October dining question

[caroline1851]

Do you think we really need to make adr's 180 days out when going in October? (since it's not the super busy season)

thanks

 

[chrisann]

In July, of last year. I decided to book some res. for our dinners. The earliest I could get for Chef Mickeys was 8:15pm and for Coral Reef 7:30, and even arriving at those times, it was still packed.

 

[caroline1851]

You wanted reservations for July or you called in July for reservations for October?

 

[JimMIA]

If you are planning on dining at Epcot restaurants, keep in mind that October is Food & Wine Festival and Epcot is very busy. I'd make ADR's well in advance.

 

[Tricia1972]

We went from Sept 30 - October 13 last year and the restaurants were all packed. For your best choice of times at your must do restaurants, I'd say you need to make the ADR's.

If you are flexible on where and when you're eating, then you may be fine flying by the seat of your pants.

 

[PrincessTiffany]

Do you think we really need to make adr's 180 days out when going in October? (since it's not the super busy season)

thanks

You need to make your ADRs early. Free Dining can still be going on into the first week of October and Food & Wine Festival will be going on. The restaurants will be crowded. If you want a choice of decent meal times you need to call in advance. I think this advice is especially needed if you have kids. The thought of not having ADRs and having to drag along my kids and husband from restaurant to restaurant trying to find a place to have decent meal would be a form of torture for me! "Flying by the seat of your pants" is a lot easier if you don't have kids.

 

[DISNEYDUET]

Do you think we really need to make adr's 180 days out when going in October? (since it's not the super busy season)

thanks

Sorry, had to get that out! I see you have not been to the world in quite awhile. The only "slow" time at WDW (if you can even call it slow) in January. We have gone to WDW in October for the past 5 years and each year it gets busier and busier! This past October seemed the busiest out of all of them. It was just as busy as our June trip that same year.
Best thing would be to make a few ADRs when your window opens up and if you change your mind closer to the date call and see if you can change them. I would hate for you to wait until October and then not have anywhere to eat but counter service or a 10:00pm table service!

 

[Tricia1972]

...We have gone to WDW in October for the past 5 years and each year it gets busier and busier! This past October seemed the busiest out of all of them. It was just as busy as our June trip that same year.
...

I took out part of your post, but I wanted to chime in on this. We went during 'slow' October as well as Easter week - both in 2007. DH and I commented SEVERAL times that parks were just as busy and in some cases busier than they were in April. That's even using TourGuide Mike and trying to avoid the crowds by using him. The touring advice was either much more accurate in April than it was in October, or the parks were THAT much more busy.

 

[beroh2253]

If you are planning on dining at Epcot restaurants, keep in mind that October is Food & Wine Festival and Epcot is very busy. I'd make ADR's well in advance.

Couldn't have said it better.

 

[Marc A.]

We went 10-13 to 10-20 in '07 and I was glad we made all of our ADR's at the 180 mark. Every restaurant we went to had people waiting. If it's there for you to use.....use it.

 

[disneyfav4ever]

I do. I don't want to risk not being able to eat where I want to, or risk eating at what I consider less desirable times.

 

[chrisann]

You wanted reservations for July or you called in July for reservations for October?

Sorry, we called in July for our res in October. I agree with everyone else, October is no longer slow.

 

[poohluvrs]

When is free dining? We are going Oct 8th , should we be pretty clear of the free dining rush by then?