An Introduction (advice on ADRs)

[DaveStroem]

Hi there,

Just found this sight last night.

I am heading to WDW for 8 nights on Mar 21. This is the first trip to WDW in 18 years for my DW and I and the first trip ever for my DD12 & DD9.

I am feeling a bit overwhelmed by all of the choices.

Got my ADR for each night but now fell that I might want to change some of them. I am planning on doing the DDP but am a little torqued with the change they made. When I first looked at the PDF it showed that appetizers were included with the TS meals then they changed the PDF.

3/21 Coral Reef
3/22 Cindy's
3/23 Nine Dragons
3/24 Le Cellier
3/25 Biergarten
3/26 Le Chefs
3/27 Teppen Edo
3/28 Sci-Fi Drive In

I have been thinking of canceling the CRT dinner on the 22nd after reading the reviews here.

Any suggestions or cautions about the above itinerary would be appreciated.

Dave

 

[Metro West]

 

[lovetoscrap]

Since you are asking specifically about dining I am going to move this to our Restaurants board.


to the DIS!

 

[DaveStroem]

Thanks for the welcome.

Dave

 

[distherapy]

Welcome! And good job! You've gotten some great ADRs.

We liked the experience of eating in the castle, but I have heard so-so things about dinner. I'd keep it, though, and just know what you're getting into. I think it's a must do at least once.

 

[3boymthr]

Hi there,

Just found this sight last night.

I am heading to WDW for 8 nights on Mar 21. This is the first trip to WDW in 18 years for my DW and I and the first trip ever for my DD12 & DD9.

I am feeling a bit overwhelmed by all of the choices.

Got my ADR for each night but now fell that I might want to change some of them. I am planning on doing the DDP but am a little torqued with the change they made. When I first looked at the PDF it showed that appetizers were included with the TS meals then they changed the PDF.

3/21 Coral Reef
3/22 Cindy's
3/23 Nine Dragons
3/24 Le Cellier
3/25 Biergarten
3/26 Le Chefs
3/27 Teppen Edo
3/28 Sci-Fi Drive In

I have been thinking of canceling the CRT dinner on the 22nd after reading the reviews here.

Any suggestions or cautions about the above itinerary would be appreciated.

Dave

Hi, welcome to the DIS!

I noticed you are staying 8 nights and are doing DDP, which means you have 8 TS credits (you get one TS credit for each night you are in WDW,) but you are booked at 8 TS restaurants and CRT takes 2TS credits so you are actually booked to use 9 TS meal credits one more than you get with the DDP. Since you are thinking about canceling CRT you may want to see if you can switch the ADR to Akershus so your DDs can see the princesses but still only use 8 TS credits or else I would recommend paying out of pocket for one of your TS which ever one is cheapest.

 

[DaveStroem]

3boymthr, thanks for the suggestion. I was planning on paying OOP for Sci-Fi Drive In.
The girls don't really seem to be into the whole princess thing. I have been shocked by them. We told them that we were going on Christmas morning and they were like Ok whats next. I know that I am much more excited about the trip then either of them.

Dave

 

[Flossbolna]

Hi and welcome to the boards! Your restaurants look fine, I am just wondering a little bit about how often you plan to dine in Epcot. I personally prefer the fireworks at MK over Illuminations, so I would plan a few evenings at the MK as well. Have you looked at any of the restaurants at the resorts? Especially the MK area resorts have some great choices, I personally really like Kona Cafe at the Polynesian. Also, if you are a bit adventurous, Boma at Animal Kingdom Lodge is a fun place.

Have fun planning and have a great trip!!

 

[GatorLady]

The girls don't really seem to be into the whole princess thing. I have been shocked by them. We told them that we were going on Christmas morning and they were like Ok whats next. I know that I am much more excited about the trip then either of them.

Dave

First, welcome to the DIS!

I think you did a great job. If your daughter's aren't into princesses, I would cancel CRT. Most character meals are usually more or less average in terms of food, you are going for the "experience".

You could eat at a Signature (2TS) restaurant instead if you didn't mind still paying OOP for Sci-Fi, or maybe your daughter's would be interested in a different type character meal and all the rest of those except the Castle are 1TS. Like PP said, a resort restaurant would be a good option too.

 

[iluvepcot]

My kids are the same age, but boy and girl. We always plan one night at california grill at the top of the Contempor. Resort. The food is great, upscale. this is 2ts but with op sci fi and cx Cindi you should be fine.

Try to make your reservation near the Fw schedule. When the fw come on the lights go down and you can see them or move out on the observation deck. My DH and I enjoy an after dinner cocktail while the kids go down to the arcade for a about 30 min on thier own. This is always a must stop for us.

 

[AdWayInc]

I Agree about Epcot dining... I really think with 2 little girls you are doing too many dinners at EPCOT. I would consider the CP at MK with Winnie. Cali Grill or Norcoosees are 2 great viewing adventures for the fireworks at MK. If your children really like the different cultural foods/tastes then by all means do all the dinners at EPCOT.

 

[Rylee]

Hi there,

Just found this sight last night.

I am heading to WDW for 8 nights on Mar 21. This is the first trip to WDW in 18 years for my DW and I and the first trip ever for my DD12 & DD9.

I am feeling a bit overwhelmed by all of the choices.

Got my ADR for each night but now fell that I might want to change some of them. I am planning on doing the DDP but am a little torqued with the change they made. When I first looked at the PDF it showed that appetizers were included with the TS meals then they changed the PDF.

3/21 Coral Reef
3/22 Cindy's
3/23 Nine Dragons
3/24 Le Cellier
3/25 Biergarten
3/26 Le Chefs
3/27 Teppen Edo
3/28 Sci-Fi Drive In

I have been thinking of canceling the CRT dinner on the 22nd after reading the reviews here.

Any suggestions or cautions about the above itinerary would be appreciated.

Dave

Hi,

You've got some great places booked!

Our children, ALL 5 of them, always asked to go to...

Teppan Edo
Coral Reef
Si-Fi Dine-In
Le Cellier

We have also enjoyed Chefs.

We have never dined in the castle, (have never been able to get a reservation) but we always do at least one character meal, and since it can be a hard ressie to get, I'd keep it. (Since your children have never been to WDW, they might not get too excited before arriving, but once they are actually there and see the castle, you might be happy to have that reservation.)

 

[millerjudi]

Welcome!!!! We ate at Biergarten once and did not like the food at all. My favorite restaurant is Ohana at the Polynesian--great food, fun activities for the kids. My kid (DD9 DS11) love the Whispering Canyon Cafe at the Wilderness Lodge. It is fun to eat at the restaurants at the resorts because the themeing in the lobbies is really fantastic. Have a wonderful trip!

 

[sewingmolly]

I wouldn't be surprised if the princesses aren't more popular with your DDs than you expect. I took my niece, 12, to DL Paris this summer. I asked several times before we went if she wanted to do a character meal. I was told repeatedly that she was too old for that. Within 10 minutes of checking into the hotel, she announced that she needed an autograph book and by dinner time, she had changed her mind about dinner with the Princesses. This time, we're doing both CRT and Akershus. We're all excited about eating in the castle.

 

[DaveStroem]

Thanks for all the responses. A little background on DD12 her favorite TV channel is Food Network. She is always in the kitchen cooking up something. DD9 is a pickier eater so the kids menu is fine (better) for her anyways.

Her favorite restaurant here in town is Schmidt's Sausage House that has been recently featured on the travel channels Man vs. Food. If you are ever in Columbus this is a great place to eat and the Creme Puffs are to die for.

 

[Flossbolna]

Thanks for all the responses. A little background on DD12 her favorite TV channel is Food Network. She is always in the kitchen cooking up something. DD9 is a pickier eater so the kids menu is fine (better) for her anyways.

Her favorite restaurant here in town is Schmidt's Sausage House that has been recently featured on the travel channels Man vs. Food. If you are ever in Columbus this is a great place to eat and the Creme Puffs are to die for.

If your DD12 is so much into cooking, perhaps she would really enjoy a siganture dinner more than CRT. What about California Grill or Jiko where you can be seated at the counter overlooking the open kitchen?

 

[Colleen27]

Hi there,

Just found this sight last night.

I am heading to WDW for 8 nights on Mar 21. This is the first trip to WDW in 18 years for my DW and I and the first trip ever for my DD12 & DD9.

I am feeling a bit overwhelmed by all of the choices.

Got my ADR for each night but now fell that I might want to change some of them. I am planning on doing the DDP but am a little torqued with the change they made. When I first looked at the PDF it showed that appetizers were included with the TS meals then they changed the PDF.

3/21 Coral Reef
3/22 Cindy's
3/23 Nine Dragons
3/24 Le Cellier
3/25 Biergarten
3/26 Le Chefs
3/27 Teppen Edo
3/28 Sci-Fi Drive In

I have been thinking of canceling the CRT dinner on the 22nd after reading the reviews here.

Any suggestions or cautions about the above itinerary would be appreciated.

Dave

A couple thoughts:

First, Cindy's. Personally, we weren't all that impressed with the food, and I can't really see going for dinner, when there are no characters, unless someone in your party has their heart set on eating in the castle. We did it once for our DD7, and we'll probably do it once more when the baby is old enough to want to, but there are so many other choices in the Magic Kingdom area that give more bank for the buck/credit. I'd probably cancel Cindy's and try to book Kona Cafe at the Polynesian, just a short monorail hop or boat ride from the Magic Kingdom, instead.

Second, you have a LOT of dinners at Epcot. Have you given much thought to which parks you plan to visit on each day, or how many days you'd like to spend at each? Dinners at Epcot fit well into days spent at Epcot or Holywood Studios, and can work with days spent at Animal Kingdom or the waterparks as well if you plan for a later dinner after those parks close, but dining at Epcot when you're at Magic Kingdom for the day means an awful lot of travel time. We love the Epcot dining options, but usually can't fit more than 4 dinners there into a weeklong trip.

 

[Colleen27]

Thanks for all the responses. A little background on DD12 her favorite TV channel is Food Network. She is always in the kitchen cooking up something. DD9 is a pickier eater so the kids menu is fine (better) for her anyways.

In that case, I'd definitely swap out Cindy's for California Grill at the top of the Contemporary. It uses the same 2 credits on the dining plan, but the experience is so much different and the food is infinitely better. The adult menu is awesome and will certainly appeal to your little foodie, with amazing fresh sushi and a signature pork dish that just melts in your mouth, but like all Disney's restaurants, the kids menu is perfect for picky eaters. My 10yo foodie loved the sushi and the lamb. My picky 7yo thought they had the best mac & cheese she's ever tried and still talks about the rice krispy treat & gummy fish "sushi" dessert.

 

[millerjudi]

One more thing--if you are going to Coral Reef--I believe you can call Coral Reef (Debbie Sacleux 407-560-6856) and ask to have one of the divers who swim through the tank hold up a sign saying, for example, just "Hi" to your kids with your kids name on it. I have not done it yet but plan to on our next trip. Have a great trip!

 

[GatorLady]

One more thing--if you are going to Coral Reef--I believe you can call Coral Reef (Debbie Sacleux 407-560-6856) and ask to have one of the divers who swim through the tank hold up a sign saying, for example, just "Hi" to your kids with your kids name on it. I have not done it yet but plan to on our next trip. Have a great trip!

Coral Reef is no longer doing this.