[zefyr]

Hi,

I'm going to WDW the week BEFORE the free DDP begins. I was wondering if everyone thought it was absolutely necessary to make ADRs before I go?

Last year we went in July and were able to get same day ADRs to Liberty Tree dinner and Tony's. I really enjoyed being able to go to a park decide to stay at that park and then find a dining place. The other days we had pre-ADRs which really dictated the park we were going to and it didn't always work well with EMH and crowds.

This year I was thinking of going to a few places I haven't tried before like 50's Prime Time Cafe for a lunch/dinner or Kona for breakfast. So I make a pre-ADR or do you think arriving at the park early and making an ADR there would be okay?

Also what suggestions do you all have for restaurants. I've been to LeCellier (love it!), Rose and Crown, Biegarten, San Angel Inn (hate it!), Akershus, Tony's, Cinderella's, Liberty Tree. I'm not really interested in going to Character Meal b/c I'll be by myself and won't have anyone to take photos, but I'd like something fun and enjoyable!

Thanks so much!

[Dana]

Getting same day ADR's in July with the DDP now may just be a little harder than it used to be in the past. If you are picking not-so-popular places to go, then you may still be able to do it. I would honestly make one ADR a day...at least then you know that you will have one meal planned a day. You don't even have to plan one for every day...maybe just a few. It's better to have some game plan than none in my experience.

[DougK]

Another thing you can do since you are alone (ie not with kids) is be flexible with your eating times. If you don't need to have lunch at 12 and dinner at 6 you can usually get an ADR on the same day with very little notice. I too like the flexibility of not booking all our meals in advance so my wife and I have learned to do that. It wouldn't work in the middle of summer or Christmas but at other times it works well. Have fun!

[timsha]

We do some ADR's ahead of time, and we will do some when we get there or same day. If you are flexible, and don't minding eating at off times, you should have success. We have never been in July, so I don't know how the crowds are (huge I presume), so that might make it more difficult. When we do are same day ADR's we make them early in the morning (most times before the park even opens).

[DisneyTeacher]

I think the dining plan has made it harder to get an ADR on the same day. More people are planning ahead so same day ADR are going to be harder to get than they used to be pre-dining plan.

If you have an idea of where you want to eat make a few ADRs now and if things change you can always call and see about moving them. You aren't out anything to make them now.

[gingles]

All good advice!

Definitely, you won't get into some restaurants at peak dinnertime without an ADR! LeCellier is one. I have seen more unhappy people outside that restaurant than any other. Others, like the Morroco restaurant you can apparently walk right in. Remember, get ADRs at least for the popular ones. If you change your mind, there's no penalty for not showing except at the dinner shows and the Cinderella meals. If we have one night where we're not sure, I always have a backup ADR we can use if we can't get in anywhere else we want.

[jo-jo]

Remember at any character meals you could always have a CM take a picture if you wish.

[dznygrl]

If you're very flexible with where you want to eat, I'd say you can go without making your ADRs now. But if there is a specific place you have your heart set on (especially a place like Le Cellier), definitely get on the ball ASAP so that you won't be disappointed once you get there!

[alilmagical32]

I know I'm kinda going against the grain here, but my family visited the week between Christmas and New Years and we made an in-park ADR each morning. It was buussy then! However, we did not have DDP so if there was a day we were unable to get one it would not have mattered to us. I guess better safe than sorry!!

[zefyr]

Well I took your advice and made some ADRs...I wanted to go to 50's Prime Time and when I asked for lunch the CM asked me what time I'd like that she had anything from 11 am until 3:30pm...wow that's never happened before. I then asked for Liberty Tree Tavern for Aug 24th. My sister might actually join me for Pirate and Princess and I thought it'd be cool to eat there. Asked for dinner and again was given all sort of times. I'm guessing the week before the free DDP is good to go because people seem to be waiting for the following week.

As London Tipton would say: "Yay me!"

[Dana]

Originally Posted by zefyr

Well I took your advice and made some ADRs...I wanted to go to 50's Prime Time and when I asked for lunch the CM asked me what time I'd like that she had anything from 11 am until 3:30pm...wow that's never happened before. I then asked for Liberty Tree Tavern for Aug 24th. My sister might actually join me for Pirate and Princess and I thought it'd be cool to eat there. Asked for dinner and again was given all sort of times. I'm guessing the week before the free DDP is good to go because people seem to be waiting for the following week.

As London Tipton would say: "Yay me!"

I just called and booked my ADR's for the week the free dining starts and had no issue with anything...except the fantasmic package, but was able to get it on the following night. That is not a way to judge however becasue that can be tough to get any time of the year. I was able to get rose and crown for 7:10pm...that was amazing as it's a popular place to eat and watch illuminations afterward. I don't think that first week of the free dining is going to be quite as crowded as people think....later on in september may bring some crowds, but I don't think that last week in august is going to be a problem. Kids are just starting school and most people don't want to take their kids out the first week of school. They may not have a problem with it a few weeks into the school year though making the free dining really hard to resist. ...that's my thoughts anyway.

[Soundgod]

For the past 5 years, I've been making reservations and full day plans. Recently, that is the last 18 months or so, I've been starting to change plans at the last minute and changing reservations. Sometimes I have better luck than others but there doesn't seem to be a pattern of ease or difficulty, other than the most popular places, and even they can be gotten if you want less popular times or have just the right size party.
To sum up, make your ADRs in advance, but if you feel like changing your plans once you see how you feel that day, it's mosstly OK.

[iluvwdw]

Originally Posted by Dana

I don't think that first week of the free dining is going to be quite as crowded as people think....later on in september may bring some crowds, but I don't think that last week in august is going to be a problem. Kids are just starting school and most people don't want to take their kids out the first week of school. They may not have a problem with it a few weeks into the school year though making the free dining really hard to resist. ...that's my thoughts anyway.

I SO hope you are right!!!!! I was there this week once, years ago. And it was pretty uncrowded! Especially for Labor Day Weekend!