ADR Priority Order

[Jack Kerouac]

I'm coming up on the 60 day window for the first resort stay of August trip. Let me know if I have our ADRs in the correct priority order or not.
1. 'Ohana breakfast on 60+4
2. Crystal Palace for dinner on 60+3 / lunch is okay too on 60+3
3. Hoop-Dee-Doo on 60+6
4. Sci-Fi for lunch on 60+2 / dinner is okay too on 60+2 or 60+5
5. Skipper Canteen for dinner on 60+1 / lunch is okay too on 60+1
6. Sanaa for later lunch or early dinner on 60+7

Thank you!

 

[Jacq7414]

Crystal Palace has never been hard to get for me. I would do sci-fi before that, probably 2nd or even first since you want it so early in your trip.

 

[tetera]

I would do it in this order:

1. Sci Fi
2. Hoop Dee Doo
3. 'Ohana
4. Crystal Palace
5. Sanaa
6. Jungle Skipper Canteen

ETA that I just did our end of July/beginning of Aug ADRs last week and there was NOTHING for 'Ohana breakfast until I got to 60+2 days - I don't know if a bunch of people canceled or they just opened them up or what but there were loads open for days at that point (and still are)! So basically if there isn't anything immediately for some places don't be discouraged!

 

[EdnaMarieMode]

Crystal Palace has never been hard to get for me. I would do sci-fi before that, probably 2nd or even first since you want it so early in your trip.

Same advice- book Sci Fi ahead of Crystal Palace even though you don’t mind lunch or dinner. Other than that, looks good!

 

[Jack Kerouac]

Here's what I was able to get:
Liberty Tree Tavern for dinner at 5:50pm on 8/4
Sci-Fi for lunch at 11:55am on 8/5
'Ohana for dinner (date night w/ wife) at 7:10pm on 8/5
Crystal Palace for dinner at 5:30pm on 8/6
'Ohana for breakfast at 8:30am on 8/7
Skipper Canteen for dinner at 4:50pm on 8/7
Via Napoli for dinner at 6:20pm on 8/8
Hoop-Dee-Doo for dinner at 6:15pm on 8/9
Saana for lunch at 1:00pm on 8/10

The 'Ohana dinner was a late addition after my parents offered to watch the boys so my wife and I could have a date night. Via Napoli was a late addition after doing some reading on EPCOT restaurants. I basically got everything we wanted and more. Thank you!

 

[Jack Kerouac]

As I am working on our schedule now that we have our ADRs booked, I am feeling like I may have too many, considering we have three young boys. While the A/C and rest would be nice, there seems to be some QS that would provide us with both and save some money.

Non-negotiables:
Sci-Fi for lunch on 8/5
'Ohana for dinner on 8/5
Crystal Palace for dinner on 8/6
'Ohana for breakfast on 8/7

Negotiable:
Sanaa for dinner on 8/10 - looks great, just not sure about the three young boys (besides the animals outside)

Very negotiable gap-fillers:
Liberty Tree - we ate there in April 2022 and I just grabbed it for our first full day in MK
HDD - worried about the travel times with three younger boys; we are considering making it a pool evening with poolside QS instead since it will be our last night at the Poly
SC - wanted to try it, but it's the last night with my parents and they aren't adventurous eaters
VN - heard some good things, also heard it is just okay, so curious if F&W might be more relaxing and fun

It won't be for another week that I will be able to book the last two dates of our trip, but I'm not really sure if we will book much, if anything.

Let me know if I'm making a mistake by thinking of cancelling something or if you have some QS substitution ideas that would be good for a family with young boys.

Thank you!

 

[nyy]

As I am working on our schedule now that we have our ADRs booked, I am feeling like I may have too many, considering we have three young boys. While the A/C and rest would be nice, there seems to be some QS that would provide us with both and save some money.

Non-negotiables:
Sci-Fi for lunch on 8/5
'Ohana for dinner on 8/5
Crystal Palace for dinner on 8/6
'Ohana for breakfast on 8/7

Negotiable:
Sanaa for dinner on 8/10 - looks great, just not sure about the three young boys (besides the animals outside)

Very negotiable gap-fillers:
Liberty Tree - we ate there in April 2022 and I just grabbed it for our first full day in MK
HDD - worried about the travel times with three younger boys; we are considering making it a pool evening with poolside QS instead since it will be our last night at the Poly
SC - wanted to try it, but it's the last night with my parents and they aren't adventurous eaters
VN - heard some good things, also heard it is just okay, so curious if F&W might be more relaxing and fun

It won't be for another week that I will be able to book the last two dates of our trip, but I'm not really sure if we will book much, if anything.

Let me know if I'm making a mistake by thinking of cancelling something or if you have some QS substitution ideas that would be good for a family with young boys.

Thank you!

Just an FYI - Liberty Tree is only the pre-fix "Thanksgiving" platters, for both lunch and dinner now. We preferred the old lunch menu.
Via Napoli is one of our family favorites. We would never pass it up. We also think it is fun and interesting inside.

 

[Jack Kerouac]

Just an FYI - Liberty Tree is only the pre-fix "Thanksgiving" platters, for both lunch and dinner now. We preferred the old lunch menu.
Via Napoli is one of our family favorites. We would never pass it up. We also think it is fun and interesting inside.

The "Thanksgiving" family style is one of the main things we like about LTT. At least it was in April 2022. Being August, I'm not sure if we will want that heavy of a meal or not. We just haven't eaten at enough places to know we want to choose LTT over something else.
Via Napoli would likely be our only pizza night for our family during the trip and we like our pizza nights. My parents said they went there on a recommendation and thought it was just okay. Not sure if it was too high of expectations or something else.

 

[EdnaMarieMode]

Very negotiable gap-fillers:
Liberty Tree - we ate there in April 2022 and I just grabbed it for our first full day in MK
HDD - worried about the travel times with three younger boys; we are considering making it a pool evening with poolside QS instead since it will be our last night at the Poly
SC - wanted to try it, but it's the last night with my parents and they aren't adventurous eaters
VN - heard some good things, also heard it is just okay, so curious if F&W might be more relaxing and fun
Let me know if I'm making a mistake by thinking of cancelling something or if you have some QS substitution ideas that would be good for a family with young boys.

Thank you!

Liberty Tree- I vote skip because you’ve had it before, it’s not a must-do, and I just have a really hard time with the idea of such a heavy meal in the August heat.

HDD- maybe save for another trip and enjoy the pool time?

SC- check the menu. If you’re not 100% sure your parents won’t find something they’re happy with, save the park time and aggravation and choose a QS. And I say this as a person who tries so hard to work SC into our dining plan every trip and can’t justify it with the kiddos.

VN- pros are you will have an air conditioned table to sit at vs standing up outside in the heat eating small bites using a trash can for a table (not kidding). Pizza is almost always a crowd pleaser. Maybe keep this one and pick the one or two Food and Wine offerings that appeal to you (or plan for the Food & Wine offerings later in your trip if you have another EPCOT day and then you will have made a lap and you’ll know what to expect and save room for). I almost never urge anyone to go out of their way for VN (it’s good but I live within 45 minutes of some of the best pizza in the US so it’s easy for me to say).

 

[Jack Kerouac]

Liberty Tree- I vote skip because you’ve had it before, it’s not a must-do, and I just have a really hard time with the idea of such a heavy meal in the August heat.

HDD- maybe save for another trip and enjoy the pool time?

SC- check the menu. If you’re not 100% sure your parents won’t find something they’re happy with, save the park time and aggravation and choose a QS. And I say this as a person who tries so hard to work SC into our dining plan every trip and can’t justify it with the kiddos.

VN- pros are you will have an air conditioned table to sit at vs standing up outside in the heat eating small bites using a trash can for a table (not kidding). Pizza is almost always a crowd pleaser. Maybe keep this one and pick the one or two Food and Wine offerings that appeal to you (or plan for the Food & Wine offerings later in your trip if you have another EPCOT day and then you will have made a lap and you’ll know what to expect and save room for). I almost never urge anyone to go out of their way for VN (it’s good but I live within 45 minutes of some of the best pizza in the US so it’s easy for me to say).

Thank you! I am leaning away from LTT because I agree with you about how heavy it is and not really wanting that kind of meal during the middle of August. Knowing my kids, getting to and from HDD will not be super pleasant and they love swimming. I thought SC could be our meal that would provide something a bit different than a lot of the other park fare, but maybe keeping Sanaa would be the better trade since there are some things my boys will eat and my parents won't be with us. We have two EPCOT days scheduled (one to explore WD, WC, and WN and a second for World Showcase just to help with the little legs), but we also have APs so we can always hit F&W after 2pm for a short bit on a different day if we feel like something in particular or just want to go explore.

 

[EdnaMarieMode]

Thank you! I am leaning away from LTT because I agree with you about how heavy it is and not really wanting that kind of meal during the middle of August. Knowing my kids, getting to and from HDD will not be super pleasant and they love swimming. I thought SC could be our meal that would provide something a bit different than a lot of the other park fare, but maybe keeping Sanaa would be the better trade since there are some things my boys will eat and my parents won't be with us. We have two EPCOT days scheduled (one to explore WD, WC, and WN and a second for World Showcase just to help with the little legs), but we also have APs so we can always hit F&W after 2pm for a short bit on a different day if we feel like something in particular or just want to go explore.

Your kids sound like my kids- I was going to say I can’t envision getting my kids to HDD and stopped myself because there are kids who get there every day without incident. Not my kids, but someone’s kids.

I think keeping Sanaa is a great trade off for SC. Definitely things on the menu for less adventurous littles and you won’t have your less adventurous parents to worry about.

I always think we’ll make a meal of grazing around the World Showcase for F&W and the heat always wins again. You absolutely know your crowd best. I love the idea that it’s your family pizza night away from home.

For QS I really just kind of pick something near where we’ll be at meal time. Is Cosmic Ray’s the best meal you’ll ever have? No. Will the Sunny Eclipse show keep your kids entertained for a little bit while you enjoy some AC? Absolutely.

At MK we like Sleepy Hollow for something different- chicken waffle sandwiches for the adults and waffles with fruit and Nutella for the kiddos always hits the spot.

 

[Jack Kerouac]

Your kids sound like my kids- I was going to say I can’t envision getting my kids to HDD and stopped myself because there are kids who get there every day without incident. Not my kids, but someone’s kids.

I think keeping Sanaa is a great trade off for SC. Definitely things on the menu for less adventurous littles and you won’t have your less adventurous parents to worry about.

I always think we’ll make a meal of grazing around the World Showcase for F&W and the heat always wins again. You absolutely know your crowd best. I love the idea that it’s your family pizza night away from home.

For QS I really just kind of pick something near where we’ll be at meal time. Is Cosmic Ray’s the best meal you’ll ever have? No. Will the Sunny Eclipse show keep your kids entertained for a little bit while you enjoy some AC? Absolutely.

At MK we like Sleepy Hollow for something different- chicken waffle sandwiches for the adults and waffles with fruit and Nutella for the kiddos always hits the spot.

Thank you for this! I am definitely feeling better now about my doubts about HDD and SC. Glad you said what you did about Sanaa, Via Napoli, and eating around the world. I have moments where I want to believe my kids will magically become better behaved at WDW than they are at home, they will appreciate the opportunity to try foods from different countries, and they'll brave the heat better than they do here. But knowing them as they are here, I'll probably just be mad they wasted food by throwing it into the receptacle that is our table. We don't mind Cosmic Ray's as the boys will eat the fare there, and sometimes, that's all you can ask for. Definitely going to go with your suggestion of Sleepy Hollow! Thank you again!

 

[Jerseyprincess317]

Just a thought- Sanaa has a quick service breakfast. We took my niece and son there for breakfast and they loved it! For $7 they got Mickey waffles as watched the animals for an hour. We then went outside and watched for another hour. It's one of our favorite Disney "secret" things to do on a non park day.