I need opinions/suggestions please...

[MariMama]

Her trip is in July! I am sure by her trip or before the cancellation policy she would know the weather. Right now, she does not know the weather for that particular day!

Fantasmic gets cancelled for weather all the time.

You must cancel at least 24 hours before your reservation to avoid the charge. Fantasmic is not cancelled until very close to show time.

 

[NinaBella]

There is such a thing as a 7-day, 3-day, and even 24 hour weather report! This gives you an idea of the weather on the scheduled Fantasmic days. It's common sense.

Why reply to my opinion anyway? OP asked for opinions, I gave mine. End of story.

 

[MariMama]

There is such a thing as a 7-day, 3-day, and even 24 hour weather report! This gives you an idea of the weather on the scheduled Fantasmic days. It's common sense.

Why reply to my opinion anyway? OP asked for opinions, I gave mine. End of story.

I replied to give factual information. Fantasmic is not cancelled 24 hours in advance, no matter what the weather forecast says. Others have given the original poster good suggestions for alternatives.

This is a discussion board, people are going to comment on your posts.

 

[NinaBella]

.

 

[nkereina]

There is such a thing as a 7-day, 3-day, and even 24 hour weather report! This gives you an idea of the weather on the scheduled Fantasmic days. It's common sense.

Florida weather is volatile enough that the forecasts are basically useless. As mentioned, Fantasmic would only be cancelled maybe an hour or two in advance of the show, which may not even give them enough time to get to Ohana depending on when the show is cancelled.

I do agree that it's a viable option to eat at a QS place in DHS or surrounding area that does not require an ADR in the event Fantasmic is cancelled. ESPN Club over at the Boardwalk does not require an ADR and would be a good compromise if they want TS.

 

[#1DopeyFan]

I totally agree with ditching CM's in exchange for 'Ohana, MUCH better food...then that leaves your options open for your HS day. Sci-Fi is fun and the food is good.

 

[NinaBella]

.

 

[Nancyg56]

Yes, Florida weather is unpredictable. That was my primary reason for suggesting a backup plan to keep a reservation in case the weather turns bad. I myself wouldn't care about the cancellation fees, but others do. I do not make reservations at Disney other than a few times we did CRT for birthdays (my daughter, my niece, my sister-in-law). We always just go with whatever is available that we can walk-up and get a seat or a short wait for a table. I have lived an hour away from Disney since 2003 and always feel bad when it the heavy rains come thinking about all the people at Disney.

The first time we did Disney as a 3-day trip trying to schedule and see and do everything it was too stressful. We are now the fly by the seat of our pants family. If I decide to go tomorrow, I will go, no reservations, no fast pass, etc. It is so much more enjoyable not adhering to a schedule. On the way there we typically let the kids pick one or two items they want to do (I have 4 kids), then we just do whatever we can fit in that doesn't have a long line. My kids refuse to wait in long lines for a ride at Disney. They will just move on to something else.

She would incur a $50 no show fee if she did this. I know I would not be okay with that.

 

[Kimberly9701]

If you don't mind eating at 4:30 or 5:00 you can buy the Fantasmic dinner package. You can eat at either Mamma Melrose's (Italian), Hollywood & Vine (buffet) or Hollywood Brown Derby (fine/signature dining so more expensive) and you get vouchers for the show that night, which guarantees you a seat in the reserved section.

I love Ohana. But totally would skip it for Fantasmic!!! It was our favorite show at WDW. We did the F! Dinner package and our seats were great!!! Added bonus- we didn't have to arrive as early as everyone else, so we kept riding ToT (seriously walked on 4 times) up until about 20 minutes before show started.

I also agree with the other pp about maybe doing a breakfast at Ohana. Stitch!!! Even if you can't I think F! Is the better choice over a dinner.


Edit-- regarding the weather comments- we were there 10 days in September. It rained every single day. One mid day storm. I never once heard or experienced any show being cancelled. I'm a former south Floridian, yes the weather is unpredictable, especially in hurricane season months, but don't let that effect your plans. It could or could not happen at any given time.

 

[MariMama]

Yes, Florida weather is unpredictable. That was my primary reason for suggesting a backup plan to keep a reservation in case the weather turns bad. I myself wouldn't care about the cancellation fees, but others do. I do not make reservations at Disney other than a few times we did CRT for birthdays (my daughter, my niece, my sister-in-law). We always just go with whatever is available that we can walk-up and get a seat or a short wait for a table. I have lived an hour away from Disney since 2003 and always feel bad when it the heavy rains come thinking about all the people at Disney.

The first time we did Disney as a 3-day trip trying to schedule and see and do everything it was too stressful. We are now the fly by the seat of our pants family. If I decide to go tomorrow, I will go, no reservations, no fast pass, etc. It is so much more enjoyable not adhering to a schedule. On the way there we typically let the kids pick one or two items they want to do (I have 4 kids), then we just do whatever we can fit in that doesn't have a long line. My kids refuse to wait in long lines for a ride at Disney. They will just move on to something else.

A $50 no show fine would be enough for most people to reconsider.

You have the luxury of being spontaneous, because you can come back anytime you'd like. Guests that aren't local don't have that luxury.

 

[Claire&TheBoys]

I would either drop Chef Mickey's or CRT, and try to do 'Ohana one of those nights if you really want to eat there. We enjoy 50's Prime Time Café at DHS, and I bet the 13-yr-old would love the good-natured teasing of the servers there, and who can resist their PB&J shake?

Chef Mickey's has been off our list for awhile - the last time we were there the food just wasn't that good. We only ate at CRT once when we had the Premium Package. My food was just so-so and my husband's was overcooked.

 

[mom2rtk]

The first time we did Disney as a 3-day trip trying to schedule and see and do everything it was too stressful.

Now you know how most out of towners feel when they visit. Most can't pop in later to pick up what they miss this time.

 

[MlWinans]

Ohana is one of our favorite restaurants, but we LOVE the BREAKFAST!

I was going to say do Breakfast at Ohana or Kona Cafe (also at Poly) that morning and then grab dinner at one of the locations in HS. Fantasmic is pretty cool and worth changing around a couple ADRs to fit in if possible.

 

[lisatx04]

Thank you all for your suggestions.

We are eating at Chef Mickey's because I like it. Also chose this so my BF's son can see the core characters at the same time he eats. He is a 13 yr old boy. He can eat!
CRT is a fave of my daughter. Yes, we have eaten there several times. Before booking it, I checked with my BF and his son. They were both excited to eat in the Castle.
My kids like Ohana, and it was at request of my DD that I booked it. There are no openings left for dinner so both my kids said they would prefer Ohana's over seeing Fantasmic. I did call to get a Fantasmic dinner ADR but nothing available.
This will not be the last time we go to WDW, so next time we will see Fantasmic.
I'm okay with it all.
Thanks again for the ideas and suggestions!

 

[NinaBella]

.

 

[NinaBella]

A $50 no show fine would be enough for most people to reconsider.

You have the luxury of being spontaneous, because you can come back anytime you'd like. Guests that aren't local don't have that luxury.

Actually, a lot of out of state families go to Disney more than I do. I rarely go to Disney. I see many board members go once a year. That is more than I go! LOL.

The last time I went to a Orlando theme park was last May and only because it was my company's family day at Universal. Before that it was when our niece visited a few years ago. It was before Magic Bands. I haven't been to WDW since Magic Bands. I have only heard of them on the boards. For my work family day you can't beat $25 per person tickets and free food, and discounted group hotel rates. Now it's approaching family day again at Universal but my son doesn't really want to go. I am not sure we will even bother going, even though the tickets are only $25 per person.

I stay in Orlando hotels a lot but not for Disney, we are there for other events.

 

[mom2rtk]

I see it on nearly every trip, families stressed out, kids and parents having meltdowns. It's not the happiest place on earth for many families. It's just stress and meltdowns from trying to do too much in one day walking around with their spreadsheet schedule in hand. We took my husband sister and niece family to MK and his niece stayed outside the Haunted Mansion with the baby. When we came out our niece was just laughing that she was just witnessing the early stages of a divorce from a husband and wife arguing and having a meltdown. We take family there and usually still only do one day, two days at the most. This was our niece first time visiting and we still didn't do a marathon visit. Some relatives still have a hard time keeping up with me even in my "slow pace" but that happens at our local mall as well. Some relatives want me to plan everything for them, but the ones who know a bit about Disney, I try to let them plan and take the lead. My husband sister and niece did not know anything about Disney. The niece called me before the trip saying her mom told her I was taking them to "Magic Mountain" but she couldn't find "Magic Mountain" Florida on the Internet. After I explained, she said her daughter loved Sponge Bob so can we see Sponge Bob in the park. I love them! <3 Also, no matter what we plan, they have a great time. It was my husband's sister and the great niece birthday so we ate at CRT on that trip. I got them the glass slipper dessert for their birthday.

The time we did the 3-day trip it was my daughter's 3rd birthday so we got annual passes. We stayed at the SoG. So my kids were 3, 4, 12, and 13 on this trip. My kids were asking to go home by the morning of the 3rd day... they had had enough. After that is when we started going back for just a day once every other month. Maybe a couple times we did two days and stayed at a hotel. But we really don't stay at hotels or eat a lot in Disney. That was the only time we had Disney Annual Passes as well. We had Universal Studios before then, Busch Gardens after. We don't do annual passes anymore. Right now my daughter has a "Fun Card" for Busch Gardens that includes the Adventure Island water park. But she gets invited to go with friends all the time, so it gets used over the summer. Her friends parents will pick her up and take her with them for the day while I am at work. She's now 13.


You don't have to do a marathon trip. My very first trip to Disney was when I was in 9th grade. We drove from SC to my Uncle's house in Coco Beach, FL. We only went to the Magic Kingdom for a 1-day trip (no hotel stay). I was so bored following around my uncle with his 3 little kids on what I thought were "baby rides". Finally my dad let me go off on my own. I enjoyed MK walking around and exploring on my on and riding a few rides. I have fond memories, mostly of being on my own and not feeling like I was stuck with my young cousins. I still have the ring I bought in the Disney gift store on that trip.

So that is why I feel like it's okay to not do everything and skip a reservation for something else. Don't try to do everything. If the kids want Fantasmic, I would do that over a dining reservation. I think the kids would remember that better than Ohana. Some dining reservations take too much chunk of time out of the day when QS food is fine.

I think you're making a lot of assumptions and throwing in a lot of stereotypes. People are individuals and react differently. A short 2 or 3 day trip would just frustrate me. As I said, if we miss things, we can't just pop over next weekend to do it then. I think that's a perspective many locals just don't get. We do much better with longer trips since we have plenty of time to relax, not keep up a breakneck pace, yet still do everything we wanted (since we know we won't typically be back for at least a year).

 

[NinaBella]

.

 

[mom2rtk]

Correct, I make assumptions based on my observations!

And your observations are based on very short snippets of what goes on in people's lives. It's better to just not assume.

 

[NinaBella]

.