want to weigh in on my ADRs?

[megs4413]

Taking a trip to the World in April. It's our third trip as a family, but the first one for our youngest. Here are my ADRs as they stand right now:

Day 1: DHS/AK park hop day, dinner at BOMA at 6:25pm
Day 2: Epcot Day 1, breakfast at Garden Grill 9:10am (DD1's birthday!)
Day 3: MK Day 1, breakfast at BOG 8:35am, lunch at BOG 2:05pm (will cancel one of these, just not sure which yet)
Day 4: MK Day 2, breakfast at Chef Mickey's (really lunch) 11 am
Day 5: Epcot Day 2, lunch at Beaches and Cream 1:30pm
Day 6: Flex day (keeping this open because I have no idea what we're gonna want to do)

We have an arrival and departure day on either end of this, but I'm not confident enough about when we'll be arriving and leaving to make any ADRs for those days. We'll most likely eat at Captain Cook's (QS) for tonga toast on our departure morning. I'm wondering if I should put in one more dinner ADR (maybe on that first epcot day?) but I'm not sure. This is our first trip without the dining plan, so I need to be thinking about costs...actually this is my first trip on a budget, so...lol

Any tips? TIA!

[anonomom]

It all looks good -- you have some of my favorites on there (Boma, Beaches & Cream). I'd choose lunch BOG over breakfast, because then you have your morning totally free to take advantage of the lightest crowds of the day.

The only suggestion I might make would be to sub Crystal Palace for Chef Mickey's, just so you wouldn't have to spend time leaving the park.

ETA: If you're going to be in Epcot on your arrival day, I'd plan to eat dinner by grazing at the food booths that should be there for the Flower and Garden festival. Delicious and not all that expensive.

[megs4413]

It all looks good -- you have some of my favorites on there (Boma, Beaches & Cream). I'd choose lunch BOG over breakfast, because then you have your morning totally free to take advantage of the lightest crowds of the day.

The only suggestion I might make would be to sub Crystal Palace for Chef Mickey's, just so you wouldn't have to spend time leaving the park.

ETA: If you're going to be in Epcot on your arrival day, I'd plan to eat dinner by grazing at the food booths that should be there for the Flower and Garden festival. Delicious and not all that expensive.

I've gotta do CM's, because it's the one thing DD2 is asking to do! She has seen the pictures from our previous trip and really wants to meet Chef Mickey himself. :)

[rkold]

I would do a sit down dinner in Epcot on DD1's birthday and make sure to tell *every* restaurant you are making ADRs for that you are celebrating DD1's B-day. Many places will give her a free cupcake, and I know my DD loves it.

I would also do the ADR for BoG lunch over breakfast. AM is the best time to hit up attractions and the BoG lunch is cheaper than the BoG breakfast. It looks like all the breakfast entrees are $20+++ which seems awful high for a non-character meal breakfast.

Can you make your CM for even a littler later, like 11:45? I know CM now sometimes has an actual lunch (I saw a 2:15 show up when I was looking recently) I think leaving the park isn't necessarily a bad thing and you can monorail there and walk back, but I would try to go a little later.

[SummerBaby]

This is just my personal preference, so take it for what it's worth. My family likes to arrive at a park at rope drop, usually 9:00, and ride everything we can before lunch, which is when lines are shortest. For example, I would not do the 9:10 breakfast at Epcot on Day 2. Unless it's an early entry day, you are going to spend time eating when you could be riding Test Track or Soarin with no lines. 😀 If you don't want to ride, then go ahead and enjoy breakfast. Same thing for your day 3- I'd stick with BOG for lunch, because you're going to miss a little ride time with breakfast- especially if you want to ride the mine train or see Anna and Elsa. I would keep trying for a later time at CM too- you're going to have to leave the park around 10:40 to get there on time. Not too bad, but keep trying for a different time. I've found that times really start to open up right around the time before you get charged for cancelling.

[rkold]

This is just my personal preference, so take it for what it's worth. My family likes to arrive at a park at rope drop, usually 9:00, and ride everything we can before lunch, which is when lines are shortest. For example, I would not do the 9:10 breakfast at Epcot on Day 2. Unless it's an early entry day, you are going to spend time eating when you could be riding Test Track or Soarin with no lines. �� If you don't want to ride, then go ahead and enjoy breakfast. Same thing for your day 3- I'd stick with BOG for lunch, because you're going to miss a little ride time with breakfast- especially if you want to ride the mine train or see Anna and Elsa. I would keep trying for a later time at CM too- you're going to have to leave the park around 10:40 to get there on time. Not too bad, but keep trying for a different time. I've found that times really start to open up right around the time before you get charged for cancelling.

Soarin' is down for refurbishment until sometime in the Summer, so being at Epcot for rope drop is less important now unless you want to try to ride Test Track 2x.

[erosenst]

Again FWIW - but I'd be tempted to do an ADR for lunch at Epcot instead of breakfast. We really like having the 'enforced' break (and air conditioning :) ). We usually go to Via Napoli but obviously a lot of other good choices available.