trip planning help, please

disneymania · 06-08-2009

We will be at the World Sept. 26 - Oct 4 . I'm trying to plan for our ADR's and am having a difficult time this trip. Does anyone else have trips that bridge 2 months? I'm not sure what to do for the 3 days in Oct. that we will be there. We try to go to the park that hasEMH for the night. This will also be our first experience with free dining so I'm a little nervous. Thanks guys for any advice!

**DisneyTeacher** · 06-08-2009

That happened to us this year and it was a real pain waiting for park hours. I finally got tired of waiting and booked something hoping it would work for us. I'm happy we didn't have a long trip or a once in a lifetime type trip, I would have been much more upset.

Book what you think might work so you have something to fall back on then try to change it once the hours come out. Maybe try a late breakfast as your big meal of the day or a later lunch if you have hoppers and can change parks during the day. We usually take a break in the afternoon so that helps me plan because we aren't locked into one park every day.

bribren · 06-08-2009

Actually, I find the EMH parks very busy. I go away from them if possible. But I would get some ADRs first then change if necessary.

**MissDisney** · 06-08-2009

We make an ADR for two meals a day -- usually dinner is one of them -- and I spread them out among the parks and resorts so we have lots of flexibility. Then if we decide not to use some of them, we cancel when we get there.
You can even cancel an ADR from any phone in the parks -- hop into a shop and ask them to call and cancel for you.

M5ward · 06-08-2009

My October trip will extend into November, and I'm not waiting for park hours to be posted. We are very flexible and don't rely on park hours to make ADRs anyway. I really do it the other way around.

Mickeybug · 06-08-2009

I guess we do things completely opposite. We don't plan our vacate around meals, with the exception of very few ADR's, we plan our meals around our vacate. No mass scheduling! That's what we're taking a break from. Parades-sure, there's only "1" so be there then, but many, many restaurants to choose from and if we go to one and it's too full we leave and go to another. But then we don't go in peak season either so it's feasible. Never had a problem so far, knock knock! We never book anything at Epcot. Always just snack at each tent from all the extra countries visiting + the chef shows too(booking exception). Like to make most character meals/ressie's outside of the park in hotels if possible so not to waste park time watching everyone else going to the fun stuff. But this is what work's for us. May not for everyone.
If it were me and wanted to book, i'd book the first 5 days then wing the rest. If it turns out, great. If not then hey your on vacate and it's only food.

beatman23 · 06-08-2009

I am with Mickeybug. Plan your days, then your ADR's. If it works out that you are in the right place at the right time, GREAT!!!! If not, take a little ride to your ADR. Remember, you are at the World :)

Soundgod · 06-08-2009

Our dinners happen after parks close more often than not.
I do plan around fireworks. It does help that Illuminations is always at 9. The exception has always been that between Thanksgiving and Dec 30 it is 9:30. There is a new wrinkle this year. Fridays, which is the EMH night comes the fall, Epcot will close at 8 with Illuminations being performed at 8 followed by the EMH closing at 11 PM.
AK is never open that late and there is no evening entertainment.
If you know this much, you're already ahead of the game in planning.

**Dana** · 06-08-2009

Quote:

Originally Posted by disneymania

We will be at the World Sept. 26 - Oct 4 . I'm trying to plan for our ADR's and am having a difficult time this trip. Does anyone else have trips that bridge 2 months? I'm not sure what to do for the 3 days in Oct. that we will be there. We try to go to the park that hasEMH for the night. This will also be our first experience with free dining so I'm a little nervous. Thanks guys for any advice!

the EMH schedule stays the same for that time of year. Just go by Spetember's schedule.

disneymania · 06-10-2009

Thanks guys, we don't have hopper passes this time around and had booked MNSSHP on the 29th. We plan our meals because I'm a brittle diabetic and try to eat within a 2 hour window, if I go beyond that I'll have problems duringthe night. We also have no experience with the free dining and were a little worried.

tinkerbelle24 · 06-10-2009

Quote:

Originally Posted by MissDisney

We make an ADR for two meals a day -- usually dinner is one of them -- and I spread them out among the parks and resorts so we have lots of flexibility. Then if we decide not to use some of them, we cancel when we get there.
You can even cancel an ADR from any phone in the parks -- hop into a shop and ask them to call and cancel for you.

I never knew you could go into a shop and have them cancel your ADR. Thanks for posting that. I hate to jump on my cell and wait on hold to cancel so this is great news.

Soundgod · 06-10-2009

Quote:

Originally Posted by tinkerbelle24

I never knew you could go into a shop and have them cancel your ADR. Thanks for posting that. I hate to jump on my cell and wait on hold to cancel so this is great news.

I'm not so sure about shops, but you can make and cancel reservations at any restaurant on property for any other restaurant that's part of the system.

tinkerbelle24 · 06-10-2009

Quote:

Originally Posted by Soundgod

I'm not so sure about shops, but you can make and cancel reservations at any restaurant on property for any other restaurant that's part of the system.

Thats really good to know. Now that I know that I think Im going to make ADRs to what I think we are going to do since the hours are still pending and worse case is just cancel and wing it.

disneymania · 06-10-2009

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dana

the EMH schedule stays the same for that time of year. Just go by Spetember's schedule.

Thanks I didn't realize that, I thought after summerthat the hours would change. I was especially looking for AK, the last one posted was for Sept. 25.

missymouse · 06-11-2009

Quote:

Originally Posted by tinkerbelle24

I never knew you could go into a shop and have them cancel your ADR. Thanks for posting that. I hate to jump on my cell and wait on hold to cancel so this is great news.

Me too! That is super good to know!

06-08-2009	#1 (permalink)
disneymania Senior Mouseketeer Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Colden ,NY Posts: 267	trip planning help, please We will be at the World Sept. 26 - Oct 4 . I'm trying to plan for our ADR's and am having a difficult time this trip. Does anyone else have trips that bridge 2 months? I'm not sure what to do for the 3 days in Oct. that we will be there. We try to go to the park that hasEMH for the night. This will also be our first experience with free dining so I'm a little nervous. Thanks guys for any advice!

06-08-2009	#2 (permalink)
DisneyTeacher Super Moderator Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: WDW in my dreams Posts: 18,310	Re: trip planning help, please That happened to us this year and it was a real pain waiting for park hours. I finally got tired of waiting and booked something hoping it would work for us. I'm happy we didn't have a long trip or a once in a lifetime type trip, I would have been much more upset. Book what you think might work so you have something to fall back on then try to change it once the hours come out. Maybe try a late breakfast as your big meal of the day or a later lunch if you have hoppers and can change parks during the day. We usually take a break in the afternoon so that helps me plan because we aren't locked into one park every day. __________________ ~Stephanie~ 1993 Caribbean Beach Resort ~ 1996 Caribbean Beach resort ~1997 Caribbean Beach Resort ~2003 Wilderness Lodge ~2004 Beach Club Resort/Shades of Green/Pop Century~ 2005 Wilderness Lodge Resort/Beach Club Villas ~ 2006 Saratoga Springs Resort~2007 Port Orleans French Quarter/Beach Club Villas/Boardwalk Villas ~ 2007 Port Orleans Riverside~ 2008 Wilderness Lodge/Beach Club Villas~2008 Beach Club Villas~2009 Hilton Head Island~ 2009 Beach Club Villas My Disney Countdown Counting down to: Beach Club here we come 239 days 3 hours 31 minutes

06-08-2009	#3 (permalink)
bribren Big Cheese Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: Buffalo, NY Posts: 536	Re: trip planning help, please Actually, I find the EMH parks very busy. I go away from them if possible. But I would get some ADRs first then change if necessary.

06-08-2009	#4 (permalink)
MissDisney Moderator Join Date: Feb 2004 Posts: 8,552	Re: trip planning help, please We make an ADR for two meals a day -- usually dinner is one of them -- and I spread them out among the parks and resorts so we have lots of flexibility. Then if we decide not to use some of them, we cancel when we get there. You can even cancel an ADR from any phone in the parks -- hop into a shop and ask them to call and cancel for you. __________________ Disneyland Moderator Disneyland Hotel 1987; Dixie Landings 1993; Dixie Landings 1997; Caribbean Beach 1998; Boardwalk Villas 1999; Vistana Resort 2001; Dixie Landings 2002; Vistana Resort 2002; Marriott Royal Palm Villas 2004; Vistana Resort 2006; Marriott Cypress Harbour 2007; Boardwalk Villas 2008; AKV Kidani 2009; Saratoga Springs 2009

06-08-2009	#5 (permalink)
M5ward Senior Mouseketeer Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: South Jersey Posts: 324	Re: trip planning help, please My October trip will extend into November, and I'm not waiting for park hours to be posted. We are very flexible and don't rely on park hours to make ADRs anyway. I really do it the other way around. __________________ ºoº * ~ ** ~ * ºoº Michele Second star to the right and straight on until morning. (Peter Pan) http://www.magicalkingdoms.com/timer...sfo87kv2ma.png November, 1981 (Cont.),November, 1983 (Cont.),December, 1994 (off-site), January, 2005 (BWI), March, 2006 (BWI), January, 2007 (SSR), November, 2007 (SSR), February, 2008 (BWV), October, 2008 (OKW), January, 2009 (BWV),October, 2009 (BCV) My Disney Countdown Counting down to: Avery's First Trip to the World 60 days 7 hours 1 minutes

		MouseBuzz.com > Walt Disney World > WDW Theme Parks
trip planning help, please

06-08-2009	#6 (permalink)
Mickeybug Big Cheese Join Date: May 2009 Location: Bossier, LA Posts: 502	Re: trip planning help, please I guess we do things completely opposite. We don't plan our vacate around meals, with the exception of very few ADR's, we plan our meals around our vacate. No mass scheduling! That's what we're taking a break from. Parades-sure, there's only "1" so be there then, but many, many restaurants to choose from and if we go to one and it's too full we leave and go to another. But then we don't go in peak season either so it's feasible. Never had a problem so far, knock knock! We never book anything at Epcot. Always just snack at each tent from all the extra countries visiting + the chef shows too(booking exception). Like to make most character meals/ressie's outside of the park in hotels if possible so not to waste park time watching everyone else going to the fun stuff. But this is what work's for us. May not for everyone. If it were me and wanted to book, i'd book the first 5 days then wing the rest. If it turns out, great. If not then hey your on vacate and it's only food.

06-08-2009	#7 (permalink)
beatman23 Mouseketeer Join Date: May 2009 Location: Disney in my mind Posts: 58	Re: trip planning help, please I am with Mickeybug. Plan your days, then your ADR's. If it works out that you are in the right place at the right time, GREAT!!!! If not, take a little ride to your ADR. Remember, you are at the World :)

06-08-2009	#8 (permalink)
Soundgod Squirrel! Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Laughing on the Laughing Floor Posts: 8,805	Re: trip planning help, please Our dinners happen after parks close more often than not. I do plan around fireworks. It does help that Illuminations is always at 9. The exception has always been that between Thanksgiving and Dec 30 it is 9:30. There is a new wrinkle this year. Fridays, which is the EMH night comes the fall, Epcot will close at 8 with Illuminations being performed at 8 followed by the EMH closing at 11 PM. AK is never open that late and there is no evening entertainment. If you know this much, you're already ahead of the game in planning. __________________ Do you live to eat or do you eat to live? My Disney Countdown Counting down to: Instant Single Digit Dance 5 days 10 hours 31 minutes

06-10-2009	#10 (permalink)
disneymania Senior Mouseketeer Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Colden ,NY Posts: 267	Re: trip planning help, please Thanks guys, we don't have hopper passes this time around and had booked MNSSHP on the 29th. We plan our meals because I'm a brittle diabetic and try to eat within a 2 hour window, if I go beyond that I'll have problems duringthe night. We also have no experience with the free dining and were a little worried.

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