Now the rooms, car, and airfare are booked - it is only March. What do I do now?
Disney changed the system on me. They aren’t releasing hours or allowing you to make ADR’s until 90 days out! WHAT?! I need to plan. I can’t wait until May to make plans. I need the plans made so I know what I am doing. They didn’t care.
For us 90 days out was May 11th. Hours were to be released May 1st. In the meantime I did what any self respecting planner would do, I went to the Unofficial Guide website and started planning what days I would be at what parks. I followed their best park days the last couple of years and they haven’t let me down.
Based on the crowd levels I created a tentative touring plan, what park we would be at on which day. We don’t really hop. We usually go to one park in the am stay until we don’t feel like it anymore and go back to the room and maybe swim for the evening. We have been enough times that we don’t feel the need to ride everything and if we miss something we will get to it next time.
After I created the tentative park days plan I started thinking about ADR’s and where we would want to go (try). Jimmy had 3 requests…he wants to eat with Chip and Dale (Garden Grill, since there are no more characters at LTT), Mickey and the Gang (Chef Mickey’s), and Lilo and Stitch (‘Ohana). Garden Grill and Chef Mickey’s are first for us.
After those 3 we have 4 TS credits to play with, so where should we go? Since we don’t really park hop we looked at places that were near or in the park we would be in on that day. Jim has been dying to try Boma, and after reading some of the menus and reviews I sort of was too. I have been told that they have traditional kids foods too, so Jimmy should be good here.
We have also wanted to try 50’s Prime Time Café again. We were there once when Jimmy was almost 3, and it was not a magical experience…but not because of the food or the service. We sat next to the most annoying family. The kids were crying and dad was SCREAMING at them to stop crying. You know it is bad (re: loud) when the almost 3 year old looks over at them puts a finger to his lips and says shhhhhhhhhhhh be quiet. Jim and I bust out laughing.
Those 2 choices leave us with 2 more credits. I thought about Capt. Jacks and Crystal Palace. We had never been to Capt. Jacks. Had been to CP loads of times for breakfast but maybe we would try late lunch/early dinner there.
I did some more pondering…then I had an epiphany.
What about Hoop Dee Doo Musical Review? The menu looks decent and the show looks funny enough.
Jimmy’s favorite dinner last year was the Fockerfest dinner. He loved the show in Germany. He giggled so hard I thought he’d fall out of his chair
. HDDR looks right up his alley.
We also wanted to try T-Rex at DTD, which is not on the
DDP. Jimmy loves Dinosaurs, I’m just leary about the noise level. I think if we bring his ear plugs we should be ok.
So at the beginning of April here is what the ADR’s looked like:
T-Rex (OOP);
Boma (1) - D
Garden Grill (1) - D
Chef Mickey’s (1) - D
HDDR (2) - D
‘Ohana (1) – B
50’s Prime Time (1) – D
But, you all knew there was a but coming…as it got later and later into April I started to get nervous because people were posting on the boards that they were having such a hard time getting ADR’s on the days and times they wanted. They were also saying that there were these monster wait times. Uh oh…better have back up plans.
I created alternate plans, had them all in a spreadsheet marked as 1st choice and 2nd choice when May 11th finally arrived. Guess what…I FORGOT! :Faint: If it wasn’t for Dawn (Homeschool_Mama) I would have gone the whole day without making ADR’s.
I went into work that day and it was crazy busy, so I just jumped in and started working barely taking a second to take my jacket off. At about 11:00 am I got 5 minutes so I wanted to check in with my Dis friends. That’s when Dawn asked me if I got all of may ADR’s. OMG! I completely started to panic
Luckily I had a copy of the spreadsheet in my handbag that day. I called Disney Dining and was told my estimated wait time was 20 minutes. I waited about 5. I get a CM I give her my ressie number and our travel dates. I give her my first ADR request 8/10/09. Gardengrill8/10/094:30pm..please. Tappity, tappity, tappity on the keys. Silence. Tappity, tappity, tappity on the keys. Silence.
She says Mrs. Janet because your first ADR is for 8/10/09 your 90th day is tomorrow. Now, I know this is wrong and you know this is wrong, and I explain to Miss Unhelpful that it is 90 days out from the 1st day of stay. She tells me I am wrong. Rather than fight I told her fine, I will call back tomorrow.
I hang up with her and call right back. I got a very helpful CM, whose name I believe was Kim. Although the system was slllllooooooooooowwwwwwwwwwwwww, was able to make all of my ADR’s without any issue. I got all of our first choices and times.
After I hung up with Kim I got the number for TRex (I think from our resident Disney Mom DisneyJo) and called them for a reservation. No problem. For T-Rex you can make a reservation 6 months out, but you have to call them directly..TFI.
So here are our confirmed ADR’s. I won’t be changing them…I think.
T-Rex (OOP);
Boma (1) - D
Garden Grill (1) - D
Chef Mickey’s (1) - D
HDDR (2) - D
‘Ohana (1) – B
50’s Prime Time (1) – D
Since this installment is about meals...and terribly lacking in pictures, here is a picture of me and Jimmy from 2005 at the ESPN Club.
Up Next: What are we celebrating?
].
Can't you come down August 6th/7th and check into Pop on the 8th? My flight doesn't leave until 7pm - just enough time for a pool meet and a cocktail. 
but things are good now. 
I work for a Catholic church, that has a school. I tend to see kids with different needs leave the school, or be asked too. It is like, they want to show how their kids are big academic achievers and they don't want to deal with anything else. Sorry, you had to deal with that. Glad your son did well, this year.
Next time....promise!
I'm SO happy that we finally get to meet in person! 
