are ADR's flexible?

[Minnie Imagineer]

in march, I will be going to wdw for my senior trip. My friends and I get to book restaurants soon!! With dinner restervations, it might be 2 of us eating or 20 of us.
My question is: are the ADR's flexible? ex) can we tell them we are a party of 5 and bring 4 or 3, or even bring 6?

[AwPhooey]

In my experience, bringing fewer people is never a problem, as they can give you the same table but you don't fill all the seats.

As for bringing extra people,it depends. If you're a party of three and you bring an extra person, it probably won't matter because there aren't tables with only three seats (or, at least not that I've seen).

If you're adding a person/people that will require a larger table, you may have to wait until a larger table opens, but with the Dining Plan being so popular, that may be very difficult to do, as many restaurants are full.

[Strmchsr]

Don't count on being able to bring extra people. Due to the popularity of the ddp many restaurants are at capacity a good bit of the time and, due to fire code and their own internal policies if your ADR is for 5 you can't bring 6. The only way that could happen is if they weren't busy when you arrived and weren't planning on being busy for a while. Since March is a popular time that isn't likely. 4 isn't really a problem, but they prefer that you be exact.

[TheRustyScupper]

As for bringing extra people,it depends. If you're a party of three and you bring an extra person, it probably won't matter because there aren't tables with only three seats (or, at least not that I've seen).

1) There ARE tables for three people.
2) Especially with WDW crowding more tables into eateries.
3) Typically, the table is against a wall with three chairs.
4) If you bring four people, they won't fit at the table.
5) It is getting harder and harder to add people to ADR's.

[AwPhooey]

I stand corrected.

Thanks for that information Rusty! :thumbsup:

[brewcrew26]

I think occasions happen where people can't come to dinner (i.e. sick) But when you start adding people to the ressies, you need to be considerate of the CMs trying to find more places to sit and the other guests who may also be inconvenienced.

[NJGIRL]

You can't add people. I had to change an ADR I made for this coming Oct last month and instead of adding the two extra people they had to redo my whole ADR and I was given a different time (and that was 4 months in advance). I would get a definate count of your party before you call to make your ADR's because adding people later could cause you to lose your spot.

[Jared]

Unfortunately, the restaurants are so crowded now flexibility is increasingly difficult. I have brought a different party size to the podium several times and have always been accommodated, but it may be tougher now. Try hard to have an exact count before booking.

[PrincessEmmasMommy]

Last year we added 2 to a ADR. They couldn't do it through reservations so my dad called the restaraunt directly. The manager there said this is possible and Central Reservations must have been confused. We went from a party of 7 to a party of 9. This was Cindy's dinner (from 1900 pf) at the GFC. Don't ever take no for an answer until you speak with someone directly at the restaraunt.
Jen

[disneygeek84]

It's very difficult to change your ressies. We went last spring when my sister was working there on the CP...when we made our original ADR we only had 8 people on the ressie because she didn't know when she could go to dinner yet. So when we DID know we went back in and added her...it was so hard just adding that one person. And then a few times they didn't even have it in the system that we had added her.

If I were you, I would get an official headcount before I made the ADR and then if you want more people to come later just have them make their own ADR. Especially with as popular as the DDP is, everywhere is so booked.

[tys_mommy]

They book adrs based on fire occupancy codes – I had to make all our reservations for 5 even though we were not charged for the 2 babies – they were still physical bodies. I know it is possible to get walk up seating but if it’s a popular enough place that you need to make your adr 6 months out – I wouldn’t think your chances of accommodating more people will be likely.

My suggestion – instead of trying to plan a group dining every day – choose one day for the group and then make the rest of your reservations for your core group - but let the group know of your intentions and if they can not commit then sorry but they loose out.