Better to take a “bad” time or wait?

[Alice121078]

My window opens tomorrow, so I went on today right at 6 AM to see how things looked. Literally, not a single ADR that we want was available. Some of the restaurants do have times, say for an 8 PM dinner. That would be WAY too late for our 2 year-old. If things are similar tomorrow, is it better to take the late time and try to change it later or to take nothing at all and keep checking? It seems like it would be easier to take nothing and keep checking, but I have no experience.
Thanks for the help!

 

[a1tinkfans]

I’ve always taken what I could get and have changed the time. If however your talking the Most popular, you may be stuck. You d still have the cancellation policy policy though.
Also.. grabbed Morocco a few weeks ago at Epcot. Then we got a pop up of Test track FP, I went to the restaurant as we were there... she just changed our time and said since we had a reservation already they’d honor Any time earlier Or later. We went a bit later.
Have a great visit and Good Luck!!

 

[EdnaMarieMode]

Keep in mind that what you see today does not entirely reflect what you will see when your booking window opens. What is 180 days for you is 170 for someone who arrives sooner than you do. Also, what you see today is 180 days out for every guest who wants an ADR whether they are on-site or off-site. When your window opens, that is only true for day 1 and will not be the case for the later days of your stay.

My strategy is to not take an ADR that I know really won't work. I want to be considerate of someone else who might really want that 8 PM 'Ohana or 7 AM Chef Mickey because I know that even if nothing else opens up, I am not going at those times. If everyone books times they don't want "just in case," then there's little room for any of those puzzle pieces to move. If I find a time within 30 minutes of my desired time then I take it and keep trying to move it (I can live with dinner at 6:30 if I wanted 6 or I can haul myself out for breakfast at 7:30 instead of 8 for example).

I'm also flexible on my days. Maybe I can't get a 6 PM Sci-Fi on Thursday but I can on Friday (so, I always note 1st preference and 2nd preference for those ADRs I really want).

If all else fails, set a reservation finder. There are a few out there (touring plans is most commonly used on here) that work really well. People change ADR plans when the FP booking window or cancellation periods come up as well.

My overall point being, you should be fine when your window opens tomorrow and I wouldn't be too worried about it but in the event that something really is completely gone or unavailable at a good time for you, then ADR plans change and reservations pop up all of the time and especially the night before when others cancel to avoid the no-show penalty.

 

[Alice121078]

Leaving room open for the puzzle pieces to move makes sense! I’ll take anything reasonable, but not something I know we definitely won’t be able to use.
Having a restaurant change an existing reservation to any other time is unusually good luck, isn’t it? I might try it with one to see if it works!
We are only going for 4 days because we live in Florida, so that puts us at a disadvantage compared to people who are staying for a week or two.
Hopefully things look better tomorrow!

 

[EdnaMarieMode]

Leaving room open for the puzzle pieces to move makes sense! I’ll take anything reasonable, but not something I know we definitely won’t be able to use.
Having a restaurant change an existing reservation to any other time is unusually good luck, isn’t it? I might try it with one to see if it works!
We are only going for 4 days because we live in Florida, so that puts us at a disadvantage compared to people who are staying for a week or two.
Hopefully things look better tomorrow!

Have hope, I have been able to get great ADRs with less than 30 days (sometimes within less than a week) ahead of an unexpected trip. Good luck!

 

[siren0119]

So it really depends on how dead set you are on having certain dining experiences. If it's a must-do on your list, I'd take what I could get and then work on modifying later (better to have that holy grail reservation at a bad time than not at all!). If it's a "nice to have", then make reservations somewhere else at a time that works for you.

as others have mentioned, reservations open up ALL the time. Use reservation finders on Touring Plans and Mouse Dining to get alerts when the times you want come available - I did that and just got my PERFECT time for a Bon Voyage breakfast during our trip (a month after my ADR day). Things also pop up in the few days leading up to when you want your reservation because people change plans while they are on site.

Good luck!

 

[OasterP]

I would say, if you know for 100% sure that you have no intentions on eating at that time - I'd skip it. If it's just questionable, grab it and see. When traveling with my kids, ideally I like to have dinner in the 5-6:30 range. I'll take a 6:45, but would never take a 9:00, if that makes sense. Just decide what your limits are and go from there.

 

[TeamSy]

My window opens tomorrow, so I went on today right at 6 AM to see how things looked. Literally, not a single ADR that we want was available. Some of the restaurants do have times, say for an 8 PM dinner. That would be WAY too late for our 2 year-old. If things are similar tomorrow, is it better to take the late time and try to change it later or to take nothing at all and keep checking? It seems like it would be easier to take nothing and keep checking, but I have no experience.
Thanks for the help!

We took a 9:15 BOG just to have it, but our 2 year old would never eat that late. We took it figuring if she fell asleep we would eat because it’s one of our favorites. I have been checking multiple times a day, probably more than that. Yesterday was able to snag a 4:35. By the time we’re seated and food comes it will be exactly her dinner time, so I say take what you don’t want so you at least have something and keep checking!

 

[NYCgrrl]

We know the hours we like to eat so that what I book. Too much work booking an off time ADR and then cancelling.

 

[Nancyg56]

We took a 9:15 BOG just to have it, but our 2 year old would never eat that late. We took it figuring if she fell asleep we would eat because it’s one of our favorites. I have been checking multiple times a day, probably more than that. Yesterday was able to snag a 4:35. By the time we’re seated and food comes it will be exactly her dinner time, so I say take what you don’t want so you at least have something and keep checking!

I don't understand this mindset. I can't see any point in taking an ADR that is not going to work, knowing I need to move it. It is counterproductive IMO.

OP- I take any ADR that we will be able to use, even if it is not an ideal time. I can deal with a little inconvenience if my family really wants that restaurant. I will not make an ADR just to have one in place. Dining is a big part of my family vacations, and moreso in WDW, but I refuse to jump through hoops for any restaurant, and I will never add stress to a trip by placing meals over comfort.

 

[TeamSy]

I don't understand this mindset. I can't see any point in taking an ADR that is not going to work, knowing I need to move it. It is counterproductive IMO.

It’s not counterproductive if there’s still a chance you may use it

 

[EdnaMarieMode]

I don't understand this mindset. I can't see any point in taking an ADR that is not going to work, knowing I need to move it. It is counterproductive IMO.

OP- I take any ADR that we will be able to use, even if it is not an ideal time. I can deal with a little inconvenience if my family really wants that restaurant. I will not make an ADR just to have one in place. Dining is a big part of my family vacations, and moreso in WDW, but I refuse to jump through hoops for any restaurant, and I will never add stress to a trip by placing meals over comfort.

This is what I always wonder. If enough people take ADRs knowing full well they won’t use them, like some kind of placeholder then there’s little wiggle room to move these until the last minute, if at all.

It’s not counterproductive if there’s still a chance you may use it

I believe the issue is with ADRs one knows they won’t use. I know I won’t eat at 9 PM with kids in tow, so I don’t take a 9 PM ADR “just in case,” as someone might be able to make that work for them (as in the case of pp who would be able to go at 9 PM while her little one sleeps). If the ADR is something that would work but you’re hoping to move it to another time (but you would still go for the original ADR if that doesn’t pan out) that’s different. So yes, if you might use the ADR, great. If you’re booking a 10 PM dinner someone else would be thrilled to have knowing full well you are never going to use it, that’s just making the system worse for everyone.

 

[Nancyg56]

It’s not counterproductive if there’s still a chance you may use it

If you would use that ADR if nothing else popped up, fine. Then book it and move it if possible. If you are using that ADR as a placeholder, what good is it?

This is what I always wonder. If enough people take ADRs knowing full well they won’t use them, like some kind of placeholder then there’s little wiggle room to move these until the last minute, if at all.



I believe the issue is with ADRs one knows they won’t use. I know I won’t eat at 9 PM with kids in tow, so I don’t take a 9 PM ADR “just in case,” as someone might be able to make that work for them (as in the case of pp who would be able to go at 9 PM while her little one sleeps). If the ADR is something that would work but you’re hoping to move it to another time (but you would still go for the original ADR if that doesn’t pan out) that’s different. So yes, if you might use the ADR, great. If you’re booking a 10 PM dinner someone else would be thrilled to have knowing full well you are never going to use it, that’s just making the system worse for everyone.

Exactly. I can dine late, and would prefer a later ADR over an early one. I would never book a 9 PM ADR with a youngster hoping that the child woudl fall asleep. How on Earth can you predict that happening, and in what WDW restaurant can you wheel a stroller in to avoid waking a sleeping toddler? I will always book ADR's that are in sync with my traveling party, and not what I hope would work if all the stars align.

 

[Kestryl]

I’ve got three ADRs for my upcoming trip. Two I booked times that were less than ideal, but doable, and I would have used them had I not found better reservations (time-wise, for me) through the Touring Plan Reservation Finder. I grabbed the new reservation, and then dropped my old one ASAP so others could have a chance.

I certainly don’t want to hold reservations I don’t intend to use! I’d rather they go to someone who would benefit from them.

 

[tzeitel]

Like a pp said - if it is a must do I would take a not ideal time. Otherwise just keep looking

 

[DisneyDoesMyHair]

My window opens tomorrow, so I went on today right at 6 AM to see how things looked. Literally, not a single ADR that we want was available. Some of the restaurants do have times, say for an 8 PM dinner. That would be WAY too late for our 2 year-old. If things are similar tomorrow, is it better to take the late time and try to change it later or to take nothing at all and keep checking? It seems like it would be easier to take nothing and keep checking, but I have no experience.
Thanks for the help!

This is our first trip. I took the less desirable times at 180 days out, signed up for two reservation finders, and have since been able to reserve all of our desired dining locations at the times we really wanted (including BOG, CRT, Ohana, and Storybook Dining). You have to be really quick when the reservation finders text you, because potentially many other people are signed up and trying to get the same reservation at the same time. Good luck and just be patient, you will be surprised by how many cancellations start to show up at 45 days out from your dates.

 

[Alice121078]

I ended up skipping times that were out of the question but have since gotten decent ones. Still waiting to snag a Storybook Dining time, but we’re good otherwise!

 

[DisneyDoesMyHair]

I ended up skipping times that were out of the question but have since gotten decent ones. Still waiting to snag a Storybook Dining time, but we’re good otherwise!

Same for us. Some of the available times at 180 days out were when we would be out of the parks for naps, or too late for our youngest to enjoy. So, we skipped those times that were absolutely not going to work, and we booked the most “reasonable” time. We worked to bump it closer to our ideal time as cancellations popped up.