Chances of being seated without ADR

[all4disney98]

Hi - my inlaws are going to WDW during free dining end of August. They are a group of 6 traveling together. My DH and I have said over and over that they should really make ADRs for places they want to eat otherwise they are going to eat at crazy times or an undesirable restaurant.

They think we are crazy...

We have given up. What do you guys think? Are they going to have a hard time eating together as a group of 6?

 

[solferino]

This thread will be helpful- http://disboards.com/showthread.php?t=1450387

 

[Princess_Belle]

My fiance's parents waited until about a week ago to make reservations during free dining. They got nothing that they wanted!!! NOTHING!!! Everything was booked! They wound up with only 2 reservations for five days!!! One at CRT by luck. And The Yachtmans Steakhouse. They didn't want this its like the only thing left! When we called for ourselves like 2 months ago we had to make some sacrifices too. They either need to call tomorrow or they will not be eating at any sit down restaurant.

 

[SmallWorld71]

I agree with the previous poster. I tried to change to reservations a few weeks ago so we could go to P&P party on a different night and the restaurants at the MK and at the MK resorts were booked solid because of the party! Plus, a group of 6 is hard to sit under normal circumstances. Never mind during free dining. Anyway, you can lead a horse to water.........

 

[DiznNut]

We learned a lesson this trip, Make your ADRs early if you know where you want to eat. We tried at 3 weeks out and could only get a 9:45 seating at O'hanas. We tried a walk up at the Sci-Fi at 4:30 and the earliest they could seat us was quoted to be able to seat 4 of us was 10pm. We did have luck at Whispering Canyon Cafe. We arrived at 4:45 and put our names on the list and we were seated by 5:12pm and we all loved it. Good luck!

 

[Nancyg56]

I was there last year during free dining and found that the restaurants were very busy. I watched a lot of people turned away. Now I am not saying they will not find anything, but I doubt that it will be easy to find restaurants they want or at the times that they may want to eat.

 

[eeyoreiscool]

We have found it quite difficult in the summer to get places we wanted to go without ADR's. Even a couple of months out, it was hard to get ADR's for some of the places we wanted to go.

 

[beccasmom]

Making the ADRs early is a simple step that will save stress and aggravation later. I hardily recommend it.

 

[klineyqueen]

I made mine months ago. I tried to change 1 ressie on 1 day. I can't!!!! There is nothing left!!!!!! They must make them now or they will be sorry later. I hope they can get something. I tried to switch to Le Cellier (we always go there and decided not to this trip and no we wanted to go) NOTHING LEFT the day I tried. Then I thought DTD and I tried Planet Hollywood - 10:15 first avail for dinner - I don't think so!!!! Whispering Canyon Cafe - It was after 8 - again...way too late for my kids.

I hope they make them now!!!!

 

[candykisses]

If they have an idea as to where they would like to eat, they should make ADRs now.

During our last August we saw so many walkups being turned away. The people were hot, tired and angry that they couldn't be seated when the urge to eat hit them.

 

[Kimmy]

You know all your responses are going to be, "Make the ressies now!" This is your opportunity to come to the rescue. Sit down with them and get ideas where they want to eat, call Disney while your with them and make the reservations. You'll be #1 daughter-in-law! They will be so grateful during their trip, maybe you'll get a nice surprise! I'm going in October and I couldn't get some of my first picks when I called back in May!

 

[AmberI]

I spent 45 mins with a CM last night trying to find a place to eat for two days. Everything around the MK is booked, and a lot of places only have really late seating or you'll have to split your seating. I would book soon.

 

[ElizabethB]

Since they are going during free dining, if they don't make ADR's now, they will be severely limited in their dinner choices, except perhaps at 2TS places. The 1TS places for dinner are very booked up. We were able to make ADRs for 2TS restaurants for the last week of August with no problem yesterday (except of course for California Grill, where everyone is trying to go to see the fireworks). There is nothing at Le Cellier. We snagged a 9:00 p.m. at Teppenyaki at World Showcase (that was the only night and time available during our 8 nights). Coral Reef dinners were available at something like 2:50 p.m.!

If they make no ADR's, I suggest they use their TS credits for lunch instead of dinner, or splurge and use them at 2TS restaurants that don't have fireworks views. If they want 1TS dinners, they'll likely have to be extremely flexible about dining times and generally avoid the theme park restaurants. They might also try less popular 1TS places such as Marrakesh in the Morocco pavilion (not sure why it's not too popular, we like it). Another thought is Maya Grill at CSR.

 

[starbox]

Honestly, if they are doing free dining it is probably already too late to get any of the popular restaurants unless they are willing to eat really late or really early.

There are some decent restaurants that tend to get overlooked at the resorts. Turf Club @ SSR and Maya @ CSR both surprised us.
Good luck to your in-laws.

 

[disgram]

We were there last year during free dining, and as the PO said, people were being turned away in droves! I made our ADRs at the 180 day mark and was surprised that alot of the places and times were already gone!!!

TELL THEM TO MAKE THEM NOW!!!!!!!!!!

 

[dburg30]

Making the ADRs early is a simple step that will save stress and aggravation later. I hardily recommend it.

And also one of the biggies that are listed on tips and hints usually. Good luck! I'm going in Dec, off season, no free food and there are still certain things you cant get at certain times at this point.

TELL THEM TO MAKE THEM NOW!!!!!!!!!!

And also tell them to basically take ANYTHING they can get..

 

[cindrelly4evr]

I am definetly happy that when we went in May we had ADR's. it was great to take a break and unwind. I can't imagine going during free dining, during heat and not taking a break indoors. And with a group of six it won't be as easy to walk up to locations to get something. I would tell them to grab whatever is still open. What's the point of free dining if you don't get to take advantage of it?

 

[armychap]

I asked the same "should I make ADR's for september" question last week. When I called to make reservations, I found that many of the popular restaurants still had plenty of lunch openings. So, if there's a place you really, really want to eat at and breakfast and/or dinner are booked, ask if there's anything open for lunch. I know lunch times will probably fill up too, but as of last Thursday, there were still plenty of space for lunch reservations.

 

[momof2forever]

If I do lunch using the dining plan instead of dinner I would not get the appitizer option, is this how it works?

Thanks

 

[LISAMWDW]

Perhaps you can make some ADR's for them and avoid alot of headaches for them as they perhaps just don't get it. They will not be able to walk in anywhere during that time frame.

I would quietly make them and tell them while you are at WDW. Give them their list and say HERE! hehe