ADR Policy - Fair chance for everyone?

[Beast2Prince]

If I am understanding the ADR policy correctly, does it give everyone a fair chance at booking ADRs for a certain date/restaurant? With resort guests being able to book their entire trip (10 days worth) 90 days from check-in, everyone checking in before us will have a sooner opportunity to book the dates we want. For instance, we are checking in to OKW on 10/10 and want CRT on 10/12. So I can book this ADR on 7/12. However, anyone checking in the few days before me can book that date before I can. And since this date happens to be Columbus Day, I am afraid I will not be able to get this ADR. Am I understanding this correctly? And will I have a hard time getting this ADR under this policy? Thanks

 

[WillCAD]

Resort Guests are given the +10 as a perk for staying on site.

"Fair" is all a matter of perspective. If you are able to afford the extra to stay at a WDW resort, then I believe it's fair that you get some extra perks. You pay more, you get more. To me, that's fair.

The fact that some folks wil be able to book YOUR dates before YOU are able to book them makes it more difficult for you to get your ADRs, but certainly not impossible. And remember, YOU can still book your ADRs 10 days in advance of off-site Guests. Just because you're not first in line doesn't mean you're not close to the beginning.

Fairness is in the eye of the beholder. Some folks think it's unfair to spend $300 a night on a hotel room and have to call 407-WDW-DINE at 7am 10 days in a row to book their ADRs.

 

[ChelleinNC]

Resort guests have always (at least as long as I can remember) been able to book +10 days. It's a perk for staying onsite. Yes, there will be people able to book before you, but you'll also be able to book before other people. If the ADR is very important, make sure to get up early and call 1st thing. You should also be prepared to make it for a different day or time but remember you can always call back and check for cancellations

 

[RMulieri]

All in all the system is as fair as fair can be.There will always be people ( I have been one before) that does not get that most desired adr.You do what you can and roll with it, or you can let it ruin your trip.To up your chances have your list ready and call exactly at 0700 90 days out and book your ressies in order of importance and most popular.Even doing all that is no guarantee you will get it.I got shut out of CRT last trip, I just went with it and we had a great time regardless of it.

 

[dustyraye]

For instance, we are checking in to OKW on 10/10 and want CRT on 10/12. So I can book this ADR on 7/12.

Someone correct me if I am wrong, but I thought that CRT was still booking at the 180-day mark, not 90-days out. My travel agent was able to book CRT a few weeks ago, about 2 weeks before the 90-day mark for my April trip. (I'm sure I would have been able to book it earlier, but I had just decided that I wanted it at that time.)

 

[RMulieri]

Someone correct me if I am wrong, but I thought that CRT was still booking at the 180-day mark, not 90-days out. My travel agent was able to book CRT a few weeks ago, about 2 weeks before the 90-day mark for my April trip. (I'm sure I would have been able to book it earlier, but I had just decided that I wanted it at that time.)

I believe CRT is also now 90 days as well.At least that is what is listed on allears, and what my TA told me the other day.

 

[vicki_c]

Those "exception" places -- CRT, Chef Mickey's & V&A's, are longer than 90 days right now -- I'm pretty sure you can book them now for dates through June 19 (I might be off a few days).

Once it becomes 90 days from June 19, they will also be 90 day ADR windows as well, so I guess that's around mid-March.

They're currently just an oddball exception until it's 90 days out from that June date. So if you're going before that date, you should be able to make reservations for those restaurants now.

 

[disnut8]

The policy is as fair as it is going to get. Is it fair the people who live on the East Coast get a "reasonable" start time of 7:00 AM to start making reservations? West Coasters have to get up at 4:00 AM to start calling if they want to do it first thing in the morning. What about people overseas that are making that long distance phone call? Or even if the online reservation capability goes through, what if someone's internet connection isn't as fast as another person's? You can find lots of "unfairness" with any system.

 

[SoonipiLady]

I just made a reservation for LeCellier for 7 people 89 days out. We had an early dinner reservation for 4pple(4:45pm) which was the only time available yesterday and today they had table for 4 and 3 that they will try and put together at 7:50pm (the time I approximately wanted when I called yesterday). That 7:50 table wasn't available when I called yesterday. Either they had a cancelation (unlikely at 89 days out) or they opened some more tables up today.

I'm just happy to get ressies at LeCellier at all. We got another one on our last evening there too, this one all 7 together at one table. We haven't been able to get ressies at LeCellier at 180 days out for a large party in years.

Of course the economy MAY have some impact on that as well.

Karen

 

[dvcdisney]

I know this may seem trivial, but if I wanted an adr that is usually very difficult to get. I would work around my plan to see if I can put that restaurant on the 10th day on my vacation. So basically, there are better odds that I will get that date since the booking date opens on the day I call. However, I will admit, I have usually gotten all my preferred adrs at the booking window whether it was the 1st day or the 10th day. And I usually just call 4 days later to get the next 4 days worth of adrs.

But then again that was at the 180 days in advance policy. I may have a different experience when I book my next set of adrs.

 

[SoonipiLady]

I know this may seem trivial, but if I wanted an adr that is usually very difficult to get. I would work around my plan to see if I can put that restaurant on the 10th day on my vacation. So basically, there are better odds that I will get that date since the booking date opens on the day I call. However, I will admit, I have usually gotten all my preferred adrs at the booking window whether it was the 1st day or the 10th day. And I usually just call 4 days later to get the next 4 days worth of adrs.

But then again that was at the 180 days in advance policy. I may have a different experience when I book my next set of adrs.

I do the same thing. I try and make a ressie for ANY day at the end of my vaction that I may want to go there. I have a reservation for our last two days of vacation at Le Cellier. I know we'll be going on our arrival date to Epcot, but I because we are going to the waterparks this year, I don't know when our 2nd Epcot day is yet(or even if we'll have one). This way we can either go after the waterparks or on our second Epcot day. There was even a choice of times on Day 8. No choices on Day 1. Took what they had.

Karen

 

[Karamia]

I have never had a problem with ADR's. I book pretty much as soon as possible but not exact. Is the free dining making this more essential?