Please, please help me! I am Begging You!! :)

[Albertan mom]

I am having second thoughts on our ADRs.

Dilemma #1
I had booked Chef Mickeys for 5:30 tuesday night. We were going Parasailing at 1:00-1:45, then driving the little speedboats from 2:00-3:00. Now what do we do for 2.5 hours at the Contemporary resort until we eat??
----Sooooo I thought of changing it to breakfast, 10:00 or so, then doing the activities after that, then we have the rest of the day to go to MK.
BUT- we have Donalds Breakfast, and Crystal Palace already booked on the friday and sunday before. So is that too much character eating, and too much breakfast buffets? (kids are 8 and 11, there are 8 of us in the party aged up to 55)

Dilemma #2
We have ADRs for Planet Hollywood at 5:15 one night. I want to change it to another night, but we can't get a good time. What is a good place to eat at after we do Typhoon Lagoon that day? I thought it would be handy dandy to head over to DTD after watersliding, eat, shop etc.. that night. But I can't get in at a decent time to PHollywood. Where to eat? (If I can even get in anywhere that night..) Wolfgangs?

Dilemma #3
I have us booked to eat at Maya Grill after watersliding at Blizzard Beach at 5:45. Is that a good choice? I thought Coronado was close, and that would be a good choice for supper. Is it? Or should we go to Boma instead? Or just go back to eat at All Stars food court? Are Boma or Maya good choices with kids? Is it going to take long to get from BB to those resorts?

Dilemma #4
We are booked at Biergarten at 5:45. But I really wanted to get into Le Cellier (being Canadian eh!!) but of course, couldn't get in there for supper. But I can get in for lunch. Is that too heavy of a meal, eating there at 11:30, or 1:00, then eating at Biergarten later that night at 5:45? I heard that Le Cellier takes 2 hours, and we would spend 2 hours at Biergarten, so that is 4 hours, gone from our only Epcot day. Is that too much time in restaurants?

Any help with my dilemmas would be greatly greatly appreciated!! thanks

*Edited to add--I also hear that WCCafe is a blast. Where can I fit that in? Is it worth changing things around for? Do they serve all three meals? thanks

 

[Lynne M]

To answer most of your questions, I'd need to know if you'll have a car, or will be using Disney transportation to get around?

For item #4, I can't imagine how it would possibly take 2 hours to eat at any of the theme park restaurants. They are high volume, and quick to turn their tables over - they have to be, with the number of people who need to be fed in the parks. When I last ate at Le Cellier, it couldn't have taken more than an hour.

 

[CheshireVal]

Dilemma #1: Spend time at the arcade... it's the best on property. The shops at the Contemporary are also really fun, and I personally would take the time to enjoy a beverage (and the view of the lake) at Outer Rim Lounge.

Dilemma #2: Have you given any thought to Raglan Road? The food is great, even if you aren't really into the whole pub thing.

Dilemma #3: Go to Boma. Maya Grill isn't anything that special, and certainly not worth an extra trip for if you're not staying at Coronado. And Boma is really neat!

Dilemma #4: We've made the mistake of two big table service meals for lunch and dinner, and can I just say.... never again! Way too much food! Maybe if you just went to Le Cellier for soup and salad, but nothing more than that! (I can't imagine spending 2 hours at either Biergarten or Le Cellier, by the way, but maybe we're just not leisurely eaters!)

 

[Albertan mom]

To answer most of your questions, I'd need to know if you'll have a car, or will be using Disney transportation to get around?

Disney Transportation.
8 people. -me, hubby, dd11, ds8, bil25, sil25, mom 54, dad 55.

thanks!

 

[bctripp]

Dilemma #1 pass time by hopping on the monorail and visiting the Poly or GF and see the shops, etc. Both are very beautiful. Like "CheshireVal" said go to the acrcade and shop at CR.

Dilemma #3 Go to Boma.

Dilemma #4 I think you'd have time, but do you really want that much heavy food in one day? Eat light at the lunch if you do.

 

[Alicnwondrln]

planet hollywood stinks
i would skip that

 

[jjohnson]

Dilemma #1: Spend time at the arcade... it's the best on property. The shops at the Contemporary are also really fun, and I personally would take the time to enjoy a beverage (and the view of the lake) at Outer Rim Lounge.

Dilemma #2: Have you given any thought to Raglan Road? The food is great, even if you aren't really into the whole pub thing.

Dilemma #3: Go to Boma. Maya Grill isn't anything that special, and certainly not worth an extra trip for if you're not staying at Coronado. And Boma is really neat!

Dilemma #4: We've made the mistake of two big table service meals for lunch and dinner, and can I just say.... never again! Way too much food! Maybe if you just went to Le Cellier for soup and salad, but nothing more than that! (I can't imagine spending 2 hours at either Biergarten or Le Cellier, by the way, but maybe we're just not leisurely eaters!)

Wow. You gave the EXACT same answers I was going to give.Weird.

 

[Lynne M]

1) 2 hours is just about enough time to explore the Poly and GF, and you can do that easily via monorail. Both have great shops (as does the CR), and all three monorail resorts have counter service places where you can grab a little snack to tide you over till dinner.

2) Wolfgang Puck's is great, or you can go over to the Marketplace and get great sandwiches at Earl of Sandwich, and have some ice cream at Ghirardellis for dessert. I'd pick either of those over Planet Hollywood anyday, I haven't eaten at the DD PH, but the one in Vegas was noisy with really average food that you can get in any chain restaurant. I imagine the DD version is the same.

3) This is why I asked if you had a car. It's easy to get to another any other resort from BB. But - if you have a meal at a resort, you're going to have take a bus to a theme park or DD to get a bus back to the All Stars. There are no direct buses between resorts. All that travelling takes a LONG time. If you want to eat at a resort after BB, you might want to consider taking a cab back to the All Stars.

4) Sort of answered this one before. No way will your meal at Le Cellier take 2 hours, but I wouldn't put two big TS meals so close together, I'd be way too stuffed to enjoy the second one.

 

[Lizzybee]

I'm glad to hear LeCellier won't take 2 hrs. Last year it took almost 2 hrs at PT50's cafe from the time we were seated til we left. It wasn't slow service, I dunno, I guess it was just a cool, leisurely meal with comfy chairs. They didn't rush us, we didn't rush til we realized it was time to get to Fantasmic to get decent seats.

 

[lawyergirl]

Dilemma #1: Spend time at the arcade... it's the best on property. The shops at the Contemporary are also really fun, and I personally would take the time to enjoy a beverage (and the view of the lake) at Outer Rim Lounge.

Dilemma #2: Have you given any thought to Raglan Road? The food is great, even if you aren't really into the whole pub thing.

Dilemma #3: Go to Boma. Maya Grill isn't anything that special, and certainly not worth an extra trip for if you're not staying at Coronado. And Boma is really neat!

Dilemma #4: We've made the mistake of two big table service meals for lunch and dinner, and can I just say.... never again! Way too much food! Maybe if you just went to Le Cellier for soup and salad, but nothing more than that! (I can't imagine spending 2 hours at either Biergarten or Le Cellier, by the way, but maybe we're just not leisurely eaters!)

ITA with EVERYTHING in this post!!!

Boma wins hands down over the Maya Grill, not only for the quality of the food but also because of the AMAZING atmosphere of the AKL.

And DH and I were just at Raglan Road tonight - best meal of our trip so far, and that's saying something!!! The place does get pretty loud with the live music after 8:00 (Just the way we like it), but the atmosphere was top notch. And I will be dreaming about the food... until my tonga toast tomorrow morning!

Lunch + Dinner as TS meals is a bad idea, IMHO, especially when one of those is the Biergarten. You'll be too full and bloated to enjoy the second meal, and you won't let yourself try much at the first because you'll be eating AGAIN shortly thereafter. Cancel one - and believe it or not, I would cancel Le Cellier over the Biergarten!!

 

[Albertan mom]

Thanks so much for all the great advice (see what begging gets you! )

#3-We do have a ressie at Boma the day after we do AK. Can we get from AK to AKL, or will it take us to another resort first? We want to stay at AK until closing, which is 5:00, and our ressie is for 5:50. So will 50 minutes be enough to get from AK to AKL?

#4--I figured that would be too much food in one day. May skip the Le Cellier idea...bummer.

Will look into Raglan Road. I was being cheap, thinking we would use the free meal voucher at Planet Hollywood. But hey, the food is free right!!!?

#1--I am still really debating this one. I think it will be smarter to go to Chef Mickeys for breakfast. Is that overkill on the character breakfast buffets? I just think it will make sense, to be done there by noon, and have the rest of the day to explore a park (especially because we only have one day per park as it is)

TRANSPORTATION--so you can go directly from Typhoon Lagoon to the Caribbean resort? You don'thave to go to a park first?
Can you get from Blizzard Beach to Coronado without going to a park first?

Do I have this right:
You can go from resort to park directly.
You can go from park to resort directly.
You can not go from resort to resort directly without having to go to a park first?

So going to AK to All Stars.....I would have to go from AK to MGM to ASMo?
And same for going Coronado to ASM? You have to do a 'connection' at a park?

THanx!! You guys are so smart!!
What about Whispering Canyon Cafe? Is it worth going to?

 

[webray]

I am having second thoughts on our ADRs.

Dilemma #1
I had booked Chef Mickeys for 5:30 tuesday night. We were going Parasailing at 1:00-1:45, then driving the little speedboats from 2:00-3:00. Now what do we do for 2.5 hours at the Contemporary resort until we eat??
----Sooooo I thought of changing it to breakfast, 10:00 or so, then doing the activities after that, then we have the rest of the day to go to MK.
BUT- we have Donalds Breakfast, and Crystal Palace already booked on the friday and sunday before. So is that too much character eating, and too much breakfast buffets? (kids are 8 and 11, there are 8 of us in the party aged up to 55)

By the time you get done parasailing, you get to the boats, pay, get your life vests, get the safety speach, it will probably be closer to 2:30, ride for an hour, 3:30. If you have a large group like that, you could relax at comtemporary pool, let the kids go down the slide (it is great), Change and head inside. Contemporary has a wonderful arcade the kids could play in on the first floor, and an excellent bar on the second floor the adults could wind down at before dinner. Everyone could change and relax before dinner, enjoying the contemporary Nice shopping also.

Dilemma #2
We have ADRs for Planet Hollywood at 5:15 one night. I want to change it to another night, but we can't get a good time. What is a good place to eat at after we do Typhoon Lagoon that day? I thought it would be handy dandy to head over to DTD after watersliding, eat, shop etc.. that night. But I can't get in at a decent time to PHollywood. Where to eat? (If I can even get in anywhere that night..) Wolfgangs?

If you haven't been already, why not try the new Raglan Road restaurant and pub..great place for a meal. Good food and service, good assortment of beers.

Dilemma #3
I have us booked to eat at Maya Grill after watersliding at Blizzard Beach at 5:45. Is that a good choice? I thought Coronado was close, and that would be a good choice for supper. Is it? Or should we go to Boma instead? Or just go back to eat at All Stars food court? Are Boma or Maya good choices with kids? Is it going to take long to get from BB to those resorts?

Definately head over to Boma, I think you will enjoy the food much better. Besides, there is so much more to do over there, the lobby itself is like a little art museum, you can check out animals on the savannah. The food is excellent at Boma, wide variety of choices, plenty to please everyone.

Dilemma #4
We are booked at Biergarten at 5:45. But I really wanted to get into Le Cellier (being Canadian eh!!) but of course, couldn't get in there for supper. But I can get in for lunch. Is that too heavy of a meal, eating there at 11:30, or 1:00, then eating at Biergarten later that night at 5:45? I heard that Le Cellier takes 2 hours, and we would spend 2 hours at Biergarten, so that is 4 hours, gone from our only Epcot day. Is that too much time in restaurants?

Definately change it up, lunch in Le Cellier will not take you two hours and I don't think it will be too heavy. Dinner at Biergarten will not take you two hours either, we are lucky if we spend and hour in there, and we don't rush at all.

Any help with my dilemmas would be greatly greatly appreciated!! thanks

*Edited to add--I also hear that WCCafe is a blast. Where can I fit that in? Is it worth changing things around for? Do they serve all three meals? thanks

WCC may be fun, breakfast isn't bad. The rest of the meals are not worth a special trip over.

 

[Lynne M]

TRANSPORTATION--so you can go directly from Typhoon Lagoon to the Caribbean resort? You don'thave to go to a park first?
Can you get from Blizzard Beach to Coronado without going to a park first?

Do I have this right:
You can go from resort to park directly.
You can go from park to resort directly.
You can not go from resort to resort directly without having to go to a park first?

So going to AK to All Stars.....I would have to go from AK to MGM to ASMo?
And same for going Coronado to ASM? You have to do a 'connection' at a park?

Sorry, I should have also mentioned that you can also go directly from any resort to any water park.

Otherwise, you've got it!!

One little thing, though - when you said "going to AK from All Stars..I would have to go from AK to MGM to ASMo", that's not true, since AK is a theme park. You can go direct from AK to ASMo. If you mean to say "AKL", then yes, you would need to take a bus from AKL to MGM (or any other park), and then get a bus to ASMo.

Hope that helps!

 

[Disneynutbsv]

#1 Take the boat over to the Wilderness Lodge/Poly/GF and take a look around!! I love going into the other resorts to check them out.

Question for you? How much does it cost to do the parasailing? We just watched that on wdw undiscovered and we all thought that was so cool!

#2 & #3 I'm not sure if you are going to the waterparks the whole day from opening to close, but we've never been able to do the whole day, we were exhausted from the heat and from climbing the stairs to do the slides all day long, we ususally left around 2-3, so it would give you time to go back to your hotel, shower, change and relax a bit, so then you could probably choose anywhere you want for dinner

#4 Can't help you there! This will be our first time going to Le Cellier, never been to the other one! Have fun!

 

[Albertan mom]

#1 Take the boat over to the Wilderness Lodge/Poly/GF and take a look around!! I love going into the other resorts to check them out.

Question for you? How much does it cost to do the parasailing? We just watched that on wdw undiscovered and we all thought that was so cool!

#2 & #3 I'm not sure if you are going to the waterparks the whole day from opening to close, but we've never been able to do the whole day, we were exhausted from the heat and from climbing the stairs to do the slides all day long, we ususally left around 2-3, so it would give you time to go back to your hotel, shower, change and relax a bit, so then you could probably choose anywhere you want for dinner

Very good point. We had thought we would go to the waterpark from open to close. We thought we would need that long to get it all done. Never occurred to me that we might be tired earlier...... Have others of you found that? That you don't need a full day?

If that is so, that could really change things!!

Parasailing is
http://allearsnet.com/btp/parasail.htm

I dont know if the price has gone up since then. DD and I are going to do it together, and DH and DS are going to go tandem. We are excited!

 

[jjohnson]

We have never stayed at the water parks more than 3 hours and went on all of the slides. It's more exhausting than the parks

 

[Florida_Mom]

I took our youth group from church once to Typhoon Lagoon, and they were done by 1:30. I think there is probably more to do at Blizzard Beach for that age group, though, so we might have spent a bit longer. But not a whole day.

 

[kath1210]

What about Whispering Canyon Cafe? Is it worth going to?

We love the WCC! The food is great and the servers make it really fun. This is a must-do for us every time we visit!

 

[Albertan mom]

We love the WCC! The food is great and the servers make it really fun. This is a must-do for us every time we visit!

I got a ressie there!!!! I changed the Maya Grill to WCC. I am thinking it will be much more fun for the kids! I am excited!

 

[hambirg]

I have to agree. Typhoon Lagoon always wipes us out. My DH and DD10 could stay in the wave pool forever! We usually grab a quick bite for lunch there, but then don't feel like doing much but eating back at the hotel later.

I have also found that it's hard to plan meals at Epcot. It's very large and we never seem to be where we should be at meal time. I think that lunch at Biergarten should be about right though. We always start at Mexico and are usually around that area around lunch time. I would skip another TS and just grab some CS whenever you start to feel hungry. Epcot is a great place to just snack your way around too.