Can someone help a newbie with ADR questions??

[NightAngelX]

Good morning everyone,

Last night I stayed up way too late trying to figure out my reservations. By the time I made my decision reservations were gone that I wanted.

Should I keep checking everyday?

For instance I wast trying to pick a MK resturant and finally decided on Crystal Palace even though we're two adults, but the one reservation left in the pm was gone on the date we wanted. Sigh. I can get in on another day but I wanted our dinners to correspond with which park we were at for the day.

Then on Wednesday I wanted to do the Fantasmic Dining Package and thought I just needed a reservation at one of the 3 resturants but its apparently a special package and the only openings are early in the afternoon. Are ALL the times for the Fantasmic dining early in the day or am I just SOL because I am doing this too late? Again if I keep checking everyday will I have luck?

If I were to contact a travel agent would she have more of an 'in' with these places to get my reservations or would she be doing the same thing I am online??

Should I try calling? Does calling ever show a reservation that doesn't show online?

My goal this weekend is to get these figured out.

 

[justcantwait]

Yes! Definitely keep trying. Not sure when your travel dates are, but something to keep in mind - the date to cancel a package without penalty is 45 days before the trip. So, some people will cancel their trip (and therefore their ADRs) 46-50 days out. Keep checking every day if you can, and if you don't find anything by about 50 days out, odds are someone might cancel then and something will open up. That's how I got in to Le Cellier on our last trip. If it will make you feel better to at least have a reservation for the places you definitely want to go to, make the ADR for whenever you can get. Then, keep looking and if you get the day/time you want, cancel the other one.

I've never done the Fantasmic package, so I can't give you an answer on that. As far as having a travel agent book your ADRs, I didn't find that they had any kind of pull after the 180 days. They may get in earlier on the 180 day mark, but after that, I think the playing field is level. Calling couldn't hurt. They may have sympathy for you and try a little harder to help than going online would do. If all else fails, check with your hotel concierge when you get there and see if there's anything they can do.

In any case, sorry this was so long! Have a great trip and try not to sweat it at this point. Just keep trying and hopefully something will come through. HTH

Kathy

 

[TDC Nala]

I don't think Fantasmic packages are available after 5 PM. There are also lunch packages, it's possible (sounds like you are well past your 180 day mark) that lunch is all that's available at this point.

No, travel agents don't get priority.

 

[NightAngelX]

Thanks for the info. Yes we are hoping to stay Aug 26-31st (we havent officially made reservations yet waiting on Disney visa)....I hear those were Free Dining times so yeah I expect to have issues. ugh. This is my first time going to WDW so I had no idea it would be so hard to get reservations!

I will definitely try at 45 days out! Great tip!!! I love the DIS!

 

[purple figment]

Don't wait until the 45 day mark because people cancel all the time and something may come up sooner. You're already pretty close to the 45 day mark anyway. Start checking online multiple times a day.

Crystal Palace is very hard to get so it helps if you're flexible - maybe breakfast or lunch instead of dinner. If something comes up take it and then keep looking for something you like better.

Fantasmic Dining Package has to be booked specifically as that. Just having a reservation at one of the 3 restaurants won't work. Fantasmic packages are mid day to not much later than 5 PM and the later ones usually go first so at this point it is very likely that you'll have to do a lunchtime package. It's a fixed price although you will get an appetizer, entree, dessert and non-alcoholic beverage. If there are 2 showings of Fantasmic it will always be for the first one of the night. Here's a link to the dining res page for F!:

http://disneyworld.disney.go.com/reservations/dining/fantasmic-dinner-package/

Here's another link that gives prices for the 3 F! restaurants:

http://www.wdwinfo.com/wdwinfo/dining/fantasmic.htm

Also, places such as CP and the F! Dining Package require a credit card guarantee and do have a penalty if you don't cancel within the specified time frame and then don't show up at the restaurant. This applies to any reservation where you're required to leave your credit card info.