I'm sure this has been discussed before...

[jenrose66]

But let's discuss it again. ADR's during free dining. I never had a problem coming up with ADR's before, however, now that I'll be going to Disney with my son for the first time I'm having a hard time doing all this planning so far in advance. Anyone with a baby knows that it can feel like nothing is in your control sometimes.

I always liked to try resort dining but with the bus service I'm wondering if it's worth it to do all the traveling with a baby. I'd like to just eat sit down in the theme parks, but I'm not sure which day or at what time I'd be ready to eat.

Is there even a glimmer of hope that I can get ADR's for restaurants just a couple hours before it's time to eat? Does that happen during free dining?

Also, even though this is a whole other thread entirely...what's up with HDDR going to tiered pricing, yet still being 2 TS's? I don't know how I feel about that.

 

[tinaluis]

We were there during free dining last year from 8/15-8/25/06. I can tell you that we saw LOTS of people who didn't have ADRs being turned away. I know it's hard to plan so far in advance (especially with a baby), but you should. If your plans change, you can always cancel the ADR, but at least you'll have some in place if it's a good day. We will have a new baby for our trip too -- about 4 or 5 weeks old depending on when he comes. I've made all of our ADRs for 10 nights in the hopes that he'll be a very easy baby (like my other three were) and happy to be in a sling next to me. I'll let you know how it goes .

 

[jenrose66]

Wow you're brave, taking a 4 week old to Disney

It's probaby because I'm a first time mom, but I'm still a nervous wreck and he's almost 9 months old. I wouldn't even let him leave the house during his first 6 or 8 weeks.

Good luck and have fun!

 

[carone0318]

But let's discuss it again. ADR's during free dining. I never had a problem coming up with ADR's before, however, now that I'll be going to Disney with my son for the first time I'm having a hard time doing all this planning so far in advance. Anyone with a baby knows that it can feel like nothing is in your control sometimes.

I always liked to try resort dining but with the bus service I'm wondering if it's worth it to do all the traveling with a baby. I'd like to just eat sit down in the theme parks, but I'm not sure which day or at what time I'd be ready to eat.

Is there even a glimmer of hope that I can get ADR's for restaurants just a couple hours before it's time to eat? Does that happen during free dining?

I wouldn't plan on getting ADRs a couple hours ahead of time.

You can still do resort restaurants. You have the monorail hotels and the Boardwalk area hotels and you don't have to take the bus to get to them. If you make an ADR for a monorail hotel, you just go to MK that day and same with the Boardwalk area, you either go to MGM or Epcot. If you have park hoppers or APs it is really no big deal to switch parks. I have taken my dd since she was 2 and ds since he was 1 and we never had a huge fiasco about meals.

It wasn't a once-in-a-lifetime trip so it really didn't matter what park we went to. When they were little though we went to MK everyday and trust me we didn't eat at MK everyday. It can work and it isn't a big deal to leave and go somewhere else to eat. It is probably more work to run around a day at home doing errands than leaving a park and going somewhere else to eat. It's vacation, relax, enjoy and don't sweat the small stuff!

 

[The Sweetness]

Heres my game plan, with an antsy, sometimes loud 2y old. 6 of the 9 ADR I have are for either fam style or buffets. This way, DH, DD15, and I can litterally take turns holding her on her laps more easilly (at fam style, if DD and DH eat while I hold Ariel on my lap, trying to keep her calm, after they eat, our server will bring us more of whatever they may have finished, and I can eat while one of them holds/ tries to entertain her.

When my 15 y old was 2, it was so easy. She LOVED soda So if I gave her a little cup of her own (w/ lid & straw) shed be happy as a clam either next to us in the booth or in a high chair. Ariel is a little more balky about the high chair, and more likely to try to escape us if we seat her next to us Ariel is a non eater. She lives on chocolate carnation instant breakfast, and an occaisional nibble of our food if she's curious about it. (the most shes ever eaten at once was 2 and 1/2 chicken nuggets and about 10 french fries, or 1 egg at breakfast, or half a scoop of p0otatoes. And this is when shes really hungry

With buffets, we will have a fairly easy time. At Le Cel, Mama M's, and PT50s, I am in a bit of trouble. It eases my mind somewhat, to think of the fact that there are MANY other fams in the same situation we are

 

[Dizneydaz]

Last Sept. I made an ADR for each day and we ended up keeping about 1/2 of them. I was able to get new ADRs ,while there, for most of the times and days I wanted-when our plans changed. However, we tend to eat later than most. About 7-8 p.m. And we always have a few non-Disney days (it's not me, it's my DM! )

Once I knew that our plans were changing, I called Dining and cancelled the unused ADR and booked something else. I can remember making at least 2 ADRs on the same day. Kona Cafe and Raglan Road. The hardest one to get while there was Narcoossee's. We couldn't get in on Sat. or Sun. but got a great time for Monday (our last dinner of the trip).

My suggestion is that you make ADRs now for the times and places you may eat at. That way you'll have a fall back ressie in case you can't get in anywhere else. Then, as soon as you know your plans, for sure, try to get a new ADR (if needed ) as soon as you know. Even a few hours in advance is better than walking-in without an ADR.

When I made our ADRs I made sure to make alot of them outside of the parks so if it was a none park day for us (or water park day) we wouldn't have to use an admission just to eat. Like others have said, don't discount the resort restaurants. It's just a quick monorail ride from MK to GF, Poly, and Contemporary.