New Year's ADRs - suggestions please?!

[sailorgirl922]

Hello, all! This is my first post, so please be kind.

I've been to WDW many times with my family, and we always have ADRs for most nights of our stays. I'm planning a 6-day (12/30-1/4) trip for myself and DBoyfriend over the new year holiday after I graduate college, before I ship out to bootcamp for the Navy in mid January, so the whole thing is kind of a last hurrah for me and him.

We both have annual passes, I have yet to book our savannah-view room at AKL, but have been assured availability by a friend; I want to go ahead and make my ADRs before those get filled up. I haven't seen anything about New Year's 2010 on pretty much any site, I was wondering if anyone had heard about specials they would be running around that time? Also, we were planning on spending that night in Epcot, so I would love to know about any particular restaurants there, we love to try new and different things.

A note - I'll be 21 by then, but he won't be until February, I am interested in toasting in the New Year, do you think that would be a problem? This is my first time planning a trip by myself, rather than commenting on my wonderful mother's time managing skills, and I'm at a bit of a loss. Also, is it possible to get a dining plan without MYW tickets as long as you have a resort reservation? Thanks so much for any planning tips!

 

[Halle]

Thank you for keeping our country safe. Congratulations on your upcoming graduation and on your first post on the DIS.
ADR's can be made 180 days out for guests staying on property. You will need to book your hotel first. Honestly availability is here one minute and gone the next especially at NY's so I'd book that ASAP.
Good luck.

 

[sailorgirl922]

Okay, so I've made my deposit for the hotel room, and have in my head a basic itinerary. Here goes:

Day 1 (Dec30th) - Spend the day in Animal Kingdom, close to the resort, and head back to the AKL by 7:15 for ADR at Jiko's (I just got ADRs, should I switch to Boma's? I've heard mixed reviews) and relaxation by the hot tubs, a great way to start off the trip. Where should we go for lunch in the park?

Day 2 (Dec31st) - Get to Epcot early and take the morning / day for Future World, and start making our way through the countries in the evening, stopping at Biergarten for ADR at 8, hopefully get a good spot to watch fireworks - any recommendations on a good stop for lunch, not necessarily one that needs ADRs?

Day 3 (Jan1st) - Thinking of breakfast inside MK - heard good things about CP and CRT, what are your thoughts? Probably stay the whole day, I would still be worried about park hopping, and lunch at one of the quick service places, unless anyone knows some place that wouldn't be packed. I like a traditional meal for New Year's Day, any idea which restaurants will have something like that, maybe Liberty Tavern? I was thinking of California Grill, but I believe they still have a holiday menu-only that would be $400 per person, and I'm not on that big of a budget.

Day 4 (Jan2nd) - Hopefully the crowds will have started to disperse a bit and we can enjoy MGM, I want to try for Fantasmic! ADRs at Brown & Derby or Mama Melrose, but haven't found a time sheet for which days it's available that far ahead yet, anyone else?

Day 5 (Jan3rd) - During the day, I want to do AK & Epcot again, probably Le Chefs de France or Le Cellier for dinner, but I've never been to either.

Day 6 (Jan4th) - Last day, so of course MK, maybe Tony's before we do the night drive back to Jax, but nothing in concrete so far.

Are there any restaurants that are an absolute must for you? I've only ever done Disney quickservice or character dining with the family (we've always had young ones with us we weren't willing to take to the nicer places), and I'm excited to get to try some of the finer dining that Disney has to offer, but I don't want to spend more than $60 for each of us ($120 total) each night for dinner choices. I was contemplating making some ADRs for lunch times, but then I would feel too confined by time, and would be too worried about making my ADR to really enjoy the parks. I've only got the two ADRs so far, mainly because I'm not positive which places are best for a young couple on a bit of a budget. Any help at all is very welcome!

 

[sailorgirl922]

Ok, so booked the regular DDP, and made ADRs at CP for breakfast on the 1st. Any other recommendations for places to eat during the week? I'm thinking of switching New Year's Eve dinner from Biergarten to Le Chefs de France, but have no idea which would be better for the holiday. Please help!

 

[hart6066]

I think you'll have a great time--just remember that Epcot will be PACKED on NYE--it is a big park so it can take a lot of people, but by dinner time/fireworks it will be very hard to move around.

I really like CS at Sunshine Seasons in the Land part of Epcot--especially on the DDP--their desserts are AMAZING and it's not your average burger CS. It might fit well with your plans if you want an early lunch. If you stick with CS for lunch on NYE eat early--they will be mobbed! As for dinner, I haven't done Biergarten. It is a buffet, so think about that, but I think it has a great show that could be a lot of fun. I really like Chefs but it is like a bistro--very bright and noisy--not sure what best fits what you like. Be sure to check out their menus on allears.

I think you also asked for CS ideas at AK--we really like Flame Tree BBQ. The only thing is that there is no inside seating. We go to Disney at that time every year (we'll be there on the 29th or 30th!) and one year it was way too cold to eat outside!!! So we ate at Pizzafari instead! Yak and Yeti also has really good CS--we usually get a rice dish as a snack on the DDP.

Have a great time!

 

[sailorgirl922]

How could I have forgotten?! That's the one that's mainly natural/organic, right? We actually were planning on having dinner there when we went down for a daytrip a few weeks ago, it totally slipped my mind that we never made it there and should try it, thank you!! And we'll probably be on a bit of an earlier schedule, so that should work out perfectly! I'm kind of a fan of shows and whatnot, and never in all my years have we done Biergarten, it's not my mom's taste. I'm looking forward to raising a glass, however, and I think I'll leave that one alone... for now

Kind of looking forward to the crowds on NYE, haven't done anything festive in years, so it should be a good time, just wondering if there's a certain place that would be best to see the Epcot fireworks, I've never stayed late in that park either (again, we've always opted for more kid-friendly).

The only place I've actually eaten in AK is Tusker for breakfast, and it was definitely fun. AK is one of my faves, personally, but not so much for DB, so I'm trying to make it as great for him as possible - we're flip flops in all weather kind of people so the BBQ could be a good time, maybe there'll be enough people to keep us warm

Thanks so much for your help, it's so nice to have other peoples' experience on your side when planning events you want to remember!

 

[Chokky]

Thank you for keeping our country safe. Congratulations on your upcoming graduation and on your first post on the DIS.
ADR's can be made 180 days out for guests staying on property. You will need to book your hotel first. Honestly availability is here one minute and gone the next especially at NY's so I'd book that ASAP.
Good luck.

ADR's can actually start to be made at 190 days out (one day at a time) online but 180 +10 days if you call.

 

[hart6066]

One more thing--this is just my opinion, but I would NOT do Boma. We have done it 2x because we LOVE AKL--we don't stay there but Boma gives us a chance for the kids to spend some time there. Even with the fun of being at the lodge (def do the night watching of the animals with the night goggles!) I would never do Boma again. I think buffets are just hard in general--if it's a character meal or breakfast I think it's doable, but if you're primarily going for the food, I would skip it. IMO there really was nothing interesting in the food, either. The only thing is that I think Jiko's is a 2TS meal, so build that into your plan if you decide to go there. Have fun!

 

[sailorgirl922]

Yeah, I saw that about Jiko's - was thinking about upgrading from DDP to DxDP, just in case we decide to do some other nice places. What are your thoughts? Can you suggest some other places to use those extra credits? 14 meals over 6 days might be too much food for walking around the parks in crowds, also the more TSs, the more ADRs I have to make, the less time I have to spend in the park riding things. What do you think?

 

[NSL]

Kidani Villas also has Saana, which is 1TS. If you opt out of Boma and do not want to use 2TS for Jiko you may want to give it a try. I have also heard good things about Yak and Yeti in the park, although I have never tried it. Have you thought about Le Cellier while at Epcot? It is one of my favorites. May want to try Kona or Ohana's while at MK, it is a quick monorail ride away from the park. Kona is a personal favorite!

 

[sailorgirl922]

I had considered LeCellier, but I don't think it would be DBF's cup of tea. When we stayed at Poly last summer with the fam, I loved Kona, too! Maybe we'll go over for breakfast one morning, but I would hate to leave the parks early or in the middle of the day just to eat, it's not my style. Thanks so much for reminding me, tho!

*EDIT*
Just booked Fantasmic! for Sunday, Jan 2nd at Brown Derby, I was looking for Mama Melrose but they had nothing left I've never been here, what is the experience like?

 

[sailorgirl922]

Thanks for the Sanaa's tip, too, I just switched from Jiko's to that because of the TS difference!