WDW first timer (DLR Vet) here planning a trip in October and I just realized I actually need to start making Restaurant reservations soon... I am just starting to look at and decide which hotel and stuff right now and I haven't even tackled how we are going to spend our days so I doubt I'll have any kind of gameplan put together by the 10th (when I can start making reservations).
How crucial is it to get your reservations in day one? Am I going to be screwed for places to eat come October if I dont get in on the 10th? Or do only the most popular places book up?
I have to admit this is putting me off a bit... I generally like to wing things and when we go to DLR we generally are able to walk right into the restaurants we want to eat it with a few exceptions
We go to both WDW and DLR- we love that at DLR we can walk into places we want to eat, or make reservations a couple of hours before and find availability most places--- unfortunately, that is not the case at WDW. (I think it is probably because DLR has a significant amount of local traffic that does not put as much importance in a sit down meal while they are there). Plus, in October, WDW often has a
free dining period- that is a special offer where you basically pay full price for your room, but then you get a dining plan for free. Free Dining causes the restaurants to be packed, and people book them up even before the offer actually comes out, just hoping it will.
The places that book up first are Be Our Guest (can be difficult to get even on the 180th day), character meals, and a couple of other places. Most other places you would not be too bad off if you did not book them right on the 180th day-- but things do start booking up- and the closer you get to the trip, the less of a chance you will be able to get an ADR for the places and times you want. Earlier is definitely better. I wouldn't expect to get online 60 days before the trip (the 1st day you could book at DLR) and expect to get what I wanted at the times I wanted- and probably no character meals at all by then. Don't expect to easily get walk ups to TS at WDW. It can happen, but I have seen a ton of people turned away from places- and I've seen people complaining that they have been turned away from multiple places. It is nothing like DLR where usually you get in, and occasionally you get turned away. It is pretty much the opposite- especially during free dining periods. I think you should go ahead and start booking things - you can always cancel them and move them around. It would be a shame if you did not get to try the places you really want to try on your first trip to WDW. If you don't have a resort reservation where you can book your plus 10, I would say just try to get a game plan of which parks on which days and get online every day starting the 10th and book something in that park for that day. Allears.net has a great listing of all the restaurants and menus if you are not sure where you might want to eat. Even though we have been to WDW quite a bit, I still use it every time.
Once the free dining offer comes out, if it does, everything will get booked up VERY quickly. It would be best if you had tentative plans in place early.
Hang in there- I know coming from DLR the planning required for WDW can be overwhelming- especially since they have thrown FP+ in the mix (which I won't turn this into a threat about, but suffice it to say I have had 2 trips with it and I'm not a fan). WDW itself is great though. It does have things you won't find at DLR. EPCOT World Showcase is like nothing else! Have a great trip!
I never had this issue before- disappointed.
