For those who have booked free dining.

[Portugal1000]

Are you going to pre book all your meals. Not sure I can face the prospect of booking 17 meals on the phone with Disney. Is it me or does it seem to take forever? Have done 8 nights dining before and ended up changing 4 of the ADRs when I was there. Am going to find it impossible to think of where and when to eat for 17 days.
Does anyone know which restaurants are good for late bookings or walk ups in August? We go on 11th.
Thanks

 

[Shazzie B]

Rumour has it that you'll be able to book on-line, think date given for introduction was 1st May. Here's hoping!

 

[scottish mum]

last year we had booked 6 meals before we left, 2 were 2ts credits, and we booked 3 while we were there. We had some unused but we just couldn't eat all that we were given. We were in a cabin so were having breakfast there and we're not big eaters.
I think I was on the phone about 20 minutes booking what i did but the cm was really nice it was a pleasure talking to her and she spoke about lots of disney things so the time flew by.

 

[PaulaSB12]

I book the adrs for where I would like to go and did change some of them, but it is always better to book adrs before you go. During the last 3 times of free dining I saw a lot of people being turned away and signs at customer relations saying that there where not table service places free. For places like Le Cellier and the character meals adrs are important. At least you have some and if you need to cancel thats fine. Try for Narcoossee's and California Grill as near to Wishes as possible as they pipe in the music so you can watch and listen to them. Oh and I have the deluxe ddp (changed my reservation to the 14 for 10 day offer it was cheaper) so that is 42 meal credits and 28 snacks!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Elise79]

I will be booking ADR's to use all of our TS credits but that said I may alter them once I get out there. I want to know before I go I will have somewhere to eat eat night

Resort restaurants are normally easier to get a last minute ADR

 

[amberandolly]

That's why I went for quick service dining, no way would I want to be tied down that much, especially with all the faffing about with park hours - I can appreciate that some people go for the dining but we don't, I can't eat big meals when it's hot anyway, we're planning to do a lot of wandering around the resorts and will just eat as and when - we've managed 5 times without any adrs so I'm sure we will be fine. If we want a nice meal we'll go offsite, I've also heard a lot of negative comments about arrangements when free dining is on - bad service and feeling rushed amongst them.

 

[pigby]

We had free dining last August and like it so much that we are paying for this, this May.

I booked a couple more meals than we had credits for to allow for last minute change in plans. Tried to book an extra character breakfast when we where there last year but no chance. It's better to have an ADR than not as the restaurants are always busy during free dining.

BTW, the server does not know whether you are on free dining or whether you have paid for the dining plan so this shouldn't affect the service - but of course even in Disney there are a few poor servers.

 

[team harris]

Are you going to pre book all your meals. Not sure I can face the prospect of booking 17 meals on the phone with Disney. Is it me or does it seem to take forever? Have done 8 nights dining before and ended up changing 4 of the ADRs when I was there. Am going to find it impossible to think of where and when to eat for 17 days.
Does anyone know which restaurants are good for late bookings or walk ups in August? We go on 11th.
Thanks

We book as much as we can around park opening times and special events. I would not say we were fussy eaters, but do not always fancy the same things at the same time, so we find ADR's good for us as we have no arguements and accept what's for dinner!

 

[Aardvarks]

Mrs Aardvark has a spreadsheet.

We all vote on where we want to eat, this is then linked up with EMH days for park dining.

All bookings are made in UK over the phone.

We once made the mistake of leaving it until check in to book. What a nightmare that was......we didnt use all of our credits by a long way.

Walk ups

at DTD

Wolfgang Pucks
Planet Hollywood

You should proly be ok at Buffet type meals for a walk up, try Boma at AKL

Also late lunch, mid afternoon around 3.30 to 4.00 before they switch from lunch menu to dinner menu can be a good walk up time. I have seen people get into Mama Melroses and CPtN Jacks at this time.