Free dining - some restaurants full already...

[Cinderumbrella]

Well, I called to get Le Cellier on the 180th day to make sure I would get it....

However, I did just switch a couple of character breakfasts around the week of 8/26 and had no issues at all with our times (around 8:15 for all of them)

 

[Captn Jack Sparrow]

I am going the same time as both Momof3 and pixagirl and I called with in an hour of DW booking the package on the 12th when free DDP was available to us schlubs with out DV. anyhow I askedfor dinner at anytime during our week and was told lunch only. Not that I really care because I am still getting to eat there. hope to see you both there.

 

[mickey2000]

Knowing that there would be free dining I called two weeks before the promo to play it safe. Even if I had to pay I thought it would be a good idea...
SEPT 1 6:00 PM SPOODLES
SEPT 2 6:00 PM FRANCE
SEPT 3 6:20 PM LE CELLIER
SEPT 4 6:10 PM CONCOURSE STEAKHOUSE
SEPT 5 5:20 PM MA MELROSE FANTASMIC
SEPT 6 6:10 PM LE CELLIER
SEPT 7 6:50 PM NARCOOSSEE’S
SEPT 8 4:30 PM CORAL REEF
SEPT 9 5:50 PM BOMA

 

[DisneyBride'03]

Is LeCellier that fantastic?? Please let me know, we chose Coral Reef for our night at Epcot....I am still looking for a spot on Sat night...although we dont have hoppers, it would have to be something at MGm or a resort...any input fellow Disers?? Its Dh, me and Ava Grace, 14 mths old.

Fri 8/31 Coral Reef
Sat 9/1 ?????
Sun 9/2 Ohanas Dinner
Mon 9/3 Bomas Dinner

Thanks

 

[Imagoofy1]

We also got a reservation for LeCellier this time. Never been, but have heard nothing but good reviews from everyone so far. Tried to go there last year, but could not get reservation. This year we got one but had to take day time they had --- would not be my first choice of time (3:30 PM) but took it anyways just to go there. Hope its as good as everyone says it is.

 

[JimMIA]

We were Le Cellier fans when Le Cellier wasn't cool. LC used to be the best kept secret in WDW! Ah, the days when you could walk up to the hostess desk and ask for a table and be seated within seconds. But those days are over now, so we plan ahead.

We had no problem getting LC, at our preferred time, in early May, at less than 4 months. We got a Thursday night (our last night, and therefore preferred night for LC) at 8:10 PM.

However, if you are trying to get LC during F&W (i.e. much of free DDP time), you're going to have a hard time. If you want LC during December without a CP package, I suspect you are living in a dream world.

The word is out on LC.

 

[JimMIA]

What is the opinion about the castle though? Are there more princesses at b-fast than at lunch?

I understand this question to mean Cinderella's Royal Table at the castle. If that's the case, let's do the math:

Breakfast - one princess (Cindy) for a photo-op downstairs, meal upstairs with wannabees.

Lunch - one princess (Cindy) for a photo-op downstairs, meal upstairs with wannabees.

Dinner - one princess (Cindy) for a photo-op downstairs, meal upstairs with wannabees.

It's a wash at CRT. If you're paying cash, do breakfast. If you're using DDP, suit your schedule.

If you want Princesses other than Cindy, do Norway (4-5 princesses). If you want Cindy up close and personal, do 1900 Park Fare. If you want the castle, do CRT.

 

[mom2my3kids]

I could not resist, I switched my plans of arriving Sept 28th to Sept 22nd-30th. Saved around 1,000 bucks so I am doing the happy dance
I called and got everything taken care of with switching dates, airfare and then called for our reservations. Here are ours..

Ohana-8:25
Boma 7:00
50's prime 7:30
Wolf Gang Pucks 6:00
Nine Dragons 6:30
Mama Melrose Fantasmic Package 3:50
Crystal Palace 3:55
Chef Mickeys 6:50

 

[PortieOwner]

I am one of those LeCellier non-fans.

Portie

 

[michelle1]

Last year during free dining we cancelled a ressie for Le Cellier and Mama Melrose from our resort room because our plans changed slightly and we knew we weren't going to make them. Also, we showed up to Sci Fi at the right time (12:00pm) but wrong day (alot of crazy things happened that trip!) and they seated us within 5 minutes in a car right up front. If you don't mind being a little flexible you can call first thing in the morning each day and see if any cancellations have come up....you never know!

 

[mommyof2princesses]

Another Le Celliar non-fan. I thought the steaks were horrible. The poatoes were great and the desser was fantastic, but I will never go there again. Just a waste of time.

We love doing character b-fasts. We get an 8am ressie. We are done before 9 and are already in the park for opening! We do this at CP. We do CM at 7:20, are done by 8:20 and we can get to any park before opening at that time. There is so much food at those buffets, that we usually just do a very light lunch back at the room, take a nap, then go back for a full evening at the parks. We also do early lunches when we don't do breakfast, and early dinners if that is our sit down meal. Most people do later dinners, so by the time they are ready to eat, we are done eating and thepark is emptier!

 

[PortieOwner]

I called this morning and got my ADRs. I got everything, at the times I requested (lots of 8am character breakfasts, etc.) except for Coral Reef. The day I planned to eat there they only had very early (4:45??) and very late (8PM??) seatings. So I choose my backup, Chefs de France. All together I have 9 table service meals reserved. I only have 6 free ones with the plan, so I expect to pay for at least one and maybe two breakfasts out of pocket, and expect to cancel at least one of the other reservations while I am there. Last year I canceled at least two reservations while on the property, and re-booked a couple of others, with no problems.

New places I am trying this time: Boma Breakfast, Kona Cafe, Hollywood and Vine, Chef Mickeys (always make a reservation there but never seem to be able to eat there), Chefs de France. Old places I won't be able to get to: Garden Grill, 1900 Park Faire, Breakfastsaurus. Places still on my to-do list: O'hana, Raglan Rd, Concourse Steak House, Spoodles, Wolfgang Puck Cafe, Marakesh, Narcooses, Coral Reef.

Again, the one time we ate at LeCellier I didn't think it was that great and my wife pretty much hated it. The service was lousy (very slow seating us, slow delivering the food), and I am not a big fan of the Canadian schtick the staff put on. I grew up not far from Canada and to me it's about as exotic (or erotic) as New Jersey. The food was okay--they still had surf and turf then (with the dining plan). Lobster tail was small and over-cooked. Steak was fine but nothing to write home about.

Portie

 

[MPHARJ]

I got everything I wanted in the time frame I wanted, except LeCellier, which we got but at 8:20pm, and 2 tables for my party of 6, but thats fine I loved it last year and wanted the rest of my family to try it this year. I hadn't even though about making ADR's when I called to book our trip until she asked me, so I just started booking those I knew I wanted and called back for he rest. I was so unplanned this year, but mananged to get it done.

 

[Deweysgirl]

Is LeCellier that fantastic?? Please let me know, we chose Coral Reef for our night at Epcot....I am still looking for a spot on Sat night...although we dont have hoppers, it would have to be something at MGm or a resort...any input fellow Disers?? Its Dh, me and Ava Grace, 14 mths old.

Fri 8/31 Coral Reef
Sat 9/1 ?????
Sun 9/2 Ohanas Dinner
Mon 9/3 Bomas Dinner

Thanks

You absolutely will not be disappointed with Coral Reef. Although I love LeCellier, Coral Reef has won us over. Your dd will love looking at the fishies and the divers! The food is fantastic and the ambience can't be beat. We are going to Brown Derby at MGM for the first time. I hope it's worth the 2 TS. But we really love Sci-Fi but we will miss it this time to try Brown Derby.