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Post by zulaya on Sept 21, 2023 8:39:31 GMT -5
Alrighty, friends...
ADR window in coming up in a few weeks and I have 2 questions.
1) Booking for a Party of 5
Forever, it's been our family of 4, but this trip DS's girlfriend is joining us for her first trip in ages.
I've never made ADRs for an odd number, but I feel like my foggy memory is that sometimes the ADR system is wonky about odd numbers.
What's the best strategy to get the ADRs for our new party of 5?
2) Strategic order to booking these ADRs
We have a few key locations we want to book. My plan was to open different tabs in my browser and then work through them as quickly as I can.
What are your thoughts on this sequence:
1. Crystal Palace for breakfast on Day 1 in 8am hour (Party of 5) - This is our family tradition since our 20-something kids were littles. First meal of the first full day.
2. V&A's Standard Dining Room for DH and I -- We have a specific day in mind, but 2 possible back up days if needed. We know V&As is not open on Sun/Mon. This isn't a deal breaker, but DH is finally ready to try this.
3. Storybook Dining at Artist Point (Party of 5) - Some things I've read lead me to believe this books up fast.
4. Hoop Dee Doo (Party of 5)
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Post by cpnkirk on Sept 21, 2023 10:20:35 GMT -5
We rarely try to book more than 3, but I have found that if you get a "nothing available" message, changing the # in the party sometimes will help. I guess different size tables are in different pools of ADR? Also, we've had luck making 2 reservations near the same time. We once showed up at The Wave with 3 in one part @ 5:30, and 2 in another party @ 5:15, and said we wanted to sit together - it was no problem to arrange that at the check in desk. They gave us one big circular booth that probably could have sat 3 more people.
V&A - no idea about this. We couldn't possibly eat as much food as they would bring for the several courses included, so it seems like way too much money to spend on food we can't eat. I doubt this one will be in our future.
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Post by tomandrobin on Sept 21, 2023 10:28:27 GMT -5
Alrighty, friends... ADR window in coming up in a few weeks and I have 2 questions. 1) Booking for a Party of 5Forever, it's been our family of 4, but this trip DS's girlfriend is joining us for her first trip in ages. I've never made ADRs for an odd number, but I feel like my foggy memory is that sometimes the ADR system is wonky about odd numbers. What's the best strategy to get the ADRs for our new party of 5? 2) Strategic order to booking these ADRsWe have a few key locations we want to book. My plan was to open different tabs in my browser and then work through them as quickly as I can. What are your thoughts on this sequence: 1. Crystal Palace for breakfast on Day 1 in 8am hour (Party of 5) - This is our family tradition since our 20-something kids were littles. First meal of the first full day. 2. V&A's Standard Dining Room for DH and I -- We have a specific day in mind, but 2 possible back up days if needed. We know V&As is not open on Sun/Mon. This isn't a deal breaker, but DH is finally ready to try this. 3. Storybook Dining at Artist Point (Party of 5) - Some things I've read lead me to believe this books up fast. 4. Hoop Dee Doo (Party of 5)OK....So we often have "odd" party sizes on trips, and often its for more than 4 people. A table of 4 is the most easily obtained seating. For a party of 5, I would try that first, then try a party of 6, then book a party of 4. If you get a party of 4, but show up with 5....just show up early and tell them you have 5 people. They will adjust to add the extra person.
Tough, tough dining reservations. I think V&A and Storybook Dining will be the hardest to make. Crystal Palace at 8am will be just as tough with being 8am specific.
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Post by zulaya on Sept 21, 2023 12:45:28 GMT -5
You said it, Tom.
I know all of them will be tough.
Thanks for the advice on the party size.
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Post by nickys on Sept 21, 2023 13:30:37 GMT -5
1. I would try V&A first.
2. Then Storybook Dining - but don’t be disheartened if you don’t find it, this is one that quite often doesn’t load right at 60 days, and consequently you can use a reservation finder to look for it, as well as keep on looking.
3. Then CP. There is an argument to do this at #2 because of the ADR loading delays that Storybook has.
4. HDDR should be OK if you can be flexible on the times and seating category. I believe it still isn’t running Mon & Tues.
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Post by tomandrobin on Sept 21, 2023 14:51:11 GMT -5
I rarely ever see V&A as an booking option. Like practically never.
Nickys is correct about Storybook Dining. It doesn't always release right away like a lot of other restaurants.
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Post by Brian5581 on Sept 21, 2023 15:02:45 GMT -5
Agreed I almost never see Victoria and Albert's.
As for the rest, I'd try with 6 before I'd try 5. I've almost always found more availability with even numbers than odd, but worth checking regardless. Then 4 because while they'll make it work for you, it will require some assistance.
Other than that, just keep checking. Stuff literally shows up all the time.
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Post by nickys on Sept 21, 2023 15:06:52 GMT -5
I rarely ever see V&A as an booking option. Like practically never. Nickys is correct about Storybook Dining. It doesn't always release right away like a lot of other restaurants. Steakhouse71 is another. I was despairing for our trip since DS wanted it for his birthday celebration meal (meant to be his 21st but Covid delayed us by a couple of years). I had about 3 posssible dates, flexible on times but nada. It popped up a couple of days later with tons of availability. Interestingly I know 3 people who have booked V&A in the last couple of weeks. None of them said it was that hard to get either. Really strange. |
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Post by helenabear on Sept 21, 2023 19:46:33 GMT -5
We're almost always an odd number. Never hurt us.
Definitely try Storybook first.
Hoop Dee Doo And CP haven't been super hard to find for us when we looked when some in our group were interested even if we opted not to book them in the end.
I don't always try right at 60 days either though.
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Post by helenabear on Sept 21, 2023 19:47:48 GMT -5
I rarely ever see V&A as an booking option. Like practically never. Nickys is correct about Storybook Dining. It doesn't always release right away like a lot of other restaurants. Steakhouse71 is another. I was despairing for our trip since DS wanted it for his birthday celebration meal (meant to be his 21st but Covid delayed us by a couple of years). I had about 3 posssible dates, flexible on times but nada. It popped up a couple of days later with tons of availability. Interestingly I know 3 people who have booked V&A in the last couple of weeks. None of them said it was that hard to get either. Really strange. I was going to say SH71 has been one of the easiest for me to get outside of GFC or WCC (we tend to eat at resorts vs MK). Things load weirdly now I think |
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Post by brp on Sept 21, 2023 19:49:42 GMT -5
We're almost always an odd number. Never hurt us. We're an odd number. And there just two of us...
Cheers.
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Post by zulaya on Sept 21, 2023 20:01:05 GMT -5
4. HDDR should be OK if you can be flexible on the times and seating category. I believe it still isn’t running Mon & Tues. Oh no. Not running Mon & Tues?  Tuesday was our day to do this for a birthday. Glad I'm finding out now, but this is a significant bummer. Can't believe I didn't see this somewhere else. |
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Post by zulaya on Sept 21, 2023 20:11:29 GMT -5
I can't seem to find any easily accessible resource list that shows which restaurants are closed on certain days of the week.
If anyone can point me in the right direction, I'd be most appreciative.
Here's hoping I don't have to start the plan from scratch.
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Post by tomandrobin on Sept 22, 2023 5:57:12 GMT -5
Just for kicks, I searched 59 and 60 days out....This is at 6:50 am, for 2 people
No V&A at all.
Only one Storybook ADR available for 8pm 60 days out 8am for crystal palace on the 60 day mark
For 5/6 people, it got ugly.
Crystal Palace earliest was 10am No storybook Dining at all
For 4 people
I could get your 8am crystal Palace No Storybook at all
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Post by tomandrobin on Sept 22, 2023 6:09:48 GMT -5
I can't seem to find any easily accessible resource list that shows which restaurants are closed on certain days of the week. If anyone can point me in the right direction, I'd be most appreciative. I don't know of such a list. However, I do not think there are many restaurants on WDW property that actually close one or two days each week. I am pretty sure that the dinner show is one of the exceptions. |
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Tuesday was our day to do this for a birthday. Glad I'm finding out now, but this is a significant bummer.