Multiple ADR's

[DaParkers]

People making multiple ADR's is one of the reasons my family ate so well the last 2 years. I've never booked multiple ADR's, but I am guilty of changing my mind on the way to the restaurant. I know that if I am too tired at times, then others are as well. We walked up to several "Booked Solid" restaurants (including Boma) and got a table within 15 minutes. I attribute that to 3 things.

1. People booking multiple ADR's. They book, don't cancel, and decide on another place. When they don't show up, I get their table.

2. People underestimating the physical toll that touring the parks puts on the body. They tour all day long or commando style and then are just too tired to go to dinner. They'd rather grab something at their resort food court and call it a night.

3. People simply changing their minds. It's hard to guarantee that you'll want the types of food offered at Boma six months ahead of time. And sometimes when that day comes, you don't, so you eat elsewhere.

I'm not suggesting abandoning making ADR's and just winging it. I'm not going to do that this year and I didn't the last 2 years. I'm a very optimistic person and I'm just saying try that way of thinking. Even if you don't get the ADR that you wanted, you should still try calling at the last minute or just showing up. It's worked in my favor every time I just showed up. The longest I've waited was 15 minutes.

 

[ibela]

I had reservations for California Grill @ 7pm. I called back up a week later to move the dinner time up to 6pm. Then the following week I called to schedule another ADR and asked the CM to confirm my CG times to make sure they kept the right one, sure enough they had me booked for both times (and they require a cc for each one)! I had the CM cancel the later one and then called back to speak to someone else to confirm it was correct.

 

[Tink888]

If you see many, many places you would like to try - just narrow it down to a few of your absolute must-dos, make ADRs for those and wing it for the rest. As a prior poster stated, walk-ups are sometimes available due to last minute cancellations or no shows.

Please do not make multiple ADRs, IMO it is so incredibly rude and selfish. Imagine how dissappointing it is to be on the other end of the phone trying to get an ADR somewhere that you really, really want to go and can't because the place is booked solid. Please be considerate of other guests - we're all excited about going and want to have a great time.

 

[TDC Nala]

I too have heard that they will cancel extra ressies, presumably whatever is booked last wins becuase that must be what you actually want.

However, I just wanted to let you know that at the last minute we had to change our dinner plans for 4/20. I called last week and had many options. The park was filled up but many of the resorts had numerous time slots available. In fact the Epcot resorts had maybe 5 or 6 time slots available each and this was for a party of 8! So if 8 peopl can book three weeks out, you can too.

I just have to add that if you really want to eat in the park or at a specific restaurant then you should go ahead and do this.

And, (although I really really really hate that Disney does this) you don't have to show up exactly on time. You can be late and they will hold your ressie. Don't get me wrong. If you are running 5 or 10 minutes late because of some sort of wacky transportation issue then you shouldn't lose your ressie but when you are 30-40 minutes late and people are sitting there, ahem...me, and we are on time but you get to be seated first and we wait and wait and wait and are seated 30-40 minutes late, and when we get into the restuarant we find it almost empty, and then we have to rush to make it to Fantasmic because we paid for the Fantasmic package, that kind of sucks. So, you aren't necessarily tied to an exact minute in the day, just don't abuse it! Good luck with your selection. If you want opinions there are hundreds of disers here who will tell you where to eat.

Boma said in February that they will hold an ADR for fifteen minutes past the time you made it for. If you show up after that, your party goes into the regular queue. The non-ADR wait at Boma that particular night was nearly 2 hours.

Don't know if everybody does this, or just Boma.

 

[LilyWDW]

You can use two sit downs in one day & they can't cancel it. I have had a lunch ADr & a dinner ADR on same day. No problem. I wanted to use my sit downs as we were invited by friends to eat with them for some meals off site & I wasn't giving Disney any sit downs back

The issue that the post you quoted was having was due to the ADRs being booked for the same dining period, aka both were during the dinner hours. As such, this could be looked at as having double booked for dinner (even though this was not the posters intention).

 

[tiger4me2]

I called last week to change a dinner reservation for July (dropping Boma for Artist Point, in case you were wondering) and I asked to book Artist Point before cancelling Boma (just in case we couldn't get what we wanted - I didn't want to come away with no reservation! ). Anyway, we got through the process and the CM stopped me and said that I couldn't have a second ressie b/c I had Boma already scheduled. That was when i confirmed we wanted to drop Boma and everything worked out fine.

Summary - I wasn't able to make two ressies at the same time and the CM was well aware of what I had reserved prior. Sounds like they are trying to crack down.

Well dining will see if you have a ADR for that time frame but if you are trying to get another place they will not cancel the first one as long as you tell them what you are doing. I had to do this Monday we wanted another resturant but didn't want to cancel the one we made unless the other was there. In fact the CM said let look & see if what you want is there & then we will book it & then cancel the other one. Better to have them do that first because if you cancel first & try for the place you really want & nothing you are out of luck. Nothing wrong in doing this. Especially when dining suggested doing it this way.

 

[KimR]

Not to condone the practice, but making multiple ADRs does not prevent another family from eating at that restaruant as long as you eventually cancel the one you are not going to use. All that means is that some lucky family who waited a bit too late to make their ADRs will now be able to eat at a restaurant that would otherwise have been full.

 

[pinkerbell]

Boma said in February that they will hold an ADR for fifteen minutes past the time you made it for. If you show up after that, your party goes into the regular queue. The non-ADR wait at Boma that particular night was nearly 2 hours.

Don't know if everybody does this, or just Boma.

Wow, I guess I find that unacceptable because we have arrived at boma early every time... that is our choice, but we allow for, whatever , and have ALWAYS waited longer than 15 minutes from the time of our ADR, to get a table. I do not complain, I understand booking is an art not a science and try to figure a little extra wait time into my reservation time so the kids don't get overhungry and cranky. Unless they can seat me within 15 minutes of my ADR they had better not cancel if for some unforseen circumstance someone is 20 minutes late.

 

[Aliceacc]

Not to condone the practice, but making multiple ADRs does not prevent another family from eating at that restaruant as long as you eventually cancel the one you are not going to use. All that means is that some lucky family who waited a bit too late to make their ADRs will now be able to eat at a restaurant that would otherwise have been full.

True.

But it means that someone who planned ahead of time and called at 170 days, or 100 or 60-- didn't get that table.

 

[Aliceacc]

. I just see soooooooo many GREAT dining opportunities mixed with so many great park activities and a limited amount of time to accomplish it ALL. I have been cruising the DISboards since December and by the comments I have read in other areas I am very concerned about being able to get into the places we want to go and mixing it with the things we want to do.

I can certainly sympathize. This is our first trip since 1990, and the first ever for our kids.

Here's how I approached it: I read through the Disboards and menus, and came up with the 6 restaurants I was SURE we didn't want to miss. (For us: Coral Reef, Chef Mickey's, 1900 Park Fare, Fantasmic @ Hollywood & Vine, Le Cellier & 'Ohana.) Each is easily reachable from our resort (Polynesian), the Magic Kingdom, or Epcot. (There are several others I would LOVE to try next time. But this time, location was part of what I concentrated on.)

We're planning to go back to the resort each afternoon to nap/swim... it's going to be pretty necessary in August. So I made each of our dinner reservations pretty early-- somewhere near 5 pm. I figure that dinner will be the first thing we do each evening. I worked the particulars of which restaurant on which night around the EMH schedule. So on a night that we wanted to be in Epcot anyway, I booked the Coral Reef as the start to our evening. The Poly/Contemporary/ Grand Floridian nights could accomodate either the Magic Kingdom or Epcot, since all are on the monorail line.

So I see no reason (other than any potential stomach bug) that we wouldn't be refreshed and ready for our ADRs. Afterwards, we'll tour the parks until closing or crankiness send us home.

 

[daisy112878]

Wow, I guess I find that unacceptable because we have arrived at boma early every time... that is our choice, but we allow for, whatever , and have ALWAYS waited longer than 15 minutes from the time of our ADR, to get a table. I do not complain, I understand booking is an art not a science and try to figure a little extra wait time into my reservation time so the kids don't get overhungry and cranky. Unless they can seat me within 15 minutes of my ADR they had better not cancel if for some unforseen circumstance someone is 20 minutes late.

This is how every restaurant in Atlanta operates and some doctors offices. It doesn't matter how late they are but if you're late then sorry your appt is rescheduled or you wait forever.

Also at Disney ADRs are not typical reservations. They are like call-ahead seating. CMs on the phone are suppose to tell everyone that this is an approximate time and that you'll be seated at the next available table. Most of the time we haven't waited long but I know people who have waited at least an hour at places like Cali Grill with an ADR.

 

[Nicole721]

You can use two sit downs in one day & they can't cancel it. I have had a lunch ADr & a dinner ADR on same day. No problem. I wanted to use my sit downs as we were invited by friends to eat with them for some meals off site & I wasn't giving Disney any sit downs back

I would be more worry about dining canceling my ADRs for my upcoming trips that I have. Last year they cancel every ADR I made for my Sept trip & when I found out I called dining and asked why and they said they saw other ADRs under my name & thought I booked twice. I told them why didn't you look at the dates? Please get them back at same time that I had which they did but some had a hard time or none left but after talking to a supervisor he told me he was sorry & got my time back for me. They need to look before canceling if it in the same month or booked for upcoming trips. I always tell them I am coming back in whatever months so please don't cancel anything call if you have a hard time. I know they are busy but they shouldn't cancel ADRS in the future. All they need to do is look at dates. Very simple.MHO

I know...I was saying that you cannot book two dinners for one night...at least, not under the same phone number.

We tried to do a first-seating at Chef Mickey's (4pm? 5 pm? Something like that) and a 9pm Narcoosees and we could not book both because they were both during dinner hours.

We booked three meals a day for most of our days (we're on the DxDDP).