Is it really that difficult to get a ressie for CRT??

[princesslover]

I've been hearing horror stories about how even people who call exactly at 7:00 am on the 90 day mark often can't get in. Some even say that how fast your phone connection is makes a difference!!

We are not going until December, but I'm really nervous about this because my DD really wants to have dinner in the castle. Does anyone have any tips/tricks for getting into CRT? Is it as difficult as I've heard?

 

[madalex]

Yes, it is really that difficult.

 

[princesslover]

Yes, it is really that difficult.

I was afraid someone would say that. I understand that there can only be one Cinderella and one castle, but it's really too bad that it's so difficult to do, since it's one of the major things young girls want to do when visiting Disney, you know? It's too bad so many little girls get turned away.

 

[wishing4PA]

We were originally planning our trip for 3 nights in December. Busy time, short visit, planned after the (then) 180 days = never got CRT even checking back daily (and more often around the 45 day mark).

A relative's illness forced us to reschedule at the last moment for February. We took advantage of the 4/3 deal. So I was calling about 60 days out. More days, much less busy time = I about fell off my chair when the CM told me she had an opening! Granted it wasn't at my preferred time, but I'm sure it did help being able to say I wanted CRT at any time during those 7 days and we'd just build our schedule around CRT even if we wound up there on TG's "worst day" for the week, which we did.

Going in December, good luck!
At least you will be able to call that first day.

 

[ljcrochet]

Last year my DH tried to suprise me with CRT for dinner the day after my birthday which was also Easter. After he made the reservation at 180 days out, I read the menu and decided that my girls would be happier going to breakfast to see all the princess (plus I love the french toast), he called back and changed it with a problem probablly a week later.

 

[Hootch]

ADR is very difficult, lunch is less so and dinner is even less so. Dinner does not have princesses upstairs at the meal.

We usally have lunch and haven't had problems getting an ADR. The first time we called at at 90 days because the guidebook said to. Apparently this is when Disney had switched to 180 days for ADRs. We still had choices a couple of different days. The second time we decided to add CRT late in the planning, again probably around 90 days and had a couple of days for lunch and there were dinner slots open too. For our upcoming trip I called at 90 days early in the morning and got a very early lunch slot, which we wanted, on the day we wanted.

 

[Peanut&Piglet'sMom]

I'm interested in this thread as well.

I really, really, really want breakfast at CRT for my birthday when we go this August. But I'll be happy to take any day during the week we are there since I've heard it's quite difficult to book.

 

[mom2rtk]

Breakfast is the hardest to get, especially the first sitting of the day. Lunch is not quite as hard, dinner less so (because the other princesses are not there at dinner). A lot depends on how busy that time of year is.

We stopped doing breakfast since my daughter likes the Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique. We go there first thing, then do lunch at CRT with her all made up for the pictures.

Back when they ONLY did a character meal at breakfast, you had to synchronize your clock with the naval observatory and call at exactly the right time to get in. Then they added the princesses at lunch and moved adr's to 180 days out, and it was WAY easier to book. I haven't tried yet with it back at 90 days. My new window doesn't open until June.

My best advice is to stay on site and make it as close to the end of your 10 day advance time as possible. Or have alternatives.

This next trip for us a bit more challenging. We want CRT on my daughter's birthday, so we don't have flexibility on that date!

Good luck!

 

[TK-Fett]

i booked for July with no problem, i called started calling about 10 minutes before they opened and kept hitting redial so I could get in as soon as they opened. It was exactly my 90 day window, and I got it for my first full day in the park. 8:30, so I can get in at 8:15 on a non-EMH day so I get in before park opening. I got through right at 7:00am and got that ADR first, then Chef Mickeys then worried about the rest.

I didnt have any wait time, or trouble so I would suggest calling as early as possible, on the first day possible.

 

[princesslover]

Breakfast is the hardest to get, especially the first sitting of the day. Lunch is not quite as hard, dinner less so (because the other princesses are not there at dinner). A lot depends on how busy that time of year is.

We stopped doing breakfast since my daughter likes the Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique. We go there first thing, then do lunch at CRT with her all made up for the pictures.

Back when they ONLY did a character meal at breakfast, you had to synchronize your clock with the naval observatory and call at exactly the right time to get in. Then they added the princesses at lunch and moved adr's to 180 days out, and it was WAY easier to book. I haven't tried yet with it back at 90 days. My new window doesn't open until June.

My best advice is to stay on site and make it as close to the end of your 10 day advance time as possible. Or have alternatives.

This next trip for us a bit more challenging. We want CRT on my daughter's birthday, so we don't have flexibility on that date!

Good luck!

Thanks! Pardon me though, because I am totally new at this - what does "10 day advance notice" mean? Does that mean I can call at the 90 day mark of the start of our vacation, but make the reservation for later in our stay? I'm just trying ot figure this all out...sorry if I am sounding really stupid.

 

[princesslover]

i booked for July with no problem, i called started calling about 10 minutes before they opened and kept hitting redial so I could get in as soon as they opened. It was exactly my 90 day window, and I got it for my first full day in the park. 8:30, so I can get in at 8:15 on a non-EMH day so I get in before park opening. I got through right at 7:00am and got that ADR first, then Chef Mickeys then worried about the rest.

I didnt have any wait time, or trouble so I would suggest calling as early as possible, on the first day possible.

Great! Thanks for sharing.

 

[3prettyprincesses]

Breakfast is the hardest to get, especially the first sitting of the day. Lunch is not quite as hard, dinner less so (because the other princesses are not there at dinner). A lot depends on how busy that time of year is.

We stopped doing breakfast since my daughter likes the Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique. We go there first thing, then do lunch at CRT with her all made up for the pictures.

Back when they ONLY did a character meal at breakfast, you had to synchronize your clock with the naval observatory and call at exactly the right time to get in. Then they added the princesses at lunch and moved adr's to 180 days out, and it was WAY easier to book. I haven't tried yet with it back at 90 days. My new window doesn't open until June.

My best advice is to stay on site and make it as close to the end of your 10 day advance time as possible. Or have alternatives.

This next trip for us a bit more challenging. We want CRT on my daughter's birthday, so we don't have flexibility on that date!

Good luck!

That's a really good point. We're shooting for dinner at CRT and now I feel a bit more optimistic since most people would prefer a meal with the princesses there! We're also making it for the end of our 9 day trip so hopefully I can get us in! My in-laws are coming for the 40th anniversary and everyone is expecting me to "make it all happen", not too much pressure right?? Thanks for your helpful tips!

 

[Jenniferb]

I've called almost daily for the past 2 - 3 weeks trying to get a B'fast on June 2 or B'fast or lunch on May 31. So far no luck. I have a dinner during my trip but had a change of plans. Anyhow, many times when I've called, they have had dinner available on both of those days. Now, not every CM tells me that but many have told me that. When I booked my dinner, 2- 3 weeks ago, I had my pick of times. If you don't get in for B'fast of lunch, you could always try for dinner. Cinderella is at dinner...only downstairs...and the fairy godmother and mice are upstairs and put on some sort of a show.

 

[abc999]

Thanks! Pardon me though, because I am totally new at this - what does "10 day advance notice" mean? Does that mean I can call at the 90 day mark of the start of our vacation, but make the reservation for later in our stay? I'm just trying ot figure this all out...sorry if I am sounding really stupid.

I you are staying at a Disney Resort, you can call 90 days before your date of arrival and make ADRs for 10 days.

If you are there for say 12 days, you can call back the next day for day 11's ADRs and the day after for day 12's ADRs.

 

[princesslover]

I you are staying at a Disney Resort, you can call 90 days before your date of arrival and make ADRs for 10 days.

If you are there for say 12 days, you can call back the next day for day 11's ADRs and the day after for day 12's ADRs.

That's what I thought she meant. Thanks! Hopefully I will be able to get something at least for the last part of our stay. Here's to hoping! Now I have months and months to obsess about this.

 

[DisneyTinkerbell]

We called at 7:00 am and got CRT breakfast at the time we wanted. No Problem.

 

[flipflopmom]

The books and threads FREAKED me out, too. All the stuff about atomic time... I'd never booked ADRs before, only my second trip to the World.. Anyway, called at 90 days, 7 am , and got an 8:15 am ressie for my 3rd possible day. I was so relieved, and wondered "what's the big deal"?

All that pixie dust worked!

 

[sherabby]

I had no problems getting a dinner reservation at CRT but we have to eat at 4:20pm. I called right on our 90 day and we are dining in the Castle on our third day. Try to book it later in your vacation and then maybe you will have better luck with reservations.

 

[kirasmom]

It is a tough ressie to get, but don't let ppl scare you. Last year (when it was 180 days), I called at around the 150 day mark (yes, you read that correctly... not at 7 am, not with a speed dial, and not at 180 days) and got lunch on my first choice day, which was 3/10.

I wish you luck... it was a fun meal!

 

[beattyfamily]

It's by no means as hard as it once was. It no longer sells out within 10 minutes like it used to. No more need for "CRT tips" like there was back then.

But like others have said, breakfast is the most popular, followed by lunch and finally dinner and I wouldn't wait if I had my heart set on it especially if I wanted a specific time/meal, but if you call within the first few days your time opens up, you will get something.