First time ADR help please

[Jakejosh4]

Hi have been to Florida 3 times but this will be our first time on sitePlease can someone help with ADRs, we arrive on 14th Feb 13 when can I book the ADRs as I am confused about 180days plus 10 we have not booked direct with Disney but through a TA. Also reading on here I need a booking number? It's my hubby's 40th whilst we are there where would you recommend for a nice ADR and are there any children's clubs just so we can have this one meal on our own, as the rest of the time is family time. Thanks so much now getting so excited but just don't want to waste our ADRS so any comments would be gratefully received.

 

[tracey1302]

From 8th August onwards I think lol. Yes I did just count back 190 days but obviously it depends on what day you want to book your ADR. There is an online system that you can book all your ADRs on so you'll be able to keep checking to see if you book. Just select the restaurant on the WDW website and click on 'Make a Reservation'. As far as I remember, we didn't need a reservation number but I think they do ask you what resort you're staying at and how many people the reservation is for. Once your reservation booking is done, they will give you a confirmation number. We printed all ours off but we didn't need them.

Happy ADR booking!

 

[tinks_1989]

We arrive on the 31st January and our 180 days is this Saturday the 4th so I work out your 180 days to be the 18 th it's not 190 days it's 180 days but you can book the first ten days so the last ADR you can make is at 190 days, if you understand what I'm saying?

We had a lovely meal at narcoossee's at the grand Floridian! It is a 2 TS credit though! The food was amazing we watched wishes from in side they do offer you to go out to watch it but our main arrived just before! They pipe the music in to the restaurant as well and the water pageant goes right by the window you have perfect view of it!
The restaurant is really small so it has a lovely relaxed feeling in their calm and quiet!

After the meal we went on the GF beach and had a swing in the hammock it was so lovely!

Also a 2 TS Yachtsman steak house, lovely watched illumination from the Boardwalk area near the light house after our meal. Artist point, lovely walking around wilderness lodge in the evening it's such a beautiful hotel DH had his best EVER steak there (buffalo) still raves about it!

For a 1 TS I would recommend Sanaa it is great there for lunch as well as you have a view of the animals. We went their for dinner though and it was lovely the food was really really good!

Sorry I can't offer any advice for the kids club this is our first trip with our DD!

 

[chmurf]

the 180+10 days can be confusing so here is how it works :

Your ADR window opens 180 days before your check-in day
On that day you can make your ADR for the first 10 days of your stay.
So you can make ADRs up to 190 days away, but you can only start making these ADRs when you're 180 days away from your check in date. (hope this makes sense)

To be able to make these ADRs you will need your resort confirmation number if your ADR is in the "+10" window to prove that you are a resort guest as it is a perk for staying onsite (if you don't have this number, you'll need to request it from your TA)
you don't need that number for ADRs that are 180 days or less. You only need it if you use the +10 days perk (so for ADRs that are 181 to 190 days away)

You'll need to go on the US WDW website (good idea to signup and login, so that your ADRs appear under your account for further reference and it's easier if you need to cancel or modify) and click on "where to eat, then you can browse restaurant listing and sort them (location, cuisine type, etc) and make your reservations

for the most hard to get ones you'll be required a credit card guarantee (nothing charged, it's just a no-show guarantee) but most will not require a CC
You'll need to provide a valid email adress (automatically filled in for you if you're logged in) and a phone number

you'll receive a confirmation email for each ADR
keep them, they hold your reservation number.

i will be celebrating my 41st birthday in november in WDW. I chose Ohana's for dinner. It's not really posh or fancy, and some may question my choice, but I love this restaurant and the food.

I probably wouldn't go for 2TS credit, as I think they're not worth it (even with free DDP)

Maybe some cool place like Sanaa's at AKL with a walk through the savannas before, and have some pictures taken by the photopass photographer in the Jambo house lobby as a souvenir.

Also remember that on the confirmation page for each ADR, look closely , there is a link where you can "name a celebration" (or something like that) and you can tell about what you're celebrating (birthday for example) there is no guarantee that CMs will sprinkle pixie dust for that occasion, but ... who knows

 

[tinks_1989]

I probably wouldn't go for 2TS credit, as I think they're not worth it (even with free DDP)

I think 2 TS are more then worth it! When we ate at Narcoossee's our food alone cost more then $150 compare that to say Ohana dinner $32.99 each with drink inc!

We don't eat where we can drain the most out of Disney for free we eat where we like, where the menu looks good!

 

[chmurf]

I think 2 TS are more then worth it! When we ate at Narcoossee's our food alone cost more then $150 compare that to say Ohana dinner $32.99 each with drink inc!

I realise that my remark was misleading because of the "free DDP" mention. I did not phrase that right.

what I meant was more regarding food. 2TS (or signature) meals are (in my opinion) very much overrated. Food is rarely exciting.
Ok, let me rephrase that once more to be perfectly honest : these are not my style, and I consider that too much fuss is made over those restaurants.

I'm not arguing about the cost, or how people should use their money or DDP credit (wether free or not)

Sure, the menu looks good, but I'd rather that the food tasted as good as it looked on the menu, which I found was very rarely the case (again in my own humble opinion and experience)
That's why, for me, 2TS are simply not worth it.

 

[tinks_1989]

I realise that my remark was misleading because of the "free DDP" mention. I did not phrase that right.

what I meant was more regarding food. 2TS (or signature) meals are (in my opinion) very much overrated. Food is rarely exciting.
Ok, let me rephrase that once more to be perfectly honest : these are not my style, and I consider that too much fuss is made over those restaurants.

I'm not arguing about the cost, or how people should use their money or DDP credit (wether free or not)

Sure, the menu looks good, but I'd rather that the food tasted as good as it looked on the menu, which I found was very rarely the case (again in my own humble opinion and experience)
That's why, for me, 2TS are simply not worth it.

May be sorry our local restaurants don't serve lobster or buffalo so I guess they would be more exciting to us!

 

[Elise79]

There are kids clubs - they are children aged 3 to 12. They need to be fully potty trained and independent in their toileting needs. Because of this we left DD till this year at just turned 4 before using them.

We used the Cubs Den at Wilderness Lodge and DH & I went to eat at Artists Point. I can not say enough goo things about the club - DD was the only child when we dropped her off and there was only one other little girl when we collected her. There were 4 CMs working. DD loved it and didn't actually want to leave.

Dinner at Artists Point was nice as the restaurant was quiet and had a very adult feel. Food was good too

There are also clubs at Polynesian - Neverland Club (biggest & busiest), Beach Club - Sandcastle Club, AKL - Simbas Cub House and Grand Floridian - Mouseketeer Club

 

[chmurf]

@OP : DIS has a good review of kids club and baby sitting options
have a look here : http://www.wdwinfo.com/just_for_kids/childcare.htm
for example, if you went for Sanaa's (has 2 votes so far, lol) you could drop the kid at Simba's club at AKL (Sanaa is in Kidani next door)
Restrictions apply as Elise pointed out (must be 4 and fully potty trained), price includes food, no outside food allowed

@tinks_1989 : I fully understand your point and opinion. And I do respect them. 2TS just don't do it for me, but I do understand that these will be a wonderful experience for other guests.
cheers

 

[Elise79]

Here is the Kids Club information from the WDW site - dinner was a choice from a set menu. I know DD chose a Hamburger. There was about 6 choices.

I like the signature restaurants in the most part but we pay OOP using TIW however I do not believe they are a value if on the DDP. Your food cost will not be double a 1TS restaurant.

 

[Jakejosh4]

Hi this might be a silly question but how do I get onto the US site each time I try it just goes back to the uk site. Thanks for all your help think I have the idea what to do now hubby wants to try the GF for his 40th

 

[tinks_1989]

Hi this might be a silly question but how do I get onto the US site each time I try it just goes back to the uk site. Thanks for all your help think I have the idea what to do now hubby wants to try the GF for his 40th

On the bottom left it says select an international version click America

Good choice with grand Floridian our meal was brilliant!