Trouble getting ADRs

ScottyP · #1 05-17-2007, 07:08 AM

Hi there,
We are going to Disney the last week of August and I have secured some dining reservations. I am trying to complete my ADRs this week and I am running into difficulty getting dinner the last two nights of our trip. We will of course be there for free dining but I was not aware that everything would be booked solid this early. We have young kids so eating late is not an option. What happens if we cannot secure an ADR for our last two nights before we go? Is it unrealistic to hope to find anything when we are down there or will we lose out on the two table service credits?
Also, I have contacted the Big River Brewery and was told they do not do ADRs. How early can I secure priority seating there? That is my last hope for one of the nights.
Any suggestions?

tlhewitt52 · #2 05-17-2007, 07:10 AM

I will tell you to try to keep calling every couple of days and checking someone might cancel their ADR's for the restaurant you wanted. People change their plans all the time so keep calling you might get in!!! Also, you might have to try a different restaurant or pick a little less popular one I don't know where you were trying to get in but I will tell you if their booked solid you really have no chance of having a walk in dinner there!!

LibertyTreeGal · #3 05-17-2007, 07:38 AM

Yeah, August is only 3 months away at this point and with the free dining it just packs them in.

Have you tried alternate places, or maybe doing lunches instead and CS for dinner? That way you would be indoors for the hottest part of the day and riding the rides when most people are having dinner. Liberty Tree Tavern is generally not packed for lunch and you may be able to book them easily -- and it's the best food in the park, IMHO. But I think your best bet is to do lunch, wherever you are trying to eat -- menus are generally the same anyway.

momofdisneyprincess · #4 05-17-2007, 09:56 AM

I am going the same week as you. I was able to secure all of my ADR's. But, I had most of them done before they announced the free dining. I did have to choose 4pm dining reservations for the ones I didn't have before free dining was released as I have a 4 year old. Other than that, after 8pm was open which was just not an option. I'm not sure what kind of food you like but Cap'n Jack's in DD had reservations and a lot of the resort restaurants had reservations too. I even got a 3:55 reservation at Crystal Palace. Good luck and don't give up! You could always ask the CM you speak to on the phone what they do have available for TS the night your are looking for. I found them to be very helpful.

faline · #5 05-17-2007, 10:18 AM

You might think about late lunches instead of dinners - might have more luck with that.

With free dining, things book up very solid, very quickly!

mook3y · #6 05-17-2007, 11:03 AM

as stated above, keep trying.

Also, keep your eyes on these boards. Last year they offered a couple of options since the free ddp packed them in. They set up a buffet in Tomorrowland that you could not get ADR for. Also, they allowed you to trade in a tableservice credit for a counter service and you got something with it - I think a lanyard and pin.

Since it seems to be as popular (if not more) as last year, I would expect they will do something similar this year.

gtpooh · #7 05-17-2007, 01:00 PM

I agree with the above posts about continuing to call frequently, especially as you get closer to your trip!

baby minnie's mommy · #8 05-17-2007, 01:09 PM

Keep calling. However, here's a warning: We're trying for Chef Mickey later this month, and it's booked. One day we called and yay! got an opening. In the time it took my DH to ask me if the time was ok though, someone else booked it!!! So if you really want a ressie somewhere and get an opening, book it and ask questions later! You can always cancel it, but you can't always get in!

grumpycajun · #9 05-17-2007, 02:06 PM

We also use TS credits for one or two lunches. It's much easier to get ADR's for lunch and it kind of changes things up a bit. Some nights we just want to grab a quick CS meal and be done with it. Besides that, it's nice to take a break and have a relaxing lunch and soak up some a/c in the middle of the day.

wendy*darling · #10 05-17-2007, 04:00 PM

ADRs for late August opened in late February- so people have been filling the restaurants up for 3 months now! I am not at all surprised that many places are booked.

But remember...TS credits do not have to be used for dinner only. How about a character breakfast one morning? Or a TS lunch (as many have suggested)?

You also do not have to use them on your last 2 days. There are no restrictions saying you have to use one of each (TS, CS, snack) per day. You can use 3 TS in the same day if you want, and all CS the next day. It's your choosing.

I also suggest calling back and seeing what is available during your whole stay- all meals. You can probably find a place to plug in those last 2 TS.

I would not recommend waiting until you get there and hope to get in anywhere. I have been during free dining, and have seen the large signs at the front of the parks stating there are no available TS restaurants, and they will not be taking walk-ups.
The resort restaurants will have more openings- be flexible and see what is available.

Tigerlilly · #11 05-17-2007, 04:23 PM

Everyone has great input. I want to second doing your TS earlier in the day. We much more enjoyed our sit down lunches and felt like we were wasting time when we sat down for dinner.

Also, when you call for ADRs if everything you want is full up, Ask the cast member you are talking to for suggestions. The Cast member I talked to was able to shuffle our days and get everything we wanted except Chef Mickeys. The Cast Member may also have some suggestions for places you would not have considered.