Dining plan and reservations!!!

[fsu]

I have been reading these posts and have gotten scared. We have purchased the dining plan for our September trip (15-20). I have seen were many people have already made reservations for dining. Is that what we are supposed to do go ahead and try to figure out a schedule in advance and decide where you are going to eat each day? I am nervous now if we dont go ahead and make reservations we wont get to use all of our meal vouchers? Please could someone advise, we have been to Disney many times but have never eaten at the nicer restaurants usually just counter service thats why we bought the meal plan this time to try something new. How do you make the dining reservations just call or online? Thanks for any help.

 

[eeyore45]

It is overwhelming!! Just thinking of going to Disney is so exciting - but to think of plans, months ahead of time? I am not that organized - trust me... but like you, I want to "be prepared"...

so I took a piece of paper, marked it for the days we were going to be there... then I marked under the days we're there the emh days... then I found the historical dates and checked off special things... example Spectro Parade is only 2 days a week in the fall so I penciled that in.. then I set about what would our family like best on our first day? (some have to do Chef Mickey - we will try Ohana) so I mark that down...

Then I looked at touringplans.com Best Days... and fit in a tentative schedule... we're doing MNSSHP, so I marked that down, and we're doing Party of the Senses (only offered one day) so I marked that...

http://www.touringplans.com/BestDays.htm

Then I tried to (and got!! ) CRT... on our first full day of the park... so I marked that down... and from there, we probably wont stay at MK the whole day... where would we love to eat?? I decided California Grill, so I marked that down...

Then I did www.allearsnet.com and looked over menus, we'll do Fantasmic, which place to make adr? I mark that...

before I knew it, I really had the week planned!! We have park hoppers, and will tour at a relaxed place, but I can be back to Epcot for LeCellier so maybe get a late start that day... etc...

Good luck!!

 

[Fast Pass]

It is best to get dining reservations now,if you can. I noticed that you purchased your dining plan. Have you tried to get the free dining plan? It doesn't hurt to ask Disney.

I have read on this board and others that some of the more popular restaurants are pretty full.
I would hate to think that you didn't make any reservations and once you got there you couldn't get in to any. You can always change your mind and not go or go somewhere else.

 

[Luv2Roam]

A lot depends on the number in your group and how set you are where and what times you want to eat.
If you have 2 or 3 in your group and are pretty flexible, you can most likely find a place the same day.
Now if you have 5 in your party and MUST eat breakfast at Chef Mickeys's before a certain time, THEN make a ADR, the sooner the better.
If you are just wanting a sit down restaurant, period, you can make them most any time.

 

[fsu]

Yes our package included the free dining plan. There are only 2 of us on the dining plan so maybe it wont be so hard if our times are flexible. I guess we could go ahead and make the sitdown restaurant reservations and then if we had to change later at least we would have something done. Do you just call reservations to make the dining plans? Thanks for the help.

 

[Dorisk3]

You can call 407-wdw-dine- they are very helpful- good luck and have fun!

 

[Luv2Roam]

I use to make PS before our trip. Then if plans changed, I would call or go to Guest Services. More often than not I could cancel existing res and rebook.
I just did it as soon as I knew. And really rarely had to do that.
It is a comfort to have the sit down res, unless you are just very flexible.