Disney... Party of Three! - Rescheduled Date TBD (New 9/21 - New PTR Link)

[afwdwfan]

I swear the theme of this trip is “When did everything get so expensive?!”

You're speaking the truth...

Good to have the flights booked, even if things were a bit more challenging, and pricey, than normal.

 

[SimplyGoofy]

Nice!

It was a happy surprise! The flight was even a lower cost then when I was looking at it a few weeks ago.

Well... you still save $40/person.

I did my best. Flight prices, I tell ya!

Me too!!

I was much more fond of the old welcome video - I know they had to revise it with all the changes and Fastpass+, but did they have to suck all the charm out of it?! Even with that, I love riding on the Magical Express to kick off the trip right!

It's such a relief to get flights booked! Helps make the trip more real in my opinion.

It is! It's usually the only part of planning any trip that tends to involve stress because you never know what the prices are going to do and if you're buying at the "right" time. Still, it's great to check that task off the list!

Glad both flights are booked now!!!

Thank you! I'm glad they're booked, too!

You're speaking the truth...

It's crazy, isn't it?! I swear if Disney cost the same back when I started going on these trips as it does now, I may not have become such a Disney nut! (Darn you, Disney, for pulling me in with your "reasonable" and "discounted" prices and then losing your mind with price hikes and upcharges!)

Good to have the flights booked, even if things were a bit more challenging, and pricey, than normal.

I think pricey flights are just the norm now, which is unsurprising but still disappointing. I'm thankful to have the resources to still be able to travel without too much concern and feel bad for those that are more impacted by these crazy prices.

 

[pkondz]

It was a happy surprise! The flight was even a lower cost then when I was looking at it a few weeks ago.

Good!

I did my best. Flight prices, I tell ya!

Oh, I know...

I was much more fond of the old welcome video - I know they had to revise it with all the changes and Fastpass+, but did they have to suck all the charm out of it?! Even with that, I love riding on the Magical Express to kick off the trip right!

I always wonder now...
So if you're just learning about this now.
"Look Harold. It says you can make something called a fast pass and skip the lines. We should do that tomorrow when we go to Disney World."

<next day>

"Okay! I think we want to ride the roller coaster with the orange rocks, the log ride and Space Mountain. We got here early, just before noon, so we can do whatever we want! Let's see what we can get passes for... um... Winnie the Pooh at 7:50pm.... What?"

End of day tally: Number of rides ridden: 3. Hours spent in line: 5.

 

[afwdwfan]

It's crazy, isn't it?! I swear if Disney cost the same back when I started going on these trips as it does now, I may not have become such a Disney nut! (Darn you, Disney, for pulling me in with your "reasonable" and "discounted" prices and then losing your mind with price hikes and upcharges!)

I know... when friends or family who have never really been bitten by the bug talk about Disney with us (knowing we are fans and go relatively often) and comment on price being a discouraging factor, I used to compare it to the cost of some other things and talk about how much you get from it and really make a pretty solid argument that the cost is reasonable, all things considered. These days I just have to nod in agreement.

 

[amazingact21]

Flight prices can be such a nightmare! I'm always on the lookout at price trends to Orlando (and Pensacola ) and they always seem super high.I'm glad you figured out your arrival and departure, though, and have it all booked! Now comes the really fun part...planning food and rides.

 

[katefl]

Watch the flights that you booked on southwest carefully. If they drop in price you can “rebook” the same flights at the new lower price and get credit for the money you already paid.

 

[ashw100]

Congrats on getting your Poly request. I have seen a dramatic increase in Southwest flights the last few years. It is quite disappointing for sure, but at least booking the main stuff is done. Now you can start planning the fun stuff.

 

[SimplyGoofy]

Oh, I know...

Flying is really the best way for us to get there and we can certainly afford the tickets... that doesn't mean I cringe when I pay more than I feel I should. I hope the prices don't continue to get crazier!

I always wonder now...
So if you're just learning about this now.
"Look Harold. It says you can make something called a fast pass and skip the lines. We should do that tomorrow when we go to Disney World."

<next day>

"Okay! I think we want to ride the roller coaster with the orange rocks, the log ride and Space Mountain. We got here early, just before noon, so we can do whatever we want! Let's see what we can get passes for... um... Winnie the Pooh at 7:50pm.... What?"

End of day tally: Number of rides ridden: 3. Hours spent in line: 5.

Laughter aside, I think it's pretty much impossible for someone staying on Disney property to miss out on the Fastpass notices. I've already gotten several emails from Disney about booking my dining reservations and scheduling my Fastpasses and which dates those booking items open. If someone is riding the Magical Express I'm sure they receive the same onslaught of emails.

Those that stay offsite, though? They might indeed standing in VERY long lines.

I know... when friends or family who have never really been bitten by the bug talk about Disney with us (knowing we are fans and go relatively often) and comment on price being a discouraging factor, I used to compare it to the cost of some other things and talk about how much you get from it and really make a pretty solid argument that the cost is reasonable, all things considered. These days I just have to nod in agreement.

I think this is true. I'm still willing to pay the price (though still looking for savings or discounts when I can), but I can't disagree that the pricing is a bit out of control.

Flight prices can be such a nightmare! I'm always on the lookout at price trends to Orlando (and Pensacola ) and they always seem super high.I'm glad you figured out your arrival and departure, though, and have it all booked! Now comes the really fun part...planning food and rides.

I think what makes it more difficult is you never know if what you're paying is the best you can do. If you decide to wait you risk the price increasing or the flight selling out. At least they're booked and I don't have to worry about it anymore!

How funny about Pensacola - we had a fabulous vacation there! Has Alex been stationed there? We stayed on Santa Rosa Island and were able to walk right onto the beach from our hotel. We enjoyed plenty of pool time and beach time (M LOVED the pool and even liked the beach) and also saw some of the historical sites in Pensacola. G's parents came along and sat on our balcony during M's naps which allowed us to time to ourselves. In addition to our afternoon at the beach we had a GREAT time at the Pensacola Naval Aviation Museum and the nearby Pensacola Lighthouse. We'd love to go back!

You're right about the fun planning of the meals and rides! I have a few mock schedules for our dining plans already, but I'm really waffling on what the best plans would be. I know traveling with a toddler (even one who is excellent in restaurants) will necessitate different plans than trips with my sister or mom. I hope to get up a dining planning post sometime this week to crowd-source some ideas and feedback!

Watch the flights that you booked on southwest carefully. If they drop in price you can “rebook” the same flights at the new lower price and get credit for the money you already paid.

I've read that on another TR as well! How does that work? Do you just book the flights and then request a refund?

Congrats on getting your Poly request. I have seen a dramatic increase in Southwest flights the last few years. It is quite disappointing for sure, but at least booking the main stuff is done. Now you can start planning the fun stuff.

Thank you! We are super excited (especially me!) and think it will be a great overall location for our trip.

I haven't flown on Southwest since 2016 and I was a bit shocked. I've never had the rock-bottom prices out of our smaller airport and I've usually spent at least $150 per segment, but that's a far cry from several hundred dollars per segment!

I'm super excited to start planning the dining and then the Fastpasses! Dining in Disney is one of my favorite parts of the trip and making the ADRs is always a pretty exciting day for me!

 

[pkondz]

I hope the prices don't continue to get crazier!

Yeah...
"Oil prices go up... airlines prices go up, citing fuel costs.... Oil prices reach decade long record low... airlines prices remain unchanged."

Laughter aside, I think it's pretty much impossible for someone staying on Disney property to miss out on the Fastpass notices. I've already gotten several emails from Disney about booking my dining reservations and scheduling my Fastpasses and which dates those booking items open. If someone is riding the Magical Express I'm sure they receive the same onslaught of emails.

Snail mail too.
And... good point.

Those that stay offsite, though? They might indeed standing in VERY long lines.

I love those people.

 

[ariane37]

Since our flights are booked that meant I could also forward our flight information to reserve the Magical Express. I know many people that prefer taking Uber or Lyft to Disney for faster service, but I love taking the Magical Express to kick off a Disney trip and I REALLY love the Magical Express luggage delivery. Not having to pick up your bags and lug them to your room is indeed magical!

Yay for having flights booked! And I agree using ME is a great way to start your trip Unfortunately as I think you know my husband is now much more fond of taking a Lyft since we're at our resort about 30 minutes after actually landing! However last month on my work trip we used ME both ways and I was reminded how awesome it is

 

[SimplyGoofy]

Yeah...
"Oil prices go up... airlines prices go up, citing fuel costs.... Oil prices reach decade long record low... airlines prices remain unchanged."

That seems about right!

Snail mail too.
And... good point.

I love those people.

I know it's terrible... but I do, too! Shorter lines for me!

Yay for having flights booked! And I agree using ME is a great way to start your trip Unfortunately as I think you know my husband is now much more fond of taking a Lyft since we're at our resort about 30 minutes after actually landing! However last month on my work trip we used ME both ways and I was reminded how awesome it is

Thank you! It's nice to check a big item off the list!

Uber and Lyft weren't around (I'm not even sure if they existed yet?) during my last trip, so an overpriced taxi or moderately expensive car service would've been our other options if we didn't want to rent a car. Once we don't have to worry about a car seat anymore perhaps we'll consider and Uber/Lyft ride.

Until that time comes, I'm going to enjoy the Magical Express! It helps that I've taken it for my past five trips so it feels like it's a fast transport to me!

 

[pkondz]

I know it's terrible... but I do, too! Shorter lines for me!

I'm terrible, but...
My absolute favourite is when I'm walking by people who are stuck in standby (better if it's the 2nd time I pass them in the FP line) and I hear a kid say "Dad? How come they get to go?" and the Dad says "Because they have money."

 

[SimplyGoofy]

I'm terrible, but...
My absolute favourite is when I'm walking by people who are stuck in standby (better if it's the 2nd time I pass them in the FP line) and I hear a kid say "Dad? How come they get to go?" and the Dad says "Because they have money."

What's really terrible are the parents that do absolutely no research before embarking on such a complex and expensive vacation. I really feel bad for the kids in those families! (The parents, less so.)

 

[pkondz]

What's really terrible are the parents that do absolutely no research before embarking on such a complex and expensive vacation. I really feel bad for the kids in those families! (The parents, less so.)

Well...
I actually believe that even with zero research, you will still have a great time at Disney. It's hard not to. Yes you may find yourself standing in long lines, but...

And there's still Princess meets for the littles (and not so littles) or Pirates and parades and fireworks and yummy treats and...

 

[SimplyGoofy]

Twelve Days to Go Until ADR Day
a.k.a. Where to eat, where to eat?

I have an ADR problem.

There. I said it.

Ever since my sister trips started in 2012 and I realized you were allowed to eat in the resort restaurants even if you weren’t staying there (yes, I know ), I’ve booked a ton of ADRs each time I visit Disney World. My sister and I tried the deluxe dining plan in 2012 – we were a bit blown over by the amount of food, but we LOVED eating in all the restaurants! My subsequent trips in 2013, 2015, and 2016 included just as many restaurants but without the restrictions of the dining plan. Most days included a reservation for every meal. I found so many places I loved and so many others that I wanted to try – it was great!

Planning a trip with my husband and toddler is different than planning a trip with my sister or mom. I know we’ll have to play some of our schedule by ear depending on how things are going, plus it’s hard to predict what M’s daily routine will look like six months from now. I’m fairly certain she’ll still need an afternoon nap (she hasn’t had a morning nap for months!) and I’m sure she’ll still want a good amount of sleep at night. In our favor is the fact that M is really good in restaurants (I think above-average for her age), so I don’t fear booking restaurant meals. She has a time limit of about an hour (which I feel is pretty good for a 16-month-old!), so that just limits certain restaurants like the signatures which tend to take more time. PPO breakfasts, quicker lunches, and early dinners shouldn’t be a problem! We’ll also plan to concentrate on park meals or restaurants in the Magic Kingdom resort area, as using Uber or Lyft is tough with a toddler.

Our must-dos include…

Crystal Palace - Breakfast

This is my FAVORITE PPO breakfast. I know it no longer has much of an advantage with the new opening procedures at MK, but I can’t imagine a Disney trip without breakfast at Crystal Palace. With M’s naptime, I’d prefer to have a PPO ADR to maximize park time before we have to head out of the park for naptime. Plus, M seems to enjoy the Pooh characters, so as long as character meets go well I think this will be a winner!

Garden Grill – Breakfast

(photo from Google)

I haven’t been to Garden Grill since 2007 when I made a same-day lunch ADR. (Oh, to be able to do that now at a character meal!) This breakfast looks awesome from the proximity to Soarin’ and their rider swap to the delight that will fill my cinnamon roll-loving husband’s face. I’m really looking forward to trying this!

Kona Café – Breakfast

We’re staying at the Polynesian so we are definitely eating at Kona. Give me all the Macademia nut pancakes!!!

Liberty Tree Tavern – Lunch

BOG is great and all, but my favorite lunch in MK is Liberty Tree Tavern. I love the burger and every person alive loves the Ooey Gooey Toffee Cake!

Via Napoli – Lunch or Dinner

I know Epcot is overflowing with great options, but my pizza and spaghetti-loving family should love this favorite of mine. Similar to Crystal Palace, it’s not a Disney trip without a visit to Via Napoli. I haven’t nailed down which day we’ll be eating there, but it’s on the “must” list!

‘Ohana – Dinner

See the above comment about the Kona Café – with just a stroll across the resort this is a must-do. We’ll all love the shrimp (M LOVES shrimp!) and the rest of the meal should be a winner as well. I’m excited to return to ‘Ohana!

Narcoossee’s – Dinner

I had fabulous meals here in 2015 and 2016 and my seafood-loving family should love the options here. I want to make sure we make it over to the Grand Floridian and this great spot is just a walk or monorail ride away. This is my only planned signature meal (I think!) and I believe this is our best choice.

Now we’re up to the “I think I want to eat here” or “Is this worth booking?” part of the list. Here’s where I need your help!

Be Our Guest – Breakfast or Lunch? (Or both?)

This is the best (and I believe only) PPO breakfast to get us to the Fantasyland ahead of the crowds. It’s a little painful to pay nearly $30 per person for a quick service breakfast, but since we’re basically paying for the time advantage we could live with it. Lunch would be another option to get us into BOG, and I did enjoy my lunch there in 2016. I’m still bitter that they changed the wonderful dinner to a pre-fixe and took my beloved mussels off the menu, so I don’t plan to book dinner. Thoughts on which meal is best or should I go ahead and book both?

Tusker House – Breakfast

It’s not a must-do and I’m happy to drop it if we need to, but I’ll probably book this for our Animal Kingdom day. The food is good, the characters are great, and this puts us in a great spot for an early-morning safari.

50’s Prime Time – Lunch

I’m about 90% sure that I’ll book this for lunch on our Hollywood Studios day. I like it better than Sci-Fi (and that restaurant with a toddler doesn’t sound like much fun) and anticipate it would be faster than Brown Derby (which I also like).

Yak and Yeti – Lunch or Dinner

I’m nearly certain we’ll eat here as I love it, but it seems it would be best to get a Landry’s card instead of booking an ADR? My other must-do eatery in Animal Kingdom is Satuli Canteen, so perhaps it would be best to be able to choose which place on which day on the day-of?

Le Cellier/Akershus – Lunch or Dinner

We’ll have three lunch/dinner slots in Epcot. With one slated for Via Napoli and my desire to try several of the Flower and Garden food booths, I figure just one more ADR is necessary. I’ve LOVED all three of my meals at Le Cellier, my husband would love any of the steaks, and M would love several of the kids’ meals. An alternative is Akershus, which I’ve tried and loved for breakfast, but wonder if my Scandinavian family would enjoy the lunch or dinner lineup here instead of the Le Cellier steak? (We live in the Midwest so we have plenty of access to great steak!) Should I go ahead and book booth and try to grab snacks from the booths instead? Argh, I just don’t know what to do here…

Mama Melrose – Dinner Fantasmic Package

I haven’t eaten here since 2005, but with multiple glowing recent reviews it’s receiving strong consideration. We wouldn’t pay much more in order to get the Fantasmic package and after being spoiled on past trips I refuse to see Fantasmic without the reserved seating. If we have to bail to get M to bed, I figure at least we’ll enjoy a good dinner?

Happily Ever After Fireworks Dessert Party

The Happily Ever After fireworks is my only must-do late-night entertainment. I will miss Wishes terribly, but I want to see the new show. I’ve done the dessert party in the past, but is it worth it to pay the now crazy price to get a seat or reserved spot? Also, with a toddler, would it be best to be seated at the Tomorrowland Terrance or should we do the early dessert party and then watch the show in the Plaza Garden? It’s tough to decide!

Artist Point/Chef Mickey’s/California Grill - Dinner

I have a final dinner slot and don’t know what to do with it. If Artist Point was it’s original self I’d book it in a heartbeat! I’m sad that the concept has changed but can’t argue that the menu looks great. I’d also love for my husband to see the Wilderness Lodge! Chef Mickey’s is another great option with a toddler even if the food is average – you can’t beat the Fab Five! California Grill is another wonderful option on the monorail line and I know we’d love the food, but I question if another signature meal is the right choice. Any thoughts? I’ll even take thoughts on another restaurant that I haven’t thought of!

Departure Day ? - Breakfast

We have a noon flight on our departure day and I don't know what to book for our final breakfast! We may return to Kona, but there are so many good options in the Magic Kingdom area! Is this the best time to visit Chef Mickey's? Should we go to Whispering Canyon Café? What about the Grand Floridian Café or 1900 Park Fare at the Grand Floridian? What would you do?


Overall, my plan for ADR day is to book everything I can think of when I have the most available options. As we get closer to the trip and I have an idea how our days will go with M, I may drop or switch ADRs to have them make sense with our current schedule. We can also drop ADRs during our trip if all the restaurant time is too much for M or if we choose to change our planned park days.

I’m sad we’re not booking any ADRs in the Epcot-area resorts and especially sad we’re not booking an ADR at the Animal Kingdom Lodge. I’d love to see AKL (Boma! Sanaa!), but I’d hate to rely on a Minnie Van and their car seat in order to get us there (and have no desire to have extra-long travel time by first going to a park). The good news is I’m sure we’ll be back, so we’ll just have to save those restaurants for next time!

I’d love any thoughts you have on my crazy lineup! I know it’s more than many people do, but it’s really the way I love to eat in Disney. The extra plus is since I haven’t been to Disney in three years I’ll have plenty of Disney Rewards dollars from my credit card that should cover all of our food. I love any excuse to book more ADRs!

 

[pkondz]

Phew! Okay... diving in...

I have an ADR problem.

There. I said it.

You poor, poor thing!!!!!

Ever since my sister trips started in 2012 and I realized you were allowed to eat in the resort restaurants even if you weren’t staying there (yes, I know ),

You... you...…..

"And would madam care for some wine with her meal? Wait... you are not staying with us? GET OUT!!!!"

Thoughts on which meal is best or should I go ahead and book both?

I've never had breakfast at BOG and at those prices, I never will.
But... I'd crawl over broken glass for that French onion soup...

I’m about 90% sure that I’ll book this for lunch on our Hollywood Studios day.

I’m nearly certain we’ll eat here as I love it, but it seems it would be best to get a Landry’s card instead of booking an ADR? My other must-do eatery in Animal Kingdom is Satuli Canteen, so perhaps it would be best to be able to choose which place on which day on the day-of?

If you do day of... you can mobile order at Satuli. Not sure about Yak & Yeti... but they do have a take out window if you can't get an ADR.

Should I go ahead and book booth and try to grab snacks from the booths instead? Argh, I just don’t know what to do here…

I might suggest showing DH the menu at Akershus and seeing his reaction. Book accordingly.

I’ve done the dessert party in the past, but is it worth it to pay the now crazy price to get a seat or reserved spot?

It depends.
I really enjoyed being able to sit and not be jostled to watch the fireworks.
But is it worth it???

Only your pocketbook knows.

Also, with a toddler, would it be best to be seated at the Tomorrowland Terrance or should we do the early dessert party and then watch the show in the Plaza Garden? It’s tough to decide!

Do they no longer have the seating during the show?

Artist Point/Chef Mickey’s/California Grill - Dinner

You're on your own here!

We have a noon flight on our departure day and I don't know what to book for our final breakfast! We may return to Kona,

I'd do Kona. Tonga toast!!!

 

[afwdwfan]

Planning a trip with my husband and toddler is different than planning a trip with my sister or mom.

PPO breakfasts, quicker lunches, and early dinners shouldn’t be a problem!

This is what we usually look for too.

This is the best (and I believe only) PPO breakfast to get us to the Fantasyland ahead of the crowds. It’s a little painful to pay nearly $30 per person for a quick service breakfast, but since we’re basically paying for the time advantage we could live with it. Lunch would be another option to get us into BOG, and I did enjoy my lunch there in 2016. I’m still bitter that they changed the wonderful dinner to a pre-fixe and took my beloved mussels off the menu, so I don’t plan to book dinner. Thoughts on which meal is best or should I go ahead and book both?

I have to say that we used to love the lunch at BOG. It was pretty much my favorite QS meal in MK. However the last couple of times it wasn't as great as it was the first few times we went there. We didn't even go there on our trip this summer. That said, I haven't had the breakfast and I think it would be a great place for you to take your family. Getting into Fantasyland before the crowds is certainly worth the cost of admission! You can get a lot done after a nice QS breakfast. So that would be my vote.

It’s not a must-do and I’m happy to drop it if we need to, but I’ll probably book this for our Animal Kingdom day. The food is good, the characters are great, and this puts us in a great spot for an early-morning safari.

Tusker House has a good breakfast and great characters. If you plan to see Rivers of Light, you might look into booking that package as well for a reserved seat.

figure just one more ADR is necessary. I’ve LOVED all three of my meals at Le Cellier, my husband would love any of the steaks, and M would love several of the kids’ meals. An alternative is Akershus, which I’ve tried and loved for breakfast, but wonder if my Scandinavian family would enjoy the lunch or dinner lineup here instead of the Le Cellier steak? (We live in the Midwest so we have plenty of access to great steak!) Should I go ahead and book booth and try to grab snacks from the booths instead? Argh, I just don’t know what to do here…

This is hard. My heart and stomach say LeCellier.
But this is a family trip.
Even if she's too young to remember it, I don't think you can not pick Akershus here. Get her in there to see the princesses (and still have an awesome meal). I actually like the breakfast there... they have this potato casserole thing that I pretty much ate my weight in when we went there.

I haven’t eaten here since 2005, but with multiple glowing recent reviews it’s receiving strong consideration. We wouldn’t pay much more in order to get the Fantasmic package and after being spoiled on past trips I refuse to see Fantasmic without the reserved seating. If we have to bail to get M to bed, I figure at least we’ll enjoy a good dinner?

This 100%.

I have a final dinner slot and don’t know what to do with it. If Artist Point was it’s original self I’d book it in a heartbeat! I’m sad that the concept has changed but can’t argue that the menu looks great. I’d also love for my husband to see the Wilderness Lodge! Chef Mickey’s is another great option with a toddler even if the food is average – you can’t beat the Fab Five! California Grill is another wonderful option on the monorail line and I know we’d love the food, but I question if another signature meal is the right choice. Any thoughts? I’ll even take thoughts on another restaurant that I haven’t thought of!

This is a tough call. I think you know my feelings on Chef Mickey after our last couple of visits, but it is still that iconic, classic character meal and if I was going back with one of our kids on their first trip, I'd still book it. I'd also kind of like to check out Artist Point with the new character meal, but I'm just a big Wilderness Lodge fan so I'd even make a pretty strong argument for Whispering Canyon.

We have a noon flight on our departure day and I don't know what to book for our final breakfast! We may return to Kona, but there are so many good options in the Magic Kingdom area! Is this the best time to visit Chef Mickey's? Should we go to Whispering Canyon Café? What about the Grand Floridian Café or 1900 Park Fare at the Grand Floridian? What would you do?

Well, how about that... you've got some great ideas here. Obviously, I think part of it depends on what you do with that other dinner slot, but these are all 3 very solid breakfasts and I don't think you can go wrong.

Overall, my plan for ADR day is to book everything I can think of when I have the most available options. As we get closer to the trip and I have an idea how our days will go with M, I may drop or switch ADRs to have them make sense with our current schedule. We can also drop ADRs during our trip if all the restaurant time is too much for M or if we choose to change our planned park days.

I'm like you. I like to book even if I'm 50/50 on actually using the ADR. I can always cancel later as our plans start to take a more solid shape. But that said, I had a lot of really good luck this past summer with changing ADRs late in the game. Even a couple of them the day before we left. And I was looking for ADRs for 5 and 7, and free dining was taking place. I don't know what it was, but while FP was an absolute nightmare, we had no problems getting or changing ADRs late in the game. So even if you don't get what you want to start with, or see the need to change something later, it might not be nearly as bad as it was the last time you planned a trip. Or maybe I just got really lucky this year. Who knows.

 

[amazingact21]

I'm definitely not one of the expert foodies here on the boards, so I'm not the best person to offer advice. But I'll give it my best shot.

Mornings at the MK are really busy now. There's definitely no "first hour after rope drop" lull. So if you want to get into Fantasyland early and don't want to pay for the Extra Morning Magic, then BOG might be the way to go.

Of all the DHS restaurants, 50's is probably the best with young kids. It's familiar food and the tv screens usually distract them.

It seems like the way to go with Yak and Yeti is to get a Landry's card. People have been getting a table instantly with that card.

Are you wanting to meet a lot of characters this trip? If so, Akershurs would knock off a lot of princesses off the list.


As far as the restaurants you are definitely going to book, they're all great choices! Via Napoli and Crystal Palace are musts.

 

[ariane37]

Crystal Palace - Breakfast

Adorable picture! I've never done breakfast here but the food sounds yummy

Garden Grill – Breakfast

This is one of our favorite breakfasts! Food is great and character interaction is always fun!

Liberty Tree Tavern – Lunch

Narcoossee’s – Dinner

YES! I also want to say as far as the signatures go: when we have earlier ADR's right around opening time the meals do not take long at all. We have been in and out in 90 minutes or less at Citricos Tiffins Narcoosse's and Jiko so doing them with a toddler probably won't be bad We do always see lots of kids at Narcoossee's (and Tiffins too FYI) so it's a good option all around.

I’m nearly certain we’ll eat here as I love it, but it seems it would be best to get a Landry’s card instead of booking an ADR? My other must-do eatery in Animal Kingdom is Satuli Canteen, so perhaps it would be best to be able to choose which place on which day on the day-of?

I definitely say get the Landry's card! After listening to people talk about it here for a few years we finally got one and love it, so nice to decide last minute we want to eat here (Rainforest and T-Rex too fyi) and get seated right away. Last year at Rainforest during Thanksgiving they were seating so far behind; we were seated in less than 10 minutes with the card. On my work trip 2 weeks ago my friend and I planned to eat at Yak and Yeti but had no ADR since I have the card. Well, it was POURING. I mean torrential rain, as we made our way to AK and back to Y&Y where the waiting area was PACKED with soaking wet people looking to eat there that had no ADR. I showed the card and we were seated in 5 Very worth it with a toddler who may alter your plans last minute lol!

If Artist Point was it’s original self I’d book it in a heartbeat! I’m sad that the concept has changed

If I could love this sentence 1000x I would

 

[CoffeeKitten]

Be Our Guest – Breakfast or Lunch? (Or both?)

We are doing the lunch here because I liked the lunch menu and cupcake options. Though I have read that some bring a Ziploc bag to save their breakfast pastries for later in the day.

Mama Melrose – Dinner Fantasmic Package

We booked this just for the Fantasmic package. Ah, who am I kidding? DH really loves Italian food and wanted his pasta!

Artist Point/Chef Mickey’s/California Grill - Dinner

We are doing Chef Mickey's just for the Fab Five! The childhood years go by so fast and we know we have lots of time to eat at more grown-up places when DD is older. So that would be my vote.