How lucky are guests with restaurant reservations a week before trip?

[Llama mama]

Wondering how much opens up for restaurant reservations the week before ? I want to make a couple more the last week of June. Do guests drop a lot of reservations right before they travel?

 

[Aimeedyan]

This is one of the things you can look at from home to get an idea for what comes open. Casually check on your app tonight what is open tomorrow and the next day. I find the most openings around park closing time for restaurant reservations the following day. My guess is people start to go over the next day's plans and tweak them.

 

[EpcotPhoenician]

What I noticed during my trip in May was that checking 24-hours prior to when you want a reservation is when most people cancel. I realize this isn't great for planning, but never rule out being able to get an ADR the day before, or the day of.

 

[Llama mama]

This is one of the things you can look at from home to get an idea for what comes open. Casually check on your app tonight what is open tomorrow and the next day. I find the most openings around park closing time for restaurant reservations the following day. My guess is people start to go over the next day's plans and tweak them.

That’s a fantastic idea ! Thank you

 

[jabrown40]

Now that I live near the parks, I'm not tied to planning so far in advance. I've been amazed and delighted to get unexpected openings by checking the app frequently. Lately, I was able to get lunch at Sanaa, dinner at Wave, a Topolino's dinner reservation, and Boathouse for Saturday brunch. They were all available anywhere from a week to a couple of days before. People definitely cancel a few days up to the day before to avoid the penalty for not showing up.

 

[GoingSince1990]

Sign up for a Disney restaurant reservation alert service. For our last trip in May I got text after text alerting me that what I wanted was available, up to right before my trip.

 

[jemtx]

Wondering how much opens up for restaurant reservations the week before ? I want to make a couple more the last week of June. Do guests drop a lot of reservations right before they travel?

Personally I started getting very lucky about a week out from our trip. Just keep checking a lot. I also found that things continued to open even more in those last few days before a trip.

 

[jemtx]

I’d also agree with the people who recommended rechecking 24-48 hours before the day you’re looking for. I’ve found that the day or two before is when people really start finalizing things and often a lot of places/times will suddenly open.

 

[Heather07438]

Yes the day before many cancellations happen. Also the week prior or so as many have gotten into the habit over the years of making excess ADRs to leave themselves more flexibility for WDWs schedule changes. Then they tidy it up before the trip starts dropping the ones they definitely won’t use.

 

[evilqueenmindy]

I’ve used the dining finder tool with great success in the past, but have found it pretty useless this year. I agree with checking back, especially 24-48 hours in advance of your trip.

 

[epcotobsessed]

My first post-covid trip is next month, so this may no longer be true, but prior to that I was able to get pretty much any ADR the day before or day of. Lots of people change plans last-minute which means lots of ADRs open up last minute.

 

[MomOTwins]

My first post-covid trip is next month, so this may no longer be true, but prior to that I was able to get pretty much any ADR the day before or day of. Lots of people change plans last-minute which means lots of ADRs open up last minute.

The day before, yes. The day of no. Agree that used to be the case, but is not any more. They have switched to a "walk-up waitlist" system for same day availability at any restaurants, and it sells out FAST.

I would also note that while there is often decent availability for restaurants the day before, you won't see many (if any) character meals. Now that those are really scarce compared to before Covid, people are keeping those reservations even though they are cancelling "regular" meals.

 

[LovesTimone]

You just have to keep checking and checking... and then more checking.... and keep at it...

I think gone are the days of getting a same day ADR's.... I liked it much better when you could cancel a ADR, same day, and pick up another ADR same day, or even move the time to earlier or later same day.. Sometimes you get stuck, or someone doesn't get out of bed on time, or the kids are having such a good time at the pool, you just want to get QS and eat pool side or whatever vacation reasons comes along... I also miss walk ups, sometimes you just decided you want to duck in somewhere and sit down and have a meal...

 

[epcotobsessed]

This wasn't my post, but thanks for confirming that my day-of trick no longer works. Darn, I messed this one up!

 

[Dis703]

We find a lot of our ADRs in the week or two prior to our trips usually. And sometimes even the same day. People are always moving around plans last minute it seems.