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How do you plan your ADRs?
- Thread starter Figgy1
- Start date
ThinkTink721
Well-Known Member
First, I decide which parks we will visit on which days...we normally don't do the park hopper.
Then, my family makes a list & votes on the restaurants where they would like to eat...I usually try to include at least one new location...we have a lot of favorites though.
After the vote, I check availability.
If I don't get the times I want, I just keep checking online to see if a better time comes available.
We had originally planned to visit in November, then changed our minds to make it September...of course, the 180 day deadline to begin booking had already passed.
So, I jumped online & began booking.
At first, the only restaurant that I was not able to book was Be Our Guest.
I kept checking the website almost daily & luckily something came open.
We even got an ADR for Cinderella's Royal Table!
Then, my family makes a list & votes on the restaurants where they would like to eat...I usually try to include at least one new location...we have a lot of favorites though.
After the vote, I check availability.
If I don't get the times I want, I just keep checking online to see if a better time comes available.
We had originally planned to visit in November, then changed our minds to make it September...of course, the 180 day deadline to begin booking had already passed.
So, I jumped online & began booking.
At first, the only restaurant that I was not able to book was Be Our Guest.
I kept checking the website almost daily & luckily something came open.
We even got an ADR for Cinderella's Royal Table!
Certain ones that are meh but you can't give up because they hold park memories, or are such a part of the Disney Parks experience, are on a rotation schedule for us. (For example: Coral Reef, Tony's, 50's, Nine Dragons, San Angel, Cinderella's, Derby, etc.) We don't go every time. We give each a few year turnover and then go back.
We rotate QS too, but we are more, hey, let's do ADR's, sit, rest, eat, and enjoy. We usually rotate Columbia, Casey's, Pecos Bill, etc. I rarely do QS in Epcot because a big part is heading to WS and doing TS. I avoid QS in DHS because the QS is not worth it in favor of TS.
We hound our favorites. (Le Cellier, Les Chefs, Sci-Fi, Raglan, Rose and Crown, etc.) Yup, we go every time.
And then we try to do some new ones. Sometimes these are in the park, but mostly they are the hotel ones. Last trip we tried Flying Fish, Yachtsman, Kimono's, Il Mulino, etc. But we were staying at Yacht. The next time we will pick a different park area hotel and hit the restauranants there.
Then there are always the few that drop from the roster because we got majorly burned and will never go again. (Big River, Paradiso, etc.)
We rotate QS too, but we are more, hey, let's do ADR's, sit, rest, eat, and enjoy. We usually rotate Columbia, Casey's, Pecos Bill, etc. I rarely do QS in Epcot because a big part is heading to WS and doing TS. I avoid QS in DHS because the QS is not worth it in favor of TS.
We hound our favorites. (Le Cellier, Les Chefs, Sci-Fi, Raglan, Rose and Crown, etc.) Yup, we go every time.
And then we try to do some new ones. Sometimes these are in the park, but mostly they are the hotel ones. Last trip we tried Flying Fish, Yachtsman, Kimono's, Il Mulino, etc. But we were staying at Yacht. The next time we will pick a different park area hotel and hit the restauranants there.
Then there are always the few that drop from the roster because we got majorly burned and will never go again. (Big River, Paradiso, etc.)
HouCuseChickie
Well-Known Member
First off, I am definitely a computer person. I like having that 1 hour advantage over the phones...plus I find booking online is a much faster process. I'm also on central time so it's 5am for me.
As for what...while we like a few old faves, we push ourselves to try new things each time. DH gets bored very easily with WDW even though he does enjoy it...so it's imperative that I do my best to keep things fresh.
Beyond that...I plan around park calendars and make sure I get in a decent dose of character meals for the kids.
As for what...while we like a few old faves, we push ourselves to try new things each time. DH gets bored very easily with WDW even though he does enjoy it...so it's imperative that I do my best to keep things fresh.
Beyond that...I plan around park calendars and make sure I get in a decent dose of character meals for the kids.
KLeigh
Well-Known Member
I'm a computer person as well. I only make ADRs for our "must do" places before we leave.
I'm usually a big planner - plan out which park we visit on which day, have meal options planned out, etc.
This fall we're being more spontaneous since we splurged for park hoppers. We have 3 ADRs, and plan on going to Beaches and Cream for lunch at some point. If we find a place we'd like to try, I'll make a reservation on the fly if needed.
I'm usually a big planner - plan out which park we visit on which day, have meal options planned out, etc.
This fall we're being more spontaneous since we splurged for park hoppers. We have 3 ADRs, and plan on going to Beaches and Cream for lunch at some point. If we find a place we'd like to try, I'll make a reservation on the fly if needed.
zurgandfriend
Well-Known Member
I'm a phone person, I like to speak with a human and get personal service, but I'm over 60 or as my DS calls it "being and old fart."
tare
Well-Known Member
I do very much the same thing!!!!
stevehousse
Well-Known Member
For us, we always first decide on a park day schedule and from there choose our ADRs. Our upcoming trip this November goes like this;
Nov 12- check in
Dinner at chef mickeys
Nov 13
Breakfast at Kona
Monorail for a day at Epcot
Dinner at garden grill
Nov 14
Animal kingdom
Dinner at Boma
Nov 15
Breakfast at Ohana
Magic kingdom
MVMCP
Nov 16
Breakfast at Hollywood n Vine
Disney Hollywood Studios
We always like to include favorites and new places for our trips! We do not plan everything we are going to eat! We do look at menus or new places but that's about t! Some people I think go planning crazy with spreadsheets and special cards they make to take with them and plan every second of the day! The most planning we do for our family is pick a park And a sit down meal at least once a day and other than that, har fun and see where the days take us!
Nov 12- check in
Dinner at chef mickeys
Nov 13
Breakfast at Kona
Monorail for a day at Epcot
Dinner at garden grill
Nov 14
Animal kingdom
Dinner at Boma
Nov 15
Breakfast at Ohana
Magic kingdom
MVMCP
Nov 16
Breakfast at Hollywood n Vine
Disney Hollywood Studios
We always like to include favorites and new places for our trips! We do not plan everything we are going to eat! We do look at menus or new places but that's about t! Some people I think go planning crazy with spreadsheets and special cards they make to take with them and plan every second of the day! The most planning we do for our family is pick a park And a sit down meal at least once a day and other than that, har fun and see where the days take us!
draybook
Well-Known Member
I'd like to be an online reservation type but for some reason the IT people that designed and upkeep the Disney website won't allow it. So, I'm up first thing on the 180th morning and on the phone as soon as they open. We plan our days based on operating hours and then based on which park we're in we will decide on which restaurant to eat at. The family is full of picky eaters so we generally only eat American cuisine so trying new stuff is pretty much out of the picture.
real mad hatter
Well-Known Member
Simples...Well we do QS plan ( because its free 
) But we pick a few TS restaurants also..Last year on the 180 day countdown,the process wasn't working,so we phoned from Scotland.( cost me $20 ) As far as picking where to dine..We always pick somewhere new,tho we have repeated a few places..50's Prime..H.O.B...But they were walk ups.
) But we pick a few TS restaurants also..Last year on the 180 day countdown,the process wasn't working,so we phoned from Scotland.( cost me $20 ) As far as picking where to dine..We always pick somewhere new,tho we have repeated a few places..50's Prime..H.O.B...But they were walk ups.
JohnD
Well-Known Member
I decided on which days I would be in which parks then went online and made ADRs. There was also strategizing involved also. I got my LeCellier dinner reservation out of the way and made that for AK day because I would be leaving AK earlier than the other parks to allow time for cleanup at hotel and travel to Epcot. On HS day, I made both a lunch and dinner Fantasmic dinner package reservation (Mama Melrose's lunch and HBD dinner) for the VIP ticket. I'll likely cancel MM. On MK Day, I have a breakfast at Kona Cafe before the park opens and decided on Liberty Tree Tavern at 6:50 so I could be done by the time the MSEP parade starts. On my Epcot half-day (MK morning), I have LaHacienda scheduled for 7:45 so that, hopefully, I'll have a table to view Illuminations. The rest of the time is TS or CS as desired.
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Yeah, there are unique cases. I love 50's but we rotate. That is one example of a place that I don't panic if I don't make an ADR because there is plan B. Then again it is only two adults so....If I don't make an ADR, we go to the Tune-In Lounge and have a drink and order food from the bar. Same menu. I have never made an ADR for Raglan and we get in and get a table. It depends on the place, time, party number, etc....
Like when I stayed at Yacht and Beach. I had no ADR's for Captain's Grille, Crew's Cup, and some of the other places too, but maybe it is easier with two adults.
My first ADR is always Le Cellier. Once I nail that one I work it out from there. LOL! But now with increased prices, no burger, etc., I may pass it up next time. Sad, but true.
Like when I stayed at Yacht and Beach. I had no ADR's for Captain's Grille, Crew's Cup, and some of the other places too, but maybe it is easier with two adults.
My first ADR is always Le Cellier. Once I nail that one I work it out from there. LOL! But now with increased prices, no burger, etc., I may pass it up next time. Sad, but true.
PolynesianPrincess
Well-Known Member
First we decide which park we will be in on which day and then we go from there and pick where we want to eat. We have several staples that we ALWAYS try to eat at (Ohana dinner, Liberty Tree lunch, Crystal Palace breakfast, Via Napoli) but those are not set in stone. Example, this past trip in May we changed from CP to CRT for breakfast. We try and throw in at least one new one each trip. In May, we did CRT and The Plaza for dinner as our 2 new choices. Next month, it's Garden Grill. for November though, we're sticking with ones we know our cousin will like since it's her first trip (Ohana, Sci Fi, Crystal Palace, Via Napoli) but we are trying Akershus for breakfast, which will be new for us as well. I'd eventually like to eat at all the TS places on property, but some just don't appeal to me (Tokyo Dining, victoria and Alberts, Artist Point..) So far we've eaten at 26 TS places. Not bad!!
LucyK
Well-Known Member
I'm a computer person. I'm one hour ahead Eastern Time so I don't need to wake up early but if my 190 day window falls on a weekday, I have to call work and tell them I'll be a little late.
I'll already know which park I'll visit because I follow Easy WDW crowd calendar. I have a Publisher calendar file with park days and ADRs but I still I write down all my desirable reservation and times I want and one back up time option on a notebook for easy access. I do them alphabetically and not by date (unless Be Our Guest is in there somewhere, but we're only doing it for lunch this time) and I need a BIG cup of tea with honey while I book it all.
We try to do a mix of favorites and new places to try. Our must do are Via Napoli late lunch, Tusker House and Crystal Palace breakfast. We added much more resort restaurants this time around, so we're trying Narcoossee's again (our first time there was a major bust by no one fault but our own), Boma, California Grill, Kona and Boatwright's. We also do the Fantasmic package and we're going to Mama Melrose's once more, the menu at Hollywood and Vine is not worth 2 credits on my opinion. We're also doing Cape May, Chef Mickey's and Rainforest Cafe.
I'll already know which park I'll visit because I follow Easy WDW crowd calendar. I have a Publisher calendar file with park days and ADRs but I still I write down all my desirable reservation and times I want and one back up time option on a notebook for easy access. I do them alphabetically and not by date (unless Be Our Guest is in there somewhere, but we're only doing it for lunch this time) and I need a BIG cup of tea with honey while I book it all.
We try to do a mix of favorites and new places to try. Our must do are Via Napoli late lunch, Tusker House and Crystal Palace breakfast. We added much more resort restaurants this time around, so we're trying Narcoossee's again (our first time there was a major bust by no one fault but our own), Boma, California Grill, Kona and Boatwright's. We also do the Fantasmic package and we're going to Mama Melrose's once more, the menu at Hollywood and Vine is not worth 2 credits on my opinion. We're also doing Cape May, Chef Mickey's and Rainforest Cafe.
coachwnh
Well-Known Member
- In the Parks
- No
All of the above!!!!!
ajrwdwgirl
Premium Member
I look at the park hours and try to eat at parks that we will be at with EMH. We try to have a few of our favorites and try a couple new ones or throw in some others we liked back into the rotation. Lately we have been making the ADR's on the computer but sometimes I'll make hubby call and listen in to make sure he gets it right.
disneygirl76
Carey Poppins - Nanny and Disney Enthusiest
Yes, yes, and yes.
I hop on the computer before 6 a.m. to see if they allow me to book. And I call at 7 a.m. if I am not finding what I need on line. And if I don't get something I need/want, I make up a back up, then check several times a day on the computer for what I want and call twice a day. I stalk. I try and do more new then old but find that I do more old then new. I am really trying this next trip to do more new though. So to answer your question, I mix it up with some traditions and favorites and then add in new after that.
As to deciding when and where, that is specific to what the parks are doing on what days. So we don't zig zag all over the World, we plan according to where we will be which day at which park. I plan based on the hours and EMH options. Right now I'm anxious and irritated b/c the Feb hours are not out yet for our next trip. I book ADR's in a 12 days. They should have been posted around the 7th of August. So for me, those hours are a big deal for picking where and when to eat.
RandomPrincess
Keep Moving Forward
I used to stalk the online and call if needed at 7:00 but this time I used a TA. I do a combo of favorites and new places. I pick the park days using Touring Plans and then decide where we are going to eat with input from my husband. I like to do one princess and one Mickey and friends meal as well.
Here is a break down of our Park Days and ADRs
Monday October 21, 2013
Here is a break down of our Park Days and ADRs
Monday October 21, 2013
- Epcot - World Showcase
- Food & Wine Festival
- Flying Fish Cafe - 6:00 pm (new)
- Animal Kingdom
- Tusker House - 9:50 am
- Raglan Road - 5:45 pm
- Disney Hollywood Studios
- Kouzzina - 8:45 am (new)
- Brown Derby - 3:30 pm
- Epcot - Future World
- Coral Reef - 11:30 am
- Ohana - 6:40 pm (new)
- Magic Kingdom
- Cinderella's Royal Table - 8:30 am (new for breakfast)
- The Plaza - 5:15 pm - hoping to switch to California Grill (both are new)
- Whispering Canyon - 9:05 am (new for breakfast)
- Portabello's - 2:00 pm
sgtmgd
Well-Known Member
Computer here..then phone if I need to double check...
We have to include the Yachtsman..our favorite..and generally do it while at Epcot as its close.
We schedule our park itinerary first..I generally like one sit down meal each day..at dinner to recharge the batteries...however we will do a couple breakfast character buffers..we enjoy them and I like options for breakfast..also it gets me in Animal Kingdom and Epcot early..so we eat..meet and greet..and head for kilimanjaro safari's..or Soarin ..
QS for lunch..depends where we are
An example of our Sep 11-16 trip
11 Sep arrive AKL...head to.DTD...aka Disney Springs..for shopping and Dinner at T Rex..
12 Sep Animal kingdom
8am Donalds Safari Breakfast..
By 9am we will be at kilimanjaro safaris..and hit everything we want to see by 230-300 pm...
We will catch a bus to hotel and then right on to Hollywood studios for Dinner at SYFY dine in..445...then hit Toy story mania..TT..RNR..and what ever else we fancy until the park closes.
13 Sep..Magic Kingdom
Either QS at AKL or a quick bite in MK after rope drop
Lunch QS depending where we are
Dinner 1900 park fare...5pm...back to MK by 7pm for start of MNSSHP
14.SEP Epcot day
Breakfast 8am..Arkhuse..spelling is off I know but I'm tired.
Lunch QS
Dinner Yachtsman 530..back to park..for Illuminations
15 Sep DHS day
Breakfasts at AKL..
Lunch QS
Dinner at Mama Melrose Fantasmic package
We have to include the Yachtsman..our favorite..and generally do it while at Epcot as its close.
We schedule our park itinerary first..I generally like one sit down meal each day..at dinner to recharge the batteries...however we will do a couple breakfast character buffers..we enjoy them and I like options for breakfast..also it gets me in Animal Kingdom and Epcot early..so we eat..meet and greet..and head for kilimanjaro safari's..or Soarin ..
QS for lunch..depends where we are
An example of our Sep 11-16 trip
11 Sep arrive AKL...head to.DTD...aka Disney Springs..for shopping and Dinner at T Rex..
12 Sep Animal kingdom
8am Donalds Safari Breakfast..
By 9am we will be at kilimanjaro safaris..and hit everything we want to see by 230-300 pm...
We will catch a bus to hotel and then right on to Hollywood studios for Dinner at SYFY dine in..445...then hit Toy story mania..TT..RNR..and what ever else we fancy until the park closes.
13 Sep..Magic Kingdom
Either QS at AKL or a quick bite in MK after rope drop
Lunch QS depending where we are
Dinner 1900 park fare...5pm...back to MK by 7pm for start of MNSSHP
14.SEP Epcot day
Breakfast 8am..Arkhuse..spelling is off I know but I'm tired.
Lunch QS
Dinner Yachtsman 530..back to park..for Illuminations
15 Sep DHS day
Breakfasts at AKL..
Lunch QS
Dinner at Mama Melrose Fantasmic package