What is up with the ADRs??? UGH!

[angey77]

In all my years of going in December, I have NEVER had this big of a problem getting ADRs.
LeCellier, only had 8:50p for a party of six on Dec. 7. I decided to call back for other days and am now on hold ... again ... forever. Last year I called for six and had my pick of times!
Thank goodness I have a friend checking into VAKL a day before us and decided to "check" CG for my DH's and I anniversary dinner. I had to use her ressie number yesterday to get one of only TWO seatings available on Dec. 6! I can't believe that 180 days out! If she wouldn't have given me the heads up, for the first time in our four years of marriage, we would not have an ADR for CG for our anniversary (we had our reception dinner there too for our wedding). I can tell you, I would have been DEVASTATED if we did not get that ADR. Completely devastated.
Anyway, got Narcoossee's for the day and time we want (but that might change depending on LeCellier avail) and also got Trail's End for lunch.
Anyone have any ideas why ADRs are at such a premium this year this far out? This is crazy!
I have heard MS for DVC can make ADRs, but we aren't official members "yet," just waiting on paperwork to clear. Do people have better luck booking through them normally than Disney Dining? Don't they book ADRs too?
Still holding!

 

[janloz]

Pop Warner is the week you are going, perhaps that is the reason. Since Thanksgiving is a week later then usual, many of the events have been pushed back a week as well. I am going the week before you and had no problems getting 20 ADRs for the time we wanted (+/- 15 minutes) and we have party of 7 or 8 depending on the day. We got CG, LC, WCC, etc.

 

[LittleStinkerbelle]

Sorry for the tough time. We had a bad time with ADRs as well. Couldn't get LC, which was a big disappointment. We're hoping to have some luck when the Candlelight Processional packages come out. But even with our choices that weren't at the "high profile" restaurants, we still had trouble getting times we wanted and ended up with very off times. (extremely early dinners, very late breakfast)

Kind of disappointing at the 180 day mark, 7 a.m.

 

[angey77]

Yeah, that could be it, but I've never had problems getting the more adult-oriented restaurants before during Pop Warner ... especially a party of two for CG. I'm still in shock!
I'm hoping some normal ADRs for LeCellier free up when CP is announced. Last year, we had an ADR we ended up canceling to book CP and I'm hoping there are many like us out there.

 

[LargoLori]

I have heard MS for DVC can make ADRs, but we aren't official members "yet," just waiting on paperwork to clear. Do people have better luck booking through them normally than Disney Dining? Don't they book ADRs too?
Still holding![/QUOTE]

I call MS whenever possible to make ADR's simply because the phone process is so much easier. When MS is closed I call the WDW-DINE number. I don't think one is any better than the other as far as getting ADR's. I also think you should be able to use MS while your paperwork is clearing. Just call and ask. Good luck!!

 

[gismo1554]

I've always had trouble getting into LC mind. It seems the last 2 years its been jammed almost every day. Remember your 180days could be someone elses 170day and I think this makes a big difference. I managed to get LC this time but its the first time in around 6 trips that I've been able to

 

[Terk-1]

In all my years of going in December, I have NEVER had this big of a problem getting ADRs.
LeCellier, only had 8:50p for a party of six on Dec. 7. I decided to call back for other days and am now on hold ... again ... forever. Last year I called for six and had my pick of times!
Thank goodness I have a friend checking into VAKL a day before us and decided to "check" CG for my DH's and I anniversary dinner. I had to use her ressie number yesterday to get one of only TWO seatings available on Dec. 6! I can't believe that 180 days out! If she wouldn't have given me the heads up, for the first time in our four years of marriage, we would not have an ADR for CG for our anniversary (we had our reception dinner there too for our wedding). I can tell you, I would have been DEVASTATED if we did not get that ADR. Completely devastated.
Anyway, got Narcoossee's for the day and time we want (but that might change depending on LeCellier avail) and also got Trail's End for lunch.
Anyone have any ideas why ADRs are at such a premium this year this far out? This is crazy!
I have heard MS for DVC can make ADRs, but we aren't official members "yet," just waiting on paperwork to clear. Do people have better luck booking through them normally than Disney Dining? Don't they book ADRs too?
Still holding!

I ran into a similar situation last week while making ADRs. I kinda knew why, but asked the CM and got the answer I thought it was. They are holding times from late afternoon to early evening to Candlelight Processional Dinner Packages. In 2006, they had changed the package so you had to dine before the performance, not after. This meant for the first show, you were have a late lunch (around 3pm), 2nd show early dinner (around 4-5pm), 3rd show dinner (arouns 5-7pm).

I took the 4:30pm ADR, knowing it would probably change once I got my CP dinner package reservation.

 

[buzzgirls&dad]

Don't forget Mousefest is this week as well. Mousefester are as disney savvy as any of us Disser and I think there is a lot of crossover. So they know to call at 180 days out and they know all the best ressies as well.

 

[angey77]

Don't forget Mousefest is this week as well. Mousefester are as disney savvy as any of us Disser and I think there is a lot of crossover. So they know to call at 180 days out and they know all the best ressies as well.

Oh, I was sure to try to book LC for a date before Mousefest starts! Then again, there probably are a lot of people that are arriving before the official land dates.
After reading some threads, I feel fortunate to have gotten LC at all now (but still stumped over CG)! I'm looking forward to that CP announcement ... not to book it, but for ADR cancellations!
Here's something funny though ... a few years back, we were checking in at LC (this was the first part of December). There was a poor soul in front of us who was trying to walk up. The CM said "I'm sorry sir, there are no available seatings tonight, we are all booked up." The guy says "Well, when is your next available seating?" The CM looks at him with a totally straight face and says "January 6."

 

[IMDORY]

If you really want to go to LeCellier and are forced to keep your 9:50 ADR-Here's my 9:50 ADR experience:

In 2006 I started planning a Christmas week trip in August(missed the 180 day window by a few months)...I ended up with a 9:50 LeCellier for Christmas night. I called back like every week until the trip hoping to get an earlier time that was possibly cancelled-no luck. I was really nervous that it would be a waste to eat at that hour, that it would be a mistake to keep the ADR-but DH said keep it, so I did. Well, we had our 9:50 ADR on Christmas night and it was one of the nicest nights at WDW. We were the last seating- there were only a few other tables seated-it was a lovely dinner. In fact, we are going to be in WDW this Christmas and hope to get a later seating at LeCellier again this year too.

So, if you're open to giving a late ADR a try like that you may be surprised. Of course, I don't know your travel party (small kids etc.) we were just the 3 of us-DS was 5 at the time and we were all happy. We did take a big nap that afternoon and had a little snack around 4ish to tide us over until 9pm. We also walked around WS for 2 hours before the ADR and had a cocktail or two before we got to Canada. (not DS ) Mmmm Christmas Kir in France...

 

[angey77]

If you really want to go to LeCellier and are forced to keep your 9:50 ADR-Here's my 9:50 ADR experience:

In 2006 I started planning a Christmas week trip in August(missed the 180 day window by a few months)...I ended up with a 9:50 LeCellier for Christmas night. I called back like every week until the trip hoping to get an earlier time that was possibly cancelled-no luck. I was really nervous that it would be a waste to eat at that hour, that it would be a mistake to keep the ADR-but DH said keep it, so I did. Well, we had our 9:50 ADR on Christmas night and it was one of the nicest nights at WDW. We were the last seating- there were only a few other tables seated-it was a lovely dinner. In fact, we are going to be in WDW this Christmas and hope to get a later seating at LeCellier again this year too.

So, if you're open to giving a late ADR a try like that you may be surprised. Of course, I don't know your travel party (small kids etc.) we were just the 3 of us-DS was 5 at the time and we were all happy. We did take a big nap that afternoon and had a little snack around 4ish to tide us over until 9pm. We also walked around WS for 2 hours before the ADR and had a cocktail or two before we got to Canada. (not DS ) Mmmm Christmas Kir in France...

Wow, now you have me excited! Our ADR is for 8:50, not 9:50, but I get what you are saying.
I'm not sure about the rest of my travel party (two moms with a teenager each), but what you did works for myself and DH. Ah, a silver lining! I'm figuring we will miss the 9:30 p.m. rush for the gates at closing too.

 

[ljcrochet]

Wow! I guess I got very lucky with my ADRs. We called yesterday to make ours. Of the 14 we wanted, one we could not book yet (Raglan road- has to be 180 days out not 180+10). Ohana for dinner we had to do it earlier then we wanted, but all the others we got with in 10 minutes of the time we wanted. Included Le Cellier on 12/12 (friday night at 6:55)

 

[Knelson85]

I was on hold to make my ADR's for so long this morning, I had to eventually hang up and go to work

 

[Twende]

I was on hold with ADR's this morning from 6:58 AM until just a few minutes ago, 10:10 AM! It was ridiculous!

Things are so messed up and I did not get any of the places we wanted!

One of the CM's told me that I could have called 10 days ago? She said that it is 180 days plus 10? I do not understand that at all!

I thought the 180 mark as set in stone but that you could book the rest of the week from your arrival date even though it would not be 180 days from those dinners!

SO what is right? Could I have really booked on 6/1/08 for a 12/7 arrival at SSR?

 

[LittleStinkerbelle]

I was on hold with ADR's this morning from 6:58 AM until just a few minutes ago, 10:10 AM! It was ridiculous!

Things are so messed up and I did not get any of the places we wanted!

One of the CM's told me that I could have called 10 days ago? She said that it is 180 days plus 10? I do not understand that at all!

I thought the 180 mark as set in stone but that you could book the rest of the week from your arrival date even though it would not be 180 days from those dinners!

SO what is right? Could I have really booked on 6/1/08 for a 12/7 arrival at SSR?

Oh my goodness, I can't believe you stayed on hold for over 3 hours!!! I would've lost patience way before that. I put your arrival date into the calculator I use to find out the 180 days and it came out as today. I'm not sure what that CM was talking about with the June 1st date. Maybe what she was saying was that some of the places you wanted were booked because people arriving 10 days before you would've had access to those dates on June 1st?? The CM that helped me last week gave me a similar spiel when I was upset that many of the places we wanted were booked.

 

[patsal]

I have heard MS for DVC can make ADRs, but we aren't official members "yet," just waiting on paperwork to clear. Do people have better luck booking through them normally than Disney Dining? Don't they book ADRs too?
Still holding!

I call MS whenever possible to make ADR's simply because the phone process is so much easier. When MS is closed I call the WDW-DINE number. I don't think one is any better than the other as far as getting ADR's. I also think you should be able to use MS while your paperwork is clearing. Just call and ask. Good luck!![/QUOTE]

It brings up the same availability, but I also use MS as it is a free number and I think they are just faster at it!

 

[DisneyFan06]

I hope I get what I want for my December trip. I have it planned out so perfectly. I guess I better have a back up plan....

 

[BlueDumbo]

This is surely a sign of changing times at WDW. My first trip to WDW was in Oct. 01 and the parks were virtually empty. At that time, ADR's were allowed up to 90 days but you could easily call the day before and get your time slot or very close to it. We actually did a last minute ADR for Cinderella's Table the night before. That is unheard of now. I was shocked when after making our Sept. trip plans this past April that we had difficulty getting ADR's. Couldn't get Cinderella's Table on our anniversary date and barely got it on another night. Couldn't believe it. In fact, I didn't consider the urgency in making ADR's so early because I thought this was one of the slower times of the year, as I had remembered it being a few years ago. I now understand the free dining has much to do about ADR's for Sept. Unfortunately, the days of low crowds and easy access to dining and attractions are eroding away. Disney is doing everything to keep the crowds coming at all times of the year. Makes business sense, but for those of us who prefer the lessor crowds, like it use to be, it saddens me.

 

[Knelson85]

If you are a resort guest, you get an extra 10 days ahead, therefore, making it 190

 

[gabbyrosebud]

If you are a resort guest, you get an extra 10 days ahead, therefore, making it 190

Hi! A lot of people get confused on this. When you're a resort guest you can make your reservations exactly 180 days before your arrival date, then in 1 phone call make the remainder of your reservations up to 10 days past your arrival date. This is how it is worded on this website.

"Reservations are available 180 days out and 180 days + 10 for guests staying at a Disney Resort.. (This extra 10 days allows Disney Resort guests to book all of their ADRs on the same phone call as opposed to calling back each day as the 180 day mark passes) Be aware of the 180 mark and make your ADRs."

The problem is some people call and get CMs who will break the rules and book a couple of days early for them. This is very frustrating. A couple of people on these boards were able to make their reservations early, which angered some other Disers. If you are lucky enough I say go for it. I just wish I was. The CMs kept telling me to call back June 9.