First time on DDP--please help with reservation decisions!

[niklynn1]

This is our first time using the DDP, and we are kinda late to the party. :-( We just booked our trip this week, a 50th bday celebration for my hubby and I. Therefore, we missed the 180 day mark for making reservations, by a long way!

So, as I am trying to plan now, I am working with limited availability. We are staying for 5 nights, but really only 4 full days as we arrive very late on the first night. We are getting 4 day base tickets, no hopper, so ideally, I wanted to choose a TS for a relaxed evening dinner prior to the night shows at each of the parks we will be at for the day. That has proven hard--both because of limited time choices AND because some of the TS at the parks don't sound super appealing. However, the idea of trying to leave the park for a hotel and return to park (particularly in Jan, when park hours are shorter) seems like a lot of wasted time.

Here are the days I've selected for each park. Any suggestions you can give on best TS options for each would be appreciated. I've booked some just to have something in place, but I will change them if y'all have better suggestions. I'm open to venturing to hotels for meals IF the transportation is convenient. Never been to ANY of the hotel restaurants before. We are staying at AKL. Thanks!

Sat 1/19 MK (Booked 9:40p at Ohana) Worried that will be too late after our first full day in parks and then to AKL where we are staying. Can we still see Fireworks at 8 and make it to this reservation even?) What would you suggest IN MK or nearby if I don't keep this one?

Sun 1/20 AK (Have 6:05 at Tiffin right now). Can we still make it to Reflections after? Never been to Tiffin before. Other ideas?

Mon 1/21 Epcot (Booked Le Cellier at 8:20p) It's 2 credits but we have 5 TS each and only 4 full days in parks. Probably will have to miss Illuminations to do this? But thinking maybe crowds and bus lines will be light after we leave and exit back to AKL? Other options?

Tue 1/22 DHS (Booked Sanaa back at our hotel at 7:30p) Was really our only option and really want to try the restaurants in our hotel since have never stayed at AKL before. Will miss Fantasmic though, which kind of makes me sad.

I'm not opposed to using some TS for breakfast or lunch options, just not sure where it makes most sense and doesn't interfere with being able to maximize ride time too.

Any advice to steer us in right direction would be helpful. Thanks!

 

[DeanDoug]

Congratulations on your trip and happy bday!
Here are some of my thoughts, just my opinion if it helps!...

1/19 I think 9:40 is too late... I would be gnawing at my arm by then. I don't really suggest much in MK, but you may want to try to get a ressie at The Wave (Contemporary, you can walk) or Grand Floridian Cafe (monorail/boat). We like both and they are not "must dos" for many folks.

1/20 We've not dined at Tiffins, yet.

1/21 Le Cellier is nice, but you will surely miss Illuminations (which is going away soon). If that doesn't bother you, I say keep it.

1/22 We like Sanaa... and AKL is one of our very favorites. If you're up for missing Fantasmic, consider enjoying some of the evening activities at AKL... stories by the fire... night vision goggles for viewing the animals... might take the sting out of missing Fantasmic. If you want Fantasmic, and still want to dine in AKL, you could consider having Brunch at Boma before you go to DHS. This would allow for both.

Have a magical time!

 

[DisneyFirstTimer10]

Currently you have 6 dining credits in use since Tiffins is also 2 credits along with Le Cellier.

Saturday- we like Ohana but 9:40pm is pretty late to eat esp on day one and having to go back to AKL after. I would try to push that up if possible or switch to Kona for a dinner break earlier in day then back to MK for fireworks

Sunday- Tiffin is 2 credit. If staying at AKL I would go to Boma for either Breakfast or Dinner

Monday- so many choices. If you keep your Tiffins reservation. You can switch this day to a 1 credit- We enjoy Via Napoli in Epcot!

Tuesday- Sanaa is awesome and I wouldn’t miss it. You can try for a late lunch reservation so you can take a break then back to DHS for Fantasmic. Are you staying at Jambo house? If so- Sanaa is at Kidani which is right next door.

Are you going to the parks at rope drop each day? If not I would do sanaa on Sunday and Boma breakfast on Tuesday before DHS

 

[Nancyg56]

This is our first time using the DDP, and we are kinda late to the party. :-( We just booked our trip this week, a 50th bday celebration for my hubby and I. Therefore, we missed the 180 day mark for making reservations, by a long way!

So, as I am trying to plan now, I am working with limited availability. We are staying for 5 nights, but really only 4 full days as we arrive very late on the first night. We are getting 4 day base tickets, no hopper, so ideally, I wanted to choose a TS for a relaxed evening dinner prior to the night shows at each of the parks we will be at for the day. That has proven hard--both because of limited time choices AND because some of the TS at the parks don't sound super appealing. However, the idea of trying to leave the park for a hotel and return to park (particularly in Jan, when park hours are shorter) seems like a lot of wasted time.

Here are the days I've selected for each park. Any suggestions you can give on best TS options for each would be appreciated. I've booked some just to have something in place, but I will change them if y'all have better suggestions. I'm open to venturing to hotels for meals IF the transportation is convenient. Never been to ANY of the hotel restaurants before. We are staying at AKL. Thanks!

Sat 1/19 MK (Booked 9:40p at Ohana) Worried that will be too late after our first full day in parks and then to AKL where we are staying. Can we still see Fireworks at 8 and make it to this reservation even?) What would you suggest IN MK or nearby if I don't keep this one?

Sun 1/20 AK (Have 6:05 at Tiffin right now). Can we still make it to Reflections after? Never been to Tiffin before. Other ideas?

Mon 1/21 Epcot (Booked Le Cellier at 8:20p) It's 2 credits but we have 5 TS each and only 4 full days in parks. Probably will have to miss Illuminations to do this? But thinking maybe crowds and bus lines will be light after we leave and exit back to AKL? Other options?

Tue 1/22 DHS (Booked Sanaa back at our hotel at 7:30p) Was really our only option and really want to try the restaurants in our hotel since have never stayed at AKL before. Will miss Fantasmic though, which kind of makes me sad.

I'm not opposed to using some TS for breakfast or lunch options, just not sure where it makes most sense and doesn't interfere with being able to maximize ride time too.

Any advice to steer us in right direction would be helpful. Thanks!

Saturday: I would not keep the 'Ohana ADR. It is late, and really, I would hate to rush out after the fireworks to make a dinner ADR. Have you considered Skippers?

Sunday: Tiffins is one of my favorites. I cannot answer the timing consideration, but if possible, I would keep it.

Monday: If you do not care about missing Illuminations, keep Le Cellier. If you do, perhaps you could book an earlier meal on the Boardwalk. I like Trattorria al Forno. 1 credit, and delicious food.

Sanaa is wonderful.

 

[niklynn1]

Currently you have 6 dining credits in use since Tiffins is also 2 credits along with Le Cellier.

Saturday- we like Ohana but 9:40pm is pretty late to eat esp on day one and having to go back to AKL after. I would try to push that up if possible or switch to Kona for a dinner break earlier in day then back to MK for fireworks

Sunday- Tiffin is 2 credit. If staying at AKL I would go to Boma for either Breakfast or Dinner

Monday- so many choices. If you keep your Tiffins reservation. You can switch this day to a 1 credit- We enjoy Via Napoli in Epcot!

Tuesday- Sanaa is awesome and I wouldn’t miss it. You can try for a late lunch reservation so you can take a break then back to DHS for Fantasmic. Are you staying at Jambo house? If so- Sanaa is at Kidani which is right next door.

Are you going to the parks at rope drop each day? If not I would do sanaa on Sunday and Boma breakfast on Tuesday before DHS

First, thanks for the ideas. Yes, we are planning rope drop each day, since we only have one full day at each park. I have only been to WDW in summer before, with max crowds and longer park hours, and have always done rope drop, break in the afternoon for nap at hotel, then back to parks for dinner and night shows and stay late. Since we are going in January, I don't think we will need a nap in the hot afternoon and parks close earlier. This is throwing off my strategy!
Wondering if booking mid afternoon table service meals might be better than dinners?

 

[gharter]

Looks like a fun trip.
MK - you should have plenty of time to get to Poly after Fireworks. They will be done by 8:20. Even with a crowd, that gives you over an hour to get there. Consider the boat. Other option, we enjoy Skipper Canteen.
AK - We really enjoy Tiffins. With a 6 pm, we are there 1 1/2 to 2 hours, but not everyone does. I assume you mean Rivers of Light. Its doable. Get to dinner early and you should be able to see it.
EPCOT - Consider Chefs du France. Le Cellier is good, but not worth 2 credits.
HS - Sanaa is very good as is Boma. Jiko is awesome, but also 2 credits.

 

[Moliphino]

I'm not sure what your AK day is, but Rivers of Light is at 6:30 a lot during the winter. No way to make that with a 6:05 Tiffins dinner. Tiffins is fantastic, though as said before it is 2 credits.

 

[nkereina]

For your Epcot day on Monday, check out La Hacienda de San Angel. We enjoy it and love the atmosphere inside, and you can usually see Illuminations from inside the restaurant if you're dining around that time. Some seats have obstructed views, but you can always ask for a table with a view. I wouldn't recommend this if Illuminations is a must-do, but its a good option if you won't be crushed if your view is only partial. It also tends to be easier to get an ADR here than at Rose & Crown during the same time, which has better options for viewing Illuminations.

 

[Hopefully]

Boma does not offer Brunch.
I too think 9:40 ‘Ohana ADR is too late. I would suggest Skipper Cantine in the MK or Grand Floridian Cafe c

 

[PardonOurPixieDust]

In addition to what previous posters have said, you should also not rule out any restaurants that would be your “ideal” places to eat! People cancel dining reservations all the time. While I don’t tend to travel at the busiest time of year, I’ve never not gotten a reservation I’ve been after, even if it’s at a less ideal time. I personally use the Touring Plans reservation finder, and I know most other people on these boards do so as well. You don’t need a paid account to use it: I certainly have never paid as I don’t need the other services they offer. It can be a little difficult to figure out where to sign up for a free account, but it’s doable and then you can have them checking for cancellations periodically and sending you notifications when they find an available spot.

Come up with a list of dream restaurants, and a list of backups just in case. At the moment, you haven’t booked fastpasses yet and which day is at which park could be flexible based on whatever availability you find. As your trip gets closer, more and more people cancel (especially at fastpass time and during the week/ the night before), but your plans will be more set in stone, so you may have to adjust your reservation finders. Every park does also have less popular options that will be easier to grab a spot, so come up with a few alternatives if your “dream” choices might be hard to get (like Be Our Guest or Cinderella’s Royal Table).

But, with that in mind, don’t limit yourself as much! Since this is your first time with the DDP, you might want to look at your dining a little differently. This is especially true if you don’t think you’ll be getting it again. While it’s not always a great deal, it is a great way to try those more expensive restaurants and character meals. Your buffet or entree and dessert, plus an alcoholic drink are already paid for. While you still have to tip, it’s a great chance to go for the buffets or the steaks!

With 5 TS credits, you either get one signature restaurant, a breakfast on your departure day, or one day with two sit down meals. A signature restaurant can be a really nice experience! However, they do tend to be longer meals. This might cause a bit of stress if it’s eating into limited park time. They’re also not usually the most valuable use of a TS credit: they take twice as many credits and the food doesn’t cost a full twice as much.

If you choose to do a two credit restaurant (and you like characters), I’m of the opinion that dinner at Cinderella’s Royal Table is worth experiencing at least once! It’s also a fairly expensive meal normally, and one of the few places that tip is included on the dining plan! It’s certainly not as tasty as your other signature options (I do love Tiffins), but it’s a quintessentially Disney experience.

If you stick with Tiffins as a signature meal, look into a little earlier of a meal and getting it as a Rivers of Light dining package. It will get you an appetizer (which you normally wouldn’t get) and reserved seating to the nighttime show.

Another option for that spare credit is to try to pick up a Pre-Park opening breakfast. Each park has a popular option for this, and it will get you in the parks, fed, and touring before other people! While breakfast is often less expensive than other meals on the dining plan, the touring benefits of a PPO might mean you can get the first big rides out of the way before the opening crowds even get to you, leaving you free to use your fastpasses on other rides.

For Magic Kingdom, I would actually suggest trying to get a Be Our Guest PPO. BOG breakfast/lunch is the only quick service to take reservations. It wouldn’t use up one of your 5 TS credits, and you’d get all the benefits! Normally, breakfast would be $25 a piece, so that’s a pretty good use of a quick service credit! Also, they have been known to open Mine Train a little early, and sometimes you can ride that AND Peter Pan before the park is even open!

The only other PPOs I’m familiar with are character meals. Epcot has Akershus in Norway and the Garden Grill in the land pavilion. Hollywood Studios has Hollywood and Vine I think (or there’s the out-of-park option of the Bon Voyage breakfast on the Boardwalk but that doesn’t get the touring benefits). Animal Kingdom has Tusker House. I’m a big fan of Tusker House for lunch, and while I’ve never had their breakfast, it’s hard to beat Mickey and friends in Safari gear! If you can snatch any of these and enjoy characters, it can be a great way to get a slight boost over the crowds and to not worry about dining taking up park touring time.

Mid afternoon table service dinner is generally a great option. However, in January you don’t have to deal with the heat of the day as much, so it’s more for needing fewer meals rather than for taking a break in the air conditioning.

For Epcot, I’d recommend trying to get a meal that gives you a view of illuminations for dinner. If you can’t, no worries, but eating as the park is closing is another way to not have your TS cut into limited park hours. More popular options like Rose & Crown might be hard to get in the proper time slot, but the Spice Road Table and La Hacienda are great places too.

If you decide not to do Tiffins or Tusker House (which also offers a Rivers of Light package), the Animal Kingdom day might also be a good opportunity to try the food out at Animal Kingdom Lodge. AKL is a lot closer to Animal Kingdom than any other park. I’d recommend heading to Sanaa or Boma. As a buffet, Boma is a great value on the plan. If you go to Sanaa, go for a last seating of lunch or first seating of dinner (while it’s still light out) and asking for a window table so you can see the Savannah.

Hollywood Studios isn’t the best for food, but I’ve really enjoyed meals at 50s Prime Time in the past! Be sure to ask for a TV table if you go there! Something to consider, though, is the proximity of Hollywood Studios to the Boardwalk and Yacht and Beach Club. I’ve heard great things about Ale & Compass at the Yacht Club for a 1 TS restaurant. Trattoria al Forno has Italian food on the Boardwalk, and there’s always the seafood buffet at Cape May Cafe. Beaches and Cream is a terrible value as a meal on the dining plan, but definitely worth stopping by and buying yourself a sundae to go if you’re over there!

For Magic Kingdom, Skippers Canteen is a great 1TS credit location with fun themeing. However, if you plan on an early dinner or one after the park closes, it’s super quick and easy to get to any of the monorail resorts. Ohana, which you already have booked, is always a popular option and a good value on the dining plan. You could try for an earlier time and watch the fireworks from your table if you’d like, though it may be one of the harder reservations to get. While you wouldn’t get the view of projections on the castle you get in the park, it’s nice to not fight the crowds. The Wave is a nice 1 TS option at the Contemporary, and if you decide to eat there, you don’t even have to ride the monorail! You can just walk over and back. The last one I’d recommend is 1900 Park Fare if you want characters - they’ve got a more extended Cinderella cast at dinner and are a good value on the dining plan. Plus the step-sisters are always a riot no matter where you find them.

 

[Wild4Walt]

I'd keep checking for Ohana and would also try lunch depending on what time the park closes. If Ohana doesn't end up working out I highly recommend Grand Floridian Cafe. It's beautiful and very relaxed. The food was delicious too.

As a PP said, I'd try and change the Le Cellier so you can catch Illuminations. If you can't get earlier, and you are adventurous, I also recommend Spice Road in Morocco. It's adventurous without getting too outside normal palates and the inside is very intimate ( nice for a romantic meal ). You can try to snag a table for Illuminations but it's important to note that there are a limited number of tables that have window views, so I'd try for it around 730p so when you're done eating Illuminations wouldn't be far behind.

 

[sapphirerose915]

I think if you want to be free for the evening shows in the parks then i would book a late lunch if possible. Do a QS or snack breakfast at your hotel or park Starbucks, have a nice TS lunch.. which would also be a great mid day break since you plan to RD.. then you can watch the evening shows and if you are hungry at that time you can do a QS or a snack!

 

[kniquy]

relaxed evening dinner prior to the night shows

Some options to consider would be at HS you could do the fantasmic dining package at either Brown Derby (I believe 2 credits) or Mama Melrose (1 credit). Brown Derby is an amazing restaurant, best filet that anyone in my party had ever had. Mama melrose is your next best option. When you are MK leaving for an early dinner/afternoon break is sometimes a good option. With that you have 3 easy monorail resorts to pick from - At poly - you probably can not get Ohana and frankly the quality for the price is just so-so, I would actually look at Kona Cafe. At Contemporary you could see if you can snag a Cal grill reservation (again 2 credits and a very tough reservation to get). But The wave gets some pretty good reviews. I have never eaten at GF so not sure what options are there.

I didn't read through all the previous comments but what you can do is go on the touring plans website. They have a reservation finder which you can put in what you are looking for, a time frame and date. From there it will text and email you when they find a reservation. It worked great. I just tried it for getting a home coming reservation.

 

[Brian Noble]

I would try to decide for each day whether I was planning that day around dining, or planning my dining around that day. I tend to plan days around dining maybe 2-3 times out of an 8 day/7 night trip, but any mix is find as long as you choose explicitly. It seems like you are often trying to do both, and that's hard to do. One way to do this would be to pick one (or maybe two) meals you really want to try and are excited by. Plan that day/those two days around that. Then on the other days, find the most interesting meal options close to where you are otherwise going to be at times that work.

Finally: if you can be flexible, you will find some surprising availability the day or two before as people cancel things to avoid the no-show fee. I'm to the point where most of my meals are booked the day before or even the morning of unless they are "big deal" plans in advance. For example, this year I'm celebrating a couple of important personal milestones on two days during the week. One of those days is going to be built around a meal at Jiko---a place I've always wanted to try. The other will be built around one of the tours---maybe Backstage Magic, or Steam Trains if I'm not feeling that ambitious.

 

[niklynn1]

In addition to what previous posters have said, you should also not rule out any restaurants that would be your “ideal” places to eat! People cancel dining reservations all the time. While I don’t tend to travel at the busiest time of year, I’ve never not gotten a reservation I’ve been after, even if it’s at a less ideal time. I personally use the Touring Plans reservation finder, and I know most other people on these boards do so as well. You don’t need a paid account to use it: I certainly have never paid as I don’t need the other services they offer. It can be a little difficult to figure out where to sign up for a free account, but it’s doable and then you can have them checking for cancellations periodically and sending you notifications when they find an available spot.

Come up with a list of dream restaurants, and a list of backups just in case. At the moment, you haven’t booked fastpasses yet and which day is at which park could be flexible based on whatever availability you find. As your trip gets closer, more and more people cancel (especially at fastpass time and during the week/ the night before), but your plans will be more set in stone, so you may have to adjust your reservation finders. Every park does also have less popular options that will be easier to grab a spot, so come up with a few alternatives if your “dream” choices might be hard to get (like Be Our Guest or Cinderella’s Royal Table).

But, with that in mind, don’t limit yourself as much! Since this is your first time with the DDP, you might want to look at your dining a little differently. This is especially true if you don’t think you’ll be getting it again. While it’s not always a great deal, it is a great way to try those more expensive restaurants and character meals. Your buffet or entree and dessert, plus an alcoholic drink are already paid for. While you still have to tip, it’s a great chance to go for the buffets or the steaks!

With 5 TS credits, you either get one signature restaurant, a breakfast on your departure day, or one day with two sit down meals. A signature restaurant can be a really nice experience! However, they do tend to be longer meals. This might cause a bit of stress if it’s eating into limited park time. They’re also not usually the most valuable use of a TS credit: they take twice as many credits and the food doesn’t cost a full twice as much.

If you choose to do a two credit restaurant (and you like characters), I’m of the opinion that dinner at Cinderella’s Royal Table is worth experiencing at least once! It’s also a fairly expensive meal normally, and one of the few places that tip is included on the dining plan! It’s certainly not as tasty as your other signature options (I do love Tiffins), but it’s a quintessentially Disney experience.

If you stick with Tiffins as a signature meal, look into a little earlier of a meal and getting it as a Rivers of Light dining package. It will get you an appetizer (which you normally wouldn’t get) and reserved seating to the nighttime show.

Another option for that spare credit is to try to pick up a Pre-Park opening breakfast. Each park has a popular option for this, and it will get you in the parks, fed, and touring before other people! While breakfast is often less expensive than other meals on the dining plan, the touring benefits of a PPO might mean you can get the first big rides out of the way before the opening crowds even get to you, leaving you free to use your fastpasses on other rides.

For Magic Kingdom, I would actually suggest trying to get a Be Our Guest PPO. BOG breakfast/lunch is the only quick service to take reservations. It wouldn’t use up one of your 5 TS credits, and you’d get all the benefits! Normally, breakfast would be $25 a piece, so that’s a pretty good use of a quick service credit! Also, they have been known to open Mine Train a little early, and sometimes you can ride that AND Peter Pan before the park is even open!

The only other PPOs I’m familiar with are character meals. Epcot has Akershus in Norway and the Garden Grill in the land pavilion. Hollywood Studios has Hollywood and Vine I think (or there’s the out-of-park option of the Bon Voyage breakfast on the Boardwalk but that doesn’t get the touring benefits). Animal Kingdom has Tusker House. I’m a big fan of Tusker House for lunch, and while I’ve never had their breakfast, it’s hard to beat Mickey and friends in Safari gear! If you can snatch any of these and enjoy characters, it can be a great way to get a slight boost over the crowds and to not worry about dining taking up park touring time.

Mid afternoon table service dinner is generally a great option. However, in January you don’t have to deal with the heat of the day as much, so it’s more for needing fewer meals rather than for taking a break in the air conditioning.

For Epcot, I’d recommend trying to get a meal that gives you a view of illuminations for dinner. If you can’t, no worries, but eating as the park is closing is another way to not have your TS cut into limited park hours. More popular options like Rose & Crown might be hard to get in the proper time slot, but the Spice Road Table and La Hacienda are great places too.

If you decide not to do Tiffins or Tusker House (which also offers a Rivers of Light package), the Animal Kingdom day might also be a good opportunity to try the food out at Animal Kingdom Lodge. AKL is a lot closer to Animal Kingdom than any other park. I’d recommend heading to Sanaa or Boma. As a buffet, Boma is a great value on the plan. If you go to Sanaa, go for a last seating of lunch or first seating of dinner (while it’s still light out) and asking for a window table so you can see the Savannah.

Hollywood Studios isn’t the best for food, but I’ve really enjoyed meals at 50s Prime Time in the past! Be sure to ask for a TV table if you go there! Something to consider, though, is the proximity of Hollywood Studios to the Boardwalk and Yacht and Beach Club. I’ve heard great things about Ale & Compass at the Yacht Club for a 1 TS restaurant. Trattoria al Forno has Italian food on the Boardwalk, and there’s always the seafood buffet at Cape May Cafe. Beaches and Cream is a terrible value as a meal on the dining plan, but definitely worth stopping by and buying yourself a sundae to go if you’re over there!

For Magic Kingdom, Skippers Canteen is a great 1TS credit location with fun themeing. However, if you plan on an early dinner or one after the park closes, it’s super quick and easy to get to any of the monorail resorts. Ohana, which you already have booked, is always a popular option and a good value on the dining plan. You could try for an earlier time and watch the fireworks from your table if you’d like, though it may be one of the harder reservations to get. While you wouldn’t get the view of projections on the castle you get in the park, it’s nice to not fight the crowds. The Wave is a nice 1 TS option at the Contemporary, and if you decide to eat there, you don’t even have to ride the monorail! You can just walk over and back. The last one I’d recommend is 1900 Park Fare if you want characters - they’ve got a more extended Cinderella cast at dinner and are a good value on the dining plan. Plus the step-sisters are always a riot no matter where you find them.

THANK YOU SO MUCH for all of this amazing information! You've given me a lot of great suggestions to ponder as I work through this. My new husband has not been to Disney since he was 4, and I've never been without my children, so I am working hard to make this a truly magical celebration of our 50th bdays! You've been a BIG help!

 

[niklynn1]

I think if you want to be free for the evening shows in the parks then i would book a late lunch if possible. Do a QS or snack breakfast at your hotel or park Starbucks, have a nice TS lunch.. which would also be a great mid day break since you plan to RD.. then you can watch the evening shows and if you are hungry at that time you can do a QS or a snack!

I am considering this idea for a least a couple of days. Thanks!