Those without ADRs for late Sept & Oct

[Claire4dpins]

I just thought I would describe my experience of trying to book my ADRs at only 25 days out, for those who have not booked yet, and are worried about everything beng booked up because of the free dining.

We booked this trip last minute - just booked Pop Century, with the free dining, on the evening of the 20th August right before the offer closed!! Then I spent the next week trying to plan what parks we would go to each day and where we might like to eat. We don't usually book many ADRs and just go where the mood takes us (we are just two adults and we tend to visit in September when it is less busy), but with the free dining and people posting here that it was getting hard to get walkups we thought we better get ADRs this time.

Mostly it was very good news - we could get nearly everything we wanted at roughly the times we wanted - which was early times for both lunch and dinner.
We got Tony's Town Square, Alfredos, Chefs de France, Concourse Steakhouse, Grand Floridian Café & Kona Café all on the days we wanted and at the times we wanted or within 15 to 20 minutes of it.

We got 50's Prime Time Café, Mama Melrose's, Sci-Fi Dine In, Donald's Breakfastosaurus & Cape May Café for the days we wanted but had to be more fliexible with the times.

We could not get Liberty Tree Tavern, Cinderella's Royal Table, Le Cellier, or ‘Ohana being flexible with both dates and times. Obviously, this was disappointing, but not a surprise for these more popular places. We replaced them with Restaurant Marrakesh, Crystal Palace & Yacht Club Galley for the same dates and times we had wanted.

I was just wanting to give hope to those without ADRs yet, that you should be able to get a lot of the things you hope for - we got 10 out of 14 which I felt was good and better than I had hoped - I am still disappointed about the dinners at Cinderella's Royal Table & Le Cellier though!
Good luck with your planning,
Claire

 

[aubriee]

I called at 89 days out and got everything we wanted (Planet Hollywood, Le Cellier, Hollywood & Vine, 'Ohannas, Chef Mickey's, Crystal Palace, and CRT).

This past Saturday (exactly 21 days out) my D-I-L came over and asked if we could switch a couple of the ADRs around and maybe add another one (and wanted to share some TS meals). Spectromagic is only showing on two nights during the week we are there and with the old ADRs we had we were going to miss it. I told her I doubted it, but would try. Guess what? No problem, I switched Planet Hollywood and Crystal Palace and added San Angel Inn and got a choice of at least two times for each. FYI: While I had the CM on the phone I also had her check and got LTT for the night of the MVMCP for my Dec trip. My D-I-L was laughing, saying she couldn't believe I was booking ADRs for two different trips and said she hoped I didn't get the ADRs for our Sept trip mixed up with the ADRs for mine and my mom's trip in Dec.

 

[vettechick99]

I just called today for LC and wasn't able to get it for any of my days in early October. I should have called before the free dining came out. Hindsight is 20/20.

I'm just wondering what this means about crowds. Last year the first week of October was fantastic! Now I'm scared I'll be beating crowds over the head with my yard of beer.

 

[zizzyx]

I just made plans last week to go to Disney Sept. 29-Oct.5. Today I spent about 45 minutes on the phone making ADR's. Most nights are filled up and if they aren't, the times are very late (after 9pm). The person I talked to was very nice and for each day went through a ton of restaurants and found me some decent times. These are few and far between so if you are going soon, please make your ADR's now. Our ressies were for 3 people. My mom is also going a few days ahead of us and also was on the phone for a long time trying to get ADR's for 2. There was even less available. They didn't mind much because they have the free dining but I am paying for it and didn't get any of the times I really wanted. I do have to say, Disney worked hard to find me restaurants and some decent times and I'm happy now.

 

[rgf207]

I called 90 days out for everything and got everything I wanted and the times I wanted. I am hearing a lot though that everything is booked so but your post may be good news to some

 

[GinaGrumpyDwarf]

Claire4dpins

I just may be changing my ADR for LTT on the 30th from 5 to 3...that would mean that 2 would open up....if we do this, do you want me to tell you before hand???

 

[honeymo78]

vettechick - i doubt that the crowds will be that much greater. I think the difference is that many people are going to be eating at TS on the dining plan that normally woudn't eat there.

Were you trying to get a table for 2 at LC? I have heard and experienced a difficulty getting a table for 2 on any day, at any time for the first week in Oct (we called right at 90day window) and took a 3 person ADR for a later time than we prefer. It was suggested that we call back around 30 days out and see if they open up any more tables (which they have done in the past). Otherwise we are just showing up 2 hrs early and hoping to get seated before our ADR time.

 

[Claire4dpins]

GinaGrumpyDwarf - Thanks very much for your kind offer about LTT - but we have now decided to make the 30th a 'snack around the World Showcase' day because it is the start of the Food & Wine Festival - thanks for the kind suggestion though!

honeymo78 - I think you might be right about there not being many spaces for two at LC - I have read similar thoughts on other posts. I may try calling once more - but I would hate the international phone call cost just to be told no, sorry though!! We will go to ask for a walk up - no harm in asking I guess!

zizzyx - I think you are right too - many places do seem busy - if you need ADRs for this time do it now!!

 

[honeymo78]

Claire - be sure to call from your room once you get there and you might be able to get an ADR (it's a free call to dining - 55, I think) for Le Cellier or some of the other places too.

 

[TLC371]

We called this past weekend to get reservations for CRT. We are going there on October 27th, I think we were 50-something days out from our trip, last minute decision to make ADRs for there. We're going to MNSSHP that night and decided to try and get in at CRT. When we called they told us that the character meals were booked that day, which was fine, we weren't trying to get into one of those. We did get a dinner reservation for 4:45 for Oct. 27th. I'm so excited!

 

[kitty2kidz]

We are going the first week of Oct., and I called exactly at my 90 day mark for each of my ressies---BUT now that I have been redoing, rethinking, and replanning my days obsessively I have tried to change a few of them with no luck! I have been calling (obsessively) 1-2 times each day hoping for cancellations, or newly added times and soo many of the resturants are booked solid!!! Pixie Dust to anyone just now starting!! At least I do have my original ressies!! Can't wait for free dining Oct 1- 8!! BUT I am worried about crowded parks, we have gone this week in previous years and crowds have been great--now I am worried @ long lines with my impatient 8&5 yo DD's. I am sure we will have a magical time, but long lines will induce the whinnies to join us!!

 

[KaterBell]

What is the "free" dining plan that you're mentioning? We're going Oct. 1 through the 8th and are finding that it's nearly impossible to make our ADRs, when this normally is a very non-busy time of year to visit DisneyWorld. I'm also afraid about having to bring a shoe horn now to get us through the crowds.

 

[HaleyB]

Free dining promotion for stays starting as late as Oct 4th--- so that first week in Oct is the last week of the special. You had to book a room and MYW tickets and you got the dining plan add on for free, also you needed to book by Aug 20th. Good deal, but I too am worried about crowds. We thought about adding Sept 30 to our ressie and couldn't Pop was booked solid that night (called last week)...