Ya gotta feel sorry for those not making ADR's...

[vellamint]

I deeply appreciate all you Dis'ers. My family thought I was nuts making our ADR's a month ago for July. I am so glad that I did, but if it had not been for this board, I would not have known.

I have a couple of questions I wondered if you could help me with?

1. I managed to lose one of my confirmation codes and unsure of the time of my reservation. I believe it is 1:00 or 1:30. Will we be ok if we get there a few minutes before 1:00 and do I have to have the confirmation code?

2. The day we arrive, about 12:00pm we want to go to the Sci-Fi for lunch, but I am unsure how long it will take to check in and part of our party is driving so we are unsure what time they will arrive. Do you think we should call for an ADR as soon as we arrive?

3. Have not made plans for our final day there. Leaving it open to do anything we have missed and possibly Disney Quest. Will we be out of luck no having plans?

I appreciate any help.

1. Call Disney Dining back and give them the day and ask them for the ADR number.

2. I would make a reservation for an approximate time...are you leaving your luggage and hitting the parks right away? Maybe make a late lunch - like 2:30 or so. Usually late lunch is not too bad but Sci Fi can sometimes be crazy....lots of people love the theming so I would make an estimated ADR time.

3. You may be out of luck but there is always the Cheesecake Factory inside Disneyquest.....

Have fun!

 

[MickeyMonstersMom]

I'm a compulsive planner and made ADR's as soon as I knew when we'd be at WDW. The Dkids are used to this and look forward to the meals as much as the other attractions, so they're fine; however, my ex-husband and his wife may join us for part of the trip, and they are very "spontaneous" people. My ex thinks I'm nuts to have made ADR's at all - he'd rather just wing it. To be nice, I made the ADR's for all of us when I called, and told him he could show up or not. So he has guaranteed TS meals if he chooses to partake - it will be interesting to see how he fares otherwise.

I made the ADR's almost 90 days out, and had only two times available for Le Cellier - both for lunch - the entire week. Yikes! I was able to get ADR's within half an hour of my target time for the rest of our choices: Boma, WCC, Chef Mickey's, Crystal Palace, Sci-Fi, and Boatwright's.

 

[jackmac]

As one of the few dissenters on this board on this topic, I must say that, with the exception of LeCellier and California Grill for fireworks, I have never had trouble getting ADR's the same day. I have been to WDW during free dining this year and last, no problems. I usually go 3 times per year (Jan. May and Oct.) and still no problem. I usually eat later, 8:00 PM and after and I'm usually in a party of 2-4 people. I stay at the Boardwalk and usually eat in Epcot, around the boardwalk and DTD. No problems.

If it makes you feel better to have all of your meals planned, that's fine. But you don't have to and you will still eat in excellent table service restaurants every night.

One hint, make an ADR that day, even if it's only an hour ahead because ADR's do take precedence over walk ups. You can make ADR's by phone, at the guest services or the restaurant earlier in the day.

 

[disneyjunkie]

I think the NEED to have ADRs booked depends on when you visit.

Even with free dining, I'm sure some weeks will be slower than others.

 

[gems_smiling]

On our previous visits we never made ADR's. Last year we made our ADR's when we got there for Boma and although didn't get the times we wanted still got in however the Rose & Crown pub was another story, couldn't get in at all for dinner. This year we made ADR's for the first time and very glad we did (going in September). The only down side to ADR's is that changing your itinerary is hard to do coss it needs to fit around the ADR's. We rung up about 170 days out and got everything we wanted. These are the ADR's we made (lol we like Boma):
September 3rd - Boma 7:30am
4th - Boma 6:30pm
6th - Boma 7:30am
7th - Plaza 7:30pm
8th - Rose and Crown 7:20pm
9th - Boma 6:30pm

 

[Antonia]

I went without ADR's one year and we did NOT get into TS meals without them. We wandered everywhere and settled on CS meals. It was December. We did manage to get TS at WL where we were staying, but not in the parks. I haven't been without ADR's since then. It was not fun to be hungry and get turned away. If anyone is going at a busy time, I would advise to make ADR's ASAP!

 

[jackmac]

As I said, not making ADRs is a minority opinion, but it has worked for me during busy and slow times. That being said, I do call and make ADRs the day that I go and have never had problems. Walk-ups do get a lower priority so I always call, even if it's only 1/2 hour before I want to eat. I've surprised myself as to how easy it's been.

 

[nurseypoo5]

As I said, not making ADRs is a minority opinion, but it has worked for me during busy and slow times. That being said, I do call and make ADRs the day that I go and have never had problems. Walk-ups do get a lower priority so I always call, even if it's only 1/2 hour before I want to eat. I've surprised myself as to how easy it's been.

As the dining plan gets more and more popular and people continue to make multiple ADRs for the same time at different places (dont you hate selfish people?) more and more places will turn people away. i've been told that more often than not lately that the parks place signs up that state "Our table services are booked up today, please enjoy on of our delicious counter services." I was also told that they will now turn you away even if there are no shows because they have to hold them for 10 minutes, then by the time they can let them go, people with ADRS are showing up again.

Jack, your more experienced with this BY far over me....a million times more, i just have a feeling your luck will soon run out.

I'm with those who say do atleast one TS adr, if you can get into what you really want to eat that day by calling then YEAH GREAT! you can cancel the other one and change it to the one you crave...but if not atleast you have a TS adr ...yanno..just incase.

 

[DisneyGirl4188]

I made all my ADR's at 180(+10) days. There were a few places that didn't have times I wanted, so I called back at the actual 180 days for them. DH completely understands the need to make ADR's because we don't want to be disappointed by not getting to eat at a place we want. We like knowing where will will be each day and we don't park hop (we think it's too much hassle).

However, neither my parents nor his understand any of this. My mom has never been and thinks it's like any other amusement park. I have tried in vain to explain to her, but she just doesn't get it. When she finally goes, I hope she listens to me.

DH's parents 'may' be joining us on our next trip, they haven't decided yet. DH told me to go ahead and make the ADR's for just us and if they decide to come we will try to change the ADR's. If we can't, oh well.

I'm glad some people can just walk up (or call same day); I just don't want to risk it.

 

[MelanieC]

I often see people being turned away at the door when we are at WDW. I feel really sorry for the ones that have no idea until they experience it first hand.

 

[nurseypoo5]

I often see people being turned away at the door when we are at WDW. I feel really sorry for the ones that have no idea until they experience it first hand.

yeah it is sad. I mean dont we all know that there are a million more people in the parks than can fit into all the restaurants. Most of them who are unaware of what DDP can do will be SOL. I feel bad for them..but happy i found DIS!!!

 

[jackmac]

Some day, my luck may run out, but it has not happened yet. All of this is not to say that I've always gotten my first choice, but when I don't I've never been disappointed. There are many, many restaurants at WDW, both in the parks and resorts. The CMs at WDW-dine are very knowledgeable and have steered me to many new restaurants that I would never have tried before. One of the things that keeps me coming back is always having someplace new to go to, along with doing the familiar. I have never had to have a counter service meal for dinner (would never do that, dining is way too important). As I said, if in the future I'm locked out of dining then I'll make my ADR's at 180 +10, until then I'll keep with the system that works for me. Even if the rest of the DIS thinks it's wrong.

 

[4mykids]

I made new ressies today for the week of July 9th and got all my times. Was very surprised as usually we have to adjust 30 minutes to an hour on times. We have been there unable to get seats and it is miserable trying to find something to eat!

I have been there and called Dining Reservations and was told SciFi was booked solid. Went to MGM Guest Relations and the CM asked me if I was staying on property. He called SciFi directly and go us in. Something to keep in mind! (Maybe I shouldn't have told my secret!)

 

[jmskinner]

Thank you. I will call ADR to get my confirmation number and verify my time. I feel so stupid losing that one piece of paper. All of my other ADR's were logged into the computer already.

I will also go ahead and book the Sci-Fi for the day we get in. The hard part is my DMIL is driving with my DSD from NC and I am unsure what time they will arrive. I guess I could always cancel if they are going to be too late.

I would love to go to the Cheesecake Factory. I wonder how everyone would feel about paying for that. I don't see it on the DDP, is that correct.

 

[Nancyg56]

I actually made my ADR's and then I reserved our room. We are going during the free dining in August, and I wanted to make sure that I could have meals that my DGD could enjoy. Within the week, I saw on teh DIS that ADR;s were sparse unless you wnated a late meal.

last January, we watched a lot of people turned away for TS restaurants.

 

[tribus121]

When my hubby, tribus121 decided that we should go to WDW in September, because of the free dining plan, he made all of our reservations. All of our reservations, but one, are character meals. I can hardly wait because of our 4 year old daughter. This will be the first time to WDW and I think that she will have a blast. It will also be mine and my mom's first time to WDW. Hubby was there before.

 

[Caren]

It's really reached the point of being ridiculous, where you're locked into dining arrangements weeks or months ahead of time with no possibility of changing plans at the last minute. You say there's a torrential downpour and your ADRs are at the back of Epcot and you'd rather stay in your hotel to eat tonight? Well, too bad.

I'm attending a conference at WDW in August--no dining plan involved. I'll be renewing old aquaintances, meeting new people, and we'll be wanting to go out to dinner. We'll be going off site this year.

They've created more demand for dining at WDW, now let's see some more restaurants to meet that demand.

 

[Mom of Sleepy Bashful and BabyDoc]

I know i work with a "know it all" 23 yr old barbie doll nurse *yes im jealous*, and she is going to Disney this month. I told her months ago to make ADRS and she just snorted at me and said her parents go all the time and never needed to make ADRS (they are wealthy so they eat very well...well...not so much this time im thinking) Good luck to her

Free dining is going to include lots of counter service for some folks.

You said she is going this month, meaning June? Gee, I wouldn't think she would need a lot of ADR's........it's not free dining. I'm not saying that you only need ADR's during free dining time.........I ALWAYS make all of our ADR's(we only make a few) months in advance and except for one trip, we have gone off season. I was just thinking that there would be some availability for June times.

Now I'm not talking Cal. Grill for Wishes times,............dinners like that are in a whole different ballgame.

 

[figmentfan704]

Gem:

We'll be at MNSSHP on the 22nd also! It's our first MNSSHP---We can't wait!
We also will be at BOMA on 09/17 at 6:20pm. I'm sure I'll have my 'homemade-alien-green-mickey-head-nametag' on. Look for my lime green shoulder bag too! My Dh thinks I've joined some crazed WDW cult! lol

 

[kim35]

I need to tell ya...

Were going 9/1-9/10 and I just called and made all my ADR's on Saturday.

Got everything I wanted except Le Cellier which I had to make a little later than planned. Even HDDR was no problem (and I'm going on Saturday during Labor Day weekend).

I was quite surprised. I figured that everything would be booked by now.