Be Our Guest Reservations

[lillieandlilahsmommy]

I am in the planning phase of our families next Disney trip. We have been every year for the past four years and every year we make it a little different (Sea World, IoA, going at different holidays, etc.).

This year we wanted to go and enjoy the new Fantasyland and add some other things to our trip. However, I have been looking at times of year to go, October Fall Break being one of them. Be Our Guest has absolutely NO reservations on any of the dates I was looking at. Is that restaurant just booking up super fast because its new? And will it be near impossible for me to get in if I don't book within 180 days?

I ask because last year we were able to change our reservation times at Ohana and Donald's Safari Bfast within a few days of our trip. I am assuming people cancelled at last minute? Anyway, I was wondering if anyone has found that to be true for Be Our Guest. That they may be unavailable at 180 days but become available due to cancellation. I don't really want to go if we can't eat there.

Also, for people who have eaten there. I know lunch is QS, how is that compared to dinner? I hate to "settle" but may consider it if BOG is going to be like this for a while.

 

[Wendy31]

Be our Guest is the hardest ADR to get right now!

I called at 7:00 am on our 180+10 day, & I only had a choice of two times for the date (9/23) I wanted - 4:55 or 8:30 pm. And 9/23 is the 10th night of our trip, so I was only "competing" for ADR times w/ other 180+10 people.

I took the 4:55 pm, but we prefer something a little bit later. So I keep checking to see if anything is available, & there's nothing!

We've never been, so I can't say how lunch compares to dinner. However, at lunch, you can choose to sit in any of the 3 dining rooms whereas, at dinner, they only seat guests in 2 of the dining rooms.

Wait times at lunch are lengthy, & I think the recommendations are to get there before it opens. (I've read that the line does move fast though...)

I think the lunch menu looks good (& I've read some good reviews); the desserts are the same for both lunch & dinner.

The Beast is only there for dinner, not lunch.

 

[starrysky]

I've got one for the 21st of October at 7:30pm The CM I spoke to said there were plenty slots available.

 

[purple figment]

BOG is the absolute hardest reservation to get right now. If you have your resort res, definitely take advantage of the 180 + 10. The online res system has been having problems so you might have better luck calling. If you can't get a res at first, keep checking because you never know when something might show up.

As far as last minute cancellations, there seem to be very few of them. I think most people see how hard it is to change times or dates so as much as possible adjust their plans to accommodate their BOG dinner res. Sometimes they are allowing walk ups, but it really depends on the day and how busy they are. The night we were there last month they were telling the many many walk ups to check back periodically during the evening to see if there were any openings. We didn't see anyone getting lucky.

We've eaten both lunch and dinner at BOG. The menus are different, but both were very good. You'll be able to walk around and see all of the rooms whether you have lunch or dinner.

Lunch: After ordering you'll choose your own table. The food is brought to you in the large roll around carts that are used at dinnertime to serve desserts. At lunch you're served on regular dishes, but you'll pick up your own silverware (not plastic ware). Beverages, however, are in paper cups. Desserts are the same at lunch and dinner. Cupcakes are not on the children's menu, but can be purchased separately.

Dinner: Only the main ballroom and West Wing are used and you can't choose your own table. Service tends to be on the faster side (e.g. entrees arrived before we finished the apps), probably because they're trying to move so many people in and out as quickly as possible.

The 2 biggest differences are the Beast is available for a photo op after dinner only and wine is available at dinner.

I wouldn't describe having lunch as "settling" for a lesser experience. Unless the dinner menu or seeing the Beast is a deal breaker, I think the overall experience is equal. In fact, getting to choose your table at lunch could be considered an advantage over dinner seating.

 

[Breezyoutdoors]

We went to BOG within a week of it opening. It took me 2 hours on the phone to be able to get through to make the reservation and they only had 3 openings on the day we were going. After we checked in and was waiting to go in, they were taking walkups but they were telling them it may be an hour wait. So I'm not sure if that was because of last minute cancellations or just trying to fit more people in. To me, the food was pretty good, but the atmosphere defiantly makes it a must do!

 

[sviit]

We are taking 18 people with us in October. Called 180 days in advance for dining reservations. We were all hoping to get into BOG. Called right at 6am. Held for 47 minutes before talking to a cast member. She informed me we would have to email to get a reservation but she didnt have the email address. After 3 hours of making dining reservations and being able to call for the email address, we did not get a res at BOG. What happened to Magical Gatherings??? I'm over BOG. I'm over traveling there with a big group too. Wonder what Walt would think about that customer service?

 

[patty57]

I was hoping to try it on a specific night in May, but didn't plan ADRs way ahead. When I started to make ADRs, BoG had none available, so I kept checking online. A very late ADR popped up, but I didn't want it because I wanted to go to the dessert party that night. Kept looking, and a very early dinner ADR appeared, which I did take. This was only a couple of months ago, and we leave for our trip Wednesday. I would advise you to keep looking, and cancellations might turn up. If nothing opened up, I would have been fine with going for lunch instead.

 

[MyTwoPrincesses]

I had the same experience. I booked my May trip about 90 days out. I managed to get an early dinner adr for one of my MK days of my trip at about 45 days out.

 

[sviit]

I was told by a cast member Magical Gatherings went away because there were too many requests for the experiences. Isn't that a good thing? Wouldn't you want to add more in that case instead of take it away? What is the incentive to bring family and friends with you? They prefer you don't bring that business or they dont need it? Can someone explain that to me? Bought into DVC so we could share these experiences with our extended family and friends.

 

[North of Mouse]

.
Also, for people who have eaten there. I know lunch is QS, how is that compared to dinner? I hate to "settle" but may consider it if BOG is going to be like this for a while.[/QUOTE

We did not *settle* for lunch, we chose it 3 times in two trips. The first trip, end of Nov. '12, we had dinner ressies, but decided to try the lunch the day before as the line wasn't long. We loved the braised pork and french onion soup so much, and was able to enjoy all the ambiance and picture taking we wanted, so went right outside and cancelled our next day's dinner ressie - no regrets!

Just came back, also went for lunch (during week day) and *walked right in*! We have NO plans to eat dinners there, only lunch. It's a great restaurant.

 

[sviit]

That is very good to hear! We will try the lunch!

 

[lauradis]

I've got one for the 21st of October at 7:30pm The CM I spoke to said there were plenty slots available.

Rats that's the date I wanted got one for 28th of oct at 605 pm stalking res website still. Lol

 

[Lilu86]

I was just on disney website, looking at reservations. Im going the end of september to early october. My daugther REALLY wanted this restaurant, but I couldn't get res even 180 days out. BUT... when searching now i saw one availabiltit at 6:15!!! so I guess people do cancel. I booked it, but now after reading this im wondering if lunch is better. I figure this reservation is very hard to come by so im keeping this and my other reservation for cape may, as time gets closer i'll ask the family what theyd rather do...i don't want anyone dissapointed (especially if the restaurant tries to rush you out). Did anyone LOVE the dinner experience?

 

[trishwal]

And apparently they overbook!!!! I JUST now tried to get another DIS person lined up to snag a reservation that I cancelled in June for 13 people, she only needed 4. The other CM could see the cancellation but NOTHING showed up in the system to allow her to reserve those seats. major GRRRRRR....

 

[Allies mom]

We did lunch and dinner but will only do lunch next time. You can pick which room and where you sit at lunch. I hope you enjoy

 

[danceintherain]

A rumor was going around a few weeks ago that they weren't releasing cancellations back into the system, because they were so far overbooked.
Whether that's true or not, I don't know, but I managed to get a late ADR for my trip last week around 70 days in advance, then nothing popped up between then and my trip, even though I checked pretty much every day. I thought about calling the line once we got there, but I didn't bother.

I expect that as the novelty wears off, people will stop caring so much. Our dinner there was ok (I was the only one who really liked their entree) but I doubt I'll be upset if I don't manage to get an ADR in the future.
The main reason I wanted the ADR was so I wouldn't get stuck waiting in line in the hot sun with my 2 year old for lunch. The next time around I may do so.

All that said...when I went in for my ADR at 9:05pm, the ballroom was maybe half full. I don't know if they reduced their staffing at that point, or maybe if people had walked up right around then they could have seated them, so if getting a look on the inside is your goal, then popping in around 9pm (I'm pretty sure they close at 10) might be to your benefit.

 

[WDW_Diane]

I was hoping to try it on a specific night in May, but didn't plan ADRs way ahead. When I started to make ADRs, BoG had none available, so I kept checking online. A very late ADR popped up, but I didn't want it because I wanted to go to the dessert party that night. Kept looking, and a very early dinner ADR appeared, which I did take. This was only a couple of months ago, and we leave for our trip Wednesday. I would advise you to keep looking, and cancellations might turn up. If nothing opened up, I would have been fine with going for lunch instead.

When we were at BOG in March, the Castmember said that they were booked through July with no openings. We watched many people walk up and request tables, only to be turned away.

 

[SingingMom]

We tried for dinner reservations with no luck, so we waited for lunch the line was about 25 minutes and lunch was enjoyable - mostly for the atmosphere. Food was fine, but nothing to rave about. It is a place to see at least once. Quite lovely.

"SingingMom" ....Sent from my iPad using DISBoards

 

[WDW_Diane]

We tried for dinner reservations with no luck, so we waited for lunch the line was about 25 minutes and lunch was enjoyable - mostly for the atmosphere. Food was fine, but nothing to rave about. It is a place to see at least once. Quite lovely.

"SingingMom" ....Sent from my iPad using DISBoards

Our main goal was to see the new place. We had such a late reservation (8:30) that we planned to eat dinner elsewhere and then order only dessert and beverages at BOG, and that is what we did. In hindsight, we wished we had gone ahead and had dinner there too.

 

[Disney_Princess83]

We keep trying for get BOG reservations. We are trying to get one any day we are at WDW "just in case" we can't get our ideal date. So far, no luck even though we are willing to take absolutely anytime.