Is it too late to book TS for Mid Sept?

[candlemakerw/twins]

This may sound silly but I have a few meals booked for our trip 9/20 but need to add more and I have become frozen because I am worried there is not going to be space anywhere - so I do nothing and worry.

If I book table service meals how far in advance do I have to cancel them if we change our mind? We are on the free dining package.

 

[metsno1]

Well, you won't be able to book any of the most popular places, like Le Cellier at this point unless you get really lucky!

But BY ALL MEANS get on that telephone immediately. We're going down on the 18th of Sept, and I made my ADR's only two weeks ago. I was able to get much of what I wanted, including Coral Reef, 'Ohana, Cape May Cafe, Kona Cafe, 50's PT, Hollywood/Vine, and Raglan Road. I couldn't get Chef Mickeys, Le Cellier, or 'Ohana (at first, but I called back this week and got lucky).

Technically, you don't have to cancel most ADR's in order to avoid being "charged" for it. Some dinner shows do require a credit card to hold your reservation and they will charge you for it if you're a no-show. But courtesy dictates that you simply cancel as soon as you know you're not going to make it. I've cancelled an hour before at times-in those situations where we just knew we couldn't get from, say, the MK to Epcot in an hour.

GET ON THE PHONE!!

 

[luvtheBuzz]

Go ahead and make your ADRs! I'm going in a month and I just made some today. Now, I have to say there are some restaurants that are totally booked, but you never know until you try. The worst thing you can do is nothing! Anyways, you can always change your mind and cancel at any time, there are only a few restaurants where you HAVE to give 24 hours notice, or they charge your credit card a certain amount ( you have to obviously give them your cc number for these restaurants). Anyways, good luck and call!!!

 

[candlemakerw/twins]

Thanks Guys. I am going to try to get my xxx in gear and call tomorrow. Also, you reminded me about 50s PT. Love that one.

My husband is not going to like this planning ahead stuff at all but I am worried with free dining that if we don't do it we won't be eating...

Has anyone been there for free dining before? Do more people use the TS restaurants than normal because of it?

Metsno1 - Geneva, NY. Flashback. Haven't been there in 20 years since a friend went to WS for college. Got my first speeding ticket leaving town that day.

 

[madenon]

Call!!

I'm going 9/4-9/12 and am like a idiot, who keeps changing her plans and therefor ADR's. Yep, I need a changing anonimous. My most recent changes were done this weekend. PLaces like Le Cellier and Coral Reef are about impossible to get an ADR for dinner at this time.

A trick you could use (if it fits your party); book lunch instead of dinner at a place you really like to eat at. For instance; when I called in may I couldn't get a ADR for dinner at Coral Reef anymore, but lunch still wasn't a problem last weekend!

Another trick if you want to eat at Chef Mickey's; they are open for lunch at some of the days during free dining. Dinner and breakfast were impossible for me to get (well, 7 am breakfast, but no thanks!) but lunch was all open for my picking.

It's really a call-and-see game. For instance, Boma is rather popular, but I had no problem getting a dinner ADR and changed the time and days multiple times. CP; same thing. I've got a breakfast and dinner ADR and changed the days around. Kept my times, which are 8 am for the breakfast and 7 pm for the dinner. Times that are rather popular.

50PT; could still get a lunch and dinner ADR last weekend. Good luck!

 

[metsno1]

Metsno1 - Geneva, NY. Flashback. Haven't been there in 20 years since a friend went to WS for college. Got my first speeding ticket leaving town that day.

Well, I'm glad we left such a good impression!

 

[thunderbird1]

Thanks Guys. I am going to try to get my xxx in gear and call tomorrow. Also, you reminded me about 50s PT. Love that one.

My husband is not going to like this planning ahead stuff at all but I am worried with free dining that if we don't do it we won't be eating...

Has anyone been there for free dining before? Do more people use the TS restaurants than normal because of it?

Metsno1 - Geneva, NY. Flashback. Haven't been there in 20 years since a friend went to WS for college. Got my first speeding ticket leaving town that day.

In a word, yes. Actually, it isn't just that more people are eating more TS meals, more people stay on site. Folks that would normally save some money by staying and eating offsite will move onsite to get the free dining. So while the parks may not seem any more crowded, the resorts and most especially the restaurants do.

So did you make that call this morning? How did it go? Remember, you can always change your ADR's around later, even after you get down there.
But it's best to have something booked, even as a backup. Good luck!

 

[candlemakerw/twins]

Thank you everyone for your encouragement. I did call and they (WDW) were great. I got enough booked that I feel good about our plans. No Coral Reef though.

I guess I will just keep trying back.

Is there a strategy for that? Do cancelled reservations open up right away or is it best to call first thing in the am after the system resets overnight?

 

[Spoodleink]

Is there a strategy for that? Do cancelled reservations open up right away or is it best to call first thing in the am after the system resets overnight?

I think its pretty random I have been calling for Le Cellier off and on for a while and finally got it today. I just called up and said i would take whatever they had for the week we were there. I knew most of our other ADR's woulnd be hard to move around.

 

[deslynnpatterson]

I keep calling everyday for weeks for coral reef-- and finally was able to only get a lunch but it will work out because we can see the show at epcot in the evening. I know i tryed calling back after that and i would have been able to be seated for dinner-- but with our plans we decided to keep our 2:40 lunch. Sometimes its not bad booking a lunch as a dinner-- because at night it's easy to just pick up a sandwhich from earls and take it back to your resort and sit by the pool and relax and eat, or grab something from the food court. Good luck and i hope you have a wonderful trip

 

[Dizneydaz]

I was able to book my last ADRs about a week ago, however, I couldn't get Coral Reef or 50's PT. I was able to get Boma, Kona, Spoodles, HBD, Raglan Road, Sci Fi, & 'Ohana breakfast. I already had LTT for MNSSHP, Narcoossee's, GC, and PSB. One of the reasons I got most of the ADRs I wanted was that we like to eat late, so 7:30-8:15, for dinner, works for us.

I'm going to keep trying for CR and 50's. If I get them I will be cancelling HBD and Boma (I know, how could I?). I also know that last year (Sept.) we kept about 1/2 of our ADRs and I was able to get new ones while there. That's how we got to eat at Narcoossee's. A fellow diner rec. one night (at Kona) and my DM really wanted to try it. We were able to get dinner ressies there for our last night. A perfect way to end our trip!

 

[septbaby]

Thank you everyone for your encouragement. I did call and they (WDW) were great. I got enough booked that I feel good about our plans. No Coral Reef though.

I read you thread and hoped that you would call ASAP, good for you! We didn't originally get a Coral Reef ressie, but got one for lunch a couple of weeks ago. My advice is to be flexible and take a lunch ressie. Now that we have one I am really looking forward to the AC and serenity break after an early start at MK that day.

It would be fun to see what ressies you were able to secure, let us know.

We are end of Aug/early Sept and have: Narcoossee's(D), Coral Reef(L), Chef Mickey's(B), Boma(D), Hollwood & Vine(D-Fantasmic)

 

[SHammett]

I think a lot depends on your party size, too. I am having a hard time getting ressies for a party of six at that time, but have been offered the option of splitting our party up.

 

[candlemakerw/twins]

We are going 9/20-24 after the Wonder for 4 days. Our TA did some reservations for me at the 180 mark but I didn't realize how critical is was with free dining to plan ahead.

We had CRT, Princess Storybook, Spoodles, Playhouse Disney at MGM.

I was able to add Nine Dragons, another Spoodles (we stay at BWV so this is easy to get to and eliminates getting 4 year olds into a car), 50s PT and another Storybook.

Someone on the boards was kind enough to PM me that she was canceling CR and offer it so I am going to try and change it over on Monday.

I'm looking for Garden Grill (our favorite) for dinner. Otherwise I am happy with what we have.

I am probably going to cancel CRT lunch on 9/21. PM me if anyone want's to try to change it over to their name. The res is for 4 at 12:20.

 

[fAnnF]

it depends on what you want. Most places are going to be booked, but you might be able to get some, just be felxable on where and when you eat.