Christmas Day ADR Tips?

[Goofyish]

I need to ring on Monday for my Christmas Day dinner reservation.

Are there any tips on how to get through to a CM as quickly as possible when the phone lines open?

[drennan]

I'm eager to see your replies goofyfish as I will be ready to pounce on the phone come Monday for christmas dinner adr, fingers crossed we both get what we want :earsgirl:

ttfn
Sharon

[Hilary]

I'm not sure whether these tips apply to ADRs as well as CRT requests, but this advice is on the Cindy's thread on the restaurants board (obviously with amended details for the reservation you want):

1) Determine the date that you can make your Cindy's reservation. Go to the DIS Priority Seating calculator and verify the earliest calling date for the dates that you can attend (90 days prior). Realize that there is a VERY good chance that you will be unsuccessful if you only try once. So plan on getting a PS for early in your trip and if you get it, GREAT. If you don't, you can still try the next morning.

2) Have your credit card ready. Disney now requires a credit card guarantee of $10 per adult and $5 per child. The deposit is refundable if you cancel at least 48 hours prior to your reservation.

3) You should only make reservations using the (407) 939-3463 number. The (800) numbers used for Annual Passholders and other services sometimes have delays (as much as 12 seconds) that will seriously hinder your ability to get a Cindy's PS.

4) Syncronize your clock. Go to the official U.S. time clock for great results. I have DSL at home, so I leave the official U.S. clock up on my screen while calling.

5) Get up and 'at 'em! Begin calling at about 6:58am Eastern time. Plan on calling 10-15 times during this two minute period. The range seems to be picking up between 6:58:30am and 6:59:30am. Some people have successfully tried and used multiple phones to get through.

Please note that there are two possible greetings:
a) Thank you for calling Walt Disney World. Our office is closed... (hang up immediately as soon as you hear the words "Our office" and hit redial immediately).
or
b) Thank you for calling Disney dining. At this time, we are experiencing very high call volume. If you have already arrived for your Magical Walt Disney World Vacation, you may visit any resort or theme park Guest Services location, or the podium at any Walt Disney World restaurant to make your dining Priority Seating arrangements. Thank you for your patience and understanding.

Once you hear option b, you're in and on hold! Do NOT hang up or you may lose any chance of a ressie! Please note that you cannot select any options while this message is being read. You must wait until the word "understanding" is completed.

After this passage is read (i.e. immediately after the word "understanding" is read), immediately hit the number "1" key twice on your phone.

Here are the options that you are skipping:
If you are calling to make a Priority Seating for Victoria and Alberts at Disney's Grand Floridian Resort and Spa, please press 2. If not, press 1.

If you are calling from the Orlando area, or to make a reservation for within the next seven days, please press 1. If you are calling to make a reservation for your upcoming trip, press 2.

I don't recommend that you select #2 in the second option because if you select it, you will then be asked to give additional information (i.e. how long it has been since you last visited WDW, how many times you have been to WDW in the past four years, your telephone and/or reservation #). You don't have time for these options, so select #1 as directed above to skip them. After hitting the number "1" key twice on your phone pad as described above, the following line will be read:

Thank you for your time and patience. All of our representatives are currently assisting other guests. We look forward to speaking with you momentarily.

Again, do NOT hang up. Wait for the next available CM. You are almost there! Cross your fingers AND toes!

6) Upon speaking to a "live person", interrupt the CM and blurt out "I need Cindy's, for **insert date**, for x people, any available time". The CRO rep will understand your temporary rudeness, and you'll make up for it later with endless amounts of gratitude... Don't try and pick a specific time. Any delays will seriously hinder your ability to get a PS.

7) Be sure to write down your time and PS #. If your PS is before the park opening, you'll have to present your PS# to get into the park.

HTH :)

[squitty]

I have not got any tips, just wanted to say....Good Luck Tim:wizard:

[mandymouse]

I can't offer any advice, but just want to wish Tim and Sharon good luck with their Christmas Day ADR's. My DD's have TOLD me that we are going to Epcot on Christmas Day, and as we're at Chef Mickey's on Xmas Eve, they would just like a quick Chinese meal in China that day - so that told me !!!! :)

[Goofyish]

Mandy - we are spending most of the day in Epcot too :)

We have changed our minds on where we plan to eat Xmas Day dinner. We were going to try for 'Ohana, but the menu change has put us off a little :(

So we have decided to try Le Cellery instead :)

[carolfoy]

Wow! I was just thinking, where else in the world would you have to go through this? amazing isn't it? that there are so many people wanting the same thing and probably most of them have done it before???? :confused3 :confused3 sorry, I just find it all amazing!!!

[Miffy2003]

Le Cellery ;) sounds like a great choice Tim :) (I know what you mean about the new 'Ohana menu :( )

[sue&and]

Good Luck Tim! Feeling nervous for you just thinking about it!! :flower:

[Cyrano]

Hope you have your ADR fingers ready :teeth: Lots of pixie dust that you get it all sorted :goodvibes

Reid

[squitty]

Tim, what changes have they made to the 'Ohana menu??? I am worrying now as we have ADR for 7:30pm on Christmas Day

[mandymouse]

I don't know if anyone has seen this rumour over on the Restaurant boards about a Lilo & Stitch breakfast at O'hana's, supposedly happening in 2 to 3 months time

http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=918972

I think I'd love that :)

[squitty]

It's ok I have found them :)

I quite like the sound of them, its different from the last time we ate there. It will be like eating there for the first time.

[Goofyish]

Tim, what changes have they made to the 'Ohana menu??? I am worrying now as we have ADR for 7:30pm on Christmas Day

From what I've read, they have removed the fried rice and added a potato and cheese dish (I don't like cooked cheese :( ). They have also added a shrimp starter with wonton chips?? The green beans have been replaced with stir fired veg.
The big shrimps that were on the skewers have been replaced with sausage??
I think they have changed the way the starters are served as well.

We have looked at our ADR plans and as we are doing Rose and Crown after the Candle Thingy, and again for lunch during our second week we have decided to do 'Ohana instead of the Rose and Crown Lunch and do Le Cellery for Christmas Day dinner :)

[allie5]

Hi Tim

I had to call this time last year for Xmas Day ADRs (inc CRT).

Did the usual - start dialling at 11:57 UK time, hitting redial when you hear the "our offices are closed" spiel and got through at 12 on the dot. Was on hold for about 13 minutes I think, but I still got CRT (with a choice of times) & Yachtsmans Steakhouse for dinner (which we later changed to Cali Grill which still had ressies about 3 weeks later).

I dont think you will have any trouble getting Ohana, but Le Cellier seems REALLY popular right now (deservedly so) and still worth calling at noon on monday for if you want to eat here Xmas day. In fact ALL the World Showcase restaurants were fully booked for the week of the 23rd Dec thru New Year last year (a helpful CM at Le Cellier told me that !!). They had a few late spots at Marrakesh, but that was it for the whole week! Book EVERYTHING you think you even MIGHT want to visit!

Good luck!!

[daipp]

My wife is on standby at mid-day to phone for our Christmas Day dinner at LTT.

Can't wait!

David

[Tink78]

What's ADR??
I am guessing something dining reservation but I cannot work out what the 'a' is.

Also, do they release the bookings for Xmas Day on a set day?

What date was it this year and is it the same every year?

[allie5]

What's ADR??
I am guessing something dining reservation but I cannot work out what the 'a' is.

Also, do they release the bookings for Xmas Day on a set day?

What date was it this year and is it the same every year?

Yep and ADR is an Advance Dining Reservation.

You can book most meals at 90 days out, so calling for an ADR for Dec 25th will always be on Sept 26th! If you are staying onsite at Disney you can call at 100 days out.

Hope this helps!

Allie

[Tink78]

Ah, advanced - silly me. Don't know why I didn't guess that.
Am having a loopy day!

Do you know if Xmas Eve, Xmas Day, New Years Eve, New Years Day get booked up to the max really quickly?

What is the busiest day? (I am guessing Xmas Day).

And where is good to go for Xmas Dinner?

Thanks

[allie5]

We were there last Xmas and from the 23rd right through New Years EVERYTHING was full to bursting!

I would advise you make ALL the ADRs you need (or think you will need! You can always cancel!!) for that time.

Nice choices for Xmas Day would be a resort hotel so you dont have to worry about battling the parks to get to your dinner! Have a look at menus for Artists Point at Wilderness Lodge, Jiko at Animal Kingdom Lodge, California Grill at the Contemporary or Yachtsmans Steakhouse at the Yacht Club.

For more fun meals, consider Ohana, Chef Mickeys or Whispering Canyon Cafe!

Have fun!

[Tink78]

Good advice, thanks. :goodvibes

If we do go (still working on DH!! :rotfl: ) we are looking to fly out on Sat 23rd Dec 06 and fly back on Sat 6th Jan 07 (it's my Bday on 7th Jan so I will just miss out on a Disney Bday :sad: ) so we will be there for Xmas, and NY, but also so we get (hopefully!) a few quiet days after NY to go mad :crazy: in the parks as we know it will be busy the rest of the time that we are there.

I know it gets busiest around 23rd until NY, so that will still give us 2, 3, 4, 5 and some of 6th to do as much as we can.

Does that sound like a good plan? :confused3

I think a lot of people would leave on 2nd or 3rd?? :confused3
Do you agree?

Quite fancy a fun Xmas Dinner as it will only be the 2 of us so we need some fun.
We thought about going to Planet Hollywood as we love it there, or Rainforest Cafe (another one of our faves!).

What about New Years Eve?

Are any of the parks open until Midnight, and what kind of stuff is going on?

[Disney Debra]

I rang on Sat & Sun (just gone) and booked for my whole trip (22nd Dec - 5th Jan) all dinner ressies, character dining and tours. I had no problems at all and they let me book more than 90 days in advance. They do a new thing called 90 days plus 10 if you are staying on property (we're in Wilderness Lodge) and the agents were really helpful.

We've got candlelit processional dinner package Christmas Eve, Chef Mickeys for Christmas morning breakfast and Brown Derby/Fantasmic dinner package for Christmas evening plus Cinderellas Table for New Years Day breakfast, (i'm not gloating really but am incredibly happy about it all!)

We've also booked an EPCOT segway tour for DH & a Yuletide Fantasy tour for us both.

Good luck with ringing, hope you get everything you want.

PS Is anyone booking an illuminations cruise? I wouldnt mind buying two seats for DH & me if it fitted in with my other bookings and you wanted any help paying the new increased prices! pirate:

[mandymouse]

Debra, when have you got your Segway and Yuletide tours for ??

[mandymouse]

If anyone is interested, the Christmas menus can be found here

http://www.allearsnet.com/menu/men_christmas.htm