Persistance pays off

[Tomh]

I know this has been said here before, many many times, but I think it is worth repeating, as there are always new people joining our ranks that can learn from our experiences.

The message I have here is don't give up. If you are unable to get the ADR, or FP+ you really want, don't give up, keep checking availability, as it often changes.

I wanted a 7:30PM ADR for Rose and Crown on Aug 15. I find 7:30 to be a nearly ideal time if you want to stay for Illuminations. Combine that with a polite request to the hostess for seating out back, and you are in great shape for the show.

Sadly, when I made our ADR promptly at 6:00AM on the 180 day mark (staying offsite this year, so no 180+10) the best time that was available was 7:05. Not really conducive to staying for Illuminations. The following day, I was able to change from 7:05 to 7:10. Still not really ideal, but a step in the right direction. I've been checking availability pretty much twice a day ever since, with 7:00 and 6:55 being all that showed up.

Well, today is a lucky day I guess. I just checked availability for the 15th again today, and surprise, there was a 7:25 opening. Now that is just about perfect.

And, so my message to you all is, don't EVER give up, right up to the day of, keep checking availability. You never know when that time you REALLY wanted might pop up.

 

[Miss Frankie J]

that is exactly what I had to do in order to get some FP+ and a perfect reservation for BOG.

I was able to snag a 9:50pm reservation at BOG which was way super late but with persistence and checking each day I was able to move it to 8:55 which was perfect for us. I'm happy you were able to get the time you wanted!

 

[okilydokily]

Well a big part of the problem is people double or triple booking in order to save a spot until their plans are more set. I was just reading about how under utilized Skipper Canteen is. I bet if they started off taking ADR's, the place would be the hot ticket and everyone would be worried about getting in. For rides, it used to be Dumbo, now it is Peter Pan. TSMM also, I mean it is fun, but not 90 minute wait time fun. But everyone has to go on since it is the thing to do.

 

[gzmtlock]

And, so my message to you all is, don't EVER give up, right up to the day of, keep checking availability. You never know when that time you REALLY wanted might pop up.

I agree wholeheartedly! I've been checking multiple times most days for relatively minor adjustments to a couple ADRs - nothing critical, but 30-60 minute adjustments to ease scheduling. Our trip is late March, and I've been able to shift a couple things. Now I'm down to only two that I'm still stalking the ADR system for. . .

Well a big part of the problem is people double or triple booking in order to save a spot until their plans are more set. I was just reading about how under utilized Skipper Canteen is. I bet if they started off taking ADR's, the place would be the hot ticket and everyone would be worried about getting in. For rides, it used to be Dumbo, now it is Peter Pan. TSMM also, I mean it is fun, but not 90 minute wait time fun. But everyone has to go on since it is the thing to do.

FP+ cannot be double-booked, so not sure what you are referring to. . . The difficulty in getting those is a combination of attraction volume and popularity. I probably made some "FP+ stalker's" day yesterday when we switched one park day from Epcot to AK and gave up FP+ for Test Track. Fortunately, everything we wanted at AK was still available, at times we wanted. Win-win for everyone!

 

[Disney Dreamer 24]

Thats great advise!!

 

[mickeyluv'r]

Well it doesn't always work to keep looking, but sometimes it does.

I find it often pays to book as early as possible, and if you see a good (better) discount- grab it. It also pays KNOW your cancelation terms!

Also keep in mind that the big unknown when planning WDW is always the WEATHER. An unusually cold/wet/hot day can tweak many a plan, including your flights! Staying on top of the weather has many benefits.

 

[okilydokily]

Yes, rides are not double booked. I just meant that the rides that are hard to get on become even more popular based on that perceived popularity. Look at Dumbo, this board and others used to have tips and threads on how to get there first and lines would be long all day. So they double capacity and I would surprised if overall ridership has increased by any more than 5%. People don't have to run there and it is not a hot commodity anymore. I bet half the people that used to rush there and just HAD to ride it don't even go on it once now.

Now it is PP or TSMM that people run to. And once Toy Story is expanded, I wonder how many people will make it such a priority since it will be easier to get on most days.

I was just thinking about how hard some ADR's are to get and why. With the Canteen being available anytime, it is underused. Mob mentality like that probably holds true for rides and restaurants. Heck, I bet if we all start posting about how hard it is to get on Stitch, we could end up making that a long wait and give ourselves the rest of the park until people figure it out.

 

[gzmtlock]

Yes, rides are not double booked. I just meant that the rides that are hard to get on become even more popular based on that perceived popularity. Look at Dumbo, this board and others used to have tips and threads on how to get there first and lines would be long all day. So they double capacity and I would surprised if overall ridership has increased by any more than 5%. People don't have to run there and it is not a hot commodity anymore. I bet half the people that used to rush there and just HAD to ride it don't even go on it once now.

Now it is PP or TSMM that people run to. And once Toy Story is expanded, I wonder how many people will make it such a priority since it will be easier to get on most days.

I was just thinking about how hard some ADR's are to get and why. With the Canteen being available anytime, it is underused. Mob mentality like that probably holds true for rides and restaurants. Heck, I bet if we all start posting about how hard it is to get on Stitch, we could end up making that a long wait and give ourselves the rest of the park until people figure it out.

Ah, I understand better now - thank you. Group mentality is a powerful thing! I would love to know the actual statistics about volume on Dumbo. We never rode it, as we started going to WDW when our kids had already outgrown that kind of ride.

But please don't try your theory on Stitch! We are the one family out of two dozen who actually like that ride - especially since it is almost always a walk on!

 

[loveDisneyinTN]

So true! I often find what I am missing very close to my travel date, just keep trying!

 

[KNovacovschi]

Agreed. Another tip is to also check 30 days before you trip as that is the last day to pay off your trip and there tends to be cancellations due to people having to cancel trips due to not being able to pay. Also if you are not able to find anything prior make sure to check at your concierge when you check into your resort.

 

[Stacymarie1216]

I tell this to everyone I talk to who tells me they couldn't get a FP or ADR! This year, we moved our trip up substantially due to all those ride closures/closed-for-maintenance coming this spring and ended up booking the new trip only 23 days in advance! For our family of 4, I was able to find every FP and ADR we wanted - AT the right times for us! Including things like SDMT, Anna & Elsa, BOG and more! Chef Mickey's seems to give me the most trouble for some reason, but I eventually found the perfect time on the perfect date! Just keep checking whenever you happen to think about it!

 

[twinsmama]

I tell this to everyone I talk to who tells me they couldn't get a FP or ADR! This year, we moved our trip up substantially due to all those ride closures/closed-for-maintenance coming this spring and ended up booking the new trip only 23 days in advance! For our family of 4, I was able to find every FP and ADR we wanted - AT the right times for us! Including things like SDMT, Anna & Elsa, BOG and more! Chef Mickey's seems to give me the most trouble for some reason, but I eventually found the perfect time on the perfect date! Just keep checking whenever you happen to think about it!

You did get quite lucky though to get the particular ones you got, that is definitely unusual. Still, I think anyone who checks back will probably get at least one of their "major" must-dos at a time that can work for them.

 

[Stacymarie1216]

Lucky - yes. But also very obsessed lol. I do feel like anyone can get them. You just have to literally stalk your app and look all the time. They will pop up. Just depends on how badly you want to try to get them. As someone else said, people are always canceling reservations when it gets closer to their trip date because they're finalizing schedules.

 

[DisMommyTX]

I have had a few reservations that I stalked for months, but I had 10 times the luck finding what I wanted within a week of the reservation. Even big parties, BOG for 9, came up within 48 hours of the dinner. Keep checking, especially right before the cancellation deadline!

 

[newageretro]

BOG ADR's are a good example of "Be persistent". I tried to book the full 180 days out for a BOG dinner on a Saturday with no luck, however, I checked back every day, twice a day for the next few months and was eventually able to get a late dinner, and then within the last month I was able to creep my reservation to something at least within a reasonable dinner timeline. Then within the week I was able to get a decent reservation, and last but not least, while I was waiting to catch my flight down the day before, I was able to catch the reservation I wanted in the first place and managed to cancel my old reservation just in time to beat the 24 hour window.
Just keep trying, you never know what might happen.

 

[lennyd]

best time to find adr is a week before your trip, people double book reservations and they start dumping them a few days before the date , go online at 6am , and phone at 7am.

 

[Ensusieasm]

that is exactly what I had to do in order to get some FP+ and a perfect reservation for BOG.

I was able to snag a 9:50pm reservation at BOG which was way super late but with persistence and checking each day I was able to move it to 8:55 which was perfect for us. I'm happy you were able to get the time you wanted!

And if MK opens at 9:00am that day, they will let you in the Park at 7:45 and BOG when it opens at 8.

 

[starjazz]

Also, call the dining reservations number. I've had luck getting ADRs by calling when nothing shows up as available on the web site.

 

[biondagirl]

Yes, it does. I can't tell you how many times I checked - and changed - my ADRs last summer. I didn't get EVERY time I wanted, but by continuously checking, I got pretty darn close with 7 out of 8 of our meals.

 

[Eilavamp]

We were really lucky on our trip last summer, managed to snag a table a 50s prime time with plenty of time to get to fantasmic, ON the day! During Star Wars Weekends! I was amazed, as we were waiting for our table, people walking up were being told there was an hours wait for a table.