Large party - how difficult to get ADRs

[wilma-bride]

We are planning a trip for April 2007 - there will be 7 of us. DH and I were thinking the DDP would make things easier in terms of paying for meals etc. but I am wondering whether we will run into difficulties trying to get tables for 7 at the TS restaurants.

What I don't want to do is pay for the dining plan if it means we have to be completely rigid with our plans for fear of not being able to change out any of the ADRs (I am presuming it is easier for a restaurant to fit 2 people in last minute than 7 )

So, has anyone successfully managed a trip for a large number of people using the DDP and lived to tell the tale

 

[Nancyg56]

Our two family trips were large groups. I made ADR's for as little as 7 people and as many as 10 with no problems. I did plan early, though. I would suggest that you make your dining reservations early. You can add the DDP after you make your ADR's if you are worried.

 

[JimMIA]

We are planning a trip for April 2007

Ummm...you're starting a little late for last month! (sorry...couldn't resist!)

but I am wondering whether we will run into difficulties trying to get tables for 7 at the TS restaurants.

What I don't want to do is pay for the dining plan if it means we have to be completely rigid with our plans for fear of not being able to change out any of the ADRs (I am presuming it is easier for a restaurant to fit 2 people in last minute than 7 )

So, has anyone successfully managed a trip for a large number of people using the DDP and lived to tell the tale

You really have two questions here.

"Can I get ADR's for 7 people?"
The answer is yes, but not as easily as you could get 4. If you make ADR's early and are flexible as to time, you should be fine. We had a situation where we were unable to make an ADR for 11 people (although the restaurant accommodated us without any problem when we showed up), but you should be fine with 7.

"Will I have difficulty if I want to change an ADR the day of the meal?"
Yes. You would have trouble doing that with just about any number, but you'll definitely have some challenges with a party of seven. (That's not to say it's impossible, but it will be difficult, and you may have to change restaurants.)

One thing we do to avoid that issue is to make our ADRs later than most folks. We find that if we eat around 8 PM, we have more luck getting the ADR's we want in the first place, and a lot less pressure making our appointed times. The downside of that strategy, of course, is that we miss fireworks, but DD5 is still a little afraid of fireworks (plus, we go 2-3 times a year), so missing fireworks is not as big an issue for us.

 

[wilma-bride]

Ummm...you're starting a little late for last month! (sorry...couldn't resist!)

Oops

Thank you for your advice.

 

[calypso*a*go-go]

I just had to change all of our ADR's for August to a party of 7 (from a party of 4)! For the most part, I was able to get everything I wanted...but at different times. For instance, some of our previous ADR's were for 6-7pm and we had to take 4-5pm instead. I wasn't crazy about it, but knew I was lucky to still get the restaurants I wanted.

The exceptions to this were Le Cellier and Coral Reef. I'm just going to tell our relatives that we will have to dine separately because we don't want to give up those reservations.

With Le Cellier I was able to book a table for three at Rose & Crown for the same time. Since Canada and England are very close together at Epcot I'm hoping we will be finished about the same time and can just meet up afterwards.

Still trying to decide what to do with Coral Reef...maybe we'll send them to Garden Grill if something is available.

 

[heatherg]

Just got back from 10 days at disney. . . with 8 of us. We didn't have any problems getting ADRs for all of us 45-60 days out. We didn't try and change any of them, so not sure how hard that would've been. One ADR was actually made for 2 tables of 4, but they were able to accomodate us at a table of 8 when we got there.

 

[tiggeraholic]

I called this morning to get our Thanksgiving reservations for a party of 10. I had no problem getting our reservations. In a few restaraunts I had to break the party up to a party of 6 and a party of 4.....but they promised to try to sit us together.

 

[crys5]

We are planning a trip for April 2007 - there will be 7 of us. DH and I were thinking the DDP would make things easier in terms of paying for meals etc. but I am wondering whether we will run into difficulties trying to get tables for 7 at the TS restaurants.

What I don't want to do is pay for the dining plan if it means we have to be completely rigid with our plans for fear of not being able to change out any of the ADRs (I am presuming it is easier for a restaurant to fit 2 people in last minute than 7 )

So, has anyone successfully managed a trip for a large number of people using the DDP and lived to tell the tale

i actually made reservations this morning, or i should say at noon, for a group of 13, we were able to get every place we wanted except Liberty Tree Tavern for Thanksgiving day(wish i would have remembered to call earlier in the morning) but we got Le Cellier, Boma, Kona Cafe, Ohana's, Spoodles for 13 with no problem....good luck and call 180 days out ,in the morning, i forgot to...and have been planning to do so for months now!

 

[tmbrea]

OK, I called last week and made ADR's for a party of 7 (no small children) for June 9-15th. No problems getting the places we wanted, was told that a couple of places may seat us at two tables instead of one but our kids are 17 & 16 so no big deal and our times are 7pm to 9:45(that's the lastest one).

 

[wilma-bride]

Thanks for sharing your experiences everyone. I guess what I need to make sure is that I call in plenty of time, I can be flexible with times (and preferably date) and that we may have to eat either early or late. I think I might go with the advice to make ADRs first, then add the DDP to our ressie if we manage to get the ADRs we want and will benefit from having it

 

[paulh]

hi willma.were a party of 10 for this aug some on free ddp some not on free ddp.Our holiday still falls into the free dinning area due to the bounceback and uk free dinning(unable to book this as FIL pased away).
We got all our choices except one a fantasmic package.But we had to variy the times a little.But if you are planning on doing the major ones ie le celler ect you will nead to book well in advance.Dont think for the lesser places you would have much problem,unless its over easter
Paulh

 

[penguinkimberly]

I have not had much problem getting ADR's for any of my trips, and I always have had from 6 to 11 people. I called a couple weeks for my trip in Sept. (have 7 going then) and had no problems. During my last trip had to change reservation from 7 to 9 people about a week ahead of time and had no problem, then while there had to change nights for O'hanas due to a sick child and was able to do so ( to my suprise because it was President's weekend) . That being said I would still make initial plans early then change as needed.

 

[Disneyolic]

A couple places that you may have problems sitting together would be Garden Grill and Sci-Fi.

Garden Grill is extremely limited for parties over 4. They have a couple of bigger booths. We had a party of 8 and we had to split up into 2 separate booths. The booths are so high that you can't really converse with the other booth.

Sci-Fi will split you up into 2 cars. If you have early enough times (say 11:30 am for lunch, then you have a great chance of being seated in cars next to each other. We had 2 cars and it worked out great.

 

[vamom]

Made our ADR yesterday & we have a party of 10! Not a problem having a large group. On some of the ADR we will have two tables, but they did say they would be together.

 

[chainkid]

I have to make my ADR's on Saturday for my group of 28 people for 10 nights. Most nights we are all eating together(if we get the reservations.). We expect to be split up though I hope the magical gathering # will help. We want California grill,Le Cellier, Boma, Flying fish, Captain Jack's, Biergartin, raglan road, and a few spilts ups for Epcot night. So you can imagine my fun trying to get times for everyone so no one is left out. I've held my group meetings and typed in my times for everyone especially on the few nights we split up into smaller groups. We all have the dining plan so we have planned all our points out for table service meals. Wish me luck. joan

 

[paulh]

think the grand gatering number is mainlyfor rooms togeter,there are a few thinks you can get extra think safari with a meal and wishes cruise.But good luck trying.
Paulh

 

[tiggeraholic]

I used the group dining number on Monday for all but one of my ADR's and today for CRT and got in very easily. I had absolutely no problem getting all of the reservations I wanted and we have a party of 10.