Which to book first? -AND/OR- Two Computers at Once (Sort Of)

[TiggerTrigger]

I've ranked and re-ranked my ADRs and my top 3 are Le Cellier Lunch, 'Ohana Dinner, and the first pre-park opening breakfast slot at Crystal Palace. While I'd like the 11:30a spot at Le Cellier- mainly so I can hear them sing O Canada - it's not a must -i.e. we're also pretty flexible with the time on this one. On the other hand, I have a very specific time window I want for 'Ohana and obviously I'm looking for that first seating at Crystal Palace.

I've been researching the dining site for the last few weeks and while there are plenty of 'Ohana and Crystal Palace spots open an hour or two (or more) past the website opening up the new date...the slots I'm looking for at 'Ohana and Crystal Palace seem to be going VERY quickly.

I am a little more flexible w/time for 'Ohana (and by little, I mean maybe about 15 min) so I was thinking Crystal Palace might be the one to book first, but I was also wondering if anyone tried doing this on two computers at once to improve the odds of better times.

Has anyone tried this? Will the system be OK with the same confirm # being used for 180+10 booking at the same time on two different computers? I mean, it wouldn't be a double booking situation but I wasn't sure if it would confuse the system if it was getting that confirm # from two different sources.

I know it sounds obsessive and a bit crazy, but in some cases - timing can be everything. WWYD?

EDIT- one other factor to consider...'Ohana is on our first night and Crystal Palace is on our 6th morning. So, I'm thinking 'Ohana is the bigger issue, but not sure.

 

[Maggie'sMom]

I'd go with Ohana dinner first, especially since it is on your first night and the Crystal Palace breakfast is on your 6th day.

Since you are a little more flexible on time with LeCellier than CP (and you don't mention what day of your trip LC is), I'd put CP before LeCellier.

So: Ohana, Crystal Palace, LeCellier.

I haven't used two computers to make ADRs, but I have read reports of couples using two different computers to book their ADRs and they didn't say there were any problems doing so.

 

[Cafeen]

I haven't tried two separate computers, but I have (last year and the year before (under the old system), didn't need to do it this year) used different tabs and/or browsers on the same computer. It works just fine. Two separate computers would likely work just fine as well, as they do not have a 1 session per login restriction (much like the Disboards, you can login from two different browsers/computers and it won't kick you out, it works in roughly the same way.)

Whether it's needed or not? That's tough to say. I got close to all my ideal times for this year's trip roughly a month and a half after my 180 mark (early May for mid-Sept trip). Of course, there aren't many super-tough to get ADRs in there, but an 8:40am CP (yes, a little later than your ideal), MM F! Lunch, and GG 7:15pm dinner were all part of it. Granted, mid-Sept is one of the lowest times of year in terms of busyness, but the restaurants are usually pretty busy due to the Free Dining Plan promotion.

 

[figment_jii]

EDIT- one other factor to consider...'Ohana is on our first night and Crystal Palace is on our 6th morning.

How are you getting to WDW? One thing to keep in mind is that 'Ohana will require a credit card gaurantee when you make the ADR. So if you're flying and the plane is late and you miss your ADR, you will be charged a no show fee.

Of your three, I would make either CP or 'Ohana first. Probably CP because that's the one you are the least flexible about. Le Cellier lunch is popular (because it's 1 TS credits at lunch compared to 2 at dinner), but you should be okay. I make ADRs for October a couple of week ago and didn't get up at 6 am to make them (it was probably closer to noon by the time I made my ADRs) and I still got Le Cellier at 11:30 am.

Also, if you don't get your desired time on the first day, keep trying. You have 180 days to find what you want. I've always had pretty good luck getting what I wanted by checking frequently.

 

[TiggerTrigger]

I'd go with Ohana dinner first, especially since it is on your first night and the Crystal Palace breakfast is on your 6th day.

Since you are a little more flexible on time with LeCellier than CP (and you don't mention what day of your trip LC is), I'd put CP before LeCellier.

So: Ohana, Crystal Palace, LeCellier.

I haven't used two computers to make ADRs, but I have read reports of couples using two different computers to book their ADRs and they didn't say there were any problems doing so.

Yeah- I think 'Ohana is definitely the #1 priority.

Le Cellier is on day 5 and definitely more flexible with the time on this one. Of course, the farther along we get in this trip...the closer we get to Thanksgiving. So, volumes are anticipated to be high on these days. Crystal Palace would actually be day before Thanksgiving and Le Cellier two days before THanksgiving. Difficult choice since Le Cellier may go fast since it's right near a big holiday...on the flip side, I really want the 8:05a at CP and know that pushing it back might land me an 8:25. Difficult choices. Thanks for the input!

I haven't tried two separate computers, but I have (last year and the year before (under the old system), didn't need to do it this year) used different tabs and/or browsers on the same computer. It works just fine. Two separate computers would likely work just fine as well, as they do not have a 1 session per login restriction (much like the Disboards, you can login from two different browsers/computers and it won't kick you out, it works in roughly the same way.)

Whether it's needed or not? That's tough to say. I got close to all my ideal times for this year's trip roughly a month and a half after my 180 mark (early May for mid-Sept trip). Of course, there aren't many super-tough to get ADRs in there, but an 8:40am CP (yes, a little later than your ideal), MM F! Lunch, and GG 7:15pm dinner were all part of it. Granted, mid-Sept is one of the lowest times of year in terms of busyness, but the restaurants are usually pretty busy due to the Free Dining Plan promotion.

I always have at least two going if I'm booking on day 180 just in case one computer wants to act up plus I think DH's is a little bit faster than mine. Just thinking with as much as I type at work, I should be able to manipulate two separate keyboards pretty quickly in tandem. That is an EXCELLENT point about 2 tabs. I don't know why I didn't think about that. This way I can probably use the slower of the two computers to manage my booking spreadsheet- if I don't need two for booking.

Most of them I'm not too worried about, but I really want to be in and out of 'Ohana before holiday Wishes goes off and be done with CP as MK is opening. Yeah- I think free dining has impacted openings for your dates even though it's low time.

How are you getting to WDW? One thing to keep in mind is that 'Ohana will require a credit card gaurantee when you make the ADR. So if you're flying and the plane is late and you miss your ADR, you will be charged a no show fee.

Of your three, I would make either CP or 'Ohana first. Probably CP because that's the one you are the least flexible about. Le Cellier lunch is popular (because it's 1 TS credits at lunch compared to 2 at dinner), but you should be okay. I make ADRs for October a couple of week ago and didn't get up at 6 am to make them (it was probably closer to noon by the time I made my ADRs) and I still got Le Cellier at 11:30 am.

Also, if you don't get your desired time on the first day, keep trying. You have 180 days to find what you want. I've always had pretty good luck getting what I wanted by checking frequently.

We are driving and I expect to be there mid afternoon, so I don't think it will be an issue.

It really is a tough call. 'Ohana is day 1 and while I am wiling to go as much as hours earlier to up to 20 minutes later...it seems that every day I check to gauge my odds...the earliest openings start about 10-20 min after the latest I want to go. Of course, I'm checking a couple hours later so it might be a very different story at 5am CT.

On the flip side, we've done the 8:05a at Crystal Palace and the 8:25a and it does make a difference with exiting time. It's projected to be a lvl 9 crowd day and while Crystal Palace is one of our must dos, I want the time that's going to afford us the most time when the park is the least crowded. Although, it is also our last day and we'll be hitting the road for Thanksgiving in S. FL after a late lunch at Sanaa...so come the time, we may not mind the later slot as much as the prospect of it does right now.

I don't think Le Cellier is going to be enough of an issue to move it up higher than 3rd. If anything our 7am at Chef Mickey's is more important to me, but I think the odds are equally good with that to not go nuts over booking slot.

True about the keep trying part. My friend even noted that I seem to enjoy stalking the website if I don't get the exact times I want...so she said she'd be kind of sad if I got everything I wanted at my ideal times. Mainly b/c I seem to have so much fun stalking.

Thanks everyone!!!

 

[Nafinegar]

DH and I used two computers for our July trip. It worked fine. We probably didn't need to because we were mostly getting ADR's for places that require credit cards for reservations.

Good luck!