I need some help narrowing down my Christmas ADRs and now that I’ve made my FP I really want to figure it out, so here goes…
Our travel dates are 12/17-12/26 and we are staying at CSR. 4 adults, 3 kids, boys ages 8,6,2 1/2
The boys aren’t so great at sit down meals, so I’m focusing on character meals and buffets, we have free dining.
12/19: I have two ADRs for HV breakfast - one at 8:45 & one at 9:55am. Can’t decide which one to keep. JTA is our number one priority for my son’s birthday. Our FP are all at MK where we will hop to after JTA is over and we ride Star Tours - probably around 12:30. That night we have Pirates & Pals cruise, so this is our one “meal” of the day with some other snacks mostly. Do you think our meal will mess up getting to JTA show or can we work around it? We plan to be there at RD EMH.
12/23: This day I have two ADRs for GG (see a theme going here). One for 1130am and one for 2pm. We will have a late night on the 22nd with a late sleigh ride and such, so I’m thinking this is our one meal of the day here after breakfast at the resort. Then we will snack around EPCOT later. Not sure which time to keep! I think both will work, but my boys may want to play mini-golf that day first, so I made the 2pm too.
12/24: I have a preRD (for now) breakfast at BOG at 8:05am but plan on dropping that if the park opens at 8am, which I’m sure it will. But I also have a lunch at 10:55am that day at BOG too. This will make 3 meals at BOG - one breakfast, one lunch and one dinner on our last day (the breakfast is our first day the 12/18). So should I keep lunch? We plan on be at MK til after the parade then jump to EPCOT as we have a 7pm Teppan Edo ressie there
12/25: Christmas! I have all sorts of Christmas morning ADRs (no surprise) mostly because I could not decide obviously where to eat breakfast at. I’m leaning towards Chef Mickeys at 10am which is brunch. Then tour the resorts then head to HS where we will eat supper at HV that evening. But I also had an HV at 9:45am that day in case we didn’t go the 19th. I also have a GG at 8am but I think that might be too early for us with presents and all first. Thoughts on Chef Mickey’s for Christmas? We’ve never eaten there.
12/26: On this day I’m doing things I want, like eat at CP. I have an ADR for 715am (yawn I know!) and 1015am. I actully made a TP for both of these times. I like the 715am one since I put in a long break at the hotel that day. But the later one would work too. I’m also considering only going with myself and maybe my husband and one awake kid and let the grandparents bring everyone else later. Will the park be so packed I wouldn’t want to leave and come back that day? I do have a dinner ADR at BOG
that night at 640pm and we plan to stay late for Wishes and MSEP.
I really appreciate any help on narrowing down my choices!!
So, 12/19 is an amEMH, you should be able to get to JTA and signed up before doing an 8:45 breakfast. However, if you don’t have FPs for this park, I’d pick the later breakfast and then hop out of this park. (We’ll also be at HS in the morning that day!) Let me recommend Gaston’s Tavern pork shanks for a snack (not snack credit, but snack food). They’re shareable, and delicious. My kiddo loves. Fun atmosphere.
12/23 - just be aware that GG is a big time commitment. Usually seats you late, takes forever to eat. It’s fun, DS5 loves it, but if you’ve got other plans that day…
12/24 - I would only do BOG breakfast if it’s preRD. I prefer the self-seating CS meals at BOG to dinner, though if you haven’t done BOG dinner at the holidays, it is beautifully decorated. We got a table at the window with the snow falling, next to a tree, it was pretty BUT the main hall is so school cafeteria loud and people kept standing next to our table to get selfies next to the tree and windows, it was distracting. At any rate, I’d keep BOG lunch. Maybe hit Sleepy Hollow for breakfast waffles.
12/25 - no way would I personally get up for an 8am. I think I’d rather do Chef Mickeys. It gets good reviews, but it does seem pretty loud and chaotic to me. I would also note that it can be cold in that area with the monorail running into CR.
12/26 - 7:15am, ouch. It may depend on your time zone - if you’re Eastern, you can probably pull it off, if you’re anywhere else and it “feels” hours earlier, yikes. I agree with the strategy of pre-RD, take a break from maybe 1 until 5 or 6, then go late. However, I think this may be a park closure date, especially because it’s a Saturday. I’d rather be in any park other than MK that day. I have serious questions as to whether you’d get back in the park for your dinner ADR? Maybe someone more experienced with the crowds can answer.
I agree with the later time on the 19th. I think it will give you some flexibility. Even if you just get JTA and ride Satr Tours. If it is a 8:00 opening that is going to be tough.
I would also do the later GG. If this is your one meal it will just last longer.
On the 26th I would guess the MK will open at 7:00 so I would keep the later one.
Thanks so much!
I think I’m one credit over so maybe I’ll save GG for another trip. That would add a lot of flexibility that day too.
The 26 is our last day & I really want to end with MK. We are Central time zone so it’s early but I know I can make it, everyone else, doubtful 
plus I have an A&E fast pass that no one but me cares about! I could be solo traveling that morning which is ok too.
If I have a CP reservation for 7 and show up with only 2 people is that ok?
Keep in mind just because you are a party of # doesn’t mean you have to order the same # of meals, or use dining credits for all those meals. (Liners correct me if I’m wrong) my plan is to not order a meal for one child, he/she can share with everyone. So in my plan, if we order 4 meals for five people every restaurant we can (buffet, cm and family style are excluded) we will hit our credits right on the nose and hopefully negate the “way too much food.”