[DereksMom713]

...but I still couldn't get Le Cellier.

I was prepared to go at 6:59 am. I dialed and got the recording. And, at exactly 7 am (on my digital cable box) I re-dialed and I got the prompts. I was sooo excited when I went through all the prompts and heard an actual CM and no recording for wait times. He was extremely helpful but a bit slow. Or was it just me that was a bit anxious?

Learning from everyone here, the first thing I did was present my prefered date for Le Cellier. It was a no go! My second option wasn't either. Oh well! Although it seems to no longer be favored, I chose Coral Reef instead. I think the children will enjoy the experience while my Mom and I fret over the food.

My dining plans are as follows:

Mon., Aug 24 - arrival - HS
Kona (early dinner before visiting the park)

Tues., Aug 25 - AK/HS
Whispering Canyon (dinner before possibly heading to HS)

Wed., Aug 26 - Epcot/MK
Coral Reef (lunch before returning to AKL)

Thurs., Aug 27 - Free Day
Boma (dinner)

Fri., Aug 28 - MK/Epcot
Chef Mickey's (lunch before returning to AKL)

Sat., Aug 29 - departure
Boma (breakfast before going to the airport)

[keljen]

Sorry you couldn't get Le Cellier but we never have either. Your picks look good and besides you'll be at Disney all is good with the World

[MK032197]

I noticed you had Chef Mickey's for lunch. How did you know they were serving lunch? We will be at WDW from 9/5- 9/14 and I am wondering if they will be serving lunch then as well? Also did you see a menu for lunch?

[lisalovesmickey]

I know Coral Reef does not get some good reviews. It seems as if people love it or hate it. We LOVE it and I am sure you will have a great meal.

Lisa

[tinkerbelle24]

Great choices. I didn't know chef Mickeys serves lunch. I think after our last dinner experience it wouldn't matter anyways.
No Ohanas? Now I can't miss a trip to Ohanas.

[DereksMom713]

Originally Posted by tinkerbelle24

Great choices. I didn't know chef Mickeys serves lunch. I think after our last dinner experience it wouldn't matter anyways.
No Ohanas? Now I can't miss a trip to Ohanas.

Wait a second! You're right. I think my Chef Mickey's reservation is for 2:30 pm. I didn't e-mail my good ole' handy spreadsheet to myself to review at work. So, I can't confirm right now. But, I swear it is for 2:30 pm or around that time. I think!

For me, it was a toss up between Kona or Ohana. Looking at the menu now, I'm wondering why I didn't go for Ohana. Hmmm? It's not too late!

[jenbarnwell]

We LOVE O'hana's! Its a must do every trip! Also We Love Coral Reef as well. Our food is always good and the atmosphere is great, although sometimes the service is SLOW! But none the less we Love it!

[DereksMom713]

Originally Posted by MK032197

I noticed you had Chef Mickey's for lunch. How did you know they were serving lunch? We will be at WDW from 9/5- 9/14 and I am wondering if they will be serving lunch then as well? Also did you see a menu for lunch?

Nope! I don't see a menu. Since I've been so many times (during the evening) and it is a favorite of the children, I just fit it in where I could and requested the day and timeframe. I'm positive I was given 2:30 pm.

At this point, I'm losing confidence and will call WDW Dining to confirm this mysterious Chef Mickey's lunch ADR.

Great! Their system is down.

[DereksMom713]

I definitely have a 2 pm reservation at Chef Mickey's.

And, Ohana is completely booked throughout my entire trip. But, I will keep trying.

[DayDreamer]

LeCellier is so hard to get, they are always completely booked. But it looks like you made some great choices. Keep trying for Ohana, its definitely worth it.

[Soundgod]

Originally Posted by MK032197

I noticed you had Chef Mickey's for lunch. How did you know they were serving lunch? We will be at WDW from 9/5- 9/14 and I am wondering if they will be serving lunch then as well? Also did you see a menu for lunch?

In past years, during September free dining, Chef Mickey's has been open for lunch in order to accommodate breakfast/dinner overflow because of overwhelming popularity. In fact, I'm pretty sure Erin and her brood did lunch at CM on a Friday in September 2006.
The lunch menu was pretty much the dinner menu with some items not available (like ribs).

Originally Posted by DereksMom713

I definitely have a 2 pm reservation at Chef Mickey's.
And, Ohana is completely booked throughout my entire trip. But, I will keep trying.

I think you'll have a better chance of finding an opening at 'Ohana as you get closer to your vacation.
Le Cellier is flat out impossible even at 90 days because of the loophole that allows guests who are checking in 90 days out to make reservations for their entire length of stay for as much as 10 days after their check in, or a total of 100 days. In other words, many guests are getting a week head start.
They seriously need to create some other sort of curb on le Cellier reservations so that more people have a better chance of booking.
As noted elsewhere, 90 days out, you will still have a better chance of getting a lunch reservation, but you might as well be a Deadhead looking for a "miracle" outside a sold out show if you're hoping for a dinner reservation.
(Google "miracle ticket" for an explanation)

By the way, of your meals, the ones I like most are breakfast and dinner at Boma and dinner at Kona Cafe. Whispering Canyon is probably going to be a very good choice for your family too. We did breakfast there last year and liked it, plus we let it be known we didn't want "fun and games" and were pretty much left alone. Although I did make sure to borrow a neighboring table's bottle of ketchup before I asked our waiter, knowing full well what would happen.

[Soundgod]

Originally Posted by lisalovesmickey

I know Coral Reef does not get some good reviews. It seems as if people love it or hate it. We LOVE it and I am sure you will have a great meal.

Lisa

Here is my standard post regarding Coral Reef:
I've never had a disappointing meal or service at Coral Reef, however I won't be returning these days because of the menu and the way it has been gutted since the start of the dining plans in 2005 and it's only gotten worse over the years with one dinner entree after another being removed starting with lobster until we find a really bland selection of only 7 or 8 entrees, and precious little in the way of shellfish.

[DereksMom713]

Originally Posted by Soundgod

I think you'll have a better chance of finding an opening at 'Ohana as you get closer to your vacation.

I'm definitely going to work on fitting 'Ohana in there. I've already given up on Le Cellier.

[M5ward]

Originally Posted by Soundgod

Here is my standard post regarding Coral Reef:
I've never had a disappointing meal or service at Coral Reef, however I won't be returning these days because of the menu and the way it has been gutted since the start of the dining plans in 2005 and it's only gotten worse over the years with one dinner entree after another being removed starting with lobster until we find a really bland selection of only 7 or 8 entrees, and precious little in the way of shellfish.

I don't understand why more shellfish (lobster, yum) options can't be offered with the disclaimer that they are not covered by DDP. I'm sure there are plenty of people willing to pay for that.

[Soundgod]

Originally Posted by M5ward

I don't understand why more shellfish (lobster, yum) options can't be offered with the disclaimer that they are not covered by DDP. I'm sure there are plenty of people willing to pay for that.

I don't know why you should even expect to pay more for shellfish, even lobster.
It's not that many months back that Cap'n Jack's still had two lobster tails on their menu (which was their most popular dish for meal plan guests).
There's no reason that California Grill or Yachtsman's shouldn't have a surf and turf like Narc's, not for two credits.
Filet mignon is generally priced on par with lobster, either tails or whole lobster, so that argument doesn't really hold water either. But what about more shrimp? Sea scallops? Coquille St. Jacques? Bouillabaisse? Crawfish etouffee?
There's a world of shellfish recipes that can be made economically.
However, if they want to charge an additional $3 for lobster dishes, maybe. Until that becomes the excuse to hit diners with an upcharge for filet mignon or perhaps ahi tuna.
And we still come back to an overriding complaint I've had for several years now, which is the streamlining of all WDW O&O restaurants to no more than 8 entrees since they rolled out the dining plan. Look and you'll see what I mean.
One chicken, one fish, one vegetarian, one pasta, one beef, and then two or three other choices, none of which is shellfish, regardless of which restaurant this is.