How do I plan ADRS?

[Tara1988]

How am I supposed to know what reservations to make on the 180 day when park hours aren't being released in advance? What if I decide a different park would be better for that day based on the park hours for the rest of the week? How do people always know what they want 180 days out? What restaurants actually need to be booked that far out in advance?

 

[MakiraMarlena]

You'll get the basic park hours. they usually release those about 180 days out. But they could change, especially at MK. AK is expected to extend evening hours at any time, probably for dates starting April 22.

If you change your mind on which park you'll have to change restaurants.

I'd do the ASAP on:

Be Our Guest (any meal)
Cinderella's Royal Table
Chef Mickey's
California Grill if you want fireworks time
Any pre-opening breakfast
'Ohana dinner from 5-8

The others, unless you have a large party, are very picky about the times you want to eat, or are going during one of the busier times of year, you can wait a bit on. Some you can wait even longer on.

 

[Anal Annie]

You don't always know - that's why ADR's are a pain in the rear. I usually only make the ones that I know are super difficult to get later (ie BOG, LeCellier, OHana's or packages like for Fantasmic if we decide to do that). They complicated the process when they started requiring a credit card guarantee on all reservations - just another step. Sometimes we don't eat at any of these hard-to-get places so I don't make any plans until right before our trip or while we're there even - if you're flexible with days & times you can get most anything else you want at the last minute or the day before or even the day of. When I plan our FP+ now I try to leave a couple of hours window around our typical meal times for slipping in last minute meal decisions.

 

[StirlingSilver83]

I usually book my park days around my ADR days...I know sad but true, lol...I pick the restaurants that I want to go to and then decide on what days I want to go to them and hope and pray they are good days, lol...But yeah I plan our whole vacation around the ADRs. We always go with the deluxe dining bc we like sit down meals as much as park time...we also don't go at incredibly busy times. We usually go sometime in March so its not like super crowded like in the summer...unless Easter is early like this year, but we aren't going this year and Easter is late next year so we should miss the spring break crowds next year thank goodness lol. If I decide I absolutely have to change a park day I will try to rearrange my ADRs sometimes I can and sometimes I can't usually the hardest to rearrange is BOG and pre park ADRs...everything else is pretty easy to adjust though. We don't do signatures though so I don't know about those availabilities

 

[addiln]

I tend to do as the pp said and plan my parks around my ADRs. I know we don't go to the parks on our arrival day and like to keep that kind of low key. Also we tend to take one or two days off from the parks and have a pool day. From there we look at what day the parks are the busy and plan from there. It is kind of a pain but we make it work. It helps knowing what days you are going to what parks and then you can plan from there.

 

[Tara1988]

You'll get the basic park hours. they usually release those about 180 days out. But they could change, especially at MK. AK is expected to extend evening hours at any time, probably for dates starting April 22.

If you change your mind on which park you'll have to change restaurants.

I'd do the ASAP on:

Be Our Guest (any meal)
Cinderella's Royal Table
Chef Mickey's
California Grill if you want fireworks time
Any pre-opening breakfast
'Ohana dinner from 5-8

The others, unless you have a large party, are very picky about the times you want to eat, or are going during one of the busier times of year, you can wait a bit on. Some you can wait even longer on.

I do want to try Ohana. And maybe 1 or 2 pre opening breakfasts (definitely one at animal kingdom, we like to do the safari as early as possible.) But I don't want to set parks for certain days, then later in the week I see a different day has better hours. Do you think those would book up within a week of ADRs opening?

 

[Vernie822]

How am I supposed to know what reservations to make on the 180 day when park hours aren't being released in advance? What if I decide a different park would be better for that day based on the park hours for the rest of the week? How do people always know what they want 180 days out? What restaurants actually need to be booked that far out in advance?

I generally pick our meals and work our park days around that, and then if I need to switch anything around once park hours are released, I do.

It's hard to know what you want 180 days out, but you can change things around up until your trip if you need to, given the restaurant has availability left.

I would book any table service you plan to eat at. You can always cancel if you change your plans and want to book something else, but especially the busier restaurants will need a reservation.

Good luck!!

 

[Vernie822]

I do want to try Ohana. And maybe 1 or 2 pre opening breakfasts (definitely one at animal kingdom, we like to do the safari as early as possible.) But I don't want to set parks for certain days, then later in the week I see a different day has better hours. Do you think those would book up within a week of ADRs opening?

Ohana is GREAT!

Nothing is stopping you from booking ADR's on multiple days, though I usually like to look and see historically what days have EMH, especially if you're going to book pre park opening breakfasts. You can always book multiple days of Tusker House breakfast (that's the one you're looking for, right!?) and then cancel once park hours come out. I hate doing that because I don't like to take a reservation someone else may want or need, but it's an option until you figure out your plans!

 

[StirlingSilver83]

I personally have never had a pre park opening ADR for AK. I know Tusker House is the only place that offers this and they are also right by the safari so just from those 2 facts alone I would think that would be a pretty popular pre park opening ADR that I would suggest booking at 180 days out

 

[Duckiedee]

I would pick which places you want to go to first. Decide which meal of the day. Prioritize. Group them according to Park/Resort area. Then choose your days according to crowd calendars and Park hours/shows... try to not have to Park hop if you can. If you are staying on site, set your hardest to get ADRs first and then by priority. If you are doing something like CRT - try to have that not on your arrival day as you will have a better chance of getting your preferred time.

 

[disney world dreamer]

generally the park hours are out 190 days in advance.
for example they are out through 9/23 which just so happens to be 190 days from now.
this gives you the 180+10 for ADR booking.

usually i decide what ADR's i want to make based on where i already know i like and where i know i want to try.
i check out menus to make sure there's something i am interested in eating. (i realize menus can change but generally they don't change by much).

then i decide what parks i want to go to what days based on park hours/EMH.

then i make my ADR's ASAP.
sometimes its 180 days in advance and sometimes its a bit less.

i'd suggest making all of your ADR's ASAP so you know you have them.
then if you'd like to change something you can check for availability but know that if it doesn't work out you still have your original ADR's.

i've never felt the need to change park days or change ADR's.
after i decide something thats what i like to stick to.

 

[ReluctantDisaholic]

We start with the days we're doing at each park (we use easywdw and his calendar is out before 180 days). Then I figure out how many meals we need at each park, fill them in, and book the ADR.

 

[Tara1988]

Ohana is GREAT!

Nothing is stopping you from booking ADR's on multiple days, though I usually like to look and see historically what days have EMH, especially if you're going to book pre park opening breakfasts. You can always book multiple days of Tusker House breakfast (that's the one you're looking for, right!?) and then cancel once park hours come out. I hate doing that because I don't like to take a reservation someone else may want or need, but it's an option until you figure out your plans!

I love tusker house, but was thinking of doing rainforest cafe, just to do something different. We have been going to tusker house every trip since my son was born, we went for breakfast and lunch one day. It's my favorite restaurant, but I think it's time to try some new ones

 

[Lirael]

I made my ADRs according to what I had planned for the parks, while keeping in mind stuff that hasnt been confirmed yet but will almost certainly happen (RoL, AKL night hours and MNSSHP). If/when any changes happen, I'll see if it's anything that impacts my ADRs and if so, change stuff. However, if said change impacts on a ADR I cant seem to grab again, like BOG, I'd reflect on what is worth more to me. Personally, I wouldnt plan my park according to my ADR, because I dont want to end up going to a parl on a busy day, or missing out shows or EMH

 

[Shanti]

How am I supposed to know what reservations to make on the 180 day when park hours aren't being released in advance? What if I decide a different park would be better for that day based on the park hours for the rest of the week? How do people always know what they want 180 days out? What restaurants actually need to be booked that far out in advance?

You need to book character meals in advance, plus very popular locations like Be Our Guest and California Grill. 180 days isn't always necessary, but I recommend booking early, then changing later if needed (and able) once park hours are updated.

 

[Tara1988]

generally the park hours are out 190 days in advance.
for example they are out through 9/23 which just so happens to be 190 days from now.
this gives you the 180+10 for ADR booking.

usually i decide what ADR's i want to make based on where i already know i like and where i know i want to try.
i check out menus to make sure there's something i am interested in eating. (i realize menus can change but generally they don't change by much).

then i decide what parks i want to go to what days based on park hours/EMH.

then i make my ADR's ASAP.
sometimes its 180 days in advance and sometimes its a bit less.

i'd suggest making all of your ADR's ASAP so you know you have them.
then if you'd like to change something you can check for availability but know that if it doesn't work out you still have your original ADR's.

i've never felt the need to change park days or change ADR's.
after i decide something thats what i like to stick to.

Thank you! I guess I can't count! I was getting frustrated with the park times not being released sooner, but if it's 190 days out, I should be fine.

 

[hookedonears]

I love tusker house, but was thinking of doing rainforest cafe, just to do something different. We have been going to tusker house every trip since my son was born, we went for breakfast and lunch one day. It's my favorite restaurant, but I think it's time to try some new ones

Stick with Tusker House.

 

[minnie mum]

Thank you! I guess I can't count! I was getting frustrated with the park times not being released sooner, but if it's 190 days out, I should be fine.

Josh at easywdw speculated that October's hours will be out on Friday. Park hours are almost always available before the 180 day ADR window opens. I almost always plan my park days on the crowd calendar recommended parks, and then book my ADRs accordingly

I will, in advance of the crowd calendar, plan which restaurants we want to eat at. So I'll know that I want BOG dinner on a MK day, SRT on our Epcot day, HDDR on a non park day etc. Then when the calendar comes out I can plug each park and restaurant into the appropriate date, look at the park hours, and have a pretty good idea of what time I will want for each ADR. All of this takes less than an hour to do. I will book them on the morning of my 180 day, and, barring any huge complication, leave them alone.

I generally book one TS per day. We may occasionally cancel or change one or two once we get to WDW. As long as you do it at least the day before, it's all good.

 

[tinkerhon]

You'll get the basic park hours. they usually release those about 180 days out. But they could change, especially at MK. AK is expected to extend evening hours at any time, probably for dates starting April 22.

If you change your mind on which park you'll have to change restaurants.

I'd do the ASAP on:

Be Our Guest (any meal)
Cinderella's Royal Table
Chef Mickey's
California Grill if you want fireworks time
Any pre-opening breakfast
'Ohana dinner from 5-8

The others, unless you have a large party, are very picky about the times you want to eat, or are going during one of the busier times of year, you can wait a bit on. Some you can wait even longer on.

I would also throw in the later ( let's call it "Illuminations Seating") at "Rose & Crown". --- always seem to have a tough time securing an ADR for times after 7PM

 

[maxiesmom]

Josh at easywdw speculated that October's hours will be out on Friday. Park hours are almost always available before the 180 day ADR window opens. I almost always plan my park days on the crowd calendar recommended parks, and then book my ADRs accordingly

I hope you are right about the park hours! I'm itching to sit down and figure out my trip plan!