Non-forum readers; no ADRs, no TS?

[notaclue]

Seems like everyone who is going to WDW (esp for free dining) is on this forum and we are all comparing ADRs. Surely there are people who have no idea this forum exists and what a great source of information it is. Probably have no idea they need to make ADRs. I'm curious as to what it's going to be like when they all show up expecting to eat at a TS restaurant. I just keep imagining a family dragging around really small, really tired kids and they are starving. Should I feel guilty? Well maybe, but I'm not giving up my ADRs! Have any of you folks experienced or seen this in previous years during free dining?

 

[TillyMarigold]

Seems like everyone who is going to WDW (esp for free dining) is on this forum and we are all comparing ADRs. Surely there are people who have no idea this forum exists and what a great source of information it is. Probably have no idea they need to make ADRs. I'm curious as to what it's going to be like when they all show up expecting to eat at a TS restaurant. I just keep imagining a family dragging around really small, really tired kids and they are starving. Should I feel guilty? Well maybe, but I'm not giving up my ADRs! Have any of you folks experienced or seen this in previous years during free dining?

I don't know about during free dining, but it's not like the idea of booking reservations, or priority seating, or whatever, is new. Certainly when I was a kid back in the days before the Internet (ca. 1988) my parents called ahead to make reservations for the table service restaurants they wanted the family to eat at (CRT and Coral Reef). It's not a novel idea. Everyone I talk to who's ever been to Disney knows you need to make dining reservations. For those who haven't, every guide book tells you so.

You can also call even the day of or day before or first day of your vacation and get something (not Le Cellier for 6:30 pm, but something like Shutters or Boatwright's for 4:30 pm, probably). And if Disney gets to the point that nothing on the Dining Plan is still available, they'll probably offer a TS/CS swap like in previous years.

 

[LaceyLace]

Well my extended family has always laughed at me for making Disney reservations 90 days in advance, so I'm sure there are plenty of people that travel to Disney without giving it a thought... until a couple of weeks before their trip. I feel bad for them.

 

[1disneynutt]

I would think that whoever people book their trip through would advise them of the importance of dining reservations, especially during FD. I know when I booked through WDW travel the person I booked with advised me to call 90 days prior to make reservations. People may not be aware of how important it is by not reading the boards though.

 

[ajleone]

I would think that whoever people book their trip through would advise them of the importance of dining reservations, especially during FD. I know when I booked through WDW travel the person I booked with advised me to call 90 days prior to make reservations.

Alot of people don't use TA's. And even those who do don't always have a TA that truly knows WDW and all that you should do to prepare. And lastly there are lots of reports of people that, no matter how often you tell them, just think that WDW is your local amusement park and why would they need ADR's.

 

[Picabo]

I have no clue what happens to these people but I do know there are less of us that know to make ADR's than there are people who don't know. Most people I talk to look at me like I have 10 heads when I tell them I'm calling exactly 90days early to book my ADRs. (Well, lets face it they don't even know what an ADR is...)

I have a friend who was supposed to go a few weeks ago - she booked her trip about 6-7wks in advance and she acted like I was nuts when I asked if she was "able" to get any ADR's. She had NO CLUE you had to book in advance except if it was "in the castle". So I'm anxiously waiting ot hear back from her to find out if she had any luck!

I'd ASSUME you can get in at some point but I'd think it'd only be off-hours that you may get in.

 

[tpholland]

I have had people approach me a couple of times that had no clue & wanted to know how I knew I needed an adr. I really felt sorry for them. I have seen desperate families with children who just want to eat. The only thing I can say, if you didn't know you had to make a res. you probably aren't on the dining plan, & tho it isn't the same thing, Disney has many, many great cs places to eat.
As far as people thinking you've lost your mind when you tell them your 90 day mark is approaching, I bet most of us have been there. But, you do feel kind of like someone who needs rehab when you try to explain it

 

[cranleys]

When we were at The World in April last yearwe ran into several people while waiting for our names to be called for our table that were completely flabergasted that there were no tables available when they wanted to eat dinner. They just couldn't believe it...and were not nice about it. It still amazes me how many people book a trip to Disney World and do absolutely NO research about where they are going. I think that they must just think that its 6 Flags with a mouse.

These kind of people make me feel like a giant Disney geek...but...I will be eating VERY well the third week of September! Tee Hee!

 

[tkitty]

When we were at The World in April last yearwe ran into several people while waiting for our names to be called for our table that were completely flabergasted that there were no tables available when they wanted to eat dinner. They just couldn't believe it...and were not nice about it. It still amazes me how many people book a trip to Disney World and do absolutely NO research about where they are going. I think that they must just think that its 6 Flags with a mouse.

These kind of people make me feel like a giant Disney geek...but...I will be eating VERY well the third week of September! Tee Hee!

We ran into the same thing. We sometimes had to wait for our table, and people would ask us how long the wait was etc., and were shocked when CM told them there were no availabilities, or to try back about 9pm!
Sure made me feel good that I was informed.

 

[chloelovesdisney]

I think it was nice before the need for ADR's way in advance. It was fun when I was a kid, and we would get to the park, and my dad would disappear for a few minutes to go make our dinner plans. It was a surprise where we would end up that night.

I do of course make ADR's now, as there is no choice if we want to eat at a decent place, at a decent time. I would prefer if it wasn't necessary, and we could just make plans each day as it comes.

I do feel bad for people that don't realize how busy the restaurants are, and end up not getting into any place. Sure there may be some resort restaurants open, but if a family goes to the Magic Kingdom for the day, it would be nice to get to eat there if they want.

 

[Kathy Z]

As you can see from my signature, I've been going to WDW as an adult since 1975. Back in 1975 and 1980 the only advance dining reservations we had to make were for eating in the castle, then called St. Stephen's Dining Hall or something like that. We also had a castle view room in the Tonga longhouse (now renamed Hawaii) at the Polynesian resort at the rate of $68/night!

When we went during Christmas week in 1985 we were able to make same day reservations in the morning for the dinner TS restaurants we chose.

Times have sure changed. My DH kids me for being a walking "Disney encyclopedia" from all the times I've spent here on the DISboards and All Ears (and the four books I've read through twice) but I think he's kinda glad that I knew by the time we went down in May just how to get everywhere, the best times to do what, how to take the best advantage of FP and had all those nice ADRs booked. The one place I could not get us into was Le Cellier. We booked our trip less than 90 days in advance and that was the one ADR neither I or my TA could get to fit into our schedule.

 

[TillyMarigold]

I would think that whoever people book their trip through would advise them of the importance of dining reservations, especially during FD. I know when I booked through WDW travel the person I booked with advised me to call 90 days prior to make reservations. People may not be aware of how important it is by not reading the boards though.

Oh, I should have mentioned this. Both when I booked my vacation with Disney (directly, not through any sort of travel agent), and when I called back to change something, the CM reminded me to make my dining reservations 90 days beforehand and asked if I wanted him to check to see when that would be.

 

[Cind]

Every time I had to call disney (not the dining line) they've always asked if they could make a dining reservation for me. If I was a non-DISer that probably would have tipped me off.
But I do remember going as a kid and not being able to eat in certain restaurants.

 

[HappyPeach]

I used to live in Orlando, so I've put in a lot of last-minute time in the parks. I've had the experience of wanting to sit down and eat but everything being full. It's not a big deal when you live locally but it sure is when it's your one trip to Disney for the year! I don't like to get too scheduled because it's no fun for me to constantly be checking the time and "having" to be someplace. I spend more time planning so that we have ADRs for the places that my son loves but still have a good flow to the day. After all, I'm there more for the attractions than the food. Wandering around from place to place looking for food is a waste of time and is a recipe for a frustrated family. When this was me this morning: I sort of felt obsessed. But come September when my family can cruise into their favorite place at lunchtime, I'll feel like this:

 

[disnut8]

I was behind a woman at the Sci-Fi Dine Inn once for lunch. She didn't have a dining reservation at all for anything. She was told the Sci-Fi was booked for both lunch and dinner. However, the Cast Member at the Sci-Fi looked in the dining system and was able to get the woman a 4:00 seating at the 50s Prime Time. The woman was very polite about not having reservations - she said she simply didn't know she needed them and she would be willing to eat anywhere. I thought both the woman and the Cast Member solved the problem quite well.

But yes, I still deal with people, like my husband and his parents, who just do not want to book anything in advance. My husband is fine with counter service and my one table service I do book but the in-laws, oh the in-laws.

 

[tggrrstarr]

My first trip to WDW I didn't know. I did read the guide books, but I had no idea about the dis boards or any others. I'm sure the books recommended making adr's, but I passed right over that point. I also think I didn't have any specific restaurant in mind ahead of time to eat at. It was just whatever was nearby at the time we wanted to eat. We showed up, we got in, we ate. A few waits, but no hassles. Until Ohana. We couldnt get in the night we showed up. It was a shock, finding out there was no way to get in. But we called the adr line and got a resv for the next night! I think we lucked out.
Now we make our adr's asap, but we have been going at free dining!

 

[winterman]

There are plenty of counter service places. No body will starve.

 

[CrabbyPatty]

I occasionally wonder how it all turned out for the woman who had posted here a while ago. Her DH just didn't see why ADRs should be made, because when he was a child, there was no problem getting into restaurants at Disney. He was absolutely certain there would be no problem ......

We are going in late August with free dining and my friend (she and her greatniece are going with us) -- who had been to WDW countless times -- said something along the lines of "well, we just make our reservations the day we get there".

I was really surprised - because she goes to WDW all the time, and had been there maybe 2 years ago - and here I had just read oh, 10 books about WDW and been spending a lot of time here at DSI, and had learned that you NEED to make those ADRs, and especially during free dining.

But she has never used the DDP before, so I think previous trips it was just pretty laid-back and if it worked out to eat at WDW, great. Otherwise, they just found a place.

 

[cepmom]

SIL booked a trip to Disney for this AUgust. BIL called me one day and asked for the site we use to book our trips etc. I called him back and gave him some info, told him to call me back and I would go through it all with them. He decided to call SIL's friend who is a travel agent (not a Disney specialist like Dreams etc) and book through her instead.

Okay whatever.... fast forward to a couple weeks ago, and SIL asks me to give her some tips. I ask her where are you staying, dining plan or not etc. She doesn't know, emails her friend/travel agent and the agent emails her back with "If you wanted to make reservation prior to arrival for a character breakfast, you should do so. Especially if you want it at Cinderella's castle. The number is 407-WDW-DINE. Let them know you are on the meal plan." I laughed out loud since at this point the 90 day window has passed and CRT would be next to impossible to get. Then I immediately felt bad....SIL has no clue and her travel agent was very little help. They have two little girls that would love to go to CRT and if they had let me help them I would have had a pretty good chance of getting it for them.

She emailed me a couple of days ago, completely overwhelmed with her planning, no ADR's reserved, nothing planned. Hopefully we can get some ADR's in place this week

 

[wvdislover]

I just can't imagine going on vacation ANYWHERE without doing some research first Especially WDW!!! I think if people don't have the sense to do minimal research before arriving at WDW, too bad. Don't want to sound mean (although I guess I do), but it only takes a little common sense to look online, read a book, ask a friend (surely everybody knows someone who's been to WDW before ) before going on a vacation that is going to cost you a couple thousand dollars or more.