DDP and Reservations (Priority Seatings)

[zzyzx409]

I went to WDW for a short trip in Dec 2007 using DDP and it was great, a real money saver for us, we had a great time!

One thing that was recomended to me was to make PS for all our TS meals. The reason was because of Candlelight Dinner packages, and they were right, the place was very busy and folks without PS were getting turned away on a regular basis.

We are going again in July for a longer trip 10 nights, 9 TS dinners. Planning for a 4 day stay was really no problem, but planning for 9 meals this far out would be a real challenge.

When we went in 2004 and every year prior, I never made PS more than 2 days out and made the calls from the resort. We would plan what we were going to do a day or so in advance, then make our PS reservations.

I understand that the DDP has significantly changed the dining patterns.

Question: Are advance PS reservations needed for late July or has the pattern stabilized so I can go back to getting good seatings two or three days out?

What do you think?

Thanks so much!

CU@DL

Andy

 

[kimkarli]

July is such a busy time and most people staying onsite now are on the DDP, so I would make ADR's ASAP.

 

[salmoneous]

Always make ADR's in advance. Then if you decide at the last minute you want something different, call and try to change. If you can, great. If not, you've got the original ADR to fall back on.

 

[anneofgreengables]

July, summer, school's out, is a lot busier than when we went (week before Christmas), and on our trip, restaurants were turning away people, saying they were not taking any more walk-ins as they were completely booked. Sci-Fi for instance turned away walk-ins at noon, telling them there was no availability until 9 p.m. that day. Other restaurants we went to for dinner were also turning away people (Mama Melrose, Biegarten). So I would make ADRs to play safe.