Marathon Weekend 2023

[Herding_Cats]

Even my travel agent had trouble with my reservations, and I didn’t have many! I haven’t even decided what I want to eat post-marathon… I notoriously have a terrible appetite after endurance events and it’s hard to predict what I will want. But I also don’t want to be stuck not having something, like last year where I ended up at House of Blues with a bad veggie burger and fries.

Yeah same for me in the appetite. I purposely didn’t book anything on Sunday and figured we could eat leftovers or resort QS that day. I’m also going to pack some seeds of change instant rice packets in my checked bag for in-room when I feel like I need more carbs that aren’t fried.

 

[HangWithMerida]

. I’m also going to pack some seeds of change instant rice packets in my checked bag for in-room when I feel like I need more carbs that aren’t fried.

That’s a good idea. I don‘t usually have a problem eating, but sometimes I want something simple and park food can get a little heavy for me after a few days. I was planning on bringing oatmeal cups for breakfast already. Hadn’t considered rice packs for later in the day.

 

[accm]

We also had issues booking ADRs earlier this week when our window opened. I still cannot book anything online/on the app for whatever reason. I'm still annoyed, because my husband and I were on at 6, trying to get a reservation for our party of 9 for Space 220 and Topolinos, and they were both available. But of course by the time I could call in to have a CM do it for me, it was all gone.
The whole split stay thing is a mess too. Depending on who you talk to you get a completely different answer as to whether or not you can book ADRs

 

[jmasgat]

The only other problem I ran into was a party of 1 problem. When you selected a party of one the number of times available is 25 to 30% of what’s actually there. When I went back and selected a party of two suddenly I had plenty of options. Luckily I knew this was a thing from a prior solo trip. I just find it super annoying that 1 person can’t get a table but 2, poof! Now I have to go back and change the party size.

Interesting. Will the system allow you to change the party size of a reservation without essentially doing a whole new search (and therefore encountering the original problem?)

 

[GuinnessRunner]

I hoping something will still be available when I can book. Since I am coming in on friday.... I still have to wait till Monday. I am hoping for Jiko for my 1st marathon celebration dinner.

Same here. There’s no must have for me this trip so trying not to stress too much about it.

 

[MissLiss279]

I didn’t run into problems yesterday but this morning I did. I also had a split day with 1 night on a separate reservation. Today, the website was not allowing reservations. You could see the availability but it would error when you selected a time. The app ended up working fine, so no phone call needed. The only place I couldn’t get was Sanaa and I’ll just keep an eye out. Something may open up, and they offer a to-go option now, so nbd. An Homecomin on Saturday. I booked Morimoto instead. Haven’t been there in years and the food was really good, so not disappointed at all.
The only other problem I ran into was a party of 1 problem. When you selected a party of one the number of times available is 25 to 30% of what’s actually there. When I went back and selected a party of two suddenly I had plenty of options. Luckily I knew this was a thing from a prior solo trip. I just find it super annoying that 1 person can’t get a table but 2, poof! Now I have to go back and change the party size.

Interesting. Will the system allow you to change the party size of a reservation without essentially doing a whole new search (and therefore encountering the original problem?)

I have this issue too. This time I was able to go back and modify my reservations to a party of 1, it I have had it not let me before also. I have just shown up anyways in those cases, and it has always been fine.

 

[bryana]

ADRs - I’m actually arriving on the 31st, so I had better luck for MW timeframe, but of course there was no availability on the 31st at Epcot. I set up an alert (first time I’ve done this) with www.Touringplans.com, and a couple days later, I was alerted about availability and I was able to book it! It might be worth a try.

I've used the TP reservation finder for almost every trip because there always ends up being something I can't get, and I've had a near perfect record using it! I'm actually using it for Story Book this go around because I wasn't able to get it this morning.



Also, my ADR date was this morning and I'm glad our group only wanted to book 2 things. I was about to get Boma for 3 of us on both Thursday and Friday (we change hotels Friday so my mom wasn't sure yet if she wanted to try to juggle that and a breakfast reservation) right at 6AM and then couldn't get anything else. I had it come up on the website and then got an error so switched to the app and got them through there. After that, I just kept getting errors for anything else I tried.

My mom was finally able to get Yachtsman for the 5 of us but it took until almost 7 to get one that finally didn't error out on her.

I'm glad those are the only two things we wanted to get as a group. Much easier to deal with figuring out how to grab a solo reservation for me for Story Book as opposed to for the whole group of us. Also won't be crushed if I'm not able to make it happen either.

The whole split stay thing is a mess too. Depending on who you talk to you get a completely different answer as to whether or not you can book ADRs

This is the other issue we ran into. We're doing a split stay as well. I started out on the website and it only showed me W-F available to book. I was like "well, I guess I'm getting up early again on Monday to book the rest..." but then I noticed in the app, it gave us our full stay up until Tuesday as bookable.

All I want for Christmas is Disney IT to get their shhh together.

 

[Baloo in MI]

ADR’s…
So I was with family traveling to New York yesterday when my ADR time started. I was literally racing from the airline gate back to the parking lot via a shuttle and then back to the airport, security and getting to the gate all between 5:30am & 6:20am, because someone (me) forgot their wallet in the car… So, during all this I was simultaneously trying to book ADR’s.

Luckily my wallet was in the car and not still at home! And I managed to hustle through all of that with my eyes on my phone. Unfortunately our number one priority was Boma for a post Marathon dinner and it was booked up. I managed to get three of four during that madness, so not to bad! Plus at the expo later yesterday I managed to find Boma on a different day, so at least we get to eat there still!

I didn’t have any tech issues trying to book stuff and was using the app. So based on a lot of what you all shared I guess I was pretty lucky.

 

[sunshine girl]

My #1 ADR choice no longer exists as an option, because Disney got rid of the quick-service lunch at Be Our Guest restaurant. I hate the current sit-down menu. There is no remotely similar replacement for this QS lunch option in the Magic Kingdom.

There was nothing tastier after running a race than their croque monsieur ham sandwich, a huge pile of salty thin french fries, and their original cream puff dessert! Their current fancy menu doesn't appeal to me for a post-race meal in the slightest.

Honestly I'd pay the sit-down price if they'd just bring back the old quick service lunch menu options. All I want are those fries and that darn ham sandwich.

 

[pluto377]

Day 2 of ADRs. I also had the split stay issue, which is why I had to do some today. I refuse to call Disney. Thanks for the tip on the party of 1. I had forgotten about that! I'm all set with my Beaches and Cream reservation on Friday right before the HH meet up. Always the best part of my trip is that No Way Jose!

Now to get my park ticket...

 

[jmasgat]

All I want for Christmas is Disney IT to get their shhh together.

You'd have better luck winning Powerball.

The thing about all this that irks me the most is lack of consistency amongst the various platforms to book. It's annoying when the website and the app don't give the same result. Also annoying when after waiting an eternity on the phone, you get a CM who either doesn't "know the rules" or who is working with yet another IT system that gives an even different answer.

Not just Disney...I find Garmin Connect to be annoying with certain things that can only be done on the web platform vs the app.

 

[jpeterson]

Not just Disney...I find Garmin Connect to be annoying with certain things that can only be done on the web platform vs the app.

Strava too. There are a couple features only on the web and it's annoying

 

[bryana]

You'd have better luck winning Powerball.

You’re right. Well, if I win, I know what I’m using some of the money for…

 

[The Expert]

There was nothing tastier after running a race than their croque monsieur ham sandwich, a huge pile of salty thin french fries, and their original cream puff dessert! Their current fancy menu doesn't appeal to me for a post-race meal in the slightest.

The QS patisserie in the back of the France pavilion at Epcot has a wonderful croque monsieur and they have cream puffs! Might be a valid alternative if you aren't tied to MK that day. Not sure if they have fries, but they do have a wide selection of other items and I've never had anything bad there.

 

[sunshine girl]

The QS patisserie in the back of the France pavilion at Epcot has a wonderful croque monsieur! Might be a valid alternative if you aren't tied to MK that day. Not sure if they have fries, but they do have a wide selection of other items and I've never had anything bad there.

This is a great suggestion, I'll totally plan on going there and trying it out!! Yum! Still, I just miss the Be Our Guest atmosphere and would love to eat there again, if only I didn't fully dislike the menu (and the slower speed of table service vs quick service). There is just no replacement for BOG QS at MK!

 

[ColoradoLime]

Just came in here to ask what everyone likes to eat post race and see everyone complaining about the trouble I had with ADRs this morning too! lol

Got the reservations I wanted but not without struggle.

BUT...I don't have anything reserved for my race day (Friday). Everything was booked. So now I'm looking for suggestions of quick service places with good breakfast/brunch options. We'll be in MK that day.

 

[lookingforsunshine]

So now I'm looking for suggestions of quick service places with good breakfast/brunch options. We'll be in MK that day.

I like Casey's.

 

[luv2cheer92]

I was able to get all the ADRs we wanted! My first time planning for a fairly large group (8 of us total), so I was a little nervous. It is me, my boyfriend, my parents, my brother and his wife, and their two little girls (1 and 2). My dad and I are doing Dopey, my mom is doing her first 5K!
I was able to get Chef Mickeys and Ohana breakfasts for after the 10k and half, the girls will love the characters. Also got Homecomin, Sanaa, Whispering Canyon, and 50s for during the week, plus Ogas of course. Got Via Napoli for after the full. And got BOG for Monday after.

 

[nekonekoneko]

I'm a bit disappointed that V&A isn't open for Marathon Sunday, but, it is what it is.

Yeah, I'm bougie!

 

[marty3d]

Managed to get all the ADRs (only 4 this time around) I wanted but with the same tech issues everyone else seemed to have. Up 5:30 yesterday but was almost 6:30 by the time I was able to get something. Sometimes the web worked and others it was the app. shouldn’t be this difficult to book a simple dinner reservation.