Traveling to UOR + WDW this winter, during the busiest week of the year. We’re using convention tickets, so I’m also wrangling park reservations for the first time (and stressing that I have to commit… haha). I’ve been told that apparently we are supposed to save money on food this year, so had to cross a couple of Signature places off my list. We also tried to do places we’ve never eaten at before, rather than repeats of our favourites.
Would very much appreciate advice/suggestions/critiques of my plan, and especially feedback from people who’ve done any of the dining packages, particularly during peak seasons!
Day 1: UOR
Deliberating Toothsome for lunch. Quick service for the rest of our Universal meals (thinking Minions Cafe for dinner and 3 Broomsticks for brunch the next morning).
Day 2: UOR + transition to WDW
Likely planning to stay at Universal until early afternoon, then head over to Disney and check in. Staying at the Grand Floridian. Would it be too chaotic to zip to the Springs for a later dinner at Jaleo or Homecomin’? I’d also love to catch the Christmas Tree Trail since last year it closed on Dec 30 for some reason
Day 3: DHS
Hollywood Brown Derby Fantasmic Dining Package vs Round Up Rodeo BBQ + queue for second showing of Fantasmic?
We’ve eaten at HBD before and enjoyed the food, although the pricing of the dining package is $$$.
Was thinking to book a late lunch to sit down for a bit during the most crowded part of the day, but not sure if that will mess with trying to book LLMP times, so would appreciate insight from those with experience! Otherwise will prob aim for an early dinner.
Day 4: AK
Lunch: attempt to join the walk-up list for Nomad Lounge
Dinner: Satu’li Canteen
This is probably an irrational fear but sort of worried we might go hungry on this day with no full sit down meals?? LOL. Was contemplating making a backup reservation at Tiffins just in case (we ate here before a few years ago and loved it, though its rating in the Unofficial Guide has been dropping)
Day 5: MK
Lunch: Skipper Canteen
Dinner: Columbia Harbour House
??? Fireworks Dessert Party (with the plaza garden viewing, not the sit-down) - I know from experience that the desserts are mediocre, but was thinking it might be worth it just to have guaranteed fireworks viewing without having to stake out a spot hours in advance…
Not sure if I should switch the timing of our TS meal to dinner instead of lunch, again to try to coordinate with LLMP?
Day 6: Epcot Pt. 1
Breakfast/Lunch: graze around the world
Dinner: Rose & Crown Fireworks Dining Package - would LOVE to hear opinions as to whether or not this is worth doing!! as again, $$$, not all of us drink alcohol so wouldn’t be able to get full value from the package, and I’m not sure my family will really love the cuisine (though fish and chips are always a safe bet). I’ve also read very mixed reviews about whether or not a dining package is even needed at Epcot; we’ve never seen Luminous before so have zero experience in terms of best viewing spots etc, though I know R&C used to be highly rated as one of the best fireworks spots.
It wouldn’t have been my first choice to do two Epcot days back to back, but was hoping to try to catch the Extended Evening Hours perk on Monday night. I’ve read mixed reviews of how worth it EEH is for Epcot though, especially with Test Track down and very few rides to do. The one big bonus is another shot at the Guardians VQ of course.
Day 7: Epcot Pt. 2
Breakfast: Kona Cafe (not sure if this will be feasible since we’re checking out and hoping to spend some time at the parks too)
Lunch: graze around the world
Early Dinner: depending on Guardians timing, possibly leave Epcot early, go to Disney Springs, and book Jaleo/Homecomin’ there?
Hey there. The Thoreau caught my eye and I thought I would give some general thoughts on plan!
Day 2 - If you want to see Christmas trees, eat well and not have chaos - I recommend you consider a jump on the monorail to contemporary and take the boat to Wilderness lodge. Most “Christmasy” place ever and lots of easy awesome dinner options on the monorail loop or at Wilderness Lodge (steakhouse 71, Geyser Point, etc.) depending on what you want.
Day 3 - if you are on a dining plan then cash for brown derby is actually better than using 2 of your TS credits for that - especially at lunch. Hollywood and Vine better option (admittedly less tasty) use of 1 TS credit for fantasmic dining package. Just something to think about.
Day 4 - If it’s a really crowded day and you want to get in Nomad, recommend either get in line for it about 10:15 to get in (or at least name on top of list) when they open, or forget it - at least that’s reflective of my experience. You won’t go hungry - AK is awesome for snacks (yak and yeti fried rice, or flametree BBQ fries) in the mid afternoon.
Day 5 - Skipper canteen is awesome - and to your point I would probably flip those lunch and dinner plans.
Day 6 - Never had a problem getting a good fireworks viewing spot even when crowded. We have had good luck staking out a spot in front of Canada about an hour prior (and just sort of swapping out place holders so nobody gets bored standing there). EEH doesn’t get you a whole lot at Epcot if you have been there all day. By then you probably have done all the rides, and especially with Test Track down we don’t get a lot - maybe another Guardians and another soaring - but beware if you are catching the monorail out of there back to floridian. HOLY MOLY that monorail line at 11PM is a disaster. I recommend for extra hours let the 9pm monorail line clear out while you get one more ride in and then leave by 10:30 or so.
Just my experiences - not a pro - I’m sure others have better ideas.
I won’t be on the dining plan and will be paying cash! So that does make HBD look more appealing than if I had to use two dining plan credits on it, for sure.
I’ve never tried Nomad/the virtual walk-up system before. I don’t necessarily mind being in line at 10:15, but also not sure I want to eat/drink that early in the day. Is there any way to go early but secure a later time? Should I try my luck with the virtual waitlist a bit later, to try to aim for closer to an 11-12 return?
Just out of curiosity what would your rationale for swapping the dining for MK and doing Columbia Harbor House for lunch / Skipper Canteen for dinner be? I’m definitely having a hard time deciding whether to do the big TS meal of the day for lunch or dinner.
And thank you for the heads up about Epcot/monorail shenanigans. I was also thinking that our plan does give us a LOT of Epcot time (wouldn’t have been my first choice probably, but MK was fully reserved for Dec 31 by late Sep, unfortunately, hence the two Epcot days). We might just try our luck at another GOTG VQ, and then head out of the park around 10:30 as you said, to squeeze in between the post-fireworks and post-EEH crowds.
Only my experience, but I’ve tried to get in Nomad 3 or 4 times, and the only successful attempt was rope dropping it when it opened. We did safari at park open, went to pandora for a while then when walking out of pandora stood in line for open and got in. Other attempts we were just sort of smiled at by the cast member and put in the black hole of a waiting list.
My rationale for swapping MK lunch and dinner matches your logic. At lunch we are still rolling on rides/lightning lanes. By dinner we are ready to sit down and relax a while. That’s all.