Argh.. Tomorrow is my day for ADRs... Help Me Please

[mykidsrock76]

So, tomorrow is my first day to call to make ADRs. I started planning our meals 4 months ago, hoping I would have this all figured out by this time. After much flip-flopping about DDP vs. DxDP (and still no firm decision) I am no closer today than I was 4 months ago. Part of me says forget it and just eat CS meals the entire week. But I know we'll get down there and want TS meals. Also, whenever we go away (no matter how much we say we're not going to) we seem to always want a sit-down breakfast. What do I do? The only character my kids really want to see is Cinderella, but I LOVE the character meals and once they are there they LOVE them too. But trying to fit all the places in 7 days and w/o spending a ton of $$$ is hard... Any suggestions?? TIA!!!!

 

[Harambe]

Do you have your touring plan set up yet? Like which day at which park? Since you're not sure about a few things, your best bet would be to make just a few ADRs now, then add on as your trip approaches.

So, if you know which day you are going to be at MK, make a breakfast ADR at 1900 Park at the GF (bus to MK, monorail to GF). On your AK day, make an ADR at Tusker House for breakfast. Then on your Epcot day, make an ADR for dinner (maybe Coral Reef?).

That will give you a handful of ADRs that you can add to, or maybe keep as is to save money (compared to a ton of ADRs).

 

[Nancyg56]

I think make a few ADR's that you really want now and then as you settle your plans you can tweak them. I have to make mine tomorrow as well and my plan is not finalized either. I will make the ones I have and will just add to them and change as necessary. I am more comfortable if I know that I have dinner plans in place but some folks are fine without them.

 

[mykidsrock76]

Oh.. I have my plan finalized.. that is not the problem. The problem is there are too many places we want to try. I am trying to figure out how to fit 8 dinners into 7 nights... Any ideas?

Seriously though... that is where I am at. Plus, I love breakfast food. We do not want ADRs for lunch.. its too restrictive. But I am okay with the other 2 meals. We are trying to hit some new places this year, because we're not sure when we're going back.

I am just venting... I have no help from the DH. And don't get me started on DD (14)!!! I asked her for months.. really months... if there was anywhere she wanted to eat and of course I got the "it doens't really matter to me response". So when I get the meal plan all set and she looks at it... then she makes a few requests of places she wants to eat. And of course... none of them are on the plan!!!!

 

[oliviansmom17]

Maybe you could decide which places your really want to try for dinner, than make lunch and or breakfast reservations at the others- bearing in mind that you only have so many TS credits.
I know it may sound like I'm over-simplifying it, but I've definitely been in your shoes, and this plan always works out. Especially b/c at a certain point, there's only so many TS dinners you can eat before your stomach is like, "Alright...enough already. I'm rebelling..."...ya know?

 

[gabbyrosebud]

I'm calling tomorrow too and I'm having the same problem, too many meals! I'd love to see your schedule. Maybe it will help me with my planning!

 

[mykidsrock76]

Especially b/c at a certain point, there's only so many TS dinners you can eat before your stomach is like, "Alright...enough already. I'm rebelling..."...ya know?

Oh yes.. I know. I think we are doing the DDP and just paying OOP for the extra meals. I think the DxDP would be too much food for us. I also do not want to be eating all day. We are paying a lot of $$$ for park tickets for 5 of us. I want to enjoy the parks and not be rushing to the next meal.

 

[septbaby]

Give me your park plan and restaurant wish list, I'll take a stab at an ADR plan for you.

 

[mykidsrock76]

Give me your park plan and restaurant wish list, I'll take a stab at an ADR plan for you.

Actually.. the more I sit here and force my DH to talk this out with me the closer we are getting. Does anyone else stress over ADRs like this? I cannot be alone in my sickness!!!

 

[septbaby]

Don't stress too much you may not even get all 8 dinner ressies so having a back up plan is good.

 

[nhl66pens]

This is the first time I'm trying to use the DP and stay on site. What can I expect as far as success rate of getting a ressie? My wife cannot stay in a park for 8 hours a day so I planned for morning and evening activities but tried to make TS dinner plans for almost all of the nights. Is this unrealistic? Are the restaurants so booked that I'm not likely to get most of them? I hadn't really condisdered a backup plan but it seems like I might need to choose less popular restaurants. Any feedback on your own experiences would be helpful.

Thanks

 

[Mrs D]

You are NOT alone in your stress! My DH thinks I'm nots because I'm on the phone with Disney EVERY DAY. I made my ADR's @ 180 for my family of 5 that originally booked. Then my In laws decide to come. Changed all ADR's, couldn't get ohana. Now my Bro & SIL are coming; trying to change more ADRs and having a heck of a time getting tables or even getting them a separate ADR (especially Ohana & Chef Mickey).

 

[goldenears]

I also stressed over making my ADRS. I called this week. My only suggestion is..do not wait to book TS meals. Things are already booking up quickly. You can always cancel or change them down the line.

 

[cwojchik]

I know how you feel. We personally picked the DxDP because I find the restaurants are so much of the experience for us. I would have to agree with Harambe. We got ADRs for higher end hotels near the parks we were going to each day and made them for before the park opens so that we wouldn't be eating instead of visiting the parks. We did this several years ago and it worked wonderfully! Unfortunately we are not in the financial position to afford such hotels and it gave us an opportunity to visit them all.

 

[septbaby]

This is the first time I'm trying to use the DP and stay on site. What can I expect as far as success rate of getting a ressie? My wife cannot stay in a park for 8 hours a day so I planned for morning and evening activities but tried to make TS dinner plans for almost all of the nights. Is this unrealistic? Are the restaurants so booked that I'm not likely to get most of them? I hadn't really condisdered a backup plan but it seems like I might need to choose less popular restaurants. Any feedback on your own experiences would be helpful.

Thanks

You've mad a great plan and lots of people do just that. Just be sure to book those meals so you get to see shows like Wishes, the Spectromagic parade, Illuminations and Fantasmic. We actually saw all of them last time and had a dinner booked most nights.

This time its me and a 6yo for 4 nights. I've booked a couple of lunches because the break in the day or a good meal after a light bfast will work well for us. He eats so little that a CS dinner will be fine for us. If I eat well at the lunch buffets that will carry me a long time too. We only had one TS lunch last trip. We had entered the park at 8am ate just a muffin so by 1pm we were starved. Each of us devoured our meal at Coral Reef and we enjoyed be able to simple relax in the AC for a while.

 

[queenof2princesses]

My kids still love the character meals.
As long as you have Chef Mickey's and lunch with Cindy at the castle, we're OK. Dining plan is not for us, since cindy is X2...but we won't skip these. Just did Tepan Edo (sp?) in Epcot, it was fabulous and the kids of all ages would like it.

 

[mickeysgirl17]

Tomorrow is my ADR day too!

I would make the ADR's anyway and just cancel if you change your mind later. My suggestion would be to get the dining plan, not the deluxe. Since you seem like you really want to eat at some TS, but not spend a lot of money, this would be the obvious choice. The regular DP comes with a lot of food anyway and you'll be able to meet Cinderella and do some character meals.

 

[gabbyrosebud]

Actually.. the more I sit here and force my DH to talk this out with me the closer we are getting. Does anyone else stress over ADRs like this? I cannot be alone in my sickness!!!

I'm right there with you! Let's all be back here tomorrow to compare ADR. It will be fun! Good luck everyone.