Getting a Reservation

[Sully321]

So my GF and I booked a week in mid November last night, and I cannot get anything on the DP. Any suggestions for best times to try and get something.
I have tried like 15 places both lunch and dinner for our dates....frustrating.

 

[FelisLachesis]

Instead of searching by restaurant, search by time.

If you're on the web, go to https://disneyworld.disney.go.com/dining/

Above the list of restaurants, look for a green button labeled "search times".

From there, set the date and time you want, and click search.

Disney will show which restaurants still have availability around that time (I think plus or minus two hours).

Select a time, and make the reservation!

 

[mouserrificmom]

The advice above is great, particularly if you don't have a particular list of places you want to eat at and are willing to search by time/general location to see what is available. If there is a particular restaurant you are hoping to book, then you might want to use either the Touring Plans or Mouse Dining sites that will constantly search for you and notify you when something opens up. TP allows you to search for 2 at a time, and I think Mouse Dining is 4 or 6? You will have to then log in and book it yourself, and sometimes someone snatches it up before you, but you can restart the search on TP and Mouse Dining will keep searching and notifying until you tell it to stop. Also mark up the 45 day marks for your dates, as the payments come due then and when people change plans they sometimes drop dining reservations.

 

[Hopefully]

I'm sorry you are frustrated but it is late for November. Folks have been booking for a few months. Popular in park restaurants book to capacity quickly. But folks do cancel so keep checking. That is your best bet.

 

[Queen of the WDW Scene]

You're going during FD so its gonna be difficult.
Just keep checking multiple places multiple times per day.
There's also an ADR cancellation thread somewhere on here...

 

[kniquy]

Unfortunately stalking the reservations is the best way to snag something. Think of the resort dining options too, I am not sure if you are limiting yourself to only in park restaurants. To get to and from resort to resort you can use uber.

Touring plans has a reservation finder -- I am not sure if you need the membership to use this feature, but you can put in a couple restaurants you want and if something opens you get an email or text. The only downfall to this is others may have the same request in so unless you get on the website as soon as you get the text you might not get the reservation.

People cancel reservations all the time as their plans evolve and change, so hopefully between now an November you will be able to snag something. You can also try calling, i don't believe CMs have any better access than what is online, but it can't hurt

 

[bigbabyblues]

You also may try looking at early or later meal times, if you haven't already.

 

[Figmentmommy]

Try searching under meals rather than times. For example instead of searching for 6:00pm just search Dinner. And keep looking every day- multiple times a day. I've planned trips in less time - even with free dining- and been able to get everything I wanted.

 

[Sully321]

Thank you for all the advice. I have gotten some great ones by just being persisitent.
Even Le Cellier for 6:20 on a sat night.

 

[kniquy]

I planned a last minute (which means 2 months out) NYE trip -- stalking and not being real picky about our restaurants and dining times helped securing all our dining reservations. So snag what you can now. Most places you have to cancel the day before, so each evening when you are there maybe check the app to see if something has opened that you really want.