For anyone thinking they DON'T need a reservation...

[themudd4]

Personally I love ADR's. Last year we made a few the day of or the night before. My Dh didn't want me to make them the 90 days out because he likes to go with the flow...no schedules, no rules. Well I do to...to a point. When it is dinner time, your kids are getting tired from a long day at the parks, and the places you would like to eat either say NO or 90 minute wait...What do you do? You grab a Hot dog and go back to the resort unsatisfied!

This year we just booked our vacation for June this week...so for 2 days, I did nothing but try and figure out where we were going to eat and on what days. Took a little time...BUT HAD A BLAST! It makes it feel like I am already to go!

As far as not knowing what I am going to be in the mood for that day...We selected a few buffets, so that will offer many opts. But I think if I get up in the morning knowing that I am going to O Hana's for dinner I am going to be ready for O Hana's come dinner time.
When I cook at home I don't take order's...I get something out of the freezer and that is what everyone eats. No one usually complains (or they get dishes duty)...but I try and make everyone's favorites sometimes. SO just figure out what every body likes and go to one of those type places everyday. That way at least one day of your stay you will get a meal you are bound to LOVE!

 

[bicker]

You know, I actually agree with the spirit of your post - that the menus are being dumbed down to match the tastes of the masses since the introduction of the dining plan, but you might win over more people if you were a bit less snotty about it.

Good point. Beyond that, though, it would be inappropriate for Disney, or anyone, to impose dining that is inconsistent with the tastes of the so-called "masses". People shouldn't be expected to live up to some foodie's expectations of what they should want or even appreciate, and restaurants are supposed to be serving their guests, not some culinary purity ethic.

 

[pirateofthecarolinas]

(Note: this is a generalization and not intended to offend those who are foodies and obsessive planners but meant to offend the McDonalds group dining at California Grill on the MP). ... On second thought that was a joke. I wish to offend no one or everyone...hmmmm.

I consider myself offended!

Lori

 

[Peter Pirate]

Obviously some folks haven't encountered the wrath of the Pirate on these boards before... blueroses, my posts are famous (infamous) for being highly tounge in cheek and even if I do feel strongly about certain opinions (as I do ADR's) I'll mostly post from a standpoint that I myself and usually only myself find funny but others tolerate...And of course try to offend those not in the know. Hey, I'm on a Disney food board how exciting can my life be???

bicker, the old business fallback...Again? Maybe we can't expect Disney to do the right thing but most of us look at all things Disney as a creative endeavor, so why should their fine restaurants be any different? They were filling the restauants before the ADR scares and meal plans but now they've filled them to the gills...Yes, I know, I know, that's more profit and what should be expected from a multi national conglomerate. But (I know) the creative chef's at WDW are not happy with the dumbing down of their menu's and YES they have been meddled with. I wouldn't be surprised to see more chef defections in the future should this trend not change. These people do not like making burgers and fries or cooking well done steaks or tuna. These guys know pork can now be cooked less than well done safely and can do magic with the preperation but it's all going for naught as profit takes center stage and if that's OK with you, fine. I understand business very well but that doesn't make it right or what we expect from 'Disney' the entity as opposed to Disney 'the Company'.

Fellow Pirate (of the Carolinas) ... Thank you for getting it!!!

 

[blueroses]

blueroses, my posts are famous (infamous) for being highly tounge in cheek

No harm, no foul.

Back to the topic, I made my ADRs for my March trip about 60 days out and was able to get all my restaurants within 15 minutes of my desired dining time. That was a little surprising giving all I had heard about the situation at the restaurants. My ADR plan is that I know which restaurants I enjoy, which ones I have yet to try, and where I think I'm going to be in the evenings on my trip. Then I just go with what logic dictates.

FYI, I'm NOT on the dining plan and I only do ADRs for dinner.

 

[Magickndm]

I am NOT a fan of the 180 days out. We go to WDW on the spur of the moment sometimes and the Dining Plan really has made it impossible to get in a lot of places.

 

[PooohBear]

WOW thanks for the info. We almost never make ressies and usually are able to get into the restaurant of our choice. This must be something new. I guess as someone said, because of the Dining Plan. I will definately keep this in mind for our next trip in May. Ugggggggggh I hate being tied to a time for dinner.

I'm glad I could help someone ! I usually make some ressies, but thought in the slow season that I might not need so many ! I was disappointed in the fact that we went to MK in the afternoon (unplanned) and were not able to get a reservation anywhere at anytime there !

 

[tinker&belle]

Here's an idea. How about for each day you get one CS meal plus your choice of TS or another CS. A family I talked to said they did not use all the TS meals because they didn't want to take the time out to eat TS. If they had the option to switch disney would be still getting the 35 and 10 dollars a day, possibly for only 2 CS meals. That would provide more flexiblity and the people who would rather have a burger can use their points somewhere more appropriate. (Not that I haven't got a burger at a sit down restaurant before, sometimes it just sounds good.... )

 

[tabrizia]

Here's an idea. How about for each day you get one CS meal plus your choice of TS or another CS. A family I talked to said they did not use all the TS meals because they didn't want to take the time out to eat TS. If they had the option to switch disney would be still getting the 35 and 10 dollars a day, possibly for only 2 CS meals. That would provide more flexiblity and the people who would rather have a burger can use their points somewhere more appropriate. (Not that I haven't got a burger at a sit down restaurant before, sometimes it just sounds good.... )

Erm don't you already? As far as I know you can use your TS ticket as a CS ticket with no problem. I won't do it personally because it seems like a waste of money to me, but as far as I know it is fine to do, in fact if you feel like it I believe you can use your CS credit as a snack credit as well.

 

[helenk]

I think that no matter how far out they allow you to make your reservations, now is 180 days, its been 30 days 60 days or 90 days...whatever, there are going to be restuarants that are going to be hard to get if you try and walk in.
Sit down restaurants are hard to come by in the MK unless you want a character meal or pay an arm and a leg at CRT, especially if you eat during the "regular" dinner hour. The more popular spots like LeCellier, Ohana, etc are going to be busy during the entire dinner time. It really has nothing to do with how far in advance they are allowing people to make their reservations.
About a week ago I made our reservations for our trip in mid May and everything I wanted was available at the time I wanted...between 6:30 pm and 7:00 pm . The CM that I spoke to said that there really has not been a huge surge of people making their reservations at the 180 day mark. I think that most people do not make their plans that far in advance expect for the dinner shows.
If people want to "wing it" they just have to be ready to be flexible, go out of the parks to one of the resorts, or go to the Trails End Buffet in FW, or have dinner earlier or later than the usual dining times.

 

[bicker]

bicker, the old business fallback...Again?

Not "again" -- still. Disney continues to be a business, and shall continue to be a business, for the foreseeable future. I know you've ordered them to stop it, but you're really quite insignificant in the grand scheme of things.

I understand business very well but that doesn't make it right

It actually does: Disney is required, by law, to operate in the best interests of its shareholders.

or what we expect

Here you've hit on the right answer: The problem is unfounded expectations. That's one of the best services the DIS can offer: Helping prospective guests understand what is reasonable to expect, and to what extent, given what Disney has traditionally provided.

 

[Peter Pirate]

Someday bicker perhaps you'll understand that maximizing short term profits isn't the sole goal nor the ONLY viable strategy recognized in the business world. Until then there is really no room for further discussion.

 

[Uncleromulus]

Ok men--back to the original discussion!!!
Which I think was about not having ADR's and then maybe not being able to be seated when (and where) you want to eat.
And that's can be true most anywhere-witness my dinner at a local York Steakhouse (The Embers) last nite. Ordinarily on Fridays, you can walk in for a meal (around 6:30 when we eat) and have only a short wait. However, I always make reservations anyway. Now--they are calling for snow around these parts for Saturday, so everyone and their brother decided to go to dinner Friday--most without reservations. As we waited briefly (and then walked on in to our reserved table), I heard the hostess on the phone telling customers not to even come--and telling the walk-ins we saw showing up that there would be and hour and a half wait. And nobody we saw was willing to wait--.
So reservations and ADR"s are my way to go. Can't tolerate more than a few minutes wait anywhere. But of course, dining at WDW is what we base our entire trip around--after all, been there 29 times now. So making an ADR 180 days out is quite normal--for me.
Tho as before, I'll admit 180 days IS a bit lenghty for most folks at an "ordinary" TS restaurant.
Pirate--my ribs still sore from that shot

 

[Peter Pirate]

Sorry Uncle, sometimes I lose it about knee deep in the hoopla, but I don't remember taking a shot at you personally. I'm thinking you need to recind your moderatorship and get back in the trenches with the bad boys! (LOL..."bad boys" on a Disney restaurant board). I can't stand the thought of another dress code thread without your seven dollars and 22 cents! .

180 days is just plain silly and what can it accomplish that a 7 day automated system couldn't?

 

[bicker]

Someday bicker perhaps you'll understand that maximizing short term profits isn't the sole goal nor the ONLY viable strategy recognized in the business world.

I understand that very well. It's, of course, irrelevant in this case.

180 days is just plain silly

It actually isn't silly.

 

[blueroses]

180 days is just plain silly and what can it accomplish that a 7 day automated system couldn't?

Ah, but, it's not that silly. Disney has inspired a new excitement about its food (and stick with me here, Peter Pirate, because I think I'm about to take this back to something you agree with) that it didn't have before. It has created a hype with its customers, a "this stuff must be really good and really hard to get if I have to reserve it 180 days in advance" attitude. People are reserving the Liberty Tree [or insert your favorite mediocre WDW restaurant here] 6 months in advance. Think about that. It's the same thing with the dining plan with people saying "OMG the potatoes at that O'Hanna's at the Poly are teh best!!!!!!" It's marketing and it's working.

Now, do I agree with it - no. Do I wish Disney would showcase its gifted chefs and market that? Yes. Do I fear that on my next vacation I'm going to be sharing the dining room at [insert your favorite table service restaurant here] which is packed to the gills with families who are there on the dining plan for the sole reason that they know the entrees are expensive and they want to feel like they are "getting their money's worth" regardless of what they know about the cuisine? Yes. That last one is about the "packed to the gills" part. What people do with their time, money, and diets is not my business, but I do like a pleasant, relaxing meal from time to time and I fear they are getting harder to find. And I do see how it would be frustrating to the chefs, because people like to be recognized and appreciated for their food not for the price of it or whether your server slips you a "free" smoothie.

So, to sum up - ADRs at 180 days == clever business decision that I agree is working (even in the long term) but still makes me sad.

 

[bicker]

That's a really great summary, blueroses. This same sort of thing has manifested itself in many sectors. I recently overheard a discussion at our regional theater among some folks obviously unhappy about all the mainstream musicals they "have to" do each year, in order to maintain a substantial subscriber base, so they can afford to do the one or two new or cutting-edge productions they slide in each year.

 

[digskat]

How far in advance can you book ADR thanks

 

[bicker]

180 days (plus, for Disney resort guests, you can book ADRs for you entire trip of up to 10 days 180 day prior to your check-in date).

 

[Uncleromulus]

Pirate: Nothing personal at all-never is with me. I'm just one of those "obsessives" that plans meals 6 months ahead of time!!! (THo I'm not sure where we'll go to eat to-nite)
$7.22--not quite enough for the "dress shorts" needed at the Signatures.

Digskat: As you may have guessed by now, it's 180 days out for most things.