Don't let me book anymore ADRs...

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Mon, 04/29/2013 - 16:10

lolastardust

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Don't let me book anymore ADRs...

My husband agreed that we could book three ADRs for sit-down meals for the 9 full days we are at Disney. (We don't have a dining plan and are trying to cut costs by eating mainly counter service and at the resort.) I have booked the following dinner ADRs for our stay:

15th Sept: Tony's Town Square for 6.50pm (will hopefully be followed by viewing of Electrical Parade and fireworks).
18th Sept: House of Blues for 7pm (planning to spend the night bar hopping in DTD).
19th Sept: La Hacienda de San Angel for 7.45pm (in order to spend our second last night in a nice restaurant watching the fireworks).

So that was that. Until I decided that it wouldn't be right to do our Disney Honeymoon without at least ONE character meal.

So I've booked us Cape May Cafe for the breakfast buffet on the 14th Sept for 9.30am, with the aim of walking through Epcot and then going to explore the park full of breakfast.

I'd better not book anything else, as I get the impression my husband will not be too happy upon finding out I booked us $27 a head breakfast buffet just so I could have breakfast with Minnie Mouse (my favourite).

Anyway, that's the plan for now. Most of the rest of the time we will just be eating counter service.

My rough itinerary thus far is:
12th Sept: Resort and exploration day - maybe take a trip out to DTD and walk to Crossroads Shopping Center.
13th Sept: Full Day at MK - grabbing counter service meals when we can.
14th Sept: Breakfast at Cape May Cafe then full day at Epcot grabbing counter service meals.
15th Sept: No plans thus far for the morning - probably just taking it easy then heading to MK for dinner at Tony's, followed by Parade and Wishes, then maybe do some of the more scary rides by night.
16th Sept: Full Day at DTD and shopping - maybe heading over to Sweet Tomatoes at Crossroads for food.
17th Sept: Full day at DHS, then thinking of possibly heading down to the boardwalk to explore, before coming back to catch Fantasmic - just planning to grab counter service or something.
18th Sept: Considering either a waterpark or a pool day, then having dinner at House of Blues and bar crawling.
19th Sept: Day at AK, coming back to resort, changing then heading to La Hacienda in Epcot for dinner and IllumiNations.
20th Sept: Last day before departure day, doing anything last minute we want to do again and enjoying our last day.

Does that sound okay? Have I over-planned this? I realise I have made this plan five months in advance, but I'm just REALLY EXCITED. I used touringplans.com to check crowd levels for each day as well.

Haha I have no life.

Lauren x

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Mon, 04/29/2013 - 16:38

Kristen K.

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No, no you haven't over planned at all! Nor have you planned to soon. It looks great!

Mon, 04/29/2013 - 16:41

Kris1971

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I've heard really good things about the Cape May Cafe Character Breakfast! I think you made a great choice including it (especially if you love Minnie)!

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Mon, 04/29/2013 - 16:56

finngirl

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I think it all sounds just right. I like having some ADR's, but not every day. That way, you know you will eat a really good meal some days, and there are so many good CS places to try, you won't feel deprived. You have time to look over all the menus, selections, etc. and find those gems to stop at when the mood strikes.

And no, it's never too early to plan!

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Mon, 04/29/2013 - 16:58

lolastardust

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Kristen K. wrote:

No, no you haven't over planned at all! Nor have you planned to soon. It looks great!

Phew, that's a relief! I think my husband maybe didn't realise how much planning was necessary in terms of food and such, because he seemed confused that I have been making bookings so soon. But I think I've done okay. I wanted to make sure we got to do all the parks but also got some downtime to actually relax on our honeymoon, so we're aiming not to do everything but to take our time and enjoy as much as we can. And he was fine about going to Cape May Cafe.

Kris1971 wrote:

I've heard really good things about the Cape May Cafe Character Breakfast! I think you made a great choice including it (especially if you love Minnie)!

Me too - the reason I chose it is because so many people on here were raving about it and it also seemed reasonably priced for the amount of food you are getting, compared to some of the other character breakfasts! So excited about having breakfast with Minnie!

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Mon, 04/29/2013 - 17:33

Kristen K.

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Cape May is my favorite Character Breakfast, I think it was a brilliant call

Mon, 04/29/2013 - 17:34

lolastardust

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Kristen K. wrote:

Cape May is my favorite Character Breakfast, I think it was a brilliant call

hehe when I searched for 'cape may cafe' on the forum I saw a couple of comments from you saying that and it helped to sway me.

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Mon, 04/29/2013 - 18:12

crazycatperson

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I loved Cape May Cafe's character breakfast. And after that buffet, you might not need to eat again till dinner. We didn't. So Cape May Cafe and a counter-service dinner might end up costing you about as much as three counter-service meals would have.

Mon, 04/29/2013 - 18:20

Allie

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Sounds like a great plan! And you only go on your honeymoon once so I'm glad you decided to splurge for breakfast with Minnie

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Mon, 04/29/2013 - 18:55

lolastardust

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finngirl wrote:

I think it all sounds just right. I like having some ADR's, but not every day. That way, you know you will eat a really good meal some days, and there are so many good CS places to try, you won't feel deprived. You have time to look over all the menus, selections, etc. and find those gems to stop at when the mood strikes.

And no, it's never too early to plan!

That's what I figured - we like a bit of flexibility when we're away and opportunities to discover great places. I'd rather not be tied down by having reservations for every night.

crazycatperson wrote:

I loved Cape May Cafe's character breakfast. And after that buffet, you might not need to eat again till dinner. We didn't. So Cape May Cafe and a counter-service dinner might end up costing you about as much as three counter-service meals would have.

Yep, sounds good! We're not huge eaters and I imagine we will both over-indulge at breakfast because that buffet looks fantastic, so I doubt we'll need another meal until dinner.

Allie wrote:

Sounds like a great plan! And you only go on your honeymoon once so I'm glad you decided to splurge for breakfast with Minnie

Thanks. Exactly! It's a treat we would never be able to have back home so it's definitely worth it, I think.

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Mon, 04/29/2013 - 19:04

Eeyore

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Sounds great! Have you looked at the dining plan price? You will save $ eating CS, but for $55 a day, I think it's worth it. Even the counter service meals are pricey.

Looks like a great time!

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Mon, 04/29/2013 - 22:14

PirateGirl

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Lauren your plans look great. I made my ADRs 180 days out (just like everyone says). I am relieved that I got the ressies I wanted and now I am just waiting for the tickets to go on sale for MNSSHP (Halloween Party). The waiting is the hard part.

Mon, 04/29/2013 - 23:00

JoAnn C

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You plan sounds great. I enjoyed Cape May Cafe when I went last year.

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Mon, 04/29/2013 - 23:03

lolastardust

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Eeyore wrote:

Sounds great! Have you looked at the dining plan price? You will save $ eating CS, but for $55 a day, I think it's worth it. Even the counter service meals are pricey.

Looks like a great time!

Hey! Agonised over whether to get the dining plan for a long time but in the end we elected not to do so because we wanted more flexibility with eating. I think it will work out for the best based on where we're thinking of eating and so on, what we're likely to buy, and so on. Thanks though!

PirateGirl wrote:

Lauren your plans look great. I made my ADRs 180 days out (just like everyone says). I am relieved that I got the ressies I wanted and now I am just waiting for the tickets to go on sale for MNSSHP (Halloween Party). The waiting is the hard part.

That's great! I was late in making my ADRs but I got ones I'm happy with. Do you have any idea when tickets for MNSSHP go on sale? I think we'd LOVE to do it, and there are supposed to be nights it is on while we are there. x

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Mon, 04/29/2013 - 23:07

JoAnn C

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lolastardust wrote:

PirateGirl wrote:
Lauren your plans look great. I made my ADRs 180 days out (just like everyone says). I am relieved that I got the ressies I wanted and now I am just waiting for the tickets to go on sale for MNSSHP (Halloween Party). The waiting is the hard part.

That's great! I was late in making my ADRs but I got ones I'm happy with. Do you have any idea when tickets for MNSSHP go on sale? I think we'd LOVE to do it, and there are supposed to be nights it is on while we are there. x

The dates for the party should be announced soon.

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Mon, 04/29/2013 - 23:09

lolastardust

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Mon, 04/29/2013 - 23:20

MrHub

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Lauren I think you will like Cape May Cafe a lot. The buffet is one of the best on property, It is also not as hectic as other character breakfasts. Scrappy and I eat there a lot!. It really bright and cheery. Scrappy is always on the phone at 180 days making our ADR's.

Tue, 04/30/2013 - 12:07

lolastardust

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Thanks! It sounds great! I'm now considering factoring in MNSSHP to our schedule, but I don't want to overload us so I'm thinking we may do it on our last night (20th Sept - park is closing at seven so it should be on this night). In that case, I am considering skipping Fantasmic earlier in the holiday just to give us a night off near the end to relax. Any thoughts on this would be appreciated.

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Tue, 04/30/2013 - 14:02

Allie

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We did the MNSSHP on our last night there and I thought it was a great way to end the trip! Being in MK until midnight, in costume, meeting Disney villains, watching the Headless Horseman, getting on all our favorite rides with practically no line....it was such a great way to go out. We were EXHAUSTED the next day, but that was perfect for sleeping on the plane on the way home. I don't know what your plans are, but if you're driving down that may be something to consider.

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Tue, 04/30/2013 - 15:03

lolastardust

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Allie wrote:

We did the MNSSHP on our last night there and I thought it was a great way to end the trip! Being in MK until midnight, in costume, meeting Disney villains, watching the Headless Horseman, getting on all our favorite rides with practically no line....it was such a great way to go out. We were EXHAUSTED the next day, but that was perfect for sleeping on the plane on the way home. I don't know what your plans are, but if you're driving down that may be something to consider.

That's exactly what I was thinking! It's a chance to go to MK and appreciate it before we go home, and something to look forward to on the last night to distract us from the disappointment of going home! We will be getting the Magical Express to the airport the next day and then have a long international flight home, but we'll probably just sleep on the plane.

Will aim to get tickets for that night. Dying for them to go on sale so I know I've got them and I can relax about it.

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Tue, 04/30/2013 - 15:06

lolastardust

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Also I am totally planning to go as Minnie and make Bob coordinate with me as Mickey. He has no choice in this matter, I have decided.

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Tue, 04/30/2013 - 15:07

Hardy0109

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You definitely haven't over-planned. I have about 10 table service meals planned for our 12 days. And our trip is more than 250 days out. Don'y sweat it.

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Tue, 04/30/2013 - 16:33

Kristen K.

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lolastardust wrote:

Thanks! It sounds great! I'm now considering factoring in MNSSHP to our schedule, but I don't want to overload

You've said that you're gothy... don't miss the Halloween Party! My family is the Haunted Mansion - Steampunk - Pirates - Jack Skellington loving kind and this is our favorite event of the year. If you can go to MNSSHP, do it! The party's parade is my favorite of any Disney parade I've seen in 40+ years of visits. The fireworks are magnificent. The cast at the Haunted Mansion will blow you away.

We do have a couple of people on the forum that had just so-so experiences last year due to weather and crowd issues that would have ruined my time to. However I think that tends to be the exception, not the rule. MNSSHP is also the only time adults are allowed to do the Magic Kingdom in costume!

Tue, 04/30/2013 - 22:08

lolastardust

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Kristen K. wrote:

lolastardust wrote:
Thanks! It sounds great! I'm now considering factoring in MNSSHP to our schedule, but I don't want to overload

You've said that you're gothy... don't miss the Halloween Party! My family is the Haunted Mansion - Steampunk - Pirates - Jack Skellington loving kind and this is our favorite event of the year. If you can go to MNSSHP, do it! The party's parade is my favorite of any Disney parade I've seen in 40+ years of visits. The fireworks are magnificent. The cast at the Haunted Mansion will blow you away.

We do have a couple of people on the forum that had just so-so experiences last year due to weather and crowd issues that would have ruined my time to. However I think that tends to be the exception, not the rule. MNSSHP is also the only time adults are allowed to do the Magic Kingdom in costume!

Thanks Kristen! Having looked at photos and stories from the event, I think we would regret it hugely if we missed it, so I'm definitely going to try and get us tickets! I can't wait to dress up in costume IN the Magic Kingdom. It will be so exciting! I love dressing up so this is a super awesome opportunity for me. Anyway, thanks for all the advice. Definitely going to try and get there.

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Wed, 05/01/2013 - 03:26

JeffC

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According to Touring Plans, tickets for MNSSHP should go on sale tomorrow, May 1:

Dates and prices are posted here:

http://blog.touringplans.com/2013/04/30/official-dates-and-prices-for-2013-fallwinter-hard-ticket-events-at-magic-kingdom/#more-39569

Wed, 05/01/2013 - 09:14

lolastardust

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JeffC wrote:

According to Touring Plans, tickets for MNSSHP should go on sale tomorrow, May 1:

Dates and prices are posted here:

http://blog.touringplans.com/2013/04/30/official-dates-and-prices-for-2013-fallwinter-hard-ticket-events-at-magic-kingdom/#more-39569

I'm poised and ready to book them the minute they go on sale, lol.

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Wed, 05/01/2013 - 16:11

lolastardust

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Managed to book us tickets for MNSSHP on the 20th September! WOOOOOO! I may need to make just one more eensy weensy ADR for that night.

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Wed, 05/01/2013 - 16:50

JeffC

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If it's just an eensy weensy one, then it hardly counts against you, I say!

Wed, 05/01/2013 - 17:32

lolastardust

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heh, I just booked The Plaza for 5.15pm. Bob will actually murder me if I make any more, I think.

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Wed, 05/01/2013 - 20:02

PirateGirl

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Hey it's Disney you have to do your part in making your trip magical. Just sprinkle Bob with pixie dust . I will be making my reservations for MNSSHP soon. It's still too far away for my liking.

Wed, 05/01/2013 - 20:37

lolastardust

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PirateGirl wrote:

Hey it's Disney you have to do your part in making your trip magical. Just sprinkle Bob with pixie dust . I will be making my reservations for MNSSHP soon. It's still too far away for my liking.

hehe the moment he gets there he will be as excited as me. I just wanted to book the tickets so I could relax about it and know I have tickets. I'm actually so excited. I already ordered a costume and it's MONTHS away.

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