Are dining reservations just extra difficult to get right now?

[MaC410]

My 60+ mark just hit this morning and it's almost impossible to find dining times for any place we want to go. For example, we've never had an issue getting a dining time for a place like Biergarten in all the years we've gone and there shows literally no availability already for the entire week we are there. We usually go around this same time as well for the week after Thanksgiving because while there's no such thing as low crowds anymore we've always found this time manageable. Is something going on with the dining system or is it just harder than ever to get things these days?

 

[Narcoossee11]

Lots of inventory is pulled /held due to candlelight.

 

[MaC410]

Lots of inventory is pulled /held due to candlelight.

I completely forgot about this...And we've gone the candlelight package for Biergarten. It just wasn't on our mind this trip

 

[DISness Casual]

I was having the same issue with with Biergarten when my 2 month ADR window started on Tuesday. I can't even find a lunch for Biergarten whatsoever.

 

[SLThomas318]

I noticed things don’t appear to all be releasing at 60 days. Keep checking back (annoying I know). We are there the week of Thanksgiving and just after… hardly anything when my 60 day window opened. Was randomly checking each day and more things would open. It was frustrating, but ended up getting everything we wanted.

 

[Disneyhanna]

Strangely enough I experienced the opposite, at least for certain restaurants! I logged on around 9ET on my 60+3 and there were still some dinner reservations from 5-7pm available at California Grill, Sci Fi, Topolino's...usually those are long gone for someone doing split stays like we are. Many other restaurants were quite picked over but I was definitely surprised to see the above.

 

[MaC410]

I do think (and very much hope) Narcoossee11 is correct. It would make sense for them to not open up reservations to the restaurants that have the candlelight dining package until reservations start for that package. They wouldn't want those restaurants filled up by the time they release the candlelight package. We don't plan to do the candlelight package though. So I really hope we can get a regular reservation to Biergarten once the candlelight package opens up.

 

[Genie+]

I think 2 changes have really affected the ability to get ADRs.

• 60 day instead of 180 day - there’s alot more competition now. Not everybody even had plans of visiting at 6 months out. By 2 months out, most people have plans already secured.
• No more issues overlapping with FP windows. There were at least three one hour blocks that people needed to avoid. I realize there were work arounds, but most people avoided overlap booking. People were already hoarding ADRs back with the 180 day window. I think that is worse than ever too.

 

[Genie+]

Sci-Fi used to be very hard to get. It’s gotten much easier. I think people are doing Space220 instead. If they get that ADR, they won’t do both palces. And also Sci-Fi started allowing their system to share availability in the same car, even if different parties.

 

[bluejasmine74]

My 60 days was Tues I was able to get things like Topilinos Dinner, oga canteen for party of 10, 50s Prime Time, Boma Breakfast, Beaches & Cream and Steakhouse 71, droid build.
All I have left to book is our candle light processional dinner
I’m obsessive tho I will check for things I want every hr when I think about it tho lol

 

[82Bruhaha]

Yes, I am having trouble getting 50's Prime Time and Yak and Yeti. I got everything else mostly that I wanted. I still want to modify some times and the party if possible (one breakfast I had to do in 2 pieces).

 

[disneygolfer1985]

Ya I’m assuming some in Epcot are being held for the candlelight processional. We were trying to get coral reef and garden grill and those never popped up. However, Les Chefs de France, Le Creperie, nine dragons always popped up.

 

[Specter]

One other possibility is that the availability just hasn't been loaded in general. Our ADR date was on September 18th and we wanted to get Boma breakfast for our check out date which is 60+9. Nothing at all. And I mean no breakfast, lunch, dinner, anything. We could have gotten a reservation for any day of the upcoming week, September 19th thru 25th, and every other day we randomly checked up to November 23rd. But the 24th and later were just not there. We checked numerous times each day and then suddenly, a week later on September 25th, it was like someone had loaded the times and we could pick anything from the first seating of the morning on. It was wildly frustrating but it worked out, hope it does for you too.

 

[raddisneyfan]

Keep checking is the answer. I did mine at 60 days prior a few weeks ago for Nov 15-22 trip and at first nothing....then waited a few hours and no problem.

 

[Gentry2004]

My window opens up in a couple weeks so just out of curiousity I've been checking availability at 60 days out. I know I'm not seeing the +days for our onsite stay obviously but options have been extremely limited at 60 days and not just for the stuff you would expect to be sold out.

For example for 4 people for "dinner", the following not available at any time for 60 days from today:

Via Napoli
Teppan Edo
Yak and Yeti
Sci Fi
50's Prime Time

 

[Her Dotness]

Also, that more international travelers are returning--along with US "travel revenge" remaining strong. That's particularly so with only a few more months of the 50th celebration.

I suspect ADRs will continue to be a bit scarce here and there until everyone eager to get their Disney dose has done so.

 

[Boopuff]

I’ve read a lot of dining Threads. Common denominator-everyone seems to want the same 5-6 restaurants. Look at some of the less popular places, try stalking, when we were there there was some poo-up available reservations- good luck

 

[MaC410]

I’ve read a lot of dining Threads. Common denominator-everyone seems to want the same 5-6 restaurants. Look at some of the less popular places, try stalking, when we were there there was some poo-up available reservations- good luck

A lot of what you are saying is true but there is definitely something else at play though. Coral Reef is not that popular of a restaurant and you can get reservations for basically any day on the calendar currently. However, suddenly it becomes completely unavailable starting when the candlelight processional starts. The same can be said about almost all the candlelight package restaurants. Availability for any day and then suddenly November 25th there's absolutely no availability going forward. I don't think this is a coincidence. I think on October 6th when they release the candlelight package suddenly all these restaurants will have availability to book regularly too.

 

[IceSkatingPrincess]

I had a similar issue this morning for my trip, no dice on Homecomin (outside of 11pm, no thanks) and nothing for Rose and Crown (probably due to Candlelight). I was able to grab Citricios with no issues, but that isn't exactly a hard one even though it was on our list. Bummer waking up for a 545am booking spree and only getting 1/3!

 

[acebatonfan]

Just made my 60-day reservations. Nothing for harmonious packages or celebration at the top. Managed to get space 220, crystal palace before opening, and california grill right before fireworks.