Am I crazy or...

[DVCJones]

..is my DB and DSIL? They are going to F&W Festival in about a month. I have suggested many times that they should make ADRs. They insist that they will not have a problem getting what they want. They said that they would probably have to wait 20 min. but, that they always get what they want by walking up.

They have not been to WDW in two years. I have explained that the DDP has changed everything. I wouldn't care so much, but they are buying the DDP for the first time and I would hate to see them shell out that kind of $$ and get shut out.

This surprises me because they are DVC members and seem to be unaware of what is going on. Perhaps I am wrong and they won't have a difficult time. I have never been during F&W so maybe I am not the best person to give advice.

I told my DB that I would ask the wonderful all knowing DISers for the answer. As I see it, it is probably too late at this point to do anything about it. Oh, I almost lost it when they said they planned on eating at LeCellier.

So DISers...am I crazy or is DB?

 

[ccigliano]

I think that time will tell that you are indeed correct. And victory will be oh so sweet as they will not be eating beef tenderloin sitting on a bed of mushroom risotto at Le Cellier as they may get a lunch ressie but they don't serve the Le Cellier Filet at lunchtime - people have tried. You are right, the DDP as it stands for 2007 changes everything. It is too good a deal for families with teens who will be eating at the parks most of the time to pass up. I think the 2008 dining plan will get things back to where they use to be as it really isn't such a bang for your buck and all us DVCers will go back to packing bagels and oatmeal and eating late lunches at the the restaurants and snack at night. I suppose only time will tell but the odds are in your favor not theirs.

 

[Lalita]

Is it just the two of them going? We were there this past Aug 14-21, we didn't make any ressie for this trip, it was just my sister and I, as my sister felt when we went the time before we were always on a schedule. My TA tried to convince me to let her make ressie for us but we didn't. I think cause it was just the two of us, it was actually easy to make the ressie. We tried to get Coral Reef for the whole week we were there, and there was no ressie, we tried to just chance it and walk in, and they were quite easygoing about it, saying no problem at all. We even got Le Cellier, but had to cancel it.

 

[MinnieGirl33]

I think the only reason they may have a glimmer of hope is that they are only a party of 2.

Otherwise I would have

 

[kikiq]

I think the only reason they may have a glimmer of hope is that they are only a party of 2.

That's true. We were there in August. The trip was set up late June and when I called to make ADR, the cm asked when and I said August and she said ,"OK, hope you are flexible." But when I said that there were only 2 of us and we wanted to eat early like around 5:30, she said that we had a good chance at just about every place EXCEPT Le Cellier<G> She suggested I program my cell and call while I was at WDW and something might open up. My DH decided he didn't need to eat there.

 

[DVCJones]

So happy to hear that they may have a chance at getting in most places. It will be just the two of them so hopefully they will be in luck.

Thanks for the response!

 

[ericamanda01]

My best friend and I just planned a last minute trip for F&W Oct 19-24th. We have the dining plan and I am an obsessive planner, so I called the second we knew we were going. We didn't get one single time that we wanted at all the resturants we booked at. All the reservations were at least 45 minutes off from the time we wanted. I would recommend PS.

 

[n2mm]

We are a party of 2 and going Oct. 14-26 and I've made all of my ADRs at the 180 window. I've since modified a few of them, but only the resort restraurants (Kona & GC Cafe). When I made my Coral Reef ADR I had to choose from 3 different days in order to get a good time. I have my 2 LeCellier ADRs set in stone. While your DB may be able to get into some places, the A list places will be tough to get into, if at all. We've use the DDP for our last 8 trips and agree that walkins are hard to come by. Post back to update us after his trip.

 

[DisDaydreamer]

We're the spontaneous type. We really don't schedule much of anything other than our arrival and departure.

What if you're not hungry when it's time to go? Are you stuck with them? What about weather, illness, or unplanned interrupts?

In anycase, we never have a burning desire to go any particular restaurant, so we never have a problem getting a meal when we feel hungry.

In the end, we in general have a very hard time spending $40 - $80 (or more) just for a meal.