How to start?

[irene_dsc]

Help! I'm currently planning my family's first trip to WDW, which apparently I should have started doing months ago. I'm starting to read up on everything (including lurking here a little!) and attempting to make an itinerary, including ADR's. (We will be doing the basic 2008 DDP, mainly to keep simplify our lives, I hope. We'll be staying at CBR from Jan 2-Jan 8, no rental car, but with Park Hopper. I have a 3.5 y/o dd and 6 y/o ds. Dd is somewhat into princesses (mainly Cinderella and Ariel), and also likes Pooh. Ds likes Pooh a little, but is more into Pokemon and such. Dh and I are a bit more adventurous than the kids as far as food (esp. ethnic) is concerned - but I'm guessing most kid menus would have at least a couple options they'll eat.

Some of my initial thoughts:
one character meal
one nice sit-down dinner (table service)
at least one buffet (to give the kids choices)
one night get pizza delivered to the room
breakfast quick in our room most if not all days

So, a couple questions. First, I'm looking for ideas on where to make ADR's. Secondly, how do you go about trying to make multiple ADR's? Lots of questions in a long phone call, multiple tries, etc??? Also, what information do I need to give them? (Our travel agent made the reservation this morning.)

If there are other threads on this, feel free to provide links!

TIA!

 

[tiggernpooh]

I would start at www.allearsnet.com and look at all the menus under the DINING section to see what looks good to you and your family. Then you need to have an idea what you will be doing or which park you will be at each day so you can decide which day you will want to eat at each restaurant. Then call Disney and just let them know what you want at what times. You will probably not be able to get everything -either place or time - you want, so you will want to be flexible or have some backup ideas.

Some of my suggestions would be:
Crystal Palace character meal (it's a buffet, too) w/ Pooh, Tigger, Etc. at MK.
Chef Mickey's at the Contemporary to dine w/ Mickey. Minnie, Goofy, etc.
Sci-Fi Dine in theater at MGM (kids love eating in the cars and watching the old movie clips).
LeCellier in Epcot's Canada is a wonderful sit-down dinner, but very difficult to get an ADR.
I also love Coaral Reef at Epcot's Living Seas, and I have found all the sit down restaurants at the resorts are excellent.

Good Luck!

 

[Taja]

Okay. If my brain is capable of calculating, you will be on the DDP for 6 nights. So you will have 6 TS and 6 CS per person.

I don't know if pizza delivered to your room is covered by DDP--it's one of those things that never would occur to me!

You'll find menus for the various TS and CS establishments in the Dlining link at the top of this page. That's a good place to start. Also check the DDP to determine which TS locations are 1 TS credit--a few are 2 TS credits.

Since you're well within the 180 day window for booking ADRs, you'll need to be flexible with your restaurant choices and times. Most people tend to book at the 180-day mark.

Which characters do your children like most? Probability is good you won't be able to book a princess meal at CRT or Akershus this late, but 1900 Park Fare at the Grand Floridian is a good alternative--particularly for dinner. It's a buffet--one of our favourites.

Many people recommend Chef Mickey's--particularly for breakfast. Haven't tried it yet, so can't comment. We also liked dinner at Crystal Palace at MK (Pooh & friends) and Liberty Tree Tavern--also at MK (Goofy, Minnie & Chip 'n' Dale, if I remember correctly).

Try to coordinate your TS ADRs with your park schedule. If you're going to be at MK, try for MK or one of the monorail resorts. If you'll be at EPCOT or MGM, look for something in the specific park, on the Boardwalk or one of the EPCOT resorts (Swan & Dolphin do not participate in DDP). You get the idea. If you're using WDW transportation--and I usually do--you'll need to allow about an hour to go from park to resort ADR if you get too far out of the area.

You can make all of your ADRs in one call--or as many as you like!. Set each potential ADR up with alternative times/restaurants in case your first choice isn't available. You don't need your resort reservation number for ADRs--just your name. Some may require a credit card to hold the reservation in case you don't show up (Fantasmic package at DHS comes to mind), so it's good to have that available.

It will be a bit of work at this point, but you'll really appreciate it during your WDW visit!

 

[*Flower*]

I just wrote a LONG reply and it just got eaten.

Check this site out:

http://www.allearsnet.com/menu/menus.htm

It has all the menus on it and is updated regularly.

Your window for booking table service and buffets opened 180 days from your arrival date- so take a look and get an idea of the food offered.

If you can't get your first choices for table service, make some backup arrangements and keep calling back for your primary choices. Phone number is 1-407-WDW-DINE, and if you make a list of what you'd like- you can book them all at once.

Good luck, and Congratulations on planning your first trip!

 

[Eeyore's Pal]

In order to figure out where you might want an ADR, you need to decide where you will be on each day, so you want to look at the park time schedule. You can find that on the official Disney website, but they show it park by park. Here on the DIS, you can see all parks, parades, and fireworks for each day. Click Here.

If you're early risers, you might want to follow the morning EMH (extra magic hours) schedule. But if you're not early risers, then you probably want to avoid the morning EMH parks.

You don't have to figure it all out, but if you can nail down at least 2-3 days, you can make some ADRs.