When did ADR's start?

[mattandmandy]

On another thread there was a discussion about in the past having to wake up early and make priority seating as soon as you entered the park and what a pain it was. (Is priority seating the same as advance dinner reservations?) Last night we saw a show that was a few years old where the family walked up and was able to get seats for their meal at one of the popular restaurants with no trouble. I had to call every day for a week to get all the ADR's I wanted b/c I waited too late.

I guess it's still possible to walk up and get a table if there has been a cancellation and you arrive at the right time. It's just that a few years ago...2004? I remember DH and I walking up to almost any restaurant we wanted and getting a table. I don't seem to remember at that time making a lot of reservations but then again maybe I did. This trip I feel like I've planned our whole schedule around what restaurants we were able to get reservations.

Anyway, just curious. I saw that someone also mentioned that its harder to get reservations now due to the DDP.

[VWL Mom]

I too remember going without any reservations. We would just walk up or make one at guest services. I think the DDP made the ADR's so popular.

We ere told some of the Epcot restaurants are considering leaving about 20% of their tables open for walk-ins. Tutto Italia's outdoor section is for walk-ins (at least earlier this month). The waiter told us they lost revenue due to no-shows and decided to go this route.

[Tbelle1976]

The waiter told us they lost revenue due to no-shows and decided to go this route.

I'm not surprised with this at all! I also would not be surprised if they went to taking a CC guarantee with every ADR in the near future. That would cut down on this problem a great deal I would think.

[SpecJoe Magic]

I'm not surprised with this at all! I also would not be surprised if they went to taking a CC guarantee with every ADR in the near future. That would cut down on this problem a great deal I would think.

I seem to recall them doing that in some cases, such as when it involves the Candlelight Processional package. I'm not sure if they still do it.

[Tbelle1976]

Yes, they curretly do it with specific dining locations. I had to give a CC guarantee at both Akershus and Cali Grill for our trip in Feb. I also had to first pay up front for DD and I to do CRT breakfast, once we added the DxDDP I was then reimbursed for it.

I have no problem with the CC guarantees. Although we make most of our dining ADR's in advance, we have also been known to walk in to a rest in hopes to get a table (and thus far have been lucky). I understand that when on vaca plans change, but to not inform them ahead of time that you will need to cancel an ADR (assuming your planning your day correctly to accomodate them) seems to me a bit ignorant.

[ElenitaB]

We've been going to WDW since 2000 and we've always made reservations. That said, it wasn't as crazy as it is now to get a walk-up.

The cc deposits started a few years ago when another site began "trafficking" in CRT reservations. In an attempt to curb that practice, WDW imposed the credit card deposit for those ressies and the practice has expanded to other venues.

[Polynesian Dweller]

Problems getting into restaurants really started in earnest with the start of the DDP. Before that, it helped to get a reservation from your hotel concierge or at the park for a popular restaurant but you could always find a good place every day. It made dining much more spontaneous.

Some of the problem with the DDP is people not using their ADRs and requiring a CC for every ADR should be done IMHO.

[Simba's Mom]

It's still possible to walk up and get in to a resturant with little or no wait at some resturants. We did it last month at CM Character Breakfast,TuskerHouse buffet lunch, and GFC. We also booked LTT for lunch while at WDW, with several choices of times.

[disneydeb]

I remember in the 80s and 90s arriving at my resort and making reservations just after I walked into my room and getting everything I wanted.:mickey:

Those were the days!:D

[KylesMom]

I also recall having to make PS's (Priority Seating Ressies) from 2000 onward. Our first was Chef Mickey's at the suggestion of early Intercotees, stating that it was a popular restaurant & we'd need to make reservations. We enjoyed ourselves so much that we tried to get a secondary reservation during our stay - but didn't have any luck the remainder of the week. That taught us to make any sit-downs at the 90-day mark. Of course, now it's the 180 day mark . . .

I must say that for the popular restaurants, we've never been able to simply walk in. They've always been booked. This includes places like Sci-Fi, Whispering Canyon and Ohana. We haven't attempted it in quite some time, especially since the DDP was added. We do find it interesting to watch how many folks are turned away in the course of waiting to be seated for our ADRs, though!