Here to clear up this misconception...

[ntengwall]

We are staying off-site and I read in one of the books (I think it was the Fodor's Disney with Kids) that you cannot call ahead and get any priority seatings unless you are staying on-site or unless you have your hotel call for you (we are staying in a house in Kissimmee). I also just read a thread where someone else told another poster this supposed "rule". This is NOT true. I just called today and made all of our dinner priority seatings and she even asked me where I was staying. I thought for a split second to lie and say on-site, but I didn't. Just said off-site and she kept going.
Also...if you are going in Feb, you should call NOW. I had to make some of our dinners at 4:30 because the priority seatings were taken already!! We do have a large party (of 9 people) so they had to split us up at all but one restaurant (The Plaza) into two tables of 5.

 

[Allison]

There's a guide book NOT to buy.

Anyone can make an ADR 180 days out.

Resort guests can make ADR's 180 days out from the start of their stay and for a total of 10 days of their vacation.

 

[IWannaBeAPrincess]

Wow! That is some major mis-information!! We have gone to character dinner without staying onsite or having the hotel call. That is absurd to tell people to wait to the last second!

You need to call well in advance to get seating!

-Wendy

 

[bicker]

The best travel guide is actually two: The Official Guide and the Unofficial Guide. Neither of those two are that good alone, but together, you get the full picture.