Rate my Plan (or lack thereof)

[ArwenMarie]

I've never liked having dinner ADRs whether onsite or offsite. I hate having that thing I feel like I have to do in the evening, and some of them aren't necessarily convenient to get to, etc.

In our experience, eating offsite, comparing apples to apples, is way cheaper than eating TS onsite. I'd say half the price for the same quality food. QS type food is also much less expensive, probably half the price as well.

When we stay offsite we always grab a meal on the way there or on the way back rather than stay and eat. We do try to plan out where we want to go though ahead of time so we have a bunch of go-to ideas.

 

[mousefan73]

I agree with you on the car to save time. We also get a car.. We also have the same plans in a way. Mixing water parks with the theme parks. Here from our experience you will save LOTS of time..Especially since BB is 5 min from CSR.. (we stay at POR and same thing for TL).. Plus you aren't getting into an arctic temped bus with wet clothes. I found if you are only going to Hotel and Theme Park once a day.. Disney buses are the best option. But once you add in WPs, DTD, and others, a car saves time.

anyways..my thoughts on your plan.

For us ( also kids same age) doing Park-Water Park-Park in one day would definately be too much.. The water parks are not relaxing. More active fun.. We are not rope droppers more later in the day them park people. but here is our plan.. Keep in mind too water parks close around 5 or 6pm

Here are how our days are set up; we either:

• Sleep in.. hit WP at 10.. stay until 1pm.. back to hotel head to theme Park (Here we do this on nights where the parks have later close) and repeat next day as we are sleeping in and nice after long night. We usually have an ADR for dinner. Here you can decide to quickly go out to eat.
• Early theme park ( AK and one day MK) no water park.. BUT since AK closes early and we have not park hoppers, utilize the WP&More, more part and got to Disney Quest at night. You also have this as its included with the Water Park option.. Boys your age will love it.

I think the days you make water park only will give you enough time to go anywhere in the MCO area to eat unless you have plans (I would maybe force a stay in evening to do movies on the lawn at resort or just get to bed early). Or relax longer at hotel but still go to the Theme Parks but only to see the evening shows.. Wishes, Fantasmic etc... This way on the other park days you can mentally say we will skip the parade, shows, fantasmic and try and get many rides in while crowds are low. You are there long enough to take things slow and split the individual theme parks up.. Once day rides, other day more shows depending on crowds and FPs...

I would look into some on-site ADRs for Table service. Or use the search function in the app to see what avail. there is.. At EPcot I am sure you will get some tables somewhere..Also you can split, do appetizers etc.. some places are not so bad price wise. I would also look into DTD, great places to eat..Try Wolfgang pucks.. Its technically QS, but from qualtiy TS.

Once great off-site for pizza is flippers... take Buena Vista Drive past DTD ( on left) out, turns to Hotel Bld. cross over 535(vineland?) at light going straight.. At strip mall. 5 minutes from DTD.. Might be other places there too.

 

[amandals2007]

I like the 50/50 idea of onsite dining vs offsite dining. It's just tough to try to figure out way ahead of time, what time and day exactly my family will all be hungry for dinner, and I worry about the stress of dragging everyone out of the pool so we can "get ready" for the exact time. I want to be able to make the dinner reservation that afternoon for what time we all agree on that night, instead of 30 days out, or 7 days out, whatever. I think I'm going in to this during a slower season (aug 18 to aug 27th), so maybe I can get an ADR somewhere the day of, instead of planning dinner this far in advance?

you cant try and decide 7 days prior where you want to eat? eating offsite think of the gas and time (which is money) you will be wasting getting to your car in the parking lot and driving there. i think disney food is far superior to the chain restaurants because of the themeing alone. time and money ans gas as well i would eat on property even if you do quick service. the food is wonderful at the quick service places. we are disney food snobs, have been 19 times and next time we are doing the quick service plan for 9 days. thats how much confidence we have in the CS meals. and want the flexibility like you want.

 

[mom2AidanAndEli]

Just me, but I would have zero interest in eating all my dinners at the same places I can eat at in my home area!! To be honest, half the fun of a Disney vacation for us is planning out some unique restaurants. We do plan ahead and, honestly, it's much less stressful to our family than trying to decide at the last minute.

Our family is one of those... "Where do you want to eat?" "I don't know. Where do you want to eat?" "I chose last time. Your turn." "I have no idea." "Does this sound good?" "Whatever." "I don't care." And we'd end up pulling into something by default and having a totally forgettable dinner somewhere we could eat at home. Having a set time and place for one meal a day just takes all the indecision out of it! Again, that's just our family.

Have you spent some time looking at restaurants and menus? You might really decide there's some places you'd like to try. And if you have a car, it's not like you have to plan to leave an hour early to use Disney transportation to get to an ADR. Although, personally again, not having to drive for a whole week is also part of our vacation! And you may be able to get day-of ADRs, but your choices will be very limited. If you see a restaurant you really want, book it early. You can cancel up until the day before with no penalty. So have it in place. If you decide it's not for you, just remember to cancel it in time. Much easier that way then deciding last minute, "You know, I'd really like to go here for dinner after all," and you can't get in!

And with kids those ages, you may well find you don't want the afternoon break every day. Having a late lunch at an air conditioned TS restaurant is often a great break instead of heading back to the resort. Or spending time at Hall of Presidents or Ellen's Energy Adventure is just enough of a cool-down that you want to keep going. After reading here it seemed everyone needs that afternoon break, so I thought I HAD to schedule it into our days. Just hasn't worked for us in the past. We may try again this year, but I just don't really see it. Pools in the middle of a very hot August day might not be all that refreshing! Sitting out in the hot sun just doesn't do it for me. Going back to the room, we'd all sit around looking at each other and saying "Okay, what next?" Just play it by ear. Breaks may work for your family; they may not. Just be ready to adjust to what works!

 

[ArwenMarie]

you cant try and decide 7 days prior where you want to eat? eating offsite think of the gas and time (which is money) you will be wasting getting to your car in the parking lot and driving there. i think disney food is far superior to the chain restaurants because of the themeing alone. time and money ans gas as well i would eat on property even if you do quick service. the food is wonderful at the quick service places. we are disney food snobs, have been 19 times and next time we are doing the quick service plan for 9 days. thats how much confidence we have in the CS meals. and want the flexibility like you want.

Unless you're eating at your resort (assuming you did an afternoon break there), I'm not sure that traveling to an ADR is any quicker than taking a drive offsite as long as you stay close by.

I think many chains are superior to most Disney table service restaurants in both food quality and price, but I agree on the theming. But I get really sick of Disney food after a day or two so that might just be me!

 

[danceintherain]

So...my initial thought is that you do have a plan. Your trip looks a lot busier than how I'm planning ours to be.

- Rental Car: We do like having one. They're especially nice if you arrive before Rope Drop, because you usually get to park super close (that's for everywhere except MK). We definitely enjoyed this aspect of it. The car will be hot when you get back to it though, so that's something to consider. It's also nice to be able to drive to a grocery store for some things. Although our trip to the grocery store was a mess trying to get there and back.
- Taking Breaks: We do this every day. However, you don't sound as if you're really committed to having a break. Possibly driving off property to eat or going to a Water Park for the afternoon is not a break. Both take time and energy. Maybe it will work for you, but chances are it will be more exhausting than just staying in a park. Our breaks consist of either eating in the parks first, or eating at the hotel. We go straight from the park to the hotel, and stay there. DH takes a nap, while I explore a little bit.
- Also, I realize a lot of people make eating in their room work, but it didn't work for us. We need to eat something much more substantial in the morning before a day at Disney.
- If you're planning on renting the car from the airport, make sure all of your bags will fit. Your kids are old enough that you probably won't be bringing a stroller though, so that will help. However, you may want to plan on someone taking ME for the bag transportation.

 

[hooch11bear]

First off, we rent a car every trip. Wouldn't do Disney without it. It's nice having the flexibility of leaving the parks and not having to wait for busses. I am the driver on our trips, which I definitely don't mind. I know my way around there just as well as I do my hometown. We used to be the type of people that would stay in the parks all day to get as much done as possible. Now, we like to leave the parks to rest or swim at the resort. With the heat in the summer, it is something that we need daily now. I don't see anything wrong with your plan to leave daily and rest. However, I'm not sure I would give up eating in the parks or resorts. They have some really unique places to eat. That is one of the things we look forward to every year. With the restaurants that you mentioned, you could eat at those when you're home. You could always check daily to see what is available as far as reservations and then decide what you would like to eat. We have been to the parks that time of year, and it is usually less busy since school is back in. Just check out the menus ahead of time so you know where your family would be interested in eating and then keep an eye out for reservations at those locations.

 

[GillianP1301]

Your plan looks pretty good. We also like to do morning/early afternoon or until we're too tired/hot, then either take a break of just park hop to break up the day and then do late afternoon/evening park time.

The car is a very good idea and makes being flexible a lot easier and you will spend far less time getting to and from places. However, I would not like to do offsite/chain type restaurants every night. To me, that means missing out on a really fantastic part of a Disney vacation, which is the restaurants. I think it would be okay for a couple of the nights to go offsite to try and save some $, but having TS restaurants as a rest/cool down break are great. And if you don't like having to book 180 days out, you will find lots of options same day to book.

 

[sharonabe]

Since you'll have the car, you could also check resort TS places on the day of to see what is available. You wouldn't be driving off-site, and still get to experience some unique places to eat instead of the same old, same old.

Peruse some resort menus at allearsnet.com or here at wdwinfo.com to see what might fit your family's tastes and budget.

One other note, I think the time you're going will be a little quieter, and you will be able to do some day-of ADRs in the parks. It wont' be a CRT or Crystal Palace or Be Our Guest or Ohana, but I'll bet you can find something in the parks. Either have the MDE app on your phone or check with your resort guest services.

 

[BuzzL71]

THANK YOU TO EVERYONE!!! I appreciate all the time you took to critique my plan, I have taken many "nuggets" of wisdom from this and feel I am in a great position to modify some stuff and keep some stuff the same, but overall, improve my plan from the collective wisdom shared in this thread. Thanks again

 

[amandals2007]

Unless you're eating at your resort (assuming you did an afternoon break there), I'm not sure that traveling to an ADR is any quicker than taking a drive offsite as long as you stay close by.

I think many chains are superior to most Disney table service restaurants in both food quality and price, but I agree on the theming. But I get really sick of Disney food after a day or two so that might just be me!

it is quicker if you think you make your ADR when you will be that evening. then its like you only drive one way. plus if you were going to that park/resort that evening anyway why not eat there? so yes i think its quicker eating on property.

 

[GaryDis]

Do make it a point to try the CSR pool before heading to the water parks on one of the afternoon breaks. Then you'll be able to balance your decisions on future days. You may it better to swim at the resort, where you can also spend time in the room. Or not, but at least you'll know.