HELP with ADR and transportation questions

[dznyfam3]

So I'm planning my family's first trip to WDW, we usually go to Disneyland every year, and I am so lost! LOL! Couple of questions I have right off the bat are with ADR's.

In Disneyland, we often book 2 4-person ADR's for Character meals for my extended family. However I'm hearing that this is not allowed when making ADR's for WDW. Can someone clarify if this is allowable?

Next I was wondering if I want to book a 8:15am ADR at Cinderella's Royal Table and I'm staying at one of the resorts onsite, how early do the buses start running so that I can be there early enough?

 

[TDC Nala]

I don't understand what you mean by booking 2-4 person ADRs for character meals for the extended family. Why not just book for a party of 8?

If you're making the reservations for others who are not going to be there the same time as you are, you can't do that at WDW. Reservations aren't transferable. You could make the reservation in their names. But you also need to remember that at WDW you must put down a credit card for character meals to ensure the party will show up. If they don't cancel and they don't show up your credit card would be charged. For Cinderella's Royal Table you have to pay in full for the meal at the time you book it.

 

[dznyfam3]

Yes I'll definitely try to make a reservation of 8 but since I'm new to the ADR process in WDW I wasn't sure how difficult a party of 8 is to book or if I should split it into 2 separate reservations in order to get the time we need. We would all be at the same restaurant at the same time and I wasn't sure if that was possible.

 

[TDC Nala]

If you book as soon as possible you should have no problems getting a reservation for a party of 8. If you wait too long, there might be a problem. And then you could not guarantee that your group would sit together. Can't tell when the trip you are planning will take place.

On the WDW system, you cannot make multiple reservations under the same name within 2 hours of each other. So you couldn't hold two reservations in your own name. You'd have to make one in someone else's name, and register a credit card on each one for character meals, popular and signature restaurants.