Do you make an adr for EVERY ts credit on the DDP?

[TenThousandVolts]

Hi! I have a trip planned for 12/30-1/5 and we are doing the DDP, 8 people, 6 nights= 48 TS credits.

So far I have several reservations for dinners- about 30 of the credits will be used up on these reservations. Would it be unwise to just wing it from here or do I really have to make adrs for all of our credits?

I hate being tied to a touring plan based on dining reservations but I don't want to be stuck out in the cold with lots of dining credits but no room at the restaurants.

 

[JimMIA]

Do you make an adr for EVERY ts credit on the DDP?

Yes.

 

[suzimar57]

absolutely yes!!!


called them all in on the 180 mark (back in april)


got everything we wanted, exact times - can't wait to go!

 

[Barbers2005]

You need Adr's for every ts, especially since you're going at a very busy time. Think of it this way...you can always cancel the adr's if you find an available restaurant that you want to try instead, but if you don't have adr's and there are no tables available- you're out of luck.

 

[thunderbird1]

Absolutely, along with a couple of extras. We usually end up cancelling a few and scheduling one or two new ones while we're there. If we end up running our of credits (hasn't happened yet), we'll just pay OOP or switch to CS for the last couple of meals.

With the DDP, we don't want to end up not being able to use the TS credits the way we'd like. And we know that stuff happens--kids get sick (adults, too) or too tired, weather can be unpredictable, we might get busy doing something else fun and don't want to quit to go eat. We always do call to cancel if we aren't going to show.

We'd rather have too many ADR's and have to cancel or pay OOP than not have enough and end up not being able to (conveniently) use those extra credits.

 

[TenThousandVolts]

Yuck, I am tired of planning. I am glad the DDP just priced itself out as an option for me. Next trip I won't have to do all this planning!

 

[patsal]

Yes, I make an ADR for every meal I'm certain I'd like to have so that I avoid disappointment. If I am on the DDP or not makes no difference. If I eat off site, I make a reservation or do call ahead seating so I don't have to stand around and wait.

 

[Mickiethepooh]

Yuck, I am tired of planning. I am glad the DDP just priced itself out as an option for me. Next trip I won't have to do all this planning!

You will still have to do the planning if you expect to eat other than counter service.

 

[KatGarcia]

I understand your not wanting the food to dictate what you do and where you go, I agree. So we plan to have a semi late breakfast, when we do a sit down breakfast (still getting a few hours of good park time then have a good meal) and make the dinners later in the night usually so we aren't too tied down. I plan ahead so I have less stress of where to eat when we get there. I also find its fairly easy to change and get new ressies once you are there too, but don't bet on anything we just happen to have good luck. Happy eating and planning!

 

[MinnieFan]

We will be there the same time as you and yes, we made ADRs for all available credits. When we were there Christmas week in 2005, we saw walk-ins turned away at every single restaurant we ate at. WDW is just packed at the holidays, and if you have tired, hungry kids you are not going to want to have to wander around and find a place to sit down, relax a little and eat a meal. Even the counter service places are completely packed at that time. Although it's a little more work planning in advance, it is worth it not to have the hassle and long wait to eat when you are on vacation.

 

[jenb1023]

Yes, I made ADR's for every TS for our January 08 trip.

You can probably do some walk-ups but your best luck will be at the resorts or DTD. In April, we walked right into the Grand Floridian Cafe for dinner and Captain Jack's in DTD we waited about five minutes. WCC at WL was about a 15 minute wait.

With a large group like yours, I would be tempted to make all of your ADR's now. I did not want to be tied to a touring plan every day either so I booked two TS in one day - a late breakfast and dinner. That opened up a day and we will just use two CS that day.

Good luck!

 

[Nancyg56]

We always make our ADR's for dinner. We were there the first week in January and saw a lot of people turned away fro the TS restaurants. I enjoy planning the meals and understand that for some it is not all about the food, but unless you are flexible about times and places you might want to have ADR's in place.

 

[ribbot]

Just got back yesterday and yes, we made our ADR's months ago. I would DEFINITELY make them ahead of time and just cancel if you don't plan on going.

We had 7 pm reservations at Liberty Tree last Sunday evening and waited 1 hour to be seated. I also tried to change another one of our reservations on the day of the meal and the place was filled up. From what we observed, most of the TS places are packed and there is a long wait for people just walking in and wanting a table.

I know you're tired of planning, but you will feel much better and have less worries if you have your dining plans done ahead of time.

 

[TenThousandVolts]

Thanks for the input- I will plan a bit more- but I like the idea of using them as a backup and cancelling if we change our mind.