Our ADR experience - online vs. phone call

[Disney Princess]

We have been battling for ADRs since last Friday. We are going down December 31, but don't check in at a Disney hotel until January 3rd. So, our 90 + 10 window didn't open until today. Here is what happened for us:

On Friday, I got up at 3 (EST) to try and get a NYE ADR. It worked; I didn't like the time, but I grabbed it (Le Cellier). On Saturday, I got up again and grabbed lunch at the Plaza for New Year's Day. Again, I didn't like the time, but grabbed it. We called Disney dining on Saturday to ask questions about a F! package, and we happened to ask about our currect ADRs. They didn't have Le Cellier at a better time, but they had Biergarten for the time we wanted. We took it and figured we'd have another 9 days to eat at LC. They also had the Plaza at the time we wanted. It turns out the phone call got us a better set of ADRs. (And I would not have had to wake up so stinking early. )

On Sunday, I played around for a bit and found a Le Cellier for the time we wanted on NYE () so I booked it and cancelled Biergarten. (I promise we canceled all the unwanted or rebooked ADRs right away.) In this case the online system worked.

This morning I was up again at 3, and I sat at the computer for 30 minutes trying to get my half-awake mind to comprehend why my resort reservation wasn't coming up. This was me: I ended up back in bed in tears (lack of sleep, I really don't take life too seriously ) which woke up DH. He rolled over and asked what could possibly have happened during ADR time that I was so upset over. I explained and he hugged me and said, "We'll still have a great trip even if we don't eat at any of those places".

We woke up at 7 EST to try and call. We were going to call anyway to try and secure a F! package. We both dialed and dialed. I got through first and had DH dial again. Even though I called a good 40 seconds before DH, he wasn't asked to go through the prompts, so he got to a person first.

We were able to get EVERYTHING we wanted on the date we wanted within about 30 minutes. I was so . In addition to our NYE at Le Cellier and the NYD at Plaza we got:

F! package at Mama Melrose
Ohana character breakfast
Biergarten lunch
Sci-Fi lunch

We wanted to try some new ones, and this is exactly what we planned. I can't believe how lucky we were. I know that many people had issues with the resort 90+10 window today, so at least I wasn't alone. In our experience, calling was actually easier than online. The online is a great way to check things and make changes (saves calling all the time just to see), but we were very happy with how things turned out. My story might be different if my window had opened correctly, but it is good to know that calling (even four hours later than online opens) is still a successful option.

Good luck to everyone making ADRs soon!

[tfoster]

I'm glad things ended up working out so well for you. I was fortunate in that when I got up at 3 AM, the online system worked for me perfectly and I was able to get what I wanted for our entire trip.

Of course, now I'm trying to add a Le Cellier ADR and that's not going well but that's my own fault for not trying right away, not the system's fault!