Best Strategy for getting ADR for Big Group at Be Our Guest ?

[jcvalenti]

I'm travelling with 4 other families in August 2014 to WDW. One of the only "must do" dinners that all 5 of us want to do is Be Our Guest because (a) it's new since last time we all went down and (b) my adorably 7 year old niece wants to do it for her birthday.

There will be 22 of us total. We know it's impractical to expect a single table, but we were hoping we could at least get a couple big tables in the same general area at the same time.

We've got a few days before we're 180 days out from the day we want to dine, but I'm wondering what the best strategy would be ? It seems from checking the website reservation system the last week that the best you can book that way is a table of 6, and if you want to eat around 6 or 7 pm, it seems you'd better be online booking at 6am.

Any advice from others who have arranged a similar larger party there on how we ought to handle ? Should we forget the online reservations and just call WDW-Dine at 180 days out ? Should we have every family get online early and try to make reservations for their own families at a common time and then try to get seated close together at checkin ?

Thanks for any advice. So far, reservations are no problem from any of our other restaurants - but this one worries me.

 

[TDC Nala]

You can't book for a group of 22 online. The most you can book for is 14 without splitting the group. I'm pretty sure you would have to call group dining.

 

[CarolAnnB]

I could not even book a party of 13 online or over the phone at WDW-DINE. I had to split it into 2 parties of 6 and 7. I did not know about group dining, that sounds like a better idea. Since we booked dinner at 6:50PM, I plan to go to BOG when it opens that day and request tables near each other. Not sure if that will work but I am hoping if we give them a heads up, especially since it is my DD's Sweet 16, they will be able to accommodate us.

 

[purple figment]

For a party that large you will need to call the dining line and ask for Group Sales and Dining. You will probably have a better chance of being seated near each other if you make the reservation for the start or near the end of the dinner service when there are more empty tables. The 6:00 or 7:00 you mentioned are prime dining hours so being seated together would be much harder.

Your suggestion of having all 5 families make separate reservations and then request to be seated together when you arrive wouldn't be practical. With separate reservations the CMs have no idea you're together and it will be virtually impossible to seat everyone together unless perhaps you make the reservations for opening or closing time.