Help! Do I make ADRs including my parents if they aren't sure they're going?

[arjones31]

Basically, my 180 day date is October 11. My family of four is definitely going on the trip. May parents might be going. In your experience is it better for me to go ahead and make ADRs for six people and cancel two seats if they decide to stay home, or should I book for four and hope to add two if they decide to go? Confused, and concerned because I don't want to take seats away from others who are definitely going and need to make their ADRs, too.

 

[mommahnina]

I would go ahead and make them for the bigger party, because you can not add people to your ADR's once they are made. But you can downsize later.

 

[Tricia1972]

It is almost impossible to add two onto reservations and it's usually pretty easy to remove two from your reservation.

If you believe your parents are coming, then you should reserve for them now. You can remove them if they tell you that they've decided to not join you.

 

[whitney6494]

I had this exact problem. I made all my ADRs for 5(my family) and thought my mom might be going. The CMs said that to add one more would not be a problem.BUT then both of my parents were talking about going. I wanted them to go but had spents hours online stalking WDW sight and Dis to get the ressies I had. In your case I would speak to your parents and let them know that you NEED to know now. If they really can't say for sure just make them for 6 and call before you go to try to change it to 4. If they can't change it on the phone just show up at the restaurant and say they are not going to join you. I'm with ya...sometimes things are just too complicated. Breathe...

 

[clanmcculloch]

I'm in the process of making ADRs for our trip with 6 people. I'm not sure if 2 of the people will join us for every ADR but I'm booking the ADRs for 6 in case they do join us. None of these ADRs are restaurants that require a credit card hold or prepayment.

Restaurants overbook all the time. It'll be easier for them to seat a party of 4 that booked as a party of 6 than to seat a party of 6 that booked as a party of 4.

If it turns out that they can't join you, I would certainly try to change the ADRs to parties of 4 if the ADRs are available but I also wouldn't feel bad about keeping an ADR for 6 if there are only 4 of you and you can't rebook. It's not like you won't use the ADR; you'll just be showing up with 2 less people.

I did hold off on booking my ADRs until I was sure that the other 2 would come but mostly because we'll tour different with the other 2 than we would with just the 4 of us. I like to figure out my park itinerary before booking ADRs and I couldn't do the itinerary without knowing who'd be there. We've been to WDW enough times with our little ones that we no longer have any must-do ADRs so I wasn't concerned about not being able to get certain places. I did manage to get lunch at LeCellier and dinner at 'Ohana for the exact times we wanted at about 4.5 months out. We're going at a peak time (President's Day week) at the tail end of a free dining period so I was a bit worried about just what ADRs would be available and now I'm struggling with how to narrow down all our choices since I'm finding everything I want when I search and I don't really want that many ADRs. It's taking every bit of strength I have to NOT book any more ADRs.

 

[arjones31]

I had this exact problem. I made all my ADRs for 5(my family) and thought my mom might be going. The CMs said that to add one more would not be a problem.BUT then both of my parents were talking about going. I wanted them to go but had spents hours online stalking WDW sight and Dis to get the ressies I had. In your case I would speak to your parents and let them know that you NEED to know now. If they really can't say for sure just make them for 6 and call before you go to try to change it to 4. If they can't change it on the phone just show up at the restaurant and say they are not going to join you. I'm with ya...sometimes things are just too complicated. Breathe...

Thanks - good to know I'm not the only one who has gone through this. I will go ahead and reserve for six!

 

[high meadows]

Book'em, Danno! If your parents decide not to go, drop the two seats and know you are making two strangers happy with unexpected seats. That will be the sort of surprise pleasure that makes WDW a joy.