I can make my ADR's tomorrow for our trip...Some questions

[lillykat]

So I can make my ADR's tomorrow for our Trip in May. I have a few questions:

1) we are going for my DD#2's 1st birthday - will there be a place for me to enter that we are celebrating her bday if I book my ADRs online?

2) Am I better to book online or on the phone? Which is easier (we are on the basic dining plan - not the CS one) and am I more likely to get my ADR's? What time can I book online versus by phone? is there an advantage of using one over the other - the last time we went to WDW (sept 08) there was no computer ADRs.

3) if a code comes out and I add it to my ressie will it affect my ADRs? I'm not sure about booking in my home number b.c we are moving in a few weeks.

4) Will I have trouble getting any of the following:
We will have 2 under 3 (DD#1 will be almost 3 and DD#2 will turn 1 on the trip) Dinners for all of the below:
Chef Mickey's
Crystal Palace
Akershus
Ohanas
Biergardten
San Angel inn
Liberty Tree tavern
Coral Reef
1900 Park Faire or Marrakesh
Breakfast at Ohana

5) What happens if the restaurant isn't on the dining plan yet (I know that every year most of them end up on the list but it take time for them to show up) will they not allow me to book it online since I have the DP?

6) Do I tell them I need a booster and a high chair - what if DD#1 still needs a HC - will that be a problem?

 

[Piglets Mommy]

So I can make my ADR's tomorrow for our Trip in May. I have a few questions:

1) we are going for my DD#2's 1st birthday - will there be a place for me to enter that we are celebrating her bday if I book my ADRs online?
yes, there is a place to enter celebrations with each ADR.
2) Am I better to book online or on the phone? Which is easier (we are on the basic dining plan - not the CS one) and am I more likely to get my ADR's? What time can I book online versus by phone? is there an advantage of using one over the other - the last time we went to WDW (sept 08) there was no computer ADRs.
I like online, b/c one of the other options that comes up as avail. may actualy be something else you wanted during the trip. Also, you can book online at 6am EDT, but have to wait until 7 for the phone. (for a while, it was even earlier online, although not "official" the day I hit my 90 day mark, I was online at 6am, but got next to nothing. I found out later in the day, that people were online and able to book at 3am)3) if a code comes out and I add it to my ressie will it affect my ADRs? I'm not sure about booking in my home number b.c we are moving in a few weeks.
I don't think a code will affect anything. I always book my ADR's using my cell #, as that is what I will have with me in Disney.
4) Will I have trouble getting any of the following:
We will have 2 under 3 (DD#1 will be almost 3 and DD#2 will turn 1 on the trip) Dinners for all of the below:
Chef Mickey's
Crystal Palace
Akershus
Ohanas
Biergardten
San Angel inn
Liberty Tree tavern
Coral Reef
1900 Park Faire or Marrakesh
Breakfast at Ohana
as I said, I had a hard time getting things, BUT that was when you had to wait till 90 days out. at 180 days, you should have MUCH better luck. Plus, I will be there during free dining.
5) What happens if the restaurant isn't on the dining plan yet (I know that every year most of them end up on the list but it take time for them to show up) will they not allow me to book it online since I have the DP?
It shouldn't make a difference. Actually, as I have been trying to find Akershus for our trip, I keep getting options in the Swan/Dolphin, and they aren't on the dining plan. The only thing that matters is that you are prepared to pay oop for some, or switch some around later if some that you book end up not being on DDP.
6) Do I tell them I need a booster and a high chair - what if DD#1 still needs a HC - will that be a problem?

I'd maybe put it in the notes section online. I used to just tell them we needed a HC when I called, but didn't look for that option online, as we are well past the HC stage now.


Hope that helps!
Good luck!

 

[DrRae2B]

I made ADRs for the very 1st time EVER, last week. I had NO problems whatsoever and I ended up getting everything we wanted. I'm not a pro at this (by FAR) and I'm sure there are plenty more people on here who can give you waaay better advice than me, but if you want, I can offer you a couple of tips that helped me out:

Get up EARLY. Like, 5 am early. (Drink some coffee to get yourself awake enough to have a clear head!.) Get tabs open for each restaurant you want, and have them refreshed and ready to go.

Around 6 AM, start with your MOST IMPORTANT ADR, and begin checking availability. I had no trouble with this at all, and I'm hoping you won't either. You should be ok as long as you're relatively flexible with your times. Move on down your list.

If you have to book the Fantasmic package or Bibbidy Bobbidy Boutique, you have to call to make those.

I didn't have any trouble making my ADRs, and it wasn't nearly as complicated as I had expected it would be (and I was in a complete panic for days beforehand!). Good luck with all of it, and I hope you get everything you want! Let us know how it goes!

 

[lillykat]

I made ADRs for the very 1st time EVER, last week. I had NO problems whatsoever and I ended up getting everything we wanted. I'm not a pro at this (by FAR) and I'm sure there are plenty more people on here who can give you waaay better advice than me, but if you want, I can offer you a couple of tips that helped me out:

Get up EARLY. Like, 5 am early. (Drink some coffee to get yourself awake enough to have a clear head!.) Get tabs open for each restaurant you want, and have them refreshed and ready to go.

Around 6 AM, start with your MOST IMPORTANT ADR, and begin checking availability. I had no trouble with this at all, and I'm hoping you won't either. You should be ok as long as you're relatively flexible with your times. Move on down your list.

If you have to book the Fantasmic package or Bibbidy Bobbidy Boutique, you have to call to make those.

I didn't have any trouble making my ADRs, and it wasn't nearly as complicated as I had expected it would be (and I was in a complete panic for days beforehand!). Good luck with all of it, and I hope you get everything you want! Let us know how it goes!

It is still 180 +10 right? It will let me make a mid week ressie 1st?

When I played around on the site and put in a time and date (or date range and a time) then it listed other restaurants but when I went back and put in 15 or 30 mins later it gave me one other time option. I am flexible (I would like 6 pm but would work with 515, 510, 545, 615, or even 630 if need be. Is there a way to put it in to get a range of times?

Unfortunately I'm up at that time as my 5 month old is an early riser

 

[DrRae2B]

Yes -- as long as you're staying ONSITE, you are able to make ressies for up to 10 days of your trip, at the 180 day mark.

As far as times go, you enter in a specific preferred time (say, 8:30 for example) and they check availability for that particular time. If there's nothing avail for 8:30, they pop up with other times that ARE available ("Here are some other suggestions for you-- 8:15, 8:45..."), and you can choose between those. So, yes, I guess you could say that there's a "range" to choose from.

Gosh it feels WEIRD to be on the other side of this advice thing!! (I'm planning my first trip, myself!, and I'm not really used to GIVING advice, since I've been taking so much of it!). But anyway, I hope I helped you a little. GOOD LUCK with it. PM me later on and let me know how it went! I'll be thinking of ya tomorrow morning! (well... not at 6 am-cause my lazy butt will still be in the bed-- but later on, for sure! Haha).

 

[Cafeen]

It is still 180 +10 right? It will let me make a mid week ressie 1st?

When I played around on the site and put in a time and date (or date range and a time) then it listed other restaurants but when I went back and put in 15 or 30 mins later it gave me one other time option. I am flexible (I would like 6 pm but would work with 515, 510, 545, 615, or even 630 if need be. Is there a way to put it in to get a range of times?

Unfortunately I'm up at that time as my 5 month old is an early riser

Officially, it gives you the time you enter +/- 1 hour. However, I have seen it stretch to +/- 2 hours before as well. Best is to check a few times if not finding anything spacing the time 2hrs apart. So, for dinner you may search for 6pm, but then also 4pm and 8pm if nothing shows. Unfortunately, they do not have a "I don't care about the time, show me what's available", which would come in real handy when you want a certain location but are not concerned with having that perfect time.

All in all though, it should be smooth sailing. As Rae said, you can book your midweek ADRs first if they are a higher priority, so long as you're staying onsite. It's generally recommended to put the superly contested ones near the end, but that may be moot now with 180+10 rather than 90+10 (much fewer looking for ADRs at 180 days as compared to 90, especially now since it recently switched). So, just relax and play around.

Good luck!

 

[lillykat]

Well it is kind of a moot point. I got up at 530 after being up with DD#2 on and off all night only to find it keeps saying sorry booking system is unavailable please try again later.