Help!

[Forensicmom]

We just booked our first trip for this November. Now we have to pick restaurants so we can make reservations. All we know is what we read on here and in the books. How do you choose a restaurant and I guess that means you have to plan every single day out, right?

 

[shenaniganzz]

We just booked out first trip too! We figured that in order to eat at the places we really wanted to try, we'd have to plan our days out. We're going during free dining and it's even more important to have ADRs!

All I did was plan an itinerary of which parks I want to be in each day (we have park hopper) and then booked/planned accordingly.

We are doing a TS breakfast, a CS/QS lunch and a TS dinner. Again, that is based on our eating habits and not wanting to waste time sitting down for a TS in the middle of the day. With a young toddler, I also wanted to make sure we can go back for a break/nap/swim if she needs down time during the day.. so no ressies were a good option for us.

As for choosing, I'd go to one of sites that has menus (Allears, WDWinfo or the Disney site itself) and see what appeals to you. Then either call or use the web site to book them. The sooner the better as the more popular restaurants full up FAST!

GL and have fun planning!!!

 

[Nadjalu]

OP, yes it does mean you have to plan each "adr" meal out.
If you have park hoppers, it isn't such a big deal. But if you don't, then you will need to know what park/area you will be at on any given day.

What I do is this: I try and plan our dinners as close to where we will be as I can guess. So if we are going to be in MK day2, I pick a good restaurant (based on the menus and what we like) either in the park or at one of the monorail resorts.
Even though we always get hoppers, I like to keep dinner close to where we will be. Less travel time that way.
But it doesn't always work, as we pick our restaurants by what we like. So check the menus. (allears.net is the most current I believe).

If you know WDW property well you can maximize your travel. By using the Monorail you could be in MK and go to Epcot for dinner. Many people do this as Epcot has so many good restaurants. So hoppers are a must for people who do this.

It really isn't that bad to plan ahead a little bit. Once you get involved in doing so you will see.

Good luck picking your restaurants and have a good trip!!

 

[MedicGoofy]

OP, do you have park hoppers??

If you do....I dont feel you have to 'plan' each day out. I guess I'm a lot different than most people on here. I don't plan each day down to the last minute, and if I have to run a bit more, then we do. That's why we have park hoppers.

Go online and start searching out what is available. See what restaurants appeal to you and what times work. Make your reservations. Then, look at where your reservations are for.....ie, O'Hana....why not go to MK for part of the day until dinner OR go somewhere else for the day, then go to dinner and end off with MK.

If you don't have park hoppers, I would still figure out what is available each day...see what you like and what you dont. Then see what park have extra magic hours....see if any restaurants line up with the parks and go from there....and if not incorrect....you can leave a park, have dinner in a resort and go back to the park you left for the evening.

To me, it isn't about picking your park, then matching your adr's to it. Pick where you might like to eat. Figure that out. Because the adr's go so quickly and some are so difficult to get, why limit yourself because 'your not in that park on the right day'. and then change your whole schedule. pick your adr's.....pick your parks....move a bit if you have to if you don't have hoppers (which i do suggest having)....and go have a FANTASTIC trip!!!

 

[Forensicmom]

Thanks a bunch. Yes, we have park hoppers. This is really fun but can be overwhelming too. I am trying to get an idea of where we plan to be each day and pick a restaurant somewhat close-by.

We are arriving on a Wed and plan to eat the at hotel (Wilderness Lodge) that night. The next day we plan to be in MK but are going to make reservations for 'Ohana' at the Polynesian b/c it's on the monorail. The rest is not planned yet. I'm only picking that restaurant b/c good friends recommended it and I liked the menu.

 

[mss]

We are arriving on a Wed and plan to eat the at hotel (Wilderness Lodge) that night. The next day we plan to be in MK but are going to make reservations for 'Ohana' at the Polynesian b/c it's on the monorail. The rest is not planned yet. I'm only picking that restaurant b/c good friends recommended it and I liked the menu.

Did you already get that ADR for O'hana? If not, I would try to book it straight away. It's one of the most difficult ones to get, and since you're less than 180 days out, it might be difficult to secure it. Good luck!

 

[shenaniganzz]

O'hana is very popular. I had to stalk this board for weeks before I was able to find an ADR for a decent time.

Some of the other spots I had / am having trouble getting are Whispering Canyon Cafe, Coral Reef and Le Cellier. I think Garden Grill can be tough to get into too, but we had no interest in that one.

 

[richkorn]

I look at the calendar of park hours (http://disneyworld.disney.go.com/calendars/) and schedule my days based on Extra Magic Hours and how I can logically fit all the parks into our vacation window. I do this before the 180 ADR date. I then piece in my ADRs based on where I am and where I'd like to go and how to get there. It works for me!

 

[doberlady]

we plan our days around where we can get ADR's for dinner LOL

 

[Forensicmom]

Thanks a bunch. I tried for a dinner reservation at Ohana and they were completely booked for the entire week but I was able to get a breakfast reservation for one day. It will be OOP, but at least we'll be able to see the restuarant and experience the atmosphere. It's our ONLY breakfast we're booking so I figured it was worth it.

Please tell me if any of these restuarants are not worth going to...

Dinners:
The Wave @ The Contemporary
Whispering Canyon @ Wilderness Lodge
Crystal Palace @ Magic Kingdom
Cape May Cafe @ Yacht Club
Mama Melrose's @ Hollywood Studios
Coral Reef @ Epcot

LUNCH:
Rainforest Cafe (OOP)

BREAKFAST:
Oahana (OOP)

 

[4butlers]

We booked our November trip this April and I had no idea what I was doing and no idea about ADR's or anything. It was a little overwhelming at first, but once I started, it was a lot of fun!
First, I started planning where we would be on what days based on EMH and parade/show times. Then, I planned meals/ADR's around those.
I found the most helpful tools to be the calendars found here at
wdwinfo.com and at wdwparkhours.com
Then I looked at menus and reviews of the restaurants we were interested in.
We have park hoppers and a rental car, so traveling won't be such a big deal.

 

[Haileys Nana]

We will be at Disney the end of Nov. and beginning of Dec. Already several of the ADRs we wanted are not available. I've always heard book early but gee whiz! I'll keep checking every day hoping some open up.

 

[mwmom]

I can tell you that I second guessed myself to death last year on our ressies and they all turned out great. I just read the reviews on here and finally settled on some and ran with it. Then I changed. And changed. Honestly, this year I came up with a plan and I'm sticking with it. There are some that get good reviews from most and then you will read some negatives. I just tried to stick with the ones that had mostly positives. I used tripadvisor.com, too, for reviews.

Here are the ones we liked last year. Keep in mind I have a DD5 so we had to do princess meals.

CRT and Akershus- loved both of these princess meals for food and character interaction (I got fish at both places and really liked it.)
Ohana breakfast...a favorite for food and characters (one of our longer meals as it took a while for characters to come around)
Crystal Palace late afternoon lunch (2:30)...good food and character interaction and great location!
Liberty Tree Tavern dinner- night before Thanksgiving so we wanted a traditional meal...good food served family style, okay atmosphere
50's diner in HS...really good home cooking (meatloaf and such) and fun atmosphere

Last trip we ate at Hollywood Diner and didn't care for the food.That trip we enjoyed Rose and Crown in Epcot before the fireworks.

This trip we are eating at Boma based on all the great reviews, Whispering Canyon since we are staying at WL, Chef Mickey's (finally got a ressie here), and Garden Grill (hear character interaction is great).
FYI....I've read lots of negative reviews about Coral Reef @ Epcot. Some people love the atmosphere, but lots have been disappointed with the seating and food. We have a Rainforest Cafe here in Dallas, so I don't go there at Disney, but it has good food and a great atmosphere.

Note where I said "good food" that I mean it is good and would return there, but not anything outstanding that you are going to remember for years to come.