Scared to try online booking

[andysgirl360]

My 90 + 10 is next Monday. I've been reading some experiences with the online ADR system and I am afraid that I will book my ADR's and they won't be official. I've read some people got calls from Disney about the restaurants being over booked.

My nightmare is getting to Disney (with my first-timer parents) and not having any TS for the entire week, due to an online mixup.

In 2006, the only option was calling and that worked out fine for me....but I'd like to have the 1 hour jump and use the online system. Especially now that they released free dining for our week and it seems that the week after Thanksgiving is not as calm as I thought it was going to be.

So...all you online ADR vets, can you give me some reassurances? Have you already booked and used your ADR's without a hitch? Any tips you have for online booking that might make it go a little faster (and hopefully help me to get the ressies I want)?

Thanks!

 

[MouseMomx2]

The problem was a glitch with WDW's computerized reservation system, not with ADRs made via computer. It affected both people who booked online and over the phone. Online ADRs are just as official as those made via the phone. You will be given a 12-digit confirmation number for each of them, just as you would on the phone.

I made all 12 of our ADRs online for our November trip and it couldn't have been simpler. I'll be doing it that way from now on!

 

[3boys4me]

I agree w/ op. It was easier than I expected.

 

[mcgill93]

Hello!

Well - first I would just like to say that I did the online ADRs and I couldn't believe how hard it was to get what I wanted. I logged in at 6:00 a.m. on the first morning I could book, and I still couldn't get a few things I wanted, so I highly recommend trying the online ADRs and not waiting until 7:00 a.m. to call.

I should say that the booking was easy and clear - I really liked the system. I did get overwhelmed and panicked when I couldn't get what I wanted so, here are a few tips:

1. You can go on and enter your trip confirmation number and link it to your ADRs now in the dining reservation system. Since you can do this now, it makes it easy when your day actually comes to book your reservations and it saves your information so you will always be able to print or or refer to your full list of reservations later.
2. Go online now and practice. You can at least see what the system is like, what it prompts you for etc. and practice choosing a restaurant you want.
3. Have a back up plan. I had to switch days I was going to parks to get some reservations I wanted (Tusker House breakfast, Sci-Fi and 'Ohana). In the moment you might panic, so it helps to know what else you can try in advance.
4. Try entering different times if you don't get what you want. For example, lunch instead of dinner, or 2 hours earlier or later than you originally searched for.
5. Prioritize which reservations are most important to you and reserve them in that order. Take into consideration which are the most popular also, and try to get those settled first. Also, you should know that you will have to make your reservation for the first day you are there first, and then it will allow you to book the others for up to 10 days after that one, so when you log in, wherever you want to eat that first day will need to be your first reservation.

I didn't have any glitches with the system - just with me because I assumed I would get everything I wanted since I was online as early as I could be. Just FYI - we are going from November 6th to the 13th, so it is during Free Dining. Not sure if this made a difference or not.

Remember, worse case scenario, you call at 7:00 a.m. to have someone confirm the reservations for you and walk you through any changes you want to make. It did take me a full hour to make seven reservations. You can PM me if you need any specific advice or have questions.

Good luck!

 

[rafiki22]

Easy and quick. I wish you could look at the entire day, but that is my only complaint.

 

[HeatherBelle614]

Sorry to butt in, but I'm having the same concerns.

If we are checking in late one night (December 3), and not eating anywhere that day, is that going to affect how I make online ADRs? I just noticed that one of the other posters said you had to do your first day first, and then it would open the rest of the days.

I don't want to book something that day just to unlock the system; I wouldn't want to take something someone really wants just to make sure I can get our online ADRs done.

HELP!

 

[MouseMomx2]

Sorry to butt in, but I'm having the same concerns.

If we are checking in late one night (December 3), and not eating anywhere that day, is that going to affect how I make online ADRs? I just noticed that one of the other posters said you had to do your first day first, and then it would open the rest of the days.

I don't want to book something that day just to unlock the system; I wouldn't want to take something someone really wants just to make sure I can get our online ADRs done.

HELP!

This is incorrect. You simply put in your reservation number and telephone number and that opens your booking window. You are then free to book whatever meals you want, in whatever order you want, as long as they fall within that window.

 

[look1angel]

Got mine with no problem. I then made sure to print out the information to take with me just in case. I booked right at my 90 days + 10 days out. You have to put your reservation # in to do this though.

 

[mcgill93]

Sorry - I was just sharing my experience. I tried to book for November 10th and it wouldn't let me until I booked for the 6th (my first day there) first. Maybe it was just a system glitch, but I didn't imagine it.

 

[andysgirl360]

Well if you have to book your first night ADR first...then I am sunk. Kouzzina is my choice for the first night, and so far that can only be booked by phone.

Thanks for all the tips - I'l play around with the system this week to practice and see if it gets any easier. Last night I bookmarked each restaurant page, so at least I can go to each restaurant immediately without having to navigate the pages over and over again.

Any other input is welcome...since it's new, I imagine everyone has different experiences with the system.