Just back...my comments on making ARs

[zulaya]

I am usually a planner...I like to plan out my PS, now ARs, in advance.

This trip, we made a few ARs, but left a few things open to decide same day.

I don't think this plan will work because there were very few restaurants that had any openings same day, much less places we would want to eat. We ended up food courting at the resort, definitely not our first choice at that time.

I think with the new dining plan, more ARs are being made and few, if any, are being left for people to make same day reservations. My friend didn't make any AR except the 2 we planned together. She not once got her first choice and a couple times didn't get anything at a sit down place. I even told her to see if she could just walk up to 'Ohana and the CM at dining told her that her computer screen showed it was 110% full and they probably wouldn't take walk ups.

So, next trip in Oct./Nov., I feel like I have to have all sit down meals planned out and ARs made so I am not at loose ends when meal times come around.

Just my opinion based on my latest trip.

 

[Nank]

I thought it was called PS. Has it changed to AR now? I must have missed that somewhere.

After what I have been reading here, I am trying to plan every sit down meal for our trip in September.

 

[3Aumillers]

Thanks for the feedback. My family thinks I am nuts for spending so much time trying to figure out our ADR's so I can begin calling next week at our 90 day our mark. Your post reaffirms that making ADR's is really the smart thing to do.

 

[ksjayhawkfan]

I have mixed feeling about ADRs. On our trip I planned TS per day with the dining plan. We ended up only keeping 3 of them and cancelling the other 3.

My plan changed once we got there. We didnt feel like doing what I had planned out and changed our minds on 3 different days. We didnt have any trouble finding somewhere else too eat, but Im sure that is changing rapidly.

When we go on our next trip I think Im going to have a really hard time planning the meals. And its going to be worse since out of the 6 TS meals we ate, we only want to go back to 2 of them.

 

[lillygator]

thanks for the feedback - I am in the boat, it is better to have something than nothing!

 

[java]

I liked it so much better when you could only make a reservation that day at the picturtel machines. You plan 90 days out and who lnopws what you'll feel like eating that day anyway. But we schedule meals always now.

 

[Fast Pass]

A co-worker got back last night,he didn't make a single PS/ADR. Needless to say he didn't get any of the restaurants he wanted. The restaurants he did get were late at night which made it hard on his children.

 

[Skylarr29]

It's better to have things planned and then not to show up as opposed to not making any AR's and then trying to walk up. Its hard to plan I know and it is confining in a way especially since you have to make things 90 days ahead of time when the park hours arent even out. Oh well... just plan plan plan. Besides planning is 1/2 the fun right

 

[wdwfan]

Someone please tell me, what are ADR's? I haven't been on this board for a bit and I have missed this new lingo. Thanks!

 

[angel's momma]

Advanced Dining Reservation - the new wording for Priority Seating

 

[lillygator]

I loved the walk up kiosk things where you could make your dining choice!!! I had forgotten about those!@!

 

[zulaya]

I am a planner too, but we have been so many times, that I am kind of getting to the point where a little flexibility would be nice. But with the dining plan option out there, I really do think that same day ressies or walk ups are going away.

For example, one night we thought we felt like doing Cape May or 1900 Park Fare for dinner. Thought about Le Cellier, but didn't even ask as we know it's busy. Even considered Teppanyaki. Called dining. All that was available that whole night was Marrakesh, Citricos, Alfredo's and one more that I can't think of right now. This was a property wide search.

Now I can't say how far in advance these places sold out. It could very well be that if I had called the day before, I might have gotten an AR acceptable to me. Since I didn't even try that, I can't really speculate. I can say that the week I was there, the resorts onsite were sold out, so that probably had something to do with it. In slower times of year, if resort capacity isn't high, then that might change things.

So, I am back to planning something every night we want to eat out so we have somewhere we can eat and not be shut out or told no walk ups.

 

[ddkkanders]

My DH just called to make our ARs yesterday for our July 20-25 trip. He had no problem getting any of the restaurants we wanted for the times that we wanted them. We got our dinners all between 6:00 and 6:30 for CRT, Le Cellier, and Concourse Steakhouse. Also got lunch at Kona Cafe for 12:30, Fantasmic dinner package at Hollywood & Vine at 6:00, and Ohana character breakfast at 8:30.

It seems you don't have to plan too far ahead, at least for July anyway. We also added the dining package yesterday with no problem.

 

[cseca]

Sometimes I wonder about this ADR thing. I just made my ressie for Sept trip and seems to be pretty OK except for CRT dinner. They only had 4pm left... so confusing.
Especially since ddkkanders said that her hubby got one for July at 6:30... hmm...

 

[Mady/Sophiemom]

We found this the case in April. We had made PS, so we were OK, but never could adjust the times, or change restaurants as in the past. Tried at least 5 different meals, w/ no luck.

I like planning, but also liked having the flexibility to change my mind. It's hard to know what you will be hungry for 3 months in advance. I haven't even decided what to have for dinner tonight!!

 

[stinkerbelle]

the last 2 times we've been in september it was nice to decide THAT MORNING where we wanted to eat dinner...and just make the PS (or AR - whatever they are calling it - why'd they change it?!?!).

I guess that luxury is out the window, eh?

me no likey