Here's how my Morning went! LONG!

[wdwnomad]

I called this morning as well at 7:00ish and was on hold for 40 minutes before I had to hang-up and leave for work. I have always called at my 180 day mark and never had a wait like that. I was suprised. I called back once I got into work around 9:00 am. About 20 minutes later I finally got to talk to someone. I got most of what I wanted at the times I was looking for two people. However, I was surpised at a few of them. My choices at the Grand Floridian Cafe on 12/8 were 5:00 pm or 7:05 and after. Nothing in between. I wanted a character breakfast around the MK between 8 and 9 on 12/11. Nothing at CP, CM or O'hanas. Ended up with 1900 Park Faire. In the end I guess that is good because I never tried it. My choices at Boma weren't the best either on 12/10. Either 6:15 or after 8:00 pm.

I've never made ADR's for only two people before so I don't know if that is the norm. I was surpised at the lack for variety of times I available for two people at 180 days. I guess it was good I made them when I did.

 

[not_minnie]

I was able to make all the reservations I wanted for 3rd-6th July- just about 2 days ago....

I wonder if we're going to be the only people there . We just (as in a couple of days ago) booked a weekend getaway for June 27-July 1 and when I called for ADRs I thought I the CM would laugh at me for trying to make them at this late date, but I was able to get everything - Rose & Crown, Mama Melrose, CP, Boma - for the exact times we wanted. I later called again to change some things around and again got the times I wanted. I really couldn't believe it! Of course, I wasn't calling for any of the Princess events, but I did have some pretty popular places. I called at midday each time and got through within 2-3 mins.

 

[meowmarie]

I was very stressed out when I found out about the whole ADR thing. This will be our first trip in 18 years and first dining plan trip (hey it was free lol). I had called to make a payment on our trip and the CM asked me if I had made any dining reservations yet. I laughed and said no, the trip was 5 months away. The CM was like seriously, you really need to make them now lol. I thought they were crazy! But I sat down and made a rough outline of where we'd be on what days and made the call. Only ONE of my 6 choices was available lol. I freaked! I had sworn to DH I wasn't going to turn into crazy planning lady, yet there I was, 5 months in advance making a spread sheet of what days were EMH and what exactly we'd feel like eating at what time on certain days lol. I really had to explain to him how hard our ressies were to get and why i had to book early, but I'm still not sure he believes me!

 

[irishjules]

OMG!! I'm really sorry that you all have had such rough mornings..WOW.. But, this makes me think- "Is it really worth all that stress????" Maybe my life has too much stress already that I just can't put that much effort and stress into "food reservations."

I do tend to be a "winger" rather than a "planner." I was able to make all the reservations I wanted for 3rd-6th July- just about 2 days ago....

I'm a winger too - just booked the first week in August at Wilderness Lodge on the DDP. I called at 6 p.m. today - waited 5 minutes (and I was getting frustrated) and got every restaurant I wanted. I am counting my blessings because I know I would have just blown it off if I had waited any longer!

 

[TomLovesBecky]

The alarm went off at 6:55 am. It's 7:00am & DH says "Get up, you gotta call Disney". I grab the phone, the ressie #, a pen, my wallet, & the ADR's I wanted, get on the phone... it's 7:05 am. After punching in the #1 a gazillion times, 7:08am I sit there listening to "Under the Sea", "Bare Neccessities", "Cruella DeVil" it's 7:26am & I hear a beep beep beep, Nooo! the batteries dying in our cordless phone. (Yes we only have one house phone) The phone hangs up. I panic, I get the cell phone, dial the phone # & the gazillion #1's again, 7:32 am I'm listening to the sounds of Disney Movies again on the speaker, "the call volume is heavy, please expect a delay" it's 8:03 am, my cell phone starts to die, NOT AGAIN! Get the charger quick!!!DD & Dh run, we plug in the phone , it's now 8:31am when I say to DH "what should I do?" We have to drop DD off at Daycare & be at work 9:30am and I haven't showered yet. At 8:35am I heard this Angelic voice say "Welcome to Disney Dining, how may I help you? I say "Wait!! Wait!! I'm here!!" I pick up the cell phone, hit the speaker button and see THIS: "Call Ended 00:14"... The tears just well up, I scream "It hung up, OMG, it hung up!" DH yells "What did you hit?" I don't know, I'm on the floor in the fetal position crying. 8:38am DH says "Go get in the shower, I'll call back", I run to the shower,cry, brush my teeth,cry, get some clothes out, cry, when DH yells "They Picked up!" 9:04am, I'm in a towel, DH is saying this to the CM "Hello, uh, er, uh,er, can you talk to my wife?" I grab the phone and this is the rest of the conversation:
Me: Hello?
CM: Playing Musical phones today?
Me: It's been a rough morning, We've been on the phone for two hours
CM: I believe it, I have over 200 calls waiting after you
Me: Ok, well what do you need from me first?
CM: Start w/ your first day...
Me: Dec 7 Dinner at Boma, what do you have?
CM: 4:45pm & 7:10pm
ME: I guess...
CM: oh wait, there's a 5:25pm, never mind-that's for a party of 4, not a party of 3
Me: What? (that makes no sense) We'll take the 7:10
CM: Great! (Does the confirmation spiel TWICE)
This is how the rest of the convo went, after some wheelin' & dealin' we got everything we wanted, 6 ADRS, for the week of Dec. 7-13 & ignored the CM's BBB guilt trip while I was at it. She was very nice & speedy, her name was Reagan, I was off the phone at 9:08am and that's when the intestinal meltdown happened....

OMG I am freaking out now, I will have to be on hold for an hour and a half????????????????? I am seriously so frustrated I want to quit before I start, I was planning on calling Sunday morning and it taking like 10 minutes tops, I feel totally defeated already, I do not have that kind of time to wait on the line. What can I do?

 

[letthewookiewin]

I have to tell you that I do the stress plan thing before I book ADRs and then I tend to back off for a few months. I won't really start getting into things heavily again until September when I start to seriously plan my itinerary. It renews me after the insanity of planning your daily schedule 6 or 7 months out including when and where you think you might want to eat. It gives you time to destress and then get excited all over again. I know where you are but I also think giving yourself some time off might make the trip even better.

Just my $0.02! BTW, DH and I are at the World at the same time as your group. Here's hoping for a phenomenol trip for both of us!

Yeah, I had given it a break. I picked it back up when I realize it was time for me to make our ADR's. Now that I have the ADR's, and everything in the Blackjack I'm not going to do any planning for at least a week. (yeah we'll see how long that last.) For now, I'm just happy looking at our ADR schedule in total disbelief that I was able to get what I wanted.
Well hopefully your trip is practically perfect in every way. This is our first time in December and I can't wait to see everything. I don't think I would be as stressed if it was a time that we had been before.
Then I'm in the soft planning stages for our trip next year. It is a Grand Gathering with my DH's family. It will not only be my DNeph's first trip, but my brother and sister in laws wedding anny. In the family, I'm the Disney expert. I have been given the job of making it as magical as possible. We already have the time and resort picked out. I even have an idea for a suprise anniversary cake for the brother & sister in law. Then I want to suprise them with the diver thing at the Coral Reef restaurant.

 

[mla1977]

I'm all set for tomorrow! I don't have any of the BIG places (CRT, Le Cellier, etc.) I think the one that I am most worried about is LTT on a MVMCP night.

 

[Twende]

I called this morning right at opening and got right through but there were still no CP's and no openings at the 180 day mark for LeCellier.

Oh well I am trying!

 

[bonybroad]

With the dining plan, CMs suggest ADRs. There is NO walk-up restaurant anymore! You have to over-plan, or you are having counter-service, period!
We are doing a spiur-of-themoment trip, and can't get ANYTHING!

 

[bjscheel]

OMG I am freaking out now, I will have to be on hold for an hour and a half????????????????? I am seriously so frustrated I want to quit before I start, I was planning on calling Sunday morning and it taking like 10 minutes tops, I feel totally defeated already, I do not have that kind of time to wait on the line. What can I do?

I am past my 180 days because I am waiting on TGM to help me pick my parks, but I did call to make sure I got 1900 Park Fair shortly after 180 days. I called about 2:30 in the afternoon and was not on hold one bit. This was before the November and December hours were released, so I suppose there is still a flood of calls from after that release. I guess my point is, try a different time of day than 7 am.

I have decided I'm just not going to stress about it. When I figure out my days I'll call and we'll get what we get.

 

[mla1977]

I called this morning right at opening and got right through but there were still no CP's and no openings at the 180 day mark for LeCellier.

Oh well I am trying!

CP=Crystal Palace? None? Please tell me that there is anothe CP that I am not thinking of!

 

[properlywarnedyebe]

I think trying to call at even 9:00am is better than 7:00am...plus most people don't check in on Mondays, today is 180 days from Monday Dec. 8th, I would think less people are trying to call today...maybe?

 

[danielle.st]

CP=Crystal Palace? None? Please tell me that there is anothe CP that I am not thinking of!

It might mean Candlelight Processional. Those haven't been released yet and I think a lot of people are waiting.

 

[dlstc]

CP=Crystal Palace? None? Please tell me that there is anothe CP that I am not thinking of!

It could be Candlelight Processional packages. They block some ADR's for these packages.

HTH,
Diana

 

[Twende]

Yep I am waiting for the Candle Light processional packages to come out. I figure that is the only way my family is going to find a place to eat in EPCOT! Even at the more than 180 day mark many places are booked up.

We want to see the CP anyway so I hope it works out. I am going to call early every morning until I get it!

 

[mla1977]

Thank goodness that I am only looking at breakfast in Epcot. CS in the world showcase is the best.

 

[suzimar57]

we also picked the same week in december, thinking it would be quieter - not so, it seems! - lucky i got all my ADRs when i called sunday 7am on our 180 day - would rather stress for one phone call than panic while there!