Thursday's Tip

Or, rather, Thursday's Tips. Today's tips are all about Advanced Dining Reservations, or ADRs. If you plan to eat in any of Disney's table service restaurants, especially those offering character meals or fine dining, it's a good idea to have ADRs. It's absolutely essential if you'll be traveling during a free dining promotion (usually in the fall). Here are a few tips:

• When booking one of the princess meals (Cinderella's Royal Table at the Magic Kingdom or Akershus in Epcot), mark your calendar and start calling 407-WDW-DINE at exactly 180 days prior to your trip. Seriously. These things sell out in hours, if not minutes--at least the primo reservation times.
• Give Disney's online ADR system a try. I still recommend calling for the hard-to-get character meals, but being able to book anytime is a nice convenience.
  
• Want to try a character meal but aren't picky about which one? Try one of the less expensive meals, such as the Crystal Palace (Pooh characters) or the Tusker House (Donald & friends).
  
• If you have days on property when you're not planning to visit the parks, this is a great chance to try one of the fine dining restaurants at the resorts or even a resort character meal. You'll infuse your day with more Disney fun and can have a relaxing meal without worrying that you're eating up valuable park time!
• Finally, it's never too late! Even if you arrive on property without ADRs, you can call 407-WDW-DINE (there's actually a button for it on Disney resort phones) and see what's still available. Guests often cancel at the last minute, so stop by your desired restaurant when you get to the park, and you might just luck out!