original plans.
We are only 2 people, I can't imagine trying to eat with 9
I would say if there is any TS places you want to eat make an ADR today. You can cancel it later if people change there minds.
Better safe than sorry

Good Luck

 

[wendy1974]

Let me say that I just returned from a quick weekend trip July 29-August 1st and we actually walked right into Crystal Palace at MK and had our choice of three different lunch times. We even called a week before we left and got a spot for the 9:30 showing of the Hoop-Dee-Doo Revue (which is hard to get into). I was shocked at how easy it was to walk into the sit down restaraunts without an ADR. I had never been in July so I was anticipating crazy wait times at even the counter service but there was no such problems. Plenty of tables to be found at counter service. The longest wait we had for an attraction was 20 minutes (we also used fast pass to our advantage). I'd say go as prepared as possible but you may be pleasantly surprised

 

[Grumpy'n'Goofy]

If I were you, I would make some ADR's ASAP. Last week we saw people w/out ADR's being turned away at almost every restaurant. Of course you're going at a slower time of year, but with the free dining package, I imagine the restaurants will be busier than usual for this time of year. It will also be harder for you to get seating for a larger group like you have, and if you can get in somewhere on "standby", waiting with an 18 month old is not my idea of fun. Like you, we prefer to be spontaneous, but desperate times require desperate measures.

 

[PrincessPatty]

ps..i'm from PITTSBURGH too...going Sept 24th to Oct. 2nd....

OOH!! We will be there Sept.23-Oct.1 maybe we will see you there!!

 

[HaleyB]

I somehow missed that you were a party of 9...

Everyone here is right, you need some ADR's.

 

[Mickeyistheman]

Since you are going that time of year I wouldn't be to worried about what ride or which Park to go to that you can wing. BUT I would make some ADR's they don't have to be with the characters but just to have a few with some of the more popular restaurants because you also have a big party (9) you will wait longer than others. So make a few and that way you'll feel a little better and I am sure your family will have a great time no matter what!!

12 more days till CSR for 10 days!!!!

 

[Dizneydaz]

I would definitely make some ADR. Even if you don't end up using them, at least you'll know you have an option when it comes to TS. I've made more ADR for this trip than I ever have before. We were there in Jan. (with paid dining option) and we ended up waiting over 1-1/2 hrs. at LTT for dinner. Now with the free dining, I can only imagine walking in will be harder. I know we probably won't be keeping all of our ADR, but at least we 'll have one TS arranged per day. Of course, I know that some of our plans may change, we might not go into a park on the day I have an ADR. I don't like to be that inflexible. I made sure to make a few ADR outside of the parks too.

The first time I did PS we were staying at the Yacht Club-concierge level and they made the PS for me. We ended up not keeping a single one of them! I had planned on doing EE at the parks and planned our meals accordingly. Unfortunately, my DD(3 at the time) didn't adjust to the 3 hr. time difference and we didn't do a single EE). This time, I don't plan on doing EE, and we should be able to keep most of our ADR. Most of them are for dinner. I booked them several weeks ago and was able to get all I wanted except for Mama Melrose. They hadn't released their later dining yet.

Good luck, have a great time. We'll be there Sept. 18-24 POFQ.

38 days and counting til Florida, 41 days til WDW!

 

[GinaGrumpyDwarf]

I can Tell you that we'll be at ESPN on Sunday the 25th....STILLERS have a 4:15 game and DH is FORCING me to go (oh no not the beloved nachos) LOL. DH's Cousin is now a "head" chef for ESPN and we're gettin an ADR
If DH's misses the damned game the whole vacation will be ruined..lol.

I'll make sure DH has his STILLER shirt on...me PREGNANT and DD the TERROR...we'll be very hard to miss this ENTIRE vacation...

 

[DisneyDotty]

If it were me, the larger the group, the MORE I would plan. I HATE wandering around with a large group...what do you want to do next? I don't know, what do YOU want to do? It would make my head explode!!!

Too funny--I was just thinking the same thing!

No way would I attempt WDW with 9 people without a minimum of 1 ADR/day. But some call me anal Alice...

 

[RachaelRol]

Hi,

Can you tell me about POP Centrury?

 

[oogieboogie]

Normally Sept timeframe you could get an ADR the day before/an hour before, but this September there are going to be a lot of people on free dining and regular MYW dining plan - I really wouldn't risk not having an ADR, especially 9 people and some of them kids.

You really don't want to be stuck with tired, hungry, and cranky kids without a place to eat, especially since you're on the dining plan. The kids aren't going to understand that they can't eat at Sci-fi or Chef Mickey's because they have to wait 2 hours or god forbid... no walk-ins available. Not to mention, you really don't want to waste your credits and without ADRs, I see that happening a lot. After a day or 2 of eating hamburgers and chicken strips, sitting down to a nice dinner or lunch is a nice change of pace.

Now, you don't have to make ADRs for every single meal every single day, but at least have some handy for your sanity. If you look at the threads on the restaurant board, you'll see some of the more popular places are going fast.