"I want to book food and fastpasses at the same time" Update: Pg. 2

[bumbershoot]

I can't imagine trying to do that. If I couldn't manipulate us to the location or he said no, I would have a forfeited reservation or one of us would be hungry and it would get ugly.

So the planner eats where they arranged and the one who wants to trot off and magically find something can go do that.

Families are easily steered along if they are already acknowledging that you're the planner.

 

[IrishNYC]

It doesn't cost you anything to book it, so book it! Then when your FPs open up, and they can't get ADRs, you look like the hero for already having them.

 

[Eastern]

You need to book the popular ones ('Ohana, CM, etc) when ADRs open up. No debate.

I'm just wondering why they want to wait until you make FP's? Not really understanding that, as it is much easier to book FPs around dining times than the other way around.

 

[Auntie_Maim]

Yes, I made my ADRs at 180 and just booked my FPs around them. No issues. Though granted I only had two ADRs and didn't care about some of the more in-demand FPs (i.e., didn't care about FoP).

 

[Moana of Motunui]

You need to book the popular ones ('Ohana, CM, etc) when ADRs open up. No debate.

I'm just wondering why they want to wait until you make FP's? Not really understanding that, as it is much easier to book FPs around dining times than the other way around.

They don't know what parks they're be in that day so they want to get park hours first.
BOG and Coral Reef are the only two park restaurants. The rest are at resorts.
I'm just going to book what my part of the family wants at 180 and if they want to book group reservations at 60 days out then they can do it around our already set reservations.

 

[mckennarose]

Speaking as someone who has traveled to Disney several times with extended family.....just go ahead and book your restaurants for your immediate family and don't look back! Sometimes you can't make people understand how Disney works, and even if they do understand they might not have the same priorities. Several of my family are DVC and NEVER plan ADRs or FP+ for their trips!
The restaurants you mentioned get booked at 180 and can be difficult for a lot of people that far out, let alone anytime closer to your trip. It's not unheard of to get something a few days out, but very rare for the majority of people looking.

 

[anomamatt]

They don't know what parks they're be in that day so they want to get park hours first.

Park hours are by no means set within 60/30 days. Sometimes they change the hours the week before.

 

[Leelo]

I agree with other posters. Book at 180 and you can always cancel or change it later if something else is available that works better with your fastpasses.

 

[unrequited23]

Just book the places you mentioned as soon as your window opens - there will be plenty of restaurants available at 60 days out, just not the most popular ones. If the problem is them not believing you, just have them go to the Disney site and search availability 60 days from now. When they see the places they want listed as having no availability, they will be more likely to follow your lead

Do this, but don't assign guest names in MDE. That way the unbelieving family members will have no clue that there is an ADR already when they check at 60 days. Yes, this is childish and petty, but somehow satisfying when doing all the planning with no appreciation.

 

[mckennarose]

Do this, but don't assign guest names in MDE. That way the unbelieving family members will have no clue that there is an ADR already when they check at 60 days. Yes, this is childish and petty, but somehow satisfying when doing all the planning with no appreciation.

I can see booking a ressie for them and not telling them just to spare them from missing out, however there might be an issue with OP trying to get ADRs for a large party. And MDE won't let you book two ADRs for the same time period under the same account, so OP can't make a second reservation for them without cancelling the first. The other people would either have to book on their own for the same time frame, or OP would have to get access to their MDE account and make the reservation for them.

 

[Moana of Motunui]

I can see booking a ressie for them and not telling them just to spare them from missing out, however there might be an issue with OP trying to get ADRs for a large party. And MDE won't let you book two ADRs for the same time period under the same account, so OP can't make a second reservation for them without cancelling the first. The other people would either have to book on their own for the same time frame, or OP would have to get access to their MDE account and make the reservation for them.

4 adults and 1 child total. (My party is two adults then theirs is 2 adults 1 child.) It won't be hard to get ADRs because we aren't a big group but it will be hard to get Ohana or Chef Mickey ADRs weeks out from arrival date

 

[Roxyfire]

4 adults and 1 child total. (My party is two adults then theirs is 2 adults 1 child.) It won't be hard to get ADRs because we aren't a big group but it will be hard to get Ohana or Chef Mickey ADRs weeks out from arrival date

Yep, then just book the ADRs, you want, leave the names blank. Add their names in later. Or just tell them (politely) to suck it up, having a reservation won't make any difference.

 

[Moana of Motunui]

Update: we book a week from today and no change. The other party doesn't want to discuss it. Oh well. I'll keep you all posted next week!

 

[buddyjo143]

Update: we book a week from today and no change. The other party doesn't want to discuss it. Oh well. I'll keep you all posted next week!

More of the situation helps. You could do a couple of things: book Chef Mickey and O'hana twice (say Monday and Wed & Tuesday and Thurs) then cancel, book a group reservation and then one for you and guest so you definitely get to go.

I've learned when you are traveling with others, sometimes you have to give in. If they don't like your plans then maybe you don't travel together again or you agree to only one or two meals together.

 

[mckennarose]

Update: we book a week from today and no change. The other party doesn't want to discuss it. Oh well. I'll keep you all posted next week!

It looks like you have two options.

1. Book the ADRs you want for 5 people, that way they will still have the choice to join you when the day comes. You can always modify the reservation and remove 3 if they make other plans down the road. Also, you won't get charged a no-show fee for them if they decide that day to back out of the ADR. As long as someone shows up to the reservation they won't charge.

2. Make your ADRs for 2 and leave them to figure out where to eat on their own. You can always meet up with them in the park after you eat.

If they don't want to discuss it, it sounds like they've made up their mind about it.

 

[momto4obkids]

I can see booking a ressie for them and not telling them just to spare them from missing out, however there might be an issue with OP trying to get ADRs for a large party. And MDE won't let you book two ADRs for the same time period under the same account, so OP can't make a second reservation for them without cancelling the first. The other people would either have to book on their own for the same time frame, or OP would have to get access to their MDE account and make the reservation for them.

That's not correct. You can book 2 ADR's for the same time as long as you aren't the primary contact on the first adr you make. We do have a large party, so I book the first adr and change my husband to the primary contact on it. I then can go in and make a second adr with myself as the primary contact. We go with up to 11 people sometimes and have to make two adr's frequently.

 

[mckennarose]

That's not correct. You can book 2 ADR's for the same time as long as you aren't the primary contact on the first adr you make. We do have a large party, so I book the first adr and change my husband to the primary contact on it. I then can go in and make a second adr with myself as the primary contact. We go with up to 11 people sometimes and have to make two adr's frequently.

Using the same MDE account? I've never been able to get that to work without two separate accounts. And not adding specific people to either reservation, only adding a number.

 

[bumbershoot]

They don't know what parks they're be in that day so they want to get park hours first.

What do park hours have to do with it? And they actually think those will be set in stone...oh silly people.

Park hours, food, and FP+s are the three moving parts to figuring out where to go on what day. Imo picking food is the best way because it sets everything in motion. You just go from there.

Get the food set then later you get the FP set. Simple.

 

[Moana of Motunui]

We're making progress!!!
My aunt texted me today we can make ADRs on Monday. Said oh I thought you didn't want to make ADRs until you knew where you would be. She told me that she "thought fastpasses were scheduled first then ADRs". True or not, we're making progress. She wants a list of places I'm making ADRs and she said she'll let me know if they want to eat there. She doesn't let me know by Monday, oh well.

 

[TheRustyScupper]

why not call the reastrant and see what they have I hear they have more openings then what you see online

1) Nice thought, but untrue.
2) First, you can't call the eatery, as you must go through the Call Center before talking to the restaurant.
3) Second, all openings are listed in the dining software system, and available to everyone - online, in person, on phone.
4) There are two exceptions:
. . . the Concierge at THAT resort usually has some pull with eateries in his/her own resort (example: Ohana at Poly for a Poly Concierge)
. . . if you find the Concierge with the dining OVERRIDE CODE (1-or-2 per resort), he/she can put you in anywhere, at any time, on any date
. . . we have put people into CRT with less than 12-hr notice on a holiday