Cinderella's Castle Questions!!!

[New_Disney_Lifer]

Hi Everyone!

We've just booked a trip for May 2-9! And, well I have SEVERAL questions... Help!

I'm confused as to when I can make reservations for Cindy's. We have been to Disney 2 times before and have never been able to get a reservation.

Honestly, the reason we are going is to take my 3yr old daughter. She has not stopped mentioning it since we left in March of 2008. It's a must do for us!

I was told by the cast member that all ADR's are now 90 days out. Which means, I can't make the reservation until Feb 1st. I keep seeing conflicting information... I don't want to miss my opportunity. Is this true?

Here is my other problem. We are not purchasing park hoppers this time. We have decided to go to only 1 park a day and work our schedules around the extra magic hours. I called last night to get the park hours for May and they are not posted! I need to start planning. Is there another place I can get this information? We want to try and schedule our meal at the castle the day that MK has extra magic evening hours during our trip.

We are on the dining plan and want to stick to 1 reservation per day. I understand Cinderella's castle is 2 credits. What meal would you do? We want to see all the princesses, so it's between Breakfast and Lunch. Also, would you pay out of pocket for this one or another one....????

Final Question - I was looking at the menu's on Allears.net. It said that gratuity is extra... I thought it was included at the castle. Do I need to figure in gratuity?

Here are our tentative plans...

AK Day - Ohana's
MK Day - Cinderella's
DS Day - Mama Melrose Fantasmic Dinner Package
EP - Le Cellier
AK Day - Chef Mickey's
MK Day - Crystal Palace
DS Day - ???? We could do Hollywood and Vine character lunch but I'm going to be burnt out on buffets and characters...
Last Day - Downtown Disney and counterservice (Any suggestions?)

If your still reading, Thanks for all your help! I'm going to stop babbling now!
Tara

May 2007 --Offsite Vacation Village
March 2008 --All Star Sports
May 2009 -- Pop Century

 

[Soccer Princess]

Park hours will be posted by 90 days out, so March.

I would pick CRT for breakfast and try to get 8:00am ADR for a non-EMH day. You will be done with breakfast by the time the park actually opens and you will get some magical pics of your little girl on a very empty Main St. with the castle!

At DHS, Sci-Fi or 50s Prime Time Cafe would be fun TS choices.

Wolfgang Pucks Express and Earl of Sandwich are 2 great CS locations at DD.

 

[TDC Nala]

90 days out -- read the ADR sticky at the top of the page for more info.

Park hours will be posted by 90 days out, so March.

At DHS, Sci-Fi or 50s Prime Time Cafe would be fun TS choices.

Wolfgang Pucks Express and Earl of Sandwich are 2 great CS locations at DD.

Cinderella's Royal Table (CRT) is available for booking now for dates up to and including June 19. See the first post of the ADR sticky thread. It's possible that if you are able to make a booking now, you will not be able to modify that booking (change times or number of persons in party) until 90 days before your booking date.

On March 21 (90 days from June 19), CRT will start 90-day booking.

 

[Soccer Princess]

oops --- we are past booking CRT, so I didn't even pay attention to any exceptions to the 90 day rule. No more being helpful for me lol.

 

[Travito]

Hi Everyone!

We've just booked a trip for May 2-9! And, well I have SEVERAL questions... Help!

Not really a response to the dining...but I will be there the exact same time you are (except we're leaving the 7th). And I'm also staying at Pop Century!

 

[GatorLady]

We want to try and schedule our meal at the castle the day that MK has extra magic evening hours during our trip.

We are on the dining plan and want to stick to 1 reservation per day. I understand Cinderella's castle is 2 credits. What meal would you do? We want to see all the princesses, so it's between Breakfast and Lunch. Also, would you pay out of pocket for this one or another one....????

Final Question - I was looking at the menu's on Allears.net. It said that gratuity is extra... I thought it was included at the castle. Do I need to figure in gratuity?

We are doing breakfast June 1st (I already have the ADR). I am paying OOP, I don't think it is worth using 2TS credits, especially for breakfast. Breakfast and lunch have the Princesses, dinner is more of a show so you are o.k. at either one. IMO, just my experience, evening EMH hours with a three year old won't allow you to get the best touring done. By the time it's not as crowded it's too late for a child that age. Again just my opinion.

We are doing Park Hoppers so I don't have the same issue as you do, but for my tentative pre-planning dining list I used last years hours as a guide. Since we are going in the summer, I am hoping they won't mess so much with the hours during high peak times.

When I booked CRT, everything was charged on my credit card including gratuity. I think what allears means is that the price listed at the top of the menu do not included tax and gratuity, but when you book it will.

Hope some of that helps!

 

[divawife]

Gratuity is included at CRT as are the pics with Cinderella (1 set per 4 people-we had 5 people we got 2 sets so we took 2 poses).

Breakfast or lunch will get you princesses visiting the tables (with Cinderella downstairs taking pics but not visiting the tables) but not dinner. Dinner has Cinderella downstairs taking pics but only has Fairy Godmother and mice at dinner. Go for breakfast or lunch and have DD wear princess outfit you will love it (carry it and have change or not up to you).

May I also suggest Norway princess breakfast or lunch in Epcot? Pic is included and lots of princess interaction. No guarantee of Cinderella though although we did see her at lunch. If you are concerned the food may be a bit foreign (we loved it) go for breakfast.

Chef Mickey and Crystal Palace are perfect for your DD. Ohana's only at breakfast to see Lilo, Stitch, Mickey and Goofy. Lots of fun for kids.

Unless your DD is ok with a little scary-ness Fantasmic can get heavy for some little kids, maybe when she is older? You will get different responses over this-but it all depends upon your own child.

Just a thought.

 

[saraheeyore]

how about tusker house breakfast or lunch at AK. we really loved that one and we took a 2 year old with us
its quite nice if u have meals at odd times either early or late with young kids as its quieter and they get more attention. the playhouse disney one is brill for little ones
if you get chance do late emh at hollywood studios and go to the playhouse disney dance party its brilliant
my daughter loved fantasmic but she also loved haunted mansion so i guess she is just a daredevil

 

[ShannonMB]

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Hi Everyone!

We've just booked a trip for May 2-9! And, well I have SEVERAL questions... Help!

I'm confused as to when I can make reservations for Cindy's. We have been to Disney 2 times before and have never been able to get a reservation.

Honestly, the reason we are going is to take my 3yr old daughter. She has not stopped mentioning it since we left in March of 2008. It's a must do for us!

I was told by the cast member that all ADR's are now 90 days out. Which means, I can't make the reservation until Feb 1st. I keep seeing conflicting information... I don't want to miss my opportunity. Is this true? My understanding is that ADRs that were made when it was still the 180 days will still be honored, but they aren't taking any NEW ones until 90 days out. This IS confusing, and I'm not 100%.
Here is my other problem. We are not purchasing park hoppers this time. We have decided to go to only 1 park a day and work our schedules around the extra magic hours. I called last night to get the park hours for May and they are not posted! I need to start planning. Is there another place I can get this information? We want to try and schedule our meal at the castle the day that MK has extra magic evening hours during our trip. I agree with another poster that evening magic hours probably won't give you the best option since DD is so little. If you don't mind waking early, am EMH might be better? As far as the park hours go, I would think they'll be posted by the time you can make your ADRs, so it's all good! I know you want to get the ball rolling! I don't think there is anywhere to get 100% reliable hours yet.

We are on the dining plan and want to stick to 1 reservation per day. I understand Cinderella's castle is 2 credits. What meal would you do? We want to see all the princesses, so it's between Breakfast and Lunch. Also, would you pay out of pocket for this one or another one....???? Definitely breakfast or lunch. I really liked the breakfast when we went, and if you can get it before the park opens, that's classic! We are trying lunch this time, so . We paid OOP for CRT, because that was less expensive than paying OOP for the other meal we were going to.
Final Question - I was looking at the menu's on Allears.net. It said that gratuity is extra... I thought it was included at the castle. Do I need to figure in gratuity? Don't know!

Here are our tentative plans...

AK Day - Ohana's
MK Day - Cinderella's
DS Day - Mama Melrose Fantasmic Dinner Package
EP - Le Cellier
AK Day - Chef Mickey's
MK Day - Crystal Palace
DS Day - ???? We could do Hollywood and Vine character lunch but I'm going to be burnt out on buffets and characters... How 'bout Sci-Fi?
Last Day - Downtown Disney and counterservice (Any suggestions?)

If your still reading, Thanks for all your help! I'm going to stop babbling now!

Have a great time planning, even if you have to wait a few more weeks to pick which days, where!

 

[amyr1]

We are going May 16-23. CRT is booking 180 days out. Since park hours are not posted for May I just had to pick a day to do CRT.

I had a dinner scheduled (figured it was the best use of 2 credits) but then got to thinking and thought breakfast or lunch would be better to see the characters. I was able to change our reservation last week. Got a lunch.

We are doing BBB (not booking yet) in the morning and then will do lunch at CRT. If the park is way crowded we can park hop to another after lunch.

Not having park hours and knowing when the extra hours are is driving me insane.

Amy

 

[Aristomommy]

When the ADR system was going through the upgrade, you could still book Chef Mickeys, CRT and some others at 180 days in advance. Now the system is back to 90 days out. People like me who made their CRT 180 days out, will keep the ADRs, but new ADRs will be 90 days out. There are many ADR calculators on the web if you search.

Also, if you stay on-site, you can make your ADRs 90+10 days out. 90 days from the first day your vacation, you can make your ADRs for the next 10 days. I left some harder to get ADRs like LeCellier later in our vacation hoping we would have better chance at getting it.

 

[GatorLady]

When the ADR system was going through the upgrade, you could still book Chef Mickeys, CRT and some others at 180 days in advance. Now the system is back to 90 days out. People like me who made their CRT 180 days out, will keep the ADRs, but new ADRs will be 90 days out.

To repeat what TDC Nala said earlier in this thread, there has been a reported exception to the 90 rule. The sticky at the top of the Restaurant Board where all the information is being updated has the following:


"There is a temporary exception to the 90 day rule. CRT, Chef Mickey and Victoria & Albert's can apparently be booked up through June 19th 2009. This is a fixed date, and as soon as it's 90 days prior to June 19, they will be on the same 90 day schedule as all other locations."

Apparently you just need to find a CM that is in the know.

 

[New_Disney_Lifer]

Wow! Thanks Everyone for all the help. I appreciate it!

I have checked out the sticky regarding the new dining policy... Confused me further. I'm going to take the advice and try to get a castmember that is in the know this time.

It sounds like I need to pick our first MK day and stick with it regardless of the hours. Then call and make my reservation. I never thought about evening magic hours not working. Your probably right! Come to think of it, we have never been able to take advantage of any extra magic hours. There is 5 of us in our family and we tend to not be able to get out before 8am! And, well we are all pooped from the parks and usually heading back right after the night show.... So I'm not going to worry about the extra magic hours.

Although like Amy, not knowing the park hours is driving me a bit batty!!! I'm a planner by nature and there is just so much to take advantage of.....

Thanks Again! Off to do more overanalyzing and planning... LOL