Should we make ressies or wing it?

[rachael95]

We're going in first week of September with our DS for the first time. In the past, we've usually gone in pretty slow times and just walked in to most of the restaurants we've wanted to eat at. I know we'll want to hit Boma for breakfast, Le Cellier for late lunch/early dinner and an Italian restaurant at least (any suggestions on good Italian?). Probably one or two others.

Now that it's going to be three of us and our DS needs a high chair, should we make ressies?

We used to just play by ear as to which park we'd go to etc. But with our little one, I wonder if we should be a bit more structured at least on some things so we can play by ear everything else. Or should I just go with what used to work?

Opinions?

 

[xipotec]

Always at least one ressie

 

[bdklein]

We're going in first week of September with our DS for the first time. In the past, we've usually gone in pretty slow times and just walked in to most of the restaurants we've wanted to eat at. I know we'll want to hit Boma for breakfast, Le Cellier for late lunch/early dinner and an Italian restaurant at least (any suggestions on good Italian?). Probably one or two others.

Now that it's going to be three of us and our DS needs a high chair, should we make ressies?

We used to just play by ear as to which park we'd go to etc. But with our little one, I wonder if we should be a bit more structured at least on some things so we can play by ear everything else. Or should I just go with what used to work?

Opinions?

I would make non credit card ADR's for all meals/places you think you may want to go. Especialy because you are going during Free Dining. IMO.

 

[xipotec]

Always at least one ressie each day, especially during busy times. Or you might waste an hour just waiting for a sit down meal. No joke......

And you can forget dining in a popular place without a ressie, i.e Sci-fi, Cindys, Akerhus, .....

 

[Aliceacc]

Make reservations now while you can still get them. You can always change your mind and cancel them. But if you're going during free dining, I would absolutely want those ADRs.

 

[DavidNYC]

Depends on how flexible you want to be. We used to wing it more but now that we have toddlers, our eating window has been greatly reduced. We used to not care if we ate at 5pm or 9pm. Now it's more like we need to eat between 6:14 and 6:18! LOL

For popular restaurants, be prepared to wait or not be able to get in.

I'd suggesting putting together a list of a few of your favorite places and making a few reservations at times that are good for you.

 

[rachael95]

I'd suggesting putting together a list of a few of your favorite places and making a few reservations at times that are good for you.

Good idea - and thanks everyone else too. I think we'll do one ADR for most of the days and play by ear the rest. Until I know how nap time is going to work, I'm just not really comfortable having a lot of reservations that I might have to cancel.

Luckily, since we tend to eat out a lot, I don't think DS is going to not do well. He's only thrown one real bad fit that embarrassed me - and I think that was because I was by myself in a restaurant so couldn't take him outside like we normally do and a little old lady came up saying that this was a "good lesson for those teenagers over there to not bring their children into a restaurant." After consciously deciding to not hit the old lady, I was able to get him calmed down. What really got me though was, the fit only lasted about 3 minutes and he was his normal, happy self the rest of the time. Guess, next time I'm by myself, I'll let him eat the crayon and not take it away.

 

[mickey2minnie1]

Make what you cannot live without. dining is part of the experience for me so I make one for almost each day.

 

[GaSleepingBeautyFan]

You are going during Free Dining. You will need those ADR's if you want to eat TS.

I've gone in September twice before and there was no availability at the TS restaurants in the parks for walk ups.