Just booked our first trip to Disney, help with ADR's please!

[Dr.Cinderella]

Hi everyone! My fiance I just booked our first trip to Disney together yesterday and we are so excited! My fiance hasn't been since he was little, and I go with my family almost every year so I can't wait to show him everything. I am a medical student and he is a nursing student both at different schools, so we were really lucky that our spring breaks overlapped by 5 days this year. So we are going in April for 5 days staying at the POP, and its right around Easter so I am sure its going to be really busy, but thats okay!

We are also getting engagement photos done while were there, at the Grand Floridian and the Polynesian, so excited for that! We picked these two because we are getting married at the Wedding Pavillion and hopefully honeymooning in Hawaii. I also can't wait to show the WP to my fiance!

I am planning our ADR's since we can start booking next week, and was hoping to get some advice about them since Ive never been the one planning before! We are hoping to get lunches at the Coral Reef and Mama Melrose's (or would Sci Fi be better?), and dinners at the California Grill, Kona Cafe (or Ohana instead maybe?), and Le Cellier. Also might do Planet Hollywood the first night since we get in pretty late and I want to go to Downtown Disney, but I dont think we'd need an ADR for that right?

Thanks so much!

 

[koolaidmoms]

Hi everyone! My fiance I just booked our first trip to Disney together yesterday and we are so excited! My fiance hasn't been since he was little, and I go with my family almost every year so I can't wait to show him everything. I am a medical student and he is a nursing student both at different schools, so we were really lucky that our spring breaks overlapped by 5 days this year. So we are going in April for 5 days staying at the POP, and its right around Easter so I am sure its going to be really busy, but thats okay!

We are also getting engagement photos done while were there, at the Grand Floridian and the Polynesian, so excited for that! We picked these two because we are getting married at the Wedding Pavillion and hopefully honeymooning in Hawaii. I also can't wait to show the WP to my fiance!

I am planning our ADR's since we can start booking next week, and was hoping to get some advice about them since Ive never been the one planning before! We are hoping to get lunches at the Coral Reef and Mama Melrose's (or would Sci Fi be better?), and dinners at the California Grill, Kona Cafe (or Ohana instead maybe?), and Le Cellier. Also might do Planet Hollywood the first night since we get in pretty late and I want to go to Downtown Disney, but I dont think we'd need an ADR for that right?

Thanks so much!

Congratulations!!!

I think you have made some great choices. I never cared for PH though and would probably choose something like Wolfgang Pucks Express or Raglans Road in DTD.

Have a great time!

 

[lemondog]

Congrats!

Ohana is one of my favorite places to eat at Disney, I prefer it to Kona. But very different atmospheres -- if you want quieter then Kona. If you're looking for a "vacation" style meal that's like a party, go with Ohana.

As far as your other choices, I am not a PH fan either but I say go for it if it's what you like! We liked lunch at Sci-Fi, have not eaten at Mama Melrose so can't comment on that. Love your other meals too.

Have fun!

 

[Sleeping Becca]

Congrats!

I'm not a fan of PH either, I would try Pardiso 37, Raglan Road, or Wolfgang Puck.

I prefer Sci Fi over Mama Melrose, I like the atmosphere at Sci Fi, I can get a Mama Melrose-like experience anywhere.

Kona and Ohana are tough to decide between. It really depends on what you are in the mood for. They are both good choices. However for some reason Ohana has exploded in terms of popularity and as a result the quality has suffered.

 

[Iwant2BAprincess]

Congrats!

I would read some of the review of Mama Melrose-my only experience everything tasted like smokey charcoal-even the asparagus. I have never tried Scifi so no input there.

Good luck with lecellier-get the cheese soup-SOOOO worth it.

 

[NuttyDisneyMom]

Congratulations!!!

I think you have made some great choices. I never cared for PH though and would probably choose something like Wolfgang Pucks Express or Raglans Road in DTD.

Have a great time!

ITA with above poster!!!!

And congratulations on your engagement!!!!

 

[Dizneydaz]

I would choose Kona over 'Ohana-we didn't care for the meat at 'Ohana.

We haven't eaten at PH but I would definitely eat at RR or Wolfgang Puck Cafe. We tried WPC for the first time this Sept. and ended up eating there 3 times. Once for lunch and twice for dinner. Even though we were there during free DDP we were able to eat at WPC without ADRS. So good. We will definitely go back next year.

Since I'm a visual person, here's some of the food we had at WPC. FYI WPC is located in the same building as WPE West Side (near Disney Quest)

Breads and butter

Sushi selection (allowed as entree on DDP)

Pepperoni and mushroom pizza

Our desserts

 

[patsfan101]

congratulations!

California Grill is one the most special restaurants at Disney - you'll love it! As for Kona vs. 'Ohana, just as other posters have said, it totally depends on what you are in the mood for. I have had great meals at both. 'Ohana is family style, fun, with music and a kids' parade through the dining room and an audience participation "hula" song. Kona is a more relaxed restaraunt - they have a coconut chicken I can't wait to try again!

Ate a PH once a few years ago and wasn't thrilled. We don't usually spend much time at DTD. the only other place we've eaten there was T-Rex, and you probably don't want that. WPC sounds wonderful, though.

 

[Dr.Cinderella]

Thanks so much everyone for all of your advice! I really appreciate it!!

 

[Dr.Cinderella]

Thought Id update what I got today!

Arrival Day- DTD Dinner, undecided
Day 1- Magic Kingdom during day, Cali Grill Dinner
Day 2- DHS, Lunch at Sci Fi, Dinner Fantasmic Package at Mama Melrose's
Day 3- Epcot, Lunch at Coral Reef, Dinner at Le Cellier
Day 4- Animal Kingdom, no TS planned

Got everything I wanted after much frustration! Cant wait for our trip!

 

[gillep]

Congrats on the engagement! Glad you got everything you wanted, have a wonderful time

 

[SnwflkCts]

You have made some great choices. What days are your photo opp at Poly and GF???

Anyway ... I thought I would make a plug for 'Ohana or Kona both of which we really liked -- but different. We have been to Kona 5 times! We decided this time we would go to 'Ohana. We always do that on Animal Kingdom day ... and I see you have nothing chosen for that day ... Have fun wherever you eat at! We never have any problem with food or service and just have a magical time!

 

[Dr.Cinderella]

Thanks! We are doing our engagement photos in the morning on our Magic Kingdom day because we can get there quick afterwards by monorail! Although I think we might dedcide to just do the photos at the GF, my favorite!, instead of both resorts to save more time for the Magic Kingdom, although I think photos at the Poly would be beautiful too! We decided to skip Kona's and stay at DHS for Fantasmic instead and do the dinner package because my fiance has never seen it. Do you think this is a good choice? Im bummed we wont have time for that though because I loved the idea of dinner at Konas and then fireworks on the beach, but then we'd be watching Wishes 2 nights in a row! Our flight on the last day is at 7 pm, so no time for that on our Animal Kingdom day unfortunately. Any suggestions are appreciated!

 

[prosumpin]

I'm very interested! I would love to find out more.

OK, cool!^_^ I just wanted to make sure I didn't do anything wrong :]

Nice! I'll start saving up some scratch for this

great news, i love my seed upgrade.

Any one?

To be continued....

 

[Dr.Cinderella]

I think this might have been a reply to the wrong thread or something? Anyways, if we get an earlier flight on arrival day, we are going to try to fit Kona in too!

 

[kmk1180]

I am planning our ADR's since we can start booking next week, and was hoping to get some advice about them since Ive never been the one planning before! We are hoping to get lunches at the Coral Reef and Mama Melrose's (or would Sci Fi be better?), and dinners at the California Grill, Kona Cafe (or Ohana instead maybe?), and Le Cellier. Also might do Planet Hollywood the first night since we get in pretty late and I want to go to Downtown Disney, but I dont think we'd need an ADR for that right?

Thanks so much!

Cal Grill is nice to watch fireworks from but not really a romantic place.
Can be rather noisey.
Might I suggest if a romantic meal your looking for try Jiko.
Much more of a Couples resturants.
Great food, great for wine for beginners and experienced.
and the service, IMHO, the best of any Disney Resturant.
Plus you can walk around AKL, a nice plus as well.