Originally Posted By planodisney I'm taking my family to WDW from October 19-26. We are even taking my son out of school for a week and my wife, who is a teacher is missing a week. It's 2 months away, the parks are not supposed to be busy at that time, and yet we can not get a lunch reservation for Crystal Palace at MK, Be Our Guest, or Tusker House at AK. We went last year in summer and made reservations for all of those the week before we left. Anyone know what gives? If you look at the crowd calendars, the days we are visiting are at between a 1.5 and 2.8 out of 10 on the busy scale. Are there huge tour groups or something that time of year? I don't get it.
Originally Posted By FerretAfros You're visiting during the time of year that they include free dining plans with vacation packages. That time of year is notoriously difficult to get reservations, since everybody is trying to use their dining plan to its full potential. I don't think the parks will be especially crowded, but you probably will have trouble finding a seat at table service restaurants If you're staying at a Disney-owned hotel, call and ask if you're eligable to have it added (it should be completely free, but you'll need to ask). They say that it's for certain dates only, so you may have to break you reservation into a couple parts; with the added difficulty you may or may not find it to be worth it for your family
Originally Posted By Goofyernmost And yet another reason why I stay offsite. Besides being ridiculously less expensive, no reservations required. Just saying! There is possibly a problem with the new system that is preventing it from happening. They better fix it soon or they will be looking at a lot of empty restaurants. Are you attempting to do this online or via phone. If online I would call them not only to inform them of the problem but also they might be able to do what the computer cannot at the moment. If via phone then I don't know what to tell you.
Originally Posted By FerretAfros >>Besides being ridiculously less expensive, no reservations required. Just saying!<< But if you're trying to make dining reservations at a Disney restauratn during your trip, you'll still need to use that same system. You may bypass their hotel reservations system by staying offsite, but you'll get to deal with them one way or another
Originally Posted By planodisney Im staying offsite at Marriott Grande Vista. Trying online. Ill give them a call. Thanks!!!
Originally Posted By RoadTrip Are you unable to get ANY lunch reservations of just those in "Prime Time" (11:30-1:30)? I've never had any problem getting reservations for a late lunch (2:00-3:00).
Originally Posted By Goofyernmost >>>But if you're trying to make dining reservations at a Disney restauratn during your trip, you'll still need to use that same system. You may bypass their hotel reservations system by staying offsite, but you'll get to deal with them one way or another<<< I have occasionally made ADR's on my many trips but not often. It was never a problem one way or the other. If I could get one I did, if not, well that is that much less of my money that Disney gets. Not my problem. There are plenty of quality restaurants offsite. No reservations required. It's a vacation not a quest. I do what I can do and what I can't I just change gears and happily go in another direction. Am I Disney's favorite guest? I would guess not...but I frankly have never lost a moments sleep over it.
Originally Posted By planodisney I'd settle for anything up until 2:45, but there is nothing available at any of the character buffets or Be Our Guest. I was willing to plan our AK visit based upon whatever day of our week stay that Tusker House had ANY lunch openings. They don't have a single lunch or breakfast opening all week.
Originally Posted By dizneed Could the reason basically be that because you're not staying one of the actual Disney Resorts that you are put into the regular crowd? I did have experiences at the parks where I've walked up to a restaurant asking for a reservation and the first questions from the Host or Hostess: "are you on the Disney Dining Plan, or are you a Disney Vacation Club Member"? I had answered no to both questions and was refused. Which leads me to wonder if I had answered yes to one of those questions, would have we gotten in?
Originally Posted By sjhym333 I just did a quick check online for dining reservations and found availability at Tusker House on 10/22,10/23,10/24 and 10/25. You may want to check again.
Originally Posted By TheRedhead I just tried it too and I got a Tusker House lunch slot easily on the 25th. Funny...my family and I will be there that exact same weekend. I'm confused though. Be Our Guest doesn't take lunch reservations, right? I had asked a dining rep about the feasibility of lunch there that weekend, and they said that it tends to be nuts, but if we tried for lunch right when it opened we might not have to wait too long.
Originally Posted By darcy-becker You can't get a lunch reservation at Be Our Guest because it is a quick service at lunch time.
Originally Posted By FerretAfros >>...but there is nothing available at any of the character buffets...<< Have you checked some of the lesser known locations? I think that 1900 Park Faire at the Grand Floridian (with Cinderella and company) tends to be easier to get reservations for, since it's off the beaten path. I think there's also one at the Wilderness Lodge with Chip & Dale and friends, but I'm not positive >>Could the reason basically be that because you're not staying one of the actual Disney Resorts that you are put into the regular crowd?<< I don't think that this is a criteria for making reservations. Hotel guests are able to make reservations from 180 days before the beginning of their stay, which means they can actually book most days before 180 if they want, but other than that I believe everybody is pulling times from the same database, first come frist served
Originally Posted By FerretAfros I also read a review of the 'FP' for lunch at BOG. It tested the system that gave you the option to just reserve a time, or to reserve a time and order your food in advance. The reviewer wrote positively about it, but I wonder if they would have the same sentiment when everybody else also had a lunchtime reservation, and all counterservice locations worked like that. It's the way things are headed, but I'm not sure I like it
Originally Posted By Mickeymouseclub California Grill just "opened" for new reservations!!! I just booked online . Yeah I just want to order all the new desserts that I saw pictured on the disneyfoodblog!!!
Originally Posted By FerretAfros >>What's the point of Quick Service if you can make reservations.<< But it could be even quicker! Or something like that Realistically, it's so that Disney knows how to staff and stock the various restaurants, by knowing the demand ahead of time. WDW is in a very unique situation in the world where it can know these variables in advance, but it still like seems a little too much, even when you think about the business aspects. They've been running the parks for decades; by this point they should have a pretty good idea how many people will want lunch at Pecos Bill's on any given day, and know how to be preparred for it.
Originally Posted By Wendy Pleakley Be Our Guest is brand new so is very popular, and from what I have seen the dinner reservations are booked up right away at the 180 day mark. For lunch, I believe they open at 11:00, and people line up at 10:30 if not earlier. That would be my advice if you want to eat there. Crystal Palace is a character meal and those are always popular. I think it's unfortunate that the free dining and other factors means it has become pretty much necesscary to book 180 days out, but it is what it is.
