Completely Booked Out?

[*~*stacey*~*]

Hey everyone

Ok so...we will be at Disney World from the 9th to the 16th of December (which I'm really excited about because I've been begging to go there for 13 years) and we will be staying at the Grand Floridian. So we went to make reservations for the character breakfast they do which my little sister (8) is so excited about, however when we went to make a booking it appears to be completely booked out for the entire week we're there. So we tried the dinner with Cinderella, once again it appears to be completely booked out. So we gave the Grand Floridian Cafe a go and even that seems to be booked out most days for Breakfast and Dinner.

I guess what frustrates mum the most is you pay all this money to stay at the Grand Floridian but it seems near impossible to eat there. Has anyone else experienced this/ know a way of getting a reservation? I know it would probably be easier to call but being from Australia those calls to Disney are quite expensive and we would rather gather all information before calling.

Any information would be greatly appreciated as we are first (and most likely last) timers and this is all very foreign to us

 

[melisandes]

Well starting this month there is now online ressies for everyone to use which do not involve phone charges. I got Chef Mickeys for Christmas day last week so there is hope.

 

[Kalice]

I agree the online system is great. I did phone from Australia (however I have an internet phone) as I couldn't book online for the Fantasmic package and something else, Hoop-de-doo?. Anyhow, keep trying with the online system, if you alter your times enough you might get something. Or, perhaps a walk-up will work, maybe someone won't turn up for a early ressie. Good luck.

 

[2pirates&2tinks]

From past experience staying at the GF we have been able to get into 1900 PF, the GF Cafe and Citricos all without advance dining reservations during our 2 trips. Not to day this is always the case, but from our experience do not give up hope. Check in right when the restaurants open for the best chances. Hope it all works out for you.

 

[*~*stacey*~*]

Thanks everyone for the tips, will keep trying with different times and hopefully something will come up

 

[lacrosse_lady72]

Don't let ADRs put a damper on everything! It's only a fraction of the enjoyment of the trip. I would make ADRs for something just in case you don't get everything you want so that you have somewhere to eat.

I guess I'm wondering though if it has to be at GF? Cinderella can also be found at CRT and Akershus both which I was able to find an ADR for less than a month prior.

Unfortunately, GF, Poly and CR restaurants book up REALLY fast since they're well known and they are on that monorail line and many people do book 90 days out (well it's 180 days now but it was 90 days for this time).

Another tip would be to try searching for 1 person more than your party size. We're often party of 2 but if I can't find something in the time I want, I also search for party of 3. Unless it's a restaurant that makes you pre-pay, you won't be charged for the extra person.

 

[TDC Nala]

You've gotten into the game pretty late - popular places like character meals usually booked up at the 90 day mark (recently it changed to 180 days but for a December reservation it would have been 90 days) or within a few days of it. Disney restaurants do not give priority to those staying at a particular resort. All you can do is keep trying (the online system is good for checking) and hope to snag a cancellation.

 

[Good Morning Dewdrop]

Keep trying but also try for odd times.

We got a breakfast reservation for 1900 for September and they didn't even fill the tables up (that was during free dinging). We were truly at the far end of the booking end it felt. Naturally we were counting it as lunch but eating breakfast foods - it was great!

Also the 1900 dinner earliest res is around 4:30 have you tried booking it then? We've gone at 4:30 and then gone back to the parks.

Good luck and have a magical trip!

 

[*~*stacey*~*]

Thanks for all the tips, I will especially try for an early dinner (wasn't aware it was open that early)

 

[momof2OH]

Keep trying!! I was late in trying to get one for Chef Mickeys and finally got it about an hour ago. (for Dec. 3). So be persistant, it can pay off!!! Good Luck and enjoy your first trip!!

 

[DisneysBeauty]

Keep trying!! I was late in trying to get one for Chef Mickeys and finally got it about an hour ago. (for Dec. 3). So be persistant, it can pay off!!! Good Luck and enjoy your first trip!!

did you get it by calling or by online

 

[catne]

Thanks for all the tips, I will especially try for an early dinner (wasn't aware it was open that early)

there's actually a big advantage at 1900 Park Fare booking that early dinner - this restaurant gets really backed-up as the meal time goes on, so a 7:00 PM dinner seating could have a 30-45 minute wait to be seated. But if you're in the first seating, they are not backed-up yet because they're filling an empty restaurant, so there is very little wait time (it will look like a huge mob of people before the place opens, but it only takes them about 10 minutes to escort the whole first group in to be seated.) Skip the photo shoot outside - will save you a lot of time (and it's silly-expensive since there's no character in the picture - just your family in front of a backdrop that's not especially great.) You can take your own pics with the characters inside.

We've done that early dinner at Park Fare and found it great -- food is especially fresh on the buffet, and servers were great because they weren't worn out yet, lol. We waited 5 minutes to be seated once they opened...but when we came out an hour later the waiting area was full, and a lot of people were waiting out in the regular lobby area too. I overheard a mom telling her kids it would be 30 minutes before they saw Cinderella.

The characters at dinner are great -- Cinderella & Prince Charming are lovely & charming...but the real show is the stepsisters & stepmom. The steps are hilarious (sisters are rude, loud, brassy...funny! Stepmom is stuffy,aloof and very stern - but funny in a dry, sarcastic way, too.)

 

[momof2OH]

I've been checking online for about the past 2 weeks. I forgot (busy building a house addition) and decided last minute to try and get CM (breakfast) and nothing was coming up for my entire stay. But every day throughout the day I would check. I checked this morning @ 9am and yeah I got it!!
When I search I put in for the entire time I am there and then I also start my times looking at 7am. If nothing comes up I modify the time to 9am and so on changing the time by 2 hours. I do this since the the reservation look up checks the hour before and after the time you put in. Hope this helps!!

 

[duffy]

Hey everyone

Ok so...we will be at Disney World from the 9th to the 16th of December (which I'm really excited about because I've been begging to go there for 13 years) and we will be staying at the Grand Floridian. So we went to make reservations for the character breakfast they do which my little sister (8) is so excited about, however when we went to make a booking it appears to be completely booked out for the entire week we're there. So we tried the dinner with Cinderella, once again it appears to be completely booked out. So we gave the Grand Floridian Cafe a go and even that seems to be booked out most days for Breakfast and Dinner.

I guess what frustrates mum the most is you pay all this money to stay at the Grand Floridian but it seems near impossible to eat there. Has anyone else experienced this/ know a way of getting a reservation? I know it would probably be easier to call but being from Australia those calls to Disney are quite expensive and we would rather gather all information before calling.

Any information would be greatly appreciated as we are first (and most likely last) timers and this is all very foreign to us

Don't let this be your last time. Remember that you decided to go very late. I've had my room reserved for almost a year-we arrive in 3 weeks-and I made our dinner reservations on the first day I was able to do so.

The fact that you "pay all this money to stay at the Grand Floridian" doesn't entitle you to dinner reservations there. We're eating dinner there, but not staying there. We simply made our reservations as soon as we could.

Next time, make your plans a little further out and you'll be able to get reservations for just about any restaurant you want, as soon as you're able.