Eat as we go???!!!....

[samiet620]

Hi all. This is our first trip to Disney and boy are we excited!
We are going for 8 days but only doing 6 days of parks. I have decided to not do the "comando" thing and just enjoy enjoy enjoy. For this reason I have foregone the ADR route. I figure lets enjoy the parks and eat when we want...just like at six flags or something. I just want to know if anyone else has done this and if you kicked yourself afterwards for not doing any ts.
I just really do not want to worry about being anywhere at any given time unless its fastpass related, you know what I mean? So enlighten me...is this a good way to go..just... eat as we go?
P.S I do have reservations made but they are for the 7th day at DTD for Planet Hollywood. Other than that we will be free!

 

[Belle4mygrl]

The first 5 visits we never made reservations for TS--just couldn't afford it. You can find alot of different items at CS . BUT on our way home we always searched for a Ryan's, Golden Corral, or Shoneys for veggies. Years ago Disney did not offer a variety for sides it was fries now you can get carrots or apples. I really liked the idea of eating when we wanted to eat but sorry that we couldn't afford the TS. (we do Free dining now and love eating TS but we sometimes dread the "have to be somewhere.")

Try Flame Tree BBQ, Cosmic Rays, Pizza Planet, Columbia Harbour House and that will give you a good variety of foods.

 

[Minnie]

IMO.....Yes we've tried this and OMG did I wish we'd made ADRs.

Counter service gets very old after a while. And WDW is really in no way like Six Flags. It is huge, exhausing, and tons of fun A nice TS lunch is just the ticket for us as a break off our feet in the AC is well worth the price of the TS restaurants.

Especially with this being your first trip I'd definitely make the ADRs. Even just 1 a day (either lunch of dinner) will give you something just in case. Heck you can always cancel the ADRs if you aren't going to use it.

I understand the not wanting to be tied down to a schedule. But really to enjoy WDW to the fullest (especially on your 1st trip) having a plan is the way to go

 

[KatMark]

I remember the days when the boys were young and all we did was eat counter service. Drove me nuts. After a couple of years of this, we finally made them go to a couple of table service meals so that we could get something besides hamburgers or chicken. But you need to do what you will be most comfortable doing and will make your trip magical.

 

[TDC Nala]

If you plan on eating table service at all, you may want to make reservations. You could make them the day before or even the day of, but you should make them.

If counter service is OK, you will be fine.

 

[bjscheel]

I posted this type of question recently- you can read responses here:

http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=1839902

We've gone two times already and usually had 1 ADR a day or slightly less. I think I will go the same route this time. DH doesn't want tied down, but I think the break will help.

 

[debm]

Keep in mind, to add the 2 extra days of tickets is only just over a $1 per day. If you don't want to do "commando-style" than you may want to have those extra days. Otherwise you will feel like you have to get everything done in the 6 days. Me, I would rather have the flexibility of sleeping in, hanging at the resort, going to the pool, doing whatever we feel like and if we only spend a few hours in the park each day that's fine, versus only having certain days to swim and stay at the resort and certain days to be in the park. I thnk you will find it more relaxing to have the flexibility.

 

[jeffbear]

I've never gotten the idea that there's some sort of choice between "commando" planning where you've commited to a bunch of reservations beforehand and just going free and easy. Truth in fact, if you choose to just wing it with a typical family in tow, you are excluding yourselves from some experiences ... like most if not all table service meals at any reasonable hour of the day/night.

Personally I don't see the big deal. Why not pick a couple of nights to make dinner ressies? You can always cancel if your plans or your mood change .... but it's nigh on impossible to go the other way and scramble for dinnier ressies at table service restaurants on the fly.

Bottom line ... it just seems to me that you can have your cake and eat it too. Making a bunch of ressies doesn't have to tie you to some ridiculous schedule if you don't allow it to.

 

[Nancyg56]

I am not a "commando" planner and I would not go without ADR's in place. For my comfort I need to know that we have a place to eat that is convenient to our location. I do not want to scramble for a meal and I do not want to have to rely on CS. I am flexible but i am not someone who wants to search for a good meal.

I agree with the PP who suggested that you add on the additional days to your pass. It is not a lot of money and gives you the opportunity to go to the park if you choose and to leave knowing that you can go back on an "off" day if you choose. We use the "additional" day to have dinner in the park and then see a fireworks show.

 

[Neesy228]

In the past, we've only done a couple of ADR's for our trip (and the vast majority of those were made the day before from the hotel room!)*gasp!*

I've been in your shoes, and I've also been on the other end (this trip we've got 8 ADR's), both worked out fine for our family. My DH and I were really tired of chicken fingers, fries and burgers on the non-ADR trips...at one point my oldest son asked for a vegetable! If nothing else, TS meals give you some variety.

I would suggest that you make a couple of ADR's, then decide the day before if you want to use them or not. Cancel if you don't, but at least you have the option of going.

Have a great trip!!

 

[dgagnon519]

No ADR's!!!
I would go crazy. LOL
I am a semi commando
I agree with the other posters make a few for later n the day or maybe first thing in the morning breakfast that way it does not interrupt with your freeness during the day. You always have the option to cancel the day before if you realize it is not working for you.

 

[Taja]

Realistically, by Day 4 you're probably going to be tired of CS food. Some of it is very good--particularly in the value resorts food courts, as well as a few places in the parks.

I did a very last-minute five-day WDW visit in March 2007 and couldn't get any ADRs that appealed to me. Counter service was fine, but it was pushing my limit! *LOL*

 

[pperfectmom]

I think at the very least you should try to do a character breakfast with your kids. Even though they are teenagers it's still their FIRST TRIP!!!! So if one of them has a character preference try to get an ADR for that. You have your choice of princesses, Mickey & Gang, Lilo & Stitch, Mary Poppins & Alice or Pooh & friends. I think even older kids would love the interaction.

 

[mikehn]

For me personally, I did not want to be held hostage to some reservation. I wanted to eat when I was ready. Unless the reservation is at a place inside the same park, sit down meals can kill a lot of time. On the other hand, counter service food is terrible for the most part. If this is your first time, my bet is touring will be more important to you than dining experience. Its a toss up.

 

[danceintherain]

There's no rule that says in order to have a good time at Disney you have to make ADRs. However, I can see the benefit of having them if you are planning on TS meals. If you're planning on eating CS the entire time, then obviously you don't need ADRs. I've done Disney relying entirely on CS and packed lunches, but it was for financial reasons. My parents have 6 kids, so trying to have a sit down meal anywhere is incredibly expensive. We all dealt with it because it wasn't our money, but now that I'm going on my own I'm planning ADRs. I think it would be less stressful for me to have the ADRs. I don't have a problem with planning to be near some where at a certain time.
If you're planning on TS meals I'd definitely make a few ADRs. People with ADRs still have to wait a little, but it's nice to know that you'll be given the first open table for your party size and not the 5th.

 

[Goodlife]

We just returned from a trip on 5/23. We were not on the dining plan and had just a few TS reservations, which we cancelled all but two after we got to the World. We had the advantage of a kitchen in our one bedroom at BWV so we had breakfast in every morning, carried snacks into the parks, and
ate a couple late lunches in the room. We looked at the menus of all the CS restaurants before we left and had a general idea of where we would head in each park.

We liked: Columbia Harbour House in MK; Sunshine Seasons (great variety), Boulangerie Patisserie, Cantina De San Angel, and Tangierine Cafe in Epcot; Backlot Express (paninins were great) in HS. At Animal Kingdom we had lunch ressies for Rainforest Cafe - we were so thankful we make these. It is always hot and humid in AK so an hour in at lunch was well received, and my kids really enjoyed the choices on the kid's menu. The other place we had ressies for that we kept was Coral Reef in Epcot. Won't do that restaurant again. We just weren't crazy about the menu.

We had park hopper tickets and went to a least 2 parks a day. On the day we had reservations at Coral Reef we would have rather stayed at MK, since MK that day was not crowded at all. But we left it to make our TS reservations. That day Epcot had a couple of school districts there on field trips so it was very crowded.

I like the idea of the Dining Plan, which means you have to make TS reservations in advance, but I really like the freedom to choose based on where you'd like to be once you get to WDW.

Also we learned to pay attention to what CS is open late in the evening Extra Magic Hours. They don't all stay open. And the ones that do often have a limited menu. They post it in the flyer they hand you as you are getting your wristband.

 

[Lady Radington]

We walked up to quite a few table service restaurants and we able to get tables, either for straight away or a couple of hours later, counter service can get quite tiring and 'old', as a lot of the food is similar in style. You should have no problems with what you're doing we went without any advance reservations and felt freer because of it. I would say that it is easier if you look at some menus before you go, that way when you do feel the need to eat you know where to head for.

 

[mskayjay]

We tried it your way and it was so hard. So much was completely booked up and we ended up eating tons of counter service. Got old. We have had times where we lucked out and got into LeCellier and Brown Derby with the show package but otherwise its hard. And I am like you, I'd rather eat when I want to rather then when I made a ressie for.

 

[beccasmom]

I would make a few ADRs. As stated, you can cancel if you wish. Many of the WDW restaurants are truly wonderful and you should try to sample at least a few of them. I can understand not wanting to be tied down to a schedule - sounds like being at work!! - but there will be times when you are just too tired to hunt down a place to eat and will be grateful you have your plans in place. We try to sample new places as they open and have had some fabulous experiences, but it is tough without ADRs.

 

[Clotho]

I would make a few ADRs. As stated, you can cancel if you wish. Many of the WDW restaurants are truly wonderful and you should try to sample at least a few of them. I can understand not wanting to be tied down to a schedule - sounds like being at work!! - but there will be times when you are just too tired to hunt down a place to eat and will be grateful you have your plans in place. We try to sample new places as they open and have had some fabulous experiences, but it is tough without ADRs.

JUST what I would advise. If you make reservations, you have the option to do them, or to cancel them and do something else. But if you don't make any, you can be really limited in your options.

Can I please recommend...if you can afford it...to do Hoop Dee Doo Revue?
We had this recommended to us for our first trip to The World. We are two adults, and hubby is not a real "joiner" so he was wary of anything a little overly whimsical or cheesy, but our travel assistant insisted we would love it and should really do it. WE LOVED IT! The food was great, the show was fantastic, and it was a highlight of our entire vacation. It was cheesy, in the best way, and all ages and walks of life were into it and enjoying it right along side us. We missed it last trip, when we opted to do The Show That Will Not Be Named (okay, Spirit of Aloha-YUCK!), and are doing it this trip for sure! And are bringing along our two friends who are getting married while we're down there, as a gift to them. We can't wait to share the fun with them!

Anyway, just wanted to throw that in there!