***Official February 2017 Thread***

[Dreamport]

Is it just me, or is planning for next February really hard? I usually have a pretty good idea of park days, etc., by this time (ADR day is Monday), but, man, Disney...

How is anyone else approaching park days/ADRs with the limited info on park hours/best days?

It's not just you. I can understand why Josh at EasyWDW is holding off on that February calendar (same suspicions about changes), but if Disney wants us to book things THIS FAR in advance then they either need to get their act together or tighten the window. (Would 90 days out really hurt them?)

I'm approaching this as one of those baddies who hoards reservations. Dining plan or no, any TS meals will be out of pocket for us so we're discussing one PPO (pre-park opening) breakfast and one lunch as a group, then going separate ways for a nice dinner. I'll just book one for each meal of the day each day of the week and then release once we're closer to the FP+ window. At least this year I won't have to book those on Christmas Eve morning! I can only book one day at a time instead of the whole week at once without a room reservation, right?

 

[karly05]

Yep, we have to make ADRs one day at a time if no resort reservation. My biggest issue is, I have at least a couple of days where I expect to be eating a late lunch, which will mean a later dinner. On my tentative day plan, one of those days is when I hope to see SW fireworks. I'm wondering if I should just assume 8 - 8:15 is a logical start time for SW in Feb. maybe I should move that "weird meal timing day" to the end of the week.

 

[MamaMaleficent2016]

My ADRs are done! Yay. Although I am sure I will make changes between now and then. We got everything we wanted. So excited.

As far as planning... It's the fireworks and night shows that are unclear for now. But we have park hoppers and 11 nights to work with, which makes it a little less stressful. I would like to be able to finish that plan.

Hope everyone else's ADR planning is going well!

 

[AaronInWI]

yes that occurred to me also- and should i arrange drive way clearing for the week just in case??? i guess if i don't arrange it i will need it lol.

That thought has crossed my mind as well. I thought maybe just arrange for it on the day I return home. But if we have 2 feet of snow while we're gone? Or I do have a nephew who lives in the next town over. Maybe I pay him a $15 "retainer", and then $10 every time he clears the driveway? But, he's only 15 and would need a ride every time. I haven't decided yet what I'm going to do.

My ADRs are done! Yay. Although I am sure I will make changes between now and then. We got everything we wanted. So excited.

As far as planning... It's the fireworks and night shows that are unclear for now. But we have park hoppers and 11 nights to work with, which makes it a little less stressful. I would like to be able to finish that plan.

Hope everyone else's ADR planning is going well!

Congrats on getting all the ADR's you wanted! Our window opens on Thursday, and the only one I'm going to make sure I get is Plaza Restaurant for lunch our first day in the parks. In five previous trips, we've had our first meal at Plaza Restaurant every time. With their limited ADR availability, I want to make sure we keep that tradition alive.

 

[Sherrkel]

Hi Everyone!
Celebrated the 200 day mark today by booking CBR - 2/24-3/8/2017 - longest trip yet AND first of two planned for 2017 (a return to Food and Wine in Oct 2017 hopefully).
Yippee for me and DH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[AaronInWI]

Quick update...

We are officially booked for February! We ended up renting points at BLT, Feb 7-13. We were able to rent points for a 1-bedroom Lake View for slightly more than a cash reservation for a studio Lake View, and about the same as a Lake View at the Contemporary. Oh, and we're now under 180 days until we depart for the drive down!

 

[karly05]

Woohoo! Booked my first 2 ADRs for next February and got what I wanted! I still don't have a resort reservation (and don't plan to until discounts come out, hopefully in early October), but I'm all set for my Annual Pizza Night at Via Napoli, and my 2nd visit to Hollywood Brown Derby so I can try the other 3 dessert choices.

Quick tip: To get the lunch time I wanted at HBD, I had to book the meal for 2, but I was then able to go back in and edit my reservation down to 1. (I know I could just show up with 1, but I'd rather have the right number to start with.)

Tomorrow's goal is to look for a good breakfast in the MK area. Hoping for 1900PF, will take a PPO CP if it comes up, and am happy with the Wave if I can't get the others. Tuesday and Thursday are my "good breakfast" days, and I really want 1900PF for Thursday, but I figure if I can score one for Tuesday I'd better grab it.

Still looking for Tiffins lunch (can book on Friday). I want a Wave lunch for Tues or Thurs, whichever day I don't end up there for breakfast, but that's an easy one to score. I think that PF breakfast is the most difficult thing I'm going for this year.

2 ADRs may not sound like much, but I finally feel like THE TRIP IS ON!!!

 

[KSellers88]

Hi y'all! My mom and I are booked at the POP from 2/24 through 3/2. I will be running the Princess half marathon and 10k so we will have a few early mornings! We have been in early March before and were very happy with the weather and crowds. I am trying to work on our dining reservations and plans now, which is always so challenging this far out but so exciting!! Can't wait to plan with everyone!

 

[Canooknic]

All ADRs done.....well, it's only 3 actually, we aren't big planners so only do the first few days and then go where the mood takes us after that! We've never had a problem getting a table anywhere in February, once we waited about 20 minutes for T-Rex but that's the only time it's been more than around 5 minutes - maybe we're just super lucky???

 

[AaronInWI]

Booked two ADR's this morning. Our tradition since our first trip on our honeymoon 11 years ago, is to eat lunch at Plaza Restaurant on our first day in the parks. So I got that one booked. 11:50. Easy peasy.

Then I had a difficult decision to make - where to go on my birthday? I'm an adventurous eater, but my wife is not. I wanted to go some place new, with a casual dress code, but certainly not a TS place. We discussed a few options at Epcot because we've eaten everywhere that interests us at Magic Kingdom. I was really interested in a few places there, particularly Via Napoli, but she decided she was unsure about the food at any of them. (Again, she is not adventurous at all. If it isn't typical American style pizza, she's leery about trying it.) So while disappointed, I knew I wouldn't be able to enjoy my meal if she didn't like hers. So in the end, I decided on Beaches & Cream, mainly because I really wanted a No Way Jose for my birthday dessert. (Incidentally, Beaches & Cream was actually my first idea when we decided to take this trip a couple months ago.) I scored a 6:00 pm ADR there; I just don't know if we'll stay at Epcot for the fireworks, or head back to Magic Kingdom (our favorite park) after we eat.

I tried to book Hoop Dee Doo Revue for midweek, but the site was telling me nothing was available. I checked the other days of our trip, and nothing was available on any of them. I knew there was no way the entire week would be booked for every show, so I did a little digging and found a buried thread on here where lots of people are having this problem. Depending on who you believe, it is either a glitchy system, an ongoing or future rehab, or a reduction in the number of shows each night that is causing this. I'll be patient and hope something opens up soon, but I need to come up with a Plan B for our third ADR. (We only ever do three per trip - Plaza lunch, Hoop Dee Doo, and one other dinner ADR.) But the important ones are booked - first day lunch and my birthday.

 

[Dreamport]

Hi y'all! My mom and I are booked at the POP from 2/24 through 3/2. I will be running the Princess half marathon and 10k so we will have a few early mornings! We have been in early March before and were very happy with the weather and crowds. I am trying to work on our dining reservations and plans now, which is always so challenging this far out but so exciting!! Can't wait to plan with everyone!

Pop Century during the last week of February HIGH FIVE!! Not that we're booked just yet but the plane tickets are!

I was really interested in a few places there, particularly Via Napoli, but she decided she was unsure about the food at any of them. (Again, she is not adventurous at all. If it isn't typical American style pizza, she's leery about trying it.)

Glad you found someplace nice for your birthday celebration! I can't be certain (never been), but you may have dodged a rocky night with Via Napoli. Something must be up if my full-blooded Italian Gramma won't go near the restaurants at the Italy pavilion. Mom apparently knows the story behind this but I've still yet to be told about it.

 

[karly05]

Finished making all the ADRs I'm going to book for now. I still want a good dinner for my arrival night (hopefully Jiko, it would be my first time there) but plan to wait until I'm actually there to make a last-minute ADR. And I know I will want a good dinner for my last evening, but waiting a while to decide on that.

I am doing:
Breakfast at The Wave (loved it last trip)
Breakfast at 1900PF (booked it last trip and had to cancel because I got sick - fingers crossed for this time!)
Lunch at Hollywood Brown Derby (loved it last trip; gotta try the other 3 desserts)
Lunch at Tiffins (first time)
Lunch at The Wave (last trip I loved breakfast so much I booked dinner on the same trip; loved that so much I decided I needed to try lunch)
Dinner at Via Napoli (annual tradition: Quattro Formaggi, Tiramisu and Strawberry Aqua Fresca)

Other than the first night's and last night's dinners TBD, the rest will be QS. (Have to get my Lamb Shawarma Platter!)

Now to wait for dicounts to come out so I can book my room.

 

[MamaMaleficent2016]

Welcome @Sherrkel and @KSellers88 , I've added you to the roll call in Post 2. Glad to have you planning with us.

@AaronInWI , I have you as definite at BLT ! Woohoo!

 

[GirlOutlaw]

Booked ADRs today!

02/13/17 Chef Mickeys 8:20am
02/17/17 50's Prime Time 2:00pm
02/19/17 SciFi DriveIn 2:30pm
02/21/17 TRex 2:15pm
02/22/17 Jungle Navigation 6:25pm
02/24/17 1900 Park Fare 6:10pm
Also Booked Pirates League for 02/22/17 9:00am

 

[cmarsh31]

So close - ADRs on Monday! I'm ridiculously excited! We have a split stay, so I'm hoping for a lot of pixie dust to let me book the whole week. Trying online first, then I'll call when the phones open up if I have to... my dream list:
2/19 PPO Crystal Palace
2/19 BOG late lunch
2/21 Mama Melrose F! early Dinner or 50s
2/22 Yak & Yeti Dinner
2/20 Cape May Breakfast
2/20 Via Napoli Early Dinner
2/25 PPO Akershus
2/24 - BOG Dinner or lunch
2/26 'Ohana Breakfast
2/23 1900 Dinner

 

[robo42053]

February 26th to March 5th POLY

 

[LindseyJo22]

Hello all! We are heading down in February for the Princess Half Weekend and are 7 days from our ADR date today

We are trying out the dining plan, so I'm thinking our 2 TS meals are going to be 'Ohana and maybe 1900 Park Fare for dinner. We're also going to try to get a BOG breakfast (not PPO probably so that we aren't rushing), and a BOG lunch on Sunday after the race, so I'm hoping the crowds don't make this too difficult if I follow my usual "book as soon as humanly possible" routine. I just realized that all of our meals are actually going to require ADRs because our CS choices are both BOG

Any ideas about booking strategy? We're coming down that Friday night and leaving after the race and lunch on Sunday, so it's a very short trip but we're wanting to maximize the value of the DDP as much as we can!

 

[Smoky]

Saving this post for Roll Call! Tell us your dates and/or resort and we'll add you to the list!
***Updated July 20***

MamaMaleficent2016 Jan 29- Feb 3 Poly, Feb 3-10 BCV
karly05 POFQ Feb 4-11
Canooknic POR Feb 4-18
thksphoenicians OKW Feb 25-Mar 4
Elevationist ASM Feb 20-25
Sandy Mouse Pop Feb 4-12
AChameleon CBR Feb 25- Mar 1
MuttonJeff AKL Jan 24-Feb 7
amberdc1987 POP Feb 25- Mar 4
cyndiella POP Feb 12-16
GirlOutlaw AoA Feb 12-25
Dreamport POP Feb 26 - Mar 4
Mouselovejess ??? Feb 10-17
Michelle82 POP Feb 25-Mar 6
atir2002 POP Feb 25- Mar 4
AaronInWI BLT Feb 7-13
jgeib CBR Jan 29- Feb 6
hodad Offsite Feb 20- 28
babiipiggiex3 Offsite Feb 16- 25
cmarsh31 BVC & OKW Feb 18- 26
6travel AoA Jan 29- Feb 4
judypriv MAYBE!
jpeden BLT Feb 12-17
awaydrink POR Feb 2- Feb 8
Disneycolada Feb 26- Mar 8 AKL, SoG, BCV
Arkland Feb 15-20 CBR
beck00 Feb 25-Mar 2 CSR
3mscott Feb 1 - Feb 9 POR
sagamba Feb 18 - Feb 25 POFQ
Sherrkel CBR Feb 24- Mar 8
KSellers88 POP Feb 24 - Mar 2

 

[Smoky]

Feb 11-19

 

[cmarsh31]

Hello all! We are heading down in February for the Princess Half Weekend and are 7 days from our ADR date today

We are trying out the dining plan, so I'm thinking our 2 TS meals are going to be 'Ohana and maybe 1900 Park Fare for dinner. We're also going to try to get a BOG breakfast (not PPO probably so that we aren't rushing), and a BOG lunch on Sunday after the race, so I'm hoping the crowds don't make this too difficult if I follow my usual "book as soon as humanly possible" routine. I just realized that all of our meals are actually going to require ADRs because our CS choices are both BOG

Any ideas about booking strategy? We're coming down that Friday night and leaving after the race and lunch on Sunday, so it's a very short trip but we're wanting to maximize the value of the DDP as much as we can!

All I know about booking strategy is that it's 180 days, it's 5:50am, and my laptop, cell phone, coffee, & I are on the couch READY TO GO!