Do we need to book restaurants months ahead?

[Willowtrees]

I read in my disney travel book that you can book up to 90 days in advance for restaurants. We are going in the value season (after Thanksgiving) and wanted to know if we needed to plan where we were eating dinners (if we do the dining plan) before we even got there, so we were sure to get in? What are the chances of getting in without a reservation?

 

[dzneelvr]

Because of your travel dates, it's not as crucial as for us, who go in the summer. I guess it all depends on your family's preference to handling it. Do you want to know that you have a certain time/day for the eatery or are you ok with last minute and maybe having to adjust your schedule. We used to go in Value season in mid January and I had all mine done then too because we were travelling with small children. Since you probably won't be doing 2 sit downs every day, just advance ressie the most important ones and then do walk ups for the rest. Or you can call WWW-DINE on your resort phone same day. You picked a relaxing time to visit the World. Just make sure you aren't going into any event weeks that draw crowds--those would require advance ressies.

 

[Good Ol Gal]

Well, now you can book your reservations 180 days in advance!!

We go every year the week after Thanksgiving and I always make reservations. This past trip I couldn't even get one restaurant at 90 days out (that was before they switched to 180 days)!

With the dining plan the restaurants have been very busy and turned many, many people way while we were there this past year (first week of Dec).

I am planning on making tentative ressies at all the restaurants we want to go to. If I need to change them, so be it... but I don't want to miss out again.

 

[TheRustyScupper]

1) Ressies can be made 180 days in advance.
2) Always make ressies.
3) With the new dining plans, restaurants are very crowded.
4) Especially during prime meal times.

 

[Allison]

1) Ressies can be made 180 days in advance.
2) Always make ressies.
3) With the new dining plans, restaurants are very crowded.
4) Especially during prime meal times.

These 4 points really say it all.

 

[Willowtrees]

Wow thanks all - now that it seems we need to plan ahead - does anyone know if there is information on plans for each day. I guess I would like to have a plan for each day as to what park to visit that would be near what restaurant we will eat at, etc. Anyone see any plans made for different times of the year? thanks

 

[DisneyFreak35]

you can research busiest days for each park, or days with EMK or check last years calendar of events for each park...or just randomly choose where to go each day. Once you have that determined, it will be easier to plan your dining around it because you will know where you will be and what there is to choose from.

 

[nbodyhome]

I would book the restaurants that you really want - it doesn't have to be all restaurants.

I just booked two guests for restaurants, including the Crystal Palace, for next week. So during the slow times, it isn't always so bad to book later (or walk in). Some restaurants are harder to walk into than others.

Denise

 

[Good Ol Gal]

If you want to eat at Le Cellier BOOK AS EARLY AS POSSIBLE!!

 

[My2Cinderellas]

I just booked all of my sit-down meals for our trip in April. I had booked several in november, but changed most of them around yesterday. I am going the last week of april, which is after the big Easter rush, and had no trouble getting what I wanted. DH was like "do we really have to plan that all so far in advance?" I told him that I wanted to at least make a reservation, but that didn't mean we couldn't try and change it once we were there if our plans changed.

I showed him a few menus at allearsnet.com and he started to get excited about where to eat. we chose based on reviews on these boards, making sure there was something on the kids menu that our picky picky eater will enjoy, ensuring some variety in type of food (i.e. not going to a steak/potatoes place 4 days in a row), and location based on our tentative plans for the day.

day 1 - arriving in the afternoon, going to 1900 Park Fare - dinner with Cinderella to kick off the vacation
day 2 - mama Melrose
day 3 - Akershus princess lunch
day 4 - Whispering Canyon
day 5 - Flying Fish
day 6 - Le Cellier
day 7 - Princess Tea in the morning, Kona Cafe for supper
day 8 - Boatwrights breakfast before flying home

 

[Matt]

Wow thanks all - now that it seems we need to plan ahead - does anyone know if there is information on plans for each day. I guess I would like to have a plan for each day as to what park to visit that would be near what restaurant we will eat at, etc. Anyone see any plans made for different times of the year? thanks

I recommend you start some serious research! You can do it here but if you would like a book, I think the Passporter is a great choice. you can order it from Amazon.com (the next version comes out at Amazon in a few weeks) Or you can go to the official Passporter website and order it there.

My opinion, you need to decided which park you are going to each day, then study the restaurants and make your reservations.


Have fun!

 

[jtlover]

I would just say if you have set your heart on particular restaurants then book in advance.

 

[styx]

We just went during the 1st week of December & had been there in 2004 during the same week. Both times we just winged it & had no problems making same-day reservations with guest relations in the parks for the following:

Sci-Fi Dine In (11:30 lunch)
Liberty Tree (2:00 lunch)
Bistro in France (9:00 dinner)
San Angel Inn (11:30 lunch)
Jiko (7:30 dinner)
Rain Forest Cafe @ AK (11:30 lunch) - made no reservations at all
Wolfgang Puck Cafe - no ressies, walked up for 8:30 dinner
Mesa Grill @ Coronado (9:00 dinner) - walked up at 6:30 pm

California Grill - 9:00 dinner - Booked what we thought was a Monday night reservation on Sunday, got to Contemporary Monday night, guest relations turned out to have booked reservation for Tuesday. CM at Contemporary went ahead & fit us in for only 1/2 hr later so we would not have to come back on Tues.

In 2004 we also had no problem booking the night before for the Poly Luau, which I've read is normally a 90-day out reservation.

Keep in mind - it was the value season, and it was just my husband & I, so we were fine eating dinner that late. It gave us time to go back to our hotel, rest a bit & clean up. Naturally for larger groups or those w/ young kids who need to eat at particular times, it will probably be more difficult to find the exact time you want if you wait until the day-of. We also made Guest Relations our first stop at each park, usually arriving when the park opened - the exception was for the Bistro & Liberty Tree which we didn't try for until 11 am.

Also be aware that places you'd expect to be all booked up by the day-of (Cinderella's, Le Cellier, Crystal Palace), were. I think the Bistro is typically one of these too & we just lucked out because of the time of year. I'd definately recommend advanced reservations if you're looking to dine at one of those.

 

[pugdog]

We only go that time of the year and NEVER book ahead. We do make some when we get down there though.

I thing to remember though is never walk up expecting to get in, always call Disney Dining to make any ADR's or go to guest services at the park.
Several times we called or talked to guest services and got times just hours later without a problem ,including LeCellier,LTT, PT50's and other popular places. But anyone that walked up was always told they were booked, they never looked in the computer to make sure. So if anyone canceled they wouldn't know and then that spot goes unfilled for that day.

So the moral of the story is never trust what the staff at the resturant says, they rarely check the computer during the day, but go to guest services or call DD to make ADR's. And celebrate if you do get in by just walking up. ug:

 

[Hopefully]

My rule of thumb, any time of the year, is if there is somewhere you Really want to eat, or if you need to eat at a specific time of day - always make ADR's. Some places are easy to eat at at the last minute, but it may not be the restaurant you wanted to eat at. Character meals, theme park restauarants, Le Cellier in Epcot etc. book early. As others have said the Dining Plan has made TS (Table Service) restaurants far busier than in the past.
My suggestions are to first decide, based on hours of operation, fireworks and parade schedules etc (available here on the DIS) which park you would like to visit on each day.
Then research all the menus on allearsnet.com to see which restaurants in that area appeal to you. Don't forget ot check out nearby hotel restaurants, as well as the Boardwalk area.
Once you have an made a choice, call and make the ADR for the time you choose. You can always change your mind once there. But please do call Disney Dining and cancel your ADR so that that time and place can be available for someone else.
I hope this helps, Planning is part of the fum.

 

[Bride2Be0705]

1) Ressies can be made 180 days in advance.
2) Always make ressies.
3) With the new dining plans, restaurants are very crowded.
4) Especially during prime meal times.

Agreed...

We booked in advance for EVERY dinner throughout our Disneymoon in July, and I'll never do another trip WITHOUT making ressies!!

We lucked out and were able to change 1 of our ressies once actually in WDW, and I was shocked. I will say that with the new dining plans, the restaurants are MUCH busier than I've seen in years past, and having a ressie when a lot of people try to 'wing it' saves a lot of hassle and disappointment.

 

[LauraAnn630]

Do you have to be staying on disney property to make ressies 180 days in advance?


TIA

 

[Bride2Be0705]

Do you have to be staying on disney property to make ressies 180 days in advance?

TIA

I don't believe so... I think that anyone who is coming to WDW can do ADRs.