What is up with the ADRs??? UGH!

[Jamie77]

I think party size may be a major factor. I called for an ADR yesterday for Le Cellier for Tuesday, Dec. 9 and got a lunch reservation for 12:30. I'm going solo and I did ask for a lunch ADR instead of a dinner ADR so that may be a factor as well. I've always had problems getting the dinner time I want when I plan on bringing more people. I was able to get all my ADRs for December for the times I asked for (except for Rainforest Cafe). When I didn't get exact times, I got times that were 5 or 10 minutes from my requested time.

 

[Jamie77]

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."QUOTE]

For some reason, getting an ADR for Rainforest Cafe at AK wasn't possible. I'm staying at the WL and was able to get all my ressie times except for this one. I know I'm within the rules for this time but they told me to call back tomorrow to make an ADR for this restaurant. If I get 180+10 I don't know why this was the case.

 

[danielle.st]

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."QUOTE]

For some reason, getting an ADR for Rainforest Cafe at AK wasn't possible. I'm staying at the WL and was able to get all my ressie times except for this one. I know I'm within the rules for this time but they told me to call back tomorrow to make an ADR for this restaurant. If I get 180+10 I don't know why this was the case.

I think there are a handful of places that don't let you do the 180+10 part and make you do the 180 only.

 

[LJD2143]

I think there are a handful of places that don't let you do the 180+10 part and make you do the 180 only.

Correct - Rainforest Cafe is specifically excluded from the 180+10. It is strictly 180.

 

[mickeysgirl17]

I called yesterday and was also wondering what was going on. I called at 7am and was on hold an hour and 15 minutes.

Between everyone on the DP and deluxe plan, I think people are starting to realize, they must call earlier and earlier to guarantee they get what they want.

I also had my pick of times in 2006 and was even able to get Le Cellier 3 months before my Dec. trip!

I still got what I wanted yesterday, but not at the times I wanted. Le Cellier dinner only had 3 time slots available left on the date I needed.

 

[pilferk]

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!

We were looking at Le Cellier for right around the same time....I think the 7th or 8th. We called at 180 days from arrival, on June 7th, to make ressies. NOTHING at Le Cellier at all.

I know they with hold tables to account for the Candlelight Processional packages...but I'm not sure how many. We called at 7:30 AM today (which is EXACTLY 180 days from the day we wanted) and there were only late ADR's available at Le Cellier. We decided to skip it and do Chefs de France, instead. Late doesn't work with 3 young kids.

We likewise had an issue getting tickets to the Hoop De Doo. NOTHING available for the early show when we called on Saturday. We're going to try Friday (at 180, exactly) to see if we can get anything, then. If not, we've made an ADR at Jiko's for that date, just in case.

 

[catne]

and if you really want it, keep on calling, right up until your trip (and some even continue calling daily while they're at WDW.)

Cancellations do happen, all the time. And people do get lucky...

When we were there in late May (this year) we not only got seated early (had a 5:30 ADR, checked in around 5:10 and we were seated at 5:15, there were also empty tables the whole time we were there. And it had been completely booked when we booked what was supposed to be the "last available table" in February 2008 (at only 3 months out)

On the same topic, virtually every restaurant we went to had empty tables; and some had many, many empty tables...I think it's a sign of the tough economic times. People get their reservations, then cancel the meal or the whole vacation.

 

[letthewookiewin]

I had been worrying for months about making our ADR's. There were many nights that I could not get to sleep b/c I was worried that I would not get the ADR's that I wanted. The only one (out of 18) that I wasn't able to do was for Yak & Yeti. They said they are one of the few that you have to call at 180 days out from the date you want to eat there. I wasn't picky about ADR times. I was just picky about whether it was for breakfast, lunch or dinner. I called right at 7am and was only on hold for 45 minutes the first time. The 2nd time that I called I didn't pay attention to the time. Although the person that I spoke with laughed at me when I told them that only for Disney did I mind being on hold that long b/c I love all the Disney music they use for the hold music. I was glad that I called back as quickily as I did to make the swap that I did. I originally had Tony's Town Square for Monday and 'Ohana on Tuesday. I had them change it to 'Ohana on Monday and Tony's Town Square on Tuesday. She said that I took one of only 3 they had left for TTS that night. I'm guessing part of the reason for the low amount of ADR's available for TTS on that night was MVMCP. I did give her the original reservation numbers to cancel, and she said she would do that later. Now I'm just worried that she actually canceled those. Since I was working on 4 hours of sleep, I forgot to get her name. I guess I'll just keep those con. #'s and when I call to make my ADR for Yak & Yeti on Friday, I will make sure those were canceled. I don't want to keep an ADR that some one else can use.

 

[Princess_Melanie]

We were really lucky and managed to get almost all our ADRs we wanted for our December trip on the first phone call. All were the times we requested except for one - Liberty Tree Tavern - we wanted something later and we could not book before 5.30pm? It's not a MVMCP night either....hmmmm?

There are a couple more ADRs we need to make this evening (we're in the UK) as we did most of them using the 180+10 rule and we're there for 2 weeks so the remainder must be booked now We can't book Shula's till the exact 180 day either.

My only concern would be trying to get Garden Grill Harvest Feast (the chip and dale one) now instead of the LTT.....am I likely to luck out on this one as we're past the 180 day mark?

 

[IMDORY]

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.

Ooops-It was an 8:50ADR-but I wrote 9:50. I had 9pm on the brain...

 

[properlywarnedyebe]

Check out my ADR experience this morning
http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=1852147
I'm OK now....

 

[angey77]

Check out my ADR experience this morning
http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=1852147
I'm OK now....

Oh gosh! I had two phones going too ... cell phone and home phone. All while trying to stay quiet since it's 6 a.m. and my husband was still asleep. The morning started off with me singing along "When will my reflection show who I am insiiiiide!" (Belting it out in a whisper as I make coffee, thinking what a great song it is).
Grant it, I am up two and a half hours earlier than normal, so I was chipper at first because I was about to get a Disney fix ...
Then it slowly digressed to "Ugh, if I hear Bear Necessities ONE MORE TIME!! HURRY UP BA#*%*@#!" as I sit there with a few sips of now cold jo staring right back at me!
Like you, I think it's funny now, but I didn't think it was too funny then. I definitely won't be calling Disney Dining for quite a while ... I put that responsibility on my fellow travelers.

 

[properlywarnedyebe]

Oh gosh! I had two phones going too ... cell phone and home phone. All while trying to stay quiet since it's 6 a.m. and my husband was still asleep. The morning started off with me singing along "When will my reflection show who I am insiiiiide!" (Belting it out in a whisper as I make coffee, thinking what a great song it is).
Grant it, I am up two and a half hours earlier than normal, so I was chipper at first because I was about to get a Disney fix ...
Then it slowly digressed to "Ugh, if I hear Bear Necessities ONE MORE TIME!! HURRY UP BA#*%*@#!" as I sit there with a few sips of now cold jo staring right back at me!
Like you, I think it's funny now, but I didn't think it was too funny then. I definitely won't be calling Disney Dining for quite a while ... I put that responsibility on my fellow travelers.

Mine was more like "Have a @!#!@## Magical day yourself!"- It's all good now, but I'm not calling Disney Dining back for a long time either!

 

[mom2taylorandemily]

Ok, we are going Dec. 7th thru the 14th and I made 8 ADRs this morning when I called at 8:05 am. I got thru to a person within 10 mins. I got all my requests within 20 minutes of desired times for 4 (3 adults, DD counts as adult now and 1 child). I must be wanting some odd ADRs and got lucky. We are eating at 50's PT, CP, Ohanas for dinner and breakfast, Chef Ms for breakfast, Biergarten. I'm excited and ready to go.

 

[vdarrell]

My 180 days was today but I did try twice yesterday to get a jump on our ADR's and was polietly refused and told we could not get them till 180 days from arrival to your resort.Going Dec 7th-13th
Called this morning around 9:30am and was put right through no problems and got every ADR we wanted of course none were for LC.
Made Adr for Crystal Palace-Whispering Canyon-Spirit of Aloha-Sci-fi-dine-in---Biergarten
Sorry to hear you had troubles.

 

[TPCShauna]

Ok, we are going Dec. 7th thru the 14th and I made 8 ADRs this morning when I called at 8:05 am. I got thru to a person within 10 mins. I got all my requests within 20 minutes of desired times for 4 (3 adults, DD counts as adult now and 1 child). I must be wanting some odd ADRs and got lucky. We are eating at 50's PT, CP, Ohanas for dinner and breakfast, Chef Ms for breakfast, Biergarten. I'm excited and ready to go.

This was almost my exact experience. I got up at 3:45am PDT to be ready to call at 4:00am. I started dialing and re-dialing at 3:58 and got through at 3:59 according to my clock. I was on hold for less than a minute and made all of my ressies except for Yak & Yeti which is a 180 day only.

Here's mine:
Sunday, Dec. 7 - Boma - 8:20pm (wanted 8:15pm)
Monday, Dec. 8 - 50s Prime Time - 11:10am (wanted 11:00am)
Tuesday, Dec. 9 - Whispering Canyon Cafe - 5:15pm (preferred time)
Wednesday, Dec. 10 - Garden Grill - 11:40 (preferred time); Coral Reef - 6:10pm (wanted 6:00pm)
Thursday, Dec. 11 - 1900 Park Fare - 8:30am (preferred time); Jiko - 8:45pm (wanted 8:30pm)
Friday, Dec. 11 - Yak & Yeti - want earliest avail - have to call back on Sat.
Saturday, Dec. 12 - Ohana - 8:30pm (preferred time)

The only one I had even the remotest problem with was Coral Reef. I asked for 6:00pm and she told me there was NOTHING in the 6:00 hour and said she had a 4:30 or 8:50. I began to question her as to how that could be at this point and she started to say that it was just other guests having booked on their +10. I then asked point blank if those times were being held for CP packages at which point she paused for a moment and said yes. I then said I could go as early as 5:45pm if I had to, she asked me to hold for a second and then gave me the 6:10pm slot.

Admittedly, none of my others are necessarily must do and we eat at pretty off hours since we are 2 adults but I was shocked that I was able to get everything I wanted so easily and within 15 at the most (but still within the window I had allowed.)

It took me 21 minutes to make and record all of my ADRs and I was back in bed by 4:30am. Not a bad morning's work if you ask me!

 

[mickeysgirl17]

TPCShauna----I will be at the 50's PTC at the exact same time as you on the 8th. My ADR is for 11:05. Hope to see you there!

 

[disfan07]

It sounds like I got lucky with my ADRs for my trip in august...

I leave 8 weeks from today and i only booked my trip 2 weeks ago and was ablet o get everything that i wanted at the time i wanted and i was prepared for the worst..lol....I even had multiple options of times for all the places but we only have 2 ppl in our party....i think a lot really does have to do with party size
We have:
Aug5th-LTT 5PM
Aug 6th- 50s PT 5:50PM
Aug 7th- Garden Grill- 6:00PM
Aug 8th- Crystal Palace 11:30AM

 

[TPCShauna]

TPCShauna----I will be at the 50's PTC at the exact same time as you on the 8th. My ADR is for 11:05. Hope to see you there!

Cool! I am so ready to go RIGHT NOW!!!