Feedback on ADRs?

[PlutoIsHerFav]

My ADR window opened up today. I'd love feedback on our plan plus recommendations for one last TS! We're traveling as a family of 4 with two DD (7 & 3) who are early risers. Characters, especially Minnie, are important. Split stay between CR & YC. We have park hoppers. We have the DDP. We're planning on daily afternoon naps and some days no PM park just the pool - thanks to it being August!

Friday: arrival day; MK afternoon; CRT @ 7:20 p.m. (hoping to move this earlier) - day plan includes a few rides, view fireworks (may try for BBB before CRT)

Saturday: MK; Chef Mickey @ 8:10 a.m. (we're staying at CR), O'hana @ 5:35 OR Storybook @ 6:55 (will drop one)

Sunday: Epcot; Garden Grill @ 8:05 a.m. (will rope drop Soarin)

Monday: AK; no ADR (we've done Tusker House before, may book Pizzafari family-style dining if it opens up)

Tuesday: MK; BOG @ 8 a.m.; 1900 PF @ 5:15 p.m.

Wed: switch to YC day; DHS; 50's PT @ 11:45 a.m. (should we move this to later to get more done in the AM?)

Thursday: open/pool day -- Dinner @ Trattoria OR Fri Epcot ADR

Friday: Epcot &/or HS -- looking for Epcot TS recommendation

Sat: depart; breakfast @ Cape May Cafe

With this plan we're also 1 TS over. Should we drop one (either O'hana or 1900 PF) or pay for one OOP (should that be 50's PT?)?

 

[PlutoIsHerFav]

Responding to my own post, in hopes someone will respond!

Still looking for a Boardwalk/Epcot (1) TS suggestion. One child is gluten free so that is a factor. We're looking at Trattoria, Teppan Edo, Mama Melrose (for Fantasmic dining)...but I feel like there are so many options I'm missing.

Second, I didn't realize before that our dining credits will not pool over the course of our split stay. So, I now need to look at our credit use separately, which is throwing a kink in the plans. For the first portion of the stay, we have 5 TS credits. We have 5 reservations (since the TS reservation on our switch day should be picked up by the second pool of credits), but CRT is 2 TS credits. All 5 are expensive meals, so we don't want to come out of pocket for one. Which would you suggest we drop?
CRT dinner(this one is throwing the kink in the plans, but I'm pretty set on it with two young daughters)
Chef Mickey breakfast (I'd like to nix this one, but we'll be staying at CR and my kids are massive Minnie/fab 5 fans)
Ohana OR Storybook dinner (always planned to drop one of these, likely Storybook)
Garden Grill PPO breakfast
1900 Park Fare dinner

All are "new" meal experiences to us with the exception of CM. I think it comes down to Ohana (or Storybook Dining) or 1900 Park Fare. 1900 seems to make the most sense since we'll see Cinderella at CRT, but I've heard such great things about the step sisters and my kids enjoy character meals. Ohana would be a nice change of pace - not a buffet and my husband would love the food. Ack!

 

[cruisin5]

Maybe try Trattoria for breakfast?

I'd drop Garden, eat at Sunshine instead saving the credit for CRT. But maybe you can put GG back in the plan for Thursday or Friday?

Beaches and Cream is an option for your pool day, the Fountain perhaps or Ale and Compass?

 

[ENJDisneyFan]

Can you swap out CRT for Akershus? You'll still get the princesses but save a credit. Between Ohana and Storybook I would choose Storybook for sure. It's a great value on the DDP and gets good reviews so far. If you have to drop something, CM would be my vote.

 

[disneygolfer1985]

Can you swap out CRT for Akershus? You'll still get the princesses but save a credit. Between Ohana and Storybook I would choose Storybook for sure. It's a great value on the DDP and gets good reviews so far. If you have to drop something, CM would be my vote.

I like this idea. We will be taking my daughter for the first time over Thanksgiving and are planning on doing Akershus, 1900 Park Fare for dinner and Storybook as well.

 

[PlutoIsHerFav]

Thanks all!

Maybe try Trattoria for breakfast?

I'd drop Garden, eat at Sunshine instead saving the credit for CRT. But maybe you can put GG back in the plan for Thursday or Friday?

Beaches and Cream is an option for your pool day, the Fountain perhaps or Ale and Compass?

We have done the Trattoria for breakfast, which we loved! I've heard great things about the dinner, which is why it's on the list.

That's a good point about dropping GG and maybe we do that on our last day which is currently a open day for either HS and/or Epcot. However, I feel like we're missing out on all the great Epcot TS restaurants I read about!

Beaches & Cream will close right before we make our switch to YC; that was our original plan. I'll look at the others!

Can you swap out CRT for Akershus? You'll still get the princesses but save a credit. Between Ohana and Storybook I would choose Storybook for sure. It's a great value on the DDP and gets good reviews so far. If you have to drop something, CM would be my vote.

We have done Akershus, so we want to try CRT while the girls are still young - it'll "kick off" our vacation! We enjoyed Akershus, though. I am kind of surprised at the rec to drop Ohana and keep Storybook! I keep seeing such mixed reviews for both. I'd be good with dropping CM, but we did this breakfast last time and it's the only meal my oldest requested to repeat the next time! If we weren't staying at CR, I could probably get away with skipping it..

 

[PlutoIsHerFav]

Okay, thoughts on these alternative plans that would allow us to keep both Ohana/Storybook and 1900 PF?

1. Move GG to our "open" park day (Friday) which falls in the second grouping of DDP credits (along with 50's PT & Cape May breakfast).
   • If we do this, it leaves two days in a row with now ADRs. I could move Ohana/Storybook or PF dinner to this date.
2. Drop CM and add H&V lunch with the Fantasmic package to either our last day or switch it and 50's PT. I like this option, but it will be tough walking past CM with my kids, LOL
   • Only other downside here is I feel like we're missing out on all the wonderful Epcot TS options. However, we could switch out 50's PT for a different TS on our last day. I'm not excited about H&V food, but do like the Fantasmic option plus solves the fab 5 character option.