I Need Ideas

[fey_spirit]

We can't be exactly sure what time we're going to arrive at WDW on the 14th of September. Probably sometime between noon and 3pm. This makes making an ADR impossible. We'll be on the DXDP so I really would rather not eat at CS if at all possible.

We're going to spend that first day at MK catching all the shows and seeing the parade =). We have Kona set that night for 9:20.

What are the odds that I can eat TS on the Monorail line or in the parks without an ADR?

And if I'm bound to be stuck eating CS - where would you recommend?

 

[Tinker*Shell*Bell]

Try to call and see if you can get a time for Grand Floridian Cafe, it is probably the least busy of the ts meals on the monorail loop. I can't vouch for the food personally, but I have an ADR there in about 10 days. It sounds good and gets good reviews.
I just think it is less busy because the Grand has so many other ts options.

 

[Pumbaa_]

If you are trying to catch all the shows and a parade, I am not sure how you would have time for a TS if there was one available?

You are also arriving smack in the middle of free dining. TS ressies fill up fast and many are booked. Call Disney Dining when you are closer to the world and know what time you will be there and try to get a last minute ADR the day of.

If you need to do CS, (and I assume you are driving) you could always stop at BC before heading to MK and go to B&C, no adr's are taken here

good luck!

 

[septbaby]

We can't be exactly sure what time we're going to arrive at WDW on the 14th of September. Probably sometime between noon and 3pm. This makes making an ADR impossible. We'll be on the DXDP so I really would rather not eat at CS if at all possible.

And if I'm bound to be stuck eating CS - where would you recommend?

You can indeed eat CS and still get value out of the Deluxe plan. I would keep it simple and eat at your resort after check in. That way you are fueled and ready to head to the park, nothing to get in the way. If you must eat in the park, keep it quick and simple and grab something at the Main Street bakery. You can get sandwiches and awesome desserts and probably enjoy them while watching one of the outdoor shows or parades.

 

[Lynn5700]

For CS I love Cosmic Rays!! You can get great value for you DP there. That is one of my fav CS along with Sunshine Seasons.

 

[fey_spirit]

You know, I was hoping somebody would say that as The GFC is my top pick =)
It looks like a great way to start a vacation, the pictures are so pretty and the GF is so... well remember that feeling you got when you were little and played make believe that you were a VIP of some sort?

Try to call and see if you can get a time for Grand Floridian Cafe, it is probably the least busy of the ts meals on the monorail loop. I can't vouch for the food personally, but I have an ADR there in about 10 days. It sounds good and gets good reviews.
I just think it is less busy because the Grand has so many other ts options.

 

[fey_spirit]

Oooh that's right, and I had wanted to go to B&C, and had run out of dining options. This might be just the ticket if I can't get into GFC for lunch. The only shows/attractions I'm really concerned with trying to hit are:

Dapper Dans
Captain Jack
Fantasyland Woodwind Society
Dream Along With Mickey

Haunted Mansion
Space Mountain
Mickey's Philharmagic

The Parade would be nice to get out of the way, but since I'm going to be here (specifically in the MK) on two more days of our vacation, if I don't make it on the shows day I can make it on one of the other two.

Thank you so much for the great idea, it's a perfect back-up.

If you are trying to catch all the shows and a parade, I am not sure how you would have time for a TS if there was one available?

You are also arriving smack in the middle of free dining. TS ressies fill up fast and many are booked. Call Disney Dining when you are closer to the world and know what time you will be there and try to get a last minute ADR the day of.

If you need to do CS, (and I assume you are driving) you could always stop at BC before heading to MK and go to B&C, no adr's are taken here

good luck!

 

[fey_spirit]

We're staying at ASMU, and I'm not sure about the food court there... can you give me a general idea as to the food quality? The Main street Bakery is something that hadn't even occurred to me though it should have. I remember eating the best cupcake of my life there year before last. Do they sell chips? I'm wondering what I could get to go with a sandwich.

You can indeed eat CS and still get value out of the Deluxe plan. I would keep it simple and eat at your resort after check in. That way you are fueled and ready to head to the park, nothing to get in the way. If you must eat in the park, keep it quick and simple and grab something at the Main Street bakery. You can get sandwiches and awesome desserts and probably enjoy them while watching one of the outdoor shows or parades.

 

[fey_spirit]

What makes it your favorite? I had considered this for the night of the Halloween Party but went with 1900 Park Faire dinner instead (I figure that's a great way to start the "meeting the villains" part of the evening.)

I could cancel though, as I was concerned about the TS putting me behind schedule with the party.

For CS I love Cosmic Rays!! You can get great value for you DP there. That is one of my fav CS along with Sunshine Seasons.

 

[septbaby]

We're staying at ASMU, and I'm not sure about the food court there... can you give me a general idea as to the food quality? The Main street Bakery is something that hadn't even occurred to me though it should have. I remember eating the best cupcake of my life there year before last. Do they sell chips? I'm wondering what I could get to go with a sandwich.

Yes, they sell chips, but I'm not sure if they are an option on the DP unless you use a snack credit. We chose a wonderful Basil Mozzerella sandwich, a HUGE slice of carrot cake and a bottled drink for our meal. Even if I could get chips, no way I would ever choose chips over a MSB dessert. If you had a cup cake there you know what I mean.

I have not been to ASMu so I can't give any first hand reviews of the food court. I will say that the Mod and Value food courts are generally larger and have a much broader range of options than you'd find at the Deluxe resorts. If its lunch you'll be able to get salads, pizza, burgers, chicken, sandwiches at the resort. Maybe someone else can give you first hand info. I had to cancel our Aug trip; we were staying at ASMu.

I just got the impression that you were driving in and thought that checking in and taking a moment to relax and eat before "getting to it" would be helpful. We flew in and grabbed a pizza lunch at our resort (CBR) last summer. Afterwards Mom napped and I took the little one to the pool before our big dinner at Narcoossee's that night. We chose not to do a park on our arrival day. We were in MK at 8am the next day, the first time at Disney for our 5yo.

 

[Lynn5700]

What makes it your favorite? I had considered this for the night of the Halloween Party but went with 1900 Park Faire dinner instead (I figure that's a great way to start the "meeting the villains" part of the evening.)

I could cancel though, as I was concerned about the TS putting me behind schedule with the party.

HAHA the small things in life please me...I love that they have cheese sauce that you can put in the little cups to dip your fries in LOL I never eat cheese fries at home so when I'm in Disney I treat myself lol.

They have so many things to choose from there. You can have a burger if you want you can have a roasted chicken with potatos and carrots, and the servings are big.

I say try it if you want a quick meal that day

 

[fey_spirit]

I'd be happy to pay OOP for the chips to go with... and no I wouldn't skip a dessert from the Bakery either =)

It's not so much the matter of variety at the value food courts that make me nervous, it's the quality. I admit it I am a foodie and a food snob. (Thus taking a value resort and the DXDP, which I was going to do even if we couldn't get the free dining plan.)

We're driving in, but we're doing it nice and easy. We're coming up from Ky and stopping in at Jacksonville the night before we actually arrive to chill out on the beach for a bit. So it will only have been 2 maybe 3 or so hours of driving when we come into the park.

But yes, chilling out is still a good idea - that's why we're focusing shows, where we can plant our butts in seats and not move around a lot =). The two rides (Counting philharmagic as a show) are because they are mine and the wife's favorite rides in the entire resort and we can't not start the trip out with them. Esp since I haven't seen HM since the refurb.

Thank you for adding another great option to my list and for filling me in on the chip situation since my weird self can't eat a sandwich without chips (I never feel satisfied, my id just keeps wandering around wondering where the rest of the meal is hidden. Weird part? I can get full - just not satisfied.)

Yes, they sell chips, but I'm not sure if they are an option on the DP unless you use a snack credit. We chose a wonderful Basil Mozzerella sandwich, a HUGE slice of carrot cake and a bottled drink for our meal. Even if I could get chips, no way I would ever choose chips over a MSB dessert. If you had a cup cake there you know what I mean.

I have not been to ASMu so I can't give any first hand reviews of the food court. I will say that the Mod and Value food courts are generally larger and have a much broader range of options than you'd find at the Deluxe resorts. If its lunch you'll be able to get salads, pizza, burgers, chicken, sandwiches at the resort. Maybe someone else can give you first hand info. I had to cancel our Aug trip; we were staying at ASMu.

I just got the impression that you were driving in and thought that checking in and taking a moment to relax and eat before "getting to it" would be helpful. We flew in and grabbed a pizza lunch at our resort (CBR) last summer. Afterwards Mom napped and I took the little one to the pool before our big dinner at Narcoossee's that night. We chose not to do a park on our arrival day. We were in MK at 8am the next day, the first time at Disney for our 5yo.

 

[prncess674]

You could just pay out of pocket for quick counter service so you have time to tour on your first day. Save your TS credit and maybe eat a TS breakfast on your departure day or change one of your dinner to signature dinner that requires 2 TS credits. Remember your number of credits is determined by your number of NIGHTS not DAYS.

 

[fey_spirit]

Thanks, but it was already a stretch to come up with the set ADRs I have now =) There's no where else I want to have breakfast (I have Kona, Crystal Palace, Norway Princess & Boatrights.) I have Lunch and Dinner for every day, and all the sigs I wanted... there is no where else to use this credit except for lunch the day we arrive =)

You could just pay out of pocket for quick counter service so you have time to tour on your first day. Save your TS credit and maybe eat a TS breakfast on your departure day or change one of your dinner to signature dinner that requires 2 TS credits. Remember your number of credits is determined by your number of NIGHTS not DAYS.

 

[septbaby]

Well, I think you have some options. I now get that is an adult trip, so the ease in may not be as important as it would be if you'd just finished a couple of hours in the car with some little one who are very excited to see Mickey.

ASMu food court is probably good, but not on par with what a self proclaimed foodie might want. GF Cafe, The Plaza and Main Street Bakery all could fit the bill though. If you have some favorites at Kona just be sure to leave some room for dinner that night!

 

[fey_spirit]

GF Cafe is still the one I'm hoping for, but MSB sounds like a great fall back. As for favorites at Kona? I love the Kona Cone, but other then that I don't know yet what I'm going to want. But Kona and the EWP w the FW at MK (Looks at the last sentence and understands why she drives DW crazy with abbreviations) is a tradition.

Well, I think you have some options. I now get that is an adult trip, so the ease in may not be as important as it would be if you'd just finished a couple of hours in the car with some little one who are very excited to see Mickey.

ASMu food court is probably good, but not on par with what a self proclaimed foodie might want. GF Cafe, The Plaza and Main Street Bakery all could fit the bill though. If you have some favorites at Kona just be sure to leave some room for dinner that night!