How many ressies do you book?

[BowlingAriel]

ARGH!!
Just wanting to know -
Do you book reservations just to get them and then not cancel?

I am getting frustrated - last minute my husband decides he wants to go to EPCOT on his birthday - May 8th.

Trying to get dinner reservations is like finding the cure for cancer. Next to impossible.

Then I hop over to the "trade" thread and low and behold people have all the good ones and are willing to trade. WOW

Personally I think Disney should start taking a credit card when you make a reservation and if you don't cancel with in a certain time period u get a $25 charge.

What happens to people who are new and don't know that they need to make reservations - are they shut out? WOW that's a good first time impression of Disney.

Its not even regular callers - Concierge couldn't get a couple last time we went.

 

[noahdove]

I make all of my ressies at one time. On the day that I am able to. I don't want to decide too late and not be able to get them. I only have 34 more days until I can make them. Since we will be on the dining plan, I will make 6 breakfast/dinner ressies, 1 BBB and 1 Garden Tea ressie. I hope and pray that I don't have to cancel, but I will if I need to. I don't like being unkind to people that didn't know they should make them..good luck with whatever you decide.

 

[BowlingAriel]

noahdove
I do the same thing when I know we are going. Last minute trips stink anymore.
I always think about the people who have NO IDEA they need to book ahead.
We see people all the time walk up and expect to get a table.

Have a fantastic trip.

 

[shellybaxter]

We make the vast majority of our ADRs at 7:00 EST - thats 4:00 my time - on the first day I can. I make one to two per day and we keep all of them. Okay - once we over slept and missed our Boma breakfast on our last day - but we made our other 26 ADRs that trip (17 day trip). I guess I wouldn't mind having to give a Credit Card if it WERE NOT charged at all unless we no showed, but I would HATE the process and I wouldnt' want to be the CM that had to turn away people who were late at at restaurant. It would take twice as long to make an ADR, and that would be a pain. People would show up late who had bus trouble (and its been known to happen even if you leave the hour requested by dinning) or had been stuck on a ride, or any other reason related to things Disney is responsible for and they'd be POd when they weren't either seated (therefore pushing my ADR seating back) or refunded (and then people would lie to get a refund)

 

[BowlingAriel]

Ya your probably right - dishonest people would be dishonest. And the people who really had a valid reason would get caught up in the mess.

I know Le Cellier is ALWAYS booked. You can never get in there - and now Italy is getting the same way.

I think the free dining deal has alot to do with it too. People who wouldn't normally spend $150 on dinner treat themselves to it when its included in their dining plan.

Its just sooo frustrating - being that we are only 2hrs away, planning a quick trip is almost impossible with out leaving the parks for dinner.

 

[shellybaxter]

It must be hard to be so close, especially at free dining time. I have friends that live locally in Orlando and they say that a lot of restaurants can seat walk ups at opening time, but I think they mostly try that at resort restaurants

 

[disneyjunkie]

Its not even regular callers - Concierge couldn't get a couple last time we went.[/COLOR][/SIZE][/FONT]

I just found that out last week.


My cousin asked me to book and plan a mid June for her an her daughters LAST TUESDAY. I had no trouble booking a room but the ADRs were a no go.

I spoke to the Concierge 7 times between Tuesday and Saturday. She couldn't book anything they wanted.

Saturday evening my cousin decided to move the trip to the last week of July.
Their ADR window opens up on April 26.

I'm sure I'll be able to book everything they want. Once they are squared away I get to do it all over again my the trip my son and I are taking in August.

I don't like the whole ADR trading thing. I don't see how it's any different from the CRT breakfast booking thing that CRO stopped a few years ago. If you aren't going to use the ADR just cancel it.

 

[Hopefully]

We do not go during free dining.
We do use the DDP. We book one TS meal per night (sometimes it is a lunch ADR) and we have always used each one of them. So for our upcoming trip I am booking 7 ADR's. If we have to cancel we will.
I Never book an ADR because I can not make up my mind, or for a "just in case" scenario. I think this is unfair and wrong.
Hope something opens for you.

 

[Princess Jenny]

We do not go during free dining.
We do use the DDP. We book one TS meal per night (sometimes it is a lunch ADR) and we have always used each one of them. So for our upcoming trip I am booking 7 ADR's. If we have to cancel we will.
I Never book an ADR because I can not make up my mind, or for a "just in case" scenario. I think this is unfair and wrong.
Hope something opens for you.

Totally agree with you. Last time we went during free dining and we used everyone one of our ressies. I make one a day and we keep it. I don't think people should be allowed to trade either. Just cancel and let other people have a fighting chance to get the times they need.

 

[arielmomma]

Until I joined DISboards the thought of someone making more ADR reservations than they intended to keep never even crossed my mind. Then I started reading on these boards and people are actually recommending this practice to others. I am all for the person who gets up at 7am at the 90 day mark and tries to get the ADR's that he/she wants, but with ADR's so hard to come by, why would you deliberately take more than you could possibly use? Although I do not like the idea of having to hold with a credit card because I despise changing the system because of wrondoers because let's face it, most are not. I think we should all be considerate of others and only make the ADR's we realistically intend to use in the first place. Ah, now I can get off of my soapbox!

 

[disneyjunkie]

Our next trip will be during free dining. Our upgrade our package to the deluxe plan.

I plan to do what I've always done. Book one or two ADRs per day. If our plans change, then I'll cancel what we don't need.

Good luck OP, I hope you're able to get the ADRs you need.

 

[Princess Disney Mom]

For a 12 day trip we will make about 4. CM/CP/1900 Park Fare/ 50 Prime time.

We don't eat at the resturants but will for our anniversary/fathers day, first night and last morning.

When we are on the dining plan we will make 1 per day.

 

[Princess Disney Mom]

I will also like to add that when we cannot make the ADR we call and cancel.

 

[Magic2000]

For our trips, I always make at least one ADR each day - so that I know we will be able to get out of the heat and sit down and enjoy a meal together.

For our upcoming trip, we are trying the deluxe plan for the first time, and I have two ADRs each day. Our second week, we'll be on the regular plan, and I have one ADR each day. I only make ADRs for where I know we want to eat.

I've seen the "trading ADRs" posts. I just thought people had thought they were going to eat somewhere, and maybe someone in their party changed their minds, so they were giving the Dissers a first up. I never thought that people were calling for ADRs that they had no intention of keeping.

 

[disneyjunkie]

I've seen the "trading ADRs" posts. I just thought people had thought they were going to eat somewhere, and maybe someone in their party changed their minds, so they were giving the Dissers a first up. I never thought that people were calling for ADRs that they had no intention of keeping.

You’re right.

I still think it's similar to the old Cinderella Breakfast Club (I think that's what it was called) that forced Disney dining to change the way CRT ADR's were booked.

"Friends" booked ADRs for those who knew which sites to visit in order to request help. Those who didn't know about those sites were pretty much locked out of CRT breakfast ADRs.

It was great for those who knew about the sites, not so great for others.

 

[DisneyHolidayFan]

I will also like to add that when we cannot make the ADR we call and cancel.

Me too!!

 

[lacrosse_lady72]

On my 90 day mark I will get up at 3:30AM so that I am alert at 4AM to be making my ADRs that I need for my trip... and I will continue to do so until I get all 15 days worth of ADRs. It's an equal oppurtunity reservation system essentially, there is always something open on the 90 day mark it just depends on who gets there first and it's fairly well known that it's first come first serve.

I will, like I have a few years now, book 1 or 2 extra meals. Last year our extra was Kona Cafe for breakfast and we ended up canceling because I was very sick.

It's not my fault that someone else didn't plan well and I over planned. Like I said, it's all equal oppurtunity. The information is out there and I don't feel bad for even a fraction of a second for someone who didn't plan well or do any research on the subject since it's not fair for those of us who did.

If I want to book extra meals, that's my prerogative. I am on the DDP and I don't want to waste any of my credits. If something happens that I cannot make one of my ADRs like on our arrival date (relying on a plane from LAX ) then I will need a back up, which is hard to find during the free dining period.


I am sorry OP that you aren't able to find anything in Epcot for your DH's birthday. Maybe you could try looking at one of the Epcot resort restaurants. But it's lesson learned for next year.

 

[maggiew]

ARGH!!
Just wanting to know -
Do you book reservations just to get them and then not cancel?

I am getting frustrated - last minute my husband decides he wants to go to EPCOT on his birthday - May 8th.

Trying to get dinner reservations is like finding the cure for cancer. Next to impossible.

Then I hop over to the "trade" thread and low and behold people have all the good ones and are willing to trade. WOW

Personally I think Disney should start taking a credit card when you make a reservation and if you don't cancel with in a certain time period u get a $25 charge.

What happens to people who are new and don't know that they need to make reservations - are they shut out? WOW that's a good first time impression of Disney.

Its not even regular callers - Concierge couldn't get a couple last time we went.

Try Yachtsman Steakhouse at the Yacht Club, Cape May Cafe at the Beach Club, Spoodles at the boardwalk. If not on the dining plan, try Il Mulino at the Swan. ESPN Zone (Boardwalk) doesn't take ADRs I believe, so you could try to walk up there.

Also, Disney sends out an email that says "Welcome xxxxx family to your WDW vacation" or something like that and it tells you to make ADRs because "some restaurants can fill up". I also got a paper copy with my reservation invoice and it had a card in there talking about the need to make ADRs. I don't think there should be anyone who "doesn't know they need to make reservations" anymore. Disney provides the information.

Maggie

 

[lacrosse_lady72]

Try Yachtsman Steakhouse at the Yacht Club, Cape May Cafe at the Beach Club, Spoodles at the boardwalk. If not on the dining plan, try Il Mulino at the Swan. ESPN Zone (Boardwalk) doesn't take ADRs I believe, so you could try to walk up there.

Maggie

There's also Captain's Grill at YC, Beaches and Cream at BC, Big River Grill at Boardwalk, Shula's and bluezoo at Swan & Dolphin... you're not SOL but you will probably have to eat outside Epcot.

 

[clarigirl]

ARGH!!
Just wanting to know -
Do you book reservations just to get them and then not cancel?

I am getting frustrated - last minute my husband decides he wants to go to EPCOT on his birthday - May 8th.

Trying to get dinner reservations is like finding the cure for cancer. Next to impossible.

Then I hop over to the "trade" thread and low and behold people have all the good ones and are willing to trade. WOW

Personally I think Disney should start taking a credit card when you make a reservation and if you don't cancel with in a certain time period u get a $25 charge.

What happens to people who are new and don't know that they need to make reservations - are they shut out? WOW that's a good first time impression of Disney.

Its not even regular callers - Concierge couldn't get a couple last time we went.

I sent you a PM!