I've been reading what you have to do to get a reservation at Cinerella's Royal Table in the UOG and am scared... Don't know how I'm going to manage the time synchronization thing from the UK :crying: My DD is so desperate to do this. Anyone got any useful tips? Am prepared to do it any day for breakfast or lunch of our 2 week trip to get a space - we'll plan around it if necessary...

It's supposedly not quite as hard to get as it used to be, due to the changes they made with lunch and dinner probably 1.5-2 years ago. Also, with the popularity of the dining plan and the fact that it takes two credits, it's cut out some of the competition for it - as I understand it. (All second/third hand info!)

I'd plan on calling on the hour of the first day you can make ADRs and take it from there. You've got a bit of time to be flexible, and being ok with either breakfast or lunch will likely help your case. But I don't think I'd do the practice run to learn the new prompts and call 5 times before the hour trying to be the first person in, given the costs of overseas calls.

GOOD LUCK!

the key to making dining reservations is to have a plan for what you want, but keep it flexible as much as possible.

prioritize the places you want and and start calling 190 days out. they do say it's 180, but it has been my experience that you CAN get some reservations before 180 even if you are not spending 10+ days in WDW. i agree 100% with the previuos poster - if you really want Cinderella's Royal Table - start calling the first minute of the first hour.

good luck with getting exactly what you want.

To add a little clarificaiton, the 180+10 rule goes like this...
If you are staying on site... 180 days out from the date of your arrival/check in, you can call and make ADR's for the first 10 days of your trip.

So, if you want, if you are staying on site, call exactly 180 days from your date of arrival and see what happens.

If you are staying off site, you can make ADR's from 180 days out from the day of your desired ADR.

i wanted to make sure my previous paot was understood. i know the rule is 1800 days from arrival for your trip. the past 3 years i have been able to make partial bookings outside of the 180 day rule. i wasn't trying on either occasion to take advantage, but was told to call on the 180+10 day mark. by doing so i was able to book a few days of reservations for my trip, but not the entire stay.

this year even cirque du soliel was booked beofre the 180 day from our arrival. depends on how lucky you get with your cm i guess.

I made reservations for 5 lunch for January 7 on August 28th, which is more like 120 days out. Got 12:20 for a party of 5. By calling at your 180 mark and having 2 weeks ahead of that to choose from I wouldn't think that you would have a problem. Although I am no expert, never having eaten there before, this will be our first time. We are going for my DD who is 25 and has always wanted to go inside the castle, but we never tried for breakfast cuz it was so hard and cuz we use that morning timw to go on the rides before the crowds arrive. Also, now we only go for 2 days at a time, so our park time is limited.

I got in last year for lunch (party of 4), calling about 90 days out. The key is to be flexible. When I called, I fully expected that it would be booked, but I was hoping for a cancellation (or a miracle). I told the agent that I would be happy for any time frame for lunch. We wound up with the next to last seating (I don't remember precisely--I think it was 2:20 pm).

While I generally really like the UOG, I do think that this is one area where they make it sound harder than it really is....

Good luck!

Theresa

To add a little clarificaiton, the 180+10 rule goes like this...
If you are staying on site... 180 days out from the date of your arrival/check in, you can call and make ADR's for the first 10 days of your trip.

So, if you want, if you are staying on site, call exactly 180 days from your date of arrival and see what happens.

If you are staying off site, you can make ADR's from 180 days out from the day of your desired ADR.

Ok I realise I am being dim, but do I start counting backwards 180 days and include our arrival day in this count or do I start counting the day before our arrival? Also, we're staying for 2 weeks, when can I call to book the last 4 days :confused: Of course, I have still got 100+ days to figure this out! May be overstressing a bit too soon....

Include your arrival day, since you could need to make reservations for that day, and that would be 180 days when you call.

Regarding making the last 4 days - in all honesty, when you get through the first 10 days, I'd just keep going on the list of reservations you want to make. I've heard that the CMs have some leeway on this, and I'm 'pretty sure' ;) it'll be obvious by then that you're calling from overseas, and with as organized as you'll be on the phone call (since you DO have 100 days yet to get organized!), you'll probably be able to do it. If they ask you about it - you might want to play either the 'innocent' card "Oh, sorry, I thought I could make reservations 180 days out for my whole vacation, I didn't realize it was only for the first 10 days" or skip that card and go right to the "I realize that, but it's so difficult with the time zones and overseas calls are so expensive, I was hoping I could do it all at once". (The fact that it's the middle of the day for you should be minimized - the Aussies have a better argument on the time zones!)

Basically, I'm saying you should ask them to do all 14 days, and if they don't - ask them when you can call to make the last 4. I think I'd try to do it 190 days from your departure day.

180 + 10 simply isn't 190. it's 180 days from check-in for up to the next 10 days. that's why it's called 180 + 10 and not 190. that said, the system allows it because it was never fixed (your 180 days out is someone else's 180 + 10) so tables are listed available. Some CMs don't get it so they book ahead of 180 anyway even though they're not supposed to. if you can, more power to you, but you're not supposed to be able to.

with CRT, they release a small percentage of tables along each of those 180 + 10 days with the most number of tables being released at exactly 180 days out.

if you go to http://pscalculator.net/pscalc.php , it'll tell you when you're 180 days out. if you're staying more than 10 days out, you need to call back 180 days out from those extra days (you can try calling a few days before and see if it works)

ETA: it shouldn't work more than 190 days out regardless because the tables shouldn't be available in inventory. won't hurt trying, but it shouldn't be possible, even if the CM wanted to.

You can also, as a backup, try to book one of the other princess character meals. My girls enjoy the Princess Storybook Lunch (or breakfast), at the Norway restaurant at Epcot, just as much as the Castle. Cinderella may or may not show up that that one, but we've seen her at least twice there. There is also a Cinderella character dinner at the Grand Floridian.

if you go to http://pscalculator.net/pscalc.php , it'll tell you when you're 180 days out. if you're staying more than 10 days out, you need to call back 180 days out from those extra days (you can try calling a few days before and see if it works)


Oh that calculator thing is very neat, thanks!

You can also, as a backup, try to book one of the other princess character meals. My girls enjoy the Princess Storybook Lunch (or breakfast), at the Norway restaurant at Epcot, just as much as the Castle. Cinderella may or may not show up that that one, but we've seen her at least twice there. There is also a Cinderella character dinner at the Grand Floridian.

You are of course right but it's the castle that's the draw more than Cinderella herself. I haven't ever revealed the dining with Cinderella info to my daughter but she asked if she could eat inside the castle - thought it up all by herself! Think I will try for the Norway meal too just in case though.

the key to making dining reservations is to have a plan for what you want, but keep it flexible as much as possible.

Truer words are rarely spoken. I got my list of restaurants together, called about 120 days before my check-in and only had to adjust a few things to get everything situated in one phone call. The people on the phones are really great too! They helped me with times of fireworks and all that to make sure my on-the-fly schedule adjustments would work. Really, the only ones that had very little flexibility were Le Cellier and Victoria & Alberts...even Cali Grill had quite a few times available on several nights! (Of course, this is for an off-season trip, your results may vary)

As for "back-up reservations": I'm pretty sure that Disney doesn't have a rule about it, but I would urge everyone who engages in this practice to at least be kind enough to release (cancel) reservations which will go unused in a timely manner. Quite frankly, it's rude to do anything else and it might hurt someone else's experience to not be able to get a reservation where they wanted to eat.

As for "back-up reservations": I'm pretty sure that Disney doesn't have a rule about it, but I would urge everyone who engages in this practice to at least be kind enough to release (cancel) reservations which will go unused in a timely manner. Quite frankly, it's rude to do anything else and it might hurt someone else's experience to not be able to get a reservation where they wanted to eat.


When I mentioned a "back up" I meant a "Plan B," not to make a reservation you don't intend to keep. I was suggesting that, if Cindy's is not available at any time during the stay, don't hesitate to plan a different princess character meal. The castle is way cool, and I've had very good luck getting in at almost every trip, but I think my kids liked the Princess Storybook meal just as much. We also did the Cinderella character dinner at the Grand Floridian, and my little one loved seeing Cinderella, but wasn't so thrilled with the mice. Last year we were waiting for our table at Flying Fish, when someone told the hostess that his large party, if memory serves I think it was 13 people, would not be keeping their reservation. That was at least three tables that could have gone to other people.

When I mentioned a "back up" I meant a "Plan B," not to make a reservation you don't intend to keep. I was suggesting that, if Cindy's is not available at any time during the stay, don't hesitate to plan a different princess character meal.

I totally agree with the idea of coming up with another way to let your little princesses see the "real" princesses. I just said what I did because I have heard a lot of talk in various places of people making multiple simultaneous reservations, simply because they didn't want to be stuck in a certain park due to a dinner reservation or because they were going to try to walk-in to the place they really wanted to go, but wanted a back-up just in case. I don't like either of those practices. I'm sorry if I wasn't clear, I wasn't saying that I thought you did this or were encouraging others to, I was just saying that people can, but probably should not do this... However, I'm not opposed to making a reservation now for the back-up plan and calling every so often to see if you can get in to your first choice. If you do, though, cancel the other one immediately so some other lucky family can meet some princesses too!:) (I actually did this for my V&A reservation for my upcoming trip. I had to make an earlier one than I wanted because it was all that was open when I made my ressies...After calling every day for two weeks, the time I wanted opened up!)

At exactly 180 + 10 days out I called at 4am California time and the reservation agent could not believe that I was calling so early. She must have been new. We are arriving Presidents weekend and she let me have my pick of times. They weren't close to being full for the entire 8 days of our stay. I took 8:30a so we can be in the park before it opens. I was shocked since I heard so many horror stories about not getting in. Happily I fell back to sleep dreaming of breakfast!

;)At exactly 180 + 10 days out I called at 4am California time and the reservation agent could not believe that I was calling so early. She must have been new. We are arriving Presidents weekend and she let me have my pick of times. They weren't close to being full for the entire 8 days of our stay. I took 8:30a so we can be in the park before it opens. I was shocked since I heard so many horror stories about not getting in. Happily I fell back to sleep dreaming of breakfast!

Oh I so hope I can repeat your experience! Again I am being dim but would you mind making it clear to my limited DDP brain cell ... When you counted back 180 days + 10(190 days yes?) - did you include your arrival day as day 1 of the backwards count? And - (I knowyou shouldn't start a sentance with and..!) did you book the rest of your 8 day stay at the same time? My last booking I booked 14 days at the 180 day mark and didn't realise I had maybe got lucky until I read a different post about booking meals and then I didn't have anything as critical as my DD's date with Cindy to arrange

180 + 10 is not 190. it's 180 days from check-in for the first 10 days of your vacation.

Oh; I feared that was the case but thought I'd seen a glimmer of hope. BradK - as an obvious uber expert to to my novice status, I'd be so grateful for any best tips you can provide. I thought your guide to photo pass was fab. Can't you do one for getting to Cindy's Royal Table?!

heh.. i don't think really that worth getting into a tizzy over. the fact is since it went to 2 TS credits and the ADRs went out to 180 days, it's not as big a challenge anymore... but if you want to be one of the first, call a day or 2 ahead of time and practice following the prompts (remembering you don't have to hear the whole prompt before you make your selection).. and since it doesn't appear to be too big of a secret nowadays, watch the clock. officially, they open the lines at 7 am. in reality, it's really 6:58 am ET as per www.time.gov

and i think i mentioned it, but if you're trying more than exactly 180 days out, keep trying. they release a small portion of tables each day with the majority being exactly 180 days out.

heh.. i don't think really that worth getting into a tizzy over. .

I agree absolutely, it's not - apart from the fact that I have to live with my DD and fear in a rash moment I may have promised we'll definately do this... Thank you for your tip though - I shall be synchronizing watches 2 minutes early. This is my punishment for being a Type A...

Scoobydooby, did you manage to make a reservation for this? I read all the strategies, and saw how difficult it was going to be, but I made an ADR without any actual headache, and I will be there 10 days after you get there.

Scoobydooby, did you manage to make a reservation for this? I read all the strategies, and saw how difficult it was going to be, but I made an ADR without any actual headache, and I will be there 10 days after you get there.

Hi Jerm - we will be there at the same time then! Yes thanks I got it. I called at exactly 180 days out as close as possible to what I thought Florida 7am was. I could not do what was suggested in the UOG about asking for Cindy's without even engaging in pleasantries (sp?!) - I intented to but just could not do it. I wanted lunch (for a particular date) but got breakfast - no big deal, I'm happy and more importantly DD is over the moon! My positive spin is that for a 9am brekkie reservation and a 9am park opening we might get to wander down Main Street in splendid isolation! Will make for some lovely photo's if this works out. Glad it was straightforward for you :)

I tried for Cinderellas the week of June 18-24 with no luck. Maybe I'll call back and try to get a lunch.

I tried for Cinderellas the week of June 18-24 with no luck. Maybe I'll call back and try to get a lunch.

When did you call (how many days out)?