I need to vent before I explode...

[midnightlouise]

Glad you got what you were looking for, OP! We have 'Ohana scheduled for our last night and I am so excited about it! I do feel your pain on the ADR issue overall, though. I got a few decent ones at 180+, but it hasn't been easy filling in the gaps. Not to mention we changed our plans just slightly, and now getting ADRs to coincide with it has been an exercise in futility. I'm hoping things will free up slightly once the 45 day package payment deadline passes and FP+ opens up for people going in November. *crossing fingers*

 

[LollieInwonderland]

This is our second family trip and our first trip was AMAZING we had free dinning got all the ADR that we wanted in the exact times. This time (now 3 years later) has been a nightmare. I woke up at 4 am to get things ready to book ADR's and pretty much everything in a decent time was already booked up. I have smaller kids so we can't eat at 7pm. Our normal dinner time is 4:30-5. I almost cancelled the trip because it was really stressful to plan. We still don't have the most ideal times but gotta make it work. Oh and we are not free dinning either this time. Dislike them adding the water park tickets :/

 

[ragrubbs]

I can't even imagine how many hours I have wasted trying to get reservations

 

[kristenlees]

glad you were able to get what you wanted OP

This is my first Disney trip that I have actually booked and planned for myself, and we booked about 4 months out. I had no idea ADRs and all that were even a thing so imagine my surprise when I can't book anything! I have all but one of my reservations now (and all but one of my fastpasses, DH doesn't want to meet Anna & Elsa anyway) and I really wish someone would hurry up and cancel the ADR I need lol.

I am Australian, living in the US. I love to plan and have planned trips all over the US, back to Aus, to Europe several times.. and this is by far the most stressful vacation I have ever planned.

 

[Jadyreen1282]

I can't even imagine how many hours I have wasted trying to get reservations

I love sniping. It's part of the fun of planning for me. I always plan the dates, 180 days I ADR without issue, get the discount applied when offered, make changes along the way and have a stress free trip.

 

[RAPstar]

YAY! I happened across a 9pm one for the day I arrive. I mean I'll keep my eye out for anything earlier, but hey beats not having one.

 

[Ajawi]

Yea i went last year and didnt get free ding since we booked last minute and we were able to get bog and crt with no problems but i actually got free dining this year Nd its been a huge headache to get what i want and i had to pay ddb for our bog reservation this time around

V ! . it's getting harder and harder to find the right thing to do

 

[gretchenohar@hotmail]

The adr availability plain out stinks this go around. I have been to Disney for over 28 years in a row, and this trip is the worst yet. I understand that I booked last minute, and during free dining, but I went over Thanksgiving last year, had free dining, and was able to edit my ADRs up until our check in date.
I have been checking multiple times a day by the way on top of paying DDB to watch. This is a headache! Never again will I book a trip during free dining if this is what I have to deal with. I would rather go during the summer and sweat to death. At least I can escape the heat in a decent restaurant and eat a decent meal at a decent time.

I know this is an old thread - but what is DDB and how does one go about getting it? TIA

 

[mom2rtk]

I know this is an old thread - but what is DDB and how does one go about getting it? TIA

Likely Disney Dining Buddy, one of the ADR sniping services. I know Disney shut down at least some of them earlier this year. Not sure if this one is still around or not.

 

[LinderInWonderland]

DDB, Disney Dining Buddy. One used to be able to pay them a small fee and they would send you an alert if an ADR came open. Disney sent them (and other third party dining assistance) a cease & desist a while back.

When our 180 days came up back in December, we got all the ADRs we wanted, at the time we wanted, on our first go. I haven't had any issues changing them or getting different ones either and we are just over 90 days out.

 

[gretchenohar@hotmail]

Thank you, Linder! Hope you have a wonderful trip.