ADR Strategy and Process

[DVCBillyJoeBob]

I tried searching, but did not find what i was looking for on the site. Sorry if this has been discussed before.

I had good luck getting ADRs for my December 2017 trip, but would like to understand the behind the scenes ADR process better. Would help me, and possibly others with strategy. If others have ADR process questions, feel free to add them to this thread. I would love to have once source of information.

Question 1 - When someone cancels an ADR, does it go immediately back into inventory? If not, when does it go back into inventory? Are they processed multiple times a day or at a specific time daily?

Question 2 - Can one account have multiple ADRs for the same timeframe? An example of my concern here is if I have a 9AM ADR for Crystal Palace, but find an 8AM ADR that I prefer will I be able to book the 8AM reservation and then cancel the 9AM or will I have to cancel the 9AM first?

Question 3 - How long will a restaurant hold my ADR if I am running late? I normally show up early for ADRs, but will be rushing to my BOG dinner reservation at 4:05PM when we enter the park at 4PM for MVMCP.

Thanks in advance,
BillyJoeBob

 

[purple figment]

1. Some ADRs show up in the system right after they are cancelled (per those who successfully co-ordinate cancellations with another person.) Other reservations may not show up immediately, if the restaurant was overbooked the cancellation might not ever re-appear or you won't see it if someone books it as soon as it reappears in the system.

2. If you try to make a second reservation very close to the time of an ADR you already hold, the system will ask if you want to cancel your current reservation first.

3. There is no official grace period. It depends on the restaurant and how busy it is at the time you arrive. In most cases they will hold a reservation for 10-15 minutes, but there is no guarantee. You could be considered a walk up and will have to wait or you might be turned away if you are late. For the BOG reservation on the MVMCP arrive at the turnstiles early so that you can be among the first to enter. Sometimes they will enable the party ticket turnstiles a little before 4 PM. Once you enter the MK you must stop and get your wristband before you can head to BOG.

 

[DVCBillyJoeBob]

Thanks for the reply purple figment. I was hoping cancelled ADRs are released once a day in batches where we could time it for best results. Does not sound like that is the case. Will have to just keep swimming like everyone else.

BJB

 

[Willowlux]

Touring Plans Reservation Finder was a miracle for getting me our it hard to reservations. I got the texts for those available time from Touring Plans consistently between 7:15 and 8:00 a.m.
Good luck.

 

[disneymagic2016]

Thank you for this useful post. After making all my dining reservations at my 180-day mark, if I have to cancel my Disney resort hotel reservation (and make a new hotel reservation at an off-site hotel instead for those dates) what happens to my dining reservations already made? Thanx in advance !

 

[_auroraborealis_]

Thank you for this useful post. After making all my dining reservations at my 180-day mark, if I have to cancel my Disney resort hotel reservation (and make a new hotel reservation at an off-site hotel instead for those dates) what happens to my dining reservations already made? Thanx in advance !

So long as you are entirely within 180 days, you'll keep them. They must be cancelled separately.

 

[disneymagic2016]

Thank you very much for the information! As I understand from what you said- I can keep them until I manually cancel them separately . Thank you very much.