Order of importance ADR - strategizing

[LindsayW]

My 60 + 10 opens up at 5 am my time Sunday morning. I’m trip planning for 16 people so I’ve got a large list made out of who requested what dining for when.

My issue is prioritizing. I don’t think I would feel as overwhelmed if I had used this system before, and on top of that having so many different groups to book for OR one very large group.

These are the requests per day. Wondering how each of you would tackle this list! Which should I try for first, If you were booking these What would you go for first , etc.

Thursday evening Christmas party:
Undecided (likely crystal palace in small groups)

Friday: magic kingdom and Epcot split
Requests:
liberty tree tavern (4)
coral reef (8)
San Angel (4)

Saturday hollywood studios
Sci-fi first choice (in groups of 4,4,4,4. Don’t care if we dine together)
Mama melrose and 50’s prime time second choices
Would like to score oga’s (for 5) as well

Sunday animal kingdom
Tuskar house (this shouldn’t be too tricky!)

Monday universal

Tuesday magic kingdom
Skippers canteen (6)
Storybook or chef mickeys for little people leaving this day (3, 4)

Wednesday epcot
Teppan edo (4)

 

[CaptainAmerica]

I’m trip planning for 16 people

Somebody else needs to step up. This is an unfair burden, and it'll be dang near impossible for you to find reservations for a party of 16. Before you think about restaurants, you need to think about what meals you're willing to split up for. Trying to keep 16 people happy and together for an entire week is a recipe for disaster.

 

[LuvtheGoof]

Disney has a special phone number for parties greater than 10 to help with that. I’ll see if I can find it.

 

[LindsayW]

Somebody else needs to step up. This is an unfair burden, and it'll be dang near impossible for you to find reservations for a party of 16. Before you think about restaurants, you need to think about what meals you're willing to split up for. Trying to keep 16 people happy and together for an entire week is a recipe for disaster.

I prefer no one else step up I’m absolutely fine doing it.
The above listed options are almost all split up meals. Most days we all have different requests. Additionally, when booking for the group as a whole we are booking easy restaurants to get spots at and booking per family, hopefully close in time so we can ask to be seated near one another.
Definitely not my first rodeo planning for this many people, just my first with the 60 day system instead of 180 and first that some folks want the more sought after reservations.

 

[LindsayW]

Disney has a special phone number for parties greater than 10 to help with that. I’ll see if I can find it.

Thanks! I’ve heard wait times are horrible on that call. I’m hoping to just secure the larger reservations in groups of 5,5 and 6 and then call and ask them to combine assuming the times are within a half hour or so.

 

[CaptainAmerica]

Disney has a special phone number for parties greater than 10 to help with that. I’ll see if I can find it.

I thought the group reservations line was for parties of 10 rooms or more, not 10 people.

I prefer no one else step up I’m absolutely fine doing it.
The above listed options are almost all split up meals. Most days we all have different requests. Additionally, when booking for the group as a whole we are booking easy restaurants to get spots at and booking per family, hopefully close in time so we can ask to be seated near one another.
Definitely not my first rodeo planning for this many people, just my first with the 60 day system instead of 180 and first that some folks want the more sought after reservations.

Nothing on your list strikes me as "this reservation is extremely difficult to get" other than Sci-Fi. I'd start with that, then go in chronological order starting with your earliest.

 

[CaptainAmerica]

I’m hoping to just secure the larger reservations in groups of 5,5 and 6

You'll probably have better luck with 4, 4, and 8. Or 4, 4, 4, and 4. The system doesn't seem to like 5 or 3.

and then call and ask them to combine assuming the times are within a half hour or so.

They see the same inventory on the phone as you do online. If you don't see 16 available, they won't be able to combine you over the phone. The time to combine will be when you check in for the reservation at the restaurant itself. Check-in 15-30 minutes before the first rez and ask if you can be seated together.

 

[LindsayW]

I thought the group reservations line was for parties of 10 rooms or more, not 10 people.


Nothing on your list strikes me as "this reservation is extremely difficult to get" other than Sci-Fi. I'd start with that, then go in chronological order starting with your earliest.

We have never done chef Mickey or story book. Are they fairly easy? I never see them available while checking the app.
Sci fi is my first priority as I’ve been trying to dine there for 9 years

 

[WorldExplorer]

Storybook Dining is usually hard to get. Significantly harder than Chef Mickey's, from my understanding.

 

[MickeyCB]

I think Storybook, Oga's and Mickey's are all hard to get.
The good news is they are later in your week and you should definitely try for them first the morning you are booking then work towards the easier ones even if they occur earlier in your trip.
The ones you don't get, put yourself on the Touring Plans reservation finder and jump if you are notified of an opening!
Much luck!

 

[nickys]

Storybook and Sci Fi wil be the hardest to get. Chef Mickey and Oga’s could be challenging too.

I’d do them in that order. Just put the lead guest on each one and add “n guests”, no need to name everyone. Go for odd times.

The biggest issue you’re going to have is what happens when you’ve booked one table, maybe two and can’t get any more? Is there anyone else who can help within your group?

Also is the MK party day your arrival day, +1 or what? With restricted hours for dining I’m guessing that will be very hard to get. Probably easier for times during the party but that will take away from your party time.

 

[pdude81]

Can you tell us the 60+ days on your reservation? You'll probably do fine given that things are starting to drop down a bit after the Jersey week, but is thursday 60 days from when you start or 60 + 4 or more? That will help me know if any of this should be terribly difficult to get.

Also FYI the cars at Sci Fi seat 6

 

[MickeyCB]

How did it go booking your dining reservations? Were you able to get what you wanted? Hope you were successful.

 

[DisneyfanMA]

2 words: dining alerts.

I'm off property so at a big disadvantage due to only being able to book 1 day at a time at 60 days. Ie I have to wake at 6 am each day vs on property guests who get to book on 60 days out +10 days forward. Even worse, due to this all the best places are gone from the +10 folks ahead of me. Lastly I'm a party of 5 which is also harder I think. I'm finding my 3rd and 4th choice is all that's left if i'm lucky.

That said I got a $9 a month subscription to mousedining that I just activated before 60 days, which allows up to 50 alerts via email and more importantly text. People constantly cancel and the alert sites check round the clock for you. It gets busier the final days before the trip from my testing.

I also signed up for free email only alerts at other sites I found on Google. So far mousedining has helped me secure 3 first choices after a few days of patience (tonight i landed sci-fi and im thrilled). You need to act immediately which is why text alerts are key. Still got several more I'm waiting on but I have no doubt I'll get all my first choices with 55 days or so to go. I'll cancel my sub as soon as all my reservations are set.

Once in awhile I get an alert that 3 or 4 slots opened up at same time period which I wonder if Disney does release dumps of seats all at once sometimes or something.

GL!

 

[nickys]

2 words: dining alerts.

I'm off property so at a big disadvantage due to only being able to book 1 day at a time at 60 days. Ie I have to wake at 6 am each day vs on property guests who get to book on 60 days out +10 days forward. Even worse, due to this all the best places are gone from the +10 folks ahead of me. Lastly I'm a party of 5 which is also harder I think. I'm finding my 3rd and 4th choice is all that's left if i'm lucky.

That said I got a $9 a month subscription to mousedining that I just activated before 60 days, which allows up to 50 alerts via email and more importantly text. People constantly cancel and the alert sites check round the clock for you. It gets busier the final days before the trip from my testing.

I also signed up for free email only alerts at other sites I found on Google. So far mousedining has helped me secure 3 first choices after a few days of patience (tonight i landed sci-fi and im thrilled). You need to act immediately which is why text alerts are key. Still got several more I'm waiting on but I have no doubt I'll get all my first choices with 55 days or so to go. I'll cancel my sub as soon as all my reservations are set.

Once in awhile I get an alert that 3 or 4 slots opened up at same time period which I wonder if Disney does release dumps of seats all at once sometimes or something.

GL!

I don’t think you need a subscription to Touring Plans to get text alerts from them either. The texts only work for US and Canadian numbers, but I’ve always been lucky with the emails alone.

 

[DisneyfanMA]

I don’t think you need a subscription to Touring Plans to get text alerts from them either. The texts only work for US and Canadian numbers, but I’ve always been lucky with the emails alone.

TP does indeed let you include text free, you're right. It is limited to 2 free only I think. Not clear if they offer paid plan more robust?

So far the only one that's alerted me to anything is my paid one (mousedining) but I think that might just be due to which alerts I set where and how many more i was able to set. The 9 bucks was worth it for the 3 I wanted and snagged so far!! At the current rate I'll be done before Sept is out and cancel my sub.

 

[nickys]

TP does indeed let you include text free, you're right. It is limited to 2 free only I think. Not clear if they offer paid plan more robust?

So far the only one that's alerted me to anything is my paid one (mousedining) but I think that might just be due to which alerts I set where and how many more i was able to set. The 9 bucks was worth it for the 3 I wanted and snagged so far!! At the current rate I'll be done before Sept is out and cancel my sub.

TP limits to 2 because a lot of TAs were using it to try and snag reservations for clients. And I suspect also some people were selling reservations they got. They wanted to limit that kind of activity.

 

[curry767]

Yep, all well and good unless out live outside of a +1 number which means you can’t get text alerts.

 

[DisneyHead123]

I was recently planning for a large group as well and noticed that one day I could make multiple reservations in my name, a few days later (I had signed up for alerts with a reservation finder) I couldn’t make more than 1 without getting an error message about overlapping reservations. MDE said I had to choose only one.

Not sure if it has always been this way and I lucked out reserving the bulk of my reservations when the system was experiencing a glitch, or if this is a new thing.

 

[nickys]

Yep, all well and good unless out live outside of a +1 number which means you can’t get text alerts.

It works with emails too. They check at different times so texts aren’t always necessary if you can jump on it as soon as an email comes in.