So I totally blew it (Disney)

I totally flaked on making dining reservations for my trip in October and now I can't get one single character reservation for any time any meal. Is there any hope for us or did I just scar my children for life?can you walk into these places?

Re: So I totally blew it (Disney)

You cannot walk in, but keep checking, people cancel all the time!

Re: So I totally blew it (Disney)

Keep calling, people cancel all the time. We were also able to walk into Crystal Palace (Pooh, Tigger, Eyore and Piglet) in MK for lunch with no reservation, just a brief wait outside. Crowd levels were low when we went though. Good luck!

Re: So I totally blew it (Disney)

Try calling.

Also maybe try late lunch/brunch reservations.

We're going next week and I signed up a few weeks ago for these.

We plan to hit park at rope drop and do as much as we can, finish up with lunch then head back to pool to chill.

I scheduled Chef Mickey on a non-park day.

There also seem to be lots of character breakfast reservations for early AM at the resort locations if that's an option too.

ETA: I also know there is some kind of service you can pay for that will let you know as soon as something opens up on your preferred time. I don't think it costs a terrible fee and people rave about it online.

Message edited 8/15/2015 7:47:20 PM.

So I totally blew it (Disney)

There will probaby be cancellations. You are charged if you don't cancel, so keep checking even the day before. Good luck!

Re: So I totally blew it (Disney)

I went 2 weeks ago and when I was checking in at Crystal Palace there was a guy in front of me who was trying to get reservations that day for dinner at 6:00, well they didn't have 6:00 but they did have 3:45 and a 9:00...so if you are flexible I am sure there will be some openings...and I went peak crowd time.

So I totally blew it (Disney)

we're going in 2 weeks, so i'm in this mode, too i booked through a travel agent who made sure i did my reservations as soon as they would let me... BUT you'll be fine. people cancel all the time. Especially about 45 days before the trip. thats when final payment is due, and a lot of people end up canceling or postponing their trips around that point.
ALSO- Check disboards.com (like an LIF for disney HAHA) there is a thread somewhere on there where people post reservations that they're gonna be cancelling, so you can co-ordinate to grab them when they cancel.
OR like somebody else said, you can pay a little bit of money to a service to search for reservations for you. i think you put in the dates and restaurant you're intrested in and it texts or emails you when one opens up so you can go on and get it. Disney Dining Buddy and Disney Dining Scout i think are 2 of them.
so you'll be fine... just keep checking!!

So I totally blew it (Disney)

Keep checking, I was able to score a table at chef mickeys the say of when there was no availability for months.

So I totally blew it (Disney)

I agree with everyone else. Keep trying...people cancel. Good luck!

Re: So I totally blew it (Disney)

Keep refreshing that website! Just leave a browser window open and refresh whenever you get the chance. People cancel all the time, especially for the less popular restaurants.

If you get really nervous about it, they even have threads on Disney forums where people coordinate dining reservation cancellations (crazy, I know, but it actually works).

Re: So I totally blew it (Disney)

100% don't stop trying. People cancel, move plans around all the time.

Have you tried Tusker House at Animal Kingdom? There is Mickey, Minnie, Donald Duck, Goofy.....really cute experience & does not book as fast as the others.

So I totally blew it (Disney)

I booked late for our first trip - it was at the end of September. I couldn't get a lot but, I kept on checking every few days and was able to get what I wanted.

The second time I went it was a bit harder though to move things (but, it was over Jewish holidays so it was more crowded than usual and there was free dining) but, there were options.

Re: So I totally blew it (Disney)

So I totally blew it (Disney)

Keep checking! Also, check when you're there. Often times you can't do a walk up, but sometimes they have cancellations and will get you in.
I make sure my clients have their dining taken care of, but I often go to Disney with *gasp* no reservations at all and end up eating almost everywhere I want to eat as long as I am flexible.

Cape May Cafe is a great choice for a character breakfast and people often cancel their reservations there when they realize it isn't as easy to get there as they thought it was.

Re: So I totally blew it (Disney)

So we are checking in on Sunday.

I was just able to score breakfast at Tusker House before Animal Kingdom opens on Monday.

Was also able to move brunch to breakfast at Chef Mickey on our non-park day which is awesome, so we have the whole day to do whatever. I also think it's cheaper ;).

ETA: also the Downtown Disney places you can call the restraurant directly for a reservation and they don't ask for a credit card to charge your spot if you cancel.

This is how I got into T-Rex.

Message edited 8/19/2015 8:14:47 PM.

Re: So I totally blew it (Disney)

Re: So I totally blew it (Disney)

Yes, website for reservations.

I did just call though to change FP times for Monday. Lady was so nice and got us an earlier safari time and changed dinosaur to later in the day so we aren't leaving breakfast to go to other end of park and then right back for safari.

Website wasn't letting me get FP times I wanted...

Re: So I totally blew it (Disney)

Def call T. rex. We got the reservation less than a week before (it's very much like rainforest cafe). Peak dinner time.

We got a cancellation slot at the beauty & beast restaurant the day of... 2 hours before. Nice for kids (but I'm not a fan overall of any Disney restaurant: we eat at places when we are done outside of the parks).

Re: So I totally blew it (Disney)

people cancel last minute. They have to, or they get charged. We didn't even book our trip until one month before we went and kept checking for dining and things opened up as it got closer. We got a reservation at chef Mickeys and Cinderellas castle only a few days in advance.

So I totally blew it (Disney)

I agree with consistently checking and calling. I would also try to go when you are there if all else fails. We were just there last week and had reservations for chef mickey's,t-Rex and cinderella's table. Three people unexpectedly joined our party at the last moment. When we called to see if these people could be added on we were told no but when we were in the parks we asked anyway and they added them on without a problem . We also saw some people walking right up without any reservations and getting in at Chef Mickey's and t-Rex.

Re: So I totally blew it (Disney)

Ha, here now and we cancelled 2 of our character breakfasts for later in the week. Did one, it was fun, but we don't want to spend another $200 for just two meals.

So I totally blew it (Disney)

We went to Disney and went to Cinderella's castle and got reservations for the next day. We just asked if there was anything available while we were there. Always check when you are there. You have nothing to lose. That was the only experience I really wanted to do.