Is there some sort of secret to snagging ADRs?

[Chars0704]

I used this for my Feb Trip coming up. Booked another reservation 10 days from my first day of real stay and was able to grab Space 220 with no issues, just wish the lounge reservations were available at that time. Kept modifying the reservation for each day to get the head start on the each day of my real stay. Didn't cancel the fake resi until my real 60 day window opened, which is still outside the 30 day cancel window.

Did your reservations cancel?

I have a split stay booked and I am tempted to book a reservation to cover my entire split stay so i wouldn’t have to do the whole dining thing twice (and get the harder to get reservations). Now I am worried it may cancel my reservations if I do that

 

[OceanBlue]

I used this for my Feb Trip coming up. Booked another reservation 10 days from my first day of real stay and was able to grab Space 220 with no issues, just wish the lounge reservations were available at that time. Kept modifying the reservation for each day to get the head start on the each day of my real stay. Didn't cancel the fake resi until my real 60 day window opened, which is still outside the 30 day cancel window.

huh? How do you make a resevation 10 days before your stay? I thought it was stay +10 from first day?

 

[Chars0704]

huh? How do you make a resevation 10 days before your stay? I thought it was stay +10 from first day?

She made a dummy stay 10 days out from her 1st day of vacation. Then she just kept on moving up the date so she could have the reservation 10 days beforehand for every day of her stay.

 

[DisnEdely]

Did your reservations cancel?

I have a split stay booked and I am tempted to book a reservation to cover my entire split stay so i wouldn’t have to do the whole dining thing twice (and get the harder to get reservations). Now I am worried it may cancel my reservations if I do that

The dining reservations remained after I canceled the dummy hotel reservation. I didn't cancel the hotel reservation until my true 60 day windows opened.

huh? How do you make a resevation 10 days before your stay? I thought it was stay +10 from first day?

Instead of walking a hotel reservation to get the days I wanted to stay, I walked my hotel reservation to get dining windows early.

For example: If your trip really starts on 2/19/22. By making a dummy reservation for ten days prior to your true 60 day window allows you a head start.

60 Days out date	Dummy Hotel Check-in date	Dining Res. +10 date
Saturday December 11th 2021	2/9/2022	2/19/2022
Sunday December 12th 2021	2/10/2022	2/20/2022
Monday December 13th 2021	2/11/2022	2/21/2022
Tuesday December 14th 2021	2/12/2022	2/22/2022
Wednesday December 15th 2021	2/13/2022	2/23/2022
Thursday December 16th 2021	2/14/2022	2/24/2022
Friday December 17th 2021	2/15/2022	2/25/2022
Saturday December 18th 2021	2/16/2022	2/26/2022
Sunday December 19th 2021	2/17/2022	2/27/2022
Monday December 20th 2021	2/18/2022	2/28/2022

To be on the safe side do not cancel the walked reservation until all your (if you have split stays) true widows open.

 

[G00fyDad]

This is too much work to cheat the system. I have never had an issue getting an ADR. I've even gotten two in one trip at Be Our Guest when it first opened.

 

[Tuvalu]

I used this for my Feb Trip coming up. Booked another reservation 10 days from my first day of real stay and was able to grab Space 220 with no issues, just wish the lounge reservations were available at that time. Kept modifying the reservation for each day to get the head start on the each day of my real stay. Didn't cancel the fake resi until my real 60 day window opened, which is still outside the 30 day cancel window.

So your fake reservation was for a ten day stay? I assume it was since anything less would only allow you to book for the number of days you would be a resort guest. (When I book for a six night stay my 60 day window won’t allow me to book anything after day 7.)

Not only is this way too much work as @G00fyDad pointed out, I’m surprised you were able to daily modify your resort reservation. I’ve only had limited success in modifying my check in day when my circumstances have changed (and never for the reason of booking ADRs.)

 

[NelleBelle]

I guess I'm really slow to follow...did she modify her "dummy" stay every day up until her actual stay started? This is why I just stick with my original stay, and book at the opening of my window for my number of days on my trip. I so wish they'd bring back the 180 day window (or even extend to 90 days).

 

[DisAl]

People looking for a way to cheat the system keeps people from making legitimate reservations.

 

[DisnEdely]

A little clarification. Over the week we are staying in three different hotels thanks to the 50% borrowing rule in place.

Initially did the 10 day out dummy resi in order to get Space 220 on 2/20. Knowing it was my 2nd day in WDW, the chances of getting the resi at the beginning of my trip was unlikely, so I resorted to this process. This is the very reason they tell you to book all your hard to get dining resi towards the end of your trip. That is because more people have had time to get dining reservations in the front end of a trip then in the back end due to the 60 +10 day rule

I did not move the dummy resi day by day, I just provided that to give an overall representation as to what you can be done. I probably modified it a total 3 times and had no issues doing so because it didn't matter which hotel I reserved. I waited until my real 60 day window opened for my third hotel stay before canceling the dummy hotel resi. After the dummy cancelation, all the dining reservation remained and we will be going to lunch at Space 220 on 2/20.

Just like walking a DVC stay, if the system allows for it why not take advantage of it.

 

[DisneyfanMA]

Just revisiting this old thread. Anyone looking to get tough ADRs sign up for mousedining, mouseseats,wdwpassport,mouse watcher, touringplans etc and dining alerts. They text you when people cancel, and people do cancel. Especially as you get closer to your actual trip dates.

I'm a party of 5 which isn't helpful and staying off property so I'm at a bunch of disadvantages. I found the booking options avail to me each day at 6am poor. I was looking at 4th and 5th choices per park, 3rd if I was lucky. I noticed a trend. The most expensive (ie Tiffins) and or least themed generic places were ALWAYS plentiful and available. The heavily themed and more fun places gone. Im going with a bunch of little kids. No offense but Hollywood Brown Derby would bore them to tears.

Cue the dining alerts. Spent $9 for the upgraded mousedining alert (up to 50, email plus text) . Text is key cause you got to act fast when an alert comes in. 2 weeks into it I've booked my first or second choice virtually every day and am pretty much done with my plans......im still 45 days out too.

Don't know if it's controversial or not but Disney's system stinks and so this is the best 9 bucks I've spent.

 

[DryerLintFan]

One thing to keep in mind about dining alerts is that however many people signed up for the alert all those people are getting the same text as you. So if 100 people want that Space reservation then they all get that same text.

Also, it’s not a bot that picks up when there’s availability. The program checks availability on a schedule throughout the day so you don’t have to. What this means is that of you have time and patience you can spend your break or lunch refreshing the reservation screen and you can get lucky before the reservation finders can even pick up a canceled reservation. Like, if someone cancels Space at 3:52 pm and you’re refreshing and happen to check at 3:54 you can get our reserved and done before the reservation finders check for availability at say 5:57 pm. I’m just making up those times but you get the idea.