Booked within 180 days..now nowhere to eat

[maddiesdaddy]

Help with off the beaten path restaurants that are still good.

I booked our trip 2 weeks ago for Sept 7-12. I am such a WDW newbie, I didn't even know what free dining was. I just booked then because it worked best in my work schedule.

Imagine my surprise when they told me about free dining..so I took it.

Now I am much more educated and it seems like I am screwed because I booked in fewer than 180 days.

I cannot eat anywhere good. I'm not whining saying that Disney offered me something I can't use..I was coming during this time any way..but I will re think from now on..gotta get low crowds, no free dining..so I am not mad at the situation..I just didn't book within the set system..

But now I am stuck. You would think for party of 2, it would be easy, but it's not..so..I have called for 2 straight weeks each time trying to get the good resturants hoping for a cancellation, and now I am resigned that I just need to book something..

So help me with yummy restaurants for me and a 4 year old sweetie so we can eat food when we aren't character dining..so we need 2 good places for dinner that we have a chance in he77 of getting an ADR.

Thanks.

 

[Christine9125]

Have you tried asking if they have any other time besides what you want open? This has worked for us at times, we just had to go earlier or later then we wanted.

 

[asmit4]

I'd call and see what's open on each day- ideally places in the parks are what you want right? Just sit on the phone with them and hammer it out.

We really liked Raglan Road in DTD and I bet they have openings.

 

[disneysuncat]

Check out a thread on page 2 of this forum titled "I lied to get an ADR". It's about cast members putting in that you're a party of 3 instead of 2 on your dining reservations and there being openings that way. Of course, this may or may not sit well with you (saying you're a larger party than you are) but you can read that thread for opinions about it.

Have you tried to get in at Whispering Canyon? (at Wilderness Lodge.) Your little one might like that a lot.

 

[GoofySon'sMom]

Maybe try a late lunch for your TS? 3 or 3:30?

Beaches & Cream at the Beach Club does not accept ADRs. I don't think the ESPN Zone does either.

Maybe the Yacht Club Galley would have some availablility or the Grand Floridian Cafe? The Wave just opened so they may not be booked yet.

In EPCOT, maybe try the Biergarten or Marrakesh.

Other than that, my only advice is to keep caling to check for cancellations!

 

[LadyZolt]

I say, chin up! Keep calling because people do cancel, and try for meals at the resorts instead of the park. If you can't get Le Cellier at EPCOT, try getting Yachtsman at Beach Club -- it's really good, too! Also, like other said, try for an earlier or later time slot. Or just call and say "What's open for a party of two on this date?" and see what they say.

That said, when you get there, just try walking in some places. DH and I were a party of two in December -- Christmas week -- when it was really crowded. We still were able to walk up and get seated for lunch at Sci Fi (and we got a car! I was shocked. LOL!), and dinner at Kona in the Polynesian. It was great! People often make ADR's and then find on the actual day of the reservation that they cannot make it. So, don't give up hope yet!

One last thing -- when we were there in December, I had made two ressies for Le Cellier -- one lunch and one dinner. On the day of the dinner one, we changed our plans so I called and canceled the ressie. The CM said, "I'm sure some couple will really be thrilled to get this today." I have absolutely no doubt that some other couple was able to snag Le Cellier last minute that day -- and I'm happy with that because my cancelation added to some other couple's magical day.

You never know what might happen -- so keep on trying to book what you can, be flexible with your times, and try asking to be seated somewhere when you're there. I'm sending you pixie dust!

-Dorothy (LadyZolt)

 

[maddiesdaddy]

Thanks all..I think I am being pretty open when I tell them literally..I will take whatever time you have on any dates Sep 7-12, not including the 9th since we are all booked up that day.

So I have flexibility down..I just want to feed my kid good food and now free dining time scares me becuase even if I don't get the restaurant I want, all other options are going to be just as packed. Yikes.

Will try all things suggested here so thanks for reading about my plight.

And thanks for the pixie dust....just clarify that for me..is that TS or CS?!!

 

[maddiesdaddy]

Maybe try a late lunch for your TS? 3 or 3:30?

Beaches & Cream at the Beach Club does not accept ADRs. I don't think the ESPN Zone does either.

Maybe the Yacht Club Galley would have some availablility or the Grand Floridian Cafe? The Wave just opened so they may not be booked yet.

In EPCOT, maybe try the Biergarten or Marrakesh.

Other than that, my only advice is to keep caling to check for cancellations!

We're staying at the GF so I'll check the Yacht Club Galley and the Wave.

 

[sasmmb]

I've never had a problem getting into Restaurant Marrakesh at Epcot. And the food is tame enough even a 4 year old should like it. Also, most 4 yo aren't so crazy about so many sit down restaurants, so try the 2 TS credits places like Hoop-Dee-Doo, or Poly Luau.

As you said you were planning on going anyway, so any credits you use are just free food, and any OOP expenses you would have normally paid anyway.

Enjoy!

 

[holcomb-mania]

The Turf Club at SSR is good and isn't overwhelmingly busy. As is the Plaza in MK.

 

[BCV23]

Since you'll be at the GF, have you tried the restaurants there and at the CR and Polynesian? For the most part, the restaurants in the hotels have much better food. And our family has always enjoyed a nice break in the afternoon before heading out to dinner. It's fun to go to dinner via the monorail or launch if you're headed to the Polynesian.

Citricos, Narcoossee's and the GF Cafe are all great choices at the GF. Kona Cafe at the Polynesian has wonderful food. 'Ohana which is also there isn't our cup of tea and may be booked already anyway but some families enjoy the games there.

California Grill is excellent. We never miss having dinner there. The view is amazing.

I agree that the Wave may have availability as it just opened. Not many reviews of it so far though.

If you still have no luck, try around the 60 and 30 day marks. I've often wondered if more times open up then? Same with once you're quite close...a week out or so.

Finally, the concierge desk at the GF might be able to help you with reservations at that hotel once you're there.

Good luck and have a Grand time!

 

[malcontent]

I would either try booking lunches as my big meal of the day, or combining two TS credits for signature dining at some of the more exclusive signature restaurants, such as Narcoossee (where you would be able to order surf and turf) Citrico or Yachtsman. I think you may find availablity at these places.

True, you would be paying oop every other day for dinner, but it may be worth it as you would be eating free at some really nice places every other day.

 

[maddiesdaddy]

I've never had a problem getting into Restaurant Marrakesh at Epcot. And the food is tame enough even a 4 year old should like it. Also, most 4 yo aren't so crazy about so many sit down restaurants, so try the 2 TS credits places like Hoop-Dee-Doo, or Poly Luau.

As you said you were planning on going anyway, so any credits you use are just free food, and any OOP expenses you would have normally paid anyway.

Enjoy!

Thanks..she is a great TS kid..we do it more than we should at home but I am not big on fast food and sometime, I just cannot come home and cook after working all day...so I'm trying to find as much TS as possible in the evenings..even if I have to Pay OOP.as you pointed out..just because after a full day, having a sit down will be welcomed by both of us.

 

[Manda]

I booked our free dining last year within 180 days and had to make reservations for parties of 3 and 7. It's doable, but you have to be vague with the reservation person and hope for the best. I basically just called and said that I was looking for anything for a party of 7 on Friday night. Or that I was looking for Rose and Crown for any date during the week of 9/x for a party of 7 or whatever. We got everything we wanted.

 

[maddiesdaddy]

Good point Manda..thanks..I thought you had to have a specific restaurant in mind when you called.

Like.."party of 2, California Grill, whatever you got Sept 7-12, but not the 9th"

Subistitute California Grill for many other restaurants and that's my entire speech every day, twice a day. Thank goodness for free LD and rollover minutes on the ol' cell phone.

 

[Manda]

Good point Manda..thanks..I thought you had to have a specific restaurant in mind when you called.

No, not at all. I make a lot of on the fly ressies while we're there, too, where I just call wdw-dine from my cell phone and ask what's available in the next hour or two.

 

[brad3640]

We have been for the past two free dining trips and have loved it. This year we decided for many of the days to do our big meal at lunch and got everywhere we wanted to eat so maybe you could try that. We stay at value every time and absolutely love the food court so that gives us a nice mid-day airconditioned break. You might want to try this also check out the thread september adr cancel/trade you might be able to find something. i will also agree that some of the hotels have the best food so maybe try that
good luck

what were some of the places you were wanting to try?

 

[mygirl]

we just tweaked our schedule a bit and wanted to include a dinner at our resort. i had my pick of times for that exact week. boma is AWESOME - and the resort is really neat to check out with a 4yo.

also try kona at the poly - an easy monorail ride away. our fam loves the atmosphere of the poly and the kona is fabulous.

cape may cafe also had lots of openings when i called, the CM asked if i wanted to try there...

you will not go hungry!
have fun!

 

[bigbabyblues]

We had a good meal at the Big River Grille on the Boardwalk. I don't think they take ADRs, we just walked up and were seated within 5 minutes; this was at lunchtime. It was similar to Applebee's or something, but the food was good.

I think Cape May at the Beach Club (character breakfast, regular buffet at dinner) seems to be a little easier to get an ADR for than some places.

Good luck!

 

[mcsmom]

Don't forget to check the Sept. 2008 ADR Trade/Cancellation thread! (Not sure how to post a link. There is a link in the sticky at the very beginning of this forum.) You can find some really good ressies there.

And keep calling! Last year for the same week that you will be there, I got a CRT Breakfast the week before we left. So anything is possible.

Good Luck!