Well balanced meal planning..enough/too much PS's for our mid-December trip???

[3PRINCESSMOM]

Too plan or not to plan; that is the question?

Okay experts, I NEED advice. We will be at WDW Dec.13-20, (8 days). We have 2 character breakfasts planned (CRT [can you believe it?] and 1900 Park Fare), 2 lunches (Garden Grill and San Angel Inn), and 4 dinners ('Ohana, CP[prior to MVMCP], Boma, and HDD). Too much? Too little? Just right?

Here is my thinking, especially regarding the dinners, we will have relatively short park hours AND dinner at a couple different resorts will get us out and about to see all the wonderful decorations.

The only nagging questions I have are: should I add a CP dinner package? AND should I consider a Fantasmic dinner package? Then our count reaches 6 planned dinners in 7 nights, (YIKES!).

There is always our next trip, right? So many eateries, so little time!

HELP! Any and all feedback welcome.

 

[mickeysaver]

This is our grand plan. We don't actually arrive at WDW until December 14th, but on the 13th, we will take my mother outlaw over to Orlando for a treat. We are staying with family a couple of days before the real vacation begins.

To answer your question, no, I don't think you have too much planned. It sounds great to me. Mickey

Saturday 13th
Afternoon Tea at the Grand Floridian @ 4:30 pm.
This is a special treat for my mother outlaw.

December 14th Sunday
Lunch at Pop Century
Dinner at Liberty Tree Tavern 5:00 pm
Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Party

December 15th Monday
Early Lunch at the Electric Umbrella
Dinner at Rose & Crown after 7:30 pm

December 16th Tuesday
Lunch at Flame Tree/Tusker House/Pizzafari (?)
Dinner at Rainforest Cafe @ Animal Kingdom

December 17th Wednesday
Early Lunch at 50's Prime Time Cafe
WolfGang Puck Express for Dinner
DTD AMC Theater Lord of the Rings: Return of the King

December 18th Thursday
Lunch Pizzafari/Tusker House/Flame Tree (?)
Dinner at Le Cellier 4:50 pm
Candlelight Processional Show at 8:15 pm

December 19th Friday
Lunch Rainforest Cafe @ DTD
Dinner at Chef Mickey's at 5:00 pm
Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Party

December 20th Saturday
Lunch at Italy/China/Canada/UK (?)
Dinner Sunshine Season Food Fair
Magic Kingdom Fireworks Cruise

 

[3PRINCESSMOM]

Well done, Mickeysaver!
I have my casual meals somewhat mapped out too. However, it is the PS's that have me in a quandry. I just don't want to have to say to my family, "the fun has to stop so we can make our PS." On the other hand, there are places we'd like to dine that we can't leave to chance. It is a tough balance, isn't it?

 

[mom2alix]

I've seen too many people turned away during that busy dinner time because they didn't have PS's and the restaurant was completely booked (and had enough without PS's already waiting) You don't want to end up eating pizza in your hotel more than one night! Of course, DH says I'm a compulsive planner so maybe my advice is a little skewed.

 

[ncbyrne]

I think what you have planned so far is just about right. Adding the dinner pkgs. just might be too much. Personally, I've never had a problem with bringing counter food with us into Fantasmic and just waiting for the show to begin. We get better center seats without the pkg.!

 

[trola2]

We are there about a week ahead of you...here is my plan...for the most part, I only schedule one meal a day and then we sort of wing it for the other:

Friday 12/5-arrive & check in ASMo
probably eat in food court or snack at DTD

Saturday 12/6
AK
Lunch @ Rainforest Café 11AM
MK(evening)
Share a Dream Come True Parade 3:00pm
SpectroMagic 8:00pm, 10:00pm
Wishes™ spectacular 9:00pm

Sunday 12/7
MGM
50’s Prime time café 12:15
Disney Stars and Motor Cars Parade 3:30PM

Monday 12/8
EPCOT
Princess Storybook Breakfast 10AM
Le Cellier 7:30PM
IllumiNations! 9:30PM

Tuesday 12/9
FREE DAY (Laundry)
Swim-ASMo
Head to town!
Ice event @Gaylord Palms

Wednesday 12/10
Change resorts! Move to POR
MK? 9-6
Share a Dream Come True Parade 3PM
Wishes™ nighttime spectacular 6PM
O’Hanas 5:50

Thursday 12/11
Swim @ POR
Tony’s 5:35
MK—MVMCP 7-12

Friday 12/12
Epcot
Alfredo’s 5:15
Candlelight processional 8:15
Illiminations 9:30

 

[mickeysaver]

Thanks 3PRINCESSMOM!

I look at the whole PS thing like this.....

I made the PS's that made sense for where we would be travelling around the time that it was appropriate. I made the PS's for the special events that we wanted to do. And finally, I made the PS's for the "must try/must do's". All the other dining arrangements will be juggled by what's available and close by.

I too tried to think about having to stop everything just to eat. It's not an easy task to figure all this out when you have no idea what the park hours are going to be. I also did not want to be stuck with counter service every meal every day. I can do a few days like that, but after a while, you want something really good to eat. Anyway, for me and my honey, I think we have a pretty good plan in place.

To let you know, I have tweaked and planned this into and out of many different formats. I had 2 character breakfasts at one point, a 2nd CP reservation, a Mickey's Backyard BBQ, and an evening at Narcoosee's even. I totally understand that the options can make it difficult to make up your mind.

Take care. Mickey

 

[NavyDotz]

we're going the exact same dates as you!

I'm a little embarrassed to admit we have even more PS's than you

ok, here goes:

Sat 12/13
Chef Mickey's dinner

Sun 12/14
CRT breakfast
H & V Fantasmic DP

Mon 12/15
Donald's Breakfastasaurus
Tusker House (going to try AK meal voucher)
50's PT dinner

Tues 12/16
LTT dinner

Wed 12/17
PSB
Coral Reef dinner

Thurs 12/18
CP breakfast
Garden Grill CP pkg

Fri 12/19
Kona Cafe breakfast (gotta try the tonga toast!)
Wonderland Tea Party
Sci-Fi dinner

Sat 12/20
1900 Park Fare breakfast

i made PS's to everywhere i wanted to go
haven't done any of these except CRT
if our plans change depending on what we end up doing we'll just call & cancel & try them out on the next trip

 

[aesalsa]

For our honeymoon last year (12/1-12/13), I made a PS for 10 of those nights. We were very excited about this. But we didn't do all of them because we didn't want to stop whatever we were doing in the parks and head over to another park or resort just for dinner! We didn't figure that out until we were in WDW.

But I was happy I made the PSs so I could have the peace of mind of having a secure dinner place; I'd call the restaurant before-hand to cancel. At the time of year we went, though, there were many great places to eat without the PSs; we could just walk in (Palio, for example). It wasn't crowded at WDW at all. Another thing that helped is that we ate at
off-peak times. We had a wonderful meal in Mexico (San Angel Inn?) at about 3:30 PM, for example.

 

[MinnieGi]

I usually just plan one ps a day. On some days do you have more than one ps lined up, such as a lunch and dinner? That may be too much as the meals are usually very large and time constraints too play a factor as you mention stopping the fun. Last Nov. I made too many ps's for us and ended up cancelling quite a few of them b/c we didn't want to "stop the fun." But on the upside at least we had the option of attending and that may happen to you too. It's nice you can cancel and switch plans!

 

[Forever a Princess]

Great mix of PS.

Wouldn't hurt to add a CP package. Adds a bit more magic to this special night.

Renee

 

[Kevenswife2]

I just told my hubby the one ps we have and which park we are going to visit on what day. He thought THAT was too much planning! MEN! Noone is going to tell him what he's going to do EVERY minute. Guess there's a lot of things we'll be missing.

 

[Epcotgal8]

I think that you have the right idea. If there is a place you really want to try then it is reassuring to know you have a p.s. On our first couple of trips to WDW I made many p.s. arrangements and there were times we ended up spending lots of $$$ on some meals when we just weren't really that hungry or were tired and would have just as soon have had counter service at the resort but I wanted to keep that p.s.! Live and learn. On subsequent trips I have tended to make less p.s.'s but still make the ones that are important to us. I also have a much more laid back attitude so if we have a change of plans or mood I know that we don't HAVE to make that p.s. I do call Disney dining and cancel. I did this for one p.s. on our last trip and the CM acted like I was a little "Goofy" for taking the time to call and told me I didn't have to but I just figure if I'm holding a p.s. that I'm not going to keep and someone else is trying for one, it's only polite to cancel. That's just my way of thinking though. So bottom line is if it turns out that you change your mind about a p.s. nobody is going to hold you to it (except CRT for example which requires a credit card deposit.) Have fun!!!

 

[halfway there]

Originally posted by Epcotgal8
I just figure if I'm holding a p.s. that I'm not going to keep and someone else is trying for one, it's only polite to cancel. That's just my way of thinking though.

That's a good policy. Don't change it even if people do think you're a little "Goofy" for doing so! I'm sure lots of people would thank you if they knew they had gotten in because of you!!

3PRINCESSMOM - I think you have a great mix there between variety of food, location, characters and some good choices to boot! I wouldn't add another dinner onto a day with a lunch already planned but maybe for one of your 'breakfast' days. Are you doing one of these each day, for a total of 8 meals in 8 days? If so, sounds good, IMO!

 

[faireygod mother]

We are going to be there the same time, but only for 4 days and then cruise the other three. There are 14 of us going and we decided to have one meal together a day. We have our PS staggard so that one day is dinner, one lunch and a couple breakfasts. That way everyone has more flexability to do what they want and to visit whatever park they want. We have also included the icecream social and illuminations cruise into this mixture.