ADR's reeeeeeeeeeally frustrate me!!!!

[singjenn]

The thought of making ADR's really frustrate me. Here is why.

When we went to Disney on our honeymoon (May 2000) we didn't make 1 single ADR. We didn't have ANY wait that was more than 10-15 minutes. Now I do I have to say we wore the just married Mickey & Minnie hats, but the only palce that would have mattered at was at a sit down restaurants and we only ate at a few. I really olny remember two (TTS in MK & PH in DTD) but I'm thinking we ate at more???

We are going in May for our Anniversary and this time we got the dining plan so we will be eating at 7 sit down restaurants. I have no clue where we will be and on what day. I am afraid that if I make ADR's that I will not be able to enjoy the parks becasue I will be checking my time.

Does anyone else feel like this? IS there a way around it? HELP!!!!

 

[kmk1180]

It does depend on what time of year you go and what time of day you eat.
We just came back this week. Jan, clearly a slow month,
and around 4pm we were hungry and walked to Cyrstal Palace.
They said it would be a 15 minute wait but really ended up being only 5 minutes.
But by the time we were done a little after 5 there was a long line of people waiting.

And we were there in June and one afternoon decide to try Jiko that night, we called and did get a ADR for about 8:30 that evening.
When we arrived the place was almost empty, and someone could have easily walked up for a table.

So just because you wan to eat somewhere doesn't mean you HAVE to have an ADR before you arrive.

I think alot of people here on the boards tend of obsess over their plans so it tends to sound like getting a table is harder than it really has to be or is.

 

[Uncle Remus]

The thought of making ADR's really frustrate me. Here is why.

When we went to Disney on our honeymoon (May 2000) we didn't make 1 single ADR. We didn't have ANY wait that was more than 10-15 minutes. Now I do I have to say we wore the just married Mickey & Minnie hats, but the only palce that would have mattered at was at a sit down restaurants and we only ate at a few. I really olny remember two (TTS in MK & PH in DTD) but I'm thinking we ate at more???

We are going in May for our Anniversary and this time we got the dining plan so we will be eating at 7 sit down restaurants. I have no clue where we will be and on what day. I am afraid that if I make ADR's that I will not be able to enjoy the parks becasue I will be checking my time.

Does anyone else feel like this? IS there a way around it? HELP!!!!

Maybe this will help.

Doncha know this is all spozed to be fun, all this plannin'?

 

[Bob P]

Hi,

The biggest difference in the last nine years since you were there is the popularity of the Dining Plan.

I always advise people to make ADRs. They are free, and you can always cancel them later. At busier times of the year people are constantly turned away from sit-down restaurants unless they have ADRs.

 

[summermac]

ADRs are frustrating me for the same reason. Add to that the fact that park hours aren't out until the 90 day window as well and AHHHHHHH!!!! Kill me.

 

[kaybird]

We went on our honeymoon in 1975. We didn't make any ADR's then either.
We make them every trip now, and if you think of them as a fastpass for dining, think you will lose some of your frustration. I look at the EMH and decide what park we are likely to be in, and choose based on that. If it looks like we won't make it, I call WDW-dine, let them know, and ask what else is available. Have a great trip!

 

[patsfan101]

We go during our February school vacation (along woth the rest of MA and NY it seems) so everything is really packed. I try to have at least a dinner reservations every night, but we don't always use them. We have also never used the dining plan because we don't want to pay for meals we won't use. I don't like to be nailed down to having to use my TS res. because I paid for it when I'd rather get a quick CS meal. (or vice versa!) Also, my kids were laways happier splitting an adult meal than eating off the children's menu, and the adult menu invariably has better food.

so bottom line, make your reservations, but don't be a slave to them while your there - enjoy your vacation!

 

[kmk1180]

. I try to have at least a dinner reservations every night, but we don't always use them. !

Without trying to throw you or anyone under the bus, but that's what bugs be about the ADR system.
I think alot of people do that.. Make a ton of ADR's (even under different names) for different resturants on the same night then figure they will just use the one or none they want at the time. Figuring it doens't cost them so why not.
Thus making it hard for people who really want to eat there to get an ADR for a decent time on the day they want.
I think they need to start taking credit cards for all ADR's and make people pay something if they don't show up.

 

[Micca]

I pretty much plan my life around food so it's not a biggie for me.

You can always book ADRs and if you're too busy/having a good time doing something else/get a better offer--cancel them.

 

[Nancyg56]

I pretty much plan my life around food so it's not a biggie for me.

You can always book ADRs and if you're too busy/having a good time doing something else/get a better offer--cancel them.

I do the same thing

I like a plan so ADR's don't bother me, I know that I can cancel if I want but because I like to eat I am glad to know I have someplace planned and in place.

 

[singjenn]

Without trying to throw you or anyone under the bus, but that's what bugs be about the ADR system.
I think alot of people do that.. Make a ton of ADR's (even under different names) for different resturants on the same night then figure they will just use the one or none they want at the time. Figuring it doens't cost them so why not.
Thus making it hard for people who really want to eat there to get an ADR for a decent time on the day they want.
I think they need to start taking credit cards for all ADR's and make people pay something if they don't show up.

I think that's a great idea. It doesn't really seem fair for people to just not show up, or make more than one in case their plans change.

That's why I'm afraid to make any. I just know something will happen and we will be running behind or we will forget. Then I will feel bad because someone else missed out on a reservation.

I guess I'll just talk to my husband and see what he wants to do. We might just end up taking our chances and not make any ADR's.

 

[Tricia1972]

I think that's a great idea. It doesn't really seem fair for people to just not show up, or make more than one in case their plans change.

That's why I'm afraid to make any. I just know something will happen and we will be running behind or we will forget. Then I will feel bad because someone else missed out on a reservation.

I guess I'll just talk to my husband and see what he wants to do. We might just end up taking our chances and not make any ADR's.

In no way am I suggesting the DOUBLE booking is ok, so I hope that nobody misunderstands what I am about to say.

I would not worry about making one reservation for where you think you want to eat on a certain night. You can call and cancel at the last minute if you know you won't make it.

Disney knows that not everyone will make it for their dining reservation, so they overbook restaurants to accommodate for some no-shows. Calling to cancel is always polite, and if enough people call then a restaurant could allow walk ins (I would guess that if they overbook by 10% then if 11% cancel - they could seat more walk ins)

You will need to be mindful of those reservations that take a CC to hold it and adhere to their cancellation policies, or you will be charged a no-show fee.

 

[dls881]

We're going for 8 days; leaving on Sat. I've made 4 ADR's and have made a itinerary around them. With the park hopper, I know I'll get to the restaurant even if my itinerary changes. The other meals we are winging it. We'll take our chances when we're hungry; I know we'll find food somewhere. And since its only DH and I, we don't have to worry about going to the kids' favorites this trip

 

[Hollytigs]

ADRs are frustrating me for the same reason. Add to that the fact that park hours aren't out until the 90 day window as well and AHHHHHHH!!!! Kill me.

I know what you mean. Reading the threads here has got me in a complete panic, that if I don't ring up on EXACTLY the 90 day window, I won't be able to eat breakfast at our hotel every morning????

Anyway, I've decided I'm going to book breakfasts just to be safe, and then one dinner for the night when we get a babysitter. The rest of the time, I am just going to have a preferred list of where we would like for each park and wing it! My kids eat early anyway so hopefully we can walk in, and I have no idea where we will be each day as it depends on their energy levels / jet lag as to whether we duck out of the parks before lunch, after lunch, early afternoon or evening!

 

[Bree]

I got all in a tizzy too. We added the Deluxe DDP last minute yesterday so I was on the phone and scouring menus for a good part of the day. I got everything we wanted at the times we wanted and now I'm sitting here wondering why I was in a frenzy to begin with We've never been to Disney with our kids and usually just "go with the flow", but I was just too nervous to do that with them. I think most of us know just how patient little ones are

 

[patsfan101]

I was just reading back on this and it does sound from my post that we make lots of reservations and show up to a few of them - that's not what I meant at all! We do try to plan our days, one at each park, one at the hotel to enjoy the pool, scenery, etc, and book appropriate restaraunts. But it does happen that maybe one day of your trip, you are just too tired to make it to a reservation and leave the park early. I always cancel the ADR if that happens, and it has maybe happened twice or three times. I'm just saying that you shouldn't get all frustrated over making ADR's and then trying to make to the restaurant. It's vacation - its supposed to be relaxing! And I would never never double book a dinner. That's just rude. It's hard when you know you are going during a busy time. If you don't have ADR's, you won't get TS.

 

[ancestry]

To the original poster - I totally understand how you feel. What you wrote is exactly what we have been feeling as well. I really dislike losing the flexiblity of being able to eat where I want when I want. I was beginning to feel like my entire vacation was revolving around eating and was getting stressed out about it. I don't like having to be so regimented regarding a schedule when we are on vacation. I prefer to just go with the flow.

Anyways....So I decided to take a deep breath and relax. We are going to make our dining reservations with our best intentions but if things don't work out then we will call and cancel with the understanding that we most likely would have to eat a CS or RS meal instead.