HELP!!!! [Easter week with no reservations made] - Page 2 - PassPorter - A Community of Walt Disney World, Disneyland, Disney Cruise Line, and General Travel Forums
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Schools in MD & VA are out that week, too, so not sure that it will be less crowded than a "normal" spring break week.
I would think about calling to see what restaurants even have available ADR's for the week. That way, she won't get her hopes up about someplace only to hear it isn't available. I think they should be able to do that, shouldn't they (Member Services)?
Good luck to her!! Otherwise, I'd start doing careful planning for CS spots that will give a bit more variety....there are some out there. Mara at AKL has some great offerings - we love the falafel pita!
Even though spring breaks are more staggered this year, it will still be plenty busy Easter week! Definitely ADRs should be made. When we visited WDW
the week before Easter it was packed, and even the CS restaurants were difficult to navigate
ADR's-don't leave home without them for Easter week! I just hate for them to have a hard time finding places to eat when they get there...they will get frustrated and it will take away from their trip. Better to make some now and cancel when and if they need to.
If they're on the dining plan, I'd tell her to quietly make her table service reservations this very instant.
When the husband finds out just how necessary they are -- which will be a rude awakening, I'm sure -- she'll be able to tell him she made reservations.
That was my thought as well. When he sees how impossible it will be to get a table service dinner without a reservation, he'll be glad she was so prepared! Those chicken fingers and fries for every meal get old really fast!
__________________
A Fairy Godmother wannabe -
Look what a little Bibbidi Bobbidi Boo can do!
I would also suggest that she "quietly" make some ADRs. I have heard that Easter time is second only to Christmas week when it comes to crowds at WDW. I might also go so far as to suggest they drop the dining plan if they have it. Dining plan + no adrs + one of the busiest weeks of the year = throwing $ out the window.
As a party of 3, we had luck with walk up ressies on our April trip (we had adrs, but DH wanted more meals than I had planned ). Go to a restaurant as soon as it opens for the meal and try for a walk up. Try resort restaurants as soon as they open for lunch, AK restaurants toward the very end of the day, and WS restaurants right at noon. I agree to check some of the more exotic restaurants, but also some of the less popular/well know resort restaurants (Olivia's at OKW, Trails End at FW for example). BTW, my siggy pic at Y&Y was taken after we scored a walk up ressie just before AK closing. Notice that there are not a ton of people in the background.
A friend of mine is going to Disney during Easter Week (17-22). They have an ADR for Crystal Palace. Her husband blows off her questions of "what other reservations should we make?" with the response of "we'll be fine. we'll find something when we get there." We, both, think he's nuts. What restaurants would be available for Easter Week on short notice?
If I were her, I would make one reservation per day in the park (or resort near) where we planned to be. No matter how crowded or uncrowded it is, sometimes it is nice to have a back up plan in place.
Making the ressies online might be faster since you can see everything available without waiting for the CM to read you the whole list with times. Disney Dining & Reservations | Walt Disney World Resort
FYI - I just searched for 6pm reservations on 4/20 for 3 people and came back with a list that included all 4 parks and most resorts. The times weren't exactly 6pm since the program searches 2 hrs before/after, but there were still ressies out there.
I still recommend booking as soon as possible, though.
States in the northeast, new england, have the last 2 weeks in April as their spring break. In some states it is the same for the entire state. In others like nh it is up to the individual school district. Add that to those that change which week depending on where Easter is and those extra people who just want to be there for the Holiday and I think it will be extremly busy. That being said many people make multiple ADRS, not nice, and cancel at the last moment because they cannot make up their minds. If you can be flexible whith your dinner time you can get some intersting choices. We got the last ADR time at CP one time. It was great! Not as many people and we got character interaction with the entire pooh gang at once. everyone there was able to take group pictures with all the pooh characters at once. This is also how we jot to try Boma the first time. I had tried to make ADRs ahead of time and was not able.If you do not insist on a specific time or place this is doable.
If they are using the Disney Dining Plan you can search for availability very easily. We are traveling just for the long Easter weekend and I have been able to get 4 ADR (Le Cellier, Ohana, Italian at MGM, Capt-n-Jacksjust 2 weeks out. Additionally, the eating early/later idea is great.
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I just hate for them to have a hard time finding places to eat when they get there...they will get frustrated and it will take away from their trip. Better to make some now and cancel when and if they need to.
ANGIE
). Go to a restaurant as soon as it opens for the meal and try for a walk up. Try resort restaurants as soon as they open for lunch, AK restaurants toward the very end of the day, and WS restaurants right at noon. I agree to check some of the more exotic restaurants, but also some of the less popular/well know resort restaurants (Olivia's at OKW, Trails End at FW for example). BTW, my siggy pic at Y&Y was taken after we scored a walk up ressie just before AK closing. Notice that there are not a ton of people in the background.
The times weren't exactly 6pm since the program searches 2 hrs before/after, but there were still ressies out there.
ADR and DDP
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