I need to make ADR tomorrow and am so confused.

[MicheleMichele]

This will be the first time any of us have been to WDW. We will be going 12/14 - 12/18. We will be flying from the west coast. This is costing us a fortune so I don't antici*ate (my * * key is broken) doing this anytime in the future.

Our kiddos are 13b, 11b, 9b, 8b, 4.10g, hubby and I. Yes, I get that we will *ay an 18% gratuity and that with our size it may be hard to get ADR's right now, but am still going to kee* trying everyday.

We are getting the free dining *lan. I want to make ADR's, but would like to make some good choices here. I don't want to *ay for any extra things (like the Christmas *arade *arty) because this is already costing so much and I feel that we won't even get to do half of what there is to do.

We are big meat eaters. I would like one character *rincess ty*e dinner for the girl. We will have 4 TS meals.

My thoughts so far are Le Cellier, Boma, Tean Edo. But...then I read about Candlelight *rofessional and somehow that correlates to dinner, but don't know how.

I am going to get The Unofficial Guide, but really need to make ADR's tomorrow 10/1 or at least try to get some ADR's started.

I welcome any and all suggestions. We are so very excited and a bit overwhelmed. Hubby and I will celebrate our 22nd anniversary at WDW with the kiddos. We have never been on a vacation like this before. I am trying to *lan enough that our time is well-s*ent.

Thanks so much. I look forward to hearing some ti*s on how to do this right.

Blessings,
Michele

I should mention that we are staying at the Beach Resort and don't get in until Sunday at 9:30. The reservationist told me to take the kids to Disney Quest that night since we have the Xtra whatevers that get us into 4 Xtras. And....our flight leaves at 6 in the evening on Thursday so we will not be having dinner at WDW that evening.

 

[Rootskate]

Have you checked the December ADR cancel/trade thread on this board? You may get lucky and find something you are looking for! I would have a list of places you might like to go ready when you call. Be prepared to be flexible with times as well. If you can't get what you want right away, keep trying!! People cancel and change their plans all the time!

Good luck and welcome to The Dis!

 

[weschmom]

Michele,

We are in a very similar situation (only I don't have as many kids!). I just started planning this week for 12/5-12/9. I started panicking when I was reading posts on here of people not getting any ADR's they wanted for that timeframe, so I quickly made some choices and called Disney lastnight. I got 3 of the 4 that I wanted. Liberty Tree Tavern, Cape May breakfast, and Hollywood N Vine breakfast were not a problem at all. I wanted to do the candlelight processional at Epcot also. What I have learned is that it's a great deal if you're on the dining plan, b/c you can tie in your meal with the show, and thereby get special tickets which allows you to get really good seats. I tried for Le Cellier and Teppan Edo and didn't get either. Ended up with San Angel Inn, but will probably change that.

As for princess meals -- we LOVED 1900 Park Fare. That's at Grand Floridian, and features all the Cinderella characters. It was fabulous. I also liked Akershus -- 4 different princesses there.

Good luck! Let us know what you get.

 

[Hopefully]

Good Luck with you ADR's. I suspect that Le Cellier will be booked, so have another option in mind when you call.
We try to make our ADR's in or near the park we will be in that day. WDW is really large and travel time is much longer than you would anticipate.
Consider a resort near a park you are in as well. The monorail resorts work for MK days, and the YC/BC Boardwalk work for DHS days. We love the International Restaurants of Epcot and often eat there most evenings.
Biergargen and Restaurant Marakesh in Morocco are other choices you might consider.
Good Luck and let us know what you get.

 

[Minnie824]

You may want to try Kona Cafe for one ressie. We've had luck getting in there, and there food is great. An Epcot warning..even if Marrakesh is available...don't do it! Good luck.

 

[michellejed]

On our recent trip with free D we were not able to get the ADR's we wanted before we left, so just winged it.

At each park in the morning we would check to see what was available at guest serv. never had a problem getting what we wanted.

With your age group I would try for buffet style so the younger ones dont get stuck eating hot dogs and chicken fingers every day.

Try to eat in the parks you will be at for the day, travel to and from can be long and with that many kids could also mean more melt downs.

If you plan on a waterpark for one day then you could do like WCC for dinner or Boma after AK.

One year we went with a party of 10 and had each person write down where they wanted to eat most, they looked over menues at allears and we put together a list.

I hope you have a very magical trip

 

[mrsannb]

Your dd would like Akurshus. It's great for breakfast, I haven't been for any other meal. Liberty Tree tavern is also a nice character meal, but it's not princesses.

Whispering Canyon Cafe is fun.

I personally didn't care for Boma, but I guess most people like it. Maybe I was there on an off day. Most of the food seemed cold and bland to me.

Coral Reef was our favorite last year.

Anyway, just give a call and see what you can get, and go from there. You can always change/cancel.

 

[GatorLady]

Try to get Akershus for your daughters princess meal. We were there in June for dinner and enjoyed it very much!

It is also a great value on the dining plan, since it is just 1 table service credit and a photo package is included. There are always 5 princesses there. One who you get the photo with, and the other 4 work the room. (Photo in my signature is from the package you get there which I embellished in my PhotoPass account).

 

[aviva5675]

Eat early at your hotel before going to parks. Eat lunch for sure at park where you will be, dinner as well, if you are staying into the evening. If you are not- pick places at other hotels or at Downtown Dis to be able to see other sites while you are there.

Call ASAP for your ADRs- your trip is sooner than you think!

 

[MicheleMichele]

12/17 - Jiko 2TS - 5:30
12/15 - Te**an Edo 2:30 - Candlelight Tickets - 1TS
12/16 - Akershus - 1TS - 4:25

We leave the afternoon of the 17th so not having a TS meal would be fine. I don't think the kids will want to take the time knowing we're leaving that day anyway.

I would really like to eat at Le Cellier so am going to kee* calling everyday and try to get in there instead of Jiko.

I just don't think the kids are going to want to s*end hours sitting at a restaurant everyday, however I could be wrong.

Is there a way to use a TS that doesn't require you to make reservations or sit down for hours?

We are so excited.

Blessings,
Michele

 

[weschmom]

Try to get Akershus for your daughters princess meal. We were there in June for dinner and enjoyed it very much!

It is also a great value on the dining plan, since it is just 1 table service credit and a photo package is included. There are always 5 princesses there. One who you get the photo with, and the other 4 work the room. (Photo in my signature is from the package you get there which I embellished in my PhotoPass account).

We ate there 1/07 and the photo package was NOT included. It was an extra charge, and I remember thinking it was a lot, so I passed. Have they started including the photo now?

 

[weschmom]

I just don't think the kids are going to want to s*end hours sitting at a restaurant everyday, however I could be wrong.

Is there a way to use a TS that doesn't require you to make reservations or sit down for hours?

Michele,

Buffets sound like what you need. There you are in control of how much time you spend, and you don't have to wait around on servers, etc.

Though I don't think we've ever spent hours at any table service meal. The longest was at 1900 Park Fare, and that was mostly to wait for all the characters to come around.

This is Disney....they keep things moving pretty quickly.

Congrats on your ressies!

 

[mrsannb]

We ate there 1/07 and the photo package was NOT included. It was an extra charge, and I remember thinking it was a lot, so I passed. Have they started including the photo now?

Yes it includes the photo. We were actually quite surprised, as we didn't know about it. It was a nice photo (I forget 8x10?), and then 4 smaller photos.

 

[hmontgomry]

IT wasn't included a couple of years ago on free dining, either for us. Good that it's included now as those pics were expensive!

 

[septbaby]

12/17 - Jiko 2TS - 5:30
12/15 - Te**an Edo 2:30 - Candlelight Tickets - 1TS
12/16 - Akershus - 1TS - 4:25

We are so excited.

Blessings,
Michele

I would offer a few suggestions:

1. Do the Princess meal as a girl event, let DH take the boys somewhere else to eat. Maybe Whispering Canyon Cafe at the Wilderness Lodge.

2. Given the range of your family I wouldn't do Jiko, but if you want to spend 2TS take a look at Hoop Dee Doo Review. Even doing Boma would be a more comfortable choice. Four boys on a trip to WDW probably won't be in the frame of mind for the fancy/exotic meal that is Jiko. It is awesome, but probably not ideal for your family. We went to Narcoossee's and that is probably a better 2TS choice for your family. Nice, but not stuffy and the deck outside makes "time outs" easy to do. The food is very good and also very recognizable (a big thing at certain ages). We also found the portions very good so everyone can get full. It would be a really nice meal for you too so missing LeCellier wouldn't be a big deal. We really loved this place and our 5/6yo boy did too.

3. A TS meal on the final day doesn't have to be a bad thing. If you book a character breakfast it will be fun and be motivation to get up and out of the room.

4. Disney Quest: You mentioned not wanting to spend $$$ Disney Quest is $$$ especially for 4 boys ( not much for the 4yo). You'd make out cheaper using a TS credit for a fun meal (Whispering Canyon, Chef Mickey's, Hoope Dee Doo Review). There is also a campfire sing along at the Fort Wilderness Campground: FREE and Chip and Dale are the hosts. You can buy kits there for smores and stick around for the FREE full length feature Disney movie shown under the stars. Your check in packet will likely have a free mini golf voucher, but that will only cover one round; one of the courses is near the Beach Club Resort. Finally, Beach Club has arguably the best pool on property hanging out at the pool that day/night would be pretty "swell" too.

Have great time.

 

[winterman]

I should mention that we are staying at the Beach Resort and don't get in until Sunday at 9:30. The reservationist told me to take the kids to Disney Quest that night since we have the Xtra whatevers that get us into 4 Xtras. And....our flight leaves at 6 in the evening on Thursday so we will not be having dinner at WDW that evening.

You might want to rethink going to DQ that night. You will all be tired after a long trip. Consider just checking out the resort and maybe walking over to the Boardwalk. Then you can get to bed early. I have always found that it is essential to get to the parks at or immediately after opening. You can get so much done in the first hour or two.

Remember less can be more. Take time for some 'downtime.' Anyway, have a ball.

 

[PrincessCM]

We ate at Akerhaus in September 2007 and the photo package was NOT included. I did buy it, but it was expensive..... By purchasing it, you were allowed to add it to your PhotoPass though.

 

[septbaby]

We ate at Akerhaus in September 2007 and the photo package was NOT included. I did buy it, but it was expensive..... By purchasing it, you were allowed to add it to your PhotoPass though.

This is a 2008 update: Photo package is part of the meal price!

 

[DannyDisneyFreak]

First off let me say do be stressed out about your meals. The resturants have tables of all sizes and having a bigger may work out to your advantage. The way Disney does the ADRs is they have so may tables for different party sizes in their system and they may be all booked up for partys of 2 or 4 but still have tables for partys of 6 or 8. You have an idea of where you want to eat call up and try to make the ADRs you know you want, if they are booked up ask the CM what other resturants are available and book somthing you can always change them later. Plan your meals around your trip, don't plan your trip around your meals, you will have a much better vacation that way, I learned that the hard way running around trying to make it from one park to another, or from resort to resort to make an ADR.
I would also not recomend doing DQ the night you arrive, your getting in late and it sounds like a short trip, relax at your resort, maybe hit the pool if its warm, the Beach club has an amazing pool area I've heard, like a mini water park, I would save money on your passes and not do the water parks. You could walk over to the boardwalk your arival night. I would say get dinner or just ice cream at Beaches and Cream one day and get your family the kitchen sink, it's a huge sundae that is served in a sink with a scoop of every flavor of ice cream and all the toppings, it would perfect for your big family.
I would also recomend dinner and/or breakfast at 'Ohana in the Polynesian resort, it's a quick monorail ride from MK, breakfast is a character meal with Lilo, stitch, mickey and pluto, breakfast there is our favorite meal in disney, dinner is no characters but the food is great and all you can eat, they have steak, pork and turkey they roast on huge long skewers over a fire in the middle of the dining room and they bring the skewers to your table and serve you on your plate. Read the menus on wdwinfo.com, hope this helps....

 

[DannyDisneyFreak]

Is there a way to use a TS that doesn't require you to make reservations or sit down for hours?

Absolutely but you can't be picky where you want to eat at, you can call the 407-WDW-DINE number from your cell phone in the park, hit the disney dining button on your resort phone, stop by the front desk at your resort, or stop by guest services at any park and ask what is available that day and they will let you if any resturants will be available, just have back up ADRs just in case. If your have an ADR somewhere else and your group gets hungry early stop by the nearest resturant and see if they can take a walk up and just let them know to cancel you other ADR.
Also, Disney resturants usually want to push tables through and food comes pretty quick, let your server know you are in a hurry to get back to the parks. When we ate at Mama Melrose's in the studios we let our waitress know we has fastpasses for a rideand needed to get through dinner quickly so we would not miss our fastpass time and she took our desert order with our dinner order and got us outta there. On the flip side let them know if you want to linger over your meal.