Whats the deal with all this??

[Princess Maggie]

I may be in the minority here; however since my "adult & married" days of going to Disney, we have yet to make an ADR. We would just decide that day our schedule, and I guess for lack of a better terms, make it happen. I know some of my trips pre-date the dining packages..(opps I am old :secret:) but with the new online reservation system I thought I will give it a whirl. Boy was that a mistake, I think I just gave myself a migraine. According to the online reservation system, there are NO available choices during my stay in Sept/Oct. I chose different times, not even an alternate location was suggested. It just told me there was nothing available. This year we decided to splurge and go for the deluxe dining plan, which I think now may be a mistake. I know my DH and I could not have been riding on luck by being able to go to whatever restaurant we choose to plan our day around all those years. So I guess here is my question, (finally), whats the deal with being able to eat at our favorite restaurants for the past 7 years without reservations, but the year we try and be pro-active and book online we are getting shot down left and right...:mad:

[Seasonscraps]

I would try calling to make the ADRs - I think a person could help find alternative places/times better then the online system. You are also going during free dining and that promotion effectively filled the restaurants.

Good luck!!

[tinksmom02]

This is the first time they've extended the free dining well into October, I believe, which may be why you're having difficulty finding ADRs.

I tried the online system and it worked ok, but if I were you (especially if doing the DxDp), I would probably call WDW-DINE and work with someone to figure out dining options.

Good luck! :mickey:

[SBETigg]

Call. It's not too late to change your dining plan if it still doesn't work out for you. I would try some Signature dining, and they usually do have openings. They're really very helpful on the phone (barring the occasional clueless CM, and if you get one of those just hang up and call back). Good luck with it!

[Basket Mommy]

We're like you, OP. We used to just wake up and call to get an ADR for that same night (or call the night before for something the next day)... no problems getting a table at most of the restaurants we wanted. When the DDP and the Free Dining were added, that became much harder to do. Now we always make ADRs. We don't always keep them (we do call and cancel if we know we're not going to make it). We just like knowing we have *something* if we need it.

[KAT1811]

I would try calling to make the ADRs -

You may have better luck with a CM on the phone.


This is the first time they've extended the free dining well into October, I believe, which may be why you're having difficulty finding ADRs.

With the economy the way it is I bet there are people that have moved their travel dates into the Sept/Oct months just to take advantage of the "free dining" offer. Therefore everyone is jumping for ADRs.


Call. It's not too late to change your dining plan if it still doesn't work out for you.


:ditto:

Just curious, did you go during "free dining" on your last trips? Or is this your first experience with it? We went for two weeks in November last year and had trouble changing some dining reservations while we were there. One night we tried to get into Mama Melrose's that same night and they had no openings (and Mama's isn't a popular eatery). We did however get into the Yachtsman twice last minute while we were there so I agree with the PP that said you may have better luck with some of the signature dining venues.

Another curious question. . . what restaurants are you looking to get ADRs for?

[mudpuppysmom]

First I will disclaim myself.....I'm trying to change a day/time at Chef Mickeys....yes, I know it's a popular place, but the whole entire week is booked from 7 am on for breakfast!!

I tried for several days online to change our breakfast at CM's but with no luck, so I figured I'd try to call, maybe they had a magic wand and could help me.....well, the CM on the phone started out with -- "Can I have your ressie #?" I told her we were staying at SOG...and reiterated this...still she said give it to her. After not finding my ressie -- I knew she wouldn't! She got my name and then was able to pull up my already made ADR's.....I told her I was trying to change our day at CM's and she checked the entire week and nothing came up! She did tell me that the systems are virtually seamless and whatever they show online is what they can see in the ressie center also.

So, take this for what it's worth......yeah, they can put in a time range, but if the online system is telling you nothing is available there probably isn't anything available which is really not good for you (I'd say something else, but it'll get deleted!).

I'd keep trying and hopefully something pops up....I'd be very angry if I'd paid for the Dlx dining plan and could not take advantage of it!!

I also had this trip planned MONTHS ago, like basically last December and now they come out with free dining and that really messes with our dining options too, but as someone I'm sure will say....Disney is a business and they need to reel people in, so they offered the free dining into October/November.

I'm bummed about it myself, but GOOD LUCK TO YOU!!!!

[PAYROLL PRINCESS]

We were able to change our ressies a couple of years ago while we were in the parks. I think they have last minute cancellations and that's how people can walk up or change. But during the free dining, it's very hard to get anything. Keep trying because people do make multiple ressies and cancel as it gets closer.

[SurferStitch]

The only trip we didn't make ADR's for was our honeymoon in 1996, and that was because we didn't know about that at the time. The only place we reserved was V&A.

Ever since then, we've made ADR's for every trip (16 trips now). Even before the dining plan or free dining, we've found ADR's to be necessary, especially at places like Narcoossee's, Le Cellier, Cali Grill, Cinderella's Castle, any character meal, etc. So, ADR's are definitely nothing new to us.

We've never had a problem getting the ADR's we wanted at the 90 or 180 day mark (whichever applied). Even making changes or adding something after that date usually went well, but not always.

I know there were plenty of times over the past 12 years or so that we've tried to change a dinner ressie same day, or even during the same week, and have not been able to due to the restuarants being full. It's really nothing new or only related to the free dining promotion. It's been like that for years.

I wish you a lot of luck getting some good dinner ADR's so you can take advantage of the high cost of the deluxe dining plan. People do cancel ADR's from time to time, so keep trying! You may get some decent places.

[redlegwife96]

For our trip last July (without free dining), we made our ADR a couple of months in advance. While at Disney, we had no luck altering our reservations in any way (time or restaurant) due to everything being booked. We missed a reservation at Kona because of the 4th of July crowd at the Poly, so I feel your fustration. We used that credit to do signature dining at Jiko. The signature dining always had openings. I hope a CM will help you since you are on the DDining Plan. Good Luck! :mickey:

[Mickey91]

Pretty much, if you want one of the more popular places such as Chef Mickey's, CRT, Coral Reef, etc. you need to make an ADR at the 90 day mark. CRT breakfast goes within the first 3 - 5 minutes. This is pretty much anytime. Not just during free dining. Maybe you have been fortunate to find a cancellation in years past. Good luck!:mickey:

[Sneaky Pete]

free dining and ADR systems have caused Disney to place the cart in front of the mule or the cheese before the mouse.

Believe it or not, there is an entire secret society of people that go to the parks stictly for the rides and fun and only stop to eat because they're hungry or thirsty.

In the old days, you could stop for quick bite in plenty of places as long as you avoided the prime eating times but that generally is no longer the case. Even for those of us that only want a soda and hamburger, you have to plan on having a few solid ADRs booked, especially if you have kids to consider. If you don't you can seriously end up not being able to eat a decent lunch in the parks.

[Septbride2002]

Since the free dining promotions have started my DH and I make maybe only 1 or 2 reservations - usually for a character breakfast or lunch. The rest of the time we eat counter service or in our rooms. We use to eat Table Service every night - but the quality is down, the places are crowded, and the military battle plan to get an ADR is a hassle. No thanks. I realize Disney makes up the difference, but as far as our family is going - they've lost money.

~Amanda

[Ian]

Unfortunately, gone are the days of freewheeling through the parks unfettered by commitments to ADR's. With the advent and popularity of the following two things, that's ancient history:

#1: The DDP/free dining and
#2: Sites like this one ;)

[MonoMan]

I think the DDP and the people who make multiple ADRs for the same meal have forced people to plan in advance. :(

[rflorek]

I have been traveling to WDW as an adult with my DS and friends for the past 7-8 years now. We have ALWAYS made ADRs for our character meals, but didn't dine at more than CS or resort food courts at other times. I always thought it was necessary from things I had read - especially for character meals.

To me, it was actually more stressful this year with the free dining because I want to make sure that we use all of our credits and we normally wouldn't eat so many TS meals.

[AmBo]

Disney needs to figure out how to restrict reservations to not allow all these people to make multiple reservations for teh same days and times all over the parks. It's just inconvenient :mad: