Help with ADRs, please! (long)

[Infamousmare]

So I have our ADRs booked. However, most of the restaurants are places we have never eaten before (with the exception of 1900 PF). We are on the DxDDP and will eat most breakfasts at our villa @ SSR (on the current ADR list, we have 2 credits leftover). First, my questions are listed. After that the ADRs are listed. Thanks for your help!

1. We don't have an ADR to the MK the evening we have tix to MVMCP - is it a pain to try to get from HS (or any other park) to the MK on a party night? Should we try to get a ressie at CR, WL or GF if we can't get one at the MK for dinner before the party (since they're closer to the MK)?

2. Are there any ADRs on here you'd change? I've heard mixed reviews of Chefs de France at dinnertime...I booked the ressie with the intention of trying to see Remy if he's not broken.

3. Is an 8:15am ressie @ H&V going to give us enough time to get in line to sign ds up for Jedi training? Should we book this a bit earlier?

4. We land at 12 noon on the 26th and our first ressie is at 5:55pm. Should we try to squeeze in a late lunch before this? I can't remember how long it takes to get to the resort from the airport via Magical Express...
We fly out at 3:45pm on 12/1...I need to cancel TTS on that day and get an earlier ressie elsewhere. Does it make sense to try to get to one of the parks before we leave, or just bag it and eat at the resort?

11/26
5:55pm 1900 Park Faire

11/27
12:30 La Hacienda de San Angel
6:25 Akershus

11/28
8:15 Hollywood & Vine
12:15 50's Prime Time Cafe
5:50 Artist Point

11/29 --MVMCP tix tonight!
12:10 The Plaza
5:30 The Brown Derby

11/30 --MIL's birthday!
11:30 Liberty Tree
4:40 Les Chefs de France

12/1
11:45am Tony's Town Square (have to cancel this b/c realized it's too late)

 

[Quin]

1. I don't know whether there are any extra travel difficulties on a MVMCP night. But I'm not sure why you have lunch in the MK and then are going all the way to DHS for dinner just to come back to MK for the party. I'd go with an early supper at an MK-area resort (The Wave? Or splurge on another Signature since you have credits to spare? Cali Grill, Citricos, Narcoossees; all are easier access).

2. For MIL's birthday, why not try Flying Fish or Yachtsman? You were going to have dinner at Epcot and these are Epcot-area resorts so the access is about the same. But they are Signatures and I think would provide a better overall birthday experience than hoping for a brief glimpse of a maybe-working Remy.

3. Don't know. But just on general principles I'd try for the 8 am rather than the 8:15.

4. No way on lunch the first day. I'm always afraid to even make dinner ADRs on my arrival day just because it seems too much like tempting fate to give you a weather delay, and a traffic jam, and similar goodies. For your departure day were you planning on going to a park (MK, I'll assume) for anything other than the meal? Why not have a mid-morning breakfast instead? The Wave has both a menu and a non-character buffet. Or go with a pure Disney icon and have the final breakfast at CP. That way you can have some park time before and/or after the meal, and not worry about missing your ME pickup.

 

[Infamousmare]

1. I don't know whether there are any extra travel difficulties on a MVMCP night. But I'm not sure why you have lunch in the MK and then are going all the way to DHS for dinner just to come back to MK for the party. I'd go with an early supper at an MK-area resort (The Wave? Or splurge on another Signature since you have credits to spare? Cali Grill, Citricos, Narcoossees; all are easier access).

I forgot to mention that we spend our mornings in the parks, come back to the resort after lunch to nap the kids/freshen up, then head back out for dinner. Now that you've pointed it out, though, I am re-thinking the Brown Derby for that dinner. There is a ressie available at the Wave that evening that would work better with the schedule. Just changed it.

2. For MIL's birthday, why not try Flying Fish or Yachtsman? You were going to have dinner at Epcot and these are Epcot-area resorts so the access is about the same. But they are Signatures and I think would provide a better overall birthday experience than hoping for a brief glimpse of a maybe-working Remy.

We avoided Flying Fish b/c dd and I both have anaphylactic shellfish allergies. However, Yachtsman might be a fun choice (as well as Citrico's, which was something I thought about, too). I went back & forth on LCdF - MIL likes French food and my kids love Ratatouille.

3. Don't know. But just on general principles I'd try for the 8 am rather than the 8:15.

Gotcha.

4. No way on lunch the first day. I'm always afraid to even make dinner ADRs on my arrival day just because it seems too much like tempting fate to give you a weather delay, and a traffic jam, and similar goodies. For your departure day were you planning on going to a park (MK, I'll assume) for anything other than the meal? Why not have a mid-morning breakfast instead? The Wave has both a menu and a non-character buffet. Or go with a pure Disney icon and have the final breakfast at CP. That way you can have some park time before and/or after the meal, and not worry about missing your ME pickup.

Can't get into CP, but am still trying. Love the Wave for dinner, but didn't realize they do b'fast, as well. Wanted to squeeze in a few last rides before departing (we always have our stuff packed and ready to go the night before) and thought having a meal at the MK would be fun, too.

 

[catne]

Getting to your resort after a noon arrival...Magic Express can take up to 90 min. so by the time you check in and get your "magic cards" at your resort, it could be pushing 2:00 PM. You would probably want at least a snack at that point. Can you all hold out until 6:00 or after for a full meal? Might be better to have a big lunch that day when you get to your resort and try to get a later reservation at Park Fare (like 7:00 or 7:30 PM)

Then, your magic express back to the airport will have you getting on a bus at your resort 3 hours before your plane takes off. I believe they tell you to be at the pick-up place 15 minutes before your appointed time. So a 3:45 flight will have you at the Magic Express bus stop at 12:30. I would just eat counter service lunch at your resort that day. Or sleep in and have a big late breakfast at Turf Club there at your resort.

We have been on Deluxe dining many times and have to say some of your meal times are way too close together, especially on deluxe when you're getting appetizers with lunch and dinner table service meals. We allow a minimum of 5 hours between ADRs...and 6 hours is even better. Just not hungry any sooner when you're getting 3 courses with every meal. By the time you get to the 3rd restaurant on the 28th, you will not be able to even look at food. When you only have 4 hours between breakfast and lunch...I would make lunch closer to 1:00, and dinner at 6:30 or after.

And NO WAY on your Christmas party day to leave Magic Kingdom and then to go all the way over to Hollywood Studios for Brown Derby. And at 5:30? Any signature restaurant is going to take you a minimum of 1.5 hours, usually 2 hours. And then travel time...you'd be lucky to get back to Magic Kingdom by 8:00 or so...you'll actually miss part of the Christmas party to do that one. I would get an earlier lunch (like 11:30) and the get a 5:00 reservation at one of the monorail resort restaurants (The Wave, Kona Cafe, Grand Floridian Cafe.) That way, you'll be done eating by 6 and back on the monorail to Magic Kingdom before the party starts so you're in the park when it begins.

AGree with poster who suggested MIL's birthday at one of the signature restuarants over at Epcot resorts (Boardwalk area) We love Flying Fish...a lot of people like Yachtsman Steakhouse too. It's an easy walk through the International Gateway and not much farther than going to Les Chefs (and way better food than Les Chefs. Remy is cute, but the food is not in any way special there...the menu is French, but the food is French-cafe-style food, not fine French dining. Think the French version of a diner...beef & noodles, mac & cheese, etc. French style.) Make your reservation for no earlier than 5:30 at one of the Epcot resort signature places (to avoid having meals too close together again.) At 5:30, you'll be done and back in the park by 7:30...time enough to enjoy some of World Showcase and then watch Illuminations.

 

[Hopefully]

Did you say you have these ADR's already? I am confused about 11/27. I don't think that La Hacienda begins serving until after 4 PM. How could you have a lunch reservation there?
I would not to the HBD on party night either. I would try for the Kona Cafe at the Poly or the Grand Floridian Cafe. The Wave doesn't really appeal to us.
Does just the smell of fish cause a reaction? There certainly are non fish items at the FF. We are not huge fans of Yachhtsman. I would try Narcoossee's at the GF. If you time it right you can watch Wishes from the dock.
Have fun

 

[Infamousmare]

Yep. I have these ADRs already. Sorry - I got that wrong. We have lunch ressies at the San Angel Inn, not La Hacienda.

As for the Wave, that's one place we've eaten before and really liked it - DH and I were excited to go back! Why would you not do the HBD? Is the food not worth the signature rating?

We are traveling with 3 small kiddos and my MIL so aside from MVMCP, most of our ADRs are going to be on the early side. Not sure we'd want to try to do dinner to see Wishes...but that is something to think about as they get a little older.

I did change HBD to 11/28 @ 6pm and The Wave to 11/29 @ 5pm - also changed MIL's b'day ressie to Citrico's...and am toying with canceling most of the lunch ressies so that we can have the option of just grabbing something to go. Last time we were @ WDW we varied ressies - some days were b'fast and dinner TS, some days were lunch/dinner TS, some days were all three. Of course, we also stayed at WL and were very close to the MK, GF and CF, as well as Artist Point and Whispering Canyon. I'm kind of lost staying at the SSR this time...

We were thinking it would be nice to be able to stop and sit down with the kids (and for me to nurse the baby) for lunch; however, it does take time to sit and eat. Decisions, decisions!

 

[B-Ride]

I would recommend a dinner at Kona Cafe on your MK party night. My only other two cents worth would be to keep Chefs, we really love it.

 

[Quin]

I did change HBD to 11/28 @ 6pm and The Wave to 11/29 @ 5pm - also changed MIL's b'day ressie to Citrico's...and am toying with canceling most of the lunch ressies so that we can have the option of just grabbing something to go.

I'm kind of lost staying at the SSR this time...

On 11/28 you have a breakfast ADR at H&V and now a dinner ADR at HBD. Why not drop the 50sPT lunch? If you decide to stay all day at HS, you can always eat CS lunch (Starring Rolls?) or take the boat to the Epcot-area resorts (Captains Grill generally takes walk-ups and has a nice lunch menu). Or if you decide to go back to SSR, have lunch right there at the Turf Club.

I'd keep the lunches at The Plaza and LTT. Not so sure about San Angel, just because WS has such great CS choices.

And for your departure morning, I still like the idea of an MK-area breakfast. If you can't get in to CP, there's always Chef Mickeys or 1900PF. I know you're doing 1900PF for dinner the first night, but the breakfast characters are completely different.