ADRs and Free dining

[2Xited4Disney]

Hi everyone.

I am thinking of planning another trip to take advantage of the free dining. Last year it was REALLY tough making ADR's (everywhere was filled)

Is anyone having any trouble getting ADRS for the 8/30-9/04 yet?


Plus anyone know where I can find the ADR calender

 

[jaw55]

I will be at WDW from 08/30 - 09/08. I have not been able to book Le Cellier for dinner, although they still have lunch availability, and had difficulty getting a decent time for Wolfgang Puck Cafe. But had no trouble getting any of my other ADRs for O'Hana, Kona, Flying Fish Cafe or Cape May Cafe.

 

[Slothman23]

I'll be down there 8/26-8/31 and had no trouble getting lunch at the Rose and Crown and San Angel Inn. I got dinner at Boma easy enough, but had to settle for 8:45 on 8/30 at Teppanyaki in Japan.

 

[hobbester]

I'm having trouble getting a decent time for Chef Mickey's at dinner time during that first week of September, but I was surprised that I had several different time choices for California Grill.

 

[disneyfanUSA]

I'm going 8-24/9-3 had no trouble got everything i want!! With free dinning!

i got all my ADRS i wanted for rain forest cafe' (free dinning didnt start so were paying op)crystal palace, sci-fi, spoodles, donalds breakfast, chef mickeys, 50's prime time, le cellier, and whispering canyons.

I hope you all get the ADRs you want keep calling!!

 

[Harlemgirl720]

Hi everyone.

I am thinking of planning another trip to take advantage of the free dining. Last year it was REALLY tough making ADR's (everywhere was filled)

Is anyone having any trouble getting ADRS for the 8/30-9/04 yet?


Plus anyone know where I can find the ADR calender

The trick to all of this is that you have to book your dining way in advance. I knew that the free dining was going to be available to non-visa members on April 12 so I booked my dining before I booked my trip. I was able to book all my favorite restaurants. When I spoke to a Disney Cast Member on the phone he told me I did the right thing because they were busy and everyone was making hotel reservations and dining reservations at the same time. I am going from 8/26 to 9/2. My GF is going the same time and she made a few reservations last week and was able to get what she wanted. Good luck to all who haven't made their reservations yet.

I got Le Cellier for dinner, Boma for dinner, Sci Fi Dine In for lunch, Chef Mickeys for breakfast, Tony's Town Square for dinner, Crystal Palace for breakfast and Donalds Breakfasaurus. Le Cellier is one of the most popular places for dinner.

 

[Andrea]

question i am new to all of this, so you have to make reservations with free dining ? we cant just go down there and find somwhere to eat with free dining ? and where are you finding all this places at ?

 

[BeckWhy]

question i am new to all of this, so you have to make reservations with free dining ? we cant just go down there and find somwhere to eat with free dining ? and where are you finding all this places at ?

There is much debate to this. Most of the popular restaurants, such as Le Cellier in Epcot (as referred to above) are near impossible to get ADRs for. But when I was there for free dining last year, each park had signs listing the places that had openings and at what times at the guest relations buildings. There were several restaurants that had openings everywhere. But perhaps the place you may want to eat may or may not have an opening. I was very surprised to find out that 'Ohana was taking walk-ins last year when we went since I thought it was pretty popular. Places to eat are generally shown on the park maps or hotel maps, but someone can always direct you to the restaurant.


On another note, last year during free dining Disney was making phone calls to everyone to remind them to book their ADRs for their trip since restaurants were getting filled up. I do know if you want what I believe to be normal dinner times (we didn't eat during lunch or breakfast at any TS), 5:00 - 6:30 pm the restaurants were filled. I had all my ADRs for 6:30 to 7:00. I really didn't have any idea what time we would want to eat, so I just said "what times do you have open?" and the CM told me and I told her what time I wanted. I got my ADR for every restaurant that I wanted on the day I wanted. I do believe I booked the free dining plan the day or day after it came out (maybe a week late?). I am not sure as to when I booked my ADRs... maybe if I read my trip report I could tell you, but I believe it was a bit later.

 

[mrzrich]

question i am new to all of this, so you have to make reservations with free dining ? we cant just go down there and find somwhere to eat with free dining ? and where are you finding all this places at ?

I wouldn't advise going down during free dining without some reservations. Here's a website with all the restaurants that participate in DDP

http://www.allearsnet.com/pl/packages06a.htm

and menus for the restaurants

http://www.allearsnet.com/menu/menus.htm

If you find places you'd really like to try, your best bet is to reserve a table.

I can't get Le Cellier for Lunch or Dinner Sept 12-16. I'll keep calling though!

 

[Harlemgirl720]

question i am new to all of this, so you have to make reservations with free dining ? we cant just go down there and find somwhere to eat with free dining ? and where are you finding all this places at ?

Andrea, I would never go there without making reservations first. I didn't go down last year and I am kind of surprised that Disney had to call people to remind them to book their restaurants. But on the other hand, I can understand for those who are new to this.

Tip**Even if you aren't sure if you are going but have a suspicion that you are and you know the dates you are going, you can make reservations without staying at a Disney resort. Just be curteous and cancel them if you don't go. It may sound crazy but they way favorites are booked so far in advance, you may not have a choice.

 

[FlowersChild]

There have been times when I was able to walk into the 1900 Park Fare, Cape May and the The Crystal Palace. When I stayed at the Beach Club they even worked me into the breakfast at Akershus Royal Banquet Hall in Norway

I have seen the 1900 Park Fare take in others that just walked in. So if you can't book a meal at the places you want, you could try a walk in and many times they do take you in

Now I am not saying that you will for sure get in, I am just saying they might work you in

 

[luv2nascar]

I booked the ADRs prior to booking fee dining. So no problems getting times and restaurants we wanted.

 

[DonaldTDuck]

Last year I found out about free dining in June. I booked and made ressies by June 10. I had Le Cellier for lunch, PTC, Biergarten H&V(Fantasmic package), CP, Donald's Breakfastsaurus and HDDR. Had R&C, but switched to LC in July.

 

[stepdisney]

I will be at WDW from 08/30 - 09/08. I have not been able to book Le Cellier for dinner, although they still have lunch availability, and had difficulty getting a decent time for Wolfgang Puck Cafe. But had no trouble getting any of my other ADRs for O'Hana, Kona, Flying Fish Cafe or Cape May Cafe.

We will be there the exact dates!! We got everything, including LeCellier for dinner. Keep trying.

 

[dyna]

Didn't know we was going durin Free dining till 2 weeks ago didn't even have a disney visit planned at all till 2 weeks ago. Called just as soon as we knew we was going and got all my ADR's at the TS I wanted at the times I wanted lucked out an even got LeCellier for day and time I wanted but there is only 2 in my party that can make a big difference.

We did free dining 2 yrs ago those that didn't have ADR's was being turned away from every TS we walked past in the evenings. That year nothing was posted in the parks about which TS still had tables.

 

[HugsForEeyore]

I am going to WDW on some of the same dates as the OP, and I had a hard time finding ADRs for the Sunday of Labor Day. I wanted dinner at a resort on the monorail, and Ohanas, Concourse, and Chef Mickeys were completely booked or had nothing before 9:20. Ouch! We want to see the fireworks so that was too late. Finally got the Grand Floridian Cafe, which I probably got since they are changing the menu to accomodate the character meal (as 1900 Park Faire is closed then), and we have no idea what we will be eating! But we got a good time, so I was very glad!

The rest of the week (including Labor Day), we had no problems getting the restaurants we want (Coral Reef, Chef Mickeys, Ohanas, Garden Grill) at decent times!

 

[madenon]

I'm going to be at WDW from 09-04/09-12. I've made all my ADR's but one, and had some problems getting those for le Cellier and Coral Reef. I ended up booking lunch for both, at the CR after calling back once because of the day I wanted to go was booked full the first call.

 

[kapeman]

We're going 9/15-9/21 and we couldn't get LeCellier or Momma Melrose.

We also had to move some others around to get them all in.

Good Luck!!!