What's up with December!?!!

[Jessma9902]

I have not had much luck with our ADRs for the first week of December and it is making me worry about crowd levels. Are the lack of ADR choices an indicator of high crowds?

We went in Dec 2007 and the crowd levels were very manageable which is why we chose to go in December again this time. Now I am beginning to worry... a lot of the restaurants we wanted were booked on the 90 day mark and all of the grand gatherings were booked as well. I couldn't get the dessert party or a fantasmic package...

Am I worried about nothing?

Still excited to go, even if we can't get our dinners of choice- WDW isn't just about food... right?!?!

 

[2 Little Mermaids]

We are going the week of the 13th and got everything I wanted except Le Cellier (surprised) I even got Chef Mickey's for our 1st morning at the exact time. I was playing around with the system the week before and was getting scared because it didn't look like anything was available. I can only come up with maybe because of pop warner that week and wouldn't they all get the free dining? Just a thought!

 

[B-Ride]

I wouldn't worry too much. With the Dining Plan (especially Free) eating at TS restaurants is much more popular. The week we went in August you had to book right at the 90+10 mark to get some of the more popular restaurants but the crowds were still very manageable at the parks.

There is a limited amount of space in the most popular restaurants so it doesn't take much to fill them considering how many people in total the 4 Disney parks can hold even when they are not full.

 

[francie57]

Its free dining and Pop Warner week so that is why the ADRs are hard to get.

 

[A and J's Mom]

I've been nervous about that first week in December for the same reason. We'll be there from Nov 21-Dec 5. The week of Thanksgiving, we were able to get all the reservations we wanted... and we are staying off site at that time! There were some of the harder to get reservations too.

Then, we are on-site Dec 2-5. Our kids will go home with the grandparents, giving my husband and I a few days alone at Disney. I started trying to get ressies at my 90+10 and couldn't get much of anything. It just doesn't seem right that Thanksgiving week (and weekend) has been going smoother than early December!

 

[Kathy Z]

Actually Pop Warner doesn't begin until Dec. 6th. We will be at BWI Dec. 1-8. I went on-line at 6:00 am on Sept. 2 and got all the places that I wanted within 45 minutes of when I wanted them. At 7:00 am I phoned for our CPP and had to settle for my 13th choice. I wanted it for 4th or 5th day at one of 4 restaurants for the second or third show. I ended up with 5th choice restaurant on our 5th day, third show.

Unfortunately, if you just started to try to book your ADRs today you were 2 weeks behind the crowd. I don't think crowd numbers will be all that bad in the parks except for Saturdays. But with free dining those ADRs fill up quickly. If you're looking on-line and they suggest an alternate time somewhat close to what you wanted, put it into your cart. If you find something better later you can always cancel the unwanted one.

 

[mickeysaver]

I feel really blessed right now. It has taken me since the Sunday before Labor day, which was my 90+10 day, up to about 30 minutes ago to get everything sorted and shuffled and laid out to perfection. I got absolutely everything that I wanted. To get to this point, it took a lot of changing around our park days and persistance in checking the online booking engine, but it has paid off!

We have the luck of only being a party of two, so it's not as hard to juggle as a grand gathering would be, but just keep your options open and be persistant and you just might achieve the same results.

Happy planning and a wishes for a boatload of pixie dust for your trip! Maggie

 

[DebbieB]

I'm going Dec 5 to 11 and got everything I wanted, including a LeCellier lunch I also started the Sunday of Labor Day weekend (90 + 10). I agree with keep checking. When I originally did my reservations that Sunday morning, all I could get for breakfast at Boma was 9:45. Later in the week I tried it and got 9:00, which is what I wanted.