PS makes me crazy!

[new kid at heart]

My name is Tracy, wife, mother of 2 (ages 6 and 4), and kindergarten teacher. We are going on our first Disney trip as a whole family June 1-9 2005 at the All Star Movies. I am SOOOOO excited. Thought I could be calm about it all, but I am not. I've been planning out our PS arrangements and have to say I used all the suggestions in the past board discussions to get all the arrangements I want, so far-Thank you to all of you wonderful people who share the tricks and trades and want everyone to benefit. This is a neat place. Anyhow, I still have today through Thursday to continue my PS arrangements, but am already second guessing the dates and times for the ones I've already made. Feel like I need to make 3 or 4 a day, and then go back later and decide after the June schedule for times and EMH comes out. I look forward to spending the next 3 months before our trip with you, and hope that I can help some of you out when I get back, too.

 

[skfulkers]

I know what you mean. I just got off the phone with Disney Dining for the 4th time today because we're finalizing our PSs for our May trip. I think I got the same CM three of those times this afternoon, so she probably thinks I'm either stalking her or have absolutely no life.
Try not to second-guess yourself too much. As long as you have the PSs you want now, you can always add/change them when park hours come out. Honestly, there are only a few really hard PS to get (as you probably know), and most of the rest you can call about later and find all sorts of time slots open even 1 and 2 months out. Actually, we usuallu make 1 or 2 PSs once we arrive at WDW, and we rarely have problems getting the times we want.
Like I said, I just got off the phone for our May 1-8 trip, and I had absolutely no problem changing times and dates for restaurants like Californi Grill, Ohana, LeCellier, etc.
Have a great trip and have fun planning!

 

[new kid at heart]

Thanks for the support. We're from the Cincinnati area, too. Heard of Ross, Ohio?

 

[new kid at heart]

I know what you mean. I just got off the phone with Disney Dining for the 4th time today because we're finalizing our PSs for our May trip. I think I got the same CM three of those times this afternoon, so she probably thinks I'm either stalking her or have absolutely no life.

Thanks for the support. We're from the Cincinnati area, too. Heard of Ross, Ohio?

 

[dzneelvr]

For the time of year you're going, it is critical to make the PSs for the sit downs because you probably won't be able to be a "walk in" anywhere except during off off times of day. What we do that seems to work is pick a park each day and then make a coordinating PS. With kids 6 and 4, you aren't going to want to wait too long for a lunch, so make it around noon or 1pm or if you want a sit down for dinner, do an earlier PS, say before 6pm. Don't second guess yourself--that leads to nothing but trouble because you can't know whether you will miss out on any PS by the time you "finally" decide. Look at it this way, your family will be hungry at noon and evening and there is nothing better than being able to sit down and enjoy a nice unhurried meal in comfort without stressing. I'd suggest at least one PS per day. that leaves you free to go back to your resort for other meals, or to take advantage of the great counter service eateries around the Parks. Don't forget to make PSs for DTD as well. You may have to call the place direct, like Rainforest Cafe, as Disney doesn't make ressies for them.
Have a great time and just go with the flow.....you can't do it all right on the first trip no matter how much great advice you receive from us vets.

 

[skfulkers]

Thanks for the support. We're from the Cincinnati area, too. Heard of Ross, Ohio?

I know the Ross area well. My mom taught at Elda Elementary for several years. Gotta love the Ross bakery donuts, too. I'm originally from Harrison (I'm sure you know where that is), but my DW and I now live in Liberty Township.
It's a small world, huh?

 

[Laura's Dad]

We are two months to the day from our May trip and having problems getting our dinner PS's at some restaurants I would have necver thought we would have a problem with. I will be calling again today (free weekends with my cell phone), but have been frustrated trying to get dinner PS times. Does Disney block off any PS times for their resort guests that are staying there prsently, or is this a case of many people overbooking PS's? I've NEVER had this much trouble.

 

[lajones81]

I'm going in about two weeks and called about two weeks ago (so a month before the trip) to make PS. I didn't have any trouble at all getting the times I wanted so I would make a PS and keep trying as you get closer to your vacation.

 

[golfgal]

I have the ps's for the parks we are planning on visiting that day. I made most of our PS's for lunch. I figured that the crowds in the parks aren't THAT bad before lunch time, we are early risers so we will probably be a the parks at opening. We can stay in the parks until lunch and then head back to the resort for swimming/resting or hop over to a less croweded park. We can catch something at AKL, counter service in a less busy park or someplace off site if necessary (we will have a rental car) for dinner before heading to what ever park has EMH in the evening. We have a late PS at Rose and Crown on our Epcot day with the hopes of getting an terrace table for the fireworks show. We have a dinner PS on our first night at Chef Mickey and we will just drive over there and do what ever after-probably go back to AKL for storytelling or swimming. I figured that we could just cancel a PS if the crowds are too bad or we don't end up going to that park. I figure, if we miss something, we won't know we missed it anyway, so I am not going to stress about it.

 

[mar915]

Does Disney hold some times for later. I called 1 hour after they opened...yes one day I actually slept in, figuring I could get Le Ceiller and it was booked except 4:00(too early since we will be at AK in the AM) and then not till 7pm for our group of 6. I am hoping for a little earlier if possible. I just wonder if they do open for times 30 days out like they do for Fantasmic.

Mary

 

[n2mm]

It's never ending when it comes to PS. I leave in 6 weeks and have been working on mine. Now my dear friend said to add her to several of ours....which is great! but now I need to call and make changes. Also want to be at the grand opennings of the rides first week of May, so need to be in the "right" park now. WARNING: when I made my january PS, 2 weeks befor leaving the EMH nights changed completely and back to the drawing board I went to make adjustments and cancellation, so keep that in mind. Check the hours a few weeks before your trip.

 

[new kid at heart]

I know the Ross area well. My mom taught at Elda Elementary for several years. Gotta love the Ross bakery donuts, too. I'm originally from Harrison (I'm sure you know where that is), but my DW and I now live in Liberty Township.
It's a small world, huh?

I went to Elda Elementary 1980-1984! Was your mom there then? My maiden name was Wielinga (Wheel-inga), you'll have to ask her if she knows that name. Neat!