booking ADRs when its NOT free dining

[erinkristen04]

The past 2 times we have gone to the World we were traveling during a free dining promotion. It made booking ADRs quite challenging (although with quite a bit of persistence and some obsessive checking, I was able to get everything we wanted both trips). Our next trip we will be traveling during a time when there WON'T be free dining. I'm sure it is still challenging to get some of the popular restaurants ('Ohana, BOG, etc.) but will it be on the same level as during free dining? Those of you who have booked during both time frames, did you notice any difference one way or another? Thanks in advance!

 

[jpaatr49]

The past 2 times we have gone to the World we were traveling during a free dining promotion. It made booking ADRs quite challenging (although with quite a bit of persistence and some obsessive checking, I was able to get everything we wanted both trips). Our next trip we will be traveling during a time when there WON'T be free dining. I'm sure it is still challenging to get some of the popular restaurants ('Ohana, BOG, etc.) but will it be on the same level as during free dining? Those of you who have booked during both time frames, did you notice any difference one way or another? Thanks in advance!

We are going for the first time during free dining this November. Trying to get BOG was as hard during non free dining as it has been during free dining. We had better luck with less popular places during non free dining though.

 

[Mambo Junkie]

We usually avoid free dining at all costs, but we are going in September. It is extremely hard to get certain reservations. The previous 3 trips were during non free dining times, and we got everything we wanted, at the time we wanted.

 

[Minniesgal]

We always avoid free dining.

Some restaurants I would always book at 180 days. Ohana, BOG, California Grill, Chef Mickeys the rest we tend to book day of or even day before

 

[CandiceF]

I usually go when it is free dining but this year we arrive in November 1 day before FD starts and had no problem getting any ADR even BOG dinner or CRT. I even adjusted my times throughout the day. I had a hard time getting BOG last year during FD even at my 180 days. I finally got it the month before we left but I had to search a lot to get it. I think the time of year and what events are going on during non FD times might also effect ADR availability. Good luck!

 

[Mambo Junkie]

I have a client who is going to WDW in October, and has had her reservation package for almost a year (as soon as she could book it). She knows nothing of what to do, so today she asked me what should she know. I asked her what she wanted to know about and she asked about ADRs since she couldn't book them until August. I'm like, er, no, you can book them now. So, I took out my phone and showed her how to make reservations. Anyway, my story is, don't sweat it too much beause if you look 2 or 3 days out, a lot of reservations pop up where people drop them at the last minute as they firm up their plans.

 

[DisBuckMan]

We will never go during a free dining period again due to the headaches it causes with making reservatioins. Some may enjoy it, and view it as a "game"....I don't. We will go in the spring as long as Disney continues to offer FD in the fall. We have ZERO problems getting ADR's when and where we want them in May. If they ever come to their senses and end this promotion, we will go back to going in the fall.

 

[Jadyreen1282]

I booked bounce back fd for this September last year. I got all my adrs minus SWDP at HS at 180 days. Book adrs at 180 days and you're good wait till later you're done.

 

[ILovePixieDust]

Has anyone had experience booking ADRs in March? Does the spring break crowd make it more difficult or is free dining period still worse?