Lunch ADR's Neccesairy?

[Semantje]

I have made a small list of restaurants that we want to do yesterday and we will be filling that up with QS sometimes. Here is what i have:

- Tony's Town Square - Dinner
- Liberty Tree Tavern - Lunch
- The Crystal Palace - Breakfast
- Le Cellier - Lunch/Dinner
- Coral Reef - Lunch/Dinner
- San Angel Inn - Lunch/Dinner
- Via Napoli - Lunch/Dinner
- Rainforest Cafe - Breakfast and Lunch/Dinner
- Yak & Yeti - Lunch/Dinner
- 50's Prime Time Cafe - Lunch/Dinner
- Mama's Melrose - Lunch/Dinner
- Sci-Fi Dine in - Lunch/Dinner
- T-Rex Cafe - Dinner
- Ohana - Dinner
- Whispering Canyon Cafe - Breakfast
- Big River Grille and Brewing Works - Lunch/Dinner
- Boma - Breakfast

I did not choose many upscale restaurants because we are not the people to eat there and we didn't pay full price for the deluxe dining plan. I paid $30 a day for an upgrade on the free dining plan so where ever we eat it will be a good value. Many choices i have open for either lunch of dinner but we are not sure yet.

We will be there 14 nights and we will be staying in AKL so we might book Boma 2 or 3 times for breakfast.

I wanted to add Yachtman steakhouse but we are not sure yet. What do you think?

 

[Semantje]

Oh and we want to use the snack credits for lunch/dinner at a afternoon at food and wine!

 

[jpittore1]

You should try Sanaa at Kindani and Jikko at AKL since you are staying there! We love BOMA and these are just as great!
time to pick up the phone, have a credit card ready, cross your fingers and hope for the best...oh yeah there will probably be a computer crash during your phone call so have your favorite beverage with in reach...you'll be on the phone for 35 minutes at least....

 

[Magikal]

Here is what i have:

- Tony's Town Square - Dinner
- Liberty Tree Tavern - Lunch
- The Crystal Palace - Breakfast
- Le Cellier - Lunch/Dinner
- Coral Reef - Lunch/Dinner
- San Angel Inn - Lunch/Dinner
- Via Napoli - Lunch/Dinner
- Rainforest Cafe - Breakfast and Lunch/Dinner
- Yak & Yeti - Lunch/Dinner
- 50's Prime Time Cafe - Lunch/Dinner
- Mama's Melrose - Lunch/Dinner
- Sci-Fi Dine in - Lunch/Dinner
- T-Rex Cafe - Dinner
- Ohana - Dinner
- Whispering Canyon Cafe - Breakfast
- Big River Grille and Brewing Works - Lunch/Dinner
- Boma - Breakfast

What do you think?

I think your list is pretty good. The one you *may* have trouble getting into is Le Cellier. We called IMMEDIATELY after we made our reservations & it was as far out as we've EVER booked ADR's before, and they had NOTHING for the entire 9 days that we're going to be there. We booked the first week of Feb for Aug 24th-Sept 1st. One of the big reasons is we had to have a lunch. Why? Because dinner at Le Cellier is now TWO table service credits per person and we're already using two credits at the Royal Table. With this change, EVERYONE is trying to get a lunch reservation. You may be ok if you don't mind using two table service credits and making dinner reservations. We had to pass this year.
One other suggestion for you to consider might be the Rain Forest as this is not exclusive to Disney. I don't know where you live, but I'm from Wisconsin which isn't exactly a tourist Mecca, and there's a Rainforest Cafe about 40 min from here that we've been to quite a few times. It's ok. I've been to the one at the Marketplace & it's not much different. So if you aren't too far from one or maybe you visit friends or relatives who live near one, this might be one you *may* want to consider replacing w/ a Disney exclusive Restaurant experience. Obviously it's nothing you have to do, just something you may (or may not) want to consider.

 

[Semantje]

I live in Holland so we have no Rainforest Cafe or anything like it near us. We always eat there in Disneyland Paris so we wanted to add it to the trip because it's my boyfriends favorite restaurant over there. I was actually planning on doing Breakfast there since they do not have it in Disneyland Paris.

About Cellier: We will have enough points to do 1 or 2 credit meals since we will be leaving property for 1 or 2 days and we then will lunch outside the parks and resort. We also have one day that we will be spending Lunch/Dinner at Epcot and we will be snacking around on the food and wine festival. I think we will have points left when we are leaving thats why i was thinking to add the yachtman steakhouse. We will get 3 full meal credits a day with the deluxe dining plan and 2 snacks.

I've looked into Jiko and Sanaa but i'm not really sure because it's not really our type of menu. But i was thinking that if we are arriving it will be just before dinner time. We might be able to walk in there late that evening for dinner without reservation. We will be tired from a 13 hour flight with 6 hours time difference so i do not want to make an reservation for that evening and we will not be going to any park then. And if they are fully booked we can do quick service anyway. Does anybody know if these restaurants are fully booked the whole evening?

 

[Semantje]

Oh and i will be making reservations trough the internet because it is just easier for me since it will be a long distance call and if i'm on the phone for a hour or so my bill wouldnt be happy

I do think i need to call for preffered viewings and for the big river grille since we can't make reservations online for that. Can i for rainforest cafe and T-Rex?

 

[Sweet Melissa]

You can try to make reservations online for Rainforest Café and T-Rex, but those restaurants only release a small percentage of their available bookings to Disney's reservations system. If it seems like they're booked up when you check online, then you'll want to call the restaurants directly. Also, keep in mind that only the Rainforest Café at Animal Kingdom serves breakfast. The Downtown Disney location does not.

 

[Fraisie]

Make your reservations NOW! I'll be there Sept 23-28 and I had trouble sometimes getting the restaurants that I wanted on the day I wanted them!

Best of luck!!

 

[Semantje]

Frasie, i wish i could! But it is for next year I just booked my 2013 trip! Our first long distance vacation for me and my boyfriend and i think we picked the nicest place on earth!

Thanks for the info on Rainforest Cafe and T-rex. I will use the phone if i can't get it online! Yes i am doing the Rainforest Cafe in AK.

 

[msmit002]

Frasie, i wish i could! But it is for next year I just booked my 2013 trip! Our first long distance vacation for me and my boyfriend and i think we picked the nicest place on earth!

Thanks for the info on Rainforest Cafe and T-rex. I will use the phone if i can't get it online! Yes i am doing the Rainforest Cafe in AK.

If you are booking T-Rex for dinner you will HAVE to call. I never tried to book and ADR for RC, so I can't speak for them, but I have never been able to book a dinner ADR with T-Rex. When I called the restaurant, they said that was by design. Not *exactly* sure why, and the per son on the other end didn't volunteer.

 

[Weather_Lady]

We went in 2007 during Easter break and were still able to walk up and get into our first or second choice lunch location every day. That being said, I think we were extremely fortunate and it was probably just dumb luck (or Providence) that enabled us to do that. Now that I'm older and wiser, I'd never take the risk of NOT making an ADR, especially on a dining plan with credits to lose. It takes moments and will give you lasting peace of mind. If you opt to change your plans later, you can simply cancel (keeping in mind that some places require you to do so 24 hours ahead of time to avoid a cancellation fee) with no harm done.

Also, as a previous poster mentioned, several restaurants including T-Rex, Rainforest Cafe and Raglan Road reserve a certain number of seats for people not reserving through Disney -- for walk-ups, or those who call them directly to make a reservation (e.g., from their local website phone numbers, not through the Disney ADR system). I would assume that there must be other Downtown Disney restaurants that do this, too...