Lunch with an Imagineer - no ressies left??

[Minniekins]

I am so upset! I have a trip coming up in late Nov/early Dec and wanted to surprise my DD23 with a Dine with an Imagineer lunch at the Hollywood Brown Derby for an early Xmas gift. I had called a few months ago and they said had to wait till after 180 day mark but not big rush. And they said no online booking which turns out not to be true, but I shouldn't be surprised I guess. Anyway, all week I've had a very hard time making any dining ressies at all, having to do one day at a time, and one day behind my actual days, which was very frustrating and I just wasn't thinking about this ressie. So this evening I called to try to make a ressie for the dine with an imagineer program for Dec 1st. I am so disappointed that there is nothing available!! They only do M, W, F dates. So then I asked about Wed Dec 3rd, and finally Fri Dec 5th which just was 180 today(I have 3 different resort ressies) and still nothing! I mean how do I get to my 180 exactly and it's already all filled up! I even asked about the dinner I've seen offered at Flying Fish though that's not what I really want, but she said they don't do it anymore. Well, after two phone calls I looked online at the disney site just to check info on this and yes they do online booking and both restaurants were in the pull down menu to choose when trying to check for availability. There was nothing. But their misinformation certainly makes me doubt if there's absolutely no availability.

They also said it's unlikely to get a cancellation for any of the three days. Is that really likely that there will be no cancellations?? I guess no way of really knowing. I'm just so disappointed as this was to be a special surprise for DD23 and not sure of what else I can do to get it. I really don't wanna have to wait till next year to try again, and I really didn't think it was a race to grab a ressie, even on my 180 day time. I didn't even realize this was an option till a few months ago! I guess all I can do is keep calling everyday to check for availability. Anyone have any experience getting ressie's for this imagineer lunch much after their 180 day mark - is it worth it to keep calling or is it near impossible to get lucky enough to snag a ressie anymore?

Btw, I not sure where to post, so posting in the restaurant forum and the dining reservations forum. Hope that's ok!

 

[Missyrose]

I am so upset! I have a trip coming up in late Nov/early Dec and wanted to surprise my DD23 with a Dine with an Imagineer lunch at the Hollywood Brown Derby for an early Xmas gift. I had called a few months ago and they said had to wait till after 180 day mark but not big rush. And they said no online booking which turns out not to be true, but I shouldn't be surprised I guess. Anyway, all week I've had a very hard time making any dining ressies at all, having to do one day at a time, and one day behind my actual days, which was very frustrating and I just wasn't thinking about this ressie. So this evening I called to try to make a ressie for the dine with an imagineer program for Dec 1st. I am so disappointed that there is nothing available!! They only do M, W, F dates. So then I asked about Wed Dec 3rd, and finally Fri Dec 5th which just was 180 today(I have 3 different resort ressies) and still nothing! I mean how do I get to my 180 exactly and it's already all filled up! I even asked about the dinner I've seen offered at Flying Fish though that's not what I really want, but she said they don't do it anymore. Well, after two phone calls I looked online at the disney site just to check info on this and yes they do online booking and both restaurants were in the pull down menu to choose when trying to check for availability. There was nothing. But their misinformation certainly makes me doubt if there's absolutely no availability.

They also said it's unlikely to get a cancellation for any of the three days. Is that really likely that there will be no cancellations?? I guess no way of really knowing. I'm just so disappointed as this was to be a special surprise for DD23 and not sure of what else I can do to get it. I really don't wanna have to wait till next year to try again, and I really didn't think it was a race to grab a ressie, even on my 180 day time. I didn't even realize this was an option till a few months ago! I guess all I can do is keep calling everyday to check for availability. Anyone have any experience getting ressie's for this imagineer lunch much after their 180 day mark - is it worth it to keep calling or is it near impossible to get lucky enough to snag a ressie anymore?

Btw, I not sure where to post, so posting in the restaurant forum and the dining reservations forum. Hope that's ok!

I've been told they changed the booking to 90 days out instead of 180 days for Dine with an Imagineer.

 

[DisneyParkFan]

I've been told they changed the booking to 90 days out instead of 180 days for Dine with an Imagineer.

Good to know.

 

[BuzzinDownToDisney]

I started trying to get this reservation at about 100 days out for myself, and it was the only one I did not get for my trip. It's harder to get than BOG. Keep trying though, you never know. Good luck!

 

[PictureJumpr]

Do not despair.

I have done this lunch (and have done the dinner too) many times.

I'm not entirely certain, because it's been about a year since I booked one, but in the past you could not book it more than about 30 days ahead.

I just checked the online booking, and there are several available on various dates in Sept, and on Oct 1. After Oct 3, absolutely nothing available - yet.

It is true that they only do these on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday.
And it is true that they cap them at 8-10 people, which makes them very limited, but I have never had trouble getting availability on at least one of the days during a trip. Mondays do seem to be easier to get than the other days, for whatever reason. Fridays are hardest.

And right now, it is only at the HBD, and only for lunch (at 12:00).
Make sure when you are checking online that you are using "Dining with an Imagineer" (Under "Dining Events") as the restaurant name, and not just looking for lunch times at the Brown Derby - the two are different.

 

[supersnoop]

I've been told they changed the booking to 90 days out instead of 180 days for Dine with an Imagineer.

If you search for March (180 days out), there are reservations available. So I don't think that's true.