ADR's on dining plan

[Allisonjane]

We have booked 2 weeks in september with the dining plan, i was lucky enough to get it free when it was offered in the UK. Am i right in thinking i will need to make 14 ADR's for my table service meals 180 days before, from what i've read on here it seems if i dont then i wont get in anywhere and could end up losing my credits. I was going to make some of them in advance but didnt really want to plan the whole 14 days now

 

[bicker]

Well, no. It surely won't be that bad. Rather, only a few restaurants book up that early, and indeed dinner books up before lunch, so often if you cannot get a reservation for dinner you can still get one for lunch. Beyond that, many restaurants don't book up until perhaps a week before or perhaps a day before. It isn't absolute across-the-board. AFIAK, there has never been a single meal when you couldn't get accommodated for dining anywhere. Even just an hour before dinner, even during the peak season, you can typically find someplace to eat, albeit might be Boatwrights or Maya Grill (i.e., you might have to commute to some moderate resort hotel to use their hotel restaurant).

 

[JimMIA]

We've usually found we get what we want just by being a little flexible on which day we go to a particular restaurant...unless we're going at a busy time of the year. Of course, part of our success might be that we don't usually go during the busiest times, and we also like to eat dinner later than many (we usually eat around 8 PM).

I'd make the ones you really want as early as you can. If you want to go to a specific restaurant on a specific night (last night, birthday, anniversary, etc.), I'd book that one early.

During free dining last year, many of the people who didn't make ADRs in advance got a rude lesson. I'd sure book all the ADRs you care about well before your trip. Don't forget there are going to be a LOT of people on the DDP, so the restaurants will be packed.

 

[The Sweetness]

During free dining, honestly I absolutely would not risk it at all.

 

[DisneyJo]

Hi AllisonJane,

Check out this thread from the UK boards which tells you a bit about making your ADR's from the UK. My philosophy (please don't flame me) is that I would rather book my ADR's 180 days out and get what I want then if I change my mind I can always cancel them! I have 14 days free dining too and I'm going to make the most of them going to all the TS I've read good reports for. Hope that helps.

 

[JimMIA]

Hi AllisonJane,

Check out this thread from the UK boards which tells you a bit about making your ADR's from the UK. My philosophy (please don't flame me) is that I would rather book my ADR's 180 days out and get what I want then if I change my mind I can always cancel them! I have 14 days free dining too and I'm going to make the most of them going to all the TS I've read good reports for. Hope that helps.

Nobody's going to flame you for posting common sense.

ADRs are a competition. If you choose not to play, someone else wins and you lose.

 

[DisneyJo]

Nobody's going to flame you for posting common sense.

ADRs are a competition. If you choose not to play, someone else wins and you lose.

Thank you, I made them a few days ago and got everything I wanted including CRT, LeC and HDD so I'm really happy and don't intend on canceling any of them. And knowing I've got them booked gets me even more into the holiday spirit even if it is 6 months away.

 

[2BusyPlanning]

Nobody's going to flame you for posting common sense.

ADRs are a competition. If you choose not to play, someone else wins and you lose.

This is the best thing I have heard all day/month/year! Well put!

 

[n2mm]

Nobody's going to flame you for posting common sense.

ADRs are a competition. If you choose not to play, someone else wins and you lose.

That really says it all!!

I made all of mine already for Aug 15-24. With a group of 11 I knew I had to make them right at the 180 +10 mark and even then I had to move some times around. Anyone with a large group needs to make their ADRs as soon as possible. We did the free DDP in 2005 and 2006 and hopefully if the Disney gods will shine on us, we can make it 2007 too. (But we are going regardless and will just add the DDP on to our DVC reservation instead).