Booked 1st Disney Trip only 2 mths in advance and all the cool reservations are gone

[PackMan]

HELP... this is our first disney trip. I'm a complete novice

I got the princess breakfast at Epcot.

Nothing with Mickey is availalable. How can I take my 5 and 2 year old to Disney and not have a meal with Mickey... What can I do to correct this?

I want to book the Tucker House... when I try to book under character dining through Disney it shows available, but then it says there are no characters present. Will there be characters or not at Lunch there?

 

[vicki_c]

No characters at Tusker House for lunch, I believe, only breakfast.

All you can do is keep checking, or check the cancellation thread here. You can still see Mickey at meet & greets without having a meal with him.

 

[twocat]

Breakfast at Tusker House has characters, not lunch or dinner.
Chef Mickey's has Mickey at the breakfast and dinner buffets.

If it HAS to be Mickey try here, too:

The Garden Grill - Chip and Dale's Harvest Feast - Located in the Land Pavilion in the Future World section of Epcot this restaurant features dinner with Mickey, Chip and Dale, and Pluto, all attired "farmer-style". Kids' menu includes chicken tenders, mac and cheese. Reservations are recommended. Lunch ended October 6, 2008.

 

[Rabscuttle]

I have actually been successful arriving at Chef Mickey's at opening and requesting seating. People often do not show up. This has worked for us in the past.

 

[disneychic2]

I would keep checking. People cancel all the time.

Meanwhile, I would suggest getting a book about Disney such as The Unofficial Guide (you can get it an others at the library). It's good to have a bit of knowledge going into your trip such as layout of each park, where the restrooms are located and what you can expect at each park. If you don't do a little planning and familiarizing, chances are you'll spend a lot of time trying to figure things out while there. Good luck and have a magical trip!

 

[HoltDisney07]

Isn't Mickey at 'Ohana during breakfast too?

 

[twocat]

Isn't Mickey at 'Ohana during breakfast too?

You're right!!
From Allears:
'Ohana Character Breakfast - every morning. Characters include Lilo and Stitch, Pluto and Mickey. The meal is served family-style and features eggs, waffles, meats, breads, fruit and more. Advance Reservations are strongly recommended.

 

[LittleMissMagic]

Don't give up! We book last-minute quite often (2 weeks in advance instead of 2 months!), and when I first check ADRs, there will be nothing available, but if I keep looking, I can usually find something.

You'll have to be flexible on times, but I'm willing to bet you'll eventually find an opening at Garden Grill Cafe for dinner, 'Ohana for breakfast, or Tusker House for breakfast (Chef Mickey's books quickly and is difficult to get, but keep looking!).

 

[minniebride]

It sounds like 2 months in advance would be ample time to make dining reservations, but you should actually try to make them 180 days in advance-dining books up really quickly at WDW!

Keep checking back to the online dining system. Consider dining at less popular times (i.e. before 5pm for dinner or late breakfast). Another trick is to try plugging in a guest number that is slightly higher than what your party actually is~that often will increase the amount of reservations available to you.

Good luck!

 

[TinkPirateMom]

You can also try for Mickey's Backyard BBQ.

 

[crostorfer]

Welcome to Disney planning. It's overwhelming for a newbie, most people don't realize to get what they really, really want they have to decide where to eat and when 180 days out.

Although I loathe and despise Chef Mickey's keep checking. Last September a huge amount of dinner reservations magically opened up about 30 days before we left, it may happen again.

Tusker House is by far the best character meal on property, but the secret is out and it's becomming increasingly difficult to get a reservation there. 'Ohana is also wonderful, but is still hard to get at a premium time. Try for between 10:30-11:00 am and there may be an opening. We also love Cape May Cafe at the Beach Club, it's very relaxed and the character interaction is laid back and they spend a lot of time with you. They actually sit at your table with you, no where else did we get that kind of interaction. No Mickey, but you get Minnie, Donald and Goofy.

If all else fails, take your kids to meet Mickey in the MK at Town Hall, and get a Fastpass to do so so you don't have to wait an hour in line. Never fear, your little ones will get to meet the Big Cheese one way or another. Good luck.

 

[laceemouse]

I am a travel agent, specializing in Disney. We try to tell people this all the time. It is best to book your trip 6+ months out, and meals at 180 days. But now I agree, just keep checking back. That is what we do for our clients. And, you can always see characters in the parks if you don't get the meals you want.

 

[wimzie443]

Hello

I moved our trip to July and have ressies I am canceling. I have Ohana on 8/19 at 7:30 am and Tusker House on 8/21 at 8 am. They were for 6 people. I will be canceling later tonight, I don't know if those dates will work for you. Good Luck!!

Terry

 

[psac]

Keep checking. We're going 4th of July weekend, and just booked 3 weeks ago, and couldn't get too many reservations. My wife has been checking a few times a day, and since then, we've been able to get every reservation we wanted. One is at a bad time, but we keep checking to see if we can move it.

 

[DisneyMommie4evr]

We had to reschedule our dates 6 weeks ahead and did not have ADR's for everthing we wanted. I was told by one of the phone reps that every resterant has a walk in policy. So we tried it! Walked in to Tusker house breakfast - 5 minute wait. crystal Palace - 5 min wait, Chef Mickeys Dinner 15 min wait! So don't worry, have a back up plan, but walk in!!! It worked for us last week!! Honestly we waited longer at every ADR we had! But had little waits at our walk in tries. The only thing we didn't get to walk in at was the dessert party! GOOD LUCK!!!

 

[Deb & Bill]

We had to reschedule our dates 6 weeks ahead and did not have ADR's for everthing we wanted. I was told by one of the phone reps that every resterant has a walk in policy. So we tried it! Walked in to Tusker house breakfast - 5 minute wait. crystal Palace - 5 min wait, Chef Mickeys Dinner 15 min wait! So don't worry, have a back up plan, but walk in!!! It worked for us last week!! Honestly we waited longer at every ADR we had! But had little waits at our walk in tries. The only thing we didn't get to walk in at was the dessert party! GOOD LUCK!!!

Not so. I have seen people turned away from many restaurants because they did not have an ADR.

 

[cathy0124]

Don't forget about Cape May Cafe at Beach/Yacht Club. They have a character breakfast with Micky/Minnie/Donald and Goofy as well.

I believe that one is a little easier to get into.

HTH

 

[djp0630]

Don't forget about Cape May Cafe at Beach/Yacht Club. They have a character breakfast with Micky/Minnie/Donald and Goofy as well.

I believe that one is a little easier to get into.

HTH

Cape May does not have Mickey - it has Donald, Goofy & Minnie in beach gear, no Mickey.

Keep trying, people cancel all the time.

 

[Mickey'sApprentice]

Many people, myself included do not like the food at Chef Mickey's, especially for dinner.

Cape May is a much better all around experience, but does not include Mickey.

We planned a last minute trip last year and got: Cape May, Biergarten, Tusker House, The Plaza, and Kona.

Tusker House doesn't have characters at lunch...but if you eat a late lunch...you have special seating for the finding Nemo show which was excellent. We were able to get a walk up table at Rose & Crown.

We were a couple...so finding characters wasn't our top priority.

 

[lmbcdb]

Not sure if you are going in August or September, but there are threads where people post when they cancel ADRs. (to help out others!)

Here's the September thread:
http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=2690023&highlight=cancelled

Here's the August thread:
http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=2652729

Just subscribe to them with "email notification" and you will get updates every time someone posts to it. We got day after Christmas Chef Mickey reservations and Cinderella's Royal table this way.

Good luck!