Can't make any ADRs Help!!!!

[ILoveDiz]

Well I finally decided we are planning a great Disney trip or so I thought. We have stayed at the Campground several times but this time we are flying and staying at CR with a theme park view. Got the whole family excited about it and booked yesterday. Called today to make some ADR at our favorite restaurants. I didn't expect to get prime time dining but was disappointed not to get any reservations for lunch or dinner. Is this expected during free dining plan time. If so I think we may cancel even though we booked our flights. So far all I have is Ohana at 9:30 pm. Any suggestions

 

[MariDisney]

It's not that unusual, but it stinks. My advice is to try some of the less popular places. You might just find a new favorite!

 

[disneynuts777]

When are you going? What ADR's are you trying to get and for how many people?
Making ADR's this year has been crazy. With FD starting a week earlier this year alot more people have been able to take advantage of it.

I would keep calling and see if there are any cancellations. I have had some pretty good luck at the 44 day mark when people who have had vacations booked cancelled them at the very last minute.(45 day mark).

 

[ibouncetoo]

Please tell us what places you were trying to get in. We may have some good/similar alternates for you.

Plus you could look at this as a good opportunity to try new places. I know I've got my favorites and Disney dining is a really nice part of the trip for me. But I'd never cancel a trip just beacuse I'd have to miss Boma/LeCellier/Ohana/Crystal Palace/whatever.

Anyway, put us to the test to see if we can give you some great 'not on everyones list' options. (please advise any food alergies or strong dislikes)

....and do keep trying, people cancell all the time.....

.

 

[aubriee]

Keep trying, but meanwhile consider some out of the way restaurants that aren't so popular. For example the new Sanna restaurant at Kidani Villages at AKL. We ate there a few weeks ago and it was wonderful. You might also consider other resort restaurants like: Turf Club at SSR, Grand Floridian Cafe at GF, the Wave at CR, or Maya Grill at CSR. How about some DTD restaurants? Raglan Road is very good and Wolfgang Puck's isn't bad. Some less popular park restaurants might also have some opening: Plaza at MK or Biergarten or Marrakesh at Epcot. Cat Kora is opening up a new restaurant in place of Spoodles at the BW. No one is able to get ADRs for it yet. How about using your TS for lunch and then eat at a CS for dinner. Lunches are usually easier to get. You may just have to be more flexible. Good luck!

 

[es45]

I would keep calling and see if there are any cancellations. I have had some pretty good luck at the 44 day mark when people who have had vacations booked cancelled them at the very last minute.(45 day mark).

This is what I'm hoping for too. I've not been able to get a single ADR that I wanted, either.

One restaurant to consider is Kona Cafe. We ate there for the first time during our last trip. It was a great break from the MK crowds for our kids; a nice meal for the whole family. After we ate, we walked around the Poly and then watched the fireworks from the beach. I understand that you can see the Electric Water parade from there too.

 

[LexiC123]

You're thinking of canceling your trip because you can't get the dining reservations you want?

Wow. Just...wow.

 

[AmberHeartsDisney]

I called yesterday to make my ADR's and i got right through at 7am, i got everything i wanted too. What time did u call? Id keep calling back everyday and see if what you really want is open. Dont give up!

If you look at the link in my siggy it shows all the place i got.

 

[ibouncetoo]

This is what I'm hoping for too. I've not been able to get a single ADR that I wanted, either.

One restaurant to consider is Kona Cafe. We ate there for the first time during our last trip. It was a great break from the MK crowds for our kids; a nice meal for the whole family. After we ate, we walked around the Poly and then watched the fireworks from the beach. I understand that you can see the Electric Water parade from there too.

I've got Kona for a dinner and a breakfast...yum.

 

[perriwinkleblue]

I know it's so frustrating to go through your list of desired restaurants only to find that you can't get any of them all week. Keep trying and be open to new places. It seems that things do change day to day. We've been in the same boat but in the end got adr's we were happy with. (Sometimes Disboard favorites like Cape May, Raglan Road and the Plaza are easier to get than "biggies" like CRT or LeCellier.)

Also, if you can and you're willing, try breaking up your party into two tables. We did this a couple of years ago and it helped us to get a few of the booked restaurants. In one case, we even accepted two reservation times ten minutes apart. We were prepared to split up but in every case, the restaurant sat us together anyway.

 

[maggiew]

Try the Grand Floridian Cafe, Kona Cafe, and The Wave.

Maggie

 

[beachgrl001]

OP I dont cancel, what places were you trying to reserve??? I did really well getting all the ressies I wanted last week and Im sure we'd all be willing to help you

 

[ejsmomma]

OP I dont cancel, what places were you trying to reserve???

Yeah Don't cancel. I wouldn't bag my WHOLE disney trip just for a few reservations
We couldn't get O'Hana either unless we wanted 9:45pm yeah could you see that with 2 kids (2 and 4) they would be FRIED!!!

But we did get many other good choices!
Garden Grill - friends raved and it is a char meal with short waits for ADRs.
Coral Reef (Epcot)
Artist Point (dh and I LOVED it when we were there years ago! best food in all of Disney in our opinion)
Kona - my plan B since I couldn't get O'Hana.
1900 Park Fare (b)
Crystal palace (L)
Tusker House (b)
HOllywood and Vine (my boys really want to meet the Little Einsteins)

We also considered the Wave, Tony's, Biergarten, Teppan Edo (but we have a Japanese rest like that in our town taht we frequent), Mama Melrose, Flying Fish.

Some reservations are harder to get than others so don't be discouraged by that. Boma and Jiko look good but are hard to get into. So is Teppan Edo. CRT, O'Hana. Ca Grill. Knowing that I tried to stay away from those for my ADRs as not to be disappointed.

 

[jgazda]

I would also try Grand Floridian Cafe. Turf Club, and perhaps Nine Dragons. We had a fairly easy time getting into those places last minute and the food was fantastic.

 

[DISNEYNY]

We love Turf Club, Kona and we are trying Big River Grille this year. Which restaurants were you trying for? ... and like PP's have said keep trying. Things open up all the time.

 

[ROEDISNEY]

Since it's a last minute trip and other ppl had 90 days on you. Juat take what they have. i would never give up a trip for dinning. Just my opinion.

 

[brymolmom]

Definitely try some new/different places. Captain's Grille sometimes has reservations available closer to arrival. You could try Cape May. OR you could just go and try for some walk-in restaurants (right at the beginning of lunch might work) and if that doesn't work - try a whole bunch of new CS meals instead.

 

[MHSweb79]

Here's a radical suggestion: Don't take "free dining" at all. Go to AAA and take the room discount instead, and with that $$$ you could probably purchase the Counter Service plan, thus eliminating all the stress of making ADR's.
I had to pay $160 for "free" dining when I lost our room discount, but I figured if I scored some pricey restaurants it will be worth it. ("Free" dining is a better deal if you have more than two people in your room like we do.)

 

[Mich Mouse]

Have you tried calling and not mentioning you are on the dining plan? It seems that there are a certain amount of tables reserved for discounts/promotions....This was confirmed by a conceigere CM at AKL.

 

[M5ward]

You can walk into ESPN and Beaches and Cream since they don't have ADRs. I think you can only make reservations at Big River Grille on the day you want to eat there. We've never been to Beaches and Cream but have really liked ESPN and Big River Grille.