No Availability??

AmyRF25

Earning My Ears
Joined
Jan 1, 2006
Messages
43
I tried to make reservations a several Disney restaurants for early December and I was told that there was NO availability at any of the restaurants on the days I plan to be there. Does this mean that we will be unable to eat in the parks while we are there? Does anyone have any tips?

Thanks!
 
We got our ADRs for mid-December for everywhere except LeCellier. It is completely booked. Be flexible. Ask when they have your specific restaurant open and then plan your day. That's what I have done for 3 years and it has worked well.
 
You may have to book restaurants other than the ones you were trying to get, and keep calling to see if you can get a cancellation at the ones you want.

Try resort restaurants, or Downtown Disney, and try lunches.

I am not sure what "unable to eat" means since you could always eat counter service, but I take it that you mean unable to eat at table service. I am also not sure if you are finding every theme park restaurant to be unavailable, or just the specific ones you want. If you are on the dining plan and have table service credits you need to use, try other restaurants in the same park. If you can't get those, look for resort restaurants near the parks you want to visit, and consider booking early or late meals.
 
OP: Don't give up, but be sure to have back-up plans.

As time goes by all of the greedy folks that double, triple and quadruple booked will start to narrow down their ADR's.

I was able to score some great ressies this week, during free dining, that were previously booked solid. Final payments on the Disney packages were due this week for my trip dates and folks cancel or change their plans and ADR's open up.

I have found that a great time to call is Saturday morning around 10:00am pacific time.

Good luck and be persistent.
 

The key to getting the ADRs you want is to call as soon as Disney Dining opens 180 days out. That being said, you'll always be able to get a TS ADR on any given day at WDW somewhere. What restaurants did you try to book ADRs for? Did you try Biergarten, for instance, or some of the more easier ADRs to get?
 
I called to at 180 days @ 7:00 am for my parents party of 2 for Dec. Had a hard time getting what she wanted. No way for LC. Lunch or Dinner.
 
Getting ADRs has always been a frustrating process for me. I'm also going in early Dec and made my reservations weeks ago, still only getting a handful of things I wanted. None of it was at the time I wanted. Just wanted to let you know you aren't alone. Eeyoregan had a great tip. Our final payment is due like October 22nd. I'm betting some things will open up after then because folks will have had to commit. We'll see... I'm still trying almost daily to get a breakfast at CRT for six on 12/10. It's a long shot, but I'll keep trying!
 
I called to at 180 days @ 7:00 am for my parents party of 2 for Dec. Had a hard time getting what she wanted. No way for LC. Lunch or Dinner.

What's LC again?

We had no problem getting the exact times for the exact restaurants we wanted for our January trip.
 
I was told by a couple of CM's that the beginng od Dec was slow but not anymore it caught on and now it's becoming very busy.

It appears that CM was right! I wish I'd known when we plotted this trip, as we are completely flexible on when to go and picked the 1st week of Dec to avoid the crowds. That said, I was able to get all of the ADRs I wanted, though not always exactly when I wanted them [late breakfast, a really early dinner] On the whole we are still pleased, but I did call at the 180 day mark and will not change anything based on reports that availability is about nil. The idea that ressies should open up at the 45 day mark is solid....good luck to all trying to capture the magic!:)
 
It appears that CM was right! I wish I'd known when we plotted this trip, as we are completely flexible on when to go and picked the 1st week of Dec to avoid the crowds. That said, I was able to get all of the ADRs I wanted, though not always exactly when I wanted them [late breakfast, a really early dinner] On the whole we are still pleased, but I did call at the 180 day mark and will not change anything based on reports that availability is about nil. The idea that ressies should open up at the 45 day mark is solid....good luck to all trying to capture the magic!:)

Well I suggested this to my parents about 4 years ago since they are older and retired and she loves Christmas and it's her B-Day 12/6 it would be good for them to go and see the lights & stuff. Well the first 2 years were great. Last year she calls me from there saying what happened down here it's jammed! CM's said to me also it was a well kept secert. But not anymore.
 
Well, that is one of the harder ones to get.

I know I felt bad she really wanted it and nothing for lunch or dinner and I called at 180 days at 7:00 am. From 12-6 to 12-13. I personally think yes it is good & nice but over rated in my opinion.
 
I have a feeling when you get there, you'll be able to find places. When I went last, we didn't have a single reservation and ate a table service meal everyday with no problems. I think they always have some room open for walk ups. Just go for early dinners or late lunches.
 
OP - what restaurants are you trying to get? There are several that are booked immediately at 180 days out (and a bit more with the +10 thing). Are you absolutely dead set on your days? Are you willing to do a lunch instead of a dinner if lunch is offered at that restaurant? Are you willing to do a second choice or a third choice or a fourth choice? What is your party size?

There are a ton of Disney restaurants. Some of them will be almost impossible to get into with continually calling every day in hopes something opens up. Most of them will be available but they aren't the ragingly popular ones. And some will be very easy to get.

I like the Captain's Grill at the Yacht Club. Open for breakfast, lunch and dinner and a nice break from Epcot or even the Studios.
 
I was able to get all of my first choices except LeCellier. I tried at 186 and 187 days out for the first week of December. There was nothing available. I was able to get all of my others though. Early December is a very busy time for DVC since it is low points season.

I honestly think you'll find that this Dec. won't be as busy as last year. The economy is really having an impact on people traveling. We were at WDW last week, we had lunch with three CMs who have worked for WDW from 1.5 to 18 years and said they have never seen June and July so slow. One of the girls works at a restaurant in AK and she said they have been sending people home early because it is so slow. We were having lunch at Whispering Canyon at noon and the place was empty.
 
I was able to get all of my first choices except LeCellier. I tried at 186 and 187 days out for the first week of December. There was nothing available. I was able to get all of my others though. Early December is a very busy time for DVC since it is low points season.

I honestly think you'll find that this Dec. won't be as busy as last year. The economy is really having an impact on people traveling. We were at WDW last week, we had lunch with three CMs who have worked for WDW from 1.5 to 18 years and said they have never seen June and July so slow. One of the girls works at a restaurant in AK and she said they have been sending people home early because it is so slow. We were having lunch at Whispering Canyon at noon and the place was empty.

I hope so but doubt it . We were there in April and it was so crowded and if you read these boards everybody is still going to Disney so I think lol that the economy has hit everywhere but disney. I will and do give up a lot but not my Disney trip.
 
I tried to make reservations a several Disney restaurants for early December and I was told that there was NO availability at any of the restaurants on the days I plan to be there. Does this mean that we will be unable to eat in the parks while we are there? Does anyone have any tips?

Thanks!

Early December can be tough for dining....ESPECIALLY dinner. There are a myriad of factors (Mickey's Very Merry Xmas party dates, Candlelight Processional meal packages) that contribute to this. We called at EXACTLY 180 days out, used our 180+10 window, and STILL weren't able to get a couple of the places we wanted (Le Cellier, Hoop de Doo, and one other I can't remember). That was for December 4th - 12th...and we called in early June.

Your best bet is to to talk to the Dining rep and ask what's avaliable, and when, in a given park rather than trying to ask about specific places, at this point. You'll probably find something with openings for TS restaurants...it just might not be your "first choice" kinda place.
 


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