Are ADR's hard to get in Jan?

[rogattdm]

After many sleepless nights last year in vying for restaurants on our free dining excursion last September, I am starting to have nightmares again that it is difficult to acquire dining ressies in Jan. Is this true? I am planning on making my reservations at my 180 day mark (July 26) however I am getting nervous that I will be having a lot of competition like I did for our Sept. 09 vacation. Someone who has gone in January, please talk me down!

 

[TDC Nala]

it will be just as difficult if you want anything ultrapopular, and if you're trying for marathon weekend or MLK weekend I'd suggest you make them early, but it won't be all restaurants full all the time like it is during September free dining. There's generally no free dining offer in January (for US residents - the only one I recall in the past was for the UK)

 

[rogattdm]

We're going Jan 22-29, so that is after MLK and after marathon weekend. Ultrapopular....Le Cellier for dinner, however I made sure that was at the END of 7 day stay.....Castle breakfast also at the end of our stay....

Is the Hollywood Brown Derby Fantasmic pkg. popular?

PS - Thanks for your reply!

 

[catne]

have gone the days immediately after MLK Jr. day in 2009, and went the last week of January 2010...can categorically say: the restaurants were unbelievably EMPTY. As were the parks.(only exception: There was a relatively small group of Brazilian tourist, but they only clogged up one ride at a time at Epcot. Very easy to just go to a adjacent attraction until the tour group moved on, then it was walk-ons. Everywhere)

The restaurants, though -- tons of empty tables. I would guess you'll have no trouble getting most of your choices, even Le Cellier & the Castle. There just aren't that many people that can travel at that time of year (after the holidays, before the spring breaks.) HBD is the least popular Fantasmic package (because it costs twice as much) so it is the last to fully book.

 

[rogattdm]

have gone the days immediately after MLK Jr. day in 2009, and went the last week of January 2010...can categorically say: the restaurants were unbelievably EMPTY. As were the parks.(only exception: There was a relatively small group of Brazilian tourist, but they only clogged up one ride at a time at Epcot. Very easy to just go to a adjacent attraction until the tour group moved on, then it was walk-ons. Everywhere)

The restaurants, though -- tons of empty tables. I would guess you'll have no trouble getting most of your choices, even Le Cellier & the Castle. There just aren't that many people that can travel at that time of year (after the holidays, before the spring breaks.) HBD is the least popular Fantasmic package (because it costs twice as much) so it is the last to fully book.

Ahhh....that's what I needed Thank you...maybe I will be able to sleep tonight!

 

[Purpleblanket]

After many sleepless nights last year in vying for restaurants on our free dining excursion last September, I am starting to have nightmares again that it is difficult to acquire dining ressies in Jan. Is this true? I am planning on making my reservations at my 180 day mark (July 26) however I am getting nervous that I will be having a lot of competition like I did for our Sept. 09 vacation. Someone who has gone in January, please talk me down!

We are going to disney for Dec. 27 until Jan. 1st. On my 180 day mark,
I called first thing in the morning and I got everything I wanted including
Cinderella Castle for 6 pm on Dec. 28 and Le Cellier for 1 pm on Dec. 31st. (although I would have liked a little later but that's ok ( I also got The rose and Crown pub for 10 pm hoping to get a spot on the patio for the illuminations that will happen at 11;45 pm and then it's my hubby's birthday on Jan. 1st and I even ordered a cake) I also got disney's prime time for dinner one night and sci fi diner and tony's town hall and The coral Reef for Lunch the first day on the 27th.
Just call on your 180 days and start with your hardest reservation like Le Cellier or Cinderella castle if that's what you want.
I'm sure you'll be fine. and then you can keep checking back afterward if better times show up - it's not a big deal deal to change a time!

Good Luck!

Debbie

 

[Jen12573]

We have gone two years in a row over MLK weekend and for the week following. This year we had no problems getting our reservations on that Saturday for dinner at 50s Prime Time Cafe (even wtih AM EMH at Hollywood Studios), Sunday at Crystal Palace at 8:05AM (also with PM EMH at Magic Kingdom), and dinner at Chef Mickey's on MLK Day. We got all the days and times we wanted, no problems.

 

[Pakey]

We go every January (10 years now) and we do mostly walkups. That includes one walkup to Le Cellier even.

Character meals inside the parks are still something I would not count on without an ADR. If Le Cellier is a must do, I'd book that ahead also. And Ca Grill for fireworks can be pretty busy, even in January.

But if you are like us and you don't have your heart set on a particular place, you don't have to do the mega planning vacation in January.

 

[jcarwash]

My company has a user conference at the Dolphin every year in mid to late January. This year I was able to make and modify ADRs for places such as Kona Cafe and Narcoosee's up to and during the conference itself. Those restaurants were busy but there was no trouble getting in at all.

One year I made an ADR for Artist Point, day of. That place was not busy at all.

While the restaurants in the Boardwalk can get really busy during the conference, it's not a crowd that will make plans ahead of time, plus they all want to go to Shula's at the Dolphin and Kimono's at the Swan anyway.

 

[Disconsin Gal]

I just wanted to post a quick thank you to the OP . My husband and I are traveling to the world the week after MLK and I'm panicked about ADRs. I will book my husband's birthday dinner for sure (tomorrow is my 180 day mark), because we have a party of 9, but the other 7 guests either have not been to WDW at all, or have not been in a long time. I advised them they should see if there are any restaurants they feel they must do, but no one has responded.

It would be nice if they don't miss out because they don't realize how hard it can be to get ADRs, because I don't want to hound them to make any decisions. The last time my husband and I went was the last week of May in 2008, and while we got into all the restaurants we wanted, our meal times were very bizarre to accommodate.

 

[Matt'sMom]

Today was my 180 day mark for ADRs, for our upcoming mid-January vacation. Got every restaurant at the exact time I wanted for our party of three.

Didn't try to book anything ultra popular, like the Castle or Le Cellier... but our ressies do include a nice dinner at Cali Grill, timed to allow for fireworks viewing from the deck shortly afterward. If you are planning to book at c. 180 days out, you should be fine.

 

[LittleStinkerbelle]

We are going over MLK weekend and I've been making my ADRs one day at a time since our 180 day mark last week (I don't have a resort ressie yet so no +10 for me). So far so good, we've gotten everything we wanted at pretty much the exact times. We weren't going for anything big like Le Cellier or CM, but I did play around looking at availability and we could've gotten CRT if we wanted and 'Ohana dinner too. I was a little nervous because it is a holiday weekend and because of the "190 day glitch" I read about on here, which I missed the boat on, but no problems so far.

 

[rogattdm]

I just wanted to post a quick thank you to the OP . My husband and I are traveling to the world the week after MLK and I'm panicked about ADRs. I will book my husband's birthday dinner for sure (tomorrow is my 180 day mark), because we have a party of 9, but the other 7 guests either have not been to WDW at all, or have not been in a long time. I advised them they should see if there are any restaurants they feel they must do, but no one has responded.

It would be nice if they don't miss out because they don't realize how hard it can be to get ADRs, because I don't want to hound them to make any decisions. The last time my husband and I went was the last week of May in 2008, and while we got into all the restaurants we wanted, our meal times were very bizarre to accommodate.

You're very welcome! I am glad I am not the only obsessive worrier and planner out there We are getting some great responses to this question, keep them coming - they are making me feel a lot better! Good luck with your ADR's tomorrow. I tried getting ressies during free dining last year with 8 people, which was a little hard (that was when it was 90 days). Since you're exactly 180 days out you should be fine. Fingers crossed for you! Let us know what happens!

 

[n2mm]

I've been making mine over the past week also. I was taking advantage of the 190 day glitch, but is has been fixed now. I do have a confirmation and am using that now. Since my trip is 17 days, I still have to make several visits to the online system since it only give me 180 +10. I should be done by this Saturday for my trip that starts MLK weekend and ends Feb. 1. I've not had any problem getting anything I want for the times I wanted. We like to eat earlier during our January trips because it does get dark early and will be cold, esp. after the sun goes down.

 

[Disconsin Gal]

Let us know what happens!

Well, I think I just booked our party of 9 for Raglan Road. The system was being glitchy, but it shows up in my reservations so I think I'm good. I didn't think there would be much trouble, because it seems people either love or hate RR. We love it Still no word from our travel companions, but I know that we're handled for the big event, so I'll stop worrying now.\

 

[rogattdm]

Well, I think I just booked our party of 9 for Raglan Road. The system was being glitchy, but it shows up in my reservations so I think I'm good. I didn't think there would be much trouble, because it seems people either love or hate RR. We love it Still no word from our travel companions, but I know that we're handled for the big event, so I'll stop worrying now.\

Yeah for you! Too bad to those who wait!