You know what is funny? I procrastinated on calling Disney Dining for ages, because I agonized over times we should eat and where, based on our last two DLR trips in 2007. I had to take into consideration when we are usually hungry, when we are NOT hungry, the places we like to eat, any new places we might like to try and when other folks might be joining us, my AP discount, etc. I put a LOT of thought into figuring out our eating plans, and had to put down my pen and paper several times out of frustration.
No, this person won't like that place at this time, I thought.
But she wants to try the Blue Bayou this time, and I have to fit it in somewhere.
But we won't be hungry for lunch when we have eaten a big breakfast at Goofy's.
We have to fit in a lunch because so and so is joining us at 1:30 p.m. Well, why should we eat at Wine Country Trattoria when we are having a meal at Naples, I pondered.
Well, we usually just wing it and choose places to eat on the spot, so what if we are not hungry at these designated times? On an on it went, and I got sick of thinking about it, so I delayed calling
Disneyland Dining.
BUT, I have to say, there was such a sense of relief when I finally called and gave them my plans. I had made a decision and these were my choices! And when we actually arrived at all of the assigned dining locations, I felt a sense of satisfaction because everyone WAS hungry (I feared they would not be), and all but two of our dining experiences were great. We loved ESPN Zone for dinner, Goofy's for breakfast, Rainforest Cafe for breakfast, Storyteller's for lunch and Naples for brunch. The two that were NOT that good this time were Carnation Cafe and Blue Bayou. But Carnation has always been good for us in the past, so I hope this was an 'off' night, and Blue Bayou just overbooked, I think.
Of course, one of my friends was asking me about the difference between a Priority Seating and a reservation, and I explained that the restaurants are not holding a table for us, but that we have priority over other people who show up without a PS. Of course, there were still waits to be seated at Carnation and Blue Bayou, so there is no getting around that if it is busy, but what can you do? Somehow, it is a relief to know that you have designated places to eat, and even if you still have to wait to be seated, it does save some time and it also saves your group the time and trouble it takes to decide on a place to eat and possibly dismiss certain places because of the wait! We have spent so much time in the past trying to figure out where to eat, so it was nice to just have places to go and not have to think about it. And we were always hungry at the right times, so it worked out!