Disney Advanced Dining Reservations. How necessary are they?

[SFimporter]

Headed to Orlando in October. I haven't been in ten years - but the times I've visited previously, I've never made advance reservations. Usually I just make same day reservations (last time it was using the video phone at EPCOT).

I'm aiming for mostly sit-down restaurants this trip as we'll be three adults. It is during the Food and wine festival - so I thought maybe the foodies would be heading to those special events or filling up at the kiosks.

Here's where I was planning on dining:

Biergarten Restaurant
Le Celier Steakhouse
Yak & Yeti Restaurant
Jiko
The Hollywood Brown Derby
Artist Point
Liberty Tree Tavern

I just hesitate to make reservations as who knows if we'll be ready to eat during a designated time - especially coming from the West coast.

Any advice?

 

[vicki_c]

You need to make ADRs if you want to eat at those places. Except for maybe Biergarten and Yak & Yeti, you have picked some of the most popular table service restaurants in WDW. And the "foodies" at Food and Wine will want to eat at those places as well, when they're not wining and dining through Epcot or at Victoria & Albert's!

I would make your reservations. You can always try to change them up while you're there and see what's available. If you go without any, I think you will be disappointed in your results - you may end up eating a lot of counter service.

Also, you may find most of those locations already booked up at this point -- it's only 2 months away.

 

[KIRSTIN'S MOMMY]

I would think at this point you would be hard pressed to find anything available at the restaurants you have listed there. People are already having trouble getting reservations for Dec. and Jan. so I would call soon and try to book what is available.

 

[Golf4food]

I agree with the PP - if you don't make them the chances are good you won't have any chance, and given that it is so close you might not be able to get them anyway. A lot has changed in 10 years.

 

[IlovemythreeC's]

It is very necessary ~ you should call as soon as possible. I hope that you are able to get them I am sending pixie dust your way!

 

[Aliceacc]

It has been 18 years since I was last at WDW.

The whole ADR thing is by far the biggest and most important change.

Call ASAP and make those ADRs. You can always cancel if they don't fit in with how your days unfold.

But you'll be glad to have them.

 

[GhostLady]

You didn't state your exact dates but we are going October 11th-20th and most if not all of the restaurants are booked already. It's been a few weeks since I last called and there was very little left.

I would call right away and if you are not able to get the ressies that you want, there is a thread here that you can post wanted ADR's or you might check it to see if someone else is cancelling one that you want. There is a thread just for October.

Good luck

 

[Miniefan]

Since most reservations can be made 180 days out, it is becoming increasingly harder to nab the table service restaurants you want when you want them if you're not calling asap. I would definitely call and try to make some of the reservations.

I would love to hear what is available for October at this point


Kim

 

[goofypooh]

I agree that you definitely need to make reservations & that a lot has changed in the past 10 years. I remember when we went for our 3rd trip in 2005. We didn't realize that we needed ADRs (We didn't know as much then as we know now about WDW ) & when we got there we quickly realized that we needed to make reservations for the week. We were lucky that we were able to call & get into some places. It is hard to figure out when you will be where, but it is what you really need to do if you want to eat at some of those restaurants. Good luck!

 

[CandleontheWater]

umm... do you want to eat?

Seriously I think this whole WDW dining thing is a fiasco, but I'd get on the phone now and make what ADRs you can. If you can't get what you're looking for, I'd keep calling back, persistance can pay off.

Good luck!! I'm sending pixie dust your way!

 

[LisaInNc]

You have a few things working against you. As stated you are picking some popular restaurants. It's the Food and Wine Festival so the people that come duiring that time are also looking for the better TS restaurants and if you are going at the beginning of the month there is free dining going on. I am going to be there 9-26 through 10-7 and I recently had to change some reservations around, there was not a lot to choose from.

You won't get Le Cellier unless you are REALLY lucky.

Jiko should have good availability it's a 2 TS restaurant and the AKL is a little out of the way.

The Brown Derby might be difficult, it's in the theme park and they also have the Fantasmic dinner packages there.

Liberty Tree Tavern is going to be very difficult to get into. The MK closes early many nights in October for the MNSSHP

Good luck! I hope you find some ARDs that will make you happy!

 

[las3888]

I think CandleontheWater said it best...this is a fiasco, and I do know and can appreciate the days of making ressies on the video phones at EPCOT...what a blast from the past! Anyways, you might have success at Biergarten...we almost always get in there, and at this point, I imagine you can??? We just made some final ressies for late August about 2 weeks ago and was able to get a few decent things, but most of the places you mentioned are preemie places, esp Le Cellier--I usually am told that it is booked months and months in advance.

Good luck...

 

[tribecamom]

as things do open

I "check in" with WDW DINE daily...and obsessively watch the cancellations board

 

[RMulieri]

CALL.NOW. May the force be with you!

 

[Lynne M]

I think the most important change is that many restaurants don't take walk-ups if they're fully booked. They won't let you wait for a table, they'll just turn you away.

The dining plan changed everything. I never made ADRs before they started the DDP. My first trip after they started that, we went at a very slow time, made no ADRs, and pretty much ate counter service all week because we couldn't get in anywhere. It was awful. On Saturday night, we were told that every TS restaurant in the MK and the monorail resorts were completely booked for the rest of the evening, and that none of them were taking walk-ups.

I hate having to make ADRs, but I do it for every TS meal after that experience.

 

[DannyDisneyFreak]

Biergarten Restaurant
Le Celier Steakhouse
Yak & Yeti Restaurant
Jiko
The Hollywood Brown Derby
Artist Point
Liberty Tree Tavern

Very necessary! You will not even get into Le Cellier without an ADR, and probablly not Jiko, HBD or LTT. Unless you walk up at a time they are slow or there has been a canelation then still plan on waiting. October is a slower time of the year but still if you go without ADRs be prepared to not eat at your resturant of choice. My suggestion is to make ADRs, which by the way at this point for October may be hard to get for some resturants, and then each day in WDW have the Disney dining number in your phone (1-407-WDW-DINE) and call up if you want to change your ADR to see what is available.

 

[DannyDisneyFreak]

It has been 18 years since I was last at WDW.

The whole ADR thing is by far the biggest and most important change.

Call ASAP and make those ADRs. You can always cancel if they don't fit in with how your days unfold.

But you'll be glad to have them.

I'd love to here about your great deal at the Poly!

 

[Momto3Girls&Max]

I've seen people turned away without ADRs. They are very necessary.

 

[Kimberle]

The dinning plan that WDW has been pushing the last couple of years has really changed the way people dine. More and more people are eating at least 1 table service restaurant per day.

Despite the "doom & gloom" protrayed, you will be able to book adr's for October. However, you'd better get busy and book them now. I'm going to WDW in 10 days. I just booked my trip and made all my ADR 2 weeks ago. I got everything I wanted except for Chef Mickeys and Tusker House b/fast.

You may want to aim for "off" hours (very early or very late) at the most popular restaurants. The standard dinner hours (6-8) fill very quickly.

WDW has changed a LOT in 10 years. Good luck and enjoy your trip.

 

[SFimporter]

To update: I called today and talked to a wonderfully nice reservationist. I got all of my restaurants at the desired time, with the exception of Le Cellier Steakhouse. I did get in, but the reservation is for 4pm. Luckily, this is our first day and coming from the West Coast, I'm sure it will feel much more like lunch than dinner - and thought we'd just nibble on things from the Food & Wine festival booths for the actual lunch.



Question for those who have been - are the Food & Wine booths open late? Or do they close at a certain time?