Oh what to do ...

[vicb224]

every year we go to WDW for Labor Day weekend with FD. This year, we can't. We chose the Friday before Thanksgiving ( after sooo much discussion), having no idea it would be so hard to get reservations for eveything ( dining and resort). Of course I planned every day we'd be there then logged in at my 180 day and most of the hard to get dining adrs were gone. Now, I'm scared. lol. But, we're going so I need advice.
We arrive the Friday before thanksgiving, Nov 18, around 10am. Putting is in a park around 1:30-2pm. Usually we go to Mk first then Ohana (fav) for dinner. Ohana isn't available and Mk closes at 7 for MVMCP. HS has emh 7-9p, but no dining available. Leading me to believe it would be wise to go against the grain and head to Epcot right? But Epcot gets us only one tier 1 FP, and tbh it's our least fav park. I like it to be fun on the first day. We could do AK, but no pm hours even posted yet, and can we really stay in AK From 2-10pm? Where do we eat dinner there? Never had a meal other than Tusker bfast.
Help

 

[Jadyreen1282]

Flame tree, Yak and Yeti, Tiffins. All good choices.

 

[Mom2Stitch]

This: https://touringplans.com/walt-disney-world/reservation-finder may help you with some of your dining troubles, it has worked pretty good for me for our September trip. You will need to do the free sign up on their site to use this.

Subscribe to and watch the November cancellation thread here on the Disboards, it can be very helpful as well.

Don't give up on your ADRs, they can be found as people are changing plans all the time.

Jadyreen1282 listed some very good spots to eat. If you can't get Yak and Yeti on the Disney website, you can call them direct and usually get a seat.

 

[shelli72]

This: https://touringplans.com/walt-disney-world/reservation-finder may help you with some of your dining troubles, it has worked pretty good for me for our September trip. You will need to do the free sign up on their site to use this.

Subscribe to and watch the November cancellation thread here on the Disboards, it can be very helpful as well.

Don't give up on your ADRs, they can be found as people are changing plans all the time.

Jadyreen1282 listed some very good spots to eat. If you can't get Yak and Yeti on the Disney website, you can call them direct and usually get a seat.

I do not see where it is a free sign up, it keeps asking me for my credit card?

 

[celina14]

You have to subscribe to Touring Plans to use the feature. I believe a year subscription is like $15 or something but you get a discount if you've purchased their guide book already. I love the feature as well. You can plug in that you want an Ohana ADR on 11/18 for dinner and it will email and text you if they find one but then you have to hurry and book it. Also watch the November ADR cancellation thread, people will post there if they have ADRs they need to cancel and you could try and coordinate it with them.

Here's what I'd do. I, like yourself prefer to do MK on our first day so I'd do MK and make an ADR somewhere else for now. I just searched for 6:00 pm on 11/18 for 4 people and several restaurants either in MK or at the monorail resorts have availability (Kona, Skipper Canteen, LTT, Crystal Palace, GF Cafe, The Wave, just to mention a few). So I'd make an ADR elsewhere and keep checking for Ohana and then you could hop over to HS after dinner for night time EMH.

Or, do MK and then do DS for dinner and hang out there for the evening. I think this is actually our Day 1 plan but we're there the following week.

 

[walker0829]

You have to subscribe to Touring Plans to use the feature. I believe a year subscription is like $15 or something but you get a discount if you've purchased their guide book already. I love the feature as well. You can plug in that you want an Ohana ADR on 11/18 for dinner and it will email and text you if they find one but then you have to hurry and book it. Also watch the November ADR cancellation thread, people will post there if they have ADRs they need to cancel and you could try and coordinate it with them.

No you don't. Reservation finder is free.

I do not see where it is a free sign up, it keeps asking me for my credit card?

When you click the sign up for an account link, on the right side of the page it says, "Or just get basic access to create personalized touring plans"

 

[AJA]

My vote based on your listed faves/least faves would be to go to MK after arriving, leave at 7 and eat dinner at Kona.

 

[DisneyWishes14]

Since you were hoping for MK/O'hana anyway, why not switch it up and try something new for dinner? Whispering Canyon could be fun and Trails End is great and there is a playground, stables and a campfire singalong at Ft. W!

If you decide on AK, all the restaurants are good. Tiffins and the Nomad Lounge are outstanding. You could also take a quick bus ride to AKL and eat at Sanaa which is great and AKl is gorgeous.

 

[celina14]

No you don't. Reservation finder is free.


When you click the sign up for an account link, on the right side of the page it says, "Or just get basic access to create personalized touring plans"

Sorry, my fault. I have a subscription so I just assumed. Regardless, it's been helpful for me

 

[Robertfam08]

I also vote to still do MK and find a new place for dinner that evening. (Though with a reservation tracker you still may be able to get Ohana!) I feel your pain, though. We usually go the week of Labor Day, too, and this year we are going the week after Thanksgiving. I'm having a much harder time getting reservations!

 

[walker0829]

Sorry, my fault. I have a subscription so I just assumed. Regardless, it's been helpful for me

I do also. You are right, it's very helpful. I just wanted to clarify for that particular feature, no subscription is required. I'm of the belief that if you use it and find it helpful, a paid subscription helps keep things like that working in the future. It allowed me to get every ADR at every time I wanted.