Week After Turkey Day Shenanigans

[kellyjeanie]

Well, we all like breakfast, so I was planning to do breakfast at Crystal Palace, Hollywood & Vine, Tusker House, and Garden Grill. But now I'm having second thoughts about H&V because I know the Disney Junior characters will have zero appeal to our group.

I was also planning to do all of those for dinner except Tusker House (we ate lunch there last time and most of our group didn't care for it). We're just looking to do buffets for the vast majority of our meals because we have picky eaters. I did just hear that Trail's End will be offering a new brunch buffet on the weekends so maybe we'll find time to check that one out. I don't know... the family doesn't want to leave the parks to eat so I'm a bit limited that way. Part of me just wants to downgrade our plan back to quick service and give up on ADR's altogether.

That's not a terrible idea - sounds like it might make things a lot easier on you.

 

[Meeko5]

Ha! I can hardly get mine to have an opinion on anything and whenever he finally DOES have one, it is the exact opposite of what I feel we should do. For example, he does NOT want to leave the park and come back. He wants us to just stay there until we're done for the day. He also does NOT want to park hop, at least not very much. He's willing to do something like leave Epcot before Illuminations to go to DHS for fireworks (none of us liked Illuminations last time), but otherwise he just wants to stay put. He also doesn't want to criss-cross the park to avoid lines. He'd rather wait 45 minutes at Space Mountain than walk to BTMRR for a 15 minute wait. So yeah, I guess he has a few opinions, but I don't really like his opinions! lol

that makes it really tough! How old are your kids? Our first trip was last October and the amount of eye rolling about all my planning and "I dont care whatever you think"s had be SO worried that DH would have a miserable time. Once he got there and realized how BIG and crazy WDW can be, he was on board for whatever I had planned and could really appreciate how much time I took to do it all and be so prepared.

the only thing he absolutely doesn't want to do is BOG breakfast again. The food was just ok, and since he's an evening shifter early mornings are tough. He clearly doesn't understand the value of not waiting with the rope drop crowd. I told him I would be happy to take the 7yo to rope drop and he and the toddler can join us when the park opens

 

[Meeko5]

Well, we all like breakfast, so I was planning to do breakfast at Crystal Palace, Hollywood & Vine, Tusker House, and Garden Grill. But now I'm having second thoughts about H&V because I know the Disney Junior characters will have zero appeal to our group.

I was also planning to do all of those for dinner except Tusker House (we ate lunch there last time and most of our group didn't care for it). We're just looking to do buffets for the vast majority of our meals because we have picky eaters. I did just hear that Trail's End will be offering a new brunch buffet on the weekends so maybe we'll find time to check that one out. I don't know... the family doesn't want to leave the parks to eat so I'm a bit limited that way. Part of me just wants to downgrade our plan back to quick service and give up on ADR's altogether.

We didn't love Tusker house dinner either, the characters were fun but the food was just ok. Not something we are doing again this year!

Would your crew be happy eating CS every meal? What about picking 1 TS that everyone can be happy with and paying OOP? Easier on you and your wallet, especially if they won't appreciate the more expensive dining.

 

[heath92681]

Struggling to choose my ADRs as well. Hoping for Minnie's Fantasmic (if Disney ever gets their act together) and Tusker House breakfast, since those were my favorites last year. BOG is a definite if I can snag it for lunch and a ppo breakfast. Thinking of trying Ohana dinner. Also need help with a TS dinner in Epcot. Maybe Chefs de France? Garden Grill?

 

[Meeko5]

My DH pretty much shot down any buffet but Boma, and said 1 character meal he's fine with as long as it isn't Tusker House or Crystal Palace.

If you had to choose 1 character meal, which would you pick?

Chef Mickey
Garden Grill
Minnie's Holiday Dine

 

[heath92681]

My DH pretty much shot down any buffet but Boma, and said 1 character meal he's fine with as long as it isn't Tusker House or Crystal Palace.

If you had to choose 1 character meal, which would you pick?

Chef Mickey
Garden Grill
Minnie's Holiday Dine

Minnie's! But I haven't been to the others. The reviews at Chef Mickeys worry me.

 

[kellyjeanie]

Struggling to choose my ADRs as well. Hoping for Minnie's Fantasmic (if Disney ever gets their act together) and Tusker House breakfast, since those were my favorites last year. BOG is a definite if I can snag it for lunch and a ppo breakfast. Thinking of trying Ohana dinner. Also need help with a TS dinner in Epcot. Maybe Chefs de France? Garden Grill?

I'm hoping to get Ohana for dinner, too. There are so many options in Epcot! We're doing Biergarten again, it was one of DH's only requests. He's still dreaming about the Schnitzel after 2-1/2 years. Garden Grill would be good if you're looking for another character opportunity. Are you thinking something safe food-wise or maybe something more adventurous?

My DH pretty much shot down any buffet but Boma, and said 1 character meal he's fine with as long as it isn't Tusker House or Crystal Palace.

If you had to choose 1 character meal, which would you pick?

Chef Mickey
Garden Grill
Minnie's Holiday Dine

We're going with Minnie's Holiday Dine, I've heard mixed things about the food but the costumes look adorable. Maybe your DH would prefer Garden Grill, though, because it's not a buffet? What is it about the buffets he doesn't like? Have you guys done Chef Mickey? The food is meh but the characters are great.

 

[Meeko5]

We're going with Minnie's Holiday Dine, I've heard mixed things about the food but the costumes look adorable. Maybe your DH would prefer Garden Grill, though, because it's not a buffet? What is it about the buffets he doesn't like? Have you guys done Chef Mickey? The food is meh but the characters are great.

Minnie's is what I was leaning towards because the holiday costumes would be a fun change, but I've had a few people rave about Chef Mickey's and say it's a "must do"...Figured we could go on a party night at MK - walk over to Dinner and take the monorail back because I can't NOT take a monorail ride The food at Garden Grill didn't interest him at all. All he really wants is Boma, but I talked him into breakfast there on our non park day since bussing it to/from AKL after being at the MK all day was just too exhausting for the kids. By the time we got to our 6:30 pm dinner they were crabby and restless. Trying to avoid that this year!

 

[heath92681]

Not necessarily looking for a safe choice, just good quality. There are so many options in Epcot. We did Akershus last year, so looking for something different.

 

[Meeko5]

Not necessarily looking for a safe choice, just good quality. There are so many options in Epcot. We did Akershus last year, so looking for something different.

We are going to shoot for Via Napoli because we all love pizza, but will do Teppan Edo if we can't get VN. We did Biergarten last trip and want to try something new. Epcot has a ton of fun options, it's so hard to choose!

 

[kimyinpink]

We did Chef Mickey's last year and loved it! We did Brunch. The food was nothing spectacular but the characters were awesome. I am actually kinda worried about skipping it this year bc my little still talks about Chef Mickey all the time. But I am wanting to try Minnie's as well and that seems super repetitive to do both. I think I am just going to tell him Chef Mickey is dressed up for Christmas.

 

[Meeko5]

Just dawned on me - a bus ride to AKL to eat at Boma on our Animal Kingdom day would make so much sense. It's RIGHT THERE, so the bus ride would be short. Duh.

Now I can try to get Ohana Breakfast on our non park day!

 

[kellyjeanie]

Not necessarily looking for a safe choice, just good quality. There are so many options in Epcot. We did Akershus last year, so looking for something different.

All the World Showcase restaurants sound awesome. We did Tokyo Dining last year, because we love sushi - it was very good, though the kids were not as impressed. I've heard Via Napoli is yummy. The Mexican pavilion restaurants are supposed to have an amazing atmosphere. I just read a really good review of Nine Dragons at the China pavilion - that it's a lot like a Chinese restaurant you might have at home, but the quality is top notch, and it doesn't have heavy traffic.

Just dawned on me - a bus ride to AKL to eat at Boma on our Animal Kingdom day would make so much sense. It's RIGHT THERE, so the bus ride would be short. Duh.

Now I can try to get Ohana Breakfast on our non park day!

That sounds perfect! We're doing Sanaa on our AK day, I hope it doesn't take too long to get over to AKL.

 

[Meeko5]

That sounds perfect! We're doing Sanaa on our AK day, I hope it doesn't take too long to get over to AKL.

I wish I were a more adventurous eater, I'd love to eat there. I can *always* eat a strip steak though. haha!

 

[kellyjeanie]

I wish I were a more adventurous eater, I'd love to eat there. I can *always* eat a strip steak though. haha!

Oh man, that's my favorite cut for steak. Yummmm

 

[Iowamomof4]

Last time we went to Disney these were the meals we ate:

TH breakfast/lunch (10:35 reservation) and a second time at TH just for lunch
Trail's End dinner
Boma dinner
Sci-Fi Dine In lunch
Beaches & Cream lunch
'Ohana dinner
Mama Melrose Fantasmic! lunch
Akershus lunch
Cape May breakfast

Of all of those meals (we really covered quite a few of the most popular ones, didn't we?) the ones our whole family enjoyed the most were the two breakfasts. That's why I'm focusing on breakfast so much this time. I'm thinking maybe I'll have to double-book a bunch of meals (meaning book a breakfast AND dinner for the same day) for the latter part of our trip so we'll have something to fall back on in case we get sick of breakfast. Actually, I think that might be my best plan of all. I hate to hoard meals like that, but I'm not scared I'll forget to cancel them or anything. Hmm... yep, I think that's what I'll do.

 

[Jgeauxmo]

I love reading everyone's plans. And it's funny to see how everyone tours so differently! We ended up only doing two breakfasts last year and it was perfect. We liked knocking out as much in the park as we could first thing then sitting down for a nice lunch and late dinner.
I made the mistake last year of doing my ADRs by myself and not getting hubby s input. Well when we got there he had opinions and we had to change a bunch. This year I let him make the spreadsheet after I had slotted out some suggestions. Now I'm just crossing my fingers to see if we get everything we want!

 

[Meeko5]

Of all of those meals (we really covered quite a few of the most popular ones, didn't we?) the ones our whole family enjoyed the most were the two breakfasts. That's why I'm focusing on breakfast so much this time. I'm thinking maybe I'll have to double-book a bunch of meals (meaning book a breakfast AND dinner for the same day) for the latter part of our trip so we'll have something to fall back on in case we get sick of breakfast. Actually, I think that might be my best plan of all. I hate to hoard meals like that, but I'm not scared I'll forget to cancel them or anything. Hmm... yep, I think that's what I'll do.

I would do the same thing! We won't tell

 

[Alexiss207]

I have my tentative plan worked out Or should I say my second tentative plan worked out LOL!!
We are family of 4) 2 adults DS 6, DD 4, We are at CSR with the Dining Plan and Memory maker, I think it came out around $3100. But we'll be adding the Party on Tuesday for another (cough) almost $400 .
But it's our first trip and I want to do it right. Plus when I first started to run the numbers without the party my trip was $4300.... So we're still getting a good deal . 

Onto the plan
Our Dates are 11/26-12/3, but we are driving down on Friday and staying close so The 26th is a park day

Sat 11/26- AK (Extended hours) 8 am- 5PM Dinner at Tusker House 5:30

Sun- 11/27- HS (Extended Hours) 8am-7pm Dinner at Hollywood and Vine, Fantasmic (I hope)

Mon-11/28 Magic Kingdom –BOG Breakfast 8am, Be Our Guest (Late) Dinner.

Tues- 11/29- MVMCP (Having Brunch at Chef Mickeys 2:30)

Wend- Break Day – Eat wherever but thinking of doing Disney Springs

DJ KIDS DANCE PARTY AT WATERSIDE STAGE, maybe dinner at T rex (Anyone been here, is it cool?)

Thurs- 12/1 MK- Chrystal Palace Breakfast 8 am-ish

Fri: Epcot- Akershus –Dinner (I am saving Epcot for last so we can burn all those snack Credits that I am sure will be left
Sat headed home

Does anyone know when the 180 day window opens? Is it at Midnight, or sometime in the morning hours?
And any tips for getting my son in the Star Wars show? Our HS day is an early extended hours day, so making early breakfast reservations seems moot, or is it since we can get in 15 minutes early? Also, I heard there was a new sign up kiosk outside of the front gate for it, any ideas when that opens?

Thanks, so much!! This thread has been full of great info!

 

[goav2000]

Hello DIS friends.

My wife and I are trekking to CBR 11/27 - 12/3. Looking forward to getting the planning train rolling as soon as Disney releases Dec schedule.
We know what restaurants we want, just haven't been able to pick what days to try for ADRs yet.