Originally Posted By Dalia3001 GAH!!!!!!!! I was reading up online about how to book my reservations for our June trip, thinking that I needed to wake tomorrow at 3AM and be ready to go. I realized that I should be able to book TODAY for June 6th, because our reservation (which is confirmed with a paid deposit) starts on June 5! So I almost kill myself because I screwed up by not waking up this morning at 3AM my time to book as early as possible. So I try to book a reservation for the 6th, and it says that my reservation "does not qualify for advanced booking." WTH? I tried for the 5th, which wouldn't even be advanced booking, today is 180 days from the 5th, and get the same message. Do I need to have a dining plan to be able to book 180 days out? That doesn't jive with what I've read online, I'm pretty sure. Is this just an online glitch? I can't believe I have to wait until 4AM my time to find out when their phone operators are back at work. I'm devastated that my sloppy research may mean that we can't get the reservations we want. Seriously, I want to stick my head in an oven. : (
Originally Posted By A Happy Haunt Don't worry, I took a last minute at that time of year a few years ago & still scored a Princess Breakfast. Keep trying, the economy stinks & lots of guests are having to cancell. Keep trying!!
Originally Posted By Dalia3001 Thanks!! I got up at 3AM (no alarm just popped up) and gave it another try and this time it worked. We got everything I had hoped for except for the Hoop Dee Doo Dinner Show. (I feel like an idiot saying/typing that name, ha ha). I booked the Spirit of Aloha instead. I may keep trying to change to the Hoop Dee Doo, but I'm pretty happy as is. Thank you for the words of encouragement. I was truly panicking!
Originally Posted By fkurucz I guess this is one of the reasons I don't go to the World. Having to make restaurant ressies 6 months in advance is absurd.
Originally Posted By danyoung There's no question that I liked it better when you used to be able to reserve every morning where you wanted to eat that night. But it's just one of those things that you get used to. And it's not like you'll be totally shut out if you don't book till a couple months out. There's always restaurants that book up slower, and you can always find great places to eat even close to your travel dates. You just have to be a bit flexible.
Originally Posted By Rsey103 I don't know, but something isn't right when a guest has to get up at 3 am to make a restaurant reservation. . .
Originally Posted By Parteecia Which restaurants are more likely to be available at the last minute? I will be at WDW in March with the BF for his convention and his uncertain schedule doesn't allow us to plan meals ahead. It would be nice to eat something other than fast food.
Originally Posted By Autopia Deb The Biergarten and Marrakesh often have same day seatings available. On EPCOT days they have a guest service area that can help you with restaurant availability and ADRs.
Originally Posted By Autopia Deb Yack & Yeti in Animal Kingdom may also have same day seatings available.
Originally Posted By elene If you want something you didn't get, just keep trying every day. I did that and was able to get Le Cellier (had my choice of several days/times over a few weeks) and Cindy's Table (at a normal eating time, not at an early bird special sort of time). It took me a few weeks but I was ultimately able to get everything I wanted. Good luck!
Originally Posted By Mickeymouseclub If you are looking at a 4 day trip and have 3 or 4 restaurants in mind you could make late night reservations(one at Epcot one at MK one at AK one at HS). If you are in the system with a reservation but want to be seated earlier, they might allow this. The important thing is to be in the reservation system for that day. Also Downtown Disney has many excellent restaurants. And some restaurants have a walk-up bar with meals served such as Yak&Yeti at AK, 50's PrimeTime at HS, La Cava de Tequila at Epcot. I seem to recall a standby line for the California Grill on top of the Contemporary. I am not certain if they allow seating at the bar for a small party or if they are hoping for no shows. We almost lost our reservations by about one minute. They had our credit card # and we would have been charged a penalty I think. And the WAVE restaurant in the lobby of the Contemporary. I think the Polynesian has a walk-up Sushi bar by the monorail entrance connected to the Kona Cafe. The Kona Cafe has a really good dinner menu. Just make a few online reservations just in case and always carry the phone# for dining reservations. Good luck
