DDP newbie questions

Getting from a resort to another resort is very time consuming. The monorail resorts are easier but that trip to CG, assuming busses are running from MK to yacht club that early is around 45 minutes. I would never give up arriving at Epcot before park opening for breakfast at CG. I would keep Akershus and Tokyo dining but spread them out.
 
I'm pretty sure we'd be done with AK by that point. We will take the bus to MK and walk to CR for a restful evening. The kids will be ready for an early bedtime, I'm guessing.
That sounds reasonable then as long as your Wave breakfast doesn't interfere with you getting to AK as close to park opening as doable.
 
Ok, that's good to know. The CG ADR is for 7:30, so I was hoping we'd be in Epcot and to Soarin' for opening. But getting to YC is certainly going to be a hassle if it ends up taking almost an hour just for travel.

I really appreciate your advice on this, eeyoresmom. Thank you!!
 
I'm not sure what emm breakfast is but day 2 looks OK since your qsddp lunch could be a light one or even a yummy snack.
 

That sounds reasonable then as long as your Wave breakfast doesn't interfere with you getting to AK as close to park opening as doable.

It might delay us getting there in time for EMH, which AK has that day. Our ADR at The Wave is for 7:30. Maybe we should just do Contempo that morning and pick another day for The Wave. Although I'm not sure how EMH at AK effect crowds there.
 
Do you think this will be way too much food then? The 2 days we have 3 TS meals planned I have the following ADRs:
Day 1: Kona breakfast, Crystal Palace lunch, and The Wave dinner
Day 2: early Captain's Grille breakfast, mid-afternoon Akershus lunch, Tokyo Dining dinner

We definitely don't want to waste money or food. I'm just having a hard time deciding which ADRs to keep.

That would be too much food for my family, but everyone is different. Depending on when your Kona breakfast is, you'll likely not be hungry for a buffet lunch, and if you push that back, then will you be hungry again in time for a full dinner? Even if you share at Kona and The Wave, you're still taking time away from enjoying the park. With a group your size, I would "budget" at least an hour and a half for every meal...that's waiting to be seated, ordering, getting and eating food, and paying. Add to that the time it will take to get to/from each place, and you use about 6 hours of your day in eating. For many people the meals are a part of their vacation and they're okay with that. I just want to be sure you are aware of that.

How are you getting to Captain's Grille for that early breakfast? If any of your family have the buffet there, will they want another buffet type meal at Akershus AND a full meal at Tokyo that evening? It does seem like a lot of food to me.

With 6 nights, you'll each have 6 TS credits to use, and with your arrival/departure plans, you only 5 days you need to plan for. If you want to keep all of your ADRs, plan to use the credits at your buffet places first, then you can allocate the other credits to sharing meals.

Once you have your plans firmly in place, come back with your ADRs and we'll help you figure out where to best use credits and where to pay OOP.
 
Ok, that's good to know. The CG ADR is for 7:30, so I was hoping we'd be in Epcot and to Soarin' for opening. But getting to YC is certainly going to be a hassle if it ends up taking almost an hour just for travel.

I really appreciate your advice on this, eeyoresmom. Thank you!!
Another thing to consider is that by entering Epcot at the International Gateway ( the back entrance close to the Yacht Club), you will be way behind the guests entering at the front gates. In my opinion CG breakfast isn't worth leaving CR at 6:30 for.
 
First day (AK day): The Wave breakfast, QS lunch, Boma Dinner

You won't need lunch. Snack at best.

Second day (MK day): EMM buffet breakfast, QS lunch, Liberty Tree Tavern dinner

You won't need lunch. Snack at best.

Third day (HS day): Contempo Cafe breakfast, Mama Melrose's lunch, Sci-Fi dinner

Pick MM or Sci Fi. Way way too much food there.

Fourth day (MK again): Kona breakfast, CP lunch, The Wave dinner

Drowning in food. Kona is a big breakfast, CP is a buffet, The Wave... well, maybe if you just did apps.

Fifth day (Epcot): Captain's Grille breakfast, Akershus late lunch, Tokyo Dining dinner

Pick two. SO MUCH FOOD YOU MAY DIE.
 
That would be too much food for my family, but everyone is different. Depending on when your Kona breakfast is, you'll likely not be hungry for a buffet lunch, and if you push that back, then will you be hungry again in time for a full dinner? Even if you share at Kona and The Wave, you're still taking time away from enjoying the park. With a group your size, I would "budget" at least an hour and a half for every meal...that's waiting to be seated, ordering, getting and eating food, and paying. Add to that the time it will take to get to/from each place, and you use about 6 hours of your day in eating. For many people the meals are a part of their vacation and they're okay with that. I just want to be sure you are aware of that.

How are you getting to Captain's Grille for that early breakfast? If any of your family have the buffet there, will they want another buffet type meal at Akershus AND a full meal at Tokyo that evening? It does seem like a lot of food to me.

With 6 nights, you'll each have 6 TS credits to use, and with your arrival/departure plans, you only 5 days you need to plan for. If you want to keep all of your ADRs, plan to use the credits at your buffet places first, then you can allocate the other credits to sharing meals.

Once you have your plans firmly in place, come back with your ADRs and we'll help you figure out where to best use credits and where to pay OOP.

Thanks everyone for being so helpful! I'm finding balancing all these plans to be tricky and it's good to hear from seasoned Disney-goers. It's good to be reminded about travel times, waiting to be seated, etc, when putting together plans for our days.
 
I think your third day is OK as long as breakfast is quick and light and MM and Sci Fi are far enough apart. If you're thinking of giving one of these up I would give up MM, food is average at best. Sci Fi is an experience in itself.
 
Pick two. SO MUCH FOOD YOU MAY DIE.

Haha, that's good to know. We're all pretty small people and not overly big eaters, so definitely don't want to drown in food. Which ones would you recommend keeping? I'd rather keep better quality/tastier options. We're travelling with 4 kids aged 6-11, and 4 adults.
 
Are princesses important? If yes, switch to an Akershus breakfast, drop CG because it's a nuisance to get there from your resort early, keep Tokyo Dining.
 
Some of the restaurants at Disney are such unique experiences they may be worth the average food. I would keep Akershus, Tokyo Dining, Sci-fi and CP as they are not easily found anywhere else ( except for Tokyo Dining). I would try for 'OHana dinner for your group for sure instead of the Wave.
 
Part of the problem is that we're going in early March. Needless to say I'm the sole planner of our WDW days and realised early on that more time would have been helpful. I was glad to get some ok-sounding ADRs (this forum has been incredibly helpful in pointing me in the right direction), but now ADRs aren't really available for the more popular restaurants. So Akershus is in the only spot I could get while we're at Epcot. It's a terrible time (2:45). I wonder if we should skip TD and just eat at the kitchens from the F&G festival?
 
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Some of the restaurants at Disney are such unique experiences they may be worth the average food. I would keep Akershus, Tokyo Dining, Sci-fi and CP as they are not easily found anywhere else ( except for Tokyo Dining). I would try for 'OHana dinner for your group for sure instead of the Wave.

We'd love to get Ohana. Maybe I should search for the on Touring Plans, instead of BOG (which I have a search on for to replace The Wave dinner).
 
Have you downloaded the MDE app to your phone? I check several times a day when I am stalking an ADR.
 
Have you downloaded the MDE app to your phone? I check several times a day when I am stalking an ADR.

Yup! My 11 yo and I have been checking it regularly. I'll keep looking though. We still have a few weeks so who knows if something more exciting might become available. :)
 
Part of the problem is that we're going in early March. Needless to say I'm the sole planner of our WDW days and realised early on that more time would have been helpful. I was glad to get some ok-sounding ADRs (this forum has been incredibly helpful in pointing me in the right direction), but now ADRs aren't really available for the more popular restaurants. So Akershus is in the only spot I could get while we're at Epcot. It's a terrible time (2:45). I wonder if we should skip TD and just eat at the kitchens from the F&G festival?
I would. World showcase has so much good qs as well as the food booths .it will.make for a much more relaxing evening I think.
 














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