Is anyone else disappointed about AR?

[ILoveDisney-Angie]

For the past two years DH and I have tried to get reservations to our favorite restaurant, Le Cellier, every trip. Even though we call months in advance it is very difficult to get a reservation. I don't know what's causing this but I'm so disappointed! Does anyone think this is due to the Dining Plan or popularity?

 

[Aimeedyan]

It's a combination of things but yes, LeCellier is a great value for a 1 credit TS meal on the DDP. If you compare their steak price to Yachtsman, it's very similar yet Yachtsman is 2 credits.

It's also a very small restaurant with limited seating, and has somehow been elevated to one of the best restaurants in WDW, so there is a big demand to eat there. It's also a safe place in EPCOT, which is full of other cuisines that some families aren't familiar with.

I don't see the draw, personally, but many others do. I know it's frustrating to not get into one of your favorite spots.

 

[BriarRosie]

It's most definitely due to the dining plan popularity.

It's 1 TS credit for a theme park restaurant that serves steak. People stampede there because they feel they want to max out their dining plan credit.

 

[JESW]

If you have been trying for dinner, try a lunch reservation instead. That is what I had been able to get our last couple of trips.

Good luck!

Jill

 

[ILoveDisney-Angie]

Unfortunatly the lunch menu doesn't include the Filet Mignon with Mushroom Risoto (the only thing we ever order at Le Cellier)...only the dinner menu.

 

[daisyduck123]

Have you been calling right at the 6 month mark?

I ask because I've never had any problem getting an ADR there...I always call at 180 days out. I even managed to get dinner on the day/time (7pm) I wanted during Thanksgiving week for a party of 6.

 

[Lynn5700]

Yeah I always call at the 180 day mark and have always got in. You have to call early for Le Cellier. Keep trying. Good Luck!

 

[Vickmeys]

For the past two years DH and I have tried to get reservations to our favorite restaurant, Le Cellier, every trip. Even though we call months in advance it is very difficult to get a reservation. I don't know what's causing this but I'm so disappointed! Does anyone think this is due to the Dining Plan or popularity?

Do you call to make your ADR at your 180 day mark? I do, and I always get in. Good Luck with future ADRs!

 

[disneymyway]

Why don't you just keep trying. There are cancellations sometimes. And worse comes to worse, try the day you are there. I mean, it couldn't hurt. Make it for another place and then just keep trying to get the one you want.

Good luck! I agree that it has made making dinner reservations kind of a pain.

 

[mareed]

There are also very few tables for 2, so that makes availibility extremely limited. I recommend booking for a table for 3 realizing that it's very likely your "friend" won't be able to join you. This was suggested to me by a Disney CM many years ago and I found lots of availibility for a table for 3 at Le Cellier after being told there was nothing at all the entire 2 days that I was checking for a table for 2.

 

[Lzylitnin]

There are also very few tables for 2, so that makes availibility extremely limited. I recommend booking for a table for 3 realizing that it's very likely your "friend" won't be able to join you. This was suggested to me by a Disney CM many years ago and I found lots of availibility for a table for 3 at Le Cellier after being told there was nothing at all the entire 2 days that I was checking for a table for 2.

I have to agree with this. When I am trying to obtain a table at LC for just DH and I, we have to be more flexible than when I am booking for us and our son (party of 3).

 

[ILoveDisney-Angie]

Thanks for all the tips everyone. I didn't know we were going to WDW til a week ago so I was unable to book 180 in advance. I'm calling right now to try to get a reservation with "3" people. I'll let you guys know if it works for me!

 

[ILoveDisney-Angie]

No availability

 

[Lzylitnin]

Well, keep trying. I would still try for the 3 people ressie too. Good luck!

 

[proteus]

I think this is getting to be very exaggerated. The dining plan and/or free dining offered only jams up the restaurants and lowers the food quality. Since we started in 99' I've noticed a steady decline in the quality and quantity as well. We went to the Coral Reef last month and the make your own Sundae had even been changed (less, as usual), my DD's favorite part was gone.

I think Disney is using dining to fill the resorts and has to cut back on the food.

Personally speaking I don't want to feel pressured into making multiple reservations six months out. This ruins the spontaneity of our vacation "oh we are having a great time, oops if we want to eat we must go now" and if bookings are so solid why not open a dozen new restaurants. Or are they becoming loss leaders?

This year we stayed at WL and the Whispering Canyon (no great place to eat) was reservation only for the entire stay! So it was cheap eats at Roarin' Forks or a very expensive meal for dinner at Artists Point.

 

[MickeyMomOfThree]

Unfortunatly the lunch menu doesn't include the Filet Mignon with Mushroom Risoto (the only thing we ever order at Le Cellier)...only the dinner menu.

Is this something new? It has been listed on AllEars on the lunch menu. We are going for lunch and I was hoping to try this for the first time.

 

[shortchange1026]

I totally think it's the DD plan. I mean, I understand if you pay for the DD, you want to be able to eat in the premium places, but I don't like having to plan my entire WDW vacation ahead of time. We are going October 25th to November 1st for our 5th wedding anniversary. We couldn't get into the Rose and Crown pub last time, (DD plan was just instituted and we didn't know we had to make reservations prior to our arrival, let's just say it was an experience just trying to get into 3 places that week, we had to plan to some extent but it wasn't that bad. CM also gave us the suggestion of booking Le Cellier for 3 and then when you get there, tell them the other member of your party is back at the hotel sick, but when we got there and told them 2 instead of 3, we never had to explain ourselves, they could have actually cared less but it worked.) so I called 180 days out to make the reservation and had no problem but I'm really beginning to wonder about the 180 day thing. I called at exactly 180 days on a Saturday for the R&C and figured I'd have to call back on Monday because that would be exactly 180 days out for LC. When I asked the CM if I'd have to call back because it wasn't 180 days out, she said no and checked and the only reservation she had left for 2 for dinner was on Halloween @ 4pm. Needless to say we took the ADR but how come it was already booked if it was more than 180 days out? It was so much easier back in the day when you'd go to EPCOT in the morning and use one of the kiosks with the touch screen and you could speak to a CM and make your reservation for that night. (I know, I'm dating myself here.. )

 

[MissionMouse]

... Does anyone think this is due to the Dining Plan or popularity?

Yes, The various dining plans are changing the dining experience at Disney.

Guest under the dining plan actually want to obtain the promoted savings and may also want to eat steak, so you are going to see higher demands for specific restaurants. Many people target 1 tciket restaurants that offer the higher menu cost items. In some cases, this also creates a demand for ADRs that some people relate to great food...this is not always true.

By the way what is the value of a 1 TS ticket? Isn't it nice how some businesses create their own currency to disassociate the value of your money...

Menus will continue to decline in offerings too, as Disney deals with the variable factor of providing pre-paid meal plans...expenses...yep...Disney is a business and they do not give anything away for free. Their expenses are always covered one way or the other.

 

[aestapa]

We called back in April for all our ADRs and could not get Le Cellier. A friend called last week and got in for next week! So, I guess try calling just before your trip to see if there is a cancellation.

 

[MissionMouse]

... It was so much easier back in the day when you'd go to EPCOT in the morning and use one of the kiosks with the touch screen and you could speak to a CM and make your reservation for that night. (I know, I'm dating myself here.. )

I remember those days too...not hard to get into any restaurant back then, but I recall people dashing to get to the kiosks at opening...sort of like today's rope drop stampede.