Anybody know what's wrong with some Epcot restaurants being blocked?

[SteveC]

Good morning - I'm new here. Today is 180 days out, and I have had a major problem booking two restaurants...Chefs De France, and Restaurant Marrakesh. Neither restaurant has a time available after 3PM for my whole stay. So I called the phone number at 7AM and after 40 mins on hold, the nice girl on the other end said that she shows both restaurants being closed after 3PM the entire month of November. I know that can't possibly be the case. Has anybody else seen this in their time booking reservations? Last year (and again this year) I was unable to get 50s Prime Time or Hollywood Brown Derby later than 5:55pm, and I suspected it was due to Fantasmic dining packages. And I think I was correct because about six weeks later the times past 6PM opened up. Is Epcot having a new dining package that I just don't know about? Because that's the only thing I can think of here and nobody at Disney can answer my question as to why I can't book two restaurants for dinner. (Not to mention I'm exhausted from the whole process, lol).

Would appreciate any help or feedback!

 

[mom2rtk]

Epcot probably has to do with holding back ADRs for Candlelight Processional packages.

 

[SteveC]

There could be something to that, the processional doesn't start until two weeks after I leave, but they may be getting things ready and just blocked the month to do it. Rose and Crown and Spice Road are the exact same way right now. Thanks for writing back!

 

[Paul M]

The last time we took a trip in November (2017) we had the same exact problem. A lot of restaurants (Epcot and MK) didn't have availability (180 + 10) and these were all restaurants that are usually VERY easy to get. When I called Disney, I got different answers from each person and none of them knew why. However, I kept watching and eventually the entire day opened up. I used TP Reservation finder so it would alert me to when they opened and they I had my choice. I hope this helps. ( and I agree, it is not due to Candlelight - we were going at a non-procession time as well)

 

[SteveC]

Thanks for this! I have been going to Disney multiple times per year for the last fifteen years and had no idea that there was a place that alerted you as to when reservations unlocked.

 

[SteveC]

FYI - Chefs De France dinner window opened up yesterday. Marrakesh didn't yet. Thanks again to everybody for their responses!

 

[lovingeire]

I couldn't get a reservation at Cape May for my arrival night on 10/30 and I thought it was the weirdest thing. I cannot figure out what is going on. It's available every other night of our trip, but the night we had planned to eat there.

 

[chelleb1974]

The last time we took a trip in November (2017) we had the same exact problem. A lot of restaurants (Epcot and MK) didn't have availability (180 + 10) and these were all restaurants that are usually VERY easy to get. When I called Disney, I got different answers from each person and none of them knew why. However, I kept watching and eventually the entire day opened up. I used TP Reservation finder so it would alert me to when they opened and they I had my choice. I hope this helps. ( and I agree, it is not due to Candlelight - we were going at a non-procession time as well)

How do I find the Reservation Finder on the TP website?

 

[chelleb1974]

How do I find the Reservation Finder on the TP website?

Nevermind - I found it! Sorry!