How do you decide what meal on what night?

[Jax1023]

Let me say this first- we are not plan ahead kind of people. We will not go on vacation with an itinerary that says on Monday, we go to Epcot. tuesday, MK, etc. We are more, well lets see where we feel like going when we wake up type of people.

This is making it very hard to plan meals. I think we need to get park hoppers because there are more places I want to eat in Epcot than days I want to spend at Epcot.

Is it hard to do dining if your more a go with the flow type person than a planner? I'm just have a hard time deciding on where I want to eat on Januray 29th.

Also, suggest a few more TS places.

So far we have ADRs at Chef Mickeys, Ohana, and Boma.

 

[WhateverLolaWants]

We rarely do TS for this exact reason. There's no way for us to be able to know where we are going to be on which day. We wait until we get down there to decide which days we want to go to the parks and which parks we want to go to on those days all due to the weather forecast.

As for TS suggestions, my favorite restaurant is 50s Prime Time. Also ate at Le Cellier for the first time recently, and that was yum as well. I have never eaten at Tutto Italia, but the food looks so good in dining reviews.

 

[DonaldTDuck]

Let me say this first- we are not plan ahead kind of people. We will not go on vacation with an itinerary that says on Monday, we go to Epcot. tuesday, MK, etc. We are more, well lets see where we feel like going when we wake up type of people.

This is making it very hard to plan meals. I think we need to get park hoppers because there are more places I want to eat in Epcot than days I want to spend at Epcot.

Is it hard to do dining if your more a go with the flow type person than a planner? I'm just have a hard time deciding on where I want to eat on Januray 29th.

Also, suggest a few more TS places.

So far we have ADRs at Chef Mickeys, Ohana, and Boma.

You may have great luck walking up, but more likely you will find it difficult to impossible to find a table service restaurant. And you will likely burn lots of time looking for one. All 3 of your ADRs are at resorts, so no problem there. Park hoppers are 50 bucks extra and unless you want to split days up, doing it for dining seems a waste.
Since your choices show you don't mind buffets, I will recommend Biergarten. It is wonderful with many choices and better than decent German food. Seating is at tables of 8 often with more than one group at a table. We are eating there in 3 weks along with Rose & Crown for lunch that day and Le Cellier another day. My must eat at place is Prime Time Cafe at DHS. Great comfort food and lots of fun dished out by 'Cousin' server. Last year one of my buddies was caught with elbows on the table and had to sing I'm a Little Teapot for the whole dining room.
If you have trouble finding a place at the last minute, resort restaurants and DTD are the most likely spots to find something. Also, program 407-WDW-dine into your cell and call that morning. Goog luck and have fun.

 

[ChelleinNC]

Let me say this first- we are not plan ahead kind of people. We will not go on vacation with an itinerary that says on Monday, we go to Epcot. tuesday, MK, etc. We are more, well lets see where we feel like going when we wake up type of people.

This is making it very hard to plan meals. I think we need to get park hoppers because there are more places I want to eat in Epcot than days I want to spend at Epcot.

Is it hard to do dining if your more a go with the flow type person than a planner? I'm just have a hard time deciding on where I want to eat on Januray 29th.

Also, suggest a few more TS places.

So far we have ADRs at Chef Mickeys, Ohana, and Boma.

I understand what you're saying, but here's my take on it: My family doesn't know what they want for dinner tonight, so I might as well plan ahead. I find that it actually makes it easier because we don't do the "what do you want tonight?" "I don't know what I'm in the mood for, what do you want?" which is what I hear pretty much every other night of the year

I look at all the menus & know the foods we like and what we want to try. I make my ADR's based on that. We haven't had a trip yet where we didn't change something once we got there; didn't feel well or too tired to go somewhere. That's the great thing about making the ADR's, you have a safety net (you can sit down to eat) and you can always change it/cancel it even last minute (with a few exceptions)

As for suggestions, it depends on your group, likes & dislikes, when you're going..... We are a family of 4 (DH, me, DD15 & DS11), we go once or twice a year and have been to most of the restaurants on property. We really like LeCellier & Chefs de France at Epcot; Hollywood Brown Derby is our favorite restaurant on property, Jiko is now a close 2nd followed by Boma (dinner & breakfast). At AK we like Yak & Yeti and Flame Tree BBQ even though it's CS For more casual relaxed meals we've had great fun meals at Planet Hollywood, Sci-Fi, WCC, Olivias at OKW & Turf Club at SSR.

Park Hoppers are great, sometimes. If you're going in June or July when the parks are open till midnight or 1am, it's great to be able to park hop & you have time to hop & eat. If you're going during slow season when the parks close at 7 or 8pm, you'll quickly run out of time to do anything if you're hopping to eat.

 

[goofygal531]

Let me say this first- we are not plan ahead kind of people. We will not go on vacation with an itinerary that says on Monday, we go to Epcot. tuesday, MK, etc. We are more, well lets see where we feel like going when we wake up type of people.

This is making it very hard to plan meals. I think we need to get park hoppers because there are more places I want to eat in Epcot than days I want to spend at Epcot.

Is it hard to do dining if your more a go with the flow type person than a planner? I'm just have a hard time deciding on where I want to eat on Januray 29th.

Also, suggest a few more TS places.

So far we have ADRs at Chef Mickeys, Ohana, and Boma.

Years ago (before the dining plans) you could easily walk up to TS restaurants in January. Not anymore.

Unfortunately, if you have your heart set on certain restaurants, you're going to have to make an ADR for it.

WDW has wonderful restaurants, and that's one of the reasons we keep returning, to try different ones each trip.

My boys could dine at Chef Mickeys or the Garden Grill every night, they loved the character interaction. This June we're going to try Biergarten and Tutto Italia in Epcot. Mama Melrose in DHS, Ohanas, and 1900 Park Fare. And we'll be returning to Tusker House in AK for Breakfast with Donald, the boys LOVED it. DH loved the buffet!

 

[colinsdad]

Let me say this first- we are not plan ahead kind of people. We will not go on vacation with an itinerary that says on Monday, we go to Epcot. tuesday, MK, etc. We are more, well lets see where we feel like going when we wake up type of people.

This is making it very hard to plan meals. I think we need to get park hoppers because there are more places I want to eat in Epcot than days I want to spend at Epcot.

Is it hard to do dining if your more a go with the flow type person than a planner? I'm just have a hard time deciding on where I want to eat on Januray 29th.

Also, suggest a few more TS places.

So far we have ADRs at Chef Mickeys, Ohana, and Boma.

Since they open reservations at 180 days out, dining at Disney really is all about "planning". If you're unprepared, and do not have ADR's for the places you really want to eat at, you may have to wait, eat at times that are not agreeable with your plans, or you may be eating a lot of burgers at counter service restaurants after you don't get in. That said, if you're going in January you might not have such a hard time to get ADR's.

I'm not sure which resort you're staying at, but since I have young ones, I try to take a break during the day, then make dinner plans near or at our resort if that's an option, or at the park with EMH evening hours.

I recommend, Le Celier, Tutto Italia, Kona Cafe, California Grill, and Spoodles (if you're on or at the Boardwalk area). BTW, if eating at Spoodles or any BW restaurant, skip dessert and head over to Beaches and Cream for the No Way Jose or Kitchen Sink if you're up to it.

 

[Kanga1]

For me, making the ADR's so far in advance takes the pressure off when the day comes to eat. No "deciding" where we want to go or what we want to eat. Everything is already in place and we don't have to "think" about it. Nor, do we have to worry that there will be a place for us at the restaurant. Here's what I do...

-I make a list of all the ADR's I'm considering.
-I plan out what park I'm going to be in for each day of the trip.
-Then I just plug in the restaurant to match the park I'm in that day. Or if it is at a resort, I choose the day I'm in the closest park. It's easy! Have fun with it!

 

[choirfarm]

If you have an absolute must eat at place, then make reservations. But if you do not care, this is what I would do. When you wake up and you have decided where you are going, get on the phone to Disney dining and say, "What do you have available at Epcot around 6? " The more flexible you are with time, the better you will do. I've read about people doing things this way and having a great time.

Christine

 

[Shmily1]

I'm also not the plan to the last minute type of person, and I refuse to look at a touring plan for a place I've been over 100 times. Most of the time, we plan what park we are going to by the hours the park is open that day. I'm one of the ones that love the EMH and want to maximize my time in WDW!! I can sleep when I get home!!!

For these reasons, that is how I plan our TS meals. If I can spend the most time in MK, then that's where I will be and I will eat in MK or somewhere close by. If it's EPCOT, that's where I will plan my meals around. Also, with the proximity of DHS to EPCOT, the lack of excellet TS restaurants at DHS, and the boat that goes between them, your DHS day would be another good day to hit a restaurant at EPCOT.

Restaurants that are really good--- Cape May Cafe for breakfast, Coral Reef, Tutto Italia, Tony's, and Crystal Palace. I've heard lots of good stuff about Garden Grill, but can't figure out how to get up there without taking the elevator.... I just hate those things!!!!

 

[Tricia1972]

Let me say this first- we are not plan ahead kind of people. We will not go on vacation with an itinerary that says on Monday, we go to Epcot. tuesday, MK, etc. We are more, well lets see where we feel like going when we wake up type of people.

This is making it very hard to plan meals. I think we need to get park hoppers because there are more places I want to eat in Epcot than days I want to spend at Epcot.

Is it hard to do dining if your more a go with the flow type person than a planner? I'm just have a hard time deciding on where I want to eat on Januray 29th.

Also, suggest a few more TS places.

So far we have ADRs at Chef Mickeys, Ohana, and Boma.

If you're flexible with where you're eating (other than where you have reserved already) I wouldn't sweat ADR's.

You don't need to waste any energy walking from restaurant to restaurant either. Simply call Disney Dining in the morning (or afternoon) when you know where you are. You can ask "Do you have any openings for a party of ____ in Epcot tonight?" If they don't then you can ask about Epcot resorts. If nothing there, then try Beaches and Cream (TS that doesn't take ADR's) or even one of the WS restaurants.

You can do the same for wherever you are and whatever day you're there. So long as you're flexible with times and where you're going - ALL of Disney won't be sold out for the whole time you're there. Undoubtedly LeCellier and CRT will be almost impossible to get into, but I think that you'll be fine without a lot of ADR's.


(Another option is make ADR's and then if you're not in the mood/area you can call to cancel them the day of the reservation - very few require credit card holds where you'll be charged a cancellation fee if you don't call to cancel 24 to 48 hours in advance.)

 

[tavettava]

We are not planning people either. I pick where i want to eat, then when I call I see what days I get what. When we get to Disney we just go with the flow and head to wherever our meal is. Sometimes we leave a park to eat and then head back to the same park or go somewhere else. You may plan your meals but just go where you want before and after your meals that's what we do. It helps my dd who is autistic know where we are eating.

 

[Hopefully]

I probably can not help you as I am a planner. Planning is part of the fun and it extends the trip excitement for me. That said, I also have learned to be flexible in those plans and if we want to do something else the plan goes out the window.
I read all of the menus and decide what appeals to us. Then, based on crowd predictions, we plan which park on whick day. Once that is done we match restaurants geographically to the park we will be in that day.
My best advice for you and your style of vacationing is - if there is a restaurant that you really want to eat at, make an ADR for it.
On the rest of the days use the advice of PPs and call Disney Dining in the morning once you know your plans. Be flexible and see what is available
Have a Great Trip

 

[centurythree]

My family has been very spontaneous over the years when it comes to Disney trips. We generally wake up in the morning and decide what park we're going to be in that day over breakfast.

For my first trip without my family, I've tried to mirror that as much as possible while still utilizing the DDXP. So, I adopted this strategy:

1) I pinned down the days we would be going to Fantasmic, Illuminations, and Spectromagic. I booked the Fantasmic Dinner Package (at the Brown Derby) to ensure seating for Fantasmic. I booked an 8 pm reservation for the Rose and Crown for the guaranteed access to their viewing area. Finally, I booked CRT for the late afternoon of Spectromagic to ensure we would be in the park that day.

2) I picked breakfast places that allowed us to get to our likely parks quickly. Where I was completely unsure where we'd be in the morning, I booked for our hotel restaurant (Boma).

3) I tried to stay away from booking TS lunches.

4) I booked either late dinners at the hotels or at Epcot. At the time of year we're going, Epcot is the last to close anyway.

By doing this, I've set up a very flexible "plan." There are only two days of our ten day trip where we really need to spend the day in a certain park to make it work.

 

[disneypolybride2008]

on our first trip we didnt get ADR's and had long waits as walk ups or didnt get in and then had to go to the ADR booth only to get a really late one.

At first i was thinking how in the world do i know where i want to eat months from now? but the adr systems forced me to plan and now i really enjoy the planning part. it also for me helps to make the vacation more enjoyable since it's taken care of.

so from then on, we check the park hours and the ones w/ the extra night hours is what helps us pick where we'll be. Then i decide what place we want to eat at and hope we get the adr for it.

You can always just stick with CS places if they dont accept walk ups. Some CS places are really good, like Flame Tree and Cosmic Rays.

Good Luck!

 

[julierocks]

We get the basic dining plan, so we use our TS's only at night. We are staying at Fort Wilderness, so we just chose TS places at the resorts close to us (in GF, Contemporary, and Poly). DH does not like to plan at all, and likes to keep it spontaneous. So we can go to whatever park we want to during the day, and just keep our TS reservations for dinners at times that we usually eat dinners - about 8:00 for us. We then just keep the CS for they day time lunches.

 

[SoonipiLady]

or were until DS cam along! It's pretty funny, but just about the time he arrived and was old enough to enjoy WDW, was the time that it became difficult to walk up to restaurants with out ressies and get in. (He'd almost 8 and our last few trips, we've made ADR's because he absolutely HAS TO KNOW where and when we will be eating....and no, don't even think of trying to change the plans!) I always joke with DH and DD that there was some reason that God sent us a child that is so completely rigid, when the rest of us are, well I guess the best way to describe us is that we're so completely "fly by the seat of the pants". I'm sure that His reasoning goes much deeper than forcing me to plan our dinners while on vacation, but it certainly has been one of thes perk of having the little guy!

At first it was a real pain to make so many plans when you're somewhere for 8-10 days. Now it's actually kind of relaxing, knowing that we can always have a sit down meal every night. There have been times when I actually have two reservations and we decide that morning which park to go to and cancel our un-needed one. (yes we always cancel them in plenty of time for someone else to use the table.)

That way if we all feel that we want to go somewhere else than we "planned" for that day, we can. Which helps placate DD and especailly DH (I can offer him the "choice" in the morning and he can decide)!

Karen

 

[Kmango]

I've heard lots of good stuff about Garden Grill, but can't figure out how to get up there without taking the elevator.... I just hate those things!!!!

The Garden Grill is on the same level as the entrance to the Land pavilion. No stairs, escalators, or elevators necessary.