No ADR's avail that I wanted :(

[emmsmama]

Are you staying during one of the new free dining days? If so, that might be why you are having problems booking adrs.

I'm sure free dining is over by the time we go. We are going in Dec. and free dining ends around the end of Oct. right?

 

[eliza61]

What are the chances that something will open up as dates get closer? I'm going the first two weeks of Dec. and out of 12 ressies I wanted, I got 1.

Have others had luck with calling back often to check if new ressies are avail? Or did you just wait it out and try once you got there? Did you have any luck just walking up?

I'm not expecting to get CRT last-minute of course, but the places on my list are Mama Melrose Fantasmic or H&V Fantasmic pkg., LTT, Akershus, California Grill, TTS, Ohana, 1900 Park Fare, Chef Mickey's, Spoodles, and Garden Grill.

I never try walk ups. I've had great luck calling the day of, from my resort room. Another poster gave the best advice. Flexibility. Can you eat off hours, say an early dinner or a late lunch? I've been very lucky getting adr's for early dinners and the great thing about that is usually around 7:00 pm we are really ready for a great dessert.

 

[buffalogirl]

I'm sure free dining is over by the time we go. We are going in Dec. and free dining ends around the end of Oct. right?

Free dining is also offered 12/14- 12/20.

 

[TPCShauna]

I'm sure free dining is over by the time we go. We are going in Dec. and free dining ends around the end of Oct. right?

Disney released several more free dining promotions including the first and third weeks of December. That might be affecting your availability.

BTW, I called today to add Raglan Road and they had wide open availability for dinners the 12th through 18. That might help!

 

[catne]

if all else fails, do call from your hotel on the morning of...and try walk-ups right when the restaurants open for dinner...honestly, both in May 2008 and September 2008 all the table service restaurants were supposedly fully booked long before we got there (we did have reservations from months out.) They may get totally booked in advance, but I think they are getting tons of cancellations & even more no-shows, even during free dining.

At every single restaurant we went to there were walk-ups available at the early dinner seatings. Maybe the 7-8 seatings are full, but we saw empty tables everywhere. This is including Le Cellier on Thursday before Memorial Day weekend (and it was a late EMH night at Epcot), Cali Grille on Saturday night And Cinderella's Royal Table on Friday night of Memorial Day weekend in May of this year. According to posts on these boards before that trip, there was no availability at any of those restaurants. Yet there was.

ALL of our September free dining ADR's restaurants had empty tables & were taking walk-ins. All of which were supposedly fully booked, nothing available. On Sunday of Labor Day weekend, we went to Magic Kingdom. This was late EMH night (night before Labor Day holiday) The sign up on Main Street said "no dining available at Crystal Palace, The Plaza, and Liberty Tree Tavern, please try counter service locations." Our ADR for Liberty Tree Tavern was for 5:15. We were seated 5 minutes after checking in, and while we waited,they took names on at least 4 parties seeking walk-in tables...all of them were told they'd be seated within 15 minutes. While we were there, at least 1/2 of the tables were empty until after 6:00 p.m. The Wave was 2/3 empty, even when we fininished around 6:50 p.m. Kona, Cape May, Mama Melrose and even Boma were taking walk-ups, and all had empty tables in the first hour they were open for dinner (although Boma did fill within a half-hour.) For Kona, I actually switched to that reservation on the day of. We had been scheduled for Ohana and decided we wanted menu-choices instead of set meal. When I called from our hotel room that morning, I had a choice of 1/2 dozen restaurants in our time frame (5-7 p.m.) So don't give up.

 

[JanineandMike]

keep trying. i'm also going in december and was lucky enough to get almost everything i wanted at first, except for le cellier. i kept calling for two weeks or so and today i was able to get le cellier. good luck.

 

[Karlzmom]

What are the chances that something will open up as dates get closer? I'm going the first two weeks of Dec. and out of 12 ressies I wanted, I got 1.

Have others had luck with calling back often to check if new ressies are avail? Or did you just wait it out and try once you got there? Did you have any luck just walking up?

I'm not expecting to get CRT last-minute of course, but the places on my list are Mama Melrose Fantasmic or H&V Fantasmic pkg., LTT, Akershus, California Grill, TTS, Ohana, 1900 Park Fare, Chef Mickey's, Spoodles, and Garden Grill.

I just cancelled 1900 PF, & I imagine that others will also be moving things around a bit...hang in there. At 45 days out it should free up a bit, I'd think.

 

[emmsmama]

Disney released several more free dining promotions including the first and third weeks of December. That might be affecting your availability.

No way, they added new dates! Argh, I was a faithful visitor to the DISboards back in June or so when I started planning our trip, but haven't been on for a while and see what I miss

So now I'm irritated because I could have scheduled vaca differently to either get free dining for my family or to avoid the free dining period. Double argh. I'm off to research options further now that I have been educated on the new Free dining offer.

 

[Condorman]

I have not heard anything about Free Dining being offered during the first week of December. Considering the difficulty some are having in obtaining ADRs, I doubt this has occurred. That would mean WDW is not getting the expected visitors it wants and is opening itself up by other means. Again, I have neither seen nor heard this from anyone.

On the other hand, it wasn't two, three months ago that people on these boards were saying they couldn't get ADRs for Free Dining in August and September, and almost every other report now claims that many were able to be walked-in (maybe not to CRT or LC at prime times) but there seemed to be a lot more availability that wasn't there before.

Keep trying, be flexible with your times and choices of TS, and you will be happy in the end.

 

[emmsmama]

I just did some quick research and it looks like the dates I'm going (Nov. 30-Dec.13) are outside the free dining dates so that shouldn't affect my dining ADR's too much.

Also, unless I'm mistaken, it seems that the free dining in Nov./Dec. is only for WDW Visa cardholders. I was considering switching up my plans to go the 2nd and 3rd week of Dec. to get one week of free dining, but I'm in Canada and last time I checked I couldn't get a WDW Visa I would if I could though as that is a good deal!

 

[ptrbryant]

I have not heard anything about Free Dining being offered during the first week of December. Considering the difficulty some are having in obtaining ADRs, I doubt this has occurred. That would mean WDW is not getting the expected visitors it wants and is opening itself up by other means. Again, I have neither seen nor heard this from anyone.

On the other hand, it wasn't two, three months ago that people on these boards were saying they couldn't get ADRs for Free Dining in August and September, and almost every other report now claims that many were able to be walked-in (maybe not to CRT or LC at prime times) but there seemed to be a lot more availability that wasn't there before.

Keep trying, be flexible with your times and choices of TS, and you will be happy in the end.

This was the Free Dining special that includes dates in December:

This was on the Disney VISA offers/promotions page. Free dining package for stays this fall on select weeks.


4 nights/5 days
At a select Disney Value Resort. Only $631 per person, per day.
Total package price of $1,253 is based on 2 adults, 1 junior and 1 child in a standard room, for stays most nights 9/28-10/11, 11/9-11/22, 12/14-12/20/08.
The number of packages allocated for this offer is limited. See important details.1

For Cardmembers looking for both a magical vacation and a way to save money, this Walt Disney World® Resort vacation package is the perfect opportunity.

This 4 night, 5 day Magic Your Way vacation package includes Walt Disney World® Resort hotel accommodations, Walt Disney World® Theme Park tickets, and the Disney Dining Plan, which provides one quick service meal, a select snack, and one table service meal per person, per night of your package. Excludes gratuities and alcoholic beverages. Children ages 3-9 must choose from children’s menu, if available. Choose from over 100 select Disney restaurants, including Disney Character dining.

 

[Minniekins]

Ive been trying to get Mama Melrose Fantasmic package for 6 months now(literally from 180 days out), with no luck. But keep trying, I just got a Tutto Italia Candlelight Processional today.

What would be the difference with just a reg adr at mama melrose for lunch? it doens't cost more does it? can it be made with a lunch adr?n Thanks! I'm still trying for le cellier for mid nov! no luck yet, but I keep trying!

 

[septbaby]

What would be the difference with just a reg adr at mama melrose for lunch? it doens't cost more does it? can it be made with a lunch adr?n Thanks! I'm still trying for le cellier for mid nov! no luck yet, but I keep trying!

The Fantasmic pkg gives you passes to enter the stadium without standing in the long line AND provides guaranteed seating in a reserved section. This is a valuable service, especially if you have small children and don't want to wait in line with them for 40-90 mins.

 

[Mkrop]

called yesterday, still no luck for most, I got Tutto Italia for 8pm. I dont know if that is gonna fly with a 5 year old but I took it and may just change or cancel later.

 

[emmsmama]

Thanks for the encouragement everyone - I called again yesterday and was able to get MM Fantasmic pkg., 1900 PF, and Akershus. The only ones left I really, really want to get are Ohana and CM's and there is a diser who may be helping me out with CM's

 

[TPCShauna]

Thanks for the encouragement everyone - I called again yesterday and was able to get MM Fantasmic pkg., 1900 PF, and Akershus. The only ones left I really, really want to get are Ohana and CM's and there is a diser who may be helping me out with CM's

That is WONDERFUL news! I wish you luck in getting your final two ressies. Have a magical time!