Is the spring easier to secure a dining res than the fall

[cottontail]

Hello: We are trying to decide on april or oct to travel to disney. Is the spring easier to secure a dining reservation than the fall with the free dining at the 180 mark? I just cant stop thinking that most of the fav restaurants will be gone with the free dining going from sept to dec.

 

[got15]

While not exactly your dates- we have traveled in May (early-mid) and November. May we have zero problems getting our dining reservations - even the coveted ones. But this past November, we had a very hard time getting anything (we went early-mid Nov)- maybe it was because Free Dining was offered- or it was the Food & Wine festival- we have no idea. We are going back this May and I have been able to get all but one for the times we want (other times are available). We also plan on going back in November (lots of birthdays) and I am dreading fighting for reservations.

 

[JimmyV]

It is dependent on Free Dining. That puts a lot of downward pressure on ADRs. Also, when Food and Wine is going on in the Fall, it tends to attract many people who are more "food oriented" than the typical guest and they tend to book ADRs at a higher rate than the "offseason" would seem to suggest. That said, Spring includes Easter and Spring Breaks and those windows are very, very crowded. But if you can plan a visit during Spring that falls outside of those busy weeks, it is heaven. Think late April through early May.

 

[_auroraborealis_]

Also, most of October was blacked out of free dining last year, although it is prime F&W.

 

[senadler]

I found it more difficult to make ADRs last October than for our upcoming trip in May. May had pretty good availability at 5 months for even the most difficult reservations. In October, I had to book those at exactly 180 days or forget it. Our week in October ended up being free dining, which certainly didn't help, but everything was booked well before that was announced.

 

[maw]

Just wanted to chime in. We went in November and I found reservations difficult to get at the 180 day mark. I did get the one that I really wanted (BOG dinner on my 40th birthday) but got it a few weeks before our trip. We are going again in April and I'm amazed at how many restaurants have availability, and we booked this one inside that 180 day mark.

Have a great trip!!

 

[cottontail]

Thanks for your help it is just what I thought. We booked last nov 9 to 19 two months ahead and I could not get any of the ADRs we wanted but I wondered if it was because I booked too late not at 180 days. I tried everyday to get BOG for my daughter but I could not get it plus others. Because of an illness I ended having to move it.

I moved my trip to the last week of april 2016 and was able at the 180 days to get all that I wanted. (I found out my dh's fav ride soaring is not open in april so hubby wondered about going in the fall instead when it is open again)

My oct dates would be 25th to nov 4th not sure if free dining is on.

 

[dutchdisneyfamily]

November was very rough getting ADRs. I am going early June and it was so easy, and still is.

 

[Dreamin192]

We're going in May and I'm finding it difficult to book BOG and Ohana. I have managed to score them but picking a day/time wasn't an option, it's just been if something pops up while I am obsessively stalking ADRs on my phone or something. I've also noticed that on most days Chef Mickey and Akershus have limited or no availability. I have three kids, so party of 5, which makes it more difficult I think. If you are a smaller party you will probably have better luck. That said I didn't book our trip until after the 180 day mark and I have managed to get ADRs for pretty much everything we want, some have just made me finesse the schedule a bit to make it work.

 

[cottontail]

I can't figure why november was so hard to get ADRs. I thought it was usually a slow time.

Our trip would have been the week disney decided to change the taping of the christmas parade from dec to nov. I wonder if people who were part of the disney christmas show had booked the restaurants. The only magic kingdom ADR I was able to get was the plaza restaurant for lunch.

 

[gorjus121]

We had trouble modifying some ADRs for our early-mid November 2014 trip. It was during a free dining promotion. Very frustrating since we booked that about 10 months earlier and made our ADRs I believe before they announced the Free Dining Promo. The biggest problem was not being able to modify some of the ADRs less than six months out, especially the character breakfasts. For instance I had a pre-rope drop CB ADR at 8 AM that I couldn't change to another day at MK so that was the day we were going to MK. We decided to add on Hollywood studios to our trip but there was no breakfast ADRs at all same with AK. Again they're hard to get ADRs if you wait but booking my spring trip once again close to hundred days out I had no issues getting these ADRs. We have our third Spring trip booked for this year the end of April and I booked all of our ADRs at about 110 days out with no issues. All of our Spring trips have been easier to find ADRs. My recommendation would be if you did go in November plan out those hard to get ADRs early on and be ready at your 180 day mark for ADRs and you should have no problem.