Encouragement - 180 days out

[constantstar]

I'm going the same days. We're not trying for popular restaurants so I was able to get most things. But, I cannot get anything in Hollywood Studios on 11/30...nothing. I want Sci-fi because I think my son would get a kick out of the cars. I picked my dates to avoid free dining. I probably should have changed them when FD was announced. :/

 

[Masonsears3]

I will say the app does seem to be better with making ADRs. It's easier to use and seems to pull up reservations not available on the site.

 

[CCxmas]

Yea well... Lol I made our plans THEN found out it was FD. No Bueno. But only time we can really go soooo.....

Is is really going to be that packed?!? I ended up getting most the ADR I wanted despite being FD. I went last year during the same week and the crowds were not bad at all. I really don't want to deal with heavy crowds.

 

[PopGirl26]

I heard Len Testa say once on a podcast that the 45-day mark is when people often cancel their packages because the final deposit is due, then also cancel their ADRs. I have found that to be VERY accurate. Try heavily starting at 50 days out!

And no, the parks are not more crowded because of free dining. It's Disney's way of making an otherwise slow time more moderate. The urgency to book restaurants is just greater when so many guests are eating "free," guests who at other times of year might eat only one or two TS per trip now feel that they must eat one TS per day.

 

[kiford]

I guess it depends on what you're booking. We're going Dec 3-10 and I got all of my selections over the last couple of days.

 

[TeamH5]

Is is really going to be that packed?!? I ended up getting most the ADR I wanted despite being FD. I went last year during the same week and the crowds were not bad at all. I really don't want to deal with heavy crowds.

Not according to the crowd predictors. Only thing I'm really wanting to get is Hollywood and Vine and maybe Tusker house. Everything else I'm good with QS/CS meals and no ressies. Maybe Boma for breakfast one day.

 

[CCxmas]

Not according to the crowd predictors. Only thing I'm really wanting to get is Hollywood and Vine and maybe Tusker house. Everything else I'm good with QS/CS meals and no ressies. Maybe Boma for breakfast one day.

Are you wanting H&V for breakfast or dinner? It seems like it has been hard to get reservations for dinner especially. I got a dinner with Fantasmic! but the dinner is for 320!!

 

[Stephanie Isaacson]

A bunch of reservations for Ohana have opened up in the last little bit! Unfortunately, I slept through the alerts for the 5-6pm range, but ended up with an early 3:30 one which is better than 8 pm.

 

[Em's GiGi]

I've had the same problems... travel dates 11/28 - 12/5. The early part of that time frame seems much more unavailable than the latter part. We specifically want late breakfast, early lunch, early dinner types of ressies, so we are not looking at what I consider prime times. I was not on the site trying to make ressies at 6 am on the 180 day because I believed the crowd prediction sites which were saying these dates were low crowd days, so I was completely surprised when I could not get ressies on the dates I want them. So apparently there should be a category for low park crowds but high dining crowds!

I have been able to get most of the ones I want, just on different dates or times, which of course messes with our whole schedule.... And I put TP on it also, but I have not heard a peep from them. Apparently the things I am asking them to find just aren't opening up.... yet.... Still hoping to book a dinner at Garden Grill, lunch at Sci Fi, and dinner at Rainforest Cafe before we go.

 

[Stephanie Isaacson]

. Still hoping to book a dinner at Garden Grill, lunch at Sci Fi, and dinner at Rainforest Cafe before we go.

Ugh...yes Sci fi. Why is that so hard to get? I got a table of 4, but can't secure another 3 I need :-/ I literally can't find it anywhere, at anytime in my date or around my date. I even do random checks of random dates and nada

 

[2littledisneyfans]

What time can you book. I know the call center opens at 7 am but when new offers come out they can be booked online starting at like 4 am so I don't want to miss my chance since reservations seem to be so hard to come by.

 

[DisBuckMan]

What time can you book. I know the call center opens at 7 am but when new offers come out they can be booked online starting at like 4 am so I don't want to miss my chance since reservations seem to be so hard to come by.

ADR's are always at 6am Eastern time online, and 7am by phone. No deviation.

 

[Donald Duck888]

Well my 180 day window opened this AM and i think i did pretty well. I got

BOG 8am breakfast
cape may 8am breakfast
Yak and yeti 11:30lunch
Boathouse 12pm lunch
San angel 11:30 lunch
Le cellier 6pm dinner
rose and crown 6pm dinner (but not on night I wanted)

The odd thing is the 1 i could not get was rose and crown for sunday night? Odd but Im gonna keep trying. Also now waiting for Candlelight packages to open so I can try for Coral reef on that. Does anyone know when they usually open up?

 

[marielynn724]

I believe they've changes the system so you can't do anything until 7am - maybe that was the problem. Just try again, it'll work.

 

[2littledisneyfans]

It wasn't pretty but with my husband and I both doing it we got all the places we wanted just days and times not all what we had in mind. In all of our trips to Disney I have never had trouble and I always did it by myself. We have been at this time of year before and even once in June when it is more crowded. Why is it so hard this year? Are they putting out fewer reservations?

 

[2littledisneyfans]

Question. Does anyone know when fantasmic packages are released. I have hollywood and vine for lunch but last year was able to later get the package. But I can't remember when it finally opened up.

 

[MissErikaRae]

Question. Does anyone know when fantasmic packages are released. I have hollywood and vine for lunch but last year was able to later get the package. But I can't remember when it finally opened up.

Are you sure you're searching correctly? I think they are released far in advance- I had no issue booking mine at 180 days and even now 100 days out there are a ton of options. It's listed under Fantastic! Dining Package https://disneyworld.disney.go.com/dining/hollywood-studios/fantasmic-dining-package/

 

[2littledisneyfans]

Are you sure you're searching correctly? I think they are released far in advance- I had no issue booking mine at 180 days and even now 100 days out there are a ton of options. It's listed under Fantastic! Dining Package https://disneyworld.disney.go.com/dining/hollywood-studios/fantasmic-dining-package/

Yes, I did the Fantasmic package then selected my dining venue of choice and every month up until December the dates are blue and can be selected in December the entire month is grayed out. It was like that when we went in late Jan/early Feb of this year as well then I happened to see it open up but given the lack of availability at all restaurants right now I don't want to miss my window of opportunity. If anyone else is looking... I called Disney dining and she said that it was odd but that she had no idea when they would be releasing them and to try back daily.

 

[MissErikaRae]

Yes, I did the Fantasmic package then selected my dining venue of choice and every month up until December the dates are blue and can be selected in December the entire month is grayed out. It was like that when we went in late Jan/early Feb of this year as well then I happened to see it open up but given the lack of availability at all restaurants right now I don't want to miss my window of opportunity. If anyone else is looking... I called Disney dining and she said that it was odd but that she had no idea when they would be releasing them and to try back daily.

Yeah that is odd...

 

[CCxmas]

Well my 180 day window opened this AM and i think i did pretty well. I got

BOG 8am breakfast
cape may 8am breakfast
Yak and yeti 11:30lunch
Boathouse 12pm lunch
San angel 11:30 lunch
Le cellier 6pm dinner
rose and crown 6pm dinner (but not on night I wanted)

The odd thing is the 1 i could not get was rose and crown for sunday night? Odd but Im gonna keep trying. Also now waiting for Candlelight packages to open so I can try for Coral reef on that. Does anyone know when they usually open up?

I've heard beginning of July for Candlelight packages...