Finally getting to see the lights! Nov '11 Anniversary/Holiday/F&W PTR-New 11/4 p50

[Charleston Princess]

Good luck this morning with making ADRs!

 

[DisMomAmy]

I have a meeting first thing this morning & then I have to chaperone a field trip with Alex's class so I can't do a full update right now, but it looks like Jersey week is going to be a busy one! I couldn't get dinner reservations at either Le Cellier or Teppan Edo for our first day 11/8. I guess all those people checking in over the weekend beat us to the good ADRs.

The website was not being cooperative AT ALL but the rest of our ADRs worked out pretty much OK. And as usual, I have a bunch of extras that I need to sort through & cancel but seeing the lack of availability for 11/8 put me into a bit of a panic. I'll post a full update later on today.

 

[beebeeryan]

Bummer on the Le Cellier ADR's. Never know, something might open up. I think you do have to call to book the Kid's Club, had to do that last year, then I cancelled it. Bonus if SIL'ish will babysit!

 

[MeMom]

It's gotta make today a little happier knowing you have some brand spankin' new ADR's on the books.

 

[Lovemy3babes]

Bummer that you couldn't get a couple. But you never know, just keep trying! I have to cancel our Le Cellier lunch since we took a day off the trip and it's killing me, knowing that! I wish I could just give it to you on the day you need it. Waiting for your update later today.

 

[DisMomAmy]

Your plans look good Amy, so did you have ADR day already or is it tomorrow? or am I so off? I want to know what you bookededited: you posted when I was making my post, your ADR's look GREAT

And I think keeping Epcot Saturday will be ok especially if you do the go early and leave by lunch, and plus I think you'll be ok crowd wise. I think when we went Epcot was an 8 and it was crowded and we slept in that morning, but still managed to get a lot done and the boys talk about Epcot the most of all the parks.

Thanks for the ADR wishes! Update coming!

Perhaps most of the crowd they're expecting Sat will be in WS b/c of the F&WF... isn't that the last weekend?

Sending tons of pixie dust for your ADRs!

Kathy

I hope they'll all be over at F&W... Thanks for the pixiedust Kathy!

Good luck this morning with making ADRs!

Thanks Jackie!!

Bummer on the Le Cellier ADR's. Never know, something might open up. I think you do have to call to book the Kid's Club, had to do that last year, then I cancelled it. Bonus if SIL'ish will babysit!

I'll have to call the Beach Club directly to make the kids club reservation... The website says to call the front desk so I guess a lot of peple make reservations when they get there.

It's gotta make today a little happier knowing you have some brand spankin' new ADR's on the books.

I'm glad ADR day has come & gone... I just wish I'd had better luck for arrival day. I'm really glad we're staying onsite, making ADRs day by day would have been tougher this time around with Epcot being so busy.

Bummer that you couldn't get a couple. But you never know, just keep trying! I have to cancel our Le Cellier lunch since we took a day off the trip and it's killing me, knowing that! I wish I could just give it to you on the day you need it. Waiting for your update later today.

I will keep trying. I'm sure something will open up between now & then. And if not, we'll be eating at Via Napoli.

That would be nice if you could give me your lunch! Sorry you have to cancel it...

 

[DisMomAmy]

Sorry to leave you all hanging yesterday... I got busy with work in the afternoon/evening and didn't have time to update.

First of all, I had a really hard time with the website. It kept asking me to log in & then enter my resort reservation number! Then after a little while it would tell me it had timed out because the site had been idle for 30 minutes. I hadn't even been on the site for 30 minutes... I kept switching between Internet Explorer & Firefox and managed to work my way through but it took much longer than it should have. And, as usual, I got flustered with the lack of availability at Epcot and ended up with a bunch of extra ADRs! I promise to clean things up right away!!

So how did I make out with our ADRs? Pretty good... It looks like it's going to be really busy at Epcot that week. ADRs were harder to come by!

Here's what I have:

Tuesday 11/8: Plans: Arrive/DHS for a few hours/get settled in villa/Epcot for dinner at Teppan Edo.

ADRs: There was NOTHING available at Teppan Edo or Le Cellier for dinner! I was able to get Teppan Edo & Le Cellier for lunch (will definitely cancel one of the two today once I look over our itinerary again). I also made a dinner ADR for Via Napoli, but it isn't until 6:20. The Epcot lunch will only work if we decide to flip flop our plans for the day & go to Epcot first, get settled in the villa, then head to DHS for a few hours (but it's only open until 7pm).

Wednesday 11/9: Plans: DTD/MVMCP

ADRs: Cape May breakfast at 9am & The Plaza at 5:05pm. The Plaza is just in case... we may end up eating counter service before the party begins.

Thursday 11/10: Plans: Animal Kingdom/DHS (but if Osborne Lights aren't on yet, we may go to Epcot for dinner instead)

ADRs: 50s Prime Time at 4:35pm (wanted 5pm) & Via Napoli at 6:20pm. (Will cancel one when the O-Lights schedule is released)

Friday 11/11: Plans: Magic Kingdom/Anniversary dinner night

ADRs: Shula's 5:30pm dinner for TWO!! I need to call the Beach Club to make the kids club reservation.

Saturday 11/12: Plans: Epcot/DHS

ADRs: Again, I have both Le Cellier & Teppan Edo for lunch (I will cancel one asap once I figure out what we are doing on arrival day - it's important we at least eat at Teppan Edo.) I also have a dinner ADR for 50s Prime Time at 5:15pm. We probably won't want to take the time for a TS dinner on our last night but we want to eat there this trip so once I have the O-Lights schedule, I will cancel one of them.

Sunday 11/13: Plans: Head home.

ADRs: Captain's Grille at 8am. I don't have our flights booked yet (should be booked on 5/24) so I may have to adjust this one depending on when we will be leaving for the airport. I'm aiming for a mid-day flight so we won't have to get up too early or be up too late. But we'll see... prices may sway me in a different direction.

Thanks it for now!! I hope to get things set in stone once they announce the Osborne Lights!

For the next few updates I'm working on our park goals & another new activity that we haven't done before. Plus stay tuned to see how I make out with our airfare on the 24th!

 

[jeremysdisneymom]

It looks like you got some good reservations! That can be so frustrating when you can't get what you want.

Good luck with air fare later this month!

 

[DisMomAmy]

It looks like you got some good reservations! That can be so frustrating when you can't get what you want.

Good luck with air fare later this month!

I'm pretty happy with what we got!

Thanks for the good luck - I might need it... I'm really afraid to see what the prices are going to be!

 

[DisMomAmy]

Guess what? Guess what? Guess what?


I just got Le Cellier for dinner on our arrival night!!!

I'd rather have Teppan Edo for dinner & Le Cellier for lunch later in the week because of the huge price difference between lunch & dinner... but I'm just thrilled that I was able to get one of our top choices for dinner!!!

And it's at a decent time - 6:05!!

 

[Lovemy3babes]

Woot on getting what you wanted!! I'm still waiting on plane tickets too. Prices are SCARY right now.

 

[brookelizabeth]

I'm caught up now! I hope they have the lights on a normal date this year! We were there in 2008 when they didn't turn them on until after Thanksgiving - it was about 3 days after we left. Sigh. Thankfully I DID get to see them in 2009. They are amazing!!

I agree with those that said "go for it" on the busy Epcot day. If you are there at RD and get your headliners done first, I think you'll be fine. The WS will be busy, but FW will probably empty out.

And congrats on the LeCellier! I've been stalking a few ADRs for some Clients and so far no luck. Hopefully some of your pixie dust rubs off on me!

 

[Charleston Princess]

Ugh, that does sound like a frustrating dinner experience. Glad you were able to snag Le Cellier for dinner after all, though.

 

[beebeeryan]

for Le Cellier becoming available!!!

 

[disneyfan61]

Your ADR's look good Amy!! Yay for LeCellier. Determination paid off.
I know what you mean about the price difference between lunch & dinner. We are doing a late lunch there so we will only use 1 credit.

Good luck with the airfare. Our flights for Oct. went up $100.00 (2 tickets) in one week!!

 

[mommytothreeboys]

Great looking ADR's Amy! And a bonus that you got Le Cellier for arrival night!

Good luck with your plane tickets...I'll be thinking of you!

 

[irish dancer]

Ok, so late to the party but I'm here and all caught up.

~ yay on BWV, they look great! Either way I don't think you can go wrong.

~ Kids Club - we've done Sandcastle, Simba's and Neverland. Kids liked all 3 and never wanted to leave when we got there. They didn't even bat an eye when I told them about Daniel's Autism. I made our ressies for them along with our dining ADRs over the phone. Never called the hotel direct.

~ MVMCP, loved it! You mentioned the hot chocolate, just one word of caution it is HOT. I know you're thinking duh, of course but I'm talking burning scalding HOT. Be careful.

~ keeping my fingers crossed for you on the Osborne Lights, they are amazing.

~ congrats on the ADRs especially scoring the LeCellier when you wanted.

~ we surprised our kids with a trip in Oct 09, they LOVED it. It was so hard not telling them but the reveal was priceless.

~question, what car rental company rents out of the Dolphin. Thinking of maybe not having a car for our whole June trip and the Dolphin would be an easy place to pick-up mid-week.

 

[MeMom]

Guess what? Guess what? Guess what?


I just got Le Cellier for dinner on our arrival night!!!

I'd rather have Teppan Edo for dinner & Le Cellier for lunch later in the week because of the huge price difference between lunch & dinner... but I'm just thrilled that I was able to get one of our top choices for dinner!!!

And it's at a decent time - 6:05!!

You seem a little bit happy with this.

Congratulations! Keep checking back. Your perfect meal situation may work out for you as others cancel reservations.

I know what you mean about the price difference between lunch & dinner. We are doing a late lunch there so we will only use 1 credit.

That's the way to go!

Good luck with the airfare. Our flights for Oct. went up $100.00 (2 tickets) in one week!!

I was contemplating waiting it out a little on our October flights, but two of the flights for that day had already sold out, so I grabbed the earliest one while it was still available. Watching the flights and knowing when to grab them is always nervewracking for me.

~ Kids Club - we've done Sandcastle, Simba's and Neverland. Kids liked all 3 and never wanted to leave when we got there. They didn't even bat an eye when I told them about Daniel's Autism.

How nice to hear!

 

[Angies1274]

Your ADR's look great Amy! I've been wanting to try Cape May for breakfast! Can't wait to hear what you think!

YAY for getting LeCellier after all!! Such great news!

Good luck on the plane tickets!!

 

[jeremysdisneymom]

Yay for getting LeCellier! Persistence pays off.