I had them. The perfect ADRs for my husband and my 10th anniversary trip. And now I don’t. Life happens. Our babysitter can’t watch the kids anymore so we are no longer Florida-bound.
It’s a very disappointing turn of events and I held it together when I cancelled our DVC reservation but a lump came to my throat as I cancelled our dining. You may be thinking, “What’s the big deal? They’re just dining reservations.” Some of you know I have small children which means we don’t get out a lot. We weren’t looking forward to the attractions so much as the chance to have an uninterrupted conversation while lingering over grown-up food. It’s the little things. I also know that unless the stars align perfectly I’ll never be able to get this combination of ADRs again.
What Restaurants Now Have Availability?
If you’re looking for a table for two during the third week of January, look no further than these restaurants.
Day 1: Boma. This is the surprise ADR. I’m married to the guy who thinks pepper is an exotic spice. We’ve been to Boma with the whole family before and my husband absolutely loved this buffet. The food is interesting and there are options for more adventurous eaters but there are plenty of “safe” and delicious choices for diners like my husband who like to stick to the familiar.
Day 2: Citricos. We’ve never been to one of the finer Grand Floridian restaurants and we now had our chance. Many of you are thinking, “10th anniversary. Why aren’t they going to Victoria and Albert’s?” If you read my recent article on dressing casually for Disney dining, you know the answer. My husband isn’t putting on a jacket and tie for dinner while on vacation. Period. It was a tough call between Citricos and Narcoossee’s with its seafood menu and enviable location on Seven Seas Lagoon but the Tuscany-inspired menu at Citricos won over my husband.
Day 3: California Grill. We’ve only eaten here once before but it was memorable. This meal began my husband’s love affair with flatbreads. The service was impeccable, the food worthy of this restaurant’s signature dining designation, and the views of the Wishes fireworks exploding over Cinderella Castle are breathtaking. One of the notable things about California Grill is that if you have an early dinner reservation you can return later in the evening to watch Wishes from the outdoor viewing areas.
Day 4: Le Cellier. “Oh no, not Le Cellier.” These were the exact words of the kind Disney Vacation Club agent who was cancelling my ADRS. She echoed my thoughts exactly. If you’ve stalked the Disney forums you know that this reservation can be nearly impossible to get. In fact, we haven’t eaten here since our honeymoon. I don’t know what entrée I was going to order but I had already settled on the Cheddar Cheese Soup as a starter and the chocolate “moose” for dessert. Now, it may be another ten years before I score an ADR here.
Day 5: Raglan Road. This was our “fun” reservation for the week. We don’t eat at Downtown Disney often but I’ve heard a lot of good things about this restaurant with its live entertainment and authentic Irish food by renowned Chef Kevin Dundon. An adult’s only trip seemed the perfect time to give this pub a try followed by an evening of shopping at Downtown Disney.
Day 6: La Hacienda de San Angel. This new Epcot restaurant sold me with its location on World Showcase Lagoon and its large windows offering a one-of-a-kind view of my favorite nighttime entertainment – IllumiNations. We had the perfect ADR time too, 8pm. Plus, it’s a must-do to keep our record of having eaten at every table-service restaurant in World Showcase.
This concludes our tour of our perfect almost ADRs. Hopefully our loss is someone else’s gain and she was able to book a table at some of the best restaurants in Walt Disney World.
Lisa M. Battista is the author of Beyond the Attractions: A Guide to Walt Disney World with Preschoolers When she’s not chasing after her little ones, you can most likely find her at the beach or in the kitchen trying her hand at a new recipe. You can follow her on Twitter @DisneyExplorer or become a fan of Beyond the Attractions on Facebook.
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Aww so sad! I have dinner ADR’s at Le Cellier AND Cali Grill during Wishes, and nothing is going to stop me from getting down there!!!
I think you’ll get Le Cellier again. Now that it’s a deluxe dining option, not as many of the free dining plan people are going to eat there I think. Or at least, I’ve never been able to get reservation before, and I got one easy (there were still a bunch of options left for multiple days of my trip) and I was even a week past the 180 day mark! Since I always pay out of pocket anyways I’m really glad it’s a sig. dining restaurant now, because the only change for me is easier ADRs!