Free Dining ADRs easier to get now???

[Paparazzimama]

I called Disney Dining today to try and get a lunch ADR on our Hollywood Studios Day (Sat. Sep. 13th) and I was SHOCKED to learn that I had EVERY HS 1-table service credit restaurant to choose from!!! I'm talking Hollywood & Vine, Mama Melrose, Sci-Fi, AND 50's Prime Time - they all had ADRs available! I chose 50's Prime Time and when I asked what my time choices were, the CM said that there were plenty so just tell him what time I was wanting. I told him the earliest lunch he had would be great, so he said what about 11:00 - their first ressie time for the day. We've had all of our other ADRs booked since the 180 day mark, so this is the first time I've had to call back to try and get a slot.

Does it seem crazy to anyone else that there would still be that many ADRs left? I mean, I honestly was prepared to take what I could get and be flexible figuring that most of the places would be booked already. Anyone else have a recent experience making ADRs at other parks during free dining?

 

[Disney8704]

Im not going during free dining but have to comment. That is crazy. I seriously think gas prices have to do with it. People are loosing their jobs, people are having a hard enough time trying to pay their bills, buy food and put gas in their car, that the travel rate is going down. So thats probably why theres so many choices left. But you also have to think about all those who may have gotten free dining and they have NO clue about making ADRs. Not everyone knows about them. And then you have to think about all those families who have kids. Im sure they dont wanna pull them out of school just as the new school year starts. I know that whenever DH and I have kids, theres NO WAY I would EVER pull them out of school to go on vacation. Their education is MUCH more important then some trip that we can take during summer. Just IMHO.

 

[a_sailor's_wife]

Gas may have a little do with it, but for the other parks such as Magic Kingdom, I've been calling every day to switch Chef Mickey's and Coral Reef...Both are booked solid (and we'll be there the same timeframe you are). Sometimes I think that HS doesn't have as good of a selection for TS meals as other parks do.

 

[Paparazzimama]

Gas may have a little do with it, but for the other parks such as Magic Kingdom, I've been calling every day to switch Chef Mickey's and Coral Reef...Both are booked solid (and we'll be there the same timeframe you are). Sometimes I think that HS doesn't have as good of a selection for TS meals as other parks do.

That's exactly what I was wondering - was it just HS, or other parks as well. I think you and the PP are both right about the cost of travel these days deterring families from vacationing - I'm anxious to see what the ride wait times are like for us. Our last trip was during Thanksgiving week '07, so I know it's atleast got to be better than that, right?!?!?!

 

[asmit4]

I booked our ADRS for free DDP about a month ago now and we were very limited with our choices. We couldnt get LeCellier at all- not for any meal, and Coral Reef was only open for lunch on 1 day. All other days were booked.

 

[jsmla]

Been calling every day for a month to try to change our Tutto Italia reservation from lunch to dinner, nada.

Jennifer

 

[jennwndrlnd]

We booked for Aug.30-Sept.6 within the past three weeks and got every dinner ressie we wanted with the exception of 'Ohana. Ironically we also can't get into anything in HS for that week (for dinner not lunch) except H&V for the regular seating not the Fantasmic Package. Within a day of calling H&V was completely booked also. We had no problems with the other parks, HS was the one that we are still trying to find a slot.

 

[tina_la]

I think lunch tends to be easier than dinner too

 

[iluvpluto27]

I've definitely found it easier to get ADRs this year, than last year. I booked around the same time as last year (May) and the only place I couldn't get was Le Cellier, and found that most of the restaurants were wide open for lunch. I'm doing mostly signatures for dinner though, so may be the 1TS restuarants are busier at night?

 

[victorandbellasmom]

I've been calling just about everyday for the past month for Ohana or 1900 Park Fare for dinner of Aug 26th with no luck. I did manage to add Akershsus and Tepan Edo for Labor Day last week when we found out our flights changed.

 

[Paparazzimama]

WOW!!! So, needless to say, my luck of availabilty was an isolated incident! That really stinks that some of you are having so much trouble getting the ADRs that you need. Whatever you do - don't stop calling! Last year, I called every day for a cancellation at CRT on my daughter's birthday (during Thanksgiving week - Yikes!) and finally got it 3 days before we left for our trip! Persistence pays off!!!

 

[J. Worthington Foulfellow]

I just mentioned this on another thread....but I called just two weeks ago to book all of my ADRs for September 6th through the 13th. I was surprised how little trouble I had booking exactly what we wanted. We got Boma, Liberty Tree, Prime Time, 'Ohana, and Chefs de France with absolutely no problems. In fact, with Prime Time, Chefs and 'Ohana we had our choice of any seating time.

The only one that caused a wrinkle was Liberty Tree. The only times available were a little earlier (@4-5:00) than we normally eat dinner. We'll still be there, but at 4:45.

When I told the cast member on the phone how surprised I was that so much was open, she told me that demand has been a lot lower this year than previous.

 

[Paparazzimama]

I just mentioned this on another thread....but I called just two weeks ago to book all of my ADRs for September 6th through the 13th. I was surprised how little trouble I had booking exactly what we wanted. We got Boma, Liberty Tree, Prime Time, 'Ohana, and Chefs de France with absolutely no problems. In fact, with Prime Time, Chefs and 'Ohana we had our choice of any seating time.

The only one that caused a wrinkle was Liberty Tree. The only times available were a little earlier (@4-5:00) than we normally eat dinner. We'll still be there, but at 4:45.

When I told the cast member on the phone how surprised I was that so much was open, she told me that demand has been a lot lower this year than previous.

Wow!!! That is so awesome for you! Maybe lower demand means lower ride wait times for us . . . here's hoping!

 

[tina_la]

going for the same dates. Does seem like it will be pretty slow that week. Hope so!

 

[PrincessMama605]

I called today to add an extra day for our stay in Sept. during free dining and I was suprised that there were so many openings. Most of the character meals are all booked up though. The lady I talked to said that there have been a lot of cancellations.

 

[NC State]

I called on Sunday afternoon to add 1900 Park Fare on Sept 8th and they had no openings at all for dinner. So we got "the Wave" for Sept 8th @ 5:40 pm with no problem. Maybe because it's new and not many people know about it.

 

[deslynnpatterson]

i booked my ADRS i think right around the time i was allowed to start booking them ( 180 out) but wanted to switch some things around, i called Monday night trying to get Liberty Tree for Sept 13, and there was nothing avaliable-- i decided to try again today, and we were able to get a 8:30pm dinner-- i am going to keep calling back for a earlier time but i was suprised something opened up keep calling i also believe persistence pays off-- call every evening, or every other day-- but for now i will take what i have until my trip gets closer

 

[tinkerbell1967]

I do think a lot of people are changing their travel plans. With the gas and food prices skyrocketing people just can not justify taking trips anywhere. I have a feeling that if the prices do not go down Disney and everywhere else will start to feel the pinch about this time next year. I figure everyone that is going to Disney in the next few months has already had their plans made for quite some time so they don't want to change them but I think people that were thinking about going next year will hold off awhile.

 

[Finally08]

We had a hard time getting breakfast adr's when we went in Feb, but I just booked two today for Sept with no issues (we got Chef Mickeys and Crystal Palace - CP I actually moved from one day to the next, they seemed to have lots of room there and times to choose from with both those places). There were also tables of *four* available at Park Faire for dinner.

 

[indsun]

We are going 9/15-9/22 and i could not get any of the adr's i wanted. If i could get a table it was late almost 9 o'clock in most cases. No 1900 park fare,no yak and yeti. So i am counting on cancellations and luck. I was really bummed!