Without reservations, you might miss out on great dining at Disney World

[CR Resort Fan 4 Life]

http://thedailydisney.com/blog/2010...ght-miss-out-on-great-dining-at-disney-world/

To dine at a table-service restaurant at Disney World on any holiday means planning ahead with a reservation. Sure, a few lucky folks may squeeze in when they walk up, but for the most part, you need to book it in advance.

This was apparent Sunday at the Polynesian Resort when we waited for our table. The lines just to check in at Ohana’s and Kona Cafe stretched down the lobby hallways.

Sometimes, even securing that Advance Dining Reservation (ADR) can be difficult if you want to dine at the most popular places on Disney property. I learned that a few years ago when we wanted to schedule lunch at Cinderella’s Royal Table in her castle at the Magic Kingdom. I called months in advance only to learn the my kids’ birthdays were already booked.

So, what’s a parent to do? Call exactly 180 days prior to the date you want to request an ADR. Guests staying at a Disney resort can call 190 days ahead of time. Make sure you call when Disney Dining opens at 7 a.m. EST and be prepared to be on hold. When I called to make castle dining reservations the second year, I phoned when the call center opened. Though I was on the line for 45 minutes, I did get an ADR for the meal and date I wanted. If you still are unable to book your preferred ADR, call back often to check for cancellations.

According to one Disney dining agent, the most difficult ADRs to secure are, in this order:

** Le Cellier steakhouse in Canada at Epcot

**Chef Mickey’s at the Contemporary Resort

** Cinderella’ s Royal Table at Cinderella Castle in the Magic Kingdom

To make a Disney dining reservation, call 407-WDW-DINE or go to http://disneyworld.disney.go.com/reservations/dining/. If you have tried and true tips for securing ADRs, please share them in the comments.

 

[ntsammy5]

I would add one to that list - very hard to get Ohanas too.

 

[Cafeen]

The author is using older information . Ohana has taken the #2 spot (debatably, I'd guess it contends with Le Cellier quite often and is more of a seating vs available meals thing (Le Cellier is tiny while the Ohana that is more difficult is only 1 meal, breakfast isn't quite as in demand as dinner is) with CM in #3. Since the introduction of the princesses at all 3 meals, CRT has become quite a bit easier to get into than it once was.

The 190 day thing annoys me too. Technically they can't call 190 days ahead... but we all know that here (discounting the online glitch right now, of course).

But, at least it's getting the word out that dining reservations are important. Unfortunately, I doubt many people other than DIS fanatics will even bother to take that into account ><.

 

[LovesHerTaurus]

Since they added character lunches there are availabilities for most days for Chef Mickeys.

O'Hana has become the #1 hardest place to get into now. Even above Le Cellier. I've tried twice a day for 46 days in a row now. And check a few times late at night too

And this was for the ENTIRE SPAN OF MY TRIP - Aug 15-24.

Second is the Fantasmic Dinner Package. Exactly the same, calling twice a day.

Third according to the phone reservation people who know me by voice now is the Spirit of Aloha show and Mickey's BBQ.

She said Le Cellier is right up there with the Fantasmic Dinner Package. But O'Hana has gotten a little kookie!!

Back to my regularly scheduled dining hunt My daughters are carnivores, I want O'Hana's

 

[squirrel]

Lunches at Chef Mickey's aren't always available. They do open for lunch during busier times of year.

Only thing I can add to your list is that the online opens up at 6am EST for your 190 day.

I would have to go with Fantasmic DP as the hardest to get. You can only book by phone and even though there are 3 restaurants most of the time Fantasmic is only shown a few times a week.

 

[sunset30]

Wow! Lucky we got our ADRS sorted and booked bang on the earliest time we could - thanks to the Dis. We have Le cellier, O'hanas, Chef Mickey's (and a bunch of others) Only one we knew might be hard was Le Cellier, I am SUCH a newbie!

WE HAD heard that CRT was near impossible to get, but we decided not to do it anyway, with a ds who would MUCH rather meet Mickey Mouse than ANYONE else (but we did booka couple of princessy ones elsewhere just in case LOL!
Lx