This is about to drive me crazy! Am I the only one??

[southern_belle21]

I've never been so uptight about making ADRs before!! I still can't make ours until this coming Sunday morning (Sept 6th) and it's driving me CRAZY!! I am really hoping to get an early ADR for DH's bday at Ohana (he's decided that's where he wants to eat) since MK is having EMH that night. I am beginning to think that will be impossible now. If we don't get an early time then we won't be able to do the EHM that night. We always love EMH at MK, and this will be the only night they are having them during our trip. I'm even afraid that it won't be available for our entire trip by the time I get to make my ressies. He's also said he wouldn't mind eating at CM, or even...1900 Park Fare for his bday, which I said it's up to him! I think that would be a hoot! Needless to say I'm almost afraid to see what will be left out of what we want by the time our window opens up. Am I the only one going through this? Just when I thought we had a plan, the waiting is KILLING ME! Help!

 

[MaryKatesMom]

I'm right with you! This is the first year Free Dining is available our during our annual trip and we're not on a package.

Really, we've gone to some of our favorites every vacation and it will be a big dissappointment if they are gone now. It is making the annual pass less desirable since we can't book 90 + 10.

 

[PoohsFan1]

You are not the only one....believe me....

I was just like you on Tuesday night (made my ADRs on Wednesday morning). All day Tuesday I was a complete mess trying to figure out what parks we were going to be at and then trying to figure out what restaurants we wanted to eat. My poor kids could not talk to me because I was so focused on our touring plan. My DH came home from work that night and thankfully he helped me put things in order for our next mornings ordeal, plus he opened up my favorite bottle of wine to help calm my nerves . I was so stressed about our ADRs because there were 2 that I really wanted to get (Le Cellier for dinner and CRT for breakfast)....needless to say we had to change around a few things in order for us to get Le Cellier and instead of eating at CRT for breakfast, we are eating there for dinner. And both situations actually turned out to be better than what I had originally planned, so now I am very happy with our ADRs.

Don't worry about your ADRs, once you have them set in stone and have the confirmation #s, you will feel 10 (if not 100) times better....I will throw you some to help you through

 

[Nadjalu]

Try and not stress. Are you doing online? I did and didn't have an issue. Got everything I wanted including some hard to get....Le Cellier, Ohana and Chef Mickeys. Le Cellier was a little later than I wanted but it works out ok.

I do think that online has an advantage, also I think there is a bit of fear running thru the boards.....I know I bought into it. By my morning to do ADRs I was fit to be tied. Really there was no need. I was quick, in and out within 17 mins and got it all. I would say if you have familarized yourself with the online system and run multiple tabs to save time........don't stress. You can only do what you can do.

Remember this is suppose to be fun.....it is vacation! I sure wish someone would've told me that days before my 90+10!!

 

[Jenngoofys]

I am going for Thanksgiving and I managed to get every ressie I wanted for every day. Dont let all the posts scare you too much, you may need to call in once you make a few online but it is worth it. Also keep checking back as people cancel around the 45 day mark. When you call in they may be able to see some ressies that are available that you couldnt find online. Good Luck!!

 

[southern_belle21]

Oh yes, I forgot to mention that we are paying for the DDP even though it's Free Dining b/c we are staying at a DVC! Our first time doing this! We were there this time last year during FD (loved every minute and the MNNSHP!) and did get what we wanted. Now that we're paying OOP for it I just want us to be able to get what we want. I know that they're going back to 180 out starting in Oct, so maybe we won't have to go through this again (at least to this extream!)

 

[southern_belle21]

I do think that online has an advantage, also I think there is a bit of fear running thru the boards.....I know I bought into it. By my morning to do ADRs I was fit to be tied. Really there was no need. I was quick, in and out within 17 mins and got it all. I would say if you have familarized yourself with the online system and run multiple tabs to save time........don't stress. You can only do what you can do.

That's another thing...I am falling into that "fear" right now! I've gone online just today, just to see how fast the online booking pulls up, and it's saying that's it's currently unavailable! Also, am I correct in having the restaurants that I want under different tabs on one page (does that make sense?). What's the trick to that? Sorry, I just want to make sure I have everything set!

 

[southern_belle21]

Bumping this up b/c I'm still confused about bringing up different tabs when I go online to book. What's the strategy?

 

[hart6066]

This online vs. phone ADR has me crazy! We are going over New Year's, so I think it will be tough, anyway. Last year (have always gone same time), I called at exactly the right time (though at 180 days out) and got EVERYTHING. So is it worth trying to do it online? Are there threads about "tips" for doing it online? I'm afraid of it not going through and losing my places. Any ideas?

 

[ccigliano]

I am on the Disney website now and just realized I won't be able to book Fantasmic online. Yes - I am very stressed. This is the first trip I will be taking my DSis, two nieces, and BIL. I really want to make it a great trip for my nieces and so I'll be trying for Hoop De Doo, Chef Mickey's, Crystal Palace, Mama Mel's Fantasmic, and Le Cellier for the adults. I am not so concerned about my ressies after that as it will just be me, mom and dad and the later out I go the easier it should be to get the ressie I want. Oh, why did they have to change it to 90 days. I can't wait until we go back to 180.

 

[Pooh&OurHunny]

I'm in the same vote as you and feeling stressed. I need to make my ADR's on Sunday and today is the first time I'm been trying to plan my park days but the Christmas party is messing me up b/c I don't know which day to go. This is the first time I feel this way. I usually know the parks and all the restaurants I want. I booked this Disney trip w/o my husband knowledge so I can't ask for help (I usually ask him which restaurants). So I have to try to plot this out tonight.

 

[ccigliano]

By the way, for those who have done it already, is the strategy to just keep checking out to get the ressie and go back in for the next. Or once it is in your cart - its yours until you release it or ultimately book it.
Thanks.

 

[acourtwdw]

By the way, for those who have done it already, is the strategy to just keep checking out to get the ressie and go back in for the next. Or once it is in your cart - its yours until you release it or ultimately book it.
Thanks.

Actually the ADR only stays in your cart for 2 hours if you don't "purchase" it.

 

[ccigliano]

I'm in the same vote as you and feeling stressed. I need to make my ADR's on Sunday and today is the first time I'm been trying to plan my park days but the Christmas party is messing me up b/c I don't know which day to go. This is the first time I feel this way. I usually know the parks and all the restaurants I want. I booked this Disney trip w/o my husband knowledge so I can't ask for help (I usually ask him which restaurants). So I have to try to plot this out tonight.

Good Luck - I actually did that the other night - solo because everyone just says whatever you decide is fine, you're the expert. With Fantasmic only scheduled for two nights out of the 6 nights they are there and MVMCP every other night, I'm really locked in to certain parks on certain days and they are going to try to save money and not purchase park hoppers so this really is a choreographed 7 days. Oh and be sure to check the MK as the nights that the have a MVMCP there are no fireworks or Spectromagic and they close @ 7:00. Oh the stress - I am not going to be able to sleep Sunday night.

 

[jennabenna1908]

can someone help me with this 90 +10 thing...does it mean you can book your ADRs 100 days out? or you can book up to10 days after your check in date? Also, has anyone else heard if you have party tickets you can book even earlier?

 

[Kathy Z]

can someone help me with this 90 +10 thing...does it mean you can book your ADRs 100 days out? or you can book up to10 days after your check in date? Also, has anyone else heard if you have party tickets you can book even earlier?

The answer to your first question is that when you reach your 90 day mark prior to check in you can book for that date plus 10 days of your vacation if you are staying on property. I don't believe that having party tickets allows you to book ADRs earlier than the 90 + 10.

To all of you who are still stressing. I can relate. But let me offer words of encouragement. My husband helped me prepare by showing me how to create links at the top of our Internet Explorer page for all of the restaurants I wanted. Those made it so simple to zip through the system on the morning I booked. I still had trouble sleeping the night before but woke up early enough to select our seats for our flight down to Orlando before Disney's online system opened at 6:00 am. I had 9 reservations booked within 15-20 minutes. I got the exact time for 1, within 10 minutes for several and within 35 minutes for the rest. At 7:00 am I phoned for a CP dining package. I was only on hold for about 8 minutes. I got the date and time I wanted but had to go for second choice restaurant. Could not get Le Cellier for either of 2 dates or 2 show times. I did book Le Cellier for a lunch later in our stay. We had to go to a funeral on the day that my window opened. That added to the stress that caused the sleep problem the night before.

As of 30 minutes ago when I checked the online ADR system was working properly.

 

[southern_belle21]

Glad to know I'm not the only one suffering! I'm still sort of confused about the "links", "tabs" etc for making the online booking easier though Am I right to be bookmarking the restaurant pages on the Disney site, and then clicking on the "Book Online" to book? Sorry, I know that many of you have done this and understand it perfectly, but it's new to me (and many others!) I feel so out of the loop right now!

 

[momtobrynncess]

Glad to know I'm not the only one suffering! I'm still sort of confused about the "links", "tabs" etc for making the online booking easier though Am I right to be bookmarking the restaurant pages on the Disney site, and then clicking on the "Book Online" to book? Sorry, I know that many of you have done this and understand it perfectly, but it's new to me (and many others!) I feel so out of the loop right now!

Bookmarking is a smart idea imo. And then yes, click book online. Do you get the "tabs" thing? At the top of your browser (I use Windows XP Operating System IE), underneath your toolbar, you should see things that look like file folder tabs? These enable you to use "tabbed browsing"? Meaning you can open up many different internet websites at one time, and keep clicking back and forth to different ones? That's what is meant by opening up multiple tabs, each one with a different restaurant. Just open as many tabs as you have restaurants that you want. After you have opened up as many tabs as you need, on each tab, click onto the bookmarked restaurant you want.

For more details, click on the link at the bottom of my signature and it will take you to a post I made with tons more details. Most important though, make sure you enter your resort reservation number first on one tab so that the system will retrieve your reservation and open up your 10+ day window.

Good luck!!

 

[DMLewis75]

Editing...Found my answer...should have read the whole thread first.