BOG strategy

H

hollygolitely93

DIS Veteran
Joined
Feb 13, 2011
We went to Disney in Fall 2014. I was up at 12am to book my 180+7 days stay and tried for BOG on day 7 with NO SUCCESS.

I am just wondering if it is as challenging now? We are going again Post Thanksgiving 2016. any tips for timing; day of the week, etc are appreciated as my family would love to have dinner in the castle.
 
Im interested in hearing others suggestions. You did everything I can think of. Keep trying the last possible day of your trip. Also maybe try the last weekday of your trip thinking that the parks are more crowded on the weekends. Also keep checking the cancellation threads if you dont have success on your ADR night. GOOD LUCK!
 
You need to just keep checking, we are 154 days out and I snagged a reservation for 4 yesterday
 
I personally don't think it's *quite* as challenging as it was, but still tougher to get the reservations after the 180 mark. I definitely see more availability around the drop date than I used to, but not for long.

I'm usually pretty flexible and work FP+ around the mealtime I snag, so have had no issues. To be safe though, if you have your heart set on a specific date & time...I'd do the whole routine of booking asap once availability opens.
 


Since Disney sent out the cease & desist to all the third party reservation watching sites, I found it incredibly easy to get all the reservations we wanted at our 180+10. We wanted BOG dinner on our last night (a Saturday) and we got it first try. Now, I am going in May as opposed to end of November, so that may or may not have a difference. Also, I think the more sought after reservations are pre-park opening breakfasts and QS lunches, so that may be another reason why dinner was so easy to get.

As the PP states, never give up, never surrender! (I am paraphrasing. :laughing:)
 
Just keep trying, on 180 day mark I had gotten no BOG for any of the days we are going this october. I kept trying and I check multiple times a day on the app and yesterday morning I got one at 171 days out. People change plans constantly and something opens up. I now actually have two and hoping I can get a better time closer to when we go.

Keep trying!
 


I'm having a harder time this year than I did 2 years ago. I'm not finding any dinner reservations on any of my MK nights, but I'm just going to keep checking.

Last trip I got BOG with ease.
 
LinderInWonderland said:
Since Disney sent out the cease & desist to all the third party reservation watching sites, I found it incredibly easy to get all the reservations we wanted at our 180+10. We wanted BOG dinner on our last night (a Saturday) and we got it first try. Now, I am going in May as opposed to end of November, so that may or may not have a difference. Also, I think the more sought after reservations are pre-park opening breakfasts and QS lunches, so that may be another reason why dinner was so easy to get.

As the PP states, never give up, never surrender! (I am paraphrasing. :laughing:)
Click to expand...

Can you expand on the C&D? I have one active watch right now and it looks like it's still live.
 
Within a few days of when you want to go many people will cancel. I have stopped stressing about ADRs 180 days in advance and just wait till the week or so before, and I've gotten BOG lunch and breakfast three times next week.
 
Last night I was looking at tomorrow (today now) and there was availability at ALL the hard to get restaurants - not all great times but a lot of last minute cancellations. We cancelled a 5:30 BOG for 6 ppl the day before on our last trip because my travelling party decided they wanted to go to see Harry Potter. Another strategy I use is to book later in the trip. Remember, everyone booked in a few days before you got a lot of ressies for the beginning of your dates, so book later (say book for the last/next to last day then move forward to see if there is another earlier in your trip. I look at the crowd calendar and try to book according to that. Party nights also limit availability. I go for the hard to get first: PPO ADRs and BOG, CRT, O'Hana Chef Mickeys etc. I "play" with the reservation site, by going in each day and noting what has more availability, then I move that down the list. Things like that. I have always gotten every time and date I wanted. Also, if something goes wrong when using the website at 6 am, don't panic. But, I suggest to hit redial on the phone at 6:59 sharp. My first time using the site it went down (also the first of December) and all I could do was watch helplessly as times disappeared. I called at 7 am sharp, and got every reservation and time I wanted.
 
Also remember that people will book multiples of the same restaurant then drop them as they finalize their plans. Plus, some people book, then have to cancel or change their trips at the last minute, so there are sime cancellations when it comes time to pay off the final balance, or when the 30 day window is approaching.
 
Even if it doesn't work on your exact opening date, keep checking back. We scored a lunch reservation today just 4 days before our trip. I saw a dinner one available earlier in the week as well for our dates. So it pays to keep checking back periodically.
 
I have a secured a lunch ADR for 1 person but there are two people in my party. Given that it's quick service, will they let both of us in? Can you order multiple entrees per person? If so, then I would be able to get food for two and my table for one would still leave at least one empty seat so it feels like a no-brainer. Or am I am oversimplifying?
 
hollygolitely93 said:
We went to Disney in Fall 2014. I was up at 12am to book my 180+7 days stay and tried for BOG on day 7 with NO SUCCESS.

I am just wondering if it is as challenging now? We are going again Post Thanksgiving 2016. any tips for timing; day of the week, etc are appreciated as my family would love to have dinner in the castle.
Click to expand...
Hi, I have booked at 180 days out for my last 2 vacations. We go in September, which is a slow time, but with free dining every year, reservations can be tricky. I haven't had a problem booking, but I usually take like a 430 pm reservation. I figure by the time we are seated and eating, it will be 5 pm anyways and that way we aren't competing with the prime dinner hours and when we are done eating we can enjoy some attractions while the majority of park goers are eating dinner. It worked out great last year.
 
megster1123 said:
Thank you for that information! A thread on this board directed me to the site I was using, but I wish I would have researched it more submitting the request I made. It is just free service that notifies if an ADR becomes available, but I had no idea there was such a strong backstory to it.
Click to expand...
I assume you are using Touring Plans, which I do not believe runs afoul of Disney's policies. If I remember correctly, the sites that Disney shut down were actually holding reservations that people would later take. Touring plans simply checks on availability and lets you know something is there so you can go book it yourself. In my mind, two entirely different situations.
 
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