Making ADRs in 1 week! What do you think of my "plan"?

[stephroden]

I can make ADRs in one week. I am so pumped that you would think I have pure coffee running through my veins.

I'm going in September (free dining plan!), so I'm banking that if I call 180 days out that I'll be able to get the times I want. We won't have Park Hoppers, so the day at the specific park is where we'll stay to eat.
Here's my tentative schedule that I plan to use for the TS credits which will need booking pronto. I'm planning my days based on EMH to get more bang for my buck.

Sept 18, Tue (arrival day): 1900 Park Fare @5:15 (We want to go to MNSSHP afterwards. I think this will be good timing between flights and the par-tay.)

Sept 19, Wed (Epcot): Akershus @ 1pm

Sept 20, Thur (MK): BBB @ 8 am; CRT @ 10 am - I want to give ample time at BBB. I thought we could ride Dumbo and a few rides between our reservation if available. They have morning EMH for this date. Is this too much time?

Sept 21, Fri (AK): TH @9:15 (This way we could ride the Safari ride in the EMH for morning before our reservation.)

Sept 22, Sat (HS): H&V @10:30

I plan on doing all QS meals on the last day at MK. We're more late breakfast/brunch people. Do you see any major conflicts.

This is for my 6 yr old DD.

I also had someone tell me Akershus was horrible. She said the food was no good, and the interaction was poor. If this is true, I was going to swap my Akershus for Chef Mickey or Crystal Palace.

Also, should I do 1900PF on day one with a dinner or plan a breakfast on the day we leave? My DD is totally into the princess characters, but is 3 (Akershus, 1900PF, CRT) too much?

 

[pumba]

I know that if we listened to all the bad reviews...none of the restaurants would be in business..
We have gone to Akershus and loved the meal and the princesses....they spend plenty of time between the tables ...

I think you should just follow the wants and needs of your family....Because of your daughters age...buffets are a better choice...no waiting for food...its sit down ...take drink orders and go to the buffet....this is what we did when we went with our grandkids...

Have fun planning your magic time

 

[mommy2twinprincesses]

I think your plans sound great!! September is a GREAT time to go...still hot...BUT no crowds!

We have twins and did BBB at 8:00 and our reservation for CRT was 9:30. It was plenty of time. We would have had time to ride a couple of rides but CRT took us early (about 9:15). The entire experience was easily the highlight of our overall amazing trip last February...we loved it all. Are you planning to purchase the Photopass CD? If so, do it in advance to save money. The PP people know just where to stand to get the best shots of your princess. I highly recommend it. (I also took a ton of pics too while my DH videotaped.)

We loved the characters at 1900 PF but thought the food was just okay. They did have a large variety of food which was nice but we much preferred Chef Mickey's over 1900 PF. We will be going back to CM this time too. Since you have CRT and Akershus for the princesses, maybe you would want to change it up a bit and see Mickey and gang at CM or Pooh and gang at CP? My girls will be 6 for our next trip and still love princesses too but also enjoy the other characters too.

Enjoy!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[stephroden]

I was thinking if I changed anything to change the 1900 PF from the first day to Chef Mickey's to the day that we leave for an early morning breakfast and send off. I agree that we could save a princess 1900PF for the next visit. Our flight on the last day is at 3:55. I'd like to have a half day at one of the parks before we go, so maybe an early CM?

 

[Wendy31]

I can make ADRs in one week. I am so pumped that you would think I have pure coffee running through my veins.

I'm going in September (free dining plan!), so I'm banking that if I call 180 days out that I'll be able to get the times I want. We won't have Park Hoppers, so the day at the specific park is where we'll stay to eat.
Here's my tentative schedule that I plan to use for the TS credits which will need booking pronto. I'm planning my days based on EMH to get more bang for my buck.

Sept 18, Tue (arrival day): 1900 Park Fare @5:15 (We want to go to MNSSHP afterwards. I think this will be good timing between flights and the par-tay.)

I think 1900 Park Fare is a good choice - even if you're also doing CRT & Akershus because you'll see characters at 1900 Park Fare that you won't see at the 2 other princess meals - Cinderella, Prince Charming, the stepsisters, & the stepmother (I can't remember their names!) &, I think, the Fairy Godmother is sometimes in the lobby. The reviews say the character interaction is really fun here - especially w/ the stepsisters! And I think that Prince Charming normally chooses a lucky little princess to waltz with! We've never been, because it's never "fit" into our ADR plan, but 1900 Park Fare is on my list!

That said, w/ a 5:15 pm ADR, you might not be getting in the MNSSHP early enough to maximize your time at the party. There is SO MUCH to see & do during the Halloween Party that I'm not sure I would want to start the evening w/ a long character meal. But I also understand wanting to start your trip w/ a fun character meal too! Can you do 1900 Park Fare any earlier?

Sept 19, Wed (Epcot): Akershus @ 1pm

Have you looked at the menu at allears.net? If you're worried about the food here, you could always try breakfast & maybe switch CRT to lunch. Akershus is a very pretty restaurant & has an old European "castle" feel to it. We've only been once (& that was dinner in 2005), but we enjoyed it - the character interaction was really good. My DD is sadly passed the princess stage, so now we only do CRT.

Sept 20, Thur (MK): BBB @ 8 am; CRT @ 10 am - I want to give ample time at BBB. I thought we could ride Dumbo and a few rides between our reservation if available. They have morning EMH for this date. Is this too much time?

No, I don't think it's too much time because you want your DD to have enough time in the park in her princess attire - the castmembers will be calling her "princess" & things like that. Plus, I'd want pictures of her riding & walking around dressed up like a princess.

And, again, if you're worried about the food at Akershus, you could do breakfast at Akershus & switch CRT to lunch.

Sept 21, Fri (AK): TH @9:15 (This way we could ride the Safari ride in the EMH for morning before our reservation.)

Looks good to me! Tusker House normally gets really good reviews. We went in 2006 when the AK character breakfast was located in Restaurantsauras, & it was fun. But I think there are sometimes long waits here. If you're only doing 1 Mickey character meal, I would do Chef Mickey's instead - so your DD can meet Minnie. And maybe instead just do counterservice on this day instead of your last MK day.

Sept 22, Sat (HS): H&V @10:30

Try to ride Toy Story Mania BEFORE your breakfast - Toy Story Mania gets CRAZY-CROWDED, & the rush to get fastpasses at rope drop is even more crazy.

Also, are you doing the H & V character breakfast because your DD likes the Disney Jr. characters? H & V is NOT our favorite restaurant, & is the one place DH has said "never again!"

If you wanted another fun, non-character meal, you might look at lunch at Sci-Fi - my kids love sitting in the "cars" & watching the old sci-fi clips! Plus, you can tour Disney Studios in the morning w/o breaking for breakfast - w/ all the shows at Disney Studios & the different character meet & greets, it's sometimes hard to fit everything in - & then break for a fun lunch.

I plan on doing all QS meals on the last day at MK. We're more late breakfast/brunch people. Do you see any major conflicts.

This is for my 6 yr old DD.

I also had someone tell me Akershus was horrible. She said the food was no good, and the interaction was poor. If this is true, I was going to swap my Akershus for Chef Mickey or Crystal Palace.

I don't think Akershus is horrible, &, many times, I've read reviews where people like it better than CRT. We like CRT simply because there's just something special about eating in the castle!

However, you don't have any character meals w/ Minnie Mouse! If I were you, I would try to fit Chef Mickey's in somewhere - maybe breakfast or dinner on your last day. Chef Mickey's has all 5 of the main characters - Mickey, Minnie, Donald, Goofy, & Pluto. Plus, it's a really cool restaurant w/ the monorail running through - very Disney-ish!

If you didn't want to go over your TS credits (and I understand that!), I would not do Tusker House & do Chef Mickey's instead - but that's just me. Breakfast at Chef Mickey's is one of my family's "must dos"!

Also, should I do 1900PF on day one with a dinner or plan a breakfast on the day we leave? My DD is totally into the princess characters, but is 3 (Akershus, 1900PF, CRT) too much?

Again, I don't necessarily think 3 princess meals is too much - especially since 1900 Park Fare is different w/ different characters. Your DD will only be at that "little princess" stage for so long! Trust me, I know! However, if you wanted some variety - if I were dropping one, I would probably drop Akershus - simply because you'll see the characters at CRT - unless your DD really wants to see Belle in her ballgown. (Belle's in her ballgown in the lobby at Akershus & in her blue & white dress at CRT.)

Hope this helps a bit! My ADR day is on Monday, & I'm still trying to figure out where we're eating too!

 

[chimilady]

I think you should cancel your Akershus reservation completely because so I can book the same day and same time! I don't know why everyone is scared of the lunch menu. Has their child never been to an Ikea and not had the Swedish Meatballs???

I think your ressies are great, and we have some of the same restaurants on our list.