Not getting up before the crack of Dawn Sunday so...

[agavegirl1]

I went online today to check availability for ADRs for the restaurants I want on the particular day of the week I want, just not the actual day. Many, many of my choices are available still for less than 180 days out for times I wanted. Using the meal description of Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner, I checked out September availability and earlier in October. My only problem ADRs are BOG Dinner on day 180+4, PPO Garden Grill Breakfast at 180+4 and Skipper Canteen Lunch at 180+3. Everything else was available at my times 4 months out even. So my priority is to get up when I want on Sunday and focus on the above mentioned three ADRs and make the rest at my leisure tweaking as I go when FP+ becomes available.

Of special note, I am not doing character meals except the PPO Garden Grill and believe it or not, it is because we want an early, substantial breakfast that day. My search was for 2 guests. YMMV. If your ADR day is not yet upon you, try searching for the same reservation 4 or 5 months out (I used 5 because of MNSSHP) and prioritize by what you find. It is a relief to give it up to the IT Gods at this point and not get up at 4AM on Sunday.

This is my final list in priority order.

1 BOG Dinner MK Mon Oct 22 5:30 to 6:00 PM Dinner
2 PPO Garden Grill Mon Oct 22 8:05-8:15 AM Breakfast
3 Skipper Canteen Sun Oct 21 11:30 to 12:00 AM Lunch
4 Sci Fi Dine In Sat Oct 20 11:30 to 12:00 AM Lunch
5 The Edison Tue Oct 23 7:30 to 8:00 PM Dinner
6 Sanaa Fri Oct 26 1:00 to 2:00 PM Lunch
7 Paddlefish Wed Oct 24 7:00 to 8:00 PM Dinner
8 Boathouse Fri Oct 26 7:00 to 8:00 PM Dinner
9 Boatwrights Sat Oct 20 7:00 to 7:30 PM Dinner

 

[Tksolomom]

I think your plan is good

 

[CraigInPA]

Keep in mind that people who have previously snagged your desired reservations may, in fact, cancel at some point in time. If you can't get what you want, book an alternate and then look 60-70 days in advance of your trip, and then the week before and while you're there. You'd be surprised at how many "next day" and "same day" reservations become available. I've snagged 'Ohana 8pm, BOG lunch noon, and other in-demand reservations without a problem.

 

[richkaryn]

Just a heads up, I too did a couple "trial runs" later in day a week or 2 before my ADR date and everything was available. However, I still got up at 4:45am central as I was booking my sister/niece too and was their first visit and she had a couple I did not want to miss out on. So on my day (a Monday morning) I was right on it, and the plan was 'Ohana for all 6 of us on Sunday. There had been plenty of availability in the trial runs, and for Monday as well if not. The only 'Ohana I could get for our party of 6 was 5:10 on Wednesday. (Well, I could have done 9:55pm on Sunday, but with my niece being 5 yrs old, and it being so close to closing and we'd had a less than stellar experience there when closer to closing, I wasn't willing to touch that one). So, just because it works prior to, unfortunately does not mean that it will work when it is actually time to book.