Advanced Dining Reservations (ADR)
Disney has its own dining system in place, which is called "Advanced Dining
Reservations." They are available at just about every sit down restaurant in
Disney World. Advanced Dining Reservations means that you are given the next available
table that will accommodate your party once you arrive for your meal.
Depending on the restaurant and the time of year you are visiting, the wait
can be long. It is best to check in for your ADR about 15 minutes early.
Often, during "off times", you can be accommodated up to an hour early.
To help you in this process we've created the
INTERCOT Advance Dining Reservation
Planner.
Calling
Advanced Dining Reservations can be made before your visit by calling
407-WDW-DINE Or you can make them once you are in the world by pressing the
Dining button on your in room phone, or via the My Disney Experience app or
mobile site.
Some dining experiences are more popular than others, which is why Advanced
Dining Reservations are a necessity in certain instances. Restaurants such
as 'Ohana,Le Cellier and Cinderella’s Royal Table book
months in advance.
If you are staying on the Club Level at a Disney World resort, the staff can
help make your priority seating arrangements for you. The Itinerary Planning
Office will contact you prior to your arrival for your list of ADR requests.
Once at the resort, the concierge may assist you in securing a new
reservation or changing existing ones.
When to
Call
The majority of the restaurants within Disney World take Advanced Dining
Reservations 180 days in advance. Check
here for a time guide. If there is an
experience you cannot miss, be sure to start dialing at 7 :00 a.m. EST (when the
office opens) and EXACTLY 180 days before the day you would like to have your
meal. Dining slots have been known to "sell out" by 7:05 (and no, we're not
kidding). You can also make reservations
online beginning 180
days before the day you would have your meal.
If you will be a guest at a Disney World resort, you will be given a "head
start" on making ADRs. The 180+10 benefit means you may make your
reservations for the length of your stay beginning 190 days before your
arrival date.
Confirmation Numbers
Once you have made your arrangements with the Advanced Dining Reservations
cast member, you
will be given a confirmation number for each ADR you have made.
It's a good idea to write the number down and take it with you (in case
anything goes wrong, you will be able to show the restaurant host or hostess
your confirmation number). If you make your reservations online, the
confirmation numbers will be e-mailed to you. In addition, if you make the
reservations while logged into
www.mydisneyexperience.com, your ADRs will automatically populate into
the "my plans" section of your profile.
Arriving
The day of your Advanced Dining Reservation, it is a good idea to show up at
the restaurant 10-15 minutes before your seating time. The host or hostess
at the podium will check you in and let you know where to wait. Some
restaurants issue pagers, others just call out your name when your table is
ready. Your wait time really does depend on the popularity of the restaurant and
the time of year. Obviously, at the busier times of the year, your wait may be
longer, even up to an hour past your ADR time.
Try Again
What if you can't get a Advanced Dining Reservation for the restaurant or time that you
want when you call? Try again approximately a week before the day you would
like to dine. Cancellations do happen. You could be one of the lucky ones.
It is also possible to benefit from a last minute cancellation. Try walking
up to the podium at the restaurant and ask. In addition, the mobile dining
site is a very handy way to check for last minute availability. Simply enter
your party size and meal time preference, and the app will return all
available restaurants to choose from.
Cancellations
This brings us to the topic of cancellations. If you have made an Advanced
Dining Reservation and later decide that you don't want it, just call 407-WDW-DINE
again and cancel. This way someone else may get that ADR that they wanted and
couldn't get. It will also allow you to avoid any cancellation penalties. Be
aware that you must cancel your ADR more than 24 hours ahead of time, or a
penalty will be charged. See below.
Credit Cards
At this
time, a credit card is required to make an Advanced Dining Reservation. You
must either be logged into your My Disney Experience account with a credit
card on file, or you must provide a credit card number over the phone.
Disney will assess a $10 penalty per person for "no shows" or cancellations
within 24 hours of the ADR time.
Group Dining
If you are dining with a large group of more than 8, call WDW-Dine. You may be transferred to “Group Dining” depending on the
restaurant you are planning on visiting (the threshold varies between 9 and
20 guests). Cancellation policies depend upon the restaurant as well.
Parties of 8 or more will be charged an automatic 18% gratuity at most
Disney restaurants.
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