Availability 180 days out

[ejgonz2]

I haven't booked our package yet for late Feb/early March 2019 since I'm not sure who is joining yet, but I've been booking dining each day and I'm stunned by how little is available at typical eating times.

For example, Sci Fi has nothing for groups over 2 at any time close to 5:30 on Sunday March 3...at 6 months out...at Sci Fi??

A similar thing happened for BOG a few days ago, although I was able to get multiple reservations for 1 pm.

I assume more reservations will be opened later?

 

[Tksolomom]

Sci-fi is booking up at 180. I couldn’t get it for my first HS day, but for one later in my trip. It is not unusual at all for BOG to be booked, it is one of the harder reservations to get. If you are onsite, you can book at the 180 day mark for up to 10 days, so they take up reservations before offsite can do 180 days.

 

[ejgonz2]

BOG I wasn't totally stunned by, since I wanted 12:30 and got 1 pm. But Sci Fi I've never had a problem with reservations, especially this far out. H&V dinner is similar, not much available for dinner. I can only assume they haven't opened all reservations yet.

 

[Teamabcdefg]

I don’t know what day you were trying for be our guest but I just cancelled a table of 6 March 2nd at 4:55 late last night.
It was the one thing we thought would be hardest to get so both rooms on our reservation tried for it and we both got it and cancelled one.

 

[Tksolomom]

I think it is so busy with the lack of good food choices at HS and Toy Story Land opening. Sci-Fi is becoming increasingly harder to book.

 

[EdnaMarieMode]

Sci-Fi was the hardest reservation for me to move for my August trip- times just did not open up from 180 days to 1 day pre-trip.

Anyone with a resort reservation on property can book dining at 180 days for the entire length of their stay. Sometimes when nothing is open at day 180 for you, that was day 180 plus 4 or 5 for others. Those guests are who have the reservations already.

Sometimes more reservations are opened but not always and you can’t count on it. You can keep trying because people do change or cancel plans.

 

[kimieko]

Sci-Fi was the hardest reservation for me to book for out trip this past May. I ended up getting one at about then 100 day mark using the Touring Plans reservation notifications.

 

[Runnsally]

Ever since Sci-Fi got that second Michelin star, it’s been booked solid.

 

[Bmh4796]

Ever since Sci-Fi got that second Michelin star, it’s been booked solid.

I have never heard of Sci-Fi???

I thought I was almost squared away with our reservations for the first week of March. Now you’ve peaked my interest....

 

[crabbygal902]

Sci-Fi? That's bananas. We do that one as a walk-up and the food is not even that great, it's the atmosphere that keeps us coming back. Perhaps not all ADR availability is loaded yet??

 

[Shanti]

I haven't booked our package yet for late Feb/early March 2019 since I'm not sure who is joining yet, but I've been booking dining each day and I'm stunned by how little is available at typical eating times.

For example, Sci Fi has nothing for groups over 2 at any time close to 5:30 on Sunday March 3...at 6 months out...at Sci Fi??

A similar thing happened for BOG a few days ago, although I was able to get multiple reservations for 1 pm.

I assume more reservations will be opened later?

Sci Fi and BOG are two of WDW's most popular restaurants, so that isn't surprising. Use Touring Plans reservation finder to snap up those ressies as people cancel them (and they will).

 

[Shanti]

Sci-Fi? That's bananas. We do that one as a walk-up and the food is not even that great, it's the atmosphere that keeps us coming back. Perhaps not all ADR availability is loaded yet??

When was the last time you've been? The waiting area at Sci Fi has always been crammed the times we've been in the past few years, and even people with ADRs routinely have to wait 10-20 minutes to get seated. Walk-ups don't usually get to eat in the cars, so a lot of the ambiance is lost that way.

 

[crabbygal902]

Sorry, I forgot to hit 'reply' so my short response probably made no sense.

We've been going to Sci-Fi for years, no ADRs, just seeing if we can stop in and eat. The answer has mostly been yes. We tried a couple months ago and it worked again. Seeing this thread and the responses of the restaurant's popularity, we must've been very very lucky this time.

OP, best of luck on your ADR. Apparently, you shouldn't put much stock in a walk-up any more.

 

[Shanti]

2 months ago

How long did you wait as a walk-up before being seated? Was this at a standard meal time? Did they seat you at a car or a picnic table?

 

[sanapp]

I think Sci Fi is quite over rated!!

 

[ejgonz2]

Ever since Sci-Fi got that second Michelin star, it’s been booked solid.

 

[ejgonz2]

I wanted to add that while my post was mostly about Sci Fi, I’m seeing this with others as well. I had trouble getting the exact time I wanted for Crystal Palace at 180 days out.

I’m convinced something is amiss...

 

[bwang123]

Use the Touring Plan reservation finder. We were able to secure Sci-Fi, California Grill and Crystal Palace which were previously all booked out for the exact times we wanted.

 

[FSU Girl]

Many restaurants are booked up at 180 days. March has spring break. People who have onsite stays can book 10 days out so that effects availability too.

 

[kniquy]

I haven't booked our package yet for late Feb/early March 2019 since I'm not sure who is joining yet, but I've been booking dining each day and I'm stunned by how little is available at typical eating times.

I assume more reservations will be opened later?

If you are not booking your reservation after the 180 day mark then the hot dining times even at less popular restaurants will get booked. Your best bet is to make your reservations with the assumption that your whole party will be going. You can always show up to a reservation or take people off a reservation BUT you will find great difficulty in adding people. So book what you want now and modify later if you have to. The longer you wait the less options you will have. Think outside the box with your timing. Maybe you have a late big breakfast so dinner can be on the earlier side or if you get a later dinner reservation it might just mean grabbing an afternoon snack. I planned a NYE trip 2 months out and was able to get many reservations by stalking and being flexible with my times.

Most of the time I don't think they hold and open up reservations later.