To PS or not

[LovesHauntedMansion]

Very often I read threads in which people are asking whether or not to make PS's for their upcoming trips. The replies are usually mixed. The general consensus is usually to make a couple, but not to plan every meal. If you need evidence of this, just read the trip reports. Over the last 2 days I have spent my time reading trip reports (I have a broken foot & this is a good past time). They all seem to follow the same pattern. It gets to be amusing after a while. Everything is going okay (lines are short, kids in a good mood, etc.), but then they realize they need to be clean across the World for a PS. Then some event happens: storms, bus problems, taking wrong transportation, sickness, somebody gets lost, etc. Not to mention the time that it takes going from 1 place to another. Some of these people stay at one resort, eat breakfast at another, go to a park, eat lunch at another resort, go to another park, and eat somewhere else that night. I get exhausted just reading the posts, but I do enjoy them greatly. To each his own, but if you have never been to Disney before, I would think twice about making too many PS's. If you need evidence of how having too many PS's can dictate how you spend your day, then go over to the Trips Reports board & read a couple.

 

[DISUNC]

I agree !

I make 1 per day...(especially in the crowded months). Keep about 80% of them. They really do save alot of time. Always call to cancel if we cant make a PS.

Andy

 

[Scottwdw]

If it's your first time at WDW, I can see how people would get a bit side tracked and end up too far away for a made PS. I try to plan my PS restaurants and events around the park, resort or other areas I intend to be at for the day. This cuts down the travel time, too.

 

[catheren]

Depending upon the time of year and crowds -- PS is necessary for the popular restaurants during prime dining hours.

We usually make one PS a day and if its at a park restaurant -- we make it for the day we are visiting that park.

The more we visit WDW, I find we are dining mostly at the resorts or Epcot restaurants.

 

[cvemom]

Don't worry about PS for all your meals.It can take you away from better things. We've done PS in the past for something special but now we don't. Vacation is a time to "go with the flow". I don't like to have a schedule for anything on vacation. If the restaurant you want to eat at is all booked up...move on. There's always another, just as good. This is a great way to find new places also. To be honest you can't go wrong no matter where you eat at Disney.

 

[cobbler]

When I PS, I make sure it is somewhere we all want to eat and want to make sure we get a table. I only PS when I know I am going to be in that park and base my meals around what park or what I am doing for the day.

This last year I was glad I did the one for lunch at Sci-Fi as there was a huge wait and they actually turned people away because of it. Mind you I waited 10 minutes before we got a seat, so that is always nice.

But other than that, I don't go all gung-ho and making one for every day for every meal.

What I try to do is have a light bfast, have a HUGE lunch (as most of the time the lunch and dinner menu are the same just less expensive) after the lunch rush or typical lunch time, then have a light dinner. This saves money too

 

[jennymouse]

Well, personally, I would rather have the PS than do the "I don't know, where do you want to eat thing." then have us agree on something, show up and it's packed and we have to do the whole "I don't know...." thing all over again. I usually only make one character breakfast PS for the trip, no lunch PS's, but I like having one for dinner each night. I plan the PS for where we'll be, like Epcot for Illuminations, close to MK due to Enight, etc. We usually change at least one PS once we're there, but for the most part we stick to our PS plan.

 

[RamseyTrio]

We always make at least 1 PS for each day we are there. Usually it's for dinner at a resort or lunch at a park. We have an idea of which ones are a "MUST" and never miss those. Others we enjoy but if there's something better happening we'll call and cancel it. I'd say we do about 90% of our PS each trip.

We have never had to leave something fun to make a PS, we've never had to rush to get to one on time - guess all the planning pays off. We've always seen and done everything we've wanted to do and eaten when and where we've wanted too.

 

[Kaycee]

If you're going at a busy time (like we always do) PS's can make a world of difference. They can save you a ton of time and disappointment when you can't get into a restaurant where you wanted to eat. On the other hand, you shouldn't let the PS's run your vacation. If you have a PS, but decide at the last minute it's not where you want to eat or it's not convenient to what you're doing, call and cancel it. It's as simple as that.

For our trip last month, we had one character breakfast PS (Donald's), one lunch PS (Sci Fi, a must do for our family), two dinner PS's ('Ohana, H&V for the Fantasmic Dinner Pkg) and a ressie at RFC in DTD (they do ressies instead of PS's). It was extremely crowded when we were there. Sci Fi had a 2 hour wait (we walked in with our PS), 'Ohana had a more-than 2 hour wait (we waited 30 minutes even with a PS), and RFC had a 2 hour wait (we walked in with our ressie).

We didn't cancel any PS's this trip, although we usually end up cancelling at least one each trip depending on how we're feeling or what we're doing at PS time. We did add on a couple of sit-down meals without PS's: San Angel Inn for dinner and Kona Cafe for lunch. We didn't have to wait long for either of these, but we had also tried to get into Teppanyaki one evening without a PS (spur of the moment decision) and were not able to do so. The rest of meals this trip were counter service.

 

[crisi]

There is definately a trick to Disney planning - particularly in the PS realm. And it probably takes a little experience to pull off.

We had few problems the last trip, but our resort was BWVs and most dinners were in Epcot. We only made dinner PSs (and one breakfast one for a waterpark day). We'd head back to the hotel for a swim, and have plenty of time to get back into Epcot for dinner.

There were a few exceptions, dinner at Boma and Narcoosees. Both were less conveinent to get to. In both instances we elected to take cabs to get where we were going rather than spend the time on Disney transportation.

If you will be fine eating counterservice the whole trip - and maybe sitdown if you "get lucky" - PSs aren't necessary.

 

[Pumbaa_]

We only PS for those harder to get ressies or meals we really want. We usually PS for character meals and things like that. Usually 1 or 2 a trip, either Sci fi, 50's primetime, Brown Derby, CP places like that.

 

[sherry8253]

My DH and I learned the hard way last year that to not do PS is an error, especially if there are places you really want to eat. We made PS for Thanksgiving weekend because we knew it would by crowded but DH said that since it is never crowded the first eek in Dec that we should just wing it. Well, by winging it we could not eat at LeCellier, Brown Derby, Mama Melroses, Artist Point plus a few more that I can't remember. So, while some may over PS my recommendation is even if it is a SLOW time, make a PS for your favorite places or places you really want to try or otherwise you may be out of luck!!!

 

[motaei]

I was there just last week & I made my PS's a few days before we got there - 'Ohana, Boma & Fantasmic/H&V. Once there, I had to change Boma from 4 people to 6 (we had friends join us), and also made one (the day we decided to go to MGM, the kids really wanted to do Sci-Fi). I was very glad to have my PS's so that I did not have to wait for long periods of time for popular places. But other than that, we ate in our room or did counter service.