180 days?

[ANG]

Is it truly THAT busy when making a dinner reservation 180 days ahead of time?

[Zippy 1]

Yes!!

[GoinGoofyPlanninThisTrip]

Depends on the restaurant, the time of year you're going, and the time you wish to eat. But yes, a few can be tough to get even 180 days out.

[Urbss]

Yes, very true. I was surprised when I tried to make an ADR exactly 180 days ahead to Whispering Canyon Cafe in Fort Wilderness and couldn't get near the time that I hoped for.

I think it is best to make the ADRs if you are really set on dining somewhere and need it to be a certain day or time.

[kakn7294]

It depends on what you want, when you want it, and if everyone else wants it too. I just made an ADR for 9 people for Cali Grill for 9:30p for August 9 without any trouble at all. I think reservations and crowds might be down at that time due to free dining starting the next week. I imagine that if I tried to get the same thing for the next week, I'd be out of luck.

[Pirate Granny]

Kathy...be prepared to WAIT...we had our last reservation at CG for 9:30, got there at 8:45 so we could watch the fireworks from the balcony...(poured rain, so that was a wash out)...didn't get SEATED until 10:15 and we didn't get any food until 10:45...needless to say, although we were two adults...that was way too late...when we left the restaurant (except the bar area) was nearly empty...service was slow...hey, it's the end of their shift...

[Advnt05]

My wife and I have been trying to eat at Le Cellier for 2 years. We're going in October to Disney and staying at the Dolphin. We were told that if you are staying on Disney property, you can make a reservation ahead of the 180 days window. So we called 190 days out and were told that we couldn't take advantage of that because we were at the Dolphin and not in "Disney" resort. Anyway, at 180 days, we called again and were told, sorry we're all booked for the entire week that we're at Disney. It's hard for me to believe that the entire week for every sitting (lunch and dinner) is booked 180 days out.

[KylesMom]

As others have said, it depends on the restaurant or special event you're trying to book. Among the more popular are LeCellier, Chef Mickey's, Ohana, Fantasmic Dinner Package, etcetera.

So we called 190 days out and were told that we couldn't take advantage of that because we were at the Dolphin and not in "Disney" resort. Anyway, at 180 days, we called again and were told, sorry we're all booked for the entire week that we're at Disney. It's hard for me to believe that the entire week for every sitting (lunch and dinner) is booked 180 days out.

190 days before check-in is a misnomer. If you are staying at a Disney property, you can make your ADRs at the 180-day mark plus ten subsequent days after that if you have a reservation number. As your date is during the Food & Wine festival, it actually doesn't surprise me at all that it booked solid so quickly. I'm sure, too that many people were hoping that free dining would be offered & so they made the reservation. I'd keep trying, as you may be able to snag a cancellation.

[Zippy 1]

Keep calling back. You may get lucky and someone will cancel. I would call a couple times a day until the day you leave to see if you can get in.

[Disneyfirsttimer]

My wife and I have been trying to eat at Le Cellier for 2 years. We're going in October to Disney and staying at the Dolphin. We were told that if you are staying on Disney property, you can make a reservation ahead of the 180 days window. So we called 190 days out and were told that we couldn't take advantage of that because we were at the Dolphin and not in "Disney" resort. Anyway, at 180 days, we called again and were told, sorry we're all booked for the entire week that we're at Disney. It's hard for me to believe that the entire week for every sitting (lunch and dinner) is booked 180 days out.

That is odd. We have eaten at Le Cellier for dinner for all of our trips so far. I have always called to book the first day the window for dining opened up and we have never had a problem. This last trip was during spring break and I was booking for 9 people and still no problem. Normal times too - 6:00pm or 6:30pm.

Are you calling or trying the online site? I have found when ppl are told no availability by phone the online site shows reservations.

Keep trying and good luck!

Karyn

[renecat]

We are also going in Oct. and got our LeCeller ADR without a problem. We must have always been lucky we eat there every year. Keep trying some one may cancel and you'll get in.

[whitney37354]

I got on-line at 6 a.m., 180 days before our trip and got everything I wanted, on the days I wanted, within 15 minutes of the times I wanted. We will be there June 5-June 11. The whole process took 30-45 minutes.

I wouldn't have been crushed if it didn't work out that way, though. I made a list & ranked what I wanted, getting those ressies first.

I even called at 7 a.m. for F! dinner package and got one with no problem for the date I wanted. (HInt: F! is almost always on a Thursday, then maybe another day or two of the week.) I knew that, and the CM had to look it up to see if F! was even playing that night. It was and she seemed surprised that I would know to pick Thursday.

It pays to be on this board, otherwise I would have been rearranging ADR's just an hours after making them.

[Fastpasssteve]

I'm glad I called on my 180 days out at 7:10 in the morning...otherwise I may not have gotten the reservation at Le Cellier. At that point I was lucky, it was already almost full.

[ANG]

I'm glad I called on my 180 days out at 7:10 in the morning...otherwise I may not have gotten the reservation at Le Cellier. At that point I was lucky, it was already almost full.

That IS one of the places on our list.


I had no idea you could go online to book.

[tinka]

I HIGHLY recommend calling 180 days out at 7 am. Last trip I waited on the phone for 20 minuste before someone finally picked up and a couple of the dinners I wanted were already full. With that said, I had no problem calling back often to see if there was a cancellation, and I got everything I wanted. I thinks it really depends on when you go, time you eat and where you are trying to get in. Good Luck!!

[ANG]

Another question: I was under the impression that they don't actually pick a time for you. That when you show up, you will be seated within 1/2 hr.

????


180 days for us is June 1st

[PopPhan]

Another question: I was under the impression that they don't actually pick a time for you. That when you show up, you will be seated within 1/2 hr.

????


180 days for us is June 1st

You book a time (like 6:10 pm for a dinner) arrive 15 - 30 minutes prior to your time and HOPEFULLY they will be able to seat you at the actual time of your reservation.

[tundramom]

We eat at LeCellier every trip. I got up at 6:45 A.M. Mother's Day (Sat and Sun are my sleeping in days!) and had no problems getting everything I wanted within 10 minutes of when I wanted. I even realized and hour later that I made a mistake and called back and rearranged (not Le Cellier) without incident. I utilize the +10 rule, and always ask for LeCellier first, then Teppan Edo, etc. personally, I find the phone process more efficient than online (I've used both). Plus I just feel better talking to a person, that's showing my age

[KylesMom]

Another question: I was under the impression that they don't actually pick a time for you. That when you show up, you will be seated within 1/2 hr.

????

As PopPhan mentioned, you make a reservation based on the time you want to dine/what is available. You then check in for your ADR 15 minutes or so before your scheduled dining time, and then wait for your name to be called. Hopefully you will be seated within a short time period. However, there are places we've had to wait an hour or more after our scheduled ADR time to be seated. Disney does not make any guarantees as far as when you'll be seated in relation to your ADR.

[disneykid@hrt]

I would try the internet atleast once a day. I have literally called and been told a dinner was booked and then gotten on the internet 30 minutes later and gotten in! And don't give up. People cancel everyday!