DIS Dads The DIS Dad's Club IV - Man Laws & Cheese Balls

[AJRitz]

I've done this for both planned trips this year, well ahead of booking the trip. As you say, it doesn't cost anything... well, except for CRT. Even for that, though, you can get your money back.

So I vote for not crazy at all. It's a cutthroat world, those ADRs...

I wouldn't have thought to do that, but it's a great idea. I booked long enough ahead of time that it didn't matter - I was chomping at the bit by the time my ADR windown hit. But since we're staying at the Poly CL, I went ahead and let the IPO make my ADRs for me (I wasn't sure that I wasn't going to be stuck traveling for work on ADR day).

In other news, can it be October already? I'm soooooooo ready for this Disney World trip . . .

 

[unclescrooge_0707]

I've done this for both planned trips this year, well ahead of booking the trip. As you say, it doesn't cost anything... well, except for CRT. Even for that, though, you can get your money back.

So I vote for not crazy at all. It's a cutthroat world, those ADRs...

You guys have got me so nervous for my ADR's. (is there a nail-biting emoticon?) We're doing Delux Dining, and grandma wants to do the poly show, and grandpa wants to do safari dinner, and 5 kids will want a character breakfast, and then there's a Fantasmic dinner show!
seriously, i think i'm going to have 1 person call w/ one reservation to book meals early in the week, and one to call to book meals later in the week. (Or is online faster/better for ADR's.)

 

[DEA]

You guys have got me so nervous for my ADR's. (is there a nail-biting emoticon?) We're doing Delux Dining, and grandma wants to do the poly show, and grandpa wants to do safari dinner, and 5 kids will want a character breakfast, and then there's a Fantasmic dinner show!
seriously, i think i'm going to have 1 person call w/ one reservation to book meals early in the week, and one to call to book meals later in the week. (Or is online faster/better for ADR's.)

I did all mine online , and that worked out well, as it suggested alternative times if my prime time for dinner wasn't available. So, yeah, we're at Le Cellier at 4:40pm in May and California Grill at 9:30pm in August, but we're there.

The CRT breakfast was the one I was most worried about, but apparently nobody is attending that when we're going.

I really enjoying the dining portion of the trip, so I am a little... how do you say... crazy about booking the dining.

 

[DEA]

Washington Monument up Close...note the 2 colors of stone.

The joke is that tour guides sometimes tell people that the place where the stone changes color on the Monument is the high-water mark

 

[DisneyFed]

Ahh yes, was a good day on the water today.....

Lake Lochloosa, FL..1.5 hours or so north of Disney...


8lbs, 9 ounces...

 

[FreezinRafiki]

You guys have got me so nervous for my ADR's. (is there a nail-biting emoticon?) We're doing Delux Dining, and grandma wants to do the poly show, and grandpa wants to do safari dinner, and 5 kids will want a character breakfast, and then there's a Fantasmic dinner show!
seriously, i think i'm going to have 1 person call w/ one reservation to book meals early in the week, and one to call to book meals later in the week. (Or is online faster/better for ADR's.)

I do mine online, too. You can also do them there at 180 days out (plus the "+10" if you are staying on property), but the new day becomes available at 6:01am ET. That gives you an hour head start over people who call, since the phone lines don't open until 7:00am ET.

 

[DisneyFed]

The joke is that tour guides sometimes tell people that the place where the stone changes color on the Monument is the high-water mark

I heard that one time while on a Protective Service Mission....me and the Secret Service guy just kinda looked at each other like "Whaaa?"....

The VIP's totally bought it

 

[stopher1]

There is Cinderella's Castle...ummm I mean the Capitol.

DS10 (Chance aka Tiny) and the Capitol...

Looking the other Direction is the Washington Monument (Note how the Wind is blowing up the dust...very Windy and Cold)

Here's Sleeping Beauty's Castle...ummm the Smithsonian Castle...

Washington Monument up Close...note the 2 colors of stone.

A Rare Family Photo...

the Boy's at the the Tennessee Column at the WWII Memorial...

These are some great pictures Nate - wow. The last time I was there the WWII Memorial was getting ready to actually break ground and be built.

Then Lincoln's Memorial...

Picture of the Washington Memorial and the Capitol from the Lincoln.

I really like the Lincoln Memorial. Very cool.

I've been to D.C. twice in my life. Want to get back there now that the kids are older and could appreciate it much more. The first was when my best friend (since preschool) was married in the chapel on the Navy yard grounds there in D.C. back in '93. We toured around the city the day before, and then got some nice group shots in front of the Memorial on the steps. The next day we were back over there in our dress clothes and got some more. It was a fun time. The second was when my DW was about 6 mos pregnant with our middle son... hot, humid & pregnant... let's just say she didn't enjoy that trip very much. But we'd been invited along by her dad, so we went and stayed on his dime.

Very nice - can't wait to see some more.

 

[Disney Commando]

Barry - looks like you might win this weeks caption contest, you got like 6 votes allready

 

[DisneyFed]

These are some great pictures Nate - wow. The last time I was there the WWII Memorial was getting ready to actually break ground and be built.



I really like the Lincoln Memorial. Very cool.

I've been to D.C. twice in my life. Want to get back there now that the kids are older and could appreciate it much more. The first was when my best friend (since preschool) was married in the chapel on the Navy yard grounds there in D.C. back in '93. We toured around the city the day before, and then got some nice group shots in front of the Memorial on the steps. The next day we were back over there in our dress clothes and got some more. It was a fun time. The second was when my DW was about 6 mos pregnant with our middle son... hot, humid & pregnant... let's just say she didn't enjoy that trip very much. But we'd been invited along by her dad, so we went and stayed on his dime.

Very nice - can't wait to see some more.

Navy Yard....Headquarters.....makes me shudder just to think about...

 

[FreezinRafiki]

Barry - looks like you might win this weeks caption contest, you got like 6 votes allready

Oh really? I hadn't noticed...
There's still 24 hours or so of voting, so it's far too early to be going through my pictures trying find one for next week's contest. Or at least its far to early to admit that I'm going through my pictures trying to find one for next week's contest.

I had to laugh at all of the, shall we say, "risque" captions. With each new one that was posted, I'm like "ummm...he's 14."

 

[unclescrooge_0707]

I do mine online, too. You can also do them there at 180 days out (plus the "+10" if you are staying on property), but the new day becomes available at 6:01am ET. That gives you an hour head start over people who call, since the phone lines don't open until 7:00am ET.

Thanks. I can set my alarm for 4:55 in the morning, if it means keeping Grandma and DW happy!

So last World Cup I spent in WDW, watching USA vs. Ivory Coast at the ESPN Zone. I highly recommend WDW during a world cup season, especially if you enjoy talking to international strangers waiting in line for rides. Kickoff on June 11th!

 

[DisneyFed]

I'm wondering how much of the World Cup AFN is going to show us....I can't wait, and I'll be right close to their time zone

 

[stopher1]

You guys have got me so nervous for my ADR's. (is there a nail-biting emoticon?) We're doing Delux Dining, and grandma wants to do the poly show, and grandpa wants to do safari dinner, and 5 kids will want a character breakfast, and then there's a Fantasmic dinner show!
seriously, i think i'm going to have 1 person call w/ one reservation to book meals early in the week, and one to call to book meals later in the week. (Or is online faster/better for ADR's.)

I do ours mostly online as well. Generally works out quite well. I especially like that the online version displays a few other options for you if the one you want isn't available. What I don't like is that it searches in hour increments, generally, and doesn't really give a lot of alternate times even if they are available. It's a mixed bag. It has it's positives and negatives. But it opens up earlier than the phone lines do - so you do get a jump on the callers when you are looking for that something special.

For our January trip this year - we were, though, sadly - totally shut out of any Fantasmic! seatings. It just simply wasn't available for our date at all. With the limited showings during the - that +10 part really screwed us. But that was the only meal that we didn't get. And it turned out just fine - as my folks were so tired by the end of that day, that they truly weren't interested in sticking around for F!

 

[FreezinRafiki]

Thanks. I can set my alarm for 4:55 in the morning, if it means keeping Grandma and DW happy!

So last World Cup I spent in WDW, watching USA vs. Ivory Coast at the ESPN Zone. I highly recommend WDW during a world cup season, especially if you enjoy talking to international strangers waiting in line for rides. Kickoff on June 11th!

Well, as funny as it would be to watch you get up 2 hours early, just to do this and then this , this , and finally this - you can actually make the online ADRs at 7:01am St. Louis time.

 

[unclescrooge_0707]

I'm wondering how much of the World Cup AFN is going to show us....I can't wait, and I'll be right close to their time zone

i have no idea if you're kidding or serious, but i''m figuring you'll be flooded with lots of footie this summer.

Well, as funny as it would be to watch you get up 2 hours early, just to do this and then this , this , and finally this - you can actually make the online ADRs at 7:01am St. Louis time.

Thanks, Barry. You could have lied and said i'd be back in bed by 6:10 eastern time.

 

[Disney Commando]

Are you saying your AC trips are like the 'Hangover'? I love that movie. HILL-AIR-E-US!

I think the hard part would be getting a few friends to go with me... all my friends are married w/kids. I can see a solo trip in my future.... it would give me time to concentrate and play poker.

I can't say I ever saw that movie, but the last time we went down was for a Bachelor party, there was 11 of us 2 we meet for the the 1st time, we told them if anyone says Run just go, don't ask any ? meet back at the room.

Nobody said run (that time), the 2 new guys, said they had the best time ever.

It was not a group you would normally find hanging out together, we had 2 bikers, 1 cop, 1 corrections officer, always alot of tension, but everyone gets along fine

 

[Carl Fredricksen]

I think I just took obsessive-compulsive vacation planning to a new level. I was checking out the availability of ADR's at Le Cellier for the week in September that we're planning to be there this year. There was only one opening left for the whole week. So, I grabbed it and went ahead and made the rest of my ADR's as well.

What's so unusual, you ask? Well...I haven't even booked my trip yet.

We've been waiting to see if they offer free dining. But I figured it's free to make the reservations and I can always cancel, so why not?

So, am I crazy?
Or crazy like a fox?

A Le Cellier ADR is too precious to worry about booking the trip first!

When those are out there, you must pull the trigger. You have done well, grasshopper.

I did all mine online , and that worked out well, as it suggested alternative times if my prime time for dinner wasn't available.

Online ADR's are the best. Booked all of ours online also, and still check every day to see if some prime ones open up.

 

[that's nice]

I can't say I ever saw that movie, but the last time we went down was for a Bachelor party, there was 11 of us 2 we meet for the the 1st time, we told them if anyone says Run just go, don't ask any ? meet back at the room.

Nobody said run (that time), the 2 new guys, said they had the best time ever.

It was not a group you would normally find hanging out together, we had 2 bikers, 1 cop, 1 corrections officer, always alot of tension, but everyone gets along fine

OK after this story you need to watch that movie.. make sure the kids are in bed first though. I had my DW watch it and she was cracking up. There are parts that are crude and many 4 letter words. Here is the 'long' trailer... 2:25

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vhFVZsk3XEs

 

[MiJo]

Well I'm back form DC.

It wasn't Disney...not even the Beach...but we had a good time for the most part. Could post some Pictures and a mini TR here if anyone is interested.

Welcome back, Nate, even if it is only for today! The pics were great! Enjoy Dollywood!

I think I just took obsessive-compulsive vacation planning to a new level. I was checking out the availability of ADR's at Le Cellier for the week in September that we're planning to be there this year. There was only one opening left for the whole week. So, I grabbed it and went ahead and made the rest of my ADR's as well.

What's so unusual, you ask? Well...I haven't even booked my trip yet.

We've been waiting to see if they offer free dining. But I figured it's free to make the reservations and I can always cancel, so why not?

So, am I crazy?
Or crazy like a fox?

Yeah, like the Swamp Fox! Great move!