Just over 180 days to go! A few questions...

minnie2000

minnie2000

Well-Known Member
We are going to WDW in August, and I have to make my ADRs on Friday.

We haven't been to WDW since 2009, and I'm sure things have changed a lot since then.

Can anyone give me some advice on the following questions?

  1. Dining reservations: we are staying at the Polynesian and love 'Ohana and the Kona Café, so will make some ADRs there. Our children love the Crystal Palace for breakfast, so we will go there too. I need some ideas for great restaurants. We used to love Le Cellier, but it is now 2 credits, and I don't think it's worth that. We like nice food, our children are teenagers, so we don't really want character meals any more (apart from Crystal Palace obviously!). I like the look of the Coral Reef - is it good or bad? I don't mind where the restaurants are as we will have a car, so in the parks or resorts would be fine. We have tried Boma, I know it's very popular, but we didn't like it.
  2. We want to spend one day at Universal, as our children are huge Harry Potter fans. Would it be better to go on a weekday or weekend - or does it make no difference? We will be there the first two weeks of August, I know that's a busy time, but unfortunately we have no choice because of school holidays.
  3. Any other advice for going in August? I know it's going to be very hot and very crowded!!! We are hoping to go to the parks early in the morning, and maybe spend the afternoons by the pool or doing something lazy!
 
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minnie2000

minnie2000

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
Sorry, I forgot the next question!
4. Is it worth going to the extra magic hours in the mornings? I have heard that some people avoid the park with EMH because it gets too busy. Is this true? We were planning to take advantage of the EMH but otherwise I will change our plans.
 
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minnie2000

minnie2000

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
Thanks figment fan, great advice! I was looking at the Fantasmic packages, but didn't know anything about the restaurants. I will avoid Hollywood and Vine!
 
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ratherbeinwdw

ratherbeinwdw

Well-Known Member
minnie2000 said:
We are going to WDW in August, and I have to make my ADRs on Friday.

We haven't been to WDW since 2009, and I'm sure things have changed a lot since then.

Can anyone give me some advice on the following questions?

  1. Dining reservations: we are staying at the Polynesian and love 'Ohana and the Kona Café, so will make some ADRs there. Our children love the Crystal Palace for breakfast, so we will go there too. I need some ideas for great restaurants. We used to love Le Cellier, but it is now 2 credits, and I don't think it's worth that. We like nice food, our children are teenagers, so we don't really want character meals any more (apart from Crystal Palace obviously!). I like the look of the Coral Reef - is it good or bad? I don't mind where the restaurants are as we will have a car, so in the parks or resorts would be fine. We have tried Boma, I know it's very popular, but we didn't like it.
  2. We want to spend one day at Universal, as our children are huge Harry Potter fans. Would it be better to go on a weekday or weekend - or does it make no difference? We will be there the first two weeks of August, I know that's a busy time, but unfortunately we have no choice because of school holidays.
  3. Any other advice for going in August? I know it's going to be very hot and very crowded!!! We are hoping to go to the parks early in the morning, and maybe spend the afternoons by the pool or doing something lazy!
Click to expand...
That time of year early hours are a must. You can get lots done before the crowds get there and then leave that park for a non emh the rest of the day. After hours, except the last 30 minutes or so, are still crowded in hot weather as people come late to avoid the heat and stay late. People don't seem as willing to get up early.
We love the parks the most in the early hours. It's as cool as it will be all day and the sounds in the park are calming; not people screaming and pushing.
 
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minnie2000

minnie2000

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
Thanks for all the advice - I'm taking notes!

We probably won't make use of the evening EMH. We are from the UK, and the time difference means that when we are in Florida, we are up early at about 5 in the morning, but can't stay awake much later than 8pm!
 
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MaxsDad

MaxsDad

Well-Known Member
I have been there that time of year. Morning EMH are a fantastic idea if you get there at opening. If you want to pool in the afternoon, you should have little resistance touring early during EMH so that you can be ready to go back to the resort by afternoon. I avoid park hopping to the EMH park during the middle of the day though. All the benfit is gone as the park has swollen by that point.

I went to Universal in September. Weekdays, logically, should be better than weekends, if only for the locals.

I am not a fan of Coral Reef, but it is an interesting atmosphere. I just thought the food was average.

1 credit places: Boatwrights, Rose and Crown, Chefs Le France, Mama Melrose.

2 credits: Narcoossee's, Cali Grill, Brown Derby.
 
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minnie2000

minnie2000

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
Thanks Maxsdad - I have often wondered what the Rose and Crown is like. I've just checked the menu, and it looks good. I seem to remember reading something about booking a table there and getting a priority view of the fireworks. Is that possible?
 
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JillC LI

JillC LI

Well-Known Member
Some answers:

We loved Kona Cafe.
Do US/IoA on a weekday, especially if you want to spend time at the WWOHP. We were able to do most of both parks in a single day in December.
DEFINITELY go to early EMHs. While parks get crowded on everning EMH days, far fewer people drag themselves out of bed for early EMH. We always do, and you can get more done in that first hour than you often can for the rest of the day. If you're not going to early EMHs, make sure you're at least at the parks before rope drop. Not only are the crowds lower, but it will be cooler at that time of year.
 
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JillC LI

JillC LI

Well-Known Member
minnie2000 said:
Thanks Maxsdad - I have often wondered what the Rose and Crown is like. I've just checked the menu, and it looks good. I seem to remember reading something about booking a table there and getting a priority view of the fireworks. Is that possible?
Click to expand...

You can request a table by the window, but it is first come first serve. Just remind them when you check-in. More important is to get an ADR around 7:45ish so you can be there for IllumiNations. Rose & Crown is a fabulous recommendation! Get the surf and turf :p
 
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disneygirl76

disneygirl76

Carey Poppins - Nanny and Disney Enthusiest
minnie2000 said:
We are going to WDW in August, and I have to make my ADRs on Friday.

We haven't been to WDW since 2009, and I'm sure things have changed a lot since then.

Can anyone give me some advice on the following questions?

  1. Dining reservations: we are staying at the Polynesian and love 'Ohana and the Kona Café, so will make some ADRs there. Our children love the Crystal Palace for breakfast, so we will go there too. I need some ideas for great restaurants. We used to love Le Cellier, but it is now 2 credits, and I don't think it's worth that. We like nice food, our children are teenagers, so we don't really want character meals any more (apart from Crystal Palace obviously!). I like the look of the Coral Reef - is it good or bad? I don't mind where the restaurants are as we will have a car, so in the parks or resorts would be fine. We have tried Boma, I know it's very popular, but we didn't like it.
  2. We want to spend one day at Universal, as our children are huge Harry Potter fans. Would it be better to go on a weekday or weekend - or does it make no difference? We will be there the first two weeks of August, I know that's a busy time, but unfortunately we have no choice because of school holidays.
  3. Any other advice for going in August? I know it's going to be very hot and very crowded!!! We are hoping to go to the parks early in the morning, and maybe spend the afternoons by the pool or doing something lazy!
Click to expand...

I like Les Chefs de France and Rose and Crown. Two musts at Epcot for us! And if you time it right, you could get a table outside for Illuminations! :) Mixed reviews have been out on Coral Reef so we have never tried it. We just want to risk a credit on that. Have you thought about the new Be Our Guest? I want to try it at least once. :) We also like Yak and Yeti but you can get just as good of a meal as a counter service. Good luck booking!!!
 
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flipadeeflop

flipadeeflop

Active Member
For Universal, I would have to say go on a weekday and make sure you get there as early in the morning as possible. I haven't been since the Harry Potter addition, but I've seen pictures from 10am in the park vs. after lunch time and it goes from empty to packed!

The plan you have for question 3 seems just about right! My advice would be to pick out the attractions that are must-dos for each person in your family and do those first so there aren't any disappointments for anyone! My advice would be to bring snacks with you as well, so you don't spend too much time stopping to buy them. Instead, just grab them out of your backpack and eat them while you wait in line for an attraction.

Have you ever checked out TouringPlans.com? I found their schedule predictions for the crowd levels really helpful when planning my trip in 2011. I had originally planned on going to all the parks with Extra Magic Hours, but those were always packed with a 9/10 or 7/10 while others were 3 or 4/10. If we would have picked the parks with extra magic hours every day, we would have spent all those "extra" hours in lines!
 
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chrisd68

chrisd68

Well-Known Member
I agree weekdays are best for Uni / IOA.

We tend to head straight for Uni at opening and in the first hour we have previously managed to ride RRR (x3 times), Mummy (x2), Mib (x1) and Simpsons (x1) so it pays to get there early.

In the afternoon we head over to IOA and don't hit WWOHP until around 17:00pm when we've always found the wait times to be manageable (20-40 mins).

If you can go for the Single Rider line as you will almost walk straight on the ride.
 
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