ADR's?

[Tink78]

Hi
I keep reading about people ringing up months in advance to book dining reservations at Disney.
Is this necessary?
Can you not just decide on the day where you want to eat?

We are travelling next Oct, a group of 7 of us ranging from aged 2-65 and we aren't going to know where we want to eat until the day, and we won't know what time we want to eat etc. so I don't want to be tied down to having to be in a certain park at a certain time for dinner.

Can you still just decide on the day or is it getting a bit crazy with everyone booking so far in advance?

We are going for 3 weeks so we can relax and enjoy a slower paced holiday, so I don't want to be deciding where I want to eat months in advance.

Just wondering if everyone books in advance????
How do you know what you are going to fancy to eat?

 

[disneyholic family]

first of all, you don't have to ring them up, you can make all reservations online...

as for not making advance reservations, you probably could get away with it...
but you have to be willing to give up on the more difficult reservations..
there are restaurants you'll never be able to eat in without advance reservations...

if you don't make them months in advance, i would at least try to make them a few days or a week in advance once you're there...

you'll be able to find something, but not at the time or place of your choice...

if you're willing to eat at say 3 in the afternoon, you'll be able to eat...but not at the high demand hours or in the high demand restaurants..

and it's very possible there won't be anything available at all in the park you're in if you wait until the day you're already in the park...

 

[chmurf]

I'll also add that you're a group of 7. It may be more difficult for your group to find availability on the day.
for some hard to get restaurants or special events, you sometimes get the message "please note that your whole party may not be seated together" (or something along those lines)

There will be availability at some restaurants for the same day (or even a few days in advance) but you won't get the "best" (or popular) restaurants, and even if you do get them your party size might play against you.

So I would suggest to make a selection of restaurants you really want to try. Then plan at least a little bit, and make ADRs for those restaurants and leave the rest to chance if you know for sure you won't be able to plan your whole vacation a few months in advance.

 

[disneyholic family]

good point about the group size....that will make walk ups very very difficult..

 

[wayneg]

I am here now doing DDP as a party of 6, agree with just about everything above, while waiting to be seated each evening many restaurants are turning walk ups away, fully booked for the evening. Others have plenty of availabilty (tend to be less popular)
Not sure about Oct, quieter time of year could be in your favour but if US free dining was/is available for your dates that will fill the restaurants.

Before we tried DDP 4 years ago I was like you, couldn't imagine planning meals in advance, we used to get hungry and eat. After doing it for the 4th time it does work. Its difficult to explain but we used to eat because we had to, now on DDP dining is part of the holiday with all the different themed restaurants, from decided which to eat at 6 months in advance to eating there its part part of the trip.

 

[Tink78]

Wow, scary stuff. I've been 4 times before and never made an ADR before.

What sort of restaurants are we talking about?

We aren't looking to eat anywhere posh (with 2 little ones in tow), but might want somewhere themed maybe some nights.

We're staying off site, and are planning to cook some meals at our apartment, and have some meals on I drive.

So, if we wanted to eat in Disney, on our Disney days, which are the restaurants that we might want to go to that will require ADR's?

Any recommendations? Like I said, we have a 2 year old, 5 year old, 14 year old, me, DH, and my parents so it needs to accommodate everyone in our group.

Thanks peeps, as ever, the combined knowledge on this forum is brilliant.

 

[Elise79]

Its sit down waiter service restaurants that require reservations.

You can eat counter service anywhere, anytime and they are not all burger & chips places if you do a bit of research.

We stay onsite but don't qualify for free DDP as we are DVC members so we do a couple of ADRs - usually 2 character breakfasts (dinners are way overpriced IMO breakfasts aren't cheap but usually fill us so we don't need lunch and only a light dinner), one evening meal in Epcot and lunch on our last day before leaving for the airport. The rest of the time we eat offsite, I cook or we look for a same day ADR depending what we feel like.

 

[wvulion]

I do not live and die by the ADR either. But: If you have little ones and want to avoid lines for characters, you may want to consider making one character dining reservation. That way they're guaranteed a little one on one time. Plus a dining reservation gives you a bit more of a schedule to work around. I would suggest making one or two for early on in your vacation to see how you like it. If you don't, just don't make anymore. Try one to somewhere like Chef Mickey's (characters) for breakfast in the Contemporary and another to a Sci-Fi Restaurant (at the Studios) for dinner (also very low key). Sometimes I just don't want to wait in another line and that ADR is a lifesaver. Have fun

 

[Tink78]

Cool, sounds like I need to call a Florida meeting with my group and ask everyone to do some research and see if there's anywhere specific that anyone wants to eat at so we can get it booked in.

We normally do a schedule but we didn't really want to do that this time, but we might need to have a partial schedule, and then have some free days too.

I love all the planning but as I'm the main planner in my group I'm finding it quite stressful. I want everyone to be happy.

Luckily the people in our group are pretty easy going! Phew!!

How far in advance can I book?
What website do I use to make ADR's??

Thanks lovely peeps. xx

 

[Elise79]

You can book on Disneyworld.com 180 days before the date you want to eat

Having been the planner for a group of 7 - I understand the pressure

 

[chmurf]

We aren't looking to eat anywhere posh (with 2 little ones in tow), but might want some

...

Any recommendations? Like I said, we have a 2 year old, 5 year old, 14 year old, me, DH, and my parents so it needs to accommodate everyone in our group.

Tricky question, but here are some leads (my must-dos anyway)

Breakfasts :
- Character Breakfast at Ohana's (polynesian resort) with Lilo, Stitch, Mickey and Pluto. Fun for kids, hearty breakfast (all you can eat buffet served family style, which means the waiter brings a large skillet for you, as well as food and beverage refills) Fun for the little ones, and great for the older ones too.

You didn't mention if the kids were little girls or little guys, but you could also look at
- Character Breakfast at Crystal Palace (Winnie and friends)

and for something very girly, princessy, and expensive, you could look at Cinderella's Royal Table, or Akershus.


Lunches :
- I would definitely go to T-rex at Downtown Disney. Theming is superb, food is good, atmosphere is relaxed.
- Sci-Fi Dine in at Hollywood Studios, Theming is also very good, it's like an old drive in movie theater where you can eat inside convertible cars. Fun.

Dinner
- For a great experience, I would recommend Sanaa's at Kidani (Animal Kingdom Lodge). Food is very good, and the theming is very interesting. Plus you get to see animals in the savanna just outside of the restaurant (during daylight hours). You can seize the opportunity to take a walk through the savannas at AKL before your meal.

For a nighttime experience, you could also try booking Tomorrowland Terrace Fireworks Dessert Party (it's under dining events on the website)
Reservation opens 2 months in advance (october date were just released yesterday)
it's a very limited availability (maybe 50 tables per night) and you need to prepay (roughly $25 per adult and $15 per kid ... just booked mine for october, 2 adults 1 child and we paid $63 (and cents)
It allows you to enjoy a private viewing of Wishes (along with other party diners) and it starts 1 hour before the fireworks. Included is a buffet of desserts, cookies, ice cream, and lots of sweet things.
(going with a rather large group, I would suggest to call for that one, or you could end up on separate tables)

There are many reviews on all of those restaurants or events in the US part of DIS, that might help you decide.

and don't forget that you can see all the menus on allears http://allears.net/menu/menus.htm