Reservations

[JustUsSir13]

I'm going with me and my two kids, and my friends family of 4. I've read we need to make dinner reservations b/c we are on the dining plan but it's so hard to predict where we will all be and when. Do you think this is neccessary? I was thinking about making dinner reservations for Planet Hollywood and maybe one other place for the week and just going with the flow the rest of the week. What do you think?

 

[wdwgoofeeee]

You didn't say when you are going. If it's during a slow season you may be able to get away without dining reservations. If it's even a remotely busy time you need to make reservations quickly.
What has happened is that since Disney has been offering the dining plan many more people than ususal have been trying the restaurants at WDW. Last June we saw many people turned away because they did not have reservations.
You need to make some kind of plans, like what park you will be in on what day. This way you can make dining reservations for a restaurant either in that park or a nearby resort.
Actually, now that I re-read your post you say there will be a total of seven for meals. For that number of people I would strongly recommend reservations. It is not easy (and very likely impossible) to walk up with seven people and get a table.
Check out the menus on allearsnet.com.....dining.....menus to get ideas.
You really need to make your reservations as soon as possible at or shortly after the 180 day mark.

 

[JustUsSir13]

Our trip is June 6 -11. I'm just not sure where we will be each day I meant.

 

[aka-mad4themouse]

You will be there at a relatively busy time. I highly suggest making ADR (advance dining reservations) for each day. If you do not, you will run the risk of not being able to dine at normal dining hours. This is especially important given that the size of your party is rather large. You don't want to arrive at a restaurant with hungry little ones only to be told that it will be an hour wait (or longer!).

Even if you make an ADR and discover that you're in the wrong park at the time of the ADR, there is no penalty for not showing up (with a few exceptions like the Princess meals, Hoo-De-Doo, Sprirt of Aloha and signature restaurants).

 

[JustUsSir13]

thanks i'm calling them now

 

[Zoemakes5]

I've found it's essential to make reservations. What I'd recommend is finding out the hours at the parks on the different days. Based on that, make both dinner and lunch reservations and any character meals you want to do and adapt your touring plan based on that. If you need more flexibility, then skip the lunch part of it (though with a larger party I find we need them for any sit down places for lunch, too) and stick with the dinner plans. You can go to any park you want then in the AM, if you're going back to the hotel to rest or swim for the afternoon you can go back to whichever park you have reservations at for dinner. I'd even more strongly recommend this if you have any "must sees" or "really really wants" as far as places to eat.