How Do You Plan Your ADRs?

[sandgrace]

We'll be going for FD in Sept and we haven't been to WDW in 5 years and didn't do ADRs then at all. I'd like to know how you decide which restaurant to do and which day and time. We're going Sept 5-15, and I'm a little overwhelmed trying to decide where and when to make our ADRs although I do have until June to figure it out. I'm still very confused how to do it. Since we'll have FD I want to take full advantage of it! Any and all input is much appreciated!

 

[wasabi girl]

Hi there! You are going to have a blast! So...here is how I figure my ADRs. First...will you have a car? or rely on Disney transportation? Disney transportation is great but it does make getting to resort restaurants pretty time consuming.
Second: I figure out which park I am going to be in on which day.
Third: Are there any parades or fireworks that I do not want to miss, I schedule meals to give us enough time to actually eat and then see the fireworks...
Then: I list the restaurants that I want to try...list their location (and the number of credits required)...then just match it up with which park I will be in on which day...(if I am going to be in Epcot on say Tuesday...then I will schedule my San Angel Inn dinner for Tuesday making it early enough so that I will have time to eat and then go see Illuminations). Or if I want to go to Whispering Canyon Cafe (in WL) then I can schedule for a day that I am at Magic Kingdom...and just take a boat over for my ADR (I never rent a car while I am at Disney).

After I have made my "wish list" of ADRs then I call Disney Dining and hope that they have openings for me at all of my favorites.

It is really simpler than it sounds and has worked well for me. Hope this helps!

 

[DaveStroem]

We are going for a short trip during FD. We are not park hopping so what I am doing is planning an AK day, an EP day etc. Then when the calendar comes out and I see what the EMH schedule looks like I will arrange the days to fit the schedule.

As to which restaurants, that is more personal. I would suggest looking at the menus and reviews either here in the dining section or at allears.net.

It is also a good idea to have a back up ready so if your 1st choice isn't availble you are ready with your 2nd choice.

 

[sandgrace]

Thanks for your replies they really helped give me some starting points. When will the calendar come out for Sept? Is it on the WDW website?

 

[wdwishes1990]

Also - do you have the park hopper option, that makes a difference too.

 

[DaveStroem]

When will the calendar come out for Sept? Is it on the WDW website?

Good question. Hopefully early June. It could be as early as late May or as late as next year. Disney calendars are very hit or miss. They will often only have a portion up and change it often. I have not seen them remove EMHs once they are posted but they have been none to add them and to drastically change hours.

My advice it check them often even when your on your trip. During our March trip they extended some nights by 1 hour.

 

[srwarden1928]

I decide which park Im going to be in which day using the recommended days from touringplans.com. Then I list the restaurants we want to eat at that trip. I try to match them. So if I have two Epcot days, I choose two (or one) Epcot restaurants. If I have two DHS days, I choose two (or one) DHS restaurants. I try to match the resort restaurants to the nearby parks when possible, but this is less important than the park restaurants.

 

[mmtska]

This was my first year doing this, but I figured what restaurants I was interested in. Since we're on the DDP I sorted through the ones that are on the DP. I looked at menus and chose from there. Some I chose in parks, one was in a resort. I then figured when I'd go to which park and when we wanted to have the ADR. Pretty easy actually. I also made sure I had some backups too!!

 

[RMulieri]

It doesn't effect me all that bad .I always get a Park hopper and generally just pick places that I want to eat and I usually pick the first available dinner slot ,we like to eat early and I hate dealing with the later time slots during free dining since restaurants tend to back up as the evening wears on ( hence I had more waits past my adr time the later my meals were booked for)

 

[Terk-1]

This is how I do it. I always stay on Disney property, so it lets me take advantage of the EMH in the AM & PM. I see which park has the AM EMH, then do either a lunch or dinner ADR (don't want to waste precious park time during an AM EMH eating). If I do a PM EMH, I will book an early AM ADR at a non-AM EMH park. For example, if EPCOT has the PM EMH and no other park has an AM EMH, I will book an early AM ADR at the Crystal Palace in the Magic Kingdom, for example. This way I am entering the park 1 hour prior to others not having ADR's and you get to see Main Street practically empty!! Same with EPCOT!

First, I choose which restaurants I want to dine at and for which meal. Then I figure out which park I will be at that day (I always park hop) and plan my ADR's accordingly. I ALWAYS make ADR's at the table service restaurants I want to dine at, even during slower times of the year. I would rather know that I definitely have an ADR where I want to dine, then taking a chance and being turned away due to it being full.

 

[sandgrace]

Also - do you have the park hopper option, that makes a difference too.

Yes, we do have the park hopper option. We debated whether to spend the extra money on it. Since we are used to going to Disneyland with annual passes and going between the parks with ease we thought that we'd do the park hopper.

 

[Terk-1]

Yes, we do have the park hopper option. We debated whether to spend the extra money on it. Since we are used to going to Disneyland with annual passes and going between the parks with ease we thought that we'd do the park hopper.

I love this option. It gives you the flexibility to go to one park in the morning, take a break in the afternoon, then head for a different park later in the day. I think it helps break up the days, so you don't get tired of just being at one park all day.

 

[sandgrace]

I decide which park Im going to be in which day using the recommended days from touringplans.com. Then I list the restaurants we want to eat at that trip. I try to match them. So if I have two Epcot days, I choose two (or one) Epcot restaurants. If I have two DHS days, I choose two (or one) DHS restaurants. I try to match the resort restaurants to the nearby parks when possible, but this is less important than the park restaurants.

Thanks for letting me know about touringplans.com I haven't heard of it! Do you just use the free sample or did you pay for it. I just briefly looked at the site, and it looks like you have to pay for it.

 

[sandgrace]

I love this option. It gives you the flexibility to go to one park in the morning, take a break in the afternoon, then head for a different park later in the day. I think it helps break up the days, so you don't get tired of just being at one park all day.

I agree, I don't think that it would be as fun for us any other way! Especially, since we really aren't familiar with WDW and have never been there with our DD4 before. When we go to Disneyland we usually always walk back to our hotel for an afternoon nap, and it always makes a big difference for us.

 

[TLinden16]

I'm going to move this over to our restaurant board for you.

 

[sandgrace]

It doesn't effect me all that bad .I always get a Park hopper and generally just pick places that I want to eat and I usually pick the first available dinner slot ,we like to eat early and I hate dealing with the later time slots during free dining since restaurants tend to back up as the evening wears on ( hence I had more waits past my adr time the later my meals were booked for)

Great idea to pick the first dinner slot, I'll try to do that. Do you know what time the first dinner slot is at most places? Since we'll have FD we'll probably also do some breakfast and lunch TS too.

 

[mi*vida*loca]

Most places it's about 5 pm. We did almost all of our meals at the first slot. Avoided melt downs with the kids and we usually were seated ASAP.

 

[sandgrace]

Most places it's about 5 pm. We did almost all of our meals at the first slot. Avoided melt downs with the kids and we usually were seated ASAP.

Thanks for letting me know! I need to always avoid a meltdown with my DD4!

 

[MarkinNM]

I love this option. It gives you the flexibility to go to one park in the morning, take a break in the afternoon, then head for a different park later in the day. I think it helps break up the days, so you don't get tired of just being at one park all day.

I have not decided to PH yet and have not "used" that option as we just get too involved in the park we are at but say I do decide to add PH to our tickets, what is the last possible time we can do this??

 

[Dreamfinder2]

Thanks for letting me know about touringplans.com I haven't heard of it! Do you just use the free sample or did you pay for it. I just briefly looked at the site, and it looks like you have to pay for it.

Go to Amazon or your friendly local bookseller and pick up a copy of "The Unofficial Guide to Walt Disney World." It's a fun, irreverant guide, and we buy a copy every year (along with the Passporter Guide). If you have a copy of the book - and I HIGHLY recommend it, especially for folks trying to see/do as much as they can - then you can get free access to Touringplans.com. Just answer some questions about the book on the website and you're in.