I buckled
I agree with @Dustifer that I really hate these sites, as I think it encourages hoarding and shouldn't be needed to plan a friggin' vacation. I am also usually the one saying, "just keep looking, you'll find something." But lately I've searched 10 times a day for 4 different restaurants (and not even super popular ones) over like 10 days and zero comes up. So I broke down and paid $3.99 and set up the 4 searches. I got sucked in and, honestly, part of my feels guilty and wants to go cancel my searches, but for $3.99 it has saved me a lot of time and gotten me at least on of my reservations.
I agree that I don't think they should be needed to plan a vacation but thanks to hoarders and other circumstances it seems like the only way. I want to get the most out of my dining plan and if that means spending money and getting a site to search for me, so be it! I'd rather spend my time away from Disney's reservation page I really just don't get all the hate but everyone is different