My first attempt at ADR

[billnang]

I have been checking out the boards and getting wonderful advice from all of you. I have decided to post my ADR and see what you all think. I will be going in May, with my DH and 4 children, ages 10, 9, 2, 1 and my neice who is 19. Our 5 yr anniversary dinner I did have the Liberty Tree, but I changed my mind. Please give my your opinions on this. this is the first time ever planning dinners, and plans. We are going to try to take a break during the afternoons for the little ones to nap, or they may just fall asleep in a stroller. We are thinking of buying to umbrella strollers so we will have for walking in DD, or to the bus and the hotel. Opinions on this??? My DH is a steak and potatoe kind of guy, no sauces, nothing out of the ordinary...this is why I tried to get more buffets. We do have 8 days hoppers, the water parks and dinning.

The reservations I think I am set on are as follows.

Wednesday, (Arrival Day) -
Lunch -
*Dinner - Table Service, 5:40 at Crystal Palace - Magic Kingdom


Thursday, - Animal Kingdom/Magic Kingdom
*Breakfast - Table Service, 9:30 at Donald’s Breakfastosaurus - Animal Kingdom
Lunch -
*Dinner - Table Service, 6:20 Liberty Tree -Magic Kingdom


Friday, - MGM
Breakfast -
Lunch -
*Dinner - Table Service, 4:40 Hollywood and Vine/ Fantastic - MGM

Saturday, - Magic Kingdom *OUR ANNIVERSARY*
*Breakfast - Table Service, 10:10am at Cinderella’s Royal Table - Magic Kingdom OOP
Lunch -
*Dinner - Table Service, 6:00 at Concourse Steakhouse - Contemporary

Sunday, EPCOT
Breakfast -
Lunch -
*Dinner - Table Service, 5:10 at Chef Mickey’s - Contemporary


Monday,
*Breakfast - Table Service, 9:10am at ‘Ohana - Polynesian
Lunch -
Dinner -


Tuesday, - Magic Kingdom
Lunch -
*Dinner - Table Service, 6:10 at 1900 Park Fare - Grand Floridian


Wednesday, (Departure Day) -
Breakfast -
Lunch -
Leave Hotel at 3:00

Thank you,
Angela

 

[JimMIA]

Your choices look great. The only thing I see is -- if my math is correct -- you are staying 7 nights and have 10 TS meals.

You can accommodate that if not everyone is going to all meals, or if you do a good bit of sharing and saving credits, or if you simply pay OOP for some meals. Personally, my choice for paying OOP would be Cindy's.

You will also be able to use some of the "heavier" CS places for big meals -- like the chicken & rib platter at Cosmic Ray's, for example.

It certainly looks like a trip to remember! Have a great time.

 

[billnang]

Thank you!!!

I plan on paying OOP for CRT and for Ohanas. I just added Ohanas today because my son loves Lilo and Stitch and I am sure he would love that dining experience. As far at CRT... I was shocked to get a reservation now and to have it on our Anniversary... I think it will be fun! and possibly something we never do again seeing I hear it is hard to get in to.

Seeing I am doing mostly buffets, I won't be able to share!
Oh well that is OK, This is the first time we have ever done a trip like this before!

Angela

 

[JimMIA]

Have you given any thought to what you will do next year to top this?

 

[billnang]

Nope, but if I enjoy this, I may have to do it again next year.
My only thing I question with my ressies are on My Anniversary... I go back and forth with should I do a nice sit down dinner at the Concourse Steakhouse, (because DH like steak and I hear this is a good meal)or go with a Character meal? Thoughts?!?!?

 

[thunderbird1]

I think you did a great job! One question--where are you staying? I only ask because you have 7/9 meals at MK area restaurants. If you aren't staying near the MK and end up going back to the room for an afternoon nap, you're going to spend a lot of time on busses.

As for the strollers, some people like the doubles, others find them too wide and bulky. Some prefer two singles, others find it too inconvenient to have to manage 2 separate strollers. It's really a matter of personal preference. If you go with umbrella-style strollers (which I find much easier than the bigger or jogging ones), buy good ones, not the cheapest you can find. Make sure it's comfortable to push, especially if you're on the tall side, and that it corners well. If you can find one with a storage basket underneath, so much the better.

Finally, as for your anniversary, you already have a lot of character meals, including CRT that morning, so I'd stick with the sit-down TS meal for a change of pace. Have fun!

 

[JimMIA]

Nope, but if I enjoy this, I may have to do it again next year.
My only thing I question with my ressies are on My Anniversary... I go back and forth with should I do a nice sit down dinner at the Concourse Steakhouse, (because DH like steak and I hear this is a good meal)or go with a Character meal? Thoughts?!?!?

I think your Anniversary ADRs are great. I would NOT do two character meals in one day -- you and DH will be babbling at each other if you do.

Actually, the only caution I would make with your plans is not to burn the little folks out. There is such a thing as the "MK Meltdown," and it's not a pretty sight!

Disney is a HUGE amount of stimulation for a little kid -- much more than for an adult. If you want to experience a small taste of it, just sit on the curb on Main Street and look at all the movement, colors, and sounds -- it's really tough on a little kid, and it's constant. And the trouble with them is they get tired, take a power-nap, and then they're right back going again. They do that to the point that they get absolutely exhausted...and they either completely crash, or they explode. Take it slow and easy with the little guys.

 

[billnang]

Thank you for the advice.

We are staying at the POP.

Now day 1 I figure we will hang out at the resort and then hed to MK and do dinner.
Day 2//Start at AK, and then hop to MK
Day 3 Resort for the afternoon and then go to MGM for the evening.
Day 4 Anniv day, MK, and then dinner Concourse.
Day 5 being Epcot then to Chef Mickeys on the monorail?!?!
Day 6 ohana, then resort or water park, not really sure,
Day 7 MK then Park Fare.

Now if the kids sleep in a stroller, which I hope they will they are good sleepers and don't mind the stroller. We are looking at a Kolcraft sport lightweight that will recline.

Will it be bad on the buses? Should I consider renting a van? Will we be able to park easy and get around faster?
ANY input will be so appreciated.
Thank you
Angela

 

[thunderbird1]

Thank you for the advice.

We are staying at the POP.

Now day 1 I figure we will hang out at the resort and then hed to MK and do dinner.
Day 2//Start at AK, and then hop to MK
Day 3 Resort for the afternoon and then go to MGM for the evening.
Day 4 Anniv day, MK, and then dinner Concourse.
Day 5 being Epcot then to Chef Mickeys on the monorail?!?!
Day 6 ohana, then resort or water park, not really sure,
Day 7 MK then Park Fare.

Now if the kids sleep in a stroller, which I hope they will they are good sleepers and don't mind the stroller. We are looking at a Kolcraft sport lightweight that will recline.

Will it be bad on the buses? Should I consider renting a van? Will we be able to park easy and get around faster?
ANY input will be so appreciated.
Thank you
Angela

Day 5--Epcot then to Chef Mickey's on monorails. You'll take one from Epcot to the TTC, then transfer to another to go to the resort. Not a big deal (kids can stay in the stroller the whole time), but it can be time consuming.

I think you'll do fine with the stroller on the busses. You'll have you, dh, another adult (niece) and your 9 and 10 year olds to help you. You *might* be able to save a little time driving your own van, sometimes, but you'll still have to fold up the stroller for the parking lot trams at most of the parks. Personally, I find it much more stressful to drive myself. It's not so much the driving, but the navigating--where do we turn? where do we park? where did we park? how do we get back to the resort? did we miss the exit? There's something blissfully relaxing in knowing there's a whole fleet of busses just waiting to magically transport me where ever I want to go.

 

[billnang]

Thank you so much, I didn't realize I needed different monorails.

I am still up in the air about paying 200.00 for CRT and then a TS the same day.

Any suggestions.

 

[emlutz23]

Thank you so much, I didn't realize I needed different monorails.

I am still up in the air about paying 200.00 for CRT and then a TS the same day.

Any suggestions.

If it were me, I would rather use 2 TS meals for CRT. Think about how great it will be to get that check and know that it's already paid for!

My suggestion would then to get rid of 2 of your other TS meals and replace them with CS meals you pay OOP for. That would leave you with paying OOP for Ohana's as well. It will save you some money and may force you to slow down a bit for the sake of the youngest ones. Have you thought about eating some CS meals at POP? Our first trip with kids, my DS was just turning 2 and my other DS was 10 months and heading back to the resort for a meal was great, for all of us!

 

[billnang]

Thank you..Good Thought, because I am certainly not looking to see how much money I can spend.
Honestly the whole reason for the dining package was so we weren't spending a ton of money in Disney for food, and that it was kind of taken care of.

For me, going to CRT for my anniversary is exciting and maybe that would and should be our main Anniversary meal!

Thank you.
Angela

 

[billnang]

I think your Anniversary ADRs are great. I would NOT do two character meals in one day -- you and DH will be babbling at each other if you do.

Actually, the only caution I would make with your plans is not to burn the little folks out. There is such a thing as the "MK Meltdown," and it's not a pretty sight!

Disney is a HUGE amount of stimulation for a little kid -- much more than for an adult. If you want to experience a small taste of it, just sit on the curb on Main Street and look at all the movement, colors, and sounds -- it's really tough on a little kid, and it's constant. And the trouble with them is they get tired, take a power-nap, and then they're right back going again. They do that to the point that they get absolutely exhausted...and they either completely crash, or they explode. Take it slow and easy with the little guys.

This is really a thought that never crossed my mind.
Thank you for that advice.

Back to looking over the plans!

 

[leslieseagle]

as far as strollers go, I am sure that there is a thread somewhere around here that gives suggestions about the best ones. I loved our Chico Caddy. It was a sturdier umbrella stroller. It reclined, and it had good wheels that could lock or unlock depending on the terrain. Also, it had a rain cover, which is always nice incase of an afternoon downpour.