Noob ADR Questions

[dicar123]

Hi all! I'm planning ahead to make my ADR's in December for a trip in June, and am planning for a group. Here are my questions:

Boma for breakfast: I don't know park hours yet, so is 8:00am probably good for eating and getting to the park for opening?

Crystal Palace for dinner: Character meal, is a deposit necessary?

'OHana: I have read about the Electrical Water Pageant, but no one here mentions it. Still running? Can you recommend a good time to be finishing up dinner, or finishing shortly before the water show? No entrance to MK necessary?

Hollywood and Vine: Fantasmic package: deposit necessary?

Illuminations: Is it at all necessary to have an ADR in Epcot for this? I'm thinking of snacking our way through the World, and then just standing somewhere? Bad plan?

Thanks so much!!

 

[Nancyg56]

I'll try. I can't answer your question for Boma, but there is no deposit for Crystal palace and I see no reason for a TS meal in EPCOT unless you want a sit down meal. I think the Electrical Water Pageant is still running and can be seen from the Poly around 9PM. We saw it from 'Ohana and from the beach.

 

[mdrob214]

We ate at Boma for breakfast (and dinner) in Sept. Our ressie was for 9:00 and the restaurant was not crowded at all. I don't know how crowded it was at 8, but you would have to rush your breakfast in order to eat and be at the parks for opening at 9. We were there for about 45 minutes for breakfast. When the restaurant is very busy it takes a while to get your food as the lines can get long (they did at dinner, anyway) and I for one like to sample different foods from each of the pods they have set up. If being at the parks for opening doesn't matter to you, then go and enjoy knowing you'll be there shortly after opening, but full!

As far as I remember the F! pkg. doesn't require a deposit but does require a cc# to hold your ressie. They will charge a no-show fee if you don't show up or cancel with in 48 (could be 24?) hours. Someone will be along to correct me if I am wrong!

ETA: Are you staying at the lodge? It'll be hard to get there with Disney transportation if you are not. You'll have to leave early! Also, if you are only going to AK that day, you could probably make it there by 9.

 

[dicar123]

Thanks so much for the help!

We are NOT staying on-site, which was not my decision! LOL! I understand that we cannot stay parked at the resort, but will have to drive between there and the park.

So,
Boma: as early as we can get in
No deposits for Crystal Palace or Fantasmic, but CC to hold
'Ohana for 7:30 or 8:00

The 'Ohana dinner is on a rest day, and we can park there with no problem for several hours because of the ADR. Our other meals are in the parks, so transportation shouldn't be a problem.

Am I overlooking anything big?

The group I am with are absolute last minute-no planning people, and there are so many different groups (one family I'm not even sure how many there are kids/no kids, ages, etc) that I am TOTALLY stressing out over this already!

I've tried my best to not be "The Planner", but they aren't allowing me to bow out gracefully after just giving them info.

I'm afraid it'll be a nightmare!

 

[Pakey]

I think if you have a group of non-planners, the idea of snacking your way around the World Showcase is an excellent idea. It will actually make it more fun that way.

And if you are already planning your June ADR's, you are going to be just fine. I hope your group appreciates the efforts but if they are like my group, they won't even realize how much work goes into all of this planning.