What are your best ADR strategies?

dalmatian7 · May 29, 2015

Okay since a lot of people seems to be having some issues with Nov ADRs, I thought I would ask for any ideas on your strategies for stalking ADRs. As of right now I have a brunch at Chef Mickey that I would prefer to switch to dinner on 11/17. We are doing a short 2 day MK visit as part of a longer FL trip and not on dining plan, the room discount works better for us.

Right now I am checking for reservations daily on my lunch and maybe at home if I have a chance. I am also following the Nov thread on the boards that has changed dining plans on it. My question to all of you is would you do it differently? Have you had better luck at certain times of day/days of week/etc? Calling vs the website? I have a little hope things may shake up once the dates get closer. I wish we had an earlier trip so I could have gotten ADRs before free dining was announced. I know the trip will be great (first stay at AoA!) but like any good Diser I want this stuff locked down far in advance.

TIA

brinkley07 · May 29, 2015

In my opinion it ends up being luck of the draw. I wanted BOG for a Sept. MNSSHP night, and had gone in at 6 am when my window opened. After I didn't get it I looked at all of the posts, signed up for the cancel thread, and even debated paying a sniper site. I did check the website daily at various times and called a few times as well without luck. The other night I got on after 5 pm and barely looked at my phone as I punched search to try again. Thankfully I looked down because a 530 time slot was open. In the past I have gotten tough reservations by phone and/or online without any typical pattern. The best advice I can offer would be to be a little flexible in your time and you will have better luck. It may be easier to get an early or late time for dinner vs. a 6 ressie. Good luck!

JenQ · May 29, 2015

I have no real advice as this is my first time but I do think things will change as we get closer. I will be there the 14-21st and I have two chef Mickey dinner reservations and at least one of them I will let go --they are later than I would like. (I don't have the 17th!)

SaintsManiac · May 29, 2015

I was hoping to book 6 ADRs, but I don't even think it will happen now. I feel like I would rather stick to my daily park strategy than move things around for ADRs. My DD5 wants Chef Mickey's (I talked her into dinner there), CP and Akershus (breakfasts). As long as I can get those I will feel better about it. Hoping for a late breakfast at Akershus, but would love to do 8am at CP. Anyone have a suggestion on what order I should try to book in? We'll be there 12/7-12/13

MinnieLovesMickey · May 29, 2015

SaintsManiac said:
I was hoping to book 6 ADRs, but I don't even think it will happen now. I feel like I would rather stick to my daily park strategy than move things around for ADRs. My DD5 wants Chef Mickey's (I talked her into dinner there), CP and Akershus (breakfasts). As long as I can get those I will feel better about it. Hoping for a late breakfast at Akershus, but would love to do 8am at CP. Anyone have a suggestion on what order I should try to book in? We'll be there 12/7-12/13

I would book in this order: Chef Mickey's, CP, then Akershus.

To OP: it sounds like you have your ducks in a row, just keep doing what you're doing.

quakechicago · May 31, 2015

You should be fine just booking a few things if you check the site often. December seemed easier last year even with free dining than November was. Things also open up and change around the 60 day mark as people have to change plans to accommodate fast passes they are able to get or cancel their trips without penalties. That said, I use wdw toolz for really hard to get dates and times. Well worth the money to have a site look for me 24/7 and not stress (I tend to stress easily lol), although I also use the dvc site and check frequently (see? I stress so much I make coffee nervous.). But all that stress? And we were totally fine thanks to those and friends here helping even with deluxe dining by the time we left for our trip. Good luck!

DeniseR · Jun 1, 2015

I am going in September and having some of the same problems. We are staying CL in the BC, so have any of you that have had the itineary planning people help had any luck with that before? Do they just try like I am trying or have any extra "powers" haha!?

dalmatian7 · Jun 1, 2015

Thanks for the insight. Still checking daily.

DeniseR said:
I am going in September and having some of the same problems. We are staying CL in the BC, so have any of you that have had the itineary planning people help had any luck with that before? Do they just try like I am trying or have any extra "powers" haha!?

I don't think they do. We have stayed CL at WL twice, but I was able to get all our dining res at 180 days (during free dining). It is always worth a shot though. pixie dust to all of us.

DeniseR · Jun 1, 2015

dalmatian7 said:
I don't think they do. We have stayed CL at WL twice, but I was able to get all our dining res at 180 days (during free dining). It is always worth a shot though. pixie dust to all of us.

Well, I have the disadvantage of not having made our reservations for the trip until last week, which is way less that the 180 days that everyone else going my week probably made their ADRs! We might have to eat beanie weenies in our rooms!

tami82 · Jun 17, 2015

A few years ago when my window opened up I was online right at the time I could book them. I had success on everything. However I did want to make a few changes later on and found my best success was constantly checking reservations throughout the day. I was very obsessed and can't tell you how many times a day I would check but it was a lot, probably a lot more than normal. Lol. You definitely have to check more than twice a,day. I even had success a few times in the middle of the day in the afternoon. There were times they would put a new block of,reservations up out of nowhere say for Ohana or Chef Mickeys which was nice. You have to be persistent. Of course the first Ressie I went for was Ohana and booked that twice and then chef Mickey and the other character meals.

MarieKat · Jun 30, 2015

My husband and I approached ADRs with military strategy! We did a bunch of them- breakfasts and dinners- and I gave him a list of the breakfasts and I took the dinners. I listed the ADRs in priority order- so the hardest ones booked the farthest out were first, and then the ones earlier in the trip that were lower priority/not as super-popular (but everything at WDW is super popular, right?). Then the night before we opened up a bunch of browser windows in My Disney Experience- we worked on separate laptops. We got up at 5:30, had coffee and breakfast and were good to go a few minutes before 6. At 6 we just banged them out and got all but 1. Success!

akaDaddy · Jun 30, 2015

A former cast member told us to always check for ADRs before the visit. Best time to check are around 7:30 to 8:00 am each morning (when most people release by calling on the phone) and between 4:00-600 pm. It works!!! We have always had a lot of success booking one or two days before the date. Since all the restaurants are now requiring credit cards, there are tons of cancellations between 24-48 hours out. With the My Disney Experience Ap it's even easier. I just checked and found Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner at Be Our Guest for either tomorrow or Thursday. There was even a CRT Dinner available.

What are your best ADR strategies?

dalmatian7

DIS Veteran

brinkley07

DIS Veteran

JenQ

Earning My Ears

SaintsManiac

Wait for it.

MinnieLovesMickey

Save the L-402!

quakechicago

ADR-making addict!

DeniseR

Mouseketeer

dalmatian7

DIS Veteran

DeniseR

Mouseketeer

tami82

DIS Veteran

MarieKat

Mouseketeer

akaDaddy

"Thanks Charming, but my daughter's got this."

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