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[Disneydawg74]

Well...I ended up with almost one table service meal per day. I got caught up in the "Thrill of the Hunt" with the Fantasmic dining package and the Candlelight Dinner Processional. LOL It's a process right?

It’s addicting! I almost booked a Fantasmic dining package, even though we aren’t planning to see Fantasmic

 

[onewishupon]

It’s addicting! I almost booked a Fantasmic dining package, even though we aren’t planning to see Fantasmic

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[Mousetopia]

Well...I ended up with almost one table service meal per day. I got caught up in the "Thrill of the Hunt" with the Fantasmic dining package and the Candlelight Dinner Processional. LOL It's a process right?

Lol well I feel ya ...I have learned that dining mostly doesnt live up to the hype. Id be happy skipping TS but the holidays combined with Fantasmics return plus this being my last (likely) trip I have more than I planned too. I am about the experiences (and resv. that get me something like not waiting in long lines) and memories. Hoop Dee Doo Id pay for without the meal so thats a must do, etc. Im just not buying in anymore at the inflated prices. I have plenty of room for Quick, less expensive built in and that will do!

 

[Disturbia]

My family has decided to change things up too to be more practical. We limit ourselves to one tables service meal per day, allowing us to spend more time enjoying rides and the ambience in the parks. We have a suite in Kidani Village so our plan is to take advantage of the full kitchen there, have groceries brought in to make breakfast before hitting rope drop. And with a free flowing day ahead of us, we'll hit a quick service location for whatever strikes our fancy at that time.

And while we are limiting ourselves to one table service meal a day, we still realize we are on vacation so we don't mind splurging for that. We just factor that in our vacation budget beforehand.

That’s exactly what we do it’s one table service except on one of the HS days.

However, I’m reading reports of QS being 2 hours during the holidays. Lately TS has been so slow (what was 1.5 hr last year is now 2) and kids were not having it after 1.5. We couldn’t even enjoy our special order cake and just packed it to go.

 

[Disturbia]

Is the Fantasmic package needed (we haven’t been during Christmas for over a decade now)? Our kids loved Fantasmic at DL this Aug (Blue Bayou center view but had to sit on the ground with back issues). In the past (pre pandemic) we just lined up 30-40 mins before and got decent seats.

 

[Disturbia]

I just cancelled Chef Mickeys breakfast. Still have Topolino breakfast and Crystal Palace brunch. We are doing mostly quick service for lunch and dinner.

Whatever you do, Do Not Cancel Topolinos (very difficult to get back).

 

[Genie+]

Is the Fantasmic package needed (we haven’t been during Christmas for over a decade now)? Our kids loved Fantasmic at DL this Aug (Blue Bayou center view but had to sit on the ground with back issues). In the past (pre pandemic) we just lined up 30-40 mins before and got decent seats.

It’s hard to say. Looks like they plan to go back and forth between 1 or 2 shows daily. The second show almost always used to be easy to get in. We still don’t know what changes are made, like possibly a VQ, or how much general admission seating is left after Dining Packages and possibly Genie+. Nov won’t set a reliable example for Dec when dining pkg starts. How long it will take the initial high demand to peter out. All of this making expected time to line up fluctuate greatly.

For now I’d guess 2nd showings (after the first week) won’t need more than 45 minutes to line up prior, but single and first shows could be over 90 minutes.

 

[starousse]

We are doing the same this trip. Skipping the hard to get, pricey ADRs. It made booking ADRs super easy. We are also doing mostly lunch ADRs and some lounges. We plan to share at most places too. The plan is to get appetizers and share an entree. This also gives us a chance to try all of the QS places we have wanted to try along with snacks. We have a whole day AK with no ADR because there are so many snacks we want to try.

We have SK71, San Angel Inn, Sanaa, Sci Fi and Homecomin’. Our splurges are Topolino’s breakfast and Cali Grill. We have Il Mulino booked too but may cancel but if we go we will get the smaller portions. We

We’ve also been lucky to have done most of the popular places and thankful for the memories.

Exactly this! In previous trips, we'd have to have signature places for 5/7 nights of the week. Now, with two teens and two adults, it's totally not worth it to me spending the $300-$500 for a meal. Nothing is that amazing that will result in my vacation being ruined if we skip. We've been fortunate enough to have tried all signatures and hard to get spots, with the exception of Space 220, which I would only book at the lounge at this point. Even 'Ohana which is a usual must do for us, is no longer a must do. We will still do Boathouse, Homecomin', Sanaa, Via Napoli, etc, and not have to spend a fortune. Our splurges will be Topollino's breakfast and Narcoosees.

 

[CeeCee101]

We haven’t been back in 13 years and have made only 2, SH71 for lunch and Jiko dinner on DH’s BD because he loves that place. Only one we would love to still get is Space 220 Lounge just to see it, cocktail and bar food. We can’t justify more with what everything costs now. Plus we are without kids/grandkids and that puts us more in a stop and smell the roses type of vacation.

 

[snikki]

Exactly this! In previous trips, we'd have to have signature places for 5/7 nights of the week. Now, with two teens and two adults, it's totally not worth it to me spending the $300-$500 for a meal. Nothing is that amazing that will result in my vacation being ruined if we skip. We've been fortunate enough to have tried all signatures and hard to get spots, with the exception of Space 220, which I would only book at the lounge at this point. Even 'Ohana which is a usual must do for us, is no longer a must do. We will still do Boathouse, Homecomin', Sanaa, Via Napoli, etc, and not have to spend a fortune. Our splurges will be Topollino's breakfast and Narcoosees.

I have an alert on for Via Napoli. I would like to switch out Il Mulino for VN. Our only dinner ADR is CG and breakfast is Topolino’s. Everything else is lunch. And I’m so excited about it all!

 

[Mousetopia]

Is the Fantasmic package needed (we haven’t been during Christmas for over a decade now)? Our kids loved Fantasmic at DL this Aug (Blue Bayou center view but had to sit on the ground with back issues). In the past (pre pandemic) we just lined up 30-40 mins before and got decent seats.

2 hours lines are not unheard of and its been dark a couple years with pent up demand

 

[Flash_Sloth]

We dialed back a lot of our ADRs for our trip a few weeks ago. I think that we ended up canceling ADRs for Space 220, BOG, Brown Derby, Oga's, Biergarten, and then keeping ADRs for The Plaza, Hollywood & Vine, Garden Grill, Homecomin', and Jungle Nav Skipper Canteen. We did a lot more QS meals than we had in the past. The character dining experiences are fun, but you pay for it. The buffets aren't cheap, and we end up overstuffing ourselves because they're so expensive. But sometimes, the biggest annoyance with QS is trying to find a table.

We're planning for some TS meals on our next trip, and a lot of QS meals.

 

[onewishupon]

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[tinkerhon]

2 hours lines are not unheard of and its been dark a couple years with pent up demand

Yea, was speaking with my daughter about this last night, when discussing our Fantasmic! dining package--- I think at least for the foreseeable future, expect the crowd for F! to be a bit crazy, sort of like it used to be--- I remember those days waiting with droves of people for standby--- those thoughts convinced me the package was the way to go !!!

 

[DL1WDW2]

I am literally here about that same issue. I have a very particular (read picky), vegetarian 11 year old kid and it is almost impossible to feed him on-site from the kids menu let alone the adult menu. They say they will accommodate, but then it's an issue when we get there. Can't find a simple grilled cheese sandwich. My day 60 is tomorrow at 3 am. Rethinking everything! ugh...(This post sounds fussy, but I'm really just exhausted and worn out. I know that sounds redundant, but it's really both )

Starbucks has a great grilled cheese!

 

[DSLRuser]

sorry but this post is exactly why I don't stress about making ADR's at 60 days. Too many people make breakfast and dinner rests for every day of their trip. By day two, they realize it is too much food, and costs way too much. So they begin to cancel ADR's.

When at WDW, looking for ADR's 1 day or same day it is pretty easy to find some place good to eat.

 

[onewishupon]

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[onewishupon]

sorry but this post is exactly why I don't stress about making ADR's at 60 days. Too many people make breakfast and dinner rests for every day of their trip. By day two, they realize it is too much food, and costs way too much. So they begin to cancel ADR's.

When at WDW, looking for ADR's 1 day or same day it is pretty easy to find some place good to eat.

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[onewishupon]

I've been going to Disney my entire life. Unfortunately, I think I have finally found my "financial responsibility" nerve while planning my latest Disney trip. I was just reviewing all my ADR's for my upcoming visit. Then I did the *unthinkable*! I looked up all the menus and the *GASP* prices! Well - needless to say - I just let a bunch of my top tier ADR's go! I have been disapointed here and there about the big ticket ADR's and would rather ride the rides and enjoy "foods around the world" or at other smaller/less expensive places that I haven't had a chance to visit. More money back in our pocket *hundreds and hundreds more* and I know we won't have a "lesser" time. In recent visits I have tried places that I haven't been able to try normally. Places that don't need crazy stressful ADR's to enjoy. I have already been to:
Space 220, Storybook Dining at Artist Point, Be Our Guest, CRT, Topolino's and so many others. I am BLESSED silly to have tried all these restaurants. Now, I'm purposely stepping back to let others enjoy them. Anyone else feeling this way? Anyone else feeling like the price for the top tier reservations is just not worth it anymore?

Editing to add: that we can pay responsibly for the ADR's. We just feel the value isn't there in a lot of cases. I have left VERY expensive meals feeling a bit jipped. I am not judging those who want to go "all out" and save all year for their trip to make millions of memories with their family. I'm simply saying it's time for me personally to stop freaking out about top level ADR's and just enjoy being at the park. I have had some memorable times at AKL's - The Mara, The Food Courts at Pop Century or All Star Resorts, Caribbean Beach resort's Banana Cabana, even Hollywood Studios or Main Street's Starbucks. I am done paying hundreds for one meal.

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[Anna131517]

The prices they are currently charging at WDW restaurants just aren’t justified by the food and experience. Same with the hotel rooms. Yes, there’s a convenience factor but if I’m paying $300-$400 for my family of five to have a meal I better get some amazing food and service and the ambience better be enjoyable, not the ear deafening music level of WDW’s current sit down restaurants. We actually plan to eat offsite more next time just to escape the craziness.