Is there a way into Le Cellier?

[Talock]

Hello to all,

We're taking our trip from august 17th to the 23rd, and wanted to kick-off our stay with a Le Cellier lunch. Holding our reservation call until the 90 days in advance, we were unable to keep most of our reservation plans. However, regarding Le Cellier, it was impossible to get any reservation, at any time, during the length of our stay.

Is there any hope? Do they take walk-ins? Is it worth all the anguish?

All the best,

Pay

 

[DonaldTDuck]

Keep calling. Did you try for lunch? Walkups are rare. We had an ADR for opening on Jan 7 and watched several turned away.

 

[tiki23]

We had very good meals at Le Cellier on our 1st two trips. Were unable to get a reservation on our 3rd trip but it didn't put any kind of damper on things - we had a great time at Disney.

We're going for FD in September and we're gonna try for Le Cellier at dinner. If we get in, great! If not, C'est La Vie! There are plenty of good restaurants to choose from.

Walk-ups have been very limited to non-existant in the past. You can always get the beer cheese soup and bread to go, though.

 

[maraki527]

Keep calling and if you dont get an adr as soon as you get to the park go there and see what they have available. I have been able to get 2 walkups for lunch but we were also there at a slower time. Good Luck!

 

[TXMomof3boys]

We had very good meals at Le Cellier on our 1st two trips. Were unable to get a reservation on our 3rd trip but it didn't put any kind of damper on things - we has a great time at Disney.

We're going for FD in Spetember and we're gonna try for Le Cellier at dinner. If we get in, great! If not, C'est La Vie! There are plenty of good restaurants to choose from.

Walk-ups have been very limited to non-existant in the past. You can always get the beer cheese soup and bread to go, though.

I have called every day (sometimes twice) for the past 3 1/2 weeks to try to get Le Cellier for June 27th (lunch or dinner). We have never been before so I would love to try it! I am going to continue calling, but it is nice to know that you can try (long shot I know) to do a walk up the day of.

Great news that you can get the cheese soup and pretzel bread to go, as that is what I was most interested in trying. Thanks for the info!

Good luck on trying to get your ADR in August!

 

[rluey29]

Las t time we went in May, someone tried to walk up and they told them they were booked through August. I like LeCellier but I wouldn't be torn about it if we didn't get to go.

 

[katieam1]

Keep calling. Someone may have changed something and a spot opens up. You may have luck!

 

[MelanieC]

Agree keep calling. Also, if you have any hope of walking in - Go about 15 minutes before they open. If they are completely booked it won't matter, but you may get lucky.

 

[Hallowishes]

im hoping *fingers crossed* to get a reservation for my trip in sept. when i call im not sure if i should ask for a fantasmic meal pacakge first or le cellier ... they are both so hard to get!

 

[dvcdisney]

I have seen sooooo many people turned away. I have seen guests whine, complain, look very confuse and some have been very angry. I have even seen one (this past March) try to bribe the hostess . He didn't get very far, but it was really sad scene. And I have even seen a couple come to the podium and ask for another CM whom they thought would be able to seat them because they either knew them or is a friend of a friend. It was really funny at some point. But, I do have to hand it to those Le Cellier CMs, they didn't budge. Basically, I have not seen anyone be seated without an ADR (and make sure you have the confirmation numbers handy for those ADRs).

But, with all the waiting and planning done by those who do have ADRs, it would quickly become an ugly scene if the CMs ever did let one in.


By the way, I, too, would suggest you keep calling. You can even call or go to Guest Relations during your trip to find out if there were any cancellation. It's worth a try! A few years ago, I tried to get Ohana for a certain date and there were no available ADRs, so I booked Tony's. But on that day, we decided that we really did not want to eat at Tony's so I went to Guest Relations and asked them what restaurants are available that day and, suprisingly, Ohana was available. I grabbed it of course. But it just shows how it can open up at any time. Keep trying. Good luck!

 

[kristenrice]

I have seen sooooo many people turned away. I have seen guests whine, complain, look very confuse and some have been very angry. I have even seen one (this past March) try to bribe the hostess . He didn't get very far, but it was really sad scene. And I have even seen a couple come to the podium and ask for another CM whom they thought would be able to seat them because they either knew them or is a friend of a friend. It was really funny at some point. But, I do have to hand it to those Le Cellier CMs, they didn't budge. Basically, I have not seen anyone be seated without an ADR (and make sure you have the confirmation numbers handy for those ADRs).

But, with all the waiting and planning done by those who do have ADRs, it would quickly become an ugly scene if the CMs ever did let one in.

For our trip last October, we had LeCellier booked for dinner on Oct 30. We were leaving at noon on the 31st so we were "saving the best for last". I had made 3 separate phone calls to Disney Dining to tinker with the times on some of our OTHER reservations and each time, I had them confirm the dates and times on each one, including the LeCellier dinner.

We arrived at the podium at 5:20pm for our 5:30pm ADR. There was a couple ahead of us trying to score a walkup. They said they would wait as long as they had to, but the CM said there was NO availability. I silently congratulated myself for making my ADR so far in advance. When I went to check us in, THEY COULDN'T FIND OUR ADR! The CM searched and searched (of course I'd left the number back at the resort) and she finally called in some assistance. They looked it up using my phone number..POOF! There was our ADR...for 5:30pm...OCTOBER 31! I was almost in tears because I KNEW that there was no way that I made a reservation for an hour after I would be HOME and now we were going to miss out on the best meal of the trip! (Not to mention losing a TS credit on our DDP) I explained to the CM about my multiple calls to WDW-DINE and how they'd confirmed the ADR on more than one occassion. She told me to hang on and she'd speak to the manager. Having just witnessed a party of 2 being turned away, I wasn't holding out hope for our party of 4. She came back and told me that they would be able to seat us, but it would be about a 20-minute wait! WOW! Ok, so I took the napping child in the stroller and the other DD and we went to the KidCot stop down the path to wait. We sat down to color and the hostess was calling us to be seated! She even gave us YOAMD pins "for our trouble". We were seated at about 5:40pm...only 10 minutes after what our original ADR had been scheduled for.

I don't know where that table for 4 materialized from, but I am so glad it did. The meal was great and we are going to eat dinner there again in 17 days!

Oops...my point was to let you know that you might get lucky! Hang in there!

 

[luckytobeme88]

You might want to try your luck here. It's the August ADR's exchange/cancellation site.

http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=2181313

 

[cindycastle30]

How many are in your party, I have read on here that people sometimes change the number in their party to get into Le Cellier (not saying that its ok or not ok I dont care either way) I am worried to hear that they are so booked because we will be arriving for free dining on August 21st, we really want to eat here again, so hoping a reservation will be available. Two years ago we were able to eat here twice during free dining, once with 9 of us and once with only 2. Don't give up hope though, because in 2006 we made reservations a week before we went on our honeymoon and were able to eat at Le Cellier on July 4th for dinner, so you never know what will open up. Good luck.

 

[Disnsyncey]

On Sunday, I saw a cancellation of an ADR and somebody just walked up to check for availability and they got to snag it.....so don't give up hope!

 

[stemikger]

I just called today and made my ADRs for August. I was able to get Le Cellier on the 26th for a party of 6 for lunch at 2:05pm.

There is a small possibility I might cancel, but I'm not sure until I speak with the rest of my party.

My experience with Le Cellier has been walk ins are almost impossible. Last year while we were waiting to be seated almost every 10 minutes there was a party trying to walk in and they were all turned away.

Good Luck.

 

[TinkerBrie]

I think it is worth trying! We have eaten there twice and it is pretty fab!

 

[Eliza'sMom]

We had a dinner reservation during one of our trips for me, DH, my sister and BIL. A few days before, my sister and BIL decided they didn't want to do dinner that day (I think we decided to try to see Fantasmic instead). I called and was able to get a lunch ADR, and of course then canceled my dinner (somebody lucked out with that one!). My point is, I'd continue to try a few days before or the morning of. I'm sure I'm not the only one with last-minute changes to my plans.

 

[maxiesmom]

Free dining starts on August 16, so I have to say the chances of you getting into Le Ceiller are slim to none. If you really want to eat there, keep calling back. You never know when a time slot will open up.

I have had lunch there twice before. Once in May, and once in October. Both times as we were waiting for our table, I heard them turn away many people trying to walk-up for a meal. And those months are not even what could be considered busy times of year.

You never know, someone may cancel their ADR, but I wouldn't count on it.

 

[acourtwdw]

To be honest, I really don't get what all the fuss is about Le Ceiler. We have been several times and I'm not that impressed. I've had better food elsewhere on property and at home.

It's not a deal breaker for me.

That being said, if you really want to go, then keep calling. You never know what might open up. Also, be very flexible with times if possible. Then it will be easier to find a table for you family.

 

[TheRustyScupper]

To be honest, I really don't get what all the fuss is about Le Ceiler. We have been several times and I'm not that impressed. I've had better food elsewhere on property and at home.

1) It is called "Confirmation Bias".
2) If people are told it is good, then they believe it.
3) Once they believe, then they are predisposed to accept it as a good meal.
4) There have been lots of studies on this.

NOTE: We are part owners of two eateries, one being fine dining. Even when we have made a mistake (and EVERY eatery makes a goof or two every now and then), the guests rave still about the food, because they are finding reasons to confirm their bias of good food. All successfull eateries know of restaurant studies and run their eateries in that way. Another study example is putting the most expensive/profitable meal, or the one you want to push, on the top of the right hand menu page. People look here first, and you have an advantage of people ordering that item more often than not.
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