How do my dining reservations look?

[alien_host]

Keep in mind, I'm totally new to this! We are going for our first trip with a 5 year old. Our plan is to go mainly to the MK, maybe one day at AK and EPCOT. I don't think we are even going to Hollywood Studios (?) this time around. We aren't doing Park Hopper.

Am I nuts to attempt California Grill on a Saturday night? Is there a better option for weekend nights?

I have not been able to get a 8AM Chef Mickey reservation. Should I keep trying, do people cancel?

I'm wondering if I should move/cancel Crystal Palace L on Day 4...since I booked a dinner...I wonder if it's better to just eat something quick.

This is what I've managed to secure so far:

Day 1 arrival in the afternoon.
D Chef Mickeys

Day 2
D Crystal Palace

Day 3
B 1900 Park Fare

Day 4
L Crystal Palace
D Wave

Day 5
D California Grill (maybe watch fireworks from there later on? What time are the FW?)

Days 6 and beyond are open right now.

TIA!

[egoldber]

FWIW, I think a 5 year old will really enjoy DHS.

I think you are really limiting yourself only going to MK and MK area.

Also, this is why I don't like the DDP. It really limits you and makes you plan much too far in advance. If this is your first trip to WDW, you really don't know what you will like. I would try to keep things more flexible. Pick maybe one or two sit down places and go from there.

At DHS, my kids LOVE the SciFi DineIn Theater restaurant. Sarah asks to go here every trip. She loves eating in the cars and watching the movies.

[alien_host]

FWIW, I think a 5 year old will really enjoy DHS.

I think you are really limiting yourself only going to MK and MK area.

Also, this is why I don't like the DDP. It really limits you and makes you plan much too far in advance. If this is your first trip to WDW, you really don't know what you will like. I would try to keep things more flexible. Pick maybe one or two sit down places and go from there.

At DHS, my kids LOVE the SciFi DineIn Theater restaurant. Sarah asks to go here every trip. She loves eating in the cars and watching the movies.

I appreciate the input. ITA, I would like to branch out more, DH feels we should concentrate on MK but I need to work on him ;)

I didn't really want to spend the extra $$ on Park Hopper b/c I feel like we can't manage it since DD does get tired (doesn't officially nap at 4.5 but "could use one" most days).

I'm doing the dining plan b/c DD has food allergies and I've heard that WDW is fantastic, since we are staying on property, I figured it would be a good value for us. ITA though that it forces you to figure out what you want to do. I wish we could be more on the fly but I'm afraid we woudn't get to do certain things.

I'm going to think it over some more.

[egoldber]

I believe that WDW is also able to accommodate many food allergies at counter service locations. You may need to call ahead and ask what is available, but there are often choices.

ETA: I mean what if you get there and decide you love Epcot and what to spend more days there than what you planned? Essentially you can't because you are tied to your dining reservations. If your DS gets tired, I would not suggest so many days at the MK. It is an exhausting park.

[alien_host]

Up to what point can I cancel a dining reservation?

I don't love the idea of being tied down either....but the DDP seems like the best value.

I agree that MK can be exhausting but we will probably try and do the park for part of the day and maybe go back to the resort to swim or rest.

egoldbear ETA: Right now I only "have" to go to MK on days 2 and 4 right since those restaurants are in the MK. I've still left other days open. That's why I haven't booked a sit down meal at AK/DHS or Epcot yet. I know we will go to MK at least 2 days. Right now we may be there as many as 7 nights. The day we arrive we would maybe just hang out at the resort or go to DTD. The day we leave won't have much time either, maybe a meal at the resort. We are trying to stay at the Contemporary.

[egoldber]

Even your reservations not in the park are in the MK area. Travel time from the MK area to anywhere else is realisitically going to be 30-60 minutes. So breakfast at Park Fare means that you can't do an an early morning in another park and being at the park EARLY is key to avoiding crowds.

FWIW, I have never made dining reservations exactly at the 180/90/whatever day window and I have always ended up with reservations that were fine. Maybe not my absolute ideal, but fine. And also, I have always tweaked my reservations a lot, and really not had a problem.

You can keep calling back even into the week you are there. There are ALWAYS cancellations. ALWAYS. I once got Cinderella's castle the week we were at the park. :)

And the only dining reservations that have cancellation policies are the ones that require a deposit. Then it's usually 48 hours in advance. But somewhere like CP has no cancellation policy. It is, of course, courteous to cancel reservations that you do not plan to keep.

I know my anti-DDP stance is not popular on this board, but we are not big Disney diners. I mean we like the character meals and experiences, but if I spent that large of a chunk of my WDW vacation in restaurants I would go nuts. :dizzy:

ETA: And the DDP only "saves" you money IF you would eat that many sitdown meals anyway without the plan. If you wouldn't, then it doesn't.

[alien_host]

Egoldbear your advice makes a lot of sense, thanks. Although if we are staying at the Contemporary, we are by default in the MK area. Maybe I'll switch Park Fare to another day later in the week. DD is not a big breakfast eater so maybe I skip Chef Mickey breakfast and just do a dinner there (since we are staying there).

Which are the EARLY entrance days by park? I need to hunt around for that info, but if you happen to know it could you post it here? I should work that into my schedule too.

Honestly this is way more planning than I normally would do! I used to be an "on the fly" type person ;)

Perhaps I'll keep a few and cancel 24-48 hours in advance (not deposit ones) if we can't manage it.

[WatchingThemGrow]

Which are the EARLY entrance days by park? I need to hunt around for that info, but if you happen to know it could you post it here? I should work that into my schedule too.

I found it here last week http://allears.net/tp/emhour.htm

[Corie]

At DHS, my kids LOVE the SciFi DineIn Theater restaurant. Sarah asks to go here every trip. She loves eating in the cars and watching the movies.


We had the opposite experience there! My son said it was way too dark
and scary.
Plus, it bugged me that our family couldn't really eat together. My daughter
and I sat in one row and then my DH and son sat in the row behind us.
We were in the same car but we were all facing the same direction to watch
the drive-in movie. I didn't really like that.

[egoldber]

And this is why you can't plan a trip too much around other people's suggestions. :) What some people love, others will hate. People love CM and I really don't like it there.