No ADRs for December

[Southernswthrt1]

I haven't made any ADRs for our December trip. We went Dec 19-24 in 2002 and we ate at Kona, LeCellier, Rainforest at AK, ESPN Club, and Brown Derby with no ressies. The only real impressionable meal was LeCellier, and I'd love to dine there again.

We're going Dec 9-13 this year and I haven't made any ADRs. I know that it's gotten much more difficult to walk up to restaurants since Disney has the Dining Plan. I also don't like having to eat at a certain place at a certain time when I'm on vacation.

Has anyone gone recently during the "slow" season without ADRs? Where did you dine? How long did you wait? Is it absolutely necessary to make ADRs? Just looking for more info from those of you who have "braved" it without ADRs!

 

[MickeyCrazed]

I would not recommend going without ADRs unless you want to be very, very, very flexible.

We had trouble with our October vacation for the few meals that we didn't have reservations for. I called one day for any restaurant in Epcot, and the only availablity was in the China pavilion!

I've called for ADRs for our December trip, and found many of the restaurants completely sold out for the nights we are interested in. The dining plan has made it very difficult to just dine at the spur of the moment.

 

[Pakey]

We booked our ADR's for our Jan trip 4 months out because I had to wait on a picky eater to decide which places were "okay". Jan is slow, 4 months out seemed reasonable. Well, I did get every place I wanted to eat but I had to work at it. There was only one time available for the entire week for Le Cellier--not a time I wanted but I took it. Ca Grill also was difficult--had to rearrange some things in order to do it.

We do not do the DDP and only want one TS per day. Still, it was slow season, I waited 2 months from when I could have booked, and had some troubles.

I'm sure you will still be able to get into some places but you might not get what you want.

 

[Southernswthrt1]

We're not on the dining plan. So I suppose we'll just have to settle for CS meals. I won't spend the money to eat at a TS that I don't really "want" to eat at.

 

[Pakey]

We're not on the dining plan. So I suppose we'll just have to settle for CS meals. I won't spend the money to eat at a TS that I don't really "want" to eat at.

Hopefully it will not change the quality of your vacation. I'm one of those people who are opposed to the 180 day out ADR system that now requires you to plan your every movement 6 months before you go on vacation (heck, we used to book our rooms only weeks in advance--now you've got to know everything way too soon).

I don't mind that the parks are so much more crowded than they were 5 years ago but the eating situation has gotten difficult. Most people seem to like doing it this way though so I don't see it changing.

 

[raven69david]

I'll pray for the best for you, but most of us going in December made ressie's at the 180 day mark. I've made some tweaks here & there and have gotten everything i've wanted luckily. I shake at the thought of not having ADR's less than 6 weeks away from my trip. Good luck and check back often for cancelations.Here's a little for you.


BTW, look here for cancelations: http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=1590904

 

[maxiesmom]

You will find it much much harder to walk up to the sit down restaurants than it was in 2002. I wish you luck. If you truly want to do Le Ceiller, I suggest you try and get an ADR. Right now that is the most popular restaurant at Epcot, and very hard to get in to.

 

[Pumbaa_]

Flexibility id key. You are also not going during a slow period. December is as busy as it gets!

If there is anywhere you want a TS, it would be a good idea to call now. Check with your hotel too while you are there to see if there is somewhere open while you are there.

On the plus side, there are lots of great CS places with many more options than burgers. Let us know how it was when you get back

 

[Southernswthrt1]

Thanks to everyone for their suggestions! I think we'll just stick to CS meals...whatever is convenient and closest when we're hungry. We're from just outside of New Orleans, so restaurants away from home rarely leave impressions (if you know what I mean). Also, we're staying at SSR and will have a full kitchen. We plan to make breakfast each morning and we can make other meals as well.

 

[jennynoel]

December 9th-13th really shouldn't be "as busy as it gets". It should be pretty slow, but that doesn't mean you'll be able to eat just anywhere. If you want to eat at sit-down places, go for lunch. I would not be surprised at all if you can get into Kona and Brown Derby at lunch, for example. You also shouldn't have trouble getting into restaurants that don't take DDP, such as Rainforest Cafe.

Le Cellier is another story altogether, of course.

I agree with the advice to be flexible. Also, take advantage of the dining kiosks in each park first, rather than just walking up.

Good luck!

 

[dreambound]

You are also not going during a slow period. December is as busy as it gets!

Totally, completely disagree. Not at ALL as busy as it gets. Maybe from the 20th on, but the first two weeks of December are a breeze. March, April, July...THAT'S as busy as it gets. October is WAY busier than December now too.

 

[Surfingstitch]

I am going from the 8th to the 17th this year and have at least one ressie each day. This way I can have some flexiblity with what I do the rest of the day and at least one good meal a day.

 

[Southernswthrt1]

What are the dining kiosks?

 

[buzzgirls&dad]

While the time you are going is relatively low it can be difficult to find a place to eat, as there are so many things going on. MVMCP which closes a park for dinning unless you have tickets. The CP packages keep the Epcot restuarants full and the Fantasmic packages keep DHS full. Also, during this time of year the parks tend to close earlier so there is just less time for the restuarants to be open. You may want to look at resort dining.

 

[jennynoel]

What are the dining kiosks?

There is a location in each park where you can make last minute ADRs. I am not exactly sure where they are in each park - I have only used the one in MGM. Can someone else help with this?

 

[n2mm]

There is a location in each park where you can make last minute ADRs. I am not exactly sure where they are in each park - I have only used the one in MGM. Can someone else help with this?

The only places I know of are at guest relations, except MGM, which has a window near the tip board. We have gone the first couple of week in December in 2004 and 2005 and found both timeframes busier than our normal trips in January/August/May and October. We will never go in December again because it is far from slow and busiers than what we are use to. While not as busy as Christmas/NY/Easter/June and July, we found it to be right behind these situations. With DVC points at the lowest of the year, it's near impossible to even get a DVC location. After MGM reached capacity on the Saturday night we went there in 2004, and AKL being sold out in December 2005 (first weekend of December), we said no more for us. We couldn't even get down MK main street. Maybe the crowds lightened up on Tues/Wed/Thur, but we found Friday to Monday near impossible the first and second weekends of December.

 

[dreambound]

The only places I know of are at guest relations, except MGM, which has a window near the tip board. We have gone the first couple of week in December in 2004 and 2005 and found both timeframes busier than our normal trips in January/August/May and October. We will never go in December again because it is far from slow and busiers than what we are use to. While not as busy as Christmas/NY/Easter/June and July, we found it to be right behind these situations. With DVC points at the lowest of the year, it's near impossible to even get a DVC location. After MGM reached capacity on the Saturday night we went there in 2004, and AKL being sold out in December 2005 (first weekend of December), we said no more for us. We couldn't even get down MK main street. Maybe the crowds lightened up on Tues/Wed/Thur, but we found Friday to Monday near impossible the first and second weekends of December.

That's just so weird, because I was there the first week in December 2005, and I never waited more than 5 minutes for any rides. Maybe my good planning did pay off, I don't know. I also know that nearly every single WDW resort was sold out, but it didn't show at the parks at that time.

I just don't want anyone to panic thinking that that time of year is unpleasant when they are headed for a trip there very soon. It could make someone worry needlessly. TGM, UG, the DIS, Alllears, almost every single WDW info site will suggest early December as a good time to go. No, it's not ghost town empty anymore, but waiting 10 minutes for a ride is a FAR cry from waiting 1.5 hours for a ride in April. And I've noticed the strange phenomenon of the parks looking really crowded with Main Street totally packed but the rides are walk-ons. I also think that arriving at park opening is key.

To those going in December who have never been, it's NOT THAT BAD! I promise! TGM, UG, and many DISers will agree with me.

 

[dreambound]

I meant to add that we were at a sold out DVC resort in Dec 2005 and saw pretty much no one. Also, we did the parks during the week but avoided them during the weekends. (Except for Epcot on a Sunday which was really great!)

As for getting ADR's this late in the game, there's stuff out there, and you may not get first choice, but if you sit down with your calendar and the phone and really work at it (and be willing to move things around a lot until you finally have an ADR schedule that works) then you should be fine. I'm still getting plenty of stuff that I am happy about.

Good luck!

 

[Pumbaa_]

I think i saw the 19-25 and missed the fact they were going earlier this year. Sorry!

you are going right at the tail end of a very busy time (really) there are very large internet conventions and gather ings going on in the earlier part of December. While the parks may not be super busy, the restaurants tend to be.

But not nearly as bad as when i thought you were going!

Having the full kitchen is nice isn't it? Gives you extra choices for meals