Am I missing anything? Looking for opinions for my DDP ADR's.

[RetroPopArt]

Just finished booking my ADR's for my 8 night stay at WDW. There's 2 adults in our party. No kids! Pu)rchased the Deluxe dining plan (for a song!!! ... Ssshhh travel agent secret). Here's the rundown of the ADR's ...

Day 1: (arrival day!) dinner @ Tony's Town Square - MK
Day 2: breakfast @ Ohana - Polynesian Resort
dinner @ 50's Prime Time Cafe - HS
Day 3: breakfast @ Boma - AK Lodge
lunch @ Nine Dragons - EP
dinner @ Cap'n Jacks - Downtown Disney
Day 4: lunch @ Rose & Crown Pub - EP
dinner @ Spirit of Aloha - Polynesian Resort
Day 5: breakfast @ 1900 Parke Faire - GF Resort
dinner @ Chefs de France - EP
Day 6: breakfast @ Tusker House - AK
dinner @ Narcoossee's - GF Resort
Day 7: lunch @ Sci Fi Dine In Theater - HS
(very late) dinner @ Raglan Road Irish Pub - Downtown Disney
Day 8: breakfast @ Kouzzinas - Boardwalk Resort
dinner @ California Grill - Contemporary Resort (late enough to catch
the fireworks from the balcony)

Tried for weeks to lock in Le Cellier but it's just impossible. Gave up. Also, gave up on the Fantasmic dinner/show reservation. Too much time spent on those and need to move on.

Yes, I do realize that I'm not using all of my DDP allotments but I wanted to be realistic in my planning and not try to over-do it.

I've done lots of research and just don't want to feel that I'm missing out on anything.

Opinions???

Greatfully appreciated, t.

 

[Bethnde1]

When was the last time you were in WDW? The reason I ask this is because it seems like you may be overwhelming yourself, especially if you're a newbie to the parks. If you're not new, and you've done most of the attractions at least once than you're doing good! I too thought that I should take advantage of all my TS credits, all the counter meals, and of course the snack ones too. I soon found myself doing nothing more than eating, rushing out of the attractions an hour early to make it to the next adr and so fourth. We'd get some delicious meals, and then weren't able to eat since that's what we did all day. Instead I have my favorite places that I repeat each trip, we always use our snack credits as we roam around the park, but we really think it's just too much to sit down and have a full meal for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. We either eat a small bowl of cereal that we bring with us, or we grab one breakfast platter and share it. If you look at it like this "if the quickest ts meal took you about an hour, as most do, then there's 2 to 3 hours a day just on eating, not to mention transportation to and from. It adds up, especially when some parks aren't open very late like AK. When you compare the prices of the meals at some of your adr's to the money spent on the dining plan, you'll find that with just dinner you're getting your money's worth.

I surely wish I had access to those great discounts that travel agents do, some day I will take classes for sure! Anyhow, it's ashame you weren't able to get into Le Cellier, it's got to be the best place in orlando, fl, period! Keep checking, even when you walk by it, keep checking, as cancellations happen often, even at the last minute!

Anyhow, my personal favorites out of your list are
1. 50's prime time, but after eating there so many times, it's just not as fun as it once was
2. Not sure about Boma's for breakfast, but it was awesome for dinner!
3. I love love love the fish n chips as a counter meal, but haven't ever had a ts meal at Rose and Crown Pub, but it's my dream for some day
4. Spirit of Aloha, my family w/o me ate there about 6 years ago, and didn't like the food at all. The entertainment was great though. However, I found good reviews like 9.6 out of 10 for the hoop-de-do review or whatever the right name is
5, Sci-fi imo has horrible food, the atmosphere is not worth it either
6. for the CA grill, did you make sure that you will definitely be able to see the fireworks show? The reason I ask this is because I too thought I had a great ADR this year for our first time eating there, and once I looked up the fireworks schedule my adr was for 2 hours after the fireworks. We don't know whether to cancel it or not.
6. we had a dinner at 1900 park fare in 2004, at the time it was a buffet and the original area was being rehabbed. Well the buffet food was horrible, but the fact that we saw the great characters that we did, made it so worth the wild. I'm not sure what they do for breakfast, but thought I'd give you that input anyways.

Don't worry about fitting much more in, instead just focus on calling about le cellier like once a week, once you arrive in wdw, and each time you walk by there, because it is so worth the effort.

 

[msce2]

You do get to try a lot of good restaurants. There are some signatures that are worth trying too.

Citricos - GF
Jiko - AKL
Flying Fish - BW
Artist Point - WL
Yachtsman - YC

I don't know when you are going, but it might be worth for example doing dinner at a signature on your first night and switching out some of your other dinner plans for some of the nicer restaurants especially since you are traveling without kids.

 

[RetroPopArt]

More info ...

This will be my 3rd trip to WDW; 2nd trip for the DH.
Each time in the past I've stayed 6nts/7days. This trip is a full 8nts/8days. I've also been a DL AP holder for many years.
This is my 1st time using the DDP. Maybe I am overly excited and ambitious but I've tried to plan it so we're not too overwhelmed. I may change some of the lunch ADR's but as of right now am not positive. We're arriving on Jan 30 and leaving Feb 7 (2010). Here's more details of our plans ...

(1/30) arrive in MCO @ 930am. 845pm ADR for Tony's Town Square.
(1/31) 1050am ADR Ohana breakfast w/Lilo & Stitch. 850pm ADR @ 50's Prime Time Cafe (had a blast here last year plus we really loved the comfort food).
(2/1) 950am ADR @ Boma. 330pm ADR @ Nine Dragons (am thinking of ditching this one as Chinese food is Chinese food - I can get that at home anytime). 955pm ADR @ Cap'n Jacks.
(2/2) 100pm ADR @ Rose & Crown Pub. 800pm ADR @ Spirit of Aloha show.
(2/3) 1010am ADR @ 1900 Park Faire for the Supercalifraglistic breakfast. 850pm ADR for Chefs de France.
(2/4) 940am ADR @ Tusker House for Donald's Safari breakfast. 950pm ADR @ Narcoossee's.
(2/5) 1100am ADR @ Sci Fi Dine In Theater (I, too, have eaten here before and I agree the food does suck but the movie clips are great fun. I was thinking of just keeping this one for a stop in for a milk shake - no actual food). 1045pm ADR @ Raglan Road Irish Pub.
(2/6) 950am ADR @ Kouzzina's. 850pm ADR @ California Grill (I did call and ask about this one. Was told we could arrive early since we had ADR and could proceed to the balcony for the fireworks show that it wasn't any issue at all).
(2/7) Sadness ensues as we leave for home on a 730am flight

Now, typing it all out, I don't think we're going to overstress ourselves. I think the schedules look pretty good. We're not morning people and we definately have no issue staying up late. Wish the parks were open later but that's the sacrifice one takes when traveling to WDW in the winter. Other than avoiding the steamy summer, we have the change to avoid crowds. Last year went during Mardi Gras week and didn't know that the state of LA would be at WDW ... ugh! Never again!!
Decided against the Hoop-de-do Review as it just didn't sound like my can of worms. I figured go with the Spirit of Aloha for 3 reasons: I have the deluxe dining and can afford to waste 2 credits on it, I wouldn't normally pay for such an experience, and ALCOHOL is included!!
The 1900 Park Faire breakfast is all about seeing the characters from Alice in Wonderland and Mary Poppins. I read they both make an appearance. Also, I chose to use my TS meals for breakfasts rather than lunches as this is again something I wouldn't normally expense myself on and since having the deluxe dining plan I thought it would be a great opportunity to try them.
I had a reservation for Jiko but the DH nixed it after reading the menu. There was no convincing him.
And, Citrico's .. thought about it. Am still thinking about it. Is it available for TS credits? Must be, otherwise I wouldn't have looked at it. I'll check into it again.
What would you consider to be "nicer" restaurants? It has to be those I can redeem TS credits for. Plan to NOT spend any $ on food.

Thanks for the write ups and tips!!!

t.

 

[RetroPopArt]

Switched out some plans. Got Jiko for our first night (thanks for the suggestion for adding a signature dining for the first night). Added Mama Melrose. Changed Sci Fi for a later time (just to go and have a milkshake and onion rings .. no actual meal); as the DH has never been there and is bugging me to go (I've been before - I agree with the comment on the food .. horrible!). And, added Citricos (upon suggestion). I am done and now just have to watch the sands in the hourglass for 20 more days *sigh*
t.