Feel like quitting before I begin!

[prudence64]

Chef Mickeys isn't known for good meals anyway. It's just the character dining that fills up that far in advance. If you don't have kids with you begging for a certain experience, just put in the days and times you want and see what restaurants pop up and make some selections. Much nicer than chasing something specific.

 

[Mambo Junkie]

As a PP said, people often lock up multiple reservations until they make up their minds. Follow the Dining Reservations board. They have cancellation threads for each month and people will either post they just dropped something, coordinate a time to give you a ressie they're dropping, or post that a certain hard to get restaurant is available right now. I successfully dropped a BOG and someone I coordinated with got it. I am sometimes flabbergasted by the number of reservations some people are dropping! I have seen numerous BOGs, Chef Mickeys, etc for a week at different times being dropped.

 

[dancin Disney style]

It's not at all too late. If you can't get a certain restaurant right now just keep trying...people change up plans all the time. So far, I have never not gotten the ADR's that I wanted and I NEVER plan 180 days out. We generally plan a trip 2-3 months in advance.

 

[prudence64]

Try tusker house at AK if you want the main five characters. Better food than chef mickeys

 

[Dis703]

Up until this current trip we never booked more than 3-4 months out. We always got all the dining we wanted but it did take more effort. Checking multiple times every day and watching the cancellation threads. I had a friend who just went this past November and her TA didn't get any of the ADRs she wanted. Chef Mickey's, Le Cellier and Be Our Guest in particular. She was leaving in less than 2 weeks and I told her I'd stalk the site for her and see what I could do. I got them all at 1-2 weeks out. And at really good times too. If you are willing to spend some time you can still get what you want for September.

 

[LetsTalkWDW]

Hi - Not sure exactly when in September you are planning to go but I just tried searching for a few Dinner reservation for 3 at Chef Mickey's (September 7 - 10) and there are reservations available for Dinner around 7:30 - 7:45pm each day and Breakfast availability for 7:30ish or 10:00 ish for these days. September 10th had an 8:25am Breakfast availability. Maybe not all ideal times but certainly workable. If you are really that interested you can book one of these reservations and then check once in a while to see if you can do better.

I also have to agree with one of the PP's, Chef Mickey is not what it used to be. We went there for Dinner last trip and we were not impressed. Atmosphere felt like we we eating at chain restaurant with Disney characters. Food was just mediocre.

 

[JimmyV]

Don't get hung up on dining at WDW. Most restaurants are average at best. By the way September is very low crowds for WDW.

There is a lot of truth to this. Also, if you spend enough time here, you can drive yourself batty. The reason being that people who have been to WDW many, many times tend to develop "favorites", whether they be restaurants, hotels, attractions, meet and greets, etc. And if they don't get to do most or all of their favorites, then the trip is not a complete success (in their minds). So people fret and wring their hands, and sweat, and stay up until odd hours to book things. Because they are trying to recapture past glory, or capture things that other people tell them that they "can't miss". There are endless threads here that ask: "What is your can't miss fill in the blank?" But as a first time visitor, divorce yourself from this way of thinking. Go. Eat wherever you can get in. Ride what ever attractions have modest waits. Get Fast Passes for whatever is available. Odds are, you are going to love your trip and have a whole lot of fun. Once you become a WDW veteran and develop your own "must do" list, then you can obsess. Good luck!

 

[itchin2go]

It is not AT ALL too late. One hard to get reservation should not doom a trip before it starts. I've never eat at Chef Mickey's (I know it's popular, but it gets pretty bad reviews), and we've had GREAT trips! There are SO many places to eat at WDW.

And yes - you can book adrs before you make a room reservation. I stay offsite and book adrs all the time.

 

[Becks&garry]

Winging it is all just part of the fun and there are some lovely places outside Disney to eat.
Until this year I've never made any ADR's and the one we have gone for is the dessert party which was a waiting game for cancellations or extra releases. I would not try for an ADR ever again

 

[goodgodmrsmolly]

Don't get hung up on dining at WDW. Most restaurants are average at best. By the way September is very low crowds for WDW.

Exactly how I feel. I mean, I love the atmosphere eating at Disney places, but have never felt like the food was spectacular and you are always eating in large, loud, overcrowded rooms. Not saying it is bad in any way, just don't understand the praise they get and how competitive getting a table is.

I get a table almost any time I want on the day of just by checking. Must be cancellations that happen. If you like to wing it, just keep the app handy and if you are not particular, you can get an ADR last minute. In September, will be more so. If you don't mind hearing no, just walk up and talk the CM at check in. Some places are just plain full, but others can squeeze you in. I walked up the CRT hostess recently and asked about a table a little later that night. She put me down and we got in during spring break.

 

[richmo]

If you're looking at September, I would encourage you to put in some ADR's now...you can always cancel them. The reason I say this is there is speculation that a free dining period that includes September *might* open up as early as next week. Once that happens, there will be a huge influx of ADR's. (Don't worry about park crowds though)

 

[ammag]

Definitely still go! If it were within the fast pass window I'd hesitate but you will have a great trip in september if you can manage the heat. Hopefully free dining will be announced, check her often as it MIGHT be announced in the next two weeks. Or not! If your heart is set on a certain restaurant use the service someone mentioned I think it's pretty cheap.

 

[Indio]

Yep, don't let not getting an ADR at Chef Mickey's sway your decision. September is a GREAT month to visit. Lower crowds than any other month. Like some others said - go to the dining search and just put in your dates and see what pops up and make a few. You can look on allears.net and they have all the menus and descriptions of the restaurants so you can pick what you think might be fun for your crowd. We've been going to WDW for 25 years and have never eaten at Chef Mickey's. Lots of other fun places to eat!

 

[krista113]

You can totally do it!! The last 4 trips I have taken, have all been last minute trips, and I am talking completely last minute like a month away, and I have gotten everything I wanted. I always tend to travel in May, which is comparable to September crowds, and actually September might be less. Just be diligent, if there are places you know for sure that you want to go, keep checking MDE, and also check the boards here. On the disboards you can go to Disney Restaurants, click on Disney Reservations and you should find a board called the September cancelled ADR thread, there people post what ADR's they are going to be cancelling, and if you like them you can coordinate and pickup their cancellations, it has worked for me numerous times with BOG, CRT and even the hard to get Star Wars meals. Good luck, and I hope you have a great time!!

 

[georgina]

It does seem incredible how few ADRs there are for some places! I'm going solo in Sept and am trying to make an ADR for tea at the GF before the Halloween party. Almost no availability - only one time that isn't convenient. I made one for another day but will keep trying to see if anything opens up. Never expected those times to book up so quickly!

 

[larryz]

I am totally confused (and lacking enough research) to move forward. Starting to think we'll have to wait until 2016

I've done trips on as little as two days advance planning. You'll still have a great time!

 

[hockeymom519]

We booked a trip a couple of years ago about 3 months prior. I agree with the above suggestions on other character meals. Loved Tusker House, 1900 Park Fare and Crystal Palace. None of us cared too much for Chef Mickey's. It was the first trip for both of my kids and BF, and I hadn't been in 20 years prior. My parents came along with us (20 years since their last trip as well). We had a fantastic time. So much so that we went back last Sept (minus the parents). We're going again this Sept and bringing my parents again.

 

[HCinKC]

I had no idea about 180 day ADRs. I haven't been to Disney for about 10 years. We booked a SWW trip about 4.5 months out. I made SWW character dining ressies about 90 days out and got times that worked fine for us. I actually changed one of them around the 60 day mark. I still see ones pop up every now and again, and I see lots of people here offering their multiples. If you want to go, do it! Just keep an eye on the Sept ADR cancellation thread if there is something you are really looking for. I am sure you will find it. If not, I bet you will still have a great time!

 

[PirateFish989]

My boyfriend and I are Disneyland veterans and have had AP's for the last several years. We took our first trip to WDW last year and it is a very different planning strategy! I echo other posts about 1900 Park Fare for character dining. We did that one last year and it was good and it should be easier to get ADRs for it than for Chef Mickey's.

We are going back this year, also in September. We booked back in February but that is only because I knew exactly what I wanted. I don't think 5 months is short notice though.

 

[BarbieGal457]

I totally agree with the PPs - it's not too late! I always do my dining at 180 days, but I have had lots of luck making them much closer to the trip. In fact, I got BOG for NYE (!!!!) 8-9 days out from out trip, and I just got it again for lunch on my birthday about 50 or so days out. I do agree with a PP who said at the 45 day mark things may start to cancel as trips cancel. Many people do also make multiple reservations around similar times of day, then cancel so their card is not charged for no-show fees ($10/per person). The day of NYE in the park, I was able to find lots of dining popping up all over! I wouldn't throw in the towel just yet. When I can't get a reservation I really, really want, I check back maybe once a day or so and honestly it has never failed me that something eventually came up. Maybe it was at 6pm instead of 7pm like I wanted, but I can honestly say with a bit of persistence I have always gotten my desired choices.