No early dining times available

[Cameo]

Just have to get this off my chest and I know some of you will feel my pain.

Well, I know that I am planning late. We usually plan further ahead then this, but with the free dining we decided to make a second trip this year. The only problem now is that I cannot book any of our preferred table service restaurants before about 8:30 at night (end of August). My kids generally eat no later than 6:00 and are ready for bed by 10:00 pm. I'm about ready to cry right now. Eating at 8:30 will only get us done by bedtime.

Basically, I will need to switch their bedtime snack and dinner around plus we will likely be missing fireworks. I'm beginning to wonder if this trip is going to be worth it. Eating at our favorite spots is a big part of the trip for us.

If I was not on the dining plan, do you think there would be more availabilities? Also, will people possibly start to cancel as the weeks go by? I know all about checking, checking back and checking again. I guess I was fooling myself into thinking this would be easy.

 

[polly p]

Why not have a big meal late afternoon and a healthy snack later in the evening. Switch your lunch and dinner meals. Then you can get counter service for "dinner time".

 

[justplaingoofy]

You won't get a huge monetary value from this, but you could use your sit down for a character breakfast or character lunch, and your counter service for your dinner..

 

[Cameo]

I am looking at making some of my TS ressies as lunch, but I don't feel you get the best value that way, plus some of our favorite items are only on dinner menus. PLUS, Ohana is impossible to do except at dinner time and this is our #1 spot. I know this is because of late planning on my part, but it's still just so disheartening.

 

[dylansmom1]

You Know keep calling everyday and ask about cancellations. They ahppen all the time. Here I am 13 days from my trip and finally got an ADR for Lecellier (Yeah) and for the time I wanted. It tooke several phone calls in the past two weeks to get what I wanted. Persistence pays off!

You also can try up until the day you are there to snag that ADR. We are still trying to an ADR for Chef Mickey's and I will keep trying. I have a feeling it might happen.

Don't get you hopes up, just keep trying.

Jane

 

[daisyduck123]

Also, will people possibly start to cancel as the weeks go by? I know all about checking, checking back and checking again.

Yes..people will cancel. We planned to go Aug. 13-19 but probably will cancel.

I've got a dinner ADR booked for each night (Chef Mickey's, 1900 Park Fare, Crystal Palace, WCC, etc.) between 6:00-7:00 p.m.

Will probably cancel next week or so.

 

[JoiseyMom]

You can also just make your ADR's for the nights you want, show up when the restaurant opens, and see if you can get seated earlier. We have done this, not on purpose, but just earlier, and have had no problems being seated, since we at least had ADR's for the evening.

 

[Lizzybee]

We did the show up early thing for two meals...CRT lunch and PT50s. For CRT we were only about 30 mins early and it was no prob. For PT50s we were maybe an hour early and we had a to wait a bit but again it was fine. Thank goodness we went early because we barely made it to Fantasmic in time to get good seats.

 

[Princess89]

I had this problem last year. I had an 8pm ADR at Chef Mickeys. We tried to entertain a then 1 year old. We unstead showed up very early, about 7 7:30, and told them we had an ADR but were hoping to get seated early 'if possible' We waited 15 minutes and they seated us. Thank goodness. Not sure how many are in your party but my friend had to cancel (2 adults) and she had ADR's for Chef Mickeys and 1900 Park Fare. I am cancelling her portion of ADRs tomorrow sometime.

 

[hanncam]

I would check everyday. I know that we had to change our resort reservations twice to accomodate our flights. As soon as I changed around that I had to call and cancel and rebook some of our ADR's. There are lots and lots of people out there that probably have to do the same thing I am sure.

 

[GoodFairies]

I understand the Ohana thing, but why worry about the "best value?" It's free. Make the latest lunch seatings and keep calling for the must-have dinners.

 

[disney1990]

If you are looking to eat early, I know a lot of times if you show up at the restaurant when they first open for dinner, they will be able to seat you.

 

[deany]

I agree, book the places that you WANT to eat at, not necessarily the best value. We have booked lunch at LeCellier instead of dinner as the menu appeals to us more - also LTT lunch instead of dinner. And we have booked some cheaper restaurants, at my DD's request - Planet Hollywood and SciFi Diner. I would love to eat at some other restaurants but they are just so picky and we are relying on the bus system. The free DDP is new to us and I am really looking forward to it.

 

[Debbie]

I agree, book the places that you WANT to eat at, not necessarily the best value.

Gotta agree! We are very excited about the prospect of eating where we want with this free meals. We booked LTT for lunch, too, because of the choices. CM reminded me "It's not a character meal." Yep, I know. I'm looking forward to the coolness at noon with good food in my tummy.

 

[PortieOwner]

I just made a reservation for September and will start getting my ADRs tomorrow. Honestly, if I can't get decent times at the places I want to eat I'll just cancel the trip and save my money for a recession year or hurricane year when no one visits WDW.

Portie

 

[PrincessPaczki]

Hi!

I know exactly what you are feeling about eating late. We were going the week of Aug. 13th but had to set it back another week. We had all of our ADR but the times were terrible (meaning really late like 9 ish!) When we moved our vacation and made our new ADR the times were awsome. Its amazing what a week will do.
I hope that you get the times that you want because it really makes a difference.