How many adrs do you make?

[TheChapman6]

We are goi g for 3 nights/4days I don't want to be super tied down, but want to try new places. I only made 2 one brunch (Minnie's at 1030) and big thunder ranch for dinner. I'm thinking I should do one more??? Do you make one a day? None? Just a few each trip?

I've already done blue bayou, goofys, cafe Orleans, but was thinking my kids might really like rainforest cafe or I've wanted to try carnation cafe too?

 

[figment_jii]

I usually do at least one sit down meal per day to give my feet a chance to rest and to have a relaxing meal.

In terms of making ADRs, it really depends on when you're going and how much you want to eat at a specific place and/or time.

If you know you want to eat at RFC, I would look into joining the Landry's Club (http://www.landrysselect.com/), which has a $25 fee to join, but you get a $25 reward added to your card immediately. The Club benefits include priority seating at RFC (and other Landry restaurants), which means you don't have to have an ADR. Otherwise, RFC can have fairly long waits, even during slower times of the year (especially on weekends).

For Carnations Cafe, I would make an ADR. It's not a very big restaurant and it can be quite popular.

 

[Aladora]

We usually make two per trip, usually one character breakfast and one nice dinner. This trip we are not doing a character meal but instead we are doing the BB F! dinner. Our nice dinner this trip is going to be the chef's counter at Napa Rose!

We liked the M&F breakfast the best out of all the character meals but we were not all that impressed with the Big Thunder BBQ. I would go to Carthay Circle for dinner any time instead of the BBQ.

 

[Kristina4109]

For us, it depends on our budget. We mostly book one sit down meal a day. However, if we're already splurging on something (last trip we did the Fantasmic! Dessert Package) we'll stick to quick service all day.

 

[starjazz]

We have a big group, so we do table service dinners each night. Mainly because we've experienced wandering around looking for enough space for all of us when we're starving, cold, tired, etc. That's the pits. So, now we make sure we can sit at dinner time. Lunches usually aren't the same problem, so we just find a place and eat our carry-in lunch.

 

[GatorChris]

At WDW, I made an ADR daily. But that's because of the Dining Plan and because of all the great places they have there.

For DL, I only made 3 ADRs for my last trip of 5 full days and two half days. First, there really isn't a great selection in my opinion. Second, DL has a lot of good counter service areas that are cheaper, faster, and you can show up when you want. I have a 3 day trip coming next month and I'm only getting one ADR - and that will be on morning after the 3 days in the parks. I might make another one at our favorite place, but I'd rather keep it loose this trip.

 

[Meriweather]

1 a day. I like to sit down and enjoy a meal. We usually go for 5 days

 

[princessmocha]

We just made 1 for our 3 day trip last week. It was at Blue Bayou. We were there at a very busy time and it was the one place we really really wanted to eat. We did have some pixie dust and were able to walk up at Goofy's Kitchen and get in. The very sweet check-in lady first told me they weren't taking any walk-ups and I must of looked crestfallen or something (even though I knew it was a long shot, a really long shot . . . ) she then immediately said, let me check something. When she came back she said we can take you and we immediately had our picture taken with Goofy and we were seated. I chalk that one up to some major pixie dust.

I think at DL you have a really good chance of getting a walk-up seating if you don't want to completely schedule everything. You may have a wait, but they at least seem to take walk-ups with a higher frequency than WDW. However, if there is someplace that you really want to experience, then I would make the ADR.

 

[gottalovepluto]

We budget for one table service a day because it gives us some much needed (yet still "productive") time off our feet. The kids will LOVE the atmosphere at Rainforest Cafe, the food I find to be mediocre at best. You'll enjoy Carnation Cafe, there isn't much "theming" but there is a lot of Disneyland of the past historical feel about the place & I love the food, though I've seen others on the DIS find it quite average. Don't be worried about too many ADRs yet, at one a day you're fine, they're nice breaks!

 

[DahliaRW]

We averaged one a day (we did both the WOC and the F! dining packages and counted those as our table service for the day).

For Carnation, our favorite meal is breakfast. And you do want a reservation. We always book the latest breakfast time and count it as breakfast/brunch combo. A light snack in the morning gets us through until 10:50 or so when the reservation is. Then we're so full we don't need "dinner" until 6 or 7.

 

[elaine amj]

So different for my WDW-mindset!! I am trying to gather together shortlist of must-dos. I often find table service can be just marginally more expensive than quick service (especially splitting meals or ordering apps as meals) and can often be worth it.

So far on my to-do list for my 6 day trip:
- Blue Bayou (maybe for Fantasmic simply because the menu sounds really good)
- Steakhouse 55 for breakfast
- Tortilla Joe's (will get a $30 birthday coupon)
- Naples (also a birthday coupon)
- Big Thunder Ranch BBQ, just because it sounds good.
- Carnation Cafe
- Plaza Inn (fried chicken!)

Hmm- looks like I have 7 on my list without even trying very hard. Early days yet since this will be a birthday trip in July! Hoping we can make it out without spending a fortune on food.

 

[cruise cruise cruise]

So different for my WDW-mindset!! I am trying to gather together shortlist of must-dos. I often find table service can be just marginally more expensive than quick service (especially splitting meals or ordering apps as meals) and can often be worth it.

So far on my to-do list for my 6 day trip:
- Blue Bayou (maybe for Fantasmic simply because the menu sounds really good)
- Steakhouse 55 for breakfast
- Tortilla Joe's (will get a $30 birthday coupon)
- Naples (also a birthday coupon)
- Big Thunder Ranch BBQ, just because it sounds good.
- Carnation Cafe
- Plaza Inn (fried chicken!)

Hmm- looks like I have 7 on my list without even trying very hard. Early days yet since this will be a birthday trip in July! Hoping we can make it out without spending a fortune on food.

How are you getting birthday coupons?

 

[ClaraOswald]

We don't usually make any. We just eat at counter service places. However, this upcoming trip we did make a lunch reservation at Big Thunder BBQ.

 

[DizMe]

How are you getting birthday coupons?

If you sign up for the patina group email club, you get a $30 coupon for one of their restaurants. There are 3 or 4 in DTD.

http://www.patinagroup.com/joinus.php

 

[elaine amj]

If you sign up for the patina group email club, you get a $30 coupon for one of their restaurants. There are 3 or 4 in DTD.

http://www.patinagroup.com/joinus.php

That's my plan. My DH, myself, and my DD all have July birthdays. Mine is actually on a day we will be in the parks My understanding is their birthday coupons is good for the whole month of your birthday.

 

[Meriweather]

I signed up a couple of years ago and never did get any coupons.
Maybe I need to do it again for DH since we will be there during his birthday month.

 

[DizMe]

I signed up a couple of years ago and never did get any coupons.
Maybe I need to do it again for DH since we will be there during his birthday month.

I got an email confirmation. I just printed that, if I remember correctly, and mentioned it when I made my reservation. My sister and I both had one, and they let us use them at the same time although I do think they did it up in 2 separate checks. There were 4 of us so it covered a very good portion of our meal at Naples! Besides Naples, it also works at Catal, Tortilla Jo's and Uva (I think) in DTD. It only works if you're going sometime around your birthday.

 

[momsmail]

None! I don't like being tied down, we just wing it!

 

[cmpeter]

Usually 1 a day. Last trip we had two one day and it was way too much food. I like to alternate lunch one day and dinner the next.

 

[lovebug33]

Only one. Big Thunder Ranch bbq.