Question about 180 booking window

[JB Smooth]

making first family trip in Nov and i see everywhere that it says 180 day booking window.

can someone explain what exactly that means? Is that for character meals, or like normal restaurants like Rainforest and Planet Hollywood?

What do you recommend me booking as soon as that window comes open?

Thanks in advance

 

[schrammalot]

It's for all table service meals. I always focus on the harder to get reservations first (character, Be Our Guest, Le cellier, etc) then go through and get the other reservations.
You can book up to 180+10 days. If you're staying for longer than 10 days you'll have to go back and finish up the days. Also, if you're doing a split stay you'll have to do it for both stays.

 

[soniam]

For every restaurant that takes a reservation, ie character meals, Rainforest Cafe, Planet Hollywood, park table service restaurants. Book any place you want to eat. I don't wait to book later, because I would just kick myself if the place weren't available later, when it probably was available at the 180 day mark. If you have a resort reservation, then you actually get 180 + the next 10 consecutive days of your trip.

 

[JB Smooth]

For every restaurant that takes a reservation, ie character meals, Rainforest Cafe, Planet Hollywood, park table service restaurants. Book any place you want to eat. I don't wait to book later, because I would just kick myself if the place weren't available later, when it probably was available at the 180 day mark. If you have a resort reservation, then you actually get 180 + the next 10 consecutive days of your trip.

could you explain more about the next 10 days comment?


also, is there a penalty for cancelling any of them?

 

[soniam]

could you explain more about the next 10 days comment?


also, is there a penalty for cancelling any of them?

If your trip starts on 7/26, then you can start booking reservations online on 1/27 at 6am EST. Plus, you can book your dining reservations for 7/27 through 8/5, 10 days, on 1/27. However, if you are staying offsite, then you could only book 7/26 on 1/27 and then book each day of your vacation on the next day. Basically, if you stay onsite, you pretty much can book all of your dining once; however, if you stay offsite, you have to book one day at a time.

EDIT: As for canceling, you have 1 day to cancel most dining reservations without incurring a $10/person penalty. If anyone shows up for the reservation, even if it's just 1 person, then there is no penalty. Some special dining things that are prepay, like dessert parties, have different cancellation policies.

 

[wilkeliza]

No penalty for canceling as long as you cancel with a days notice.

 

[disnut8]

No penalty for canceling as long as you cancel with a days notice.

And if you don't cancel within that one day notice, it will be a charge of $10/person fee. However, if you have a party of four and one person cannot make it or three people cannot make it and one person shows up, there will be no fee.

To ease your mind, I have had to change seating arraignments at various times and it's really easy to do. So, take a step back, relax, think about what you want, when you want it and then book as you can. Then, if things change, just try and switch your seatings around. But think about what is more important - your eating or what you want to do instead. I don't think anyone has starved at Disney World so think about your vacation plans first.

 

[msb578]

Do we know for sure that the OP is staying at a Disney resort?

@JB Smooth, where are you staying? If it's not a Disney-owned resort, you'll book restaurants one day at a time (exactly 180 days prior).

 

[wilkeliza]

Do we know for sure that the OP is staying at a Disney resort?

@JB Smooth, where are you staying? If it's not a Disney-owned resort, you'll book restaurants one day at a time (exactly 180 days prior).

Based on prior convos he is either staying through a DVC rental or on site.

 

[msb578]

Based on prior convos he is either staying through a DVC rental or on site.

Ah, nice! Just wanted to make sure.

 

[Hopefully]

making first family trip in Nov and i see everywhere that it says 180 day booking window.

can someone explain what exactly that means? Is that for character meals, or like normal restaurants like Rainforest and Planet Hollywood?

What do you recommend me booking as soon as that window comes open?

Thanks in advance

As PP Stated, 180 day ADRs are for ALL WDW restaurants.
I recommend you make an ADR at 180 days for every place you want to eat. Popular restaurants book to capacity months in advance. Disney does not keep any tables for walkups, even in the resorts for guests at that resort. Your hotel restaurant could be fully booked & you wouldn't be able to get a table.

could you explain more about the next 10 days comment?


also, is there a penalty for cancelling any of them?

Guests staying in a Disney resort have a 10 day advantage over those not staying in a Disney resort - the +10.

Most ADRs must be cancelled by 11:59 of the night before to avoid a $10/person cancellation fee. As long as 1 person dines, no fee will be charged. Some, dinner shows etc, have a 48 hour cancellation window.

 

[JB Smooth]

FYI we decided against renting points and are staying at Port Orleans Riverside.

 

[sbgla]

Yesterday was my 180 days so just did this myself. Assuming you have a Disney reference and you have added it to either the My Disney Experience App or the website version, once it hits your "time" it should open up your first day, along with the next 10 days of your break for booking. Just log in then click on "Make Reservations". The window on the internet opens one hour before you are able to call. 6am Eastern time to be precise (or 11am UK time for me!). I booked all our restaurants for the first 11 days yesterday then booked another today for day 12. Some restaurants which aren't so busy you could probably book closer to the time, but we just come up with a rough plan and book it all anyway. It is very easy to cancel on the app or on the web. (Or with a quick call if you like). As others have stated - definitely book anything which is busy. Things like CRT, Be Our Guest, California Grill at fireworks time, any bust character dining you want to do as these things will book out quite quickly. The rest is up to you but as I said, we tend to book things in advance and that way you get the exact time you want (or very close to it) whereas closer to the date you might not get the time you want or worse, not get a booking at all.