What do you think is the ideal ADR window?

[mcd2745]

In light of another thread, discussing the idea of eliminating ADRs, I wanted to get an idea what most people think is the best timeframe for the ADR window. While the overwhelming majority did not want to eliminate ADRs, many (myself included) suggest a shorter window would be best.

 

[skier_pete]

OK, I voted for the current 180 system. I know there are many that wish it were less, but a few years back, they made it 90 days for about a year, and I HATED it. (They also didn't announce park hours until 3 months out.) It totally killed me to wait that long to book. Just thinking about it not, I'm at 92 days out right now, I have my room, ADRs, plane tickets, everything is set. I did NOT like the 90 days.

Even though we stay on-site, they definitely shouldn't make an advantage (other than the +10) for on-site people. Anything that forces you to stay on-site should be a no-no, and if you gave on-site people an extra 30 or 60 days, some restauarants would be impossible to get off-site. I don't like that.

SkierPete

 

[KYCruiseCrazy]

180 onsite/120 offsite

 

[TDluvsDaisy]

I voted 60 days. However I still think the calendars should come out at 180 or at least 120 days.

I think it would be totally unfair to punish off-site people with having to wait extra time to make ADRs. I think the perks we get with being onsite are almost enough (I would still like an extra FP per person per park for my stay, but that's another issue).

 

[mcd2745]

OK, I voted for the current 180 system. I know there are many that wish it were less, but a few years back, they made it 90 days for about a year, and I HATED it. (They also didn't announce park hours until 3 months out.) It totally killed me to wait that long to book. Just thinking about it not, I'm at 92 days out right now, I have my room, ADRs, plane tickets, everything is set. I did NOT like the 90 days.

Even though we stay on-site, they definitely shouldn't make an advantage (other than the +10) for on-site people. Anything that forces you to stay on-site should be a no-no, and if you gave on-site people an extra 30 or 60 days, some restauarants would be impossible to get off-site. I don't like that.

SkierPete

I certainly think there needs to be some more time between the release of park hours/parade & fireworks times and the opening of the ADR window as opposed to them being basically right at the same time time. In fact, sometimes, if your trip starts at the very end of a month and then goes into the next month you're making ADRs (with the +10) for days when park hours aren't out yet - at least "officially".

 

[Pakey]

I've been going to WDW for a long time and I would have voted for 30 days (I fondly remember the days before this 180 stuff started) but since that wasn't an option, I voted for the shortest one listed on the poll.

In any other situation, restaurant reservations are not made more than 30 days out. On the disboards, I see all the time where people made them at 180 and then their party size changes as the trip gets closer and they have to go through all of the angst of redoing them anyway.

 

[tyandskyesmom]

180

We went when it was 90 days and that was the only time I have had a difficult getting places and times I wanted.

I think those of us that enjoy the planning should be rewarded for our research and planing...

 

[puffkin]

I thought 90 days was ok back when they had it and I personally would prefer 30 days, but I think 60 is a fair compromise. We have done 2 trips over the last year that were fairly last minute (booked about 8 weeks out) and it stinks not having a lot of dining options.

I HATE HATE HATE the 180 days. For those that don't go very often I guess I can see the appeal, but we tend to go 2-3 times a year and it gets very confusing and annoying trying to book ADR's for your next trip when you are leaving for or actually on your current trip. This has happened to me several times now.

 

[skier_pete]

I realize that this is just a poll, and everyone is entitled to their opinion, but I have to comment that 30 days would be a bad idea. Every day would be a feeding frenzy for ADRs on that 30 day point. Part of the reason the longer dates work out well is that not everyone does make their ADRs 180 days out. If you had 30 days, it literally would be "gotta get on-line at 6 AM to compete with the other 200,000 people trying to make ADRs today for the same date". It would be like a free dining offer coming out every day.

I do agree with mcd2745 that they should come out with park hours a month earlier than the ADR window - whether it's 90 days or 180 days. Part of why our trip are always in the middle of the month is because of this.

 

[goofy4tink]

Voted 180/120. Why? With the dining plan, it would be a feeding frenzy if it was less than 90 days. Add to that, the addition of free dining. At least if it's at 180 days, I stand a chance of getting the ADRs I need before the free dining is announced!!! Once free dining is offered, all bets are off.

I'm still tweaking my Oct ADRs. Started at the 180 day window. There is plenty of availability for that time of year. So, even if you book today, you are going to find ADRs for your trip....as long as you're more than a month out.

The system, as it is now, works. If you don't want to think that far ahead, you don't have to. You can book when you're ready....you just have to realize you may not get exactly what you want. So if you want something in particular, you need to book it as soon as you can.

My 180 day window, for my Oct trip, opened while I was on the Dream!!! I had no issue getting to AKL and booking my ADRs for my next trip. It was kinda fun, sitting there at my computer at Jambo House, making ADRs for 6 months later.

I do remember when the window was 60 days. Not too bad, but there was no regular dining plan at that time. Then, it went to 90 days. Still okay, but when the ddp came along, there were a ton of people trying to book the same times at the same restaurants. It was crazy. I don't want to go back to that.

 

[Janepod]

180 onsite/120 offsite. I absolutely believe guests who are paying extra to stay at the Disney parks deserve this perk.

 

[mcd2745]

I realize that this is just a poll, and everyone is entitled to their opinion, but I have to comment that 30 days would be a bad idea. Every day would be a feeding frenzy for ADRs on that 30 day point. Part of the reason the longer dates work out well is that not everyone does make their ADRs 180 days out. If you had 30 days, it literally would be "gotta get on-line at 6 AM to compete with the other 200,000 people trying to make ADRs today for the same date". It would be like a free dining offer coming out every day.

I do agree with mcd2745 that they should come out with park hours a month earlier than the ADR window - whether it's 90 days or 180 days. Part of why our trip are always in the middle of the month is because of this.

Voted 180/120. Why? With the dining plan, it would be a feeding frenzy if it was less than 90 days. Add to that, the addition of free dining. At least if it's at 180 days, I stand a chance of getting the ADRs I need before the free dining is announced!!! Once free dining is offered, all bets are off.

I'm still tweaking my Oct ADRs. Started at the 180 day window. There is plenty of availability for that time of year. So, even if you book today, you are going to find ADRs for your trip....as long as you're more than a month out.

The system, as it is now, works. If you don't want to think that far ahead, you don't have to. You can book when you're ready....you just have to realize you may not get exactly what you want. So if you want something in particular, you need to book it as soon as you can.

My 180 day window, for my Oct trip, opened while I was on the Dream!!! I had no issue getting to AKL and booking my ADRs for my next trip. It was kinda fun, sitting there at my computer at Jambo House, making ADRs for 6 months later.

I do remember when the window was 60 days. Not too bad, but there was no regular dining plan at that time. Then, it went to 90 days. Still okay, but when the ddp came along, there were a ton of people trying to book the same times at the same restaurants. It was crazy. I don't want to go back to that.

Would a "feeding frenzy" really that bad though? I think it would help eliminate multiple-bookings. Instead of booking that back-up ADR for the same night you already have an ADR, you'd be wiser to move on to the next night. Plus, I have to think that more people will have their plans crystalized at a later point, lessening their desire to do so in the first place.

 

[Tink51]

180/120 as well. We also go 4-5 times per year and like to plan ahead. I agree that those who like to plan can reserve early, if you don't want to think ahead that far, don't do it. But don't take away others' ability to do so.

 

[VeroBeach]

I voted 180 - but with that in mind, I would hope that park hours were published then too.

If they weren't going to publish park hours until 170 days, then I would vote 160 or so, something just under the park hours publication time so that we would be sure to have park hours available to make the appropriate decisions.

I believe the demand for ADR's is so great now that when the window is even 90 days, it makes the WDW DINE phone wait times increase and the staff overloaded.

 

[AJRitz]

I think 90 days makes much more sense than 180 days, and would work just fine if accompanied by park hours that were published 120 or so out. I think the biggest problem with 180 days is the number of changes that are inevitable when you're working that far out. Disney has done a better job recently of preventing double-bookings. But there are still ways around Disney's fix, and that length of time just feeds the habit of "tweakers" (yes, sometimes I'm one too) who just can't help but second-guess themselves over their ADR choices, and are constantly shuffling ADRs.

Ultimately, I think that a 90-day booking window would likely lead to fewer no-show ADRs than happen currently. Too many people booking that far in advance don't keep good track of their ADRs. And I think that a 90-day window is more reasonable, given that Disney seems to be waiting longer to release discount packages, and with the economy the way it is I think there are a growing number of guests who just aren't comfortable committing themselves to a vacation 6-months in advance.

 

[JacksLilWench]

180

We went when it was 90 days and that was the only time I have had a difficult getting places and times I wanted.

I think those of us that enjoy the planning should be rewarded for our research and planing...

I don't think that has much to do with it though, at least in my case. I plan and research a quite a bit about my Disney vacations. However, I think it's ridiculous that I have to make these decisions six months in advance- I'm not even in vacation mode until about 60 days before anyway. So telling me I have to pick where I'm going to want to eat six months down the line, or be forced to deal with other guests' unwanted tables (which feel like leftovers) is asinine to me.

But that's just my opinion

 

[Colleen27]

I like the idea of 45 days, simply because that is the package payoff point so it would weed out a lot of people who book trips they aren't sure they'll be taking, and of course not all of the people who book "maybe" trips at 180 or 90 or when discounts become available and then later cancel take the time to cancel all their ADRs.

 

[Tomh]

I went with 180, I think the current system works fine. 365 would be bad for anyone who goes the same time each year, either you would have to make the following years ADR's while you were on vacation, or wait until you got home, and all the prime times / locations would be filled already. Shorter than 180 days, and I think you'll start to see that the rush to get ADR's would tie up the system, and it would be difficult to get the ADR's you wanted.

 

[PIRATEGIRL007]

I like the current 180 days and would love it if resort guests would get a leg up on everyone else. It would be a great perk of staying on site and paying the premuim price that we do.

 

[julie4423]

I voted 45. I don't like to commit to that much detail 6 mos out. Also, I agree with PP about all the people that book without really having a solid plan to go. In the end it's only the top restaurants that matter. I made about 6 reservations while at WDW, and walked right up to another. It's not as hard to get in as it seems unless it's CRT or you want an exact time.