DDP and ADR questions from 1st timer

[jlkhorn]

This will be our first family trip to Disney World and I'm trying to get our dining arrangements planned. We will be there Sept. 7-11 so I really need to hurry up and get ADRs made. We will arrive on the 7th late morning. We have to leave at 8:00am on the 11th so we won't be doing anything Disney that day. I'm hoping for some help.

First, we are staying at Pop and purchased the regular dining plan (1 ts, 1 qs, 1 snack). Do we need to make reservations for QS also, or just TS? If we want more TS, can we use a QS and pay to upgrade that just that particular meal?

Next, are there any tips to make reservations at a particular restaurant at a particular time to give us a better opportunity to see fireworks or a parade? Does anyone know what days they do the fireworks/show and/or parades?

Any other tips or suggestions would be GREATLY appreciated. I have NO idea what I'm doing and I can use all the help I can get. Oh, it will be me and my husband, our 8 year old daughter, and our 3 year old son. Our daughter is starting to outgrow the princesses, but my son likes them, especially Ariel. (Don't tell my husband. lol) We plan on spending 2 days in MK, 1 day at Epcot, and 1 day at Hollywood Studios. I think we will skip AK this trip. I would also like to check out the resorts so we can have a couple meals at different resorts, particularly on the Monorail as DS will LOVE that. We will probably take afternoon siestas back at the room and/or pool, so we will probably eat at Pop too, at least for afternoon snacks. TIA for your help!

Jennifer

 

[Tinkerbellie16]

You do not need to make any reservations for CS - it is all get in line, order, & pay.

You can not use a CS meal and pay an 'upgrade' to TS.

Check out fireworks times at http://www.wdwinfo.com/wdwinfo/hours.htm and you can see fireworks/parades times there as well as park times.

Yes, there are better times for ADRs if you want to see fireworks but you have to be more specific. For instance, if you want to see fireworks at MK, get reservations up to an hour before at Ohana or California Grill for a view of them. But you are going during free dining and ADRs are hard to come by - especially at the harder restaurants and 'good' times. I recommend you get right on it and book some ADRs!

Some recommendations for you are Akershus at Epcot (GREAT princess interaction/character dinner and really good food at Norway/Epcot), and Ohana at Poly during Wishes (this is a HARD restaurant to get so if you want it, book something else for that time and just keep trying to get that day/time). I would recommend most of the restaurants on the monorail line at MK rather than the TS service IN MK. Ohana & Kona at Poly, 1900 Park Fare at GF (princess dinner!), and the Wave at Contemporary (this gets half and half reviews but I really liked it). There is also Chef Mickey's for dinner at the Contemporary where you will see the fab 5 but it is a chaotic, so/so buffet so only go for the characters IF your kids want to see them, otherwise, skip it.

Epcot has so many good places that I don't think you'll have a hard time finding something there. And I really enjoyed Prime Time Cafe at HS.

Good luck!