Isn't Southwest great?? We changed our flights and it didn't cost us anything, and we got back a ton of points because the new one was cheaper. Yippee for SW!
Glad you figured it out so you won't be traveling alone!
The Fratt house Takes on the World! - Sept 2012 PTR
- Thread starter Fratthouse
- Start date
Isn't Southwest great?? We changed our flights and it didn't cost us anything, and we got back a ton of points because the new one was cheaper. Yippee for SW!
Glad you figured it out so you won't be traveling alone!Fratthouse
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- Aug 15, 2012
- Messages
- 601
Hello again! Im so glad youve joined me because tonight I have some important news to share with all of you. After reading through my PTR, I have made a new discovery about myself. You are going to be blown away by my amazing insight and introspection. Are you ready to hear what it is?
I am a rambler.
Before I began writing this PTR, I had no idea I was so long winded. But I just realized I could sum up the last four entries into one single sentence:
My DH and I are flying to Orlando with DS.
Yup four entries into this PTR, and Ive given you one sentence worth of details about our trip. I read through some other PTRs and by their fourth entry they had already disclosed their ADRs, laid out a basic daily schedule, and disclosed their chosen resort. Me? Ive rambled on and on to say essentially nothing. Sheesh.
Whats that, you say? Im doing it again? You just want to hear about the resort already? Alrighty! But I warn you now you may be sorry you asked! Four entries to talk about a flight who knows how long this resort discussion could take .
So heres the scoop: We are staying at Disney September 5 10. Thats five whole days! Now I know for some of you who are lucky enough to be able to go for a week, or 10 days, or God-forbid two weeks, that may not seem like very long. But consider this: my first trip to Disney was for two days (it was insane and exhausting and so so much fun!) and the only other time Ive gone was for three days. So this trip is as long as the all the other trips Ive made to Disney combined! Of course I would love to stay longer, but Ill take what I can get
But the bigger question is where would we be staying? There are so many things to consider when choosing a resort. And believe me, I analyzed them all: Location, theme, pool, room size, restaurants, transportation options, price
Wait a second I thought you said Disney paid for the room? Why would you consider price?
Glad you asked
We considered price in opposite terms of how we would consider it if we were paying out of pocket basically, the more expensive, the better. That doesnt mean that we automatically stayed at the most expensive resort. But if everything else was equal, we would choose the more expensive option. That way when we make a trip and pay for a room ourselves, we can have the cheaper of the two options when were paying OOP. Does that make any sense??? If not, just know price didnt really factor in that much.
Because Disney comped our room, we did narrow our search to the Deluxe Resorts. And I know not everyone feels this way, but my husband and I love trying something new every time we go to Disney. Perhaps one day well stay somewhere that we love so much we couldnt bear the thought of staying anywhere else, but for now wed prefer to experience as many different resorts as we can. So with that in mind, we quickly ruled out the two places we stayed on our previous trips:
In case youre interested, Ill give a quick review of both places. If youre not interested, well .you might be in the wrong trip report. I told you in the beginning Im a rambler, so you were warned I would make the most of every opportunity to go off on a tangent and to drag this out as long as possible
I will also say this: Were pretty easy-to-please people, especially when in WDW. And when we travel, we usually stay at whatever cheap hotel I can find on priceline, so our accommodation standards arent that high We once stayed in a hotel room in London that was literally the size of the bed, plus a one foot wide walkway at the end where we stored our luggage. You could stretch out your arms and reach the wall on either side of the bathroom. The room had no windows and no tv. And we still had a great time. So seriously, were not hard to impress. If youre used to luxurious accommodations, these probably arent going to be any use to you.
The Grand Floridian: We stayed here on our first trip, which was only two days (We know, Hannah. Youve told us like three times already. Were so sorry you only got to go to DW for two days on your first trip. Now get over it. ) The GF is known for being the most luxurious of the WDW hotels, and IMO, it lived up to its reputation. The lobby was truly incredible the high ceilings with gigantic chandeliers, enormous arrangements of fresh flowers, someone playing live music on the piano. Walking in to the lobby for the first time truly takes your breath away. Everything else about the resort was fine, but not necessarily as impressive. The room was nice a little on the Victorian side, décor wise (duh, Hannah. Thats the theme of the resort. Didnt you look at any pictures before you went?). Victorian isnt really my thing, so I wasnt like, in love with it, but it was still really nice. The only negative thing that happened while we were there was that on the first morning, the hot water in our shower wasnt working. We called the front desk and they had someone there within an hour to fix it, and even offered to let us switch rooms (which we didnt do too much work). So I felt like they definitely did everything they could to provide great service, and I was ok. But I remember thinking, Man, if Id paid $400 a night for this room and then missed RD because I didnt have hot water, I think Id be a little upset. But really, theres not much they could have done about that, I guess. We didnt get to experience any of the restaurants due to our rushed schedule, but did take a quick walk around the grounds. Such a romantic place! I would definitely recommend riding the monorail over to this resort and just having a quick look around if you have the chance.
The Contemporary: We stayed here for three nights on our trip in 2010 and LOVED it! Granted, the lobby and exterior were not as impressive as the GF, but the room was really spacious and the modern theme was really cool. Plus we had a castle view room, which was amaaaaazing. I didnt really think I would care that much, but man was it magical to walk out onto the balcony each morning and stare at Cinderellas castle. It really did take my breath away every time. (I just realized thats the second time in two paragraphs Ive used the phrase took my breath away to describe something at Disney. At this rate, Im lucky I dont hyperventilate more frequently when Im at WDW. For all you people making a trip in September, if you see anyone passed out on the ground, its probably me. Be sure to come over and say hi. Id love to meet you.) Our room was in the main tower, which felt a lot closer to everything (the monorail, the restaurants, and the pool) than when we were at the GF. And best of all, it was just a short walk to the Magic Kingdom. Such a great location!
Ok, Hannah. Youve drug this out long enough. Just tell us what you decided already!
Patience, my dear friends. All in good time.
Next we ruled out this one:
It seems like a fabulous resort, and I definitely want to stay there someday. But it just looks like its so far away from everything! I think it might be a better option if we ever drive down, or at least when DS is a little older. I just dont want to be hauling his stroller on and off a bus to every single park. Also, one of the key advantages in staying at this resort would be to have a Savannah view room. But with our room being comped, we dont get to decide what category or location the room is at. So we wouldnt be guaranteed to have a Savannah view room, which I think would be really disappointing. Well save this one for another trip.
Next we ruled out this one:
It looks like a great resort, but if Im going to stay at an Epcot area resort, I want to be at Stormalong Bay. Simple as that.
Next I ruled out this one:
Also looks nice, but decided Id rather be at BC than here. Mostly because of all of the TRs I read of people staying at BC and they all seemed so happy there!
And then there were two .BC and Poly. This is where the decision got complicated. Both have great theming, restaurants, and transportation options. Both have great pools, but BC edges out Poly in that category. But Poly has slightly bigger rooms. So it really came down to location. BC is close to Epcot, Poly is close to MK. So which would we go with?
Polynesian!!! I have read so many positive things about this resort on the DIS, and couldnt be more excited! Its such a beautiful resort, and I know its going to be the perfect place for us! The lobby is incredible, the pool looks like so much fun, and I absolutely cant wait to try the restaurants!
BC looked incredible, too, and Ive second-guessed my decision more than a few times! Its definitely going at the top of my list for next year. So how did I decide? Ultimately it came down to the fact that NOJ is at the MK, and since that is the primary purpose of my husband being there, it makes sense to stay at a resort that is close by. Plus his boss is going to be staying at GF, so it will be helpful for them to be close to each other.
So thats it! Ive finally told you something interesting about our upcoming trip! Feel free to chime in on your thoughts about any of the resorts Ive mentioned. Id love to know if you agree with my decision
or if you disagree, I guess. I dont think its too late to change my mind. Ive still got two weeks and three days
PS I realize I left off Wilderness Lodge in my analysis. I have no explanation for this its a beautiful resort, just not the one we chose. And its 12:15 am and Im just too lazy to go up and work it back into the report. Please forgive me. Thank you.
I am a rambler.
Before I began writing this PTR, I had no idea I was so long winded. But I just realized I could sum up the last four entries into one single sentence:
My DH and I are flying to Orlando with DS.
Yup four entries into this PTR, and Ive given you one sentence worth of details about our trip. I read through some other PTRs and by their fourth entry they had already disclosed their ADRs, laid out a basic daily schedule, and disclosed their chosen resort. Me? Ive rambled on and on to say essentially nothing. Sheesh.
Whats that, you say? Im doing it again? You just want to hear about the resort already? Alrighty! But I warn you now you may be sorry you asked! Four entries to talk about a flight who knows how long this resort discussion could take .
So heres the scoop: We are staying at Disney September 5 10. Thats five whole days! Now I know for some of you who are lucky enough to be able to go for a week, or 10 days, or God-forbid two weeks, that may not seem like very long. But consider this: my first trip to Disney was for two days (it was insane and exhausting and so so much fun!) and the only other time Ive gone was for three days. So this trip is as long as the all the other trips Ive made to Disney combined! Of course I would love to stay longer, but Ill take what I can get
But the bigger question is where would we be staying? There are so many things to consider when choosing a resort. And believe me, I analyzed them all: Location, theme, pool, room size, restaurants, transportation options, price
Wait a second I thought you said Disney paid for the room? Why would you consider price?
Glad you asked
We considered price in opposite terms of how we would consider it if we were paying out of pocket basically, the more expensive, the better. That doesnt mean that we automatically stayed at the most expensive resort. But if everything else was equal, we would choose the more expensive option. That way when we make a trip and pay for a room ourselves, we can have the cheaper of the two options when were paying OOP. Does that make any sense??? If not, just know price didnt really factor in that much.Because Disney comped our room, we did narrow our search to the Deluxe Resorts. And I know not everyone feels this way, but my husband and I love trying something new every time we go to Disney. Perhaps one day well stay somewhere that we love so much we couldnt bear the thought of staying anywhere else, but for now wed prefer to experience as many different resorts as we can. So with that in mind, we quickly ruled out the two places we stayed on our previous trips:
In case youre interested, Ill give a quick review of both places. If youre not interested, well .you might be in the wrong trip report. I told you in the beginning Im a rambler, so you were warned I would make the most of every opportunity to go off on a tangent and to drag this out as long as possible
I will also say this: Were pretty easy-to-please people, especially when in WDW. And when we travel, we usually stay at whatever cheap hotel I can find on priceline, so our accommodation standards arent that high
We once stayed in a hotel room in London that was literally the size of the bed, plus a one foot wide walkway at the end where we stored our luggage. You could stretch out your arms and reach the wall on either side of the bathroom. The room had no windows and no tv. And we still had a great time. So seriously, were not hard to impress. If youre used to luxurious accommodations, these probably arent going to be any use to you.The Grand Floridian: We stayed here on our first trip, which was only two days (We know, Hannah. Youve told us like three times already. Were so sorry you only got to go to DW for two days on your first trip. Now get over it. ) The GF is known for being the most luxurious of the WDW hotels, and IMO, it lived up to its reputation. The lobby was truly incredible the high ceilings with gigantic chandeliers, enormous arrangements of fresh flowers, someone playing live music on the piano. Walking in to the lobby for the first time truly takes your breath away. Everything else about the resort was fine, but not necessarily as impressive. The room was nice a little on the Victorian side, décor wise (duh, Hannah. Thats the theme of the resort. Didnt you look at any pictures before you went?). Victorian isnt really my thing, so I wasnt like, in love with it, but it was still really nice. The only negative thing that happened while we were there was that on the first morning, the hot water in our shower wasnt working. We called the front desk and they had someone there within an hour to fix it, and even offered to let us switch rooms (which we didnt do too much work). So I felt like they definitely did everything they could to provide great service, and I was ok. But I remember thinking, Man, if Id paid $400 a night for this room and then missed RD because I didnt have hot water, I think Id be a little upset. But really, theres not much they could have done about that, I guess. We didnt get to experience any of the restaurants due to our rushed schedule, but did take a quick walk around the grounds. Such a romantic place! I would definitely recommend riding the monorail over to this resort and just having a quick look around if you have the chance.
The Contemporary: We stayed here for three nights on our trip in 2010 and LOVED it! Granted, the lobby and exterior were not as impressive as the GF, but the room was really spacious and the modern theme was really cool. Plus we had a castle view room, which was amaaaaazing. I didnt really think I would care that much, but man was it magical to walk out onto the balcony each morning and stare at Cinderellas castle. It really did take my breath away every time. (I just realized thats the second time in two paragraphs Ive used the phrase took my breath away to describe something at Disney. At this rate, Im lucky I dont hyperventilate more frequently when Im at WDW. For all you people making a trip in September, if you see anyone passed out on the ground, its probably me. Be sure to come over and say hi. Id love to meet you.) Our room was in the main tower, which felt a lot closer to everything (the monorail, the restaurants, and the pool) than when we were at the GF. And best of all, it was just a short walk to the Magic Kingdom. Such a great location!
Ok, Hannah. Youve drug this out long enough. Just tell us what you decided already!
Patience, my dear friends. All in good time.
Next we ruled out this one:
It seems like a fabulous resort, and I definitely want to stay there someday. But it just looks like its so far away from everything! I think it might be a better option if we ever drive down, or at least when DS is a little older. I just dont want to be hauling his stroller on and off a bus to every single park. Also, one of the key advantages in staying at this resort would be to have a Savannah view room. But with our room being comped, we dont get to decide what category or location the room is at. So we wouldnt be guaranteed to have a Savannah view room, which I think would be really disappointing. Well save this one for another trip.
Next we ruled out this one:
It looks like a great resort, but if Im going to stay at an Epcot area resort, I want to be at Stormalong Bay. Simple as that.
Next I ruled out this one:
Also looks nice, but decided Id rather be at BC than here. Mostly because of all of the TRs I read of people staying at BC and they all seemed so happy there!
And then there were two .BC and Poly. This is where the decision got complicated. Both have great theming, restaurants, and transportation options. Both have great pools, but BC edges out Poly in that category. But Poly has slightly bigger rooms. So it really came down to location. BC is close to Epcot, Poly is close to MK. So which would we go with?
Polynesian!!! I have read so many positive things about this resort on the DIS, and couldnt be more excited! Its such a beautiful resort, and I know its going to be the perfect place for us! The lobby is incredible, the pool looks like so much fun, and I absolutely cant wait to try the restaurants!
BC looked incredible, too, and Ive second-guessed my decision more than a few times! Its definitely going at the top of my list for next year. So how did I decide? Ultimately it came down to the fact that NOJ is at the MK, and since that is the primary purpose of my husband being there, it makes sense to stay at a resort that is close by. Plus his boss is going to be staying at GF, so it will be helpful for them to be close to each other.
So thats it! Ive finally told you something interesting about our upcoming trip! Feel free to chime in on your thoughts about any of the resorts Ive mentioned. Id love to know if you agree with my decision
or if you disagree, I guess. I dont think its too late to change my mind. Ive still got two weeks and three days
PS I realize I left off Wilderness Lodge in my analysis. I have no explanation for this its a beautiful resort, just not the one we chose. And its 12:15 am and Im just too lazy to go up and work it back into the report. Please forgive me. Thank you.
Fratthouse
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- Aug 15, 2012
- Messages
- 601
Hi Carolyn! Thanks for joining in! The more I think about it, the gladder I am that we decided for me not to fly by myself, too. Just too risky, and who wants to start a Disney vacation out on a bad note? No one, that's who!
Glad to hear you love Christian Music - I have mixed feelings about NOJ. I'm sure I'll ramble on and on about it at some point in this PTR / TR, so hopefully I'll have some first-hand information that might be interesting for you
Thanks again for joining in! Glad to have you along!
Fratthouse
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- Aug 15, 2012
- Messages
- 601
Isn't Southwest great?? We changed our flights and it didn't cost us anything, and we got back a ton of points because the new one was cheaper. Yippee for SW!
I love Southwest! They were always my favorite airline, but this trip has really made me appreciate them more fully. Free checked baggage is a much bigger perk when you're packing for a one-year-old!
Fratthouse
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- Aug 15, 2012
- Messages
- 601
BearcatsFan
<font color=green>we finally had a minute to breat
- Joined
- Dec 30, 2011
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- 8,089
Okay Hannah, I have to admit that I've giggled my way through this entire PTR!
Can't wait to read more details - your trip is sooooo close!Your little one is adorable!
Disneychix
When you wish upon a star...
- Joined
- Nov 28, 2007
- Messages
- 4,078
I was wondering about the WL until I got to the end Enjoy your stay at the Poly!!
Enjoy your stay at the Poly!!Fratthouse
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- Aug 15, 2012
- Messages
- 601
So before we begin the next installment of this novel
.errr
..pre-trip report, I have a question for all of you. That is, all three of you who are reading along. Here it is:
Have you ever made an impulsive decision without thinking and later come to regret it?
No, Hannah. We have not. When making a decision, we consider and evaluate all alternatives before carefully selecting the best option. We then move forward with confidence, without any hesitation or regret.
Oh dear. I was hoping to garner some empathy from you all by having you reflect on your own past mistakes before revealing to you the major mistake I made in my trip planning process. Looks like that plan has backfired. This is going to be embarrassing. But well get to that a little later.
For now, lets talk about ADRs, shall we?
Before we begin, let me share a secret with you: I have never made an ADR before.
What?!?! How could you even consider yourself qualified to write a PTR without any experience making ADRs? How could you go to Disney World and not take advantage of one of the most crucial experiences table service dining??? How could you go for days on nothing but counter service food??? Do you know what youve been missing???
I know, I know. To be honest, I didnt even know Disney had a reservation system for their table service restaurants until about three weeks before my first trip. By that time, there was absolutely nothing available (well, there might have been an opening at Nine Dragons for two in the morning, but other than that .nothing). So we decided just to skip it for that trip. We had so little time, we figured we wouldnt want to spend much of it at sit-down restaurants, anyways. While we were there, we did a walk up at Tonys in MK and were seated immediately. I know its gotten a lot of bad reviews, but our food and service were both really good, so we ended up having a great first table-service experience there!
For our second trip, I really have no idea why I didnt make any ADRs. I think it was at least partly because we were able to get seated so easily without a reservation before, and we just figured wed try that again. Now I know this is going to sound really foreign and maybe stupid to a lot of you, but I was hesitant to lock myself in to an ADR. I never knew exactly when wed be hungry, what wed be in the mood for, what part of the park wed be in, or what attraction wed be in line for. I hated to have to schedule my day around an ADR, and instead preferred just to wing it. We ended up going to Yak & Yeti and Liberty Tree Tavern that trip, both times with a 10 15 minute wait, and had a great experience both places. That is definitely something you can only do during the super-low season, and if you dont have your heart set on eating at a specific place, but for us it worked great.
But this time is a little different. First, well be going for a longer amount of time, so I dont mind spending a little more of it at sit-down meals. Second, Ive been doing my research here on the DIS, and there are some TS places that I really want to try. So I figured what the heck. Lets make some ADRs!
And there I go again thats seven paragraphs just to tell you that I made ADRs for this trip. Not even where I made ADRs, just that I made them. Sheesh. Is there a reward for the longest Pre-Trip Report on the DIS? Is anyone still reading this silly thing??
Cricket. Cricket.
So here we go. Approximately six months before our trip, I decided to make a few reservations. Now at this point, I didnt know if wed even really be going to Disney, or the actual days that we would be there. But I figured if I didnt get something reserved right away, there would be nothing left. And I could always cancel them, right? So I just booked some stuff based on when I thought I might be there, and hoped for the best. Heres what I got:
Wednesday 9/5 Tusker House (lunch)
Thursday 9/6 Le Cellier (lunch)
Friday 9/7 Crystal Palace (Breakfast)
Saturday 9/8 Brown Derby (Dinner)
Not bad, right? I was particularly excited about Le Cellier theres such wonderful reviews about this place on the DIS and for the Crystal Palace character breakfast. I havent been to any character meals, and Im so excited on this trip to have a kid along as an excuse to go (ok I know a lot of you out there go to these meals without kids, and totally have a great time. After reading the DIS, I would be more inclined to try this now, but was always too inhibited before).
So there it was our first ever list of dining reservations. I was so excited! I would get on the DIS and read the reviews, scour the menus and plan what I would order, and occasionally go to the Disney website and pull up my list of reservations just to make sure they were real and still there
A few months went by, and it began to look more and more like this trip was actually going to happen. At the beginning of August, just one month away from our hypothetical trip, DH began scheduling some work-related meetings in Orlando around the time of NOJ, since we would theoretically be there anyways. Another sign that this trip was on!
So what do I do, just one month out from our perfectly planned and scheduled trip? Heres the embarrassing mistake I referenced at the beginning of this entry: I cancelled all of our reservations.
Ummmm ..what did you just say? You cancelled all your dining reservations one month before your trip??? Are you crazy??? You had a reservation to Le Cellier! LE FRIECKING CELLIER!!! Dont you know those are worth their weight in gold??? You are officially not qualified to write a PTR. In fact, were going to have to take your membership to the DIS under consideration. Consider yourself on probation .
Its true it was a really stupid decision. Im not sure exactly what prompted it, except my DH kept making references to different meetings, events, and conferences that he was going to have to attend during our trip. Every other year, he has basically been free all during the day and just had to attend NOJ for a few hours on those nights. But this year it sounded like he was going to have a lot more work related stuff going on. And he really couldnt give me any kind of schedule or time frame as to when he would get to be with us and when he would be at work stuff. So I just kind of panicked. I didnt want to go to any of those restaurants with just me and DS. And there didnt seem to be any way to schedule ADRs around my husbands free time. And I certainly didnt want to get stuck paying $10 per person for each reservation that we had to cancel last minute. So I just panicked and cancelled them all. Stupid, stupid, stupid. An intelligent person would have just left them until my husbands schedule was finalized, and at that point compared the reservations to his schedule to determine what would need to be cancelled, what could be moved, and what we could keep.
Clearly, I am not an intelligent person.
So that is the very sad tale of Hannah and the ADRs. I will leave you with one last lament:
Oh Le Cellier! Oh Le Cellier!
How I long to visit you one day and eat a bowl of your Cheddar Cheese Soup!
Oh Le Cellier!
The End.
Up next: Do I decide to make new ADRs? Is there any availability just two short weeks out? Or do I decide its all not worth it and just to wing it again on this trip?
Have you ever made an impulsive decision without thinking and later come to regret it?
No, Hannah. We have not. When making a decision, we consider and evaluate all alternatives before carefully selecting the best option. We then move forward with confidence, without any hesitation or regret.
Oh dear. I was hoping to garner some empathy from you all by having you reflect on your own past mistakes before revealing to you the major mistake I made in my trip planning process. Looks like that plan has backfired. This is going to be embarrassing. But well get to that a little later.
For now, lets talk about ADRs, shall we?
Before we begin, let me share a secret with you: I have never made an ADR before.
What?!?! How could you even consider yourself qualified to write a PTR without any experience making ADRs? How could you go to Disney World and not take advantage of one of the most crucial experiences table service dining??? How could you go for days on nothing but counter service food??? Do you know what youve been missing???
I know, I know. To be honest, I didnt even know Disney had a reservation system for their table service restaurants until about three weeks before my first trip. By that time, there was absolutely nothing available (well, there might have been an opening at Nine Dragons for two in the morning, but other than that .nothing). So we decided just to skip it for that trip. We had so little time, we figured we wouldnt want to spend much of it at sit-down restaurants, anyways. While we were there, we did a walk up at Tonys in MK and were seated immediately. I know its gotten a lot of bad reviews, but our food and service were both really good, so we ended up having a great first table-service experience there!
For our second trip, I really have no idea why I didnt make any ADRs. I think it was at least partly because we were able to get seated so easily without a reservation before, and we just figured wed try that again. Now I know this is going to sound really foreign and maybe stupid to a lot of you, but I was hesitant to lock myself in to an ADR. I never knew exactly when wed be hungry, what wed be in the mood for, what part of the park wed be in, or what attraction wed be in line for. I hated to have to schedule my day around an ADR, and instead preferred just to wing it. We ended up going to Yak & Yeti and Liberty Tree Tavern that trip, both times with a 10 15 minute wait, and had a great experience both places. That is definitely something you can only do during the super-low season, and if you dont have your heart set on eating at a specific place, but for us it worked great.
But this time is a little different. First, well be going for a longer amount of time, so I dont mind spending a little more of it at sit-down meals. Second, Ive been doing my research here on the DIS, and there are some TS places that I really want to try. So I figured what the heck. Lets make some ADRs!
And there I go again thats seven paragraphs just to tell you that I made ADRs for this trip. Not even where I made ADRs, just that I made them. Sheesh. Is there a reward for the longest Pre-Trip Report on the DIS? Is anyone still reading this silly thing??
Cricket. Cricket.
So here we go. Approximately six months before our trip, I decided to make a few reservations. Now at this point, I didnt know if wed even really be going to Disney, or the actual days that we would be there. But I figured if I didnt get something reserved right away, there would be nothing left. And I could always cancel them, right? So I just booked some stuff based on when I thought I might be there, and hoped for the best. Heres what I got:
Wednesday 9/5 Tusker House (lunch)
Thursday 9/6 Le Cellier (lunch)
Friday 9/7 Crystal Palace (Breakfast)
Saturday 9/8 Brown Derby (Dinner)
Not bad, right? I was particularly excited about Le Cellier theres such wonderful reviews about this place on the DIS and for the Crystal Palace character breakfast. I havent been to any character meals, and Im so excited on this trip to have a kid along as an excuse to go (ok I know a lot of you out there go to these meals without kids, and totally have a great time. After reading the DIS, I would be more inclined to try this now, but was always too inhibited before).
So there it was our first ever list of dining reservations. I was so excited! I would get on the DIS and read the reviews, scour the menus and plan what I would order, and occasionally go to the Disney website and pull up my list of reservations just to make sure they were real and still there
A few months went by, and it began to look more and more like this trip was actually going to happen. At the beginning of August, just one month away from our hypothetical trip, DH began scheduling some work-related meetings in Orlando around the time of NOJ, since we would theoretically be there anyways. Another sign that this trip was on!
So what do I do, just one month out from our perfectly planned and scheduled trip? Heres the embarrassing mistake I referenced at the beginning of this entry: I cancelled all of our reservations.
Ummmm ..what did you just say? You cancelled all your dining reservations one month before your trip??? Are you crazy??? You had a reservation to Le Cellier! LE FRIECKING CELLIER!!! Dont you know those are worth their weight in gold??? You are officially not qualified to write a PTR. In fact, were going to have to take your membership to the DIS under consideration. Consider yourself on probation .
Its true it was a really stupid decision. Im not sure exactly what prompted it, except my DH kept making references to different meetings, events, and conferences that he was going to have to attend during our trip. Every other year, he has basically been free all during the day and just had to attend NOJ for a few hours on those nights. But this year it sounded like he was going to have a lot more work related stuff going on. And he really couldnt give me any kind of schedule or time frame as to when he would get to be with us and when he would be at work stuff. So I just kind of panicked. I didnt want to go to any of those restaurants with just me and DS. And there didnt seem to be any way to schedule ADRs around my husbands free time. And I certainly didnt want to get stuck paying $10 per person for each reservation that we had to cancel last minute. So I just panicked and cancelled them all. Stupid, stupid, stupid. An intelligent person would have just left them until my husbands schedule was finalized, and at that point compared the reservations to his schedule to determine what would need to be cancelled, what could be moved, and what we could keep.
Clearly, I am not an intelligent person.
So that is the very sad tale of Hannah and the ADRs. I will leave you with one last lament:
Oh Le Cellier! Oh Le Cellier!
How I long to visit you one day and eat a bowl of your Cheddar Cheese Soup!
Oh Le Cellier!
The End.
Up next: Do I decide to make new ADRs? Is there any availability just two short weeks out? Or do I decide its all not worth it and just to wing it again on this trip?
CatNipRules
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- Mar 16, 2008
- Messages
- 1,451
So before we begin the next installment of this novel .errr ..pre-trip report, I have a question for all of you. That is, all three of you who are reading along. Here it is:
Have you ever made an impulsive decision without thinking and later come to regret it?
No, Hannah. We have not. When making a decision, we consider and evaluate all alternatives before carefully selecting the best option. We then move forward with confidence, without any hesitation or regret.
Oh dear. I was hoping to garner some empathy from you all by having you reflect on your own past mistakes before revealing to you the major mistake I made in my trip planning process. Looks like that plan has backfired. This is going to be embarrassing. But well get to that a little later.
For now, lets talk about ADRs, shall we?
Before we begin, let me share a secret with you: I have never made an ADR before.
What?!?! How could you even consider yourself qualified to write a PTR without any experience making ADRs? How could you go to Disney World and not take advantage of one of the most crucial experiences table service dining??? How could you go for days on nothing but counter service food??? Do you know what youve been missing???
I know, I know. To be honest, I didnt even know Disney had a reservation system for their table service restaurants until about three weeks before my first trip. By that time, there was absolutely nothing available (well, there might have been an opening at Nine Dragons for two in the morning, but other than that .nothing). So we decided just to skip it for that trip. We had so little time, we figured we wouldnt want to spend much of it at sit-down restaurants, anyways. While we were there, we did a walk up at Tonys in MK and were seated immediately. I know its gotten a lot of bad reviews, but our food and service were both really good, so we ended up having a great first table-service experience there!
For our second trip, I really have no idea why I didnt make any ADRs. I think it was at least partly because we were able to get seated so easily without a reservation before, and we just figured wed try that again. Now I know this is going to sound really foreign and maybe stupid to a lot of you, but I was hesitant to lock myself in to an ADR. I never knew exactly when wed be hungry, what wed be in the mood for, what part of the park wed be in, or what attraction wed be in line for. I hated to have to schedule my day around an ADR, and instead preferred just to wing it. We ended up going to Yak & Yeti and Liberty Tree Tavern that trip, both times with a 10 15 minute wait, and had a great experience both places. That is definitely something you can only do during the super-low season, and if you dont have your heart set on eating at a specific place, but for us it worked great.
But this time is a little different. First, well be going for a longer amount of time, so I dont mind spending a little more of it at sit-down meals. Second, Ive been doing my research here on the DIS, and there are some TS places that I really want to try. So I figured what the heck. Lets make some ADRs!
And there I go again thats seven paragraphs just to tell you that I made ADRs for this trip. Not even where I made ADRs, just that I made them. Sheesh. Is there a reward for the longest Pre-Trip Report on the DIS? Is anyone still reading this silly thing??
Cricket. Cricket.
So here we go. Approximately six months before our trip, I decided to make a few reservations. Now at this point, I didnt know if wed even really be going to Disney, or the actual days that we would be there. But I figured if I didnt get something reserved right away, there would be nothing left. And I could always cancel them, right? So I just booked some stuff based on when I thought I might be there, and hoped for the best. Heres what I got:
Wednesday 9/5 Tusker House (lunch)
Thursday 9/6 Le Cellier (lunch)
Friday 9/7 Crystal Palace (Breakfast)
Saturday 9/8 Brown Derby (Dinner)
Not bad, right? I was particularly excited about Le Cellier theres such wonderful reviews about this place on the DIS and for the Crystal Palace character breakfast. I havent been to any character meals, and Im so excited on this trip to have a kid along as an excuse to go (ok I know a lot of you out there go to these meals without kids, and totally have a great time. After reading the DIS, I would be more inclined to try this now, but was always too inhibited before).
So there it was our first ever list of dining reservations. I was so excited! I would get on the DIS and read the reviews, scour the menus and plan what I would order, and occasionally go to the Disney website and pull up my list of reservations just to make sure they were real and still there
A few months went by, and it began to look more and more like this trip was actually going to happen. At the beginning of August, just one month away from our hypothetical trip, DH began scheduling some work-related meetings in Orlando around the time of NOJ, since we would theoretically be there anyways. Another sign that this trip was on!
So what do I do, just one month out from our perfectly planned and scheduled trip? Heres the embarrassing mistake I referenced at the beginning of this entry: I cancelled all of our reservations.
Ummmm ..what did you just say? You cancelled all your dining reservations one month before your trip??? Are you crazy??? You had a reservation to Le Cellier! LE FRIECKING CELLIER!!! Dont you know those are worth their weight in gold??? You are officially not qualified to write a PTR. In fact, were going to have to take your membership to the DIS under consideration. Consider yourself on probation .
Its true it was a really stupid decision. Im not sure exactly what prompted it, except my DH kept making references to different meetings, events, and conferences that he was going to have to attend during our trip. Every other year, he has basically been free all during the day and just had to attend NOJ for a few hours on those nights. But this year it sounded like he was going to have a lot more work related stuff going on. And he really couldnt give me any kind of schedule or time frame as to when he would get to be with us and when he would be at work stuff. So I just kind of panicked. I didnt want to go to any of those restaurants with just me and DS. And there didnt seem to be any way to schedule ADRs around my husbands free time. And I certainly didnt want to get stuck paying $10 per person for each reservation that we had to cancel last minute. So I just panicked and cancelled them all. Stupid, stupid, stupid. An intelligent person would have just left them until my husbands schedule was finalized, and at that point compared the reservations to his schedule to determine what would need to be cancelled, what could be moved, and what we could keep.
Clearly, I am not an intelligent person.
So that is the very sad tale of Hannah and the ADRs. I will leave you with one last lament:
Oh Le Cellier! Oh Le Cellier!
How I long to visit you one day and eat a bowl of your Cheddar Cheese Soup!
Oh Le Cellier!
The End.
Up next: Do I decide to make new ADRs? Is there any availability just two short weeks out? Or do I decide its all not worth it and just to wing it again on this trip?
LOL!! I love your report. You definitely have a way with writing. LOL!!
Since you are going to be there during a less busy time of year you can always do a walk up to a lot of the busier restaurants. Even Le Cellier might have something available that time of the year. It never hurts to try. It's a great restaurant.
We have even walked up to Tusker house and gotten a table.
To be honest, every restaurant that you have listed there, with the exception of Le Cellier, we've been able to just walk up and get a table.
I can't wait to see if you've made new ADR's or not.
kdka421
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- Jun 30, 2011
- Messages
- 718
Hi! I am joining in your PTR! I had a great time catching up...
First, your little boy is adorable! I'm sure it's going to be quite an adventure taking him for the first time. My husband and I don't have kids yet, so our trips together so far have been adults-only, so I can only imagine what it will be like when we take our future kids to the World...
Just last night my hubby and I were talking about which deluxes we'd stay at if we had the choice, and he chose Poly, and I chose Beach Club, so I'd agree you were picking between 2 great resorts! I'm sure you'll enjoy the Poly.
Look forward to reading more And hearing about NOJ. We've never done it, our last trip we left just a few days before it, would have been nice if the timing worked out. Maybe another time. But we're SUPER excited for the special events going on during our upcoming trip! So it's all good.
I am joining in your PTR! I had a great time catching up...First, your little boy is adorable! I'm sure it's going to be quite an adventure taking him for the first time. My husband and I don't have kids yet, so our trips together so far have been adults-only, so I can only imagine what it will be like when we take our future kids to the World...
Just last night my hubby and I were talking about which deluxes we'd stay at if we had the choice, and he chose Poly, and I chose Beach Club, so I'd agree you were picking between 2 great resorts! I'm sure you'll enjoy the Poly.
Look forward to reading more
And hearing about NOJ. We've never done it, our last trip we left just a few days before it, would have been nice if the timing worked out. Maybe another time. But we're SUPER excited for the special events going on during our upcoming trip! So it's all good.Fratthouse
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- Aug 15, 2012
- Messages
- 601
Okay Hannah, I have to admit that I've giggled my way through this entire PTR!
Your little one is adorable!
Hello and welcome! thanks so much for joining! I've enjoyed your PTR, as well
Can't believe our trips are coming up so soon. Hooray for Disney!Fratthouse
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- Aug 15, 2012
- Messages
- 601
Hi!
First, your little boy is adorable! I'm sure it's going to be quite an adventure taking him for the first time. My husband and I don't have kids yet, so our trips together so far have been adults-only, so I can only imagine what it will be like when we take our future kids to the World...
Just last night my hubby and I were talking about which deluxes we'd stay at if we had the choice, and he chose Poly, and I chose Beach Club, so I'd agree you were picking between 2 great resorts! I'm sure you'll enjoy the Poly.
Look forward to reading more
Hi and welcome! So glad to have you along! I'm headed over to your PTR right now to catch up
So fun you and your hubby get to enjoy a few trips just the two of you. I'm so glad that DH & I were able to go those two times by ourselves. I'm all about just enjoying whatever season of life you're in, so I know there are going to be some great memories on this trip. But I do also miss the simplicity of it just being the two of us. And the ability to do whatever we wanted without having to worry about naps, diaper changes, bed times, etc. Guess I'm still a little selfish that way
One of these days I'm going to write about my experiences at NOJ. I've had a couple people say they're interested in going, so I think I should share. But since I'm such a rambler, I have no idea when I'm going to get to it. Speaking of rambling....I think that might be what I'm doing now, so I will wrap this up.
Nice to meet you and thanks again for joining!!!
Fratthouse
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- Aug 15, 2012
- Messages
- 601
I was wondering about the WL until I got to the end
Thanks, Disneychix
I can't believe I left off the WL. My husband and I took the boat over to it last time we were at WDW and just had a look around the pool and the lobby. And we LOVED it! We really thought it had the best ambiance. In fact, as we were sitting in a couple of chairs in the lobby, my husband said, "let's stay here next time." We liked it that much. Despite my husband's request from two years ago, I ruled this one out pretty early for a couple of different reasons. First, it's one of the cheaper deluxe hotels, so I figured we'd be more likely to spend the money to stay here when paying OOP than some of the more expensive resorts (aka Poly). Second, it's not quite as convenient to get to the other parks as the Poly. There's the boat to the MK, which is great, but it's buses everywhere else. So, like the AK lodge, we'll save it for a time when we have a car with us or DS is a little older and easier to transport But like I said, we did love this resort! It really is such a hard decision to choose where to stay at Disney!Fratthouse
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- Aug 15, 2012
- Messages
- 601
So where we last left off, I had cancelled all of my dining reservations, and was considering whether or not to try and make new ones. After some reflection, I think my brash decision to cancel my ADRs was a self-protection mechanism. You see, when I had all of my ADRs booked, it made the trip feel real. It was all set my dream trip with the best dining experiences already scheduled and reserved. If the trip fell through at that point, I would have been devastated! Can you imagine having to go through and cancel each dining reservation because our trip had been called off? How depressing! So I just cancelled them in advance to keep myself from being too disappointed if the trip fell through.
Ok, Hannah. This is the DIS, not Oprah. We care about what restaurants youre eating at, not all this psychotherapy self-protection mumbo jumbo. Please return to the conversation about ADRs. Thank you for your cooperation in this matter.
Right! So, would I make more ADRs? Would it even be worth it at this point, given that probably everything would be booked up? Youre about to find out!
Pretty soon after we learned that our trip to Disney was for sure going to happen, I began to regret cancelling all those ADRs. So I decided to hop on the reservation website and just see what was available. And I couldnt believe it.
At two weeks out, I could still make reservations at some fairly decent places! Heres the list:
Thursday 9/6 Sci Fi Dine In (lunch)
Saturday 9/8 Rose Crown & Pub (dinner)
Sunday 9/9 Kona Café (lunch)
OK so not as great as my first time around, but it could be worse. I could have only been able to book at Nine Dragons! So I could work with this.
Just a little commentary, because I know that you are dying of curiosity as to why I chose these places.
1 Sci Fi: to be honest, I am least excited about this reservation. Im really just not that crazy about the restaurants at Hollywood Studios CS or TS. We ate at Mama Melrose the last time we were here, and actually liked it (we really like Italian food, though.) We could just go back, but Id like to try something new. So out of the remaining TS options, this seemed like the best. I originally was going to try Brown Derby, but then read a bunch of bad reviews. So the food is really expensive and bad? No thanks. Plus, I didnt know how DS would do in that environment. They may not appreciate him spitting baby food all over the table and throwing puffs on the floor at a signature restaurant?. I mean, lets be honest. Im a fairly classy girl, but even I feel a little inhibited in a fancy restaurant after a day at the theme park. Bringing a restless, probably tired and fussy, and very messy one-year-old? Naaah. I can think of many more fun ways to embarrass myself, thank you very much. Thought about 50s Prime Time, but remember how I said DH was a health freak? It didnt really seem like there were many unfried, non-fatty options here. Im not really a big eater, either, so this seemed like it just might not work for either of us. So Sci Fi it is. I debated just heading over to Epcot for dinner since they have so many food options, but we want to watch Fantasmic that night. Maybe head over to Epcot for a late lunch then eat counter service at HS that evening? As you can see, this is still up for debate
2 Rose & Crown I really debated between this and Via Napoli, since Ive heard good things about both. This really appealed to me because my husband and I went to London three years ago and absolutely loved the food! I already know what we will order here: fish & chips, and the shepherds pie (I think maybe they call it cottage pie or something, but the description sounded just like shepherds pie). So it will be yummy and nostalgic Plus, Im hoping we can stick around / drag it out long enough to still be there for Illuminations. Our reservation is at 7, and Illuminations isnt till 9, so this may be stretching it. Were both not big eaters, so it would be a challenge to do appetizers, entrees, and desserts. But Im hoping that since its low season they might be a little more flexible about letting us just hang out until its time for the show? If not, its low season so it wont be hard to find a viewing spot somewhere else. Well give it a shot.
3 Kona Since this one is in our resort, I thought Id give it a try. Ive read a lot of positive reviews on it on the DIS, and the menu looks like its got some good options. We tentatively plan on spending that day in the MK, so it will be easy to travel to, and well just combine it with our afternoon swim / nap break. Easy, convenient, and hopefully really yummy.
So Im feeling good. Not as many ADRs as Id originally planned, but still some good options. And well get to try some new places, so that will be fun. I was content.
Then I started reading through the dining reviews page, and two restaurants kept coming up as must-do places to eat: Ohanas and Le Cellier. When I originally booked ADRs (back at the almost six-month mark), I had checked on Ohanas. It looked super yummy, plus it was in our resort, which would make it really convenient. But it was already booked up every single day that we would be there. So I gave up on that. And dont even get me started on Le Cellier. Its still a sore topic. So while I was mourning my missed opportunity to eat at one of the truly great dining establishments at Disney, I decided on a whim (and what decisions do I ever make besides those that are on a whim???) to check for availability on the Disney site. And what do you know .
There was one reservation opening at Ohanas. And it was on the evening of the day we would be at AK. Perfect! AK closes at 5 (Im sure well be gone long before then), and our reservation is at 6:30, with nowhere that we have to be the rest of the night! I couldnt believe my luck ..I mean - PIXIE DUST! Its like it was meant to be.
But thats not all, folks. You know whats coming dont you?
Hannah, you better be getting ready to tell us you got that reservation at Le Cellier. If you build this up and then its not true, you are going to lose every last reader of this trip report!
I didnt get the reservation at Le Cellier.
That day.
But just yesterday, I thought Id try my luck one more time. And there it was the last evening of our trip. One tiny little opening for a party of three on Sunday night.
A party went off in my head. It sounded a little like a game of Pitt: THREE! THREE! RIGHT HERE! IVE GOT THREE! PICK ME! PICK ME!!! PICK MEEEEEEEE!!!!
(If youve never played Pitt, do yourself a favor and purchase it immediately from your nearest retailer. Then play it with your favorite 5 6 friends or family members. Go ahead. Ill wait ..
Fun, right? Thank you for indulging me. We can now move on.)
So there it was I swear there was a glow around the time slot when it pulled up on the website. And a choir of angels sang in the background as I entered in my credit card information to confirm my reservation. Tink flew around forever while I waited for the confirmation page to pop up. I think she was flying all the way from my laptop in TN to the reservation specialists in Orlando to personally hand deliver my reservation information. Something this precious cant be left to the internet oh no, it has to be personally delivered by fairies.
And then it appeared my confirmation number. Ladies and Gentlemen, I am going to Le Cellier!
Not to be anticlimactic, but it did conflict with my Kona reservation. So with a little switching around, here is the final list:
Wed 9/5: Kona (dinner)
Thurs 9/6: Sci Fi (Lunch) for now. Thinking more and more I might switch this to Via Napoli, if theres availability
Fri 9/7: Ohanas (dinner)
Sat 9/8: Rose & Crown (dinner)
Sun 9/9: Le Cellier
Im not trying to brag or anything, but it just feels like the fairies sprinkled pixie dust all over my ADRs. Maybe they realized my incompetence after I foolishly cancelled all my reservations a few weeks ago, and felt so sorry for me they decided to help me out. Regardless, I be eatin' good on this trip, yo.
Im sorry. Apparently I start speaking ebonics when I get really excited about dining at Disney World. That must happen to some of you as well.
No, Hannah. We here at the DIS do not speak ebonics. Ever. In fact, we are now adding that to our list of rules and regulations: No profanity, no talking about religion or politics, no stories about your childs pooping habits, and no ebonics.
Huh. This rules list is getting a bit overwhelming.
Anyways thats all for now! Thanks for reading this crazy thing! And feel free to drop me a line and let me know your thoughts on any of these places. Im particularly curious what you think about the sci fi / via Napoli options.
Next up: park must dos!
Ok, Hannah. This is the DIS, not Oprah. We care about what restaurants youre eating at, not all this psychotherapy self-protection mumbo jumbo. Please return to the conversation about ADRs. Thank you for your cooperation in this matter.
Right! So, would I make more ADRs? Would it even be worth it at this point, given that probably everything would be booked up? Youre about to find out!
Pretty soon after we learned that our trip to Disney was for sure going to happen, I began to regret cancelling all those ADRs. So I decided to hop on the reservation website and just see what was available. And I couldnt believe it.
At two weeks out, I could still make reservations at some fairly decent places! Heres the list:
Thursday 9/6 Sci Fi Dine In (lunch)
Saturday 9/8 Rose Crown & Pub (dinner)
Sunday 9/9 Kona Café (lunch)
OK so not as great as my first time around, but it could be worse. I could have only been able to book at Nine Dragons! So I could work with this.
Just a little commentary, because I know that you are dying of curiosity as to why I chose these places.
1 Sci Fi: to be honest, I am least excited about this reservation. Im really just not that crazy about the restaurants at Hollywood Studios CS or TS. We ate at Mama Melrose the last time we were here, and actually liked it (we really like Italian food, though.) We could just go back, but Id like to try something new. So out of the remaining TS options, this seemed like the best. I originally was going to try Brown Derby, but then read a bunch of bad reviews. So the food is really expensive and bad? No thanks. Plus, I didnt know how DS would do in that environment. They may not appreciate him spitting baby food all over the table and throwing puffs on the floor at a signature restaurant?. I mean, lets be honest. Im a fairly classy girl, but even I feel a little inhibited in a fancy restaurant after a day at the theme park. Bringing a restless, probably tired and fussy, and very messy one-year-old? Naaah. I can think of many more fun ways to embarrass myself, thank you very much. Thought about 50s Prime Time, but remember how I said DH was a health freak? It didnt really seem like there were many unfried, non-fatty options here. Im not really a big eater, either, so this seemed like it just might not work for either of us. So Sci Fi it is. I debated just heading over to Epcot for dinner since they have so many food options, but we want to watch Fantasmic that night. Maybe head over to Epcot for a late lunch then eat counter service at HS that evening? As you can see, this is still up for debate
2 Rose & Crown I really debated between this and Via Napoli, since Ive heard good things about both. This really appealed to me because my husband and I went to London three years ago and absolutely loved the food! I already know what we will order here: fish & chips, and the shepherds pie (I think maybe they call it cottage pie or something, but the description sounded just like shepherds pie). So it will be yummy and nostalgic
Plus, Im hoping we can stick around / drag it out long enough to still be there for Illuminations. Our reservation is at 7, and Illuminations isnt till 9, so this may be stretching it. Were both not big eaters, so it would be a challenge to do appetizers, entrees, and desserts. But Im hoping that since its low season they might be a little more flexible about letting us just hang out until its time for the show? If not, its low season so it wont be hard to find a viewing spot somewhere else. Well give it a shot.3 Kona Since this one is in our resort, I thought Id give it a try. Ive read a lot of positive reviews on it on the DIS, and the menu looks like its got some good options. We tentatively plan on spending that day in the MK, so it will be easy to travel to, and well just combine it with our afternoon swim / nap break. Easy, convenient, and hopefully really yummy.
So Im feeling good. Not as many ADRs as Id originally planned, but still some good options. And well get to try some new places, so that will be fun. I was content.
Then I started reading through the dining reviews page, and two restaurants kept coming up as must-do places to eat: Ohanas and Le Cellier. When I originally booked ADRs (back at the almost six-month mark), I had checked on Ohanas. It looked super yummy, plus it was in our resort, which would make it really convenient. But it was already booked up every single day that we would be there. So I gave up on that. And dont even get me started on Le Cellier. Its still a sore topic. So while I was mourning my missed opportunity to eat at one of the truly great dining establishments at Disney, I decided on a whim (and what decisions do I ever make besides those that are on a whim???) to check for availability on the Disney site. And what do you know .
There was one reservation opening at Ohanas. And it was on the evening of the day we would be at AK. Perfect! AK closes at 5 (Im sure well be gone long before then), and our reservation is at 6:30, with nowhere that we have to be the rest of the night! I couldnt believe my luck ..I mean - PIXIE DUST! Its like it was meant to be.
But thats not all, folks. You know whats coming dont you?
Hannah, you better be getting ready to tell us you got that reservation at Le Cellier. If you build this up and then its not true, you are going to lose every last reader of this trip report!
I didnt get the reservation at Le Cellier.
That day.
But just yesterday, I thought Id try my luck one more time. And there it was the last evening of our trip. One tiny little opening for a party of three on Sunday night.
A party went off in my head. It sounded a little like a game of Pitt: THREE! THREE! RIGHT HERE! IVE GOT THREE! PICK ME! PICK ME!!! PICK MEEEEEEEE!!!!
(If youve never played Pitt, do yourself a favor and purchase it immediately from your nearest retailer. Then play it with your favorite 5 6 friends or family members. Go ahead. Ill wait ..
Fun, right? Thank you for indulging me. We can now move on.)
So there it was I swear there was a glow around the time slot when it pulled up on the website. And a choir of angels sang in the background as I entered in my credit card information to confirm my reservation. Tink flew around forever while I waited for the confirmation page to pop up. I think she was flying all the way from my laptop in TN to the reservation specialists in Orlando to personally hand deliver my reservation information. Something this precious cant be left to the internet oh no, it has to be personally delivered by fairies.
And then it appeared my confirmation number. Ladies and Gentlemen, I am going to Le Cellier!
Not to be anticlimactic, but it did conflict with my Kona reservation. So with a little switching around, here is the final list:
Wed 9/5: Kona (dinner)
Thurs 9/6: Sci Fi (Lunch) for now. Thinking more and more I might switch this to Via Napoli, if theres availability
Fri 9/7: Ohanas (dinner)
Sat 9/8: Rose & Crown (dinner)
Sun 9/9: Le Cellier
Im not trying to brag or anything, but it just feels like the fairies sprinkled pixie dust all over my ADRs. Maybe they realized my incompetence after I foolishly cancelled all my reservations a few weeks ago, and felt so sorry for me they decided to help me out. Regardless, I be eatin' good on this trip, yo.
Im sorry. Apparently I start speaking ebonics when I get really excited about dining at Disney World. That must happen to some of you as well.
No, Hannah. We here at the DIS do not speak ebonics. Ever. In fact, we are now adding that to our list of rules and regulations: No profanity, no talking about religion or politics, no stories about your childs pooping habits, and no ebonics.
Huh. This rules list is getting a bit overwhelming.
Anyways thats all for now! Thanks for reading this crazy thing! And feel free to drop me a line and let me know your thoughts on any of these places. Im particularly curious what you think about the sci fi / via Napoli options.
Next up: park must dos!
rachel09985
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- Jun 6, 2009
- Messages
- 3,534
Wow congrats on Le Cellier and 'Ohana!!
I looove those two!
They are my favorite restaurants ever. I think 'Ohana beats out Le Cellier just because 'Ohana is so unique. Thankfully you don't have anywhere to be that night because you will be in a food coma.
I looove those two!
They are my favorite restaurants ever. I think 'Ohana beats out Le Cellier just because 'Ohana is so unique. Thankfully you don't have anywhere to be that night because you will be in a food coma.Fratthouse
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- Aug 15, 2012
- Messages
- 601
Wow congrats on Le Cellier and 'Ohana!!
I looove those two!
Thanks, Rachel! I really can't believe it myself! Glad to hear that you really like these restaurants - makes me even more excited to experience them myself!!!
Disneychix
When you wish upon a star...
- Joined
- Nov 28, 2007
- Messages
- 4,078
Great job getting Ohana! You will love it!
We really like Sci Fi-but we love Via Napoli too. If it fits into your plans I would go for Via Napoli but if you truly don't want to leave DHS Sci Fi is good. Sci Fi is hard with the little one because it is so dark. He probably is too young to be scared of the movies but ya never know. The darkness just adds a challenge to eating with a 1 yr old.
We really like Sci Fi-but we love Via Napoli too. If it fits into your plans I would go for Via Napoli but if you truly don't want to leave DHS Sci Fi is good. Sci Fi is hard with the little one because it is so dark. He probably is too young to be scared of the movies but ya never know. The darkness just adds a challenge to eating with a 1 yr old.
Fratthouse
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- Aug 15, 2012
- Messages
- 601
Good point on the darkness being a challenge for a baby - bad news: can't see his mouth to feed him. good news: all the people around me can't see the giant mess he is making with his food
lurkernj
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- Jun 4, 2008
- Messages
- 1,596
Just joining in your entertaining report
So awesome that you got Ohana and LeCellier so close to your trip!!
I managed to get an Ohana res for 10 a couple of weeks ago for my trip next month too, couldn't believe it!!! I swear they hold some back til closer to the end cuz this happened a couple of years ago when I went with BFF, I got a res about a month before hand.
It's exciting watch you plan your trip so close to your date
!! It's virtually unheard of for us OCDisers. The Poly looks beautiful and I'm sure you'll have a great trip, and yes, please give some info on the NOJ, as there is not much info out there on this
So awesome that you got Ohana and LeCellier so close to your trip!!
I managed to get an Ohana res for 10 a couple of weeks ago for my trip next month too, couldn't believe it!!! I swear they hold some back til closer to the end cuz this happened a couple of years ago when I went with BFF, I got a res about a month before hand.
It's exciting watch you plan your trip so close to your date
!! It's virtually unheard of for us OCDisers. The Poly looks beautiful and I'm sure you'll have a great trip, and yes, please give some info on the NOJ, as there is not much info out there on this-
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