Tip Time Tuesday: Dining Reservations

ADRs – Disney-speak for Advanced Dining Reservations. These are your Disney dining reservations and they can make or break your Disney vacation if you let them! Dining reservations can be made for table service, signature dining, and dinner shows 180 days prior. If you have your heart set on dining in Cinderella’s Castle or enjoying a steak at Le Cellier – you (or your Disney Vacation Specialist) should be making those reservations at 180 days before your departure. Sure, you can get lucky and find a table closer to your travel dates but for the most popular restauarants that can take a lot of pixie dust!

Having given you a dire warning – here is the happier side of ADRs. I have planned trips more than a year in advance and I have planned trips on a week’s notice. When I had only a week’s notice we didn’t get into all the super popular restaurants but we were able to get reservations for all our meals. We found restaurants that had availability for our days and times. We discovered some great restaurants that have become some of our favorites. So while you might not get into Cinderella’s Castle or Chef Mickey’s you might just find something you like even better!

One of the services that my clients receive is that I take care of all of their dining reservations. I gather the information on what restaurants (and times) they want to eat and I take care of the rest! And having dined at many of the restaurants at Walt Disney World – I am happy to give suggestions as well!