Last minute DVC reservations and ADR's..not a good mix

[Disney1fan2002]

OK, I am still living in 1999 I think! Back when dining reservations were called Priority Seating and Disney only booked a certain percentage of tables. Leaving the rest open to walk ups.

Now it is called ADR's, and I was still under the impression that Disney would not book 100% of the restaurant to advanced diners. (I mean, surely Disney has last minute vacationers that need to eat, right?).

Well, I called to make ADR's at Sci-Fi Diner for Nov 22nd. Sorry, no availability. They do have an 11am for lunch on the 23rd or the 24th, but that is it for the entire week. So, I asked if they leave some tables open for walk ups, and the answer was no. They do book 100% of the restaurant to ADR's.

So, I am thinking of all those DVC members I have seen post the past few days, on how they just booked their trip in 9 days or 12 days or 30 days...whatever. Point is, it is a last minute trip, and unless they plan on eating in their room, or at a counter service, good luck trying to get ADR's.

MY DH pointed out, what about the people who go to Disney not knowing how a well planned vacation works? If it is their 1st trip, no doubt they are not aware of ADR's...walking past a place like Sci-Fi..thinking it looks like a neat place to eat, only to get turned away at the door.

 

[JWG]

OK, I am still living in 1999 I think! Back when dining reservations were called Priority Seating and Disney only booked a certain percentage of tables. Leaving the rest open to walk ups.

Now it is called ADR's, and I was still under the impression that Disney would not book 100% of the restaurant to advanced diners. (I mean, surely Disney has last minute vacationers that need to eat, right?).

Well, I called to make ADR's at Sci-Fi Diner for Nov 22nd. Sorry, no availability. They do have an 11am for lunch on the 23rd or the 24th, but that is it for the entire week. So, I asked if they leave some tables open for walk ups, and the answer was no. They do book 100% of the restaurant to ADR's.

So, I am thinking of all those DVC members I have seen post the past few days, on how they just booked their trip in 9 days or 12 days or 30 days...whatever. Point is, it is a last minute trip, and unless they plan on eating in their room, or at a counter service, good luck trying to get ADR's.

MY DH pointed out, what about the people who go to Disney not knowing how a well planned vacation works? If it is their 1st trip, no doubt they are not aware of ADR's...walking past a place like Sci-Fi..thinking it looks like a neat place to eat, only to get turned away at the door.

True. I too miss being able to make dining reservations after you've actually planned your days a bit. This has forced us to either 1) eat in the villa or 2) go off-site. Disney's loss and our savings I guess.

ADR's actually benefit many DVC members likely - we're forced to plan 6-11 months out if we have specific resort needs and thus can try to make ADR's. But, man, it is painful when you can't get into certain restaurants even at the 180-day mark.

 

[VirataMama4]

I know that ADR's are the way to go for the most part, but we have had some luck on our 2 last minute trips. We were there at the end of May and got a walk up to CRT and on our most recent trip at the end of July we got a walk up to Tony's, no wait for either one.

So, I'd take a chance on a walk up, if when your trip arrives you still have not been able to make an ADR!

 

[DebbieB]

When I was there last summer, they were taking walk-ups for lunch at Sci-Fi. I would still try to get in.

 

[Luv4Disney]

We booked our trip in 2 weeks a little over a month out. We were able to get AKV studio with a savannah view and all the ADR's we wanted with the exception of Kona for breakfast (could've gotten it, but really late in the morning). Sure I had to adjust some times, but everything worked. I was actually surprised at the availability they had.

 

[Stinger5]

I would try the walk-up route anyway. Nothing to lose right?

 

[KiminChicago]

Last I heard, you could still make ADR's for more than one location at the same time, so although a restaurant may appear fully booked, you might still be able to get in.

 

[DenLo]

Last I heard, you could still make ADR's for more than one location at the same time, so although a restaurant may appear fully booked, you might still be able to get in.

I think that happens a lot, people book multiple reservations for different restaurants as they are not sure of their schedule. And then just they don't show up or cancel the ones they don't use. Why when they decide their itinerary they don't cancel the extra reservations is beyond me.

 

[El&Asmom]

I think the on line bookings have made things worse too. We accidentally booked two different dinners on the same night thinking they were for different nights. They were at different times, so the on line booking allowed it.
I'm sure plenty of people double or triple book and then decide when they are there where they feel like eating. Plus there are probably lots of no shows leaving tables open.
Try some walk ups. You never know.

 

[RescueRanger]

OK, I am still living in 1999 I think! Back when dining reservations were called Priority Seating and Disney only booked a certain percentage of tables. Leaving the rest open to walk ups.

Now it is called ADR's, and I was still under the impression that Disney would not book 100% of the restaurant to advanced diners. (I mean, surely Disney has last minute vacationers that need to eat, right?).

Well, I called to make ADR's at Sci-Fi Diner for Nov 22nd. Sorry, no availability. They do have an 11am for lunch on the 23rd or the 24th, but that is it for the entire week. So, I asked if they leave some tables open for walk ups, and the answer was no. They do book 100% of the restaurant to ADR's.

So, I am thinking of all those DVC members I have seen post the past few days, on how they just booked their trip in 9 days or 12 days or 30 days...whatever. Point is, it is a last minute trip, and unless they plan on eating in their room, or at a counter service, good luck trying to get ADR's.

MY DH pointed out, what about the people who go to Disney not knowing how a well planned vacation works? If it is their 1st trip, no doubt they are not aware of ADR's...walking past a place like Sci-Fi..thinking it looks like a neat place to eat, only to get turned away at the door.

Well, I just checked online availability and Sci-fi was the only restaurant that was unavailable for lunch on the 22nd. All of the other restaurants were available. So to characterize it as though people have no place to eat is not exactly true. You just can't get an ADR for Sci-fi. That is Thanksgiving week and Sci-fi is one of the more popular restaurants. My suggestion would be to schedule something else and keep checking back for Sci-fi because people do cancel.

 

[Disney1fan2002]

Well, I just checked online availability and Sci-fi was the only restaurant that was unavailable for lunch on the 22nd. All of the other restaurants were available. So to characterize it as though people have no place to eat is not exactly true. You just can't get an ADR for Sci-fi. That is Thanksgiving week and Sci-fi is one of the more popular restaurants. My suggestion would be to schedule something else and keep checking back for Sci-fi because people do cancel.

Really? I will have to go check again, because yesterday, the only availability they had in Hollywood Studios that day was an 8am @ Hollywood and Vine. No other restaurant was available for lunch or dinner. 50's Primetime is available???? Going to check it out.

 

[tjkraz]

I think that happens a lot, people book multiple reservations for different restaurants as they are not sure of their schedule. And then just they don't show up or cancel the ones they don't use. Why when they decide their itinerary they don't cancel the extra reservations is beyond me.

There is a lot of evidence suggesting that Disney intentionally overbooks its restaurants. We all know that a certainly number of ADRs are never kept by guests. Disney has years worth of data to know that approximate percentage. If they know that 20% of all ADRs are not kept, they'll simply book to 120% of capacity.

If you've ever shown up at a restaurant and been forced to wait 30+ minutes, basically that means the restaurant bucked the trends for that day and had fewer no shows. Thus the backlog of diners waiting for a table. But the system also creates the opportunity for walk-ups if business happens to be slow even when ADRs were unavailable. Regardless of how many ADRs are taken, if the restaurant is only 80% full they can afford to squeeze in a few walk-up. But that would be a day-by-day, or even hour-by-hour decision.

In the grand scheme of things, only a small percentage of Disney restaurants will fill-up months in advance. It just so happens Sci-Fi is among that small number of locations.

Demand is what it is so it's hard to fault Disney for opening up all of the ADR slots. Is it any more fair to hold some back, thus telling folks who are willing to book 4+ months out that they cannot have a table? Does a walk-up deserve greater accommodation than an advance planner?

All of that said, I would keep checking the dining website and see if something opens up. I booked November ADRs about two months ago and in 2 out of 3 cases didn't get exactly the time I wanted. After checking several times over the course of a month, I eventually was offered much better times on the same dates at the same restaurants.

 

[addiln]

you can always walk up and see if they have anything. we have had some luck calling that morning and booking a reservation. you may want to try that as well since people do cancel last minute. i would keep trying online or just try walking in. you are not going to lose anything by doing this.

 

[emacek]

We've also had luck checking with the concierge in the AM or the night before to see what's available.

emacek

 

[Mickey'sApprentice]

I will say that CS has a much better selection than in years past. We've considered taking a last minute trip and just eating CS food.

 

[wildernessDad]

Yeah, also, the 180 dining reservations means you need to know where you are going to be that day. If some special event comes up later that you'd love to see, you might have to cancel your ADR.

 

[wildernessDad]

Well, I called to make ADR's at Sci-Fi Diner for Nov 22nd.

Is that during "free" dining?

 

[RescueRanger]

Really? I will have to go check again, because yesterday, the only availability they had in Hollywood Studios that day was an 8am @ Hollywood and Vine. No other restaurant was available for lunch or dinner. 50's Primetime is available???? Going to check it out.

I didn't know how many you had in your group, so I put 4, if that makes a difference. If you are only 2 and they say no availablity, just make the reservation for 3 or 4 and the other restaurants should show up.

 

[starbox]

It's free dining. I called the first day I could last year at 9 for a birthday reservation and all my desired ADRs were gone. Free diners booking at the top of their window for the week had taken all the dining. Disney is just stupid when it comes to shutting out cash dining reservations.