Party of 7 with grandparents...do we split up the reservations?

[juliana023]

Hi all,

My ADR window opens in a couple of weeks for our May trip and I am trying to pre-plan. I have a family of 5, but my parents will be traveling with us making us a party of 7, however I am doing all of the planning. I seem to remember reading something about even number party tables being easier to find, and of course smaller parties as well. I was looking for some strategy suggestions when making reservations. Should we book separate reservations with 5 people and 2 people and just hope they can try and seat us together? Or should I search for a party of 7 people? Or will I have better luck searching for a party of 8? I will be looking for some hard-to-get reservations, like ohana dinner, early chef mickey's, early BOG breakfast, etc., so wanted to try and have my ducks in a row as much as possible. Appreciate your feedback in advance, thank you!!

 

[FSU Girl]

Try booking for 7 originally. If you can't find what you want try looking for party of 5 and 2. If you do split it up, the first reservation you make, make sure your name isn't on it or it won't let you have an overlapping time.

Edit to add: If you do find one for 8 instead that will work too since you won't be charged for the missing person and it guarantees you will be at the same table. But I would search for your actual party number first.

 

[Dakota731]

We had no trouble with seven except we had to split up for rivers of life dining package.

 

[Realfoodfans]

Try booking for 7 originally. If you can't find what you want try looking for party of 5 and 2. If you do split it up, the first reservation you make, make sure your name isn't on it or it won't let you have an overlapping time.

Edit to add: If you do find one for 8 instead that will work too since you won't be charged for the missing person and it guarantees you will be at the same table. But I would search for your actual party number first.

How do you do that - i.e. Make a reservation without your name?

 

[FSU Girl]

How do you do that - i.e. Make a reservation without your name?

When you go to make the reservation and it asks you who in the party will be dining, it automatically defaults to you for the first name. Change that name to someone else in your party and leave the rest as guest. Then you will be able to make another reservation at the same exact time for yourself.

 

[Realfoodfans]

When you go to make the reservation and it asks you who in the party will be dining, it automatically defaults to you for the first name. Change that name to someone else in your party and leave the rest as guest. Then you will be able to make another reservation at the same exact time for yourself.

I'll try that - do you need to fill in credit card details again?

 

[jo-jo]

We only did Ohana and germany but we had no issues with booking for 9.

But we did book right at the 180 window. Not sure if we could have done that weeks later.

 

[FSU Girl]

I'll try that - do you need to fill in credit card details again?

If you have a credit card saved to your profile you do not.

 

[Realfoodfans]

If you have a credit card saved to your profile you do not.

I think because I'm trying to do this on my phone it's not displaying the same - I cannot work out anyway to make a booking without my name.
I select dining reservations and it is just a number selector - no guest choice?
So frustrating as I got a booking for 3 at 10 and there was another at 10.10 for 3? I've cancelled the one in my name but can't make one without me

 

[FSU Girl]

I think because I'm trying to do this on my phone it's not displaying the same - I cannot work out anyway to make a booking without my name.
I select dining reservations and it is just a number selector - no guest choice?
So frustrating as I got a booking for 3 at 10 and there was another at 10.10 for 3? I've cancelled the one in my name but can't make one without me

I'm not sure about doing it on your phone, this might only work on a computer. Maybe try going into the internet browser on your phone to go on the Disney website, not on the app. This should show up like the website on a computer and maybe it'll work that way.

 

[Realfoodfans]

I'm not sure about doing it on your phone, this might only work on a computer. Maybe try going into the internet browser on your phone to go on the Disney website, not on the app. This should show up like the website on a computer and maybe it'll work that way.

Thank you for helping- I'll try again later.

 

[FSU Girl]

Thank you for helping- I'll try again later.

I hope it works for you

 

[Realfoodfans]

I hope it works for you

Looks like it would but getting Stitch continually now so can't currently cancel the booking with my name! Patience is certainly a virtue with Disney IT

 

[MickeyWaffles]

Every ADR we’ve made in the last 7 years is for 7-10 people.

We have had no trouble getting ADRs at high demand places like CRT, BoG dinner, Akershus, etc. Early Chef Mickey’s has been available, Ohana dinner is tough. PPO BoG came up for us on our last trip. Every once in a while we get shut out of something but 95% of the time we get what we want.

For our last trip we decided to add a meal at 1900 PF about a month before the trip. Nothing was available but I set up an alert on the free Touring Plans reservation finder. The next day I got the text and we had it.

Moral of the story: try for 7. Set up TP reservation finder if you don’t get something you want and act fast when you get an alert!