{B][/B]ADR - Hard to get reservations 180 days out??

[annnewjerz]

Question - is it difficult to get reservations if you call 180 days in advance at most restaurants in Disney?

I have used the Disney Dining Plan once and didn't use the foresight to make reservations. As a result, only got two table-service meals and they were at places we would not have preferred to eat.

This time around in 2009, my husband and I will be staying at a moderate resort and upgrading to the Deluxe Dining Plan and are planning to eat TS meals for lunch and dinner most of the 6 days we are there. Will I have a problem getting reservations at places like Le Cellier, Coral Reef, Brown Derby, etc. if I call the full 180 days in advance???

Also - any restaurants you would STRONLY recommend only going at lunch (or at dinner) because their menu/atmosphere is better at certain times of day?

Any insight would be GREATLY appreciated!

Ann

 

[wezee]

DH and I are going to WDW next month and upgraded to the DxDDP with a discount for free dining. I called on the 180th day and was able to get every ADR we wanted at the time we wanted. DH and I had loads of fun printing the menus for many of the restaurants and deciding our plan of action.

 

[annnewjerz]

Weezee,

I am so glad to hear you say that you had no problems. What made you upgrade to the DxDDP? I am going to do the same thing, book for the period they would offer free dining in September (if it is available for 09) and upgrade to the DxDDP. Most places I have read that it isn't worth the value. Typically, I would agree, however this year it will only be my Husband and I going and since we are upgrading to a moderate resort (we would usually stay at All-Star) we figured, we might as well indulge and eat at nice restaurants as much as possible also! Even with the upgrade, we are still spending significantly less than we do on most vacations, so it's a steal!

What restaurants have you booked? I basically mapped out our whole trip and have allowed sit-down meals at the following places over the course of a 6 day trip:

San Angel Inn, Coral Reef, Le Cellier, Les Chefs de France, Tony's Town Square, Sci-Fi Dine In Theater, Mama Melrose's or the Brown Derby, Cap'n Jacks, Mitsukoshi or Tutto Italia and then Boatwright's at the Port Orleans resort for two breakfasts.

 

[wezee]

We will be at WDW for 8 nights. Most days we have tried to schedule a breakfast or lunch and then a Signature for the evening. I'm at work and my ADR list is at home....so I will have to get back to ya later with the exact restaurants.

We jumped at the chance to upgrade to the DxDDP because:

1. It's discounted during free dining..we did a bounceback.
2. We love Signature dining
3. We are big food and wine people and the WDW dining experience is a big
part of our whole magical trip.
4. We are not fond of CS...hate waiting in lines on a hot day and then standing around trying to find a table, while your food gets cold.
5. We are going in Sept. when it is very hot. Taking a break form the parks and lounging in an air cond. rest. will be refreshing.
6. I'm sure my DH would also have his own reasons to add but these are just a few for starters.

 

[imthatgirl]

im going for free dining this year. i booked the trip at about 140 days out and booked my dining at about 130 days out, i had no problem getting everything i wanted.

 

[annnewjerz]

So glad to hear you were all able to make your reservations without any sort of hassle! My neighbor last year went to Disney about 3 weeks after us and had told me that even calling 180 days prior, she still wasn't able to get seated at every place they wanted for dinner. I thought that was highly unlikely, but weirder things have happened!

Is a signature dinner just something that you need to use two table service meals for? We went to the Flying Fish Cafe last year and used two meals, but I wasn't sure if that was considered "signature" or not.

We are also going in September and I think that eating out is a really great part of being on vacation. We went really really cheap last year and spent all of our time in the parks, so counter service for the majority of meals was fine...but since we are going alone this year, I agree that a nice break from the heat is a GOOD thing.

Does the same go with the DxDDP that you can trade in one meal for 2 snacks? I may be willing to pay for our cheaper breakfasts (beignets in the Port Orleans food court) in order to save a meal for two snacks down the road.

Hope everyone has a great time on their trip, and I hope free dining is offered in 09...otherwise we might have to stick with the basic DDP (which I still think is a great value!)

Ann