ADR's....... Please Help

[Lannin]

Good Day

I am from Scotland UK, and myself and my partner go to WDW on 14 September this year....

Now we had the free DDP and are in a pickle, we dont like to plan 5 mths b4 we go as to where to eat each night, we like to get up and decide what grabs us....

I do appreciate that doing this we will maybe not get where we want and the times we want, however some of what I am hearing suggests we will be lucky to get any meals at all.....!!

Any advice / info would be most gratefully received.

 

[mommyof2princesses]

We are going around the same time as you, and last year we went the same time. The park were not crowded, but those without ADR's were being turned away from all the restaurants. WE saw people turned away from Crystal Palace, Le Cellier, Sci Fi, we couldn't beleive how many people were being turned away!

 

[DISNEYNY]

I would suggest trying to make so kind of plan for your dining. I know it can be difficult because you have to coordinate what park you will be in for the restaurant you need. I am going at the end of August on free dining. I called the other day to make a change to my Le Cellier reservation and it was totally booked up. We went last year at free dining and people were being turned away all the time. You better make some reservations now. If your plans change on that day there is no penalty for not showing up....except for a few higher priced places that will charge your credit card if you don't go.

 

[Ladybugsy]

Another option is to eat your biggest meal at lunch time. I think it would be easier to get into TS restaurants at lunch rather than dinner if you would like to be more spontaneous. And then use CS for dinner.
Just a thought

 

[Treacle44]

Hello, I'm from Essex, UK!

I'm totally different to you, I love to plan, but I can see where you're coming from. However as you've got the free dining, it'd be a shame not to be able to use it. So what I would do is have a look at the restaurants choices and pick one for every day of your stay, then just book an ADR for 1 per day and then at least you have something booked. Otherwise my bet is you'll be frustrated and disapointed if you can't get in.

If you do a park itinerary, then even better, do a restaurant in the park you're going to that day.

 

[farrfoo]

I have to agree with you, I had never made reservations for 5 months in advance and I was alittle leary of deciding what were gonna be in the mood for on those days BUT I figure its probably worth it to go ahead and make the reservations, that way your atleast gaurenteed to get your moneys woth since your already on the DDP. I just called and made all my ADRS for September and she said that the resturants were already booking for October so Id get on it right away. Good luck and have fun trip!

 

[MEK]

I make ny ADR's early. there are always one or two I change. I have even changed on the morning of the ADR. All that means it that I have to take a late seating somewhere. Pick you favs and make ADR's for those. Be spontaneous with the others. Why not try ADR's for a couple of the signature places and leave alternate days free to be spontaneous. Better to have something now than nothing later.

 

[DisneyInDel]

Make your ADRs! Cant let that free dining go to waste.

Better safe than hungry!

 

[illiniowl]

Another option is to eat your biggest meal at lunch time. I think it would be easier to get into TS restaurants at lunch rather than dinner if you would like to be more spontaneous. And then use CS for dinner.
Just a thought

Good suggestion. Another option, if you want to keep advance planning to a minimum, would be to pick a couple nights now as your "special dining nights" and make ADRs for 2 TS-credit places on those nights. Whatever TS credits you have left you should be able to use at lunch or even dinner as the mood strikes you, but you'll probably need to be very flexible (eating early or late) and of course some ultra-popular places like Le Cellier might not have any availability at all.

Biergarten and San Angel Inn are 2 TS places that we've walked into without ADRs around 8:30 at night and gotten seated right away at a similar off-peak time of year (mid May).

 

[Lannin]

Hi folks, thanks for the info, I think I am gonna book a few ADR's to fall back on just incase it all goes wrong!!

In the morning if we decide we fancy something else then we can always try and change, if it works great, if not then at least something is booked!!

Thanks again folks!!

 

[The Sweetness]

If you don't plan ADR for all of your TS credits, you may not get to use them as TS (you may be allowed to convert then into CS, but what fun is that? ) make the ADR, you can call dining and cancel, day of, if you have a change in plans that day

If you are early lunch eaters, and dont mind this being your daily TS, you could try getting a table at opening (sometimes 11 am) I have heard that this strategy can work, if it suits you.

Have a great trip