Sarilas' O-fficial Pre-Trip Report -1/2009 (a.k.a. Vacation, Take TWO!) - Page 7 - PassPorter - A Community of Walt Disney World, Disneyland, Disney Cruise Line, and General Travel Forums
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It's been a slow planning week around here while I wait out my ADR's...
Beth, thank you (and welcome aboard!). She truly was my best friend, which made it all the more difficult. And while it's still not easy, time has eased the pain. And I feel like she's with me all the time now. ...so that does help.
A newlywed friend of ours got a surprise weekend trip to Disney World as a gift from his new FIL. They found out last week, went this past weekend and so have returned this week. They went to Epcot, then one of the water parks, then MK on their last day. My husband got the low-down from the guy who went (who has never been there before), and he said that while they had a good time, they couldn't see themselves spending more than three days there.
Well I'm not surprised! My DH was CRACKING UP as I got all in a huff and defended WDW - How COULD they enjoy it properly when they did no research? Had no travel guide? NO ADR'S! For heaven's sake it's BARBARIC!
The past couple of months have been terrible with the hours being released...I actually used the December 2007 hours when I started to plan my ADR's for our December trip...
When the new ones came out I had to do a little tweaking but not much....hope the hours come out for you soon.
I can't believe I forgot to tell you all about this!
A few weeks ago my husband and I had changed our family suite room over to two adjoining rooms (we all remember that, right?). BUT when I called to change back, the woman I spoke to was super nice BUT a bit confused. She told me I could call for my dining reservations in JUNE. She thought the 180+10 meant 190 days... not understanding at all myself, I called Disney Dining and got another fantastic CM who explained it to me correctly and we got a good laugh about it. But she also gave me a VERY interesting piece of advice: She said that sometimes, if you get a reservationist like herself, if you call at say, 184 days prior you can book all your ADR's! She said sometimes the computer will let you book three or four days before the 180 day mark- which would explain WHY Cindy's Table or Chef Mickey's seem to book in 6 minutes flat - people can book them a few days before if they have a willing reservationist! THAT'S A HOT TIP FOR US ALL!
My 180 day mark is July 14; she suggested I try calling the Friday or Saturday before (the 14th is a Monday) and try booking. She actually told me HOW to word it! Got your pencils ready?!
"I know that people can call on the 180th day and the reservations are already gone, and I know I'm still a couple of days out but if you could please try and book my reservations for me, I was told that sometimes the computer will allow it..."
So, that Friday was yesterday... Did I get any ADR's early?!
DANG it's hot in Nashville today! Thank heaven for evening thunderstorms.
After getting my hairs cut, buying a new printer (time to design t-shirts!) and perusing possible new cameras (drool!), I'm back to answer the "did she/didn't she" question!
SHE DID!
The second CM totally confirmed what the original CM told me and the computer DID allow her to make my ressies three days early. Now, the first time I called I got a woman who was none too keen to try and help me out, but after a second call and some deep breathing exercises, I WAS successful! (Not everyone will bother to see if they can do it, but it does happen, I can confirm!)
So here is our current ADR list (subject to change, but of course):
We got Cindy's Table, Le Cellier, Cali Grill... everything we'd wanted!
Now, I have to say that this list was based on our assumption of wanting to visit WDW with the DxDDP. This may change.
We had a 'dry run' tonight at a chain restaurant during dinner (I was SO not cooking in this heat) and let me just tell you that I don't think we could eat that way two or three times a day for 8 days! Especially not in the middle of the day... So we're re-thinking our dining options and may go with the regular ol' DDP and pocket the difference for treats and snacks (it's about $1000 difference for the whole lot of us).
Glad that you called back and succeded in getting the ADR's you wanted...they all look great. I have often thought about the DxDDP but am afriad that while I am sure we could eat a day or so of big meals a day, it would be too much food by the end of the week.
We had two TS on two days this trip (very spread out - breakfast and then late dinner) and found that we hardly even had snacks on those days...
I am sure you will figure out what will work for your family...
Way to go on scoring all your ADRs. That is so interesting about getting them early and I will need to try that for next time. Good luck with your decision on the dining plan. I don't think we could eat all that food each day either.
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Margaret
I am not a Disney employee. The postings here are my own and do not represent the positions or opinions of the Disney Company
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Glad that you called back and succeded in getting the ADR's you wanted...they all look great. I have often thought about the DxDDP but am afriad that while I am sure we could eat a day or so of big meals a day, it would be too much food by the end of the week.
We had two TS on two days this trip (very spread out - breakfast and then late dinner) and found that we hardly even had snacks on those days...
I am sure you will figure out what will work for your family...
I think it would be different if the kids were all older, and there wouldn't be so much playing and running... when that time comes I'll just cross my fingers that the DxDDP still exists! LOL
Quote:
Originally Posted by piratefreak
Way to go on scoring all your ADRs. That is so interesting about getting them early and I will need to try that for next time. Good luck with your decision on the dining plan. I don't think we could eat all that food each day either.
I guess it never hurts to ask- definitely something I didn't expect to happen!
Quote:
Originally Posted by Colexis Mom
Great plans
Thank you!
Quote:
Originally Posted by Starla4436
I love all the plans! Your ADR's look yummy! Good idea about possibly reconsidering the deluxe dining plan its definitely not for every family.
Yeah, I really WISH it would work for us, but again, maybe when the little ones are older and it's less about the actual rides and more about the experience... and the FOOD!
So, it's been a busy weekend in these parts and I've got a couple of updates!
First of which is, we had to take my Dad to the hospital Friday and he'll be there till at least Monday or Tuesday. Now I should warn you that this is a pretty regular occurrence; Dad lives with us now and he's a pretty sick guy. (Colon cancer in remission, missing a leg at the knee, diabetes, kidney failure... he's a hot mess.) This particular hospitalization is kidney related; he's about thisfar from dialysis and needed some treatment. But I digress.
Friday was stressful with the whole "convince Dad that going to the hospital for such a long period of time is a GOOD thing" (he hates it), so I did a little online retail therapy that evening. How could I NOT with another big ol' Disneyshopping.com coupon code?!
Wanna see?
Okay, so this first purchase is for the Alice in Wonderland party DH and I are planning. It's a necessity!
These are for Christmas gifts for the little girls, Lexi and Stasia...
This is a birthday gift for Stasia (August 10!) to familiarize her more with the princesses... some of them still kind of freak her out a bit.
Both of the little girls will have matching shrugs for those cool Florida winter mornings...
This top for Lexi...
And this one for Stasia...
PJ's for Stasia...
And for Lexi!
Both of the girls will get one of these: It says "Magical Moments" with the princesses (and we'll alter it with their names or something on the back):
And last, but certainly not least, this will be for Tatiana (a similar color to the little girls' shirts!):
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