Anyone else NOT make ADRs ?

[pktbMouse]

I feel like the odd person out here...everyone seems to make their plans and include ADRs for about every day of their trip. I was wondering if anyone else is like our family and simply cannot afford table service meals every night of their vacation? We always go to Disney on such a tight budget its only ever fast food places for us. Dont get me wrong I would love to do an ADR..just once but they way our finances always are we barely make it to Disney on a tight shoestring. It does not affect us in any way negative..the kids have their fav places..Pecos Bills, Pizzafari, Star Traders and we always have a great time...Im just blown away sometimes at the number of ADRs people have...sometimes 2 per day tell me we are not alone??

 

[minnie mum]

There are plenty of folks who go to WDW and never have a TS meal. Why do you think the bean counters came up with the QSDP? If lots of people weren't going to use it, it would never have been made available.

 

[agavegirl1]

I never made them when we brought the kids...only now that I go "adults only". They would not have appreciated the table service meals and the over-scheduling would have made the trip stressful. Not worth the money for us then. They really enjoyed eating at QS locations in different "lands".

 

[leebee]

We always used to do just ONE table service meal per trip. When DD was younger it was usually a character meal, so we could get character photos and autographs while eating instead of standing in multiple long lines. We felt it was worth it, as time=money at Disney. As DD outgrew characters, our TS meal was either Boma or 50s Prime Time. THEN we made the mistake of doing "free dining" one time, and learned to love many of the Disney restaurants. Now? There are all kinds of things we'll skip (like pin trading, souvenirs, PhotoPass/Memory Maker, staying onsite, etc.) so we can do table service meals but we try to keep it to one TS every other day. Fortunately there's lots of variety at Disney, even if just doing counter service meals, and we never feel like we've missed out!

 

[JaymeC]

Unless we get free dining, we don't do many if any table service meals. Usually we squeeze in one per trip, but this upcoming trip we're not even doing that since the choices were "Kids, we can either do a character meal OR use that money for gas to drive back down for one night for the 24 hour day"

Yeah, you can guess what they chose That's going to be one fun night

 

[Sandy Fisher]

Never did. Not once. Earlier trips our guys were much younger and I think we did one lunch at Crystal Palace but at that time you didn't have to make reservations. I'm not sure if it was a character meal or not. They weren't that big of a deal then either.
Now it's just DH and I and the "boys" are adults and plan their own vacations. They like to eat out, but I can tell you they wouldn't bother with multiple meal reservations if they were going to Disney.
I figure when we're on vacation, we're eating out every meal -- unless we're in an area where we visit friends for a day and eat with them.
Never thought it was necessary. Even when we can easily afford it now. We don't go to Disney for the food, although we have our favorites.

 

[DisneyMountainWoman]

We packed meals to be able to afford our table service and shared meals. So that is an option that u could do if u want to add a few table service but stay in the same budget.

 

[okeydokey]

We do an occasional table service but mostly counter service. I don't like to schedule my vacation days so strictly so far in advance. We like to go where we feel like it at the time and eat when we are hungry to eat.

 

[alicat8]

We never used to-in my first 20 or so trips. Ive had 1 or 2 in my past few trips, and I have 3 for my trip coming up, but we've been planning and saving a while, and I want my daughter to have some character meals. I have no problem with the qs food! (I don't think it's much different from the ts meals, quality-wise either. You're really just paying for someone to find you a table and bring it to you )

 

[BrianL]

I don't do ADR's for every day of my trip. Usually only 2 or so. When I went solo I didn't have any, and I only have a 3rd for my upcoming trip because I scored one for BOG. I have never eaten at the really expensive places either, only the moderate ones.

 

[pktbMouse]

We packed meals to be able to afford our table service and shared meals. So that is an option that u could do if u want to add a few table service but stay in the same budget.

Great idea! thanks...oh and loving your Trip report too

 

[DisneyBum303]

We almost never make ADRs. In over 20 trips, we have done ADRs maybe five times. Exception was 2009 when we had free dining plan, so my DIL made several ADRs. When it's just my Mom and I, we are CS all the way. We almost never eat fast food at home, so it's a treat for us to eat burgers and fries all week. And yes, I'm the weird lady dipping her fries in mayo. It's my vacation!!

Typical conversation -
'You hungry?'
'Yup'.
'Wanna get something to eat?'
'Okay'.

 

[robndani]

We do ADRs, but Columbia Harbour House is one of my favorite Disney restaurants, and it's a quick service! Just saying

 

[Jupiter]

Next month will be my first trip with table service. It's an adult trip for my sister and I. Growing up and on the few trips with our kids, we usually worked in one character meal for the kids.

Growing up we stayed in Fort Wilderness and most our meals were sandwiches or made on the Coleman stove.

So, nope, I don't think you are unusual at all. Since this is a planning site, I think you just see a larger proportion of people who do make ADRs

 

[Littlelulu01]

We averaged one or two TS per day and did not spend that much. Our quick service BOG cost more than BOG TS dinner. Just depends on what you order. A bowl of soup and a cupcake at bog dinner was very filling, more so than the lunch salad and cupcake. Our most expensive meal was hollywood and vine fantasmic. That was an expensive salad and bread but çould have been a much better deal for a bigger eater. Some TS we did walk up such as in epcot and had our fill with a bill of less than $50 (3 adults) before tip and we were in and out in less than an hour. One morning we split a corn dog between three of us for breakfast in MK and had dole whip for lunch. TS never took too long and it was a nice respite. Stretched out rose and crown to watch fireworks by ordering dessert and coffee and still spent around $100 with 25% tip.

 

[wendybeth75]

We have done it both ways. When our kids were young we ate pop tarts and packed snacks into the parks. The kids would share a kids meal because they were too excited to eat anyhow! One time at Cosmic Rays DS got excited because he could have pickles and salted tomatoes off of the "fixins" bar! I think he liked that more than he did his burger! We now tend to have a TS everyday but not always. There are many QS that I like as much as TS places. Also check out places like Sci Fi and the plaza for entrees that are closer to a QS price (as long as you stick to sandwiches). There is no wrong way to do Disney!

 

[AthenaBolina]

You're not alone!

For our first trip in 2010, we were on the qsdp, and I made ONE adr...paid oop for Akershus for my 8 year old daughter's bday. This trip we are again on the qsdp, but since the regular DDP was too much for us, we booked a few to pay oop for. This is not normal for us, I think we have three,and one is fairly cheap...Raglan Road. We also have one for Yak & Yeti, and then mama melrose for fantasmic dinner pkg. We're only doing this because my husband is deploying after our trip, and we want to soak up as much fun as we can. If it wasn't a special trip, we'd do strictly qs.

 

[Deanie1]

When it was the five of us going, we had to go on a budget, flying out of Seattle. We splurged with staying on-site so we did all CS and had breakfast in our room - muffin, fruit and milk. In 2006 and 2012, we lucked out with free dining and we loved it. But not enough to pay for it. Usually, I. Will book 2-3 TS per trip and at reasonable priced places. I also drink water so that helps. It also helps that. I now go with either my DD or my brother so I am not paying for five!

 

[kathy884]

OP -- We do very few ADRs too. Usually one per trip on a non park day. Our trips to Orlando are typically budget trips. We stay offsite. We just do three theme parks in a one week trip -- at least one and sometimes two are Disney. // We cook all of our own breakfasts and most of our own lunches. We bring sandwiches, fresh fruit, and juice boxes to Disney for lunch on park days. Dinner for six nights -- usually one splurge on a Disney ADR (Ohana or Boma), pizza one night with salad from the grocery store, one cook in dinner, and three counter service dinners in the parks. // High season too, ADRs take too much time away from park time. Our kids don't want to take time out for these. Busy season you can wait 30 minutes or more to be seated even when you have an ADR.

 

[dawgsgirl]

When we first started going to WDW I always had a few ADR's simply because everyone on here was always talking about it. Now we just have CS if we are in the parks and eat off-site if we are not in a park. Too much to schedule and way too expensive! I am just too cheap to pay that much for mediocre food!! You are definitely not alone. Just ignore the dining forum.