For the Planner or the Procrastinator… here are some tips to score some great Advanced Dining Reservations (ADRs) for your upcoming Disney Vacation.
The Planner. If you’re well organized, you’ve likely got everything planned to a “T” for your next Disney trip. Dates picked, Resort reservation made, you even know which parks to visit on which days and where you’d like to eat each meal.
- Call right at 180 days. You certainly know the drill about calling in (or having your travel agent call first thing) on the morning of 180 days before you check-in. Using this method, you’ll likely get every ADR that you want!
- Know the “+10 Days” Rule. Sometimes getting those ever-so-popular restaurants such as Be Our Guest or Cinderella’s Royal Table can still be troublesome! The trick to increasing your chances for harder-to-reserve restaurants such as these is to remember the “+10” days rule! On the morning of 180 days prior to check-in, you are allowed (if staying at a Disney Resort) to make reservations for up to 10 days of your trip, all at once!
- Reserve the Popular Restaurants for the End of your Trip. Plan those more popular meals for later on in your vacation… the later you push that Be Our Guest reservation into your trip, the more likely you’ll actually get it for the time of day that you want it! For example, if you’re visiting Disney for 6 days and want a Be Our Guest reservation… call in 180 days prior to your trip, but reserve Be Our Guest for your 6th day… you will have reserved it 186 days in advance and have a better chance of getting the reservation time that you want!
The Procrastinator. I’m not calling names… in fact, many people don’t even know they’re going to Disney for sure until just a couple of months before their departure. But for those who put off making ADRs or for those who only have two months or less to make ADRs… it can still be done! You likely won’t be able to get into the popular restaurants, but don’t let that discourage you! There are plenty of wonderful meals to be found just about anywhere on Disney Property! You’re not going to be disappointed.
- Eat Outside of the Parks. Didn’t get into CRT but want to see Cinderella? 1900 Park Fare at Disney’s Grand Floridian offers ‘Cinderella’s Happily Ever After Dinner’ where you can meet Cinderella AND Prince Charming! I just looked at Disney’s Dining Reservations site and there’s availability for this meal tomorrow (and at normal dinner times too)!!
- Search for ‘Off’ Times. You might not get to eat right at Noon for lunch or 6 PM for dinner. But I’ve found that with all the walking and activity at the Parks, I get hungry earlier than my usual meal times. So, a 10:45 lunch or a 3:30 p.m. dinner isn’t so bad at all! Plus, you just might save some money eating your ‘Dinner’ for the price of Lunch.
- Be Flexible… Don’t Skip Out on ADRs. You may not get your first choice restaurant, you may not even be able to reserve the time you want… but you can still have a good meal! Once you’ve made a reservation for a Disney Restaurant, research it! (Or research first and then Reserve.) There are many food reviewers/bloggers for Disney Restaurants… research the restaurant and figure out what’s delicious vs. what’s detestable!
So, there you have it. If whether you’ve got 1 day or 180 days to make ADRs… be willing to try alternative restaurants, times, and dishes. It’s Disney after all… you likely won’t be disappointed with whatever you choose! Do you have any Dining tips to add? Feel free to comment below!
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