No ADR's and happy about it!

[lugnut33]

On our last 10 day trip we had 2 adrs, it was great.

 

[RainK]

I agree 100% with the OP. I just said to my DH that our next trip we are NOT making any ADR. It's almost impossible to plan them 6 months out (Which is what we do to get the best times) and it totally interfers with the daily activities.

We always seem to have to stop what we are doing and go to the TS just to wait 20 minutes to sit down. It wastes sooo much time!
Plus, unless you have hopper tickets, if you make a ADR at a park restaurant, then we HAVE TO go to that park that day. Even if you decide you'd rather go on a different day once your on vacation.

We historically use the DP and feel like we HAVE TO use the TS meals and make dinner ressies nightly...and it's #1 too much eating #2 food is not all that great #3 wastes sooo much time # 4 causes stress to get the the restaurants on time and #5 you have to schedule around TS locations and times.

 

[goofy4tink]

I do that when it's either just me, or perhaps just my dd with me. BUT...when my dh is with us, it's all about the eating. He isn't a huge fan of attractions, but he is a huge fan of eating. So, we make at least one ADR per day. No stress involved at all.
In fact, for my Dec trip the only dining stress I had was wanting to get CP pkg for Neil Patrick Harris.
My trip in Oct?? Deluxe dining plan baby!!! Two couples traveling...eating is part of the fun for us this time around. Lots and lots of signature dining.

But, man those trips without ADRs??? Not so bad at all.

 

[mommyrosa2]

I think that's great although I don't understand what is so stressful about making an ADR. We like to plan but are not "super planners". We do like to take advantage of EMH but are not bound to any particular park on any given day. The only ADR's we plan are for dinners but we have often "tweaked" ressies given our moods during vacation. I don't find making ADR's in advance stressful at all nor do I feel compelled to keep the ones I do make if we change our minds... we too like to go "go with the flow".

 

[momof3poohlovers]

I have to admit I am jealous! I am so anal about planning everything out. It is so hard for me to just relax and go with the flow. I really need to try this one trip. I hope it works out for you.

 

[ash&abby'smom]

I have to admit I am jealous! I am so anal about planning everything out. It is so hard for me to just relax and go with the flow. I really need to try this one trip. I hope it works out for you.

I use to be that way too. I have to say after doing it once, I can't see myself going back to the plan everyday out. It was so nice not having to worry about what time it was and making sure we were heading to an ADR for a specific time. It just made for a more relaxing trip for us.

 

[deuceswild10]

We did this and it sounded great until we absolutely could not find one place to eat dinner in Epcot, everything was booked, and CS lines were out the door. We ended up eating bread in France. Not good for a dinner meal.

 

[amylock]

We did the QSDP last year (first ever dining plan) and loved it! We ate whenever we felt like it, wherever we were. My son was 18 at the time and there were times he felt like eating and we didn't. The QS was so convenient. We struggled over which dining plan to try and we were so pleased! (not saying one must do a dining plan to have a good experience).

In October we have a split stay - POFQ the first night and then Saratoga Springs the rest of our stay. We are doing the Deluxe plan the first night, so we have 2 ADRs for the first 2 nights only (as the plan expires midnight 2nd day). We are excited to try the ADRs those nights. Personally, I can't imagine ADRs for the entire trip. Being tied down to a schedule for EATING is so unappealing to me. I realize a lot of people love it - so I am not knocking that at all.

Enjoy your trip and let everyone know how you liked it!

Amy

 

[dvcHammer]

...We ended up eating bread in France. Not good for a dinner meal.

Having a baguette and a glass of wine in France actually sounds pretty good right about now as I clean up debris from the hurricane... I may plan that for dinner at home tonight! Very European.

 

[Grumpy92]

Please do a report when you return so we know how things went.

 

[goofyintoronto]

We also don't make ADR's unless it is for something like a dinner show, dessert party, etc. When we do want to have a TS meal, we do use our cell phones to check for restaurant availability while we are in the park, and have been able to get reservations for that day at one of our restaurant choices. I look for available restaurants for our desired meal at the park or location where we wish to dine. There are only two of us, so it might be easier to do. We might not be able to get our first choice, but we have gotten one of the restaurants that we wanted to try and haven't been disappointed yet by what we were able to get.

I agree, as we do the same thing. we wing it. There is also just the two of us, just me and my DS11. And we are flexible where we wanna eat, we're not very picky about the cuisine or time. That helps. I have walked up to many great places and was granted a table....Teppan Edo, Rose/Crown, Raglan Road, TRex, Sci Fi, Tony's (awful food), etc. I agree with making one or two special ADR's, but wing it with the rest. you will have a much better vacay, stress free.

 

[AbbyPan]

awesome, wish i could do this.

We are a party of 9- if i didn't make ADR's I would be so stressed trying to fit everyone in. For us, its stress free knowing everything's planned and all we have to do is show up.

Have fun!