Large Group dining reservations - HELP

djp0630

DIS Veteran
Joined
Apr 22, 2009
Hi,
So my entire family is going to Disney World end of July. There is 14 of us (6 adults, 8 kids). With reservations at 60 days, I am very worried about getting anything. So I was reading that we should try 2 different people at 6am (and I understand I can call the large group dining). How does it work if we have 2 people booking reservations? I booked all the resort reservations and tickets under my email. Are we able to link the resort reservations to 2 emails AND book 2 different reservations at the same time? If we can't link the resort reservations without risk of cancellation of the 2 reservations, does the 2nd person not link to the resort reservations and not get the 60+10 days? Do we then have to log in every day at the 60 day mark?

Any advice on getting reservations for 14 would be great. I booked it all for 2020 last year at 180 days and got everything I want. This 60 day thing is so scary.
Thanks!
Debbie
 
Through the MDE app there is a way to “link” people in your party. You’ll send them a notification through MDE and and they’ll sign up to make their own MDE account. If you do it correctly they should see all the plans as well. Make sure you give them planning permission when you send them the request. Then on your dining reservation day you can just use the different accounts to book multiple reservations. Either use different browsers or use your phone and the computer. Basically you’ll Iikely need to search for smaller reservations around the same time since your party is so big. You could try 7 and 7, but even 7 people is difficult for some restaurants. Three reservations of smaller groups will likely be your best bet if you aren’t flexible about restaurants. Use the different accounts to book different reservations, but don’t list who is joining you in the reservation (this is optional). If you add other guests and then you try to make a second reservation, it may give you an error message since that person is accounted for in another “plan”. If you really want you can add names later, but I wouldn’t do it while you are trying to get the reservations done.

You can call and they’ll help you make multiple reservations, but you’ll have to wait until 7 and you may miss out on some popular places with the delay. Try different numbers of guests if you are having a hard time. The system is weird and sometimes something won’t show up for 7, but it will show up for 8 people. It’s weird. Try different combos. It’s easier to “drop” people than it is to add people so just make sure your cover however many people are in your party.

Once you do this, there is no way to link reservations or officially add them together. If you call they can’t do anything either. When you arrive at the park, I’d stop by the restaurant early and ask to be seated together. They may be able to or they may not be. Just be prepared either way, but that’s really the only thing you can do. There’s no secret way to get large party reservations and I’d be surprised if you find any reservations for 14 people. The best option is just to be prepared to split up, but they might make it work which would be a pleasant surprise!
 
Read this thread for suggestions on booking for split parties. I booked for 9 people for the week leading up to Christmas, and honestly, I wish I had just called at 7 AM. It would have been much easier. Hint: try to book Mama Melrose for a party of 14. When I did, it popped up with a different phone number that was answered quickly, and the CM fixed us right up!

And as PP said, make sure everyone arrives a few minutes before the earliest ADR. Check in with the CM, not via MDE, and tell them you’re together and would like to be seated as close together as possible. I can’t promise anything for a party of 14, but all 9 of us sat at one table at Mama Melrose, Homecomin’, LTT, B&C and Biergarten.
 



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