No dinner reservations?

[Myothername]

I work with someone who is going in a few weeks and she said today they have no dinner reservations. Apparently the grandmother is making all the arrangements and said they wouldn't need them. I hope she is right. I told her she could make them on her own if she could get the reservation number but she didn't want to raise a fuss.

 

[kdfogliano]

you dont need a reservation # to make dinner reservations
anyone can make them

 

[Myothername]

you dont need a reservation # to make dinner reservations
anyone can make them

Apparently the one in charge who is paying for everything knows everything. They are on the dining plan too. I told her she could still use her TS credits at the CS restaurants.

 

[kdfogliano]

Apparently the one in charge who is paying for everything knows everything. They are on the dining plan too. I told her she could still use her TS credits at the CS restaurants.

oh well! you tried to help! she will prob come home and say you were right!!!

 

[dburg30]

I work with someone who is going in a few weeks and she said today they have no dinner reservations. Apparently the grandmother is making all the arrangements and said they wouldn't need them. I hope she is right. I told her she could make them on her own if she could get the reservation number but she didn't want to raise a fuss.

I hope they arent putting too much hope into being able to walkup for sit down reservations..

 

[jenniferma]

Apparently the one in charge who is paying for everything knows everything. They are on the dining plan too. I told her she could still use her TS credits at the CS restaurants.

lol.. well apparently she doesn't!! They are not going to be able to get into the sit down restaurants.. seriously. Especially with free dining. I would warn your friend. Such a waste to not know these things and spend all the money on a Disney vacation.

Sorry-- I don't mean to be harsh at ALL.. but these are the same people that come back from WDW hating it... or giving hotels bad reviews on trip advisor because they didn't understand the dining plan etc...

TELL HER! When we were there in May (not a crazy busy time) a few years back.. the CMs were turning away people left and right from the Plaza of all places. And those same CMs were not very helpful either, telling the guests to eat at Caseys hot dog stand. I say it's better to be over prepared than underprepared!

good luck!
jen

 

[Myothername]

So is free dining going on now? When does that end?

 

[3Minnies1Mickey]

So is free dining going on now? When does that end?

Not sure the dates for the last promotion. But these are the upcoming one. I'd say pretty much now until October (minus probably labor day weekend?)

2010: Oct 1 - 7 • Oct 22 - 28 • Nov 12 - 18 • Nov 27 - Dec 2 • Dec 10 - 21
2011: Jan 1 - 5 • Jan 9 - 13 • Jan 21 - Feb 3 • Feb 11 - 17 • Feb 25 - Mar 3 • May 27 - Jun 2 • Aug 19 - Sept 29

 

[canopynut66]

So is free dining going on now? When does that end?

there are several promotions going on right now some blackout dates but we got our free dining November 1-11. If your wanting TS and especialy character ones will just have to get advance reservations or one could just take a chance and eat where you can for TS. Can make ressies 180 days out from your trip and some places full the first day you call for them or can also do online. I agree some go and cannot get into eat where they thought they could and then they so upset but we all have equal time frame to get ressies, WDW has done good job with that.

 

[ngvenice]

Apparently the one in charge who is paying for everything knows everything. They are on the dining plan too. I told her she could still use her TS credits at the CS restaurants.

i was told by at disney resevations that you cant

 

[AndyFL]

Guess I've just been lucky. We never make ADRs and can always find somewhere to eat....last trip a few weeks ago we were able to eat at Coral Reef and CRT. But I've got to admit, I don't live to eat like alot of folks do. My kids would rather eat at The Rainforrest Cafe outside AK anyway and I'm a member there so even if they are packed we don't have to wait more than 5 min if even that long.

 

[BriarRosie]

You can tell your friend to go to Disney's website to making online dining reservations (if there is availability). The friend can do this without the grandmother knowing, and the friend would be a hero if they discover they are shut out of walk-ups, they have a backup reservation planned.

 

[goofy4tink]

You can tell your friend to go to Disney's website to making online dining reservations (if there is availability). The friend can do this without the grandmother knowing, and the friend would be a hero if they discover they are shut out of walk-ups, they have a backup reservation planned.

That's what I would recommend as well. Hopefully, this friend has been able to get some kind of daily schedule that Gram has made up for everyone. That way, she can make some ADRs based on the park they'll be in. Otherwise, they're going to be doing a lot of CS!!!

 

[essom71]

We were there last week. No dining reservations.... good luck with that! Especially since it sounds like they have a bigger party.

And I have been several times during free dining and know that you cannot exchange TS for CS.

 

[DW2010]

Some people like the freedom of not having reservations tie them down. I know that if I didn't make reservations, we wouldn't have any because my dad, step-mom and Dh couldn't care less where we eat. We would have just eaten at CS places.

 

[winterman]

I told her she could still use her TS credits at the CS restaurants.

I have read here that this has been allowed in the past but VERY RARELY. Unless of course they have the DxDP.

 

[sjs314]

Last March-spring break we went to Disney Ddil did the planning the only ADR we had was for the HDDR. Let me tell you it was quite a challenge finding TS places to eat, every place we tried was booked solid.

Luckily we were not on the DP since we found room at ESPN and Rainforest Cafe which was not on the DP, we wanted to eat at Rose and Crown but had to settle for the counter serve next door then there were no tables available so we sat on a wall near the water being attacked by sea gulls.

The night we went to DTD everyplace had an hours wait or longer so we ate at McDonalds (which is now gone)

Try to have your friend at work make some ADR's or convince gram to or they will be sorry

 

[ohanaMAMA]

ooo been there. My friend called to tell me she was taking her family to wdw in a "few days" ! and she wanted to know where she could take her daughters to eat with the princesses?? LOL. It was hard for me not to laugh at her. when I told her that our upcoming trips ADRs had been made at 180 days and we barely got what we wanted she paniced!

We were able to get her a few ts meals.. but honestly there wasnt a lot. they tried to walk up to several places but were commonly turned away. One CM even laughed at her!

 

[DisGirl23]

i was told by at disney resevations that you cant

And I have been several times during free dining and know that you cannot exchange TS for CS.

Honestly, I think this decision is up to the individual restaurants. Last year we had to cancel our breakfast ADR one day and were able to use that TS credit at ASMu food court for breakfast the last day. I had asked at the front desk during checkout if it was okay, she said yes, and we weren't even questioned at the food court.
That being said, I wouldn't try to use them like that all the time.

 

[jjarman]

I know I always make mine 180 days out and still dont' get everything I want.