Disney World Newbie's ADR Logic...or Lack Of?

[KuyaJeff]

Hello fellow Dis'ers! I come to you for your advice and logic in helping me plan for my ADRs for my first ever trip to Disney World! Being the planner I am, I've gone crazy and have many changes/edits to my ADR list. There's so many options to choose from, I almost wish there wasn't as many. So below I've listed all my current ADRs, any suggestions and insight will be greatly appreciated.

Almost everything is still up in the air with the exception of the "Dine with an Imagineer" dining exprience, I've basically planned my dates around the availability for ADRs for this fun oppurtunity. Something to take note of is that I'll be doing a Magic Your Way Package with standard Dining and park hopping admission for 7 days. I'll also be staying at Pop Century. Oh, and I'm going solo...so all of these ADRs are for the lovely party of one (business traveler with not so business intentions. )

In most of the ADRs listed below, I figured I didn't mind paying out of pocket for table service breakfasts since they did seem like reasonable prices compared to the more expensive lunches and dinners. I know I'm on the dining plan, and others have said that there's defitely too much food out there, to be paying out of pocket in addition to the quick service allowances, but I thought I'd reach that hurdle when I get to it. Being the college guy I am, the more food the better...I am very pro-food. But again, if I get convinced, I'm willing to make a few changes.

Oh, and I'm a college guy of drinking age...if you think a place is worth visiting because of an awesome drink with alcohol, please share! I also don't mind being faced with harsh realities that may be faced with my plans below...it's better I find out now while things still can be changed. I'm blind going into this whole ADR thing...what better people to plan with than DISers! Thanks in advance!

The Key
Green - Confirmed: "Definitely plan on doing."/"Must Do"
Orange - Considering Adding:"Looks Appealing, But Not Ready to Commit...potentially might add."
Red - Considering Canceling: "Not so sure about why I added this place to begin with."

DDP - Plan on using Disney Dining Plan: Table Service Allowance
POOP - "Paying-out-of-Pocket" (How convenient/ironic of an acronym )


Wednesday – January 25, 2012
Kona Café – 9:15PM POOP
Reasoning: Thought I’d start off my trip with a really casual evening at Magic Kingdom. So casual, that seeing Wishes won’t be a priority. Because of the convenience, I thought I’d go after/right before closing to a monorail resort café…thought Kona would be a prime choice since I’d be able to kill two birds with one stone on my WDW bucket list; Kona and a Lapu Lapu.

Thursday – January 26, 2012
The Wave…of American Flavors – 10:15AM POOP
Reasoning: In a perfect world, I thought I could make Magic Kingdom’s EMH at 8:00AM and get some of the biggies done. Again with the convenience, I’d try a monorail resort for breakfast. Since the buffets with characters seemed to be packed, I opted for a restaurant that had a buffet…and healthy options to make me not feel quite as guilty stuffing myself.
Biergarten Restaurant – 6:00PM DDP
Reasoning: Being alone, thought I’d try a social atmosphere. Read that it’s almost impossible to not get seated with another group here. It also helps that there’s entertainment to serve as a distraction…oh and two buffets in one day? Why the heck not…I am on vacation, after all.

Friday – January 27, 2012
Dine with an Imagineer @ Hollywood Brown Derby – 11:30AM POOP (No Choice)
Reasoning: After starting the day off at Hollywood Studios, I thought I’d do some multitasking to the max! What beats having a great meal and discovering a possible career choice? If anything, I’d at least get some insight into what makes Disney Parks so awesome.
Teppan Edo – 8:10PM DDP
Reasoning: Another attempt in getting into a social dining atmosphere. I’ve also wanted to try some Teppan-yaki style cooking. Where else for a first than at Disney World? Also, me being Filipino I figured I need some Asian food sooner or later. Heard there’s an opportunity to get a decent view of Illuminations in the area. Also, it’d be a nice way to gain energy before Epcot EMHs until 12:00AM.

Saturday – January 28, 2012
Tusker House – 8:30AM DDP
Reasoning: I feel I can’t make a trip to Disney World without having an obligatory character dining experience! I’ve heard nothing but great things about Tusker House. With my ADR being so early, I thought I’d be able to get into the park before it officially opened. It may not get me on any rides that much sooner, but knowing I have my foot in the door that early can only lead to good things.
Yak & Yeti – 4:45PMDDP
Reasoning: Thought this place had an interesting menu. Might be switching this ADR with Grand Floridian Café if time sways me away from the other.
Grand Floridian Café – 8:00PM POOP
Reasoning: Again, an interesting menu here caught my eye. Something about the Grand Floridian Burger having lobster in it is intriguing enough for me to make an ADR. If this restaurant or the one is chosen, I thought I’d head to Magic Kingdom right after so that I could enjoy the EMHs until 12:00AM.

Sunday – January 29, 2012
Kona Café – 11:00AM POOP
Reasoning: Going to spend a casual morning at Magic Kingdom, so a monorail resort café seemed like a reasonable choice. That’s right, another visit to Kona. This time for the must have Tonga Toast…it’s the only thing on my mind really. I don’t mind paying-out-of-pocket for this awesome concoction. Figured, I’d use the monorails to get to Epcot after this awesome breakfast.
Hoop Dee Doo Musical Revue – 4:00PM DDP
Reasoning: Thought this would be a nice place to go to if I wanted to head over to Magic Kingdom for Evening EMHs until Midnight. Get some serious foodage and some entertainment in a fun environment. For this to happen, I have to cancel the Garden Grill and Sci-Fi Dine-In for Monday ADRs below.
Garden Grill – 5:45PM DDP
Reasoning: Simply said: 1- Rotating Restaurant, 2- Characters Galore, 3-Rotating Restaurant

Monday – January 30, 2012
Sanaa – 1:10PM POOP
Reasoning: I know I’ve said it already, but I really think this applies to this restaurant: this place looks like it has an awesome menu. I originally planned to have dinner here, but changed to a lunch to get a better view of more active animals said to be outside the window.
Sci-Fi Dine-In – 8:10PM DDP
Reasoning: This is one of those ADRs where I’m going more for the atmosphere than the food. I guess I’d have to with all the negative things I’ve heard about it. In all honesty, this place may be replaced or completely canceled for the sake of making the Hoop Dee Doo Musical Review ADR above happen.

Tuesday – January 31, 2012
Work In Progress

Congrats, you've made it to the bottom of this post...thanks again!

 

[Tea4Alice]

We ate at the Garden Grill for our DGD B -Day week trip we took last week and the only good part of the meal was when our DGD got to meet the characters, we will not be going there again unless our 3 year old DGD begs us to, hopefully she won't!

 

[lcj19]

I have always enjoyed Sci-Fi the atmosphere is fun and while the food isn't the greatest, I don't feel it is as bad as people say.

 

[mrsxsparrow]

I can only comment on the ones I've done or thought about doing. Let's see...

Kona Dinner: LOVE the Lapu Lapu. So much. Also, the pot stickers. Awesome.

The Wave: Haven't been for breakfast, but it's on my list. Had lunch there last year, and it was really good.

Tusker House: Best breakfast ever. I'm not a huge character person but this is a must-do on every trip. Getting there before park opening is also very cool. The restaurant is all the way in the back of the park so you get to walk all the way there through an empty park. Then it's just a few feet away from the safari, so it's easy to head right there after breakfast.

I haven't been to Yak & Yeti or Grand Floridian Cafe, but Y&Y doesn't really appeal to me. Plus, although I do love AK, I'll be honest; you might be done with the park before then. Although Yak DOES have the Yak Attack and seems to have a decent beer offerings. So there's that. (Helpful, I know.)

Sci-fi does have a good atmosphere, but the food wasn't all that great. HOWEVER, they do offer milkshakes with booze, which were AWESOME. And as a single diner, I think I'd be more likely to eat here than any other table service.

MK closes at 8 on the 25th, so you could watch Wishes and make it to your reservation in plenty of time. Or, you could make your reservation around 8:30, and watch Wishes from the beach at the Poly.

 

[vicki_c]

I don't have time right now to read your whole thing, but like your Wave 10:15 buffet plan. We just did that on a recent trip - went to MK at opening (was an 8 AM opening I think), did some touring, grabbed some FPs for later, then left and had the buffet at the Wave around 10:15 or 10:30. It was great - the restaurants was mostly empty.

 

[KuyaJeff]

I haven't been to Yak & Yeti or Grand Floridian Cafe, but Y&Y doesn't really appeal to me. Plus, although I do love AK, I'll be honest; you might be done with the park before then. Although Yak DOES have the Yak Attack and seems to have a decent beer offerings. So there's that. (Helpful, I know.)

In all honesty, I think stories of the Yak Attack was about 75% of the reason why I chose this place...

 

[Missyrose]

Here are the places on your list I've been:
Kona (Breakfast and dinner) -- Both are good, breakfast is better (DBF loved the tonga toast!)

Wave breakfast -- Really yummy and has food that is really different from the other breakfasts at Disney.

Sci-Fi -- The place is good for burgers, many of the bad reviews are often for the things on the menu beyond the burgers. The hot fudge sundae is also really yummy.

One other note, if you have a Teppan Edo ADR at 8:10, you likely won't be out in time for Illuminations.

Happy planning! We did the Deluxe Dining Plan and while many on these boards said it was too much food, we loved it! We mainly did TS breakfasts and TS dinners with CS lunches or snacks in between. We never felt overly stuffed. Enjoy your dining plan!

 

[KuyaJeff]

So I cancelled my Garden Grill ADR and replaced it with Hoop Dee Doo. Sci-Fi may receive the same fate to make up for the DDP allowance needed for HDDMR.