Anyone Game? It’s my Sep 2013 Blog! I'm home; with a TR link in #1189, 10/14

[Minniemum]

Sooo wishing I could change my dates right now. It's sounds like you're going to have a lot of fun and game(r)s.

 

[PrincessInOz]

Sooo wishing I could change my dates right now. It's sounds like you're going to have a lot of fun and game(r)s.

It's not too late.

 

[PrincessInOz]

The Post about ADRs



I'm always one for having a plan; but truth be known, I'm much more a go with the flow type of person when on holiday. Yes. Believe. It. Or. Not.

Afterall, I am on vacay and really don't want to be tied down to a schedule nor have locked in plans in the event that something or a weather event unexpectedly happens.


So, a lot of our plans at the World are very flexible. All except for our ADRs.


Those of you that have lived through my WDW PTRs before will know that I have long held the viewpoint that this booking of ADRs 180 days out from arrival date is the thing I enjoy the least about planning a WDW vacay.

I spend all this time reviewing menus and planning meals just so I can have the pleasure of staying up to an ungodly hour to ring up and book a Table Service restaurant of choice that sadly, by the time the 3D meal comes round, I have no idea if the meal and dining establishment of choice is still the place I want to dine at. Call me fickle but my tastebuds just can't seem to last the 180 days of pre-salivation time!

Putting it into a different perspective, my tastebuds will have to spend the equivalence of:

• 4320 hours; or
• 259,200 minutes; or
• 15,522,000 seconds

salivating over meals that we might not feel like eating by the time we get to the parks.


I don't even want to think about the proposed new FastPass system where we need to lock in our FP rides to a specific time window before we even put a foot on property or even work out what the weather is doing!


Yes, I know. Quick or Counter Service; or even on-line booking. Seems like the on-line booking system might not like us Aussies much; or we're just the most Luddite group of people on the planet. Lately, I've been hearing stories of not much success using on-line booking from the Anzacs.


But I totally accept and understand that part and parcel of being at the World is all those wonderful restaurants to try.

I've pretty much called Disney at least 5 times this week; what with all the to-ing an fro-ing and adjustments of locations and numbers. But my ADRs are booked now. On my list so far:

• Crystal Palace (breakfast for 3)
• Cape May (breakfast for 7)
• Yak and Yeti (lunch for 3)
• Raglan Road (dinner for 6)
• Fantasmic! dining package at Hollywood Brown Derby (dinner for 6)
• The Wave (dinner for 9)
• Tony's (dinner for 3)

We are doing a cookout one of the nights we're there with the DisGamers and we are up to dinner for 10 people on this night.



I have two character breakfasts planned. As we're staying at BCV, we're planning on having toast and porridge in the room a couple of mornings. Alternatively, we could try Kouzzina or pick something up at the Bakery. I figure that will take care of all our breakfast needs.


I've only booked one TS lunch. We're planning on grazing at Epcot F&W for two days; so we've left lots of lunch time available so we can do just that. I considered Via Napoli; but figured that I should take advantage of F&W. I also considered Prime Time; but we're having a character breakfast on that morning and already have a full dinner planned on the same day. So, we'll think about a light lunch on that day; or not eat lunch. With Counter Service options at the various parks, I somehow doubt we will starve; despite the lack of lunchtime ADRs.


If you’re keeping count, out of the 7 nights, we have full-on dinners planned for 5 of them. That gives us 2 nights to consider what we want to eat and whilst I understand that I may not be having sit-down dinners for these two nights, I reckon we'll be fine.


Here's hoping that I have the right balance between flexibility and enjoying good food at the World!

 

[zanzibar138]

Wow I can't believe you're at 180 days already! Gives me hope that the time before my next trip will go nice and quick

The idea of booking meals so far in advance has always kind of spun me out. Especially given that most people I know haven't even booked their holiday 6 months out I agree about the whole pre-booked fastpasses thing too - how on earth do you know what rides you're going to feel like doing so far in advance

 

[WanderlustNZ]

Those of you that have lived through my WDW PTRs before will know that I have long held the viewpoint that this booking of ADRs 180 days out from arrival date is the thing I enjoy the least about planning a WDW vacay.

I spend all this time reviewing menus and planning meals just so I can have the pleasure of staying up to an ungodly hour to ring up and book a Table Service restaurant of choice that sadly, by the time the 3D meal comes round, I have no idea if the meal and dining establishment of choice is still the place I want to dine at. Call me fickle but my tastebuds just can't seem to last the 180 days of pre-salivation time!

Unlike you, I've loved every minute of researching my ADRs. But like you, I'm worried that by the time 180 days rolls around, I'm going to regret the places I've chosen. I can't help but think that after a week long cruise of eating, eating, and more eating, sitting down for heavy meals will be the last thing I feel like doing.

Your ADRs look great. I have a AK day with no dining reservations at all. You've got me thinking about Yak and Yeti.

 

[Fairy Floss]

I found you!

Joining in..... It'll take a while to catch up.....
Looks amazing so far.

 

[tiggrbaby]

ADRs look great! You won't believe how fast you fill up from the kiosk food.

 

[ACDSNY]

ADRs look great, I'm with you I don't like having to plan my meals 6 months before my trip.

 

[franandaj]

I know what you mean. I'm still trying to pick whether or not I want to eat at Artist Point or choose something else for my second night. I want CA Grill, but they're not taking reservations yet since they don't know when they are opening. Right now I'm waffling between Artist Point and Todd English Bluezoo.

Then the night you go to MNSSHP, Bobbi goes home so Fran and I are back on our own. We want to make an ADR, but I can't get her to commit to where she wants to eat six months from now!

 

[PrincessInOz]

Wow I can't believe you're at 180 days already! Gives me hope that the time before my next trip will go nice and quick

The idea of booking meals so far in advance has always kind of spun me out. Especially given that most people I know haven't even booked their holiday 6 months out I agree about the whole pre-booked fastpasses thing too - how on earth do you know what rides you're going to feel like doing so far in advance

It will come round sooner than you think.

We started planning this trip about 15 months ago!

Unlike you, I've loved every minute of researching my ADRs. But like you, I'm worried that by the time 180 days rolls around, I'm going to regret the places I've chosen. I can't help but think that after a week long cruise of eating, eating, and more eating, sitting down for heavy meals will be the last thing I feel like doing.

Your ADRs look great. I have a AK day with no dining reservations at all. You've got me thinking about Yak and Yeti.

I like researching and looking at the restaurant menus. Problem is.....I want to eat there now! In 6 months time? Who knows? But by that stage, there will be very little availability at the restaurants.

I found you!

Joining in..... It'll take a while to catch up.....
Looks amazing so far.

Thanks for finding me and joining in!

ADRs look great! You won't believe how fast you fill up from the kiosk food.

Thanks! I'm hoping to 'share' the F&W tasty bites with DS and DH. That way, we get to stretch out the amount of food we get to try.

ADRs look great, I'm with you I don't like having to plan my meals 6 months before my trip.

I know what you mean. I'm still trying to pick whether or not I want to eat at Artist Point or choose something else for my second night. I want CA Grill, but they're not taking reservations yet since they don't know when they are opening. Right now I'm waffling between Artist Point and Todd English Bluezoo.

Then the night you go to MNSSHP, Bobbi goes home so Fran and I are back on our own. We want to make an ADR, but I can't get her to commit to where she wants to eat six months from now!

If nothing else, we can add a few more people on to the Tony's reservation....just in case? Would you like me to call and see?

I just checked the menu at Bluezoo and it reads great. I wonder if they are as fully booked as the WDW restaurants are or whether there is a chance of walk-up? I'd like to see more of the Swolphin hotels this time and thought that we might walk through them at some stage just to check them out.

 

[franandaj]

If nothing else, we can add a few more people on to the Tony's reservation....just in case? Would you like me to call and see?

I just checked the menu at Bluezoo and it reads great. I wonder if they are as fully booked as the WDW restaurants are or whether there is a chance of walk-up? I'd like to see more of the Swolphin hotels this time and thought that we might walk through them at some stage just to check them out.

Thank you, but that's OK. I usually like to have my dinners where they serve wine. I'm considering Le Cellier or Yachtsman for Sunday, and want to do a signature on Monday as well. I just can't seem to decide. Also we're at VWL so I want something that's not too difficult to get to from there.

 

[PrincessInOz]

Thank you, but that's OK. I usually like to have my dinners where they serve wine. I'm considering Le Cellier or Yachtsman for Sunday, and want to do a signature on Monday as well. I just can't seem to decide. Also we're at VWL so I want something that's not too difficult to get to from there.

Ooh! I didn't even remember that there is a no alcohol policy in MK!


So this is the first Sunday night you're talking about. Tony's is the last Sunday night that we're there. We fly in late on that day and will be travelling all day. *sigh*

 

[franandaj]

Ooh! I didn't even remember that there is a no alcohol policy in MK!


So this is the first Sunday night you're talking about. Tony's is the last Sunday night that we're there. We fly in late on that day and will be travelling all day. *sigh*

No, the last Sunday night. The first Sunday I will have We Go Shop deliver to the room and I'll cook us up a simple stovetop/oven casserole that's good old fashioned comfort food.

 

[PrincessInOz]

No, the last Sunday night. The first Sunday I will have We Go Shop deliver to the room and I'll cook us up a simple stovetop/oven casserole that's good old fashioned comfort food.

The coffee has only just hit. We're talking about the same Sunday night. I think we check out on the Monday; which is why I was a little thrown by the Monday reference.

 

[Aussie Wendy]

Yup pesky advance ADRs- I like drooling over menus but on the day..when I thought I would feel like Italian, in the event I usually feel like African or something. Last WDW trip 2 of our most enjoyable meals were last minute "think we'll do this", phone up and yep they had a vacancy. On the UK boards they are full of talk prebooking ADRs for DLP as well-we're gonna go with the flow and make some bookings if we can on arrival-eating at unpopular times if need be - I can't believe we won't score one at least, and if all else fails-well c'est la vie!

 

[PrincessInOz]

Yup pesky advance ADRs- I like drooling over menus but on the day..when I thought I would feel like Italian, in the event I usually feel like African or something. Last WDW trip 2 of our most enjoyable meals were last minute "think we'll do this", phone up and yep they had a vacancy. On the UK boards they are full of talk prebooking ADRs for DLP as well-we're gonna go with the flow and make some bookings if we can on arrival-eating at unpopular times if need be - I can't believe we won't score one at least, and if all else fails-well c'est la vie!

I'll be waiting for your TR on DLP to see how the no-booking goes.

 

[rentayenta]

Anyone remember that this was an Anyone Game? PTR?



Anyone remember the title for this PTR??



My whole reason for this trip germinated from the fact that a couple of us DisGamers thought it would be fun to meet in 3D.


Our planning started in June/July 2011and weve been firming up plans ever since. Sadly, a couple of the Gamers are no longer able to join us but we still have 3 original Gamers; plus a couple of others that will be joining us at the World. And as we're less than 6 months away from the Meets, we've pretty much worked out most of the major things we need to work out.


And as I had hoped for......a number of Anzac Dis-sers will also be present at the same time. We have yet to coordinate anything for an Anzac meet; but Im sure we'll work it out in the next 5 months or so.




Where are we staying?

For the duration of my stay at WDW, we'll be staying at the Beach Club Villa.

I rented points off a fellow Dis-ser and am eternally grateful for the opportunity to stay here. I'm sure looking to being in my Disney Home away from Home for the 8 nights.



All 3 original Gamers will be staying in the Epcot Resort area.




What will we be doing?

Suffice to say, the Gamers have planned a number of events where we will spend time together. However, we wont be spending every waking moment together. So, we will have our own WDW vacations with the experience enhanced by being able to consolidate our 2D friendships into 3D.


I don't know about you, but for me, the difference between having a 2D friend-in-a-box compared to having a 3D friend is the lack of sensory interaction.

I suspect that most of you will know what I mean by the term 'sensory interaction'.


Therefore, when I started to compile this list of events and really reflected on what the Meets were saying, that it came as no surprise for me to realize that our Meets all revolved around being able to eat with each other. There is probably nothing more satisfying than being able to enjoy good food in the company of good friends.



The Meet events include:

• 2 dinners with the 3 original Gamers and their families.
• 1 breakfast with 4 Dissers.
• 1 cook-out dinner with at least 5 Dissers.
• 1 dinner with 4 Dissers.
• 1 Specialty cruise/pontoon with 5 Dissers, hopefully to see some fireworks! And before you wonder....food will be involved in this cruise as well.

In amidst all the above, we will also try to spend time together at the various parks and maybe do some Food and Wine grazing round the World Showcase together.



Here's to food, food and more sensory overload together!

How wonderful that you're renting points and getting to stay at the BCV. They look amazing! Your plans look like great fun. When we plan to meet we generally do the same; plan a few meals together and events but enjoy separate times with our families as well. it seems to work out really well.

The Post about ADRs



I'm always one for having a plan; but truth be known, I'm much more a go with the flow type of person when on holiday. Yes. Believe. It. Or. Not.

Afterall, I am on vacay and really don't want to be tied down to a schedule nor have locked in plans in the event that something or a weather event unexpectedly happens.


So, a lot of our plans at the World are very flexible. All except for our ADRs.


Those of you that have lived through my WDW PTRs before will know that I have long held the viewpoint that this booking of ADRs 180 days out from arrival date is the thing I enjoy the least about planning a WDW vacay.

I spend all this time reviewing menus and planning meals just so I can have the pleasure of staying up to an ungodly hour to ring up and book a Table Service restaurant of choice that sadly, by the time the 3D meal comes round, I have no idea if the meal and dining establishment of choice is still the place I want to dine at. Call me fickle but my tastebuds just can't seem to last the 180 days of pre-salivation time!

Putting it into a different perspective, my tastebuds will have to spend the equivalence of:

• 4320 hours; or
• 259,200 minutes; or
• 15,522,000 seconds

salivating over meals that we might not feel like eating by the time we get to the parks.


I don't even want to think about the proposed new FastPass system where we need to lock in our FP rides to a specific time window before we even put a foot on property or even work out what the weather is doing!


Yes, I know. Quick or Counter Service; or even on-line booking. Seems like the on-line booking system might not like us Aussies much; or we're just the most Luddite group of people on the planet. Lately, I've been hearing stories of not much success using on-line booking from the Anzacs.


But I totally accept and understand that part and parcel of being at the World is all those wonderful restaurants to try.

I've pretty much called Disney at least 5 times this week; what with all the to-ing an fro-ing and adjustments of locations and numbers. But my ADRs are booked now. On my list so far:

• Crystal Palace (breakfast for 3)
• Cape May (breakfast for 7)
• Yak and Yeti (lunch for 3)
• Raglan Road (dinner for 6)
• Fantasmic! dining package at Hollywood Brown Derby (dinner for 6)
• The Wave (dinner for 9)
• Tony's (dinner for 3)

We are doing a cookout one of the nights we're there with the DisGamers and we are up to dinner for 10 people on this night.



I have two character breakfasts planned. As we're staying at BCV, we're planning on having toast and porridge in the room a couple of mornings. Alternatively, we could try Kouzzina or pick something up at the Bakery. I figure that will take care of all our breakfast needs.


I've only booked one TS lunch. We're planning on grazing at Epcot F&W for two days; so we've left lots of lunch time available so we can do just that. I considered Via Napoli; but figured that I should take advantage of F&W. I also considered Prime Time; but we're having a character breakfast on that morning and already have a full dinner planned on the same day. So, we'll think about a light lunch on that day; or not eat lunch. With Counter Service options at the various parks, I somehow doubt we will starve; despite the lack of lunchtime ADRs.


If you’re keeping count, out of the 7 nights, we have full-on dinners planned for 5 of them. That gives us 2 nights to consider what we want to eat and whilst I understand that I may not be having sit-down dinners for these two nights, I reckon we'll be fine.


Here's hoping that I have the right balance between flexibility and enjoying good food at the World!

Like you I love making plans but they're always subject to change during the trip.

Your ADRs look good. We love Raglan Road and Tony's. We've eaten at Tony's during all 3 of our trip to WDW. It's get a bad wrap/rap but we really enjoy it. It's in part the food, in part the theme, and in part the service. All three trips have been consistently good.

Crystal Palace is a great breakfast choice.

We loved Prime Time. If you change your mind, ask for Loukilli. He was our server in October 2012 and by far the best server we've had anywhere ever. I wrote Disney a very long email stating how impressed we were and included a photo of him with the kids.

 

[skier_pete]

The Post about ADRs
On my list so far:

• Crystal Palace (breakfast for 3)
• Cape May (breakfast for 7)
• Yak and Yeti (lunch for 3)
• Raglan Road (dinner for 6)
• Fantasmic! dining package at Hollywood Brown Derby (dinner for 6)
• The Wave (dinner for 9)
• Tony's (dinner for 3)

We are doing a cookout one of the nights we're there with the DisGamers and we are up to dinner for 10 people on this night.

Hmmm....looks good to me. Hard to go too wrong with Disney dining with good friends. Especially coming from Australia our stupid-high prices probably don't look so stupid. The fact is, every trip there's 20 places I want to try and usually only room for about 8 of them.

But here's my comments.

Love CP for any meal! Breakfast an lunch has there breakfast Fritatta which is absolutely one of my favorite things to eat on Disney property. It is also our one "tradition" as it is the only restaurant we've eaten at every time we've gone.

Cape May for breakfast was OK the one time we tried it - nothing particularly special but as you are staying there it makes a lot of sense. For us it was a taxi ride from POFQ at the time, and I did not feel it was worth paying the extra taxi fees for. It seemed super-crowded and noisy for such a peaceful resort.

Haven't tried Yak and Yeti TS - the QS was good there - but we love Tusker House so much we can't pull ourselves away to try something different on our AK days.

Raglan Road - haven't tried this either, but hear good things. Not a big fan of the English/Irish pub food. (Haven't tried Rose and Crown either.)

Hollywood Brown Derby is excellent - though haven't eaten there in a long time. DW doesn't care for it in her memory, though the food was very good, we hated our desserts - but gave us one of our favorite Disney stories about the "Grapefruit Cake".

The Wave - ummmm....I hesitate to say I haven't heard much good about the Wave, but haven't actually been there myself.

Tony's - also haven't tried this. Hear very up and down stories - be curious as to your thoughts. It is one of the few in-park restaurants we haven't tried yet.

So even though I feel I've sampled a lot of what Disney has to offer, 4 of your 7 I haven't even tried. They are low on our priority list, as next trip in addition to returning favorites, we want to try Yatchsman Steakhouse, Be Our Guest restaurant, and Ohana as new locations for us. (Can't believe we've never been to Ohana.)

 

[zanzibar138]

Yup pesky advance ADRs- I like drooling over menus but on the day..when I thought I would feel like Italian, in the event I usually feel like African or something. Last WDW trip 2 of our most enjoyable meals were last minute "think we'll do this", phone up and yep they had a vacancy. On the UK boards they are full of talk prebooking ADRs for DLP as well-we're gonna go with the flow and make some bookings if we can on arrival-eating at unpopular times if need be - I can't believe we won't score one at least, and if all else fails-well c'est la vie!

I think you'll be fine. We didn't make any advance reservations either. Granted, the only places I really wanted to eat at were Walt's and Blue Lagoon (which was closed while we were there ). We didn't have any trouble getting into Walt's with a same day reservation, and walked straight into Rainforest Cafe for dinner while the park was still open.

We went at a supposedly quiet time of year, but it didn't seem that quiet to me Also a lot of restaurants were closed and the TS ones only did lunch, so it made the ones that were open a lot busier.

Hmmm....looks good to me. Hard to go too wrong with Disney dining with good friends. Especially coming from Australia our stupid-high prices probably don't look so stupid. The fact is, every trip there's 20 places I want to try and usually only room for about 8 of them.

You're absolutely right Skier Pete. We couldn't believe how cheap it was to eat in the US! The prices at Disneyland were about what we're used to paying at a suburban cafe/restaurant in Australia

 

[PrincessInOz]

How wonderful that you're renting points and getting to stay at the BCV. They look amazing! Your plans look like great fun. When we plan to meet we generally do the same; plan a few meals together and events but enjoy separate times with our families as well. it seems to work out really well.


Like you I love making plans but they're always subject to change during the trip.

Your ADRs look good. We love Raglan Road and Tony's. We've eaten at Tony's during all 3 of our trip to WDW. It's get a bad wrap/rap but we really enjoy it. It's in part the food, in part the theme, and in part the service. All three trips have been consistently good.

Crystal Palace is a great breakfast choice.

We loved Prime Time. If you change your mind, ask for Loukilli. He was our server in October 2012 and by far the best server we've had anywhere ever. I wrote Disney a very long email stating how impressed we were and included a photo of him with the kids.

Thanks Jenny. I'm still having lots of second thoughts about Prime Time; but we're already have a buffet breakfast and an early TS dinner on that day. I don't think I'll do justice to PT; so it might just be sushi from Starring Roles instead.

Next time.

Hmmm....looks good to me. Hard to go too wrong with Disney dining with good friends. Especially coming from Australia our stupid-high prices probably don't look so stupid. The fact is, every trip there's 20 places I want to try and usually only room for about 8 of them.

But here's my comments.

Love CP for any meal! Breakfast an lunch has there breakfast Fritatta which is absolutely one of my favorite things to eat on Disney property. It is also our one "tradition" as it is the only restaurant we've eaten at every time we've gone.

Cape May for breakfast was OK the one time we tried it - nothing particularly special but as you are staying there it makes a lot of sense. For us it was a taxi ride from POFQ at the time, and I did not feel it was worth paying the extra taxi fees for. It seemed super-crowded and noisy for such a peaceful resort.

Haven't tried Yak and Yeti TS - the QS was good there - but we love Tusker House so much we can't pull ourselves away to try something different on our AK days.

Raglan Road - haven't tried this either, but hear good things. Not a big fan of the English/Irish pub food. (Haven't tried Rose and Crown either.)

Hollywood Brown Derby is excellent - though haven't eaten there in a long time. DW doesn't care for it in her memory, though the food was very good, we hated our desserts - but gave us one of our favorite Disney stories about the "Grapefruit Cake".

The Wave - ummmm....I hesitate to say I haven't heard much good about the Wave, but haven't actually been there myself.

Tony's - also haven't tried this. Hear very up and down stories - be curious as to your thoughts. It is one of the few in-park restaurants we haven't tried yet.

So even though I feel I've sampled a lot of what Disney has to offer, 4 of your 7 I haven't even tried. They are low on our priority list, as next trip in addition to returning favorites, we want to try Yatchsman Steakhouse, Be Our Guest restaurant, and Ohana as new locations for us. (Can't believe we've never been to Ohana.)

Thanks Pete. I know what you mean about The Wave. It seems to have inconsistent reviews; but its right where we need to be for that night. It's on the night we're doing a Fireworks Cruise.

I think you'll be fine. We didn't make any advance reservations either. Granted, the only places I really wanted to eat at were Walt's and Blue Lagoon (which was closed while we were there ). We didn't have any trouble getting into Walt's with a same day reservation, and walked straight into Rainforest Cafe for dinner while the park was still open.

We went at a supposedly quiet time of year, but it didn't seem that quiet to me Also a lot of restaurants were closed and the TS ones only did lunch, so it made the ones that were open a lot busier.



You're absolutely right Skier Pete. We couldn't believe how cheap it was to eat in the US! The prices at Disneyland were about what we're used to paying at a suburban cafe/restaurant in Australia

Is food in Disneyland expensive??? Can't say I noticed as it seems to be the first place I go to straight off the plane from Australia.