How do you plan your ADRs?

[Sparkle81]

We plan which parks we'll be in on each day (so if we're making ADRs for lunch, we have a plan to work with!). I tried to be an online person, but the system didn't want to link my reservation. So, I called at 180 days and got all of the ADRs I wanted, with just a couple of small timing tweaks (biggest one was an hour later at Garden Grill). Being in the UK, we have the luxury of a favourable time difference, so online booking is 11am, and calling is midday

We've done a mix of sticking with a handful of ADRs at old favourites (Liberty Tree Tavern, 50s Prime Time, Biergarten...) along with trying some new places this time (Garden Grill, Chef Mickeys...) and I think we'll probably continue this method for each trip

 

[PrincessMia]

I've always called. I tried to use the online system, but it always wants a credit card to guarantee many of my reservations, even with the Dining Plan. A Disney phone CM once told me he recommended calling because they've had problems with people being charged and not being able to use DP credits. Has anyone had issues with this?

 

[DisneyDebNJ]

Are you a 6am computer stalker, a 7am phone stalker? Do you eat at old favorites or do you like to try new places? How do you decide when and where to eat?

First and foremost, we plan our traditional restaurants (Kona Cafe first breakfast, Ohana dinner, Chef Mickey Breakfast, Raglan Road dinner, Le Cellier dinner) But I pour over menus well before my 180 day and decide which new restaurants we will be trying. This year, we opted to upgrade to Deluxe dining for 10 days, so we added several new restaurants and some signatures we haven't been back to for a few years. I always call, too many times the website was either not up to snuff or was acting up.

 

[JIMINYCR]

Always used to phone them in, this year we did a combination of phone and internet. We decide some ADR's by what we've enjoyed in the past and by reading reviews and seeing photos here. We always try someplace different added to mostly restaurants we have been pleased with. We always check out the various menus to get an idea ahead of time what is available and what we might order. Always getting in on the ADR's as soon as Disney allows.

 

[WLBound]

This year I tried the whole computer stalker thing. I was up at about 5:45 and on the site exactly at 6. We got our very first day booked and that was all she wrote. The stupid computer system would not let us book the rest of our trip even though we were right at day 180. So I stewed and bounced and stalked the phone and very fortunately got someone right away at 7 and that's how we booked BOG.

We have a system for choosing restaurants that works well for the two of us. We each study the menus and then make a list of places we would like to eat. When we're done we review them together and isolate all the common ones. From there we narrow down to match our credits and then I start planning out our park days and insert restaurant plans in to them. This year we ended up with four repeats and three new sites to try.

 

[LostPrincessKarleigh]

When planning ADRs I start with what special events (if any) are going on in what park. For example, this year we are going to the F&W Fest and MNSSHP. Next, I check on the EMH and park hours and decide which park to go to on which day. After that, it is simply an act of finding what openings there are in that park on that day (and plan around the special event.)

It's easier than it sounds.

 

[DizneyPryncess]

I wait until park hours for my week are released. Then we go over what parks we want to do on which days, based on park hours, EMH's, parade & fireworks schedules, etc. Then DH & I talk about ideas on where we'd like to eat. We like to have 4-5 ADR's - usually 1 nice breakfast in there, maybe 1 lunch, and 2-3 dinners.

I'm a phone person, so I call 180 days out. If there's something I want that I think will be hard to get, I'll go online. We do usually stick to the old favorites, but I try to throw in something new each trip!

 

[acishere]

I browse Yelp and this site for new ideas and then look at the menus and pick a couple places. Then I call since I've been luckier in getting the times I want when I call. With so many places to eat I focus on trying new stuff every visit so that is the focus of my ADRs. I've never done reservations for the repeat places I dine at.

I look at the park times and crowd forecasts for an idea on where I'll be and come up with my times based around that, then depending on how high demand the place call whatever amount of time in advance people on here suggest.

 

[75disney]

First, we figure out our park days. Then we choose our favorite, must-do restaurants (Chef Mickey's, O'hana, Ahershus, and Tusker House) and a few new ones (this upcoming trip: Teppan Edo, Tutto Italian, BOG) and slot them into our itinerary. This year, I marked those restaurants on my Wish List on My Disney Experience. On 180+10, my husband had pulled up the wish list on his lap top and I had them pulled up on my iPad by 5:55 AM. At exactly 6AM, we each took one of our most desired restaurants and booked it on-line. We then proceeded through our entire list. Everything was booked by 6:15 except for our Thanksgiving Day ADR. The on-line system said that everything was booked for that day. So I waited until 7AM when the phone lines opened, called right at 7, waited half an hour, and got the ADR at Prime Time with no problem. Finally I made Mickey Mouse waffles to celebrate.

 

[mrdisman]

I seem to go to the same places on each visit to WDW...BUTT I want to start trying something new every trip...

 

[luv]

I call. I never know what I'm doing 180 days ahead of time, so that's out.

I was overjoyed when I found out that Disney was going to do online ADRs...but the thing kept getting stuck, so I gave up on it.

 

[Santa Raccoon 77]

I leave the phone in the cradle and switch the interweb off and wait for my day of departure