Restaurant Reservations?

[Lightning_McQueen]

Hi, Newbie here!

I am going to WDW this september for 2 weeks. I have the dining plan, but my query is regarding making reservations

Do you think I should make reservations? How far in advance can I do this? How am I supposed to know where and when I want to eat already, lol?!

Thanks

 

[princess lovers mom]

you can make reservations (ADR's) 90 days before your trip

look at the dining section here on the DIS to review menus and look at the restaurants (way up at top of page - says theme parks, dining, resorts etc...)

usually it is easier to plan what park you want ot be in that day and plan you meals around that

 

[ROEDISNEY]

Absoutely make them. 90 days in advance if your staying on prop then +10 more days in Adv. If you want to make sure you eat where you want & when you want you need to make them. Espically cause you will be there when it's free dinning.

 

[Hootch]

The last few years Disney has offered the dining plan free with rack room rates in September. Keep an eye out for the offer. If it comes out you may be able to just shift your reservation over to the offer. I mentioned this to some friends three years ago and they saved several hundred dollars on their already booked trip.

You've had your question asnwered above. With the 90 day window you have plenty of time to read reviews on the board and look at menus to determine what you want. There are a couple of recent threads on people's best and worst restaurant. Peruse them and you'll see that opinions vary quite a bit.

 

[RMulieri]

Definitely make them.Disney holds no table for walk ups and during Sept the free dining promotion books things solid and the restaurants are packed.In fact most places we dined at last Sept had signs outside that sadi No walk ups they were booked.

 

[Lynne M]

Just want to reiterate....if you have the dining plan, making reservations is an absolute necessity.

As PPs have said, most WDW restaurants do not take walk-ups, they'll just turn you away if they're fully booked for that meal - and many restaurants, especially in the theme parks, are fully booked months in advance. If you can't use your dining credits because you can't get into a restaurant, you're not going to get a refund.

As odd as it may seem to choose your restaurants months in advance, I would also strongly recommend looking over the menus and making reservations as close to the 90-day mark as possible. The popular places book up very quickly, and if you wait, you're going to have a limited selection of restaurants and times. Look at it this way.....you've already paid for your meals, you want to have those meals at your first choice of restaurants. Otherwise, its kind of a waste of money.

I know it's a pain, and it doesn't make sense, but if you get the dining plan, then your planning really has to revolve around your meals.

 

[goofy4tink]

Make those ADRs, and make them as soon as your 90 day window opens. There will, most likely, be a ton of people looking for ADR's with free dining in Sept. The restaurants are packed then. If you don't have any ADRs, you will have used the DDP for nothing.
I realize it's hard for someone who has never been to WDW to understand the need to book so far in advance. Try to figure out where you will be on any given day..nothing has to be exact. But, if you think you'll be in MK on one day, then you can make ADRs withing MK itself or at one of the nearby resorts...CR, Polynesian, GR or WL. At Epcot? Book a restaurant within Epcot, World Showcase has some terrific spots. Or you can book at BW or YC/BC. Same thing with DHS...book in DHS or at BW, YC/BC...they are all within a boatride's distance. Or you can walk.
AK? Book there or at AKL...just hop on the AKL bus.
If you find you don't want to keep a particular ADR once you get to WDW, just stop off at Guest Services at that park and cancel it...it will open up a spot for someone else.