NO TS left

[maglib]

Is there any particular time when they open more dining reservations or are they all put out there 180 days in advance? Is there a better day to call where they have a lot of cancellations?

I'm going 8/17 to 8/24 and not a single TS was left for any restaurants we wanted. I couldn't get Chef Mickeys for either B/D for the entire stay. Rainforest was unavailable even. No to 1900 Park Ave. Basically No, NO, No. For the entire stay the only TS dinner at MK was an 8:05 at Crystal Palace!!!


Here's what I was stuck with: Yake & Yeki 5pm/ The Wave at 5:55/absolutely nothing for the 19th at MK/ San Angel for 8pm/ Nothing for DTD/ Mama melrose 4:30/ Crystal Palace 8:05/ Nothing for breakfast last day!

I shouldn't have gotten the DDP based on this as it would have been cheaper to do CS on my own.

I think it's going to be very crowded as I've booked last minute dining many times and never did I get this many no's.

Any suggestions please?

 

[septbaby]

Honestly, you should have takent the CP ADR. 8pm isn't that late and you know in advance that dinner is later so you either snack or move lunch back.

There are lots of TS places that you didn't mention. Try the resorts:

Turf Club at Saratoga Springs, Captain's Grille at Yacht Club

Did you book the Deluxe plan? Have you tried any of the 2TS places? Last year we absolutely loved Narcoossee's, but I also considered Citricos, CA Grille and there are others. Because they are 2TS there may be some open slots.

From your list it seems you've not tried for lunches. I would absolutely book lunch. We love Coral Reef for lunch last year and I booked 2 for this year's trip, but cancelled the trip and ADRs as our plans changed.

It may be a bit frustrating, but you should be able to book ADRs to get good meals and value from the DP.

 

[maglib]

I have a 10,8 and 4 year old so odd dinner hour is tough on them and the GF restaurants (while they are accustomed to them) are not what I want. I didn't do park hopper so the day I'm at a park we have to eat there or we just leave early to go somewhere else and then the hotel.

It's just very frustrating as not a single day could I get what I wanted and was lucky to get anything. From my past experiences the park was never that crowded this time of year and I've always been a last minute booker as my DH has client services issues and when we book in advance, it's most often cancelled due to a clients needs over the family (he's a great guy though and his job does get us some sweet vacations).

 

[TDC Nala]

Theme park dining is currently extraordinarily popular at almost all times of the year. The only real exceptions are the two-credit dining plan restaurants but only two of them are located inside theme parks, and one of those is CRT which is going to be difficult to get anyway. (A friend just booked us a 6 pm reservation at Brown Derby for next Saturday - that's the other one.)

You could always try resort restaurants near the park you are attending, since you do not want to accept off-peak mealtimes - although it looks like you have already done that. It also appears that you are not interested in booking lunches - it is sometimes easier to get TS lunches.

Because the restaurants are crowded, it doesn't necessarily mean the parks will be. Many, many visitors are using the dining plan, which overinflates demand for TS restaurants, especially those inside the theme parks. Free dining for British visitors starts August 10.

For your DTD option, try the Turf Club at SSR, as it is close to DTD. You could walk there (might be a bit of a long walk with little kids though) or catch the bus or boat over if you don't have a car. (The boat drops you off right by the Turf Club so that might be the best bet if you want to go over there)

 

[imthatgirl]

i know its frustrating. it happened to us in 2006. we ended up just going with the ressies that we didnt really want. but then every morning i would go tot he concerierge and see what he had abailable. everyday i changed my ADRs. we did end up getting chef mickeys and coral reef, which i hadnt been able to get on the phine. but, i was very flexable about our meal times. we hadnt booked our trip until 3 weeks before we were leaving, so i did have to be flexable.
there are some other options like planet hollywood and ESPN. ESPN doesnt take ADRs, so you can almost always bet to be able to get in there.

 

[brighteyes]

I absolutely second going for the TS lunches if you can get them, even if it at off peak times. I had many TS lunches on our last trip, such as Sci-fi, and Le Cellier, and the menus were pretty similar. So that was just our big meal of the day, and had a light supper.

Good luck to you.

Stephanie

 

[Aliceacc]

HI and welcome!!!

Some suggestions:

1) Try here: it's a list of people who are cancelling ADRs for August. You may be able to get someone's cancellation. http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=1802372

2) Have you considered doing a late breakfast/brunch thing on occasion?

3) I think I heard that Chef Mickey's is now doing lunch??? Call and check!

4) Would you consider cancelling DDP and apying out of picket for the meals you have? If so, I think there's a non-reservations character meal at the Swan/Dolphin you may want to look into.

Best wishes!

 

[septbaby]

I have a 10,8 and 4 year old so odd dinner hour is tough on them and the GF restaurants (while they are accustomed to them) are not what I want. I didn't do park hopper so the day I'm at a park we have to eat there or we just leave early to go somewhere else and then the hotel.

It's just very frustrating QUOTE]

You can leave the park, go eat elsewhere and return to the same park on the same day. You just can't enter a new park with that day's ticket. There are TS restaurants away from the parks that aren't at GF. All of the mods have a TS, DTD, Cont., Poly, AK, WL, Fort Wilderness, Boardwalk area, etc. It sounds like you want X at Y time and you can't have that so you think the system has an issue. You might be able to have X for lunch and use your CS credit for dinner. That way you can eat at whatever time you want.

 

[gelebean]

For the DTD day did you try Wolfgang Puck Cafe?

Honestly, I didn't know you needed ressies for this place so the first 3 times we went we just put our names in and never waited more than 20 minutes.
(edit: and we always ended up there around 6 so it is not like we went on off hours)

Great food and we have never had a problem just walking up.

Hope things work out. Like a PP suggested try going to the August cancels/trades thread. I was able to pick up a ressie I was looking for that someone needed to cancel.

Also, I hear that a few days before your trip is also a good time to call to catch cancels.

 

[disneyfav4ever]

Try and keep calling back, there are always cancellations. Just yesterday I got a meal I'd been trying to get for days.

 

[anlashokna]

I swore I saw another thread that were trading or giving away ADR's. Maybe you can find something there. The only other thing to do is keep calling. Folks do cancel. RIght now I have a ressie for my trip in September that might get cancelled because the other folks may be no shows. So see...it happens. Just keep checking up till and after you get there. I'm not sure if this is a free dining time so that could account for the problem getting reservations too.

 

[Dizneydaz]

I feel your pain! I'm so sorry nothing has been available when you wanted. Like previous posters have said, how about the late lunch option and then using a CS for dinner? This could work especially well with your kids. I've found that getting the less popular times can be easier. But there will be locations where everything is booked. I personally have yet to eat at Coral Reef-never seems to be available.

Do keep calling-people do cancel. You can tell that just by reading some of the threads here. Also, do call while there. Even though I make an ADR for almost every dinner of our trip, we do have to make changes when there (dinner at a park location on what turns out to me a non-park day). I have gotten ADRS by calling Dining on the day of. Now, we are more flexible with dinner times as we like to eat late but if want to eat early, you should have some luck.

Also, do as PP says and check with the concierge at your resort. They can pull up a list of restaurants with available times.

I have a few ADRs I may be cancelling and I wish I could help you. Unfortunately mine are for early Sept.

Good luck! Here's a little pixie dust to help and tink as well

 

[smartestnumber5]

For the DTD day did you try Wolfgang Puck Cafe?

Honestly, I didn't know you needed ressies for this place so the first 3 times we went we just put our names in and never waited more than 20 minutes.
(edit: and we always ended up there around 6 so it is not like we went on off hours)

I tried to get a reservation at Wolfgang Puck for August and was told they are only taking walk ups. So that would definitely be a possibility for the OP.


Also Beaches and Cream at the Beach Club is a fun place that is walk up only. But I hear that there can be very long waits at peak meal times as it is quite small in there. We usually go at off times and wait 15 minutes or so. Also I think (but I'm not sure--maybe someone else knows for sure?) that the Big River Grille and ESPN club at the Boardwalk don't do ADRs, but are on the DDP.

We've gone during free dining at the end of August the past two years and I know each time by the time it got close to our trip there were very few ADRs left at the places and times we preferred. But, there were a few times when we tried to get an ADR about two hours ahead of time and each time there were some restaurants available. So usually there are some ADRs available--they just might require some extra flexibility about where and when.

 

[MomsOf2boys]

Is there any particular time when they open more dining reservations or are they all put out there 180 days in advance? Is there a better day to call where they have a lot of cancellations?

I'm going 8/17 to 8/24 and not a single TS was left for any restaurants we wanted. I couldn't get Chef Mickeys for either B/D for the entire stay. Rainforest was unavailable even. No to 1900 Park Ave. Basically No, NO, No. For the entire stay the only TS dinner at MK was an 8:05 at Crystal Palace!!!


Here's what I was stuck with: Yake & Yeki 5pm/ The Wave at 5:55/absolutely nothing for the 19th at MK/ San Angel for 8pm/ Nothing for DTD/ Mama melrose 4:30/ Crystal Palace 8:05/ Nothing for breakfast last day!

I shouldn't have gotten the DDP based on this as it would have been cheaper to do CS on my own.

I think it's going to be very crowded as I've booked last minute dining many times and never did I get this many no's.

Any suggestions please?

Many current reservations for that time frame are now up for final payments and many will be cancelled. I know this for sure as one family traveling with us during that time has just cancelled and we had ADRS 2x each day from the 21st on. They were a family of 3. I think that free dining is still running over during that time and most likely why everything is booked.

 

[Claire&TheBoys]

Ask about Chef Mickey's for lunch, although since you'll be there just before free dining, it might not be available yet.

Another thing to try, <ducking> is to ask for a table for 6 instead of 5. This strategy is alternately hated and promoted by other members of the DIS. Seems like if you have an odd party size, the ADRs are more limited. If you book for 6, when you show up, you say that one member was unable to make it.

On your MK day, think about Whispering Canyon Cafe at the WL for lunch. You can always go back to the same park for re-entry the same day. Sometimes a break in the middle of the day for a TS meal helps everyone to get a second wind and refresh themselves.

On your last day, try Cape May Cafe for a character meal, or the Maya Grill at CSR for a buffet.

 

[maglib]

I tried 1900 Park Fair, Chef Mickeys for all 8 days with no luck. I did grab a 7:40AM at Ohana the day we leave (8 phone calls in 3 days).

I looked into many even at the hotels and either we eat extremely early or after 8:45 which doesn't work with my kids. They need breakfast (they eat big hot breakfasts every day) so that's everyday's CS as there was only 1 TS available which we took that I'd be interested in.

My kids will eat a big breakfast then snack and a big dinner. I've tried mid-afternoon dinners and by 7pm mine are starved.... I guess they've been trained to eat that way so now I have to deal with it.

I did manage after my 8th phone call to at least get 7 TS meals while they are at crazy times, it was a chore. I have dinners anywhere from 3:45 to 8:45 and I pray the later ones won't be running late as my kids normally crash by 8pm.

I asked if we could convert TS to CS and was told absolutely not which since they don't even have a TS available on some of the days at reasonable times seems a bit harsh especially since the CS is less expensive (I could understand the other way).

I was also told that for CS on my kids that it won't matter if I have them choose non-children CS and it just so happens they just charge for each CS and no difference. Anyone else find this to be true?

I know we'll have a great time and seriously I've never had such a difficult time with dining so I'm thinking the park will be packed. Hope I'm wrong and I'll be crossing my fingers.

I'll keep trying............

 

[septbaby]

I tried 1900 Park Fair, Chef Mickeys for all 8 days with no luck. I did grab a 7:40AM at Ohana the day we leave (8 phone calls in 3 days).

I looked into many even at the hotels and either we eat extremely early or after 8:45 which doesn't work with my kids. They need breakfast (they eat big hot breakfasts every day) so that's everyday's CS as there was only 1 TS available which we took that I'd be interested in.

My kids will eat a big breakfast then snack and a big dinner. I've tried mid-afternoon dinners and by 7pm mine are starved.... I guess they've been trained to eat that way so now I have to deal with it.

I did manage after my 8th phone call to at least get 7 TS meals while they are at crazy times, it was a chore. I have dinners anywhere from 3:45 to 8:45 and I pray the later ones won't be running late as my kids normally crash by 8pm.

I asked if we could convert TS to CS and was told absolutely not which since they don't even have a TS available on some of the days at reasonable times seems a bit harsh especially since the CS is less expensive (I could understand the other way).

I was also told that for CS on my kids that it won't matter if I have them choose non-children CS and it just so happens they just charge for each CS and no difference. Anyone else find this to be true?

I know we'll have a great time and seriously I've never had such a difficult time with dining so I'm thinking the park will be packed. Hope I'm wrong and I'll be crossing my fingers.

I'll keep trying............

Well, you can do pizza delivery for 2TS and get that around your dinner time. Also the CS menus are substantial at the mods. You can get a steak dinner at the Pepper Market, Baked Ziti at CBR, etc. Those meals still come with dessert and beverage. It doesn't have to be burgers and fries

 

[Disney_Angel]

as my DH has client services issues and when we book in advance, it's most often cancelled due to a clients needs over the family (he's a great guy though and his job does get us some sweet vacations).

Oh! I can second that....I feel your pain.

 

[RandFamily]

Have you tried Spoodles at the Boardwalk? You don't need a park pass and my kids love this restaurant - it doesn't usually fill up.

Also, you don't mention the EPCOT restaurants. I've found that I can usually get last minute reservations at Les Chefs du France, Beirgarten, and Marrakesh. My kids like all these places.

Good luck!! We;ll be there the same time and I hope the crowds are not too bad. Disney was offering the DDE as a special deal during this time which is why I think the restaurants are so crowded.

 

[mickeymousemom]

I second trying Biergarten and Marrakesh! These are usually fairly easy to get into. My 5yo DD loves both places(there is a decent amount of food on the buffet for picky eaters at Biergarten). She is crazy about the belly dancer at Marrakesh and the food is to die for. This is my favorite restaurant in all of WDW. The show at the Biergarten is also very entertaining and kids usually have a great time here. The food isn't "different" at all, really. Lots of very familiar foods, such as roast pork, roasted potatoes, bratwurst, schnitzel(which is nothing more than chicken fried pork--or chicken), etc. There's also mac and cheese, hot dogs, chicken noodle soup, etc.

I'd head over to allears if i were you and look over ALL the menus and see what places you can get into that you haven't even though of....at any rate, I'm sure you'll have a great time!