DISASTER!!! No ADR'S for December trip, HELP!!!

[Here'sTigger2U]

Our family of 5 (me, DW, DD, 2 DS's) are going to be arriving at the Poly late in the afternoon Sunday, Dec. 2nd, and leaving out the following Saturday, December 8th. I called today to make dinner ressies (we will be on the DDP) and I was only able to get 2 of our 6 TS credits set up. Wednesday night we'll be at the German Pavillion and Thursday night the Sci-Fi dinner theater.
(we have a Cinderella breakfast for Tuesday but we paid for that cash when we made the ressie ).

So I did Cinderella right but screwed up the rest! Can tables easily be had as walk-ins? This was our plan:

Sunday: 1900 Park Fair Dinner (no ressie )
Monday: Chef Mickey's Dinner (no ressie )
Tuesday: Cinderella's Breakfast dinner undecided (suggestions?)
Wednesday: German Pavillion dinner
Thursday: Sci-Fi dinner
Friday: dinner undecided.
Saturday: Breakfast early am

Sunday and Monday are booked, Tuesday and Friday everything we would like is booked, and I haven't even checked on Saturdays breakfast (I'm scared!! ).

Ok, please, someone tell me, am I overreacting? Our last trip was three years ago to the month, I don't recall it being very busy at dinner, but we went the 2nd week of December, not the first. Is pop warner and mousfest that busy? Did we pick the wrong week? Am I bonkers?


Any and all input, as always, is greatfully appreciated.

Bob.

 

[DreaminDisney]

Well you got CRT and that's the hardest one to get so that's good. As far as the rest, don't panic yet. Keep calling everyday. I think the reason these ADR's book up is because you can make them 180 days in advance.

Also have you considered 'Ohana since you're staying at Poly? My family really likes it in fact it's the one place DH said he wanted to go back to.

Don't worry & don't give up.

 

[MomofKatie]

The restaurants you want are very popular and book up months in advance. You could always try to walk in early, right when they open up for dinner, but don't bet on getting in. I'd try to have a backup lined up, just in case.

As DreaminDisney said, don't give up! Call the Dining line as often as possible- people cancel ADRs all the time. Keep calling all the way up to and including the day you want to have dinner there. Something might open up at the last minute. And be flexible on your dining times- you might have an easier time getting in early or late, rather than during the busier (6pm-8pm)times.

Good luck!!

 

[audisight]

Keep calling, keep calling, keep calling. Call like you have no shame (ok, maybe not that much). If you try at least every other day you should get something you want. You might want to try Cape May for breakfast, it's really good IMO. Good luck, I'm sending you some Pixie Dust

 

[marivaid]

Keep calling & see if you can switch some things around. For example Chef Mickey's breakfast is easier to get than dinner.
You could make that your Saturday breakfast & then do something else like 'Ohana or Kona on Sunday/onday.

 

[canwegosoon]

Well I have to say I am suprised that there is so little available. I would call and try to get something...and then concentrate on calling 2-3 times a day for cancellations.

Some of my favorites are:
Resorts:
Cape May Cafe
Concourse Steak House
GF Cafe
YC Galley
WCC

Parks
LTT
Plaza
Tonys
Le Cellier
San Angel Inn
Mama Melrose
HBD

Other
Capt Jacks
Spoodles
Big River Grill(I am not sure this is on DDP)

I would call and ask what is available at...time on ...day

 

[Amy&Dan]

I agree with canwegosoon. Make some ADR's now that are available, then keep calling back to see about nabbing some of the original ones you wanted as other people cancel. The two you could not get (Chef M's and 1900) are very popular. I agree, try Cape May's breakfast, its wonderful and then you can walk right over to Epcot. Think about eating at one of the places inside the MK like Tony's or the Plaza, they don't fill up that fast. There's also tons of places in Epcot and in the resorts both on the monorail and near Epcot. If you really want another character meal for dinner, maybe give Garden Grill a try. But I would not keep your meals wide open, hoping for cancellations or walk up. Otherwise you will end up with some unused credits which is the last thing you want.

Full service dining at WDW has changed quite a bit since your last visit. The DDP has put more people into the full restaurants but really more than anything (imho) the parks are more crowded since tourism is back up again. When you went three years ago, you made dining reservations 90 days out, now its 180 days out. I still think your dates are good, Pop Warner is a nightmare if you are staying at one of the resorts they are at (which the Poly is not). They don't affect the parks that much. Its hard to impossible to find a week at WDW that isn't about some group, event, school holiday or free dining. But your early December should be wonderful. Make sure you go to Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Party and the Candlelight Processional. And if you do the Candlelight Processional, do the dinner package. They will tell you what restaurants and seatings are available for the night you want to go. It doesn't cost any extra since you are on the dining plan and that way you will get a seat for the incredilbe show.

Check on the menus on: www.allearsnet.com Find some things that look good, then check the availablity of those. There are still plenty of meals to be had, just maybe not at those extremely popular places you had in mind! Try having dinner or lunch at Kona Cafe in the Poly. Its wonderful.

 

[SandraVB79]

OP, I would call, ask what they have available for when you'll be there, and book that. At least you'll know you'll have something to eat! Then I would keep on calling back to get what you want! If something frees up, and you can get the ADR that you wanted from the start, just cancel the other one.

 

[Here'sTigger2U]

Thanks for all the input! My wife has said that the last time we went, the only reservation we had was for Cinderella's breakfast. Maybe I'm just worrying to much .

Bob.

PS: I'll keep calling though!

 

[n2mm]

I agree with the others. There are so many wonderful places to eat, you just need a backup plan. We love Kona Cafe, Concourse SH, WCC, and lots of other resort dining locations. I have been the beginning of December several times recently and find it is not a slow time and with the parade taping and pop warner, and the fact that DVC members points are some of the lowest all year makes it crazy busy. I only wish that folks see your message as a warning. There are so many folks who tell people, it's quiet and easy to get ADRs, or the old back 5 years ago I had no problem getting into a place to eat line. At least you know now and can work on getting your plans in order. Good luck and be flexible!!

 

[goofy4tink]

Our family of 5 (me, DW, DD, 2 DS's) are going to be arriving at the Poly late in the afternoon Sunday, Dec. 2nd, and leaving out the following Saturday, December 8th. I called today to make dinner ressies (we will be on the DDP) and I was only able to get 2 of our 6 TS credits set up. Wednesday night we'll be at the German Pavillion and Thursday night the Sci-Fi dinner theater.
(we have a Cinderella breakfast for Tuesday but we paid for that cash when we made the ressie ).

So I did Cinderella right but screwed up the rest! Can tables easily be had as walk-ins? This was our plan:

Sunday: 1900 Park Fair Dinner (no ressie )
Monday: Chef Mickey's Dinner (no ressie )
Tuesday: Cinderella's Breakfast dinner undecided (suggestions?)
Wednesday: German Pavillion dinner
Thursday: Sci-Fi dinner
Friday: dinner undecided.
Saturday: Breakfast early am

Sunday and Monday are booked, Tuesday and Friday everything we would like is booked, and I haven't even checked on Saturdays breakfast (I'm scared!! ).

Ok, please, someone tell me, am I overreacting? Our last trip was three years ago to the month, I don't recall it being very busy at dinner, but we went the 2nd week of December, not the first. Is pop warner and mousfest that busy? Did we pick the wrong week? Am I bonkers?


Any and all input, as always, is greatfully appreciated.

Bob.

You most likely will not be able to get into Chef Mickeys or 1900 Park Fare without ADRs...walkups just don't happen all that often. But...I would call today, and make alternate ADR's so that you have someplace to eat. Then, call every day and try to make the ones you really, really want..right up to the day before you want to eat there. You can even stop by guest services that morning and see if something has opened up.
With PopWarner going on, and the MouseFesters arriving on the 6th, you will find it hard to just walkup to a lot of restaurants. And add the DDP to the mix and you have a ton of people eating each night. I go to WDW several times a year now...started going in '99. I've noticed it getting more and more difficult to walk up to a restaurant and get seated within the past 2 years. Before that, it was't nearly as difficult.

 

[chrismb22]

Try getting reservations. A good friend just booked a 10 day trip (over Christmas) YESTERDAY and was able to get almost all her requests -- including Victoria and Albert's) so it's not impossible

 

[SnowWtch]

Actually, I just changed an ADR yesterday for Dec 5. We were going to do Trail's End for dinner but changed it to O'Hana since we like that better. So, keep trying. There are more ADR's out there to be had. Just remember that you need to be flexible with times. We went from a 5:30 at Trail's End to a 7:50 at O'Hana. It actually works out much better since we're doing the Yuletide Fantasy tour that day (though DH doesn't know it yet) and will probably want to rest a bit before doing dinner.

BTW, if you want to do a walk-up in Germany then your best bet is a late lunch rather than dinner. It's basically the same food and much cheaper. We've never been turned away yet to do a walk-up at Germany for lunch. Usually there's a small wait but the most we've waited was 15 minutes.

 

[Magic2000]

Like the others have said, Keep trying!!! I'm not sure of the ages of your children, but try to have some place as a back up for dinner each night. Last year, we went the first week in December and we really didn't find the parks all that busy. But when we were waiting for our name to be called at Chefs de France, they were turning away people without ADRs. One family said that this was the third restaurant they'd been to trying to get a place to eat. We had a lunch ADR at LeCellier, and they were telling people they were booked solid for the rest of the day.

You may want to check into some of the hotel restaurants - there are several that we really enjoy, including Kona's at the Polynesian or the Cafe at the Grand Floridian. You may be able to get some ADRs there!

Have a great trip!!!

 

[PrincessKitty1]

I agree with the "keep calling." Also, you may need to be more flexible on your times and choices.

DH and I have successfully done a lot of walk-ups in December, but we're just a party of two (plus we usually do our walk-ups right when the restaurants are opening). The larger your party, the harder it is to do walk-ups, so I would keep calling until you have ADRs for every meal slot.

 

[my3disneygirls]

I've gotten as many as 5 ADR's for Dec when I called on Nov. Boma, 1900 Park Fare, Crystal Palace, Sci-Fi and several places in world showcase, even Le Cellier once. I have been to Disney 5 times in Dec and never called more than a month in advance. Keep checking, things can open up.

 

[Colinsmom]

Our trip overlaps yours by a few days. Try Chef Mickey's for breakfast (can book as late as 11:20 or so - which makes it lunch). And try Garden Grill at Epcot - one of my favorite character meals!! How about Morocco with its belly dancers?

It's also good to go in with an open mind and consider trying something new or different - we've had some very good meals that way!!

 

[LindaBabe]

We got ressies a couple days prior at Maya Grill in Coronado springs - it was YUMMY, and that's a lovely resort to visit.

 

[Snurk71]

I can second that the first week of December looks busy, especially at the popular places. We have the same dates and just got around to calling for ADRs this week. The places I expected to be difficult were (lunch at Lecellier, dinner at 1900 PF, dinner at O'hana, CP dinner on a xmas party night), but there were plenty of openings at other places (WCC lunch, Cape May dinner, O'hana breakfast, Boma dinner). We kind of waited on making ADRs on purpose because we always talk about trying new places, but seem to end up at our standards every trip. So by waiting if we were shut out of a standard we would be forced to try something new.

The only one that really suprised me was 1900 PF breakfast first available being 10:10 on Saturday the 8th (our departure day). We've done the first 8:00 seating for several years and have always been surprised with how few people are there, even when we leave around 9:00. Maybe I've talked up that first seating too much here on the DIS.

Well, we did have one other surprise - we were able to get an 8:15 CP ADR at Rose & Crown on 12/6 (nothing available at our first choice of LeCellier or the new Italian place). After seeing Monique Coleman (HSM) added as a narrator and mentioning it to DD, she wanted to make sure we could see her.

 

[mom2aredhead]

Those groups stay onsite so it stands to reason that restaurants would be a little busier
But keep calling because things may open up -
I also agree with the poster that recommended 11:00-ish at Chef Mickey's - grab a granola bar in the morning, get to the MK for rope drop, hit some rides, then hop on the monorail for "brunch". We've done that a few times and the food was still very good at that late seating - bonus is that the place is not crowded at all so the characters hang out with the kids a lot longer!