just returned last night from the parks MANY people got in without ressies!

[TLHB70]

We just got home last night from a week long trip at WDW. We saw MANY people walk up without reservations and get seated at table service restaurants. We saw this happen at Liberty Tree Tavern (during the lunch time slot - around 1 PM and during the dinner time slot - around 5:15 PM) We had reservations two days there at two different times because we love both the lunch and dinner menu. It happened at both times. Also people walked up at San Angel Inn for dinner (around 5:30 PM). It also happened at Sci Fi around 6:45 PM. As a matter of fact, these walk ups even got seats in cars! Two round tables in the back of the restaurant were even empty! And, the most unbelievable part of all, walk ups got a table at Mama Melrose when we were there! I have to admit that I got a bit upset about this one. I tried to get my attitude right, but I initially got upset! We had Fantasmic dinner package reservations at 4:05 PM. I set my alarm clock and got up to call right at opening for my 90 day mark to get this spot. I planned and worked hard for it. I had hoped for a later seating than 4:05, but I was happy to get anything. Our family showed up on our last night, Friday night (two nights ago), and had to wait about 15 minutes. The lobby/waiting area was SWARMING with people. It was a crazy place! I watched people check in while we waited. One group came in without reservations. There were 4 adults and two children. The hostess "worked them in." The husband talked to her a few more moments, and then the hostess said she had to check with the manager. She left and returned a couple of minutes later. She got them a FANTASMIC PACKAGE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! The husband came back and told the wife who had stepped to the side with the children. She said, "How did you do that?" He winked at her and they waited for their table. They ended up getting a table right next to us about 25 miutes or so after we were seated. We had finished appetizers and were waiting for our entrees when they were seated. We heard the waitress give them the talk about Fantasmic......where to enter.........when to show up, etc. Since we were seated late, and they came in after us, they got prime dining time, one that I had hoped to get. Yet they didn't have a reservation. I don't understand that! DH reminded me that I do not know their story. Perhaps they know someone. Perhaps they have some sort of medical condition, etc. Who knows. He was correct. I still can't help it that I got a bit upset. I did write the manager's name down, though.

[notaclue]

This is great news. We are leaving Tues and I didn't make any ADRs for lunch so I'm very happy to learn it will all work out. Thanks for the update.

[Rellagirl]

I can certainly appreciate your feeling of unfairness about the situation. Maybe it's just plain luck? My friend went down in March and was able to get into Coral Reef with no problem. They just happened to be by there when they decided they wanted to eat and it worked. Someone else I know was able to get a walk up but I can't recall the restaurant. He'd said that there were a lot of people waiting for their reservation time. He went up to ask if there was availability. He told the CM they were a party of 8. She left for a moment and came back with a table ready for them. He figures they got to bump others due to the automatic gratuity since they were a party of 8.

I think restaurants would still all be pretty full every day even if we didn't have to make ADRs.

[dis-happy]

Luck of the draw, try not to let it get you down. Friends of ours were at WDW during Easter week a couple of years ago and did a walk-up to CRT for breakfast. Were told it NEVER happens but they just had a cancellation and so they went.

[MAGGIED]

thats nice for them... but I would rather get up at the crack of dawn and make the reservations that I want and not chance it to try and get a reservation.... so the minor inconvenience of getting up and planning ahead assures me that we get to eat where we want...

[DisneyGirl4188]

We were at DHS on Sept 9 and were able to get a walk in at Sci-fi for eight. We did have to split up, but 5 of us got a car.

[BriarRosie]

The restaurants and the Disney Dining line do not work hand in hand, so you really can't fault the restaurant for having an opening when you had to struggle 90 days out.

It's possible that there was a canceled ADR, meaning that there was an opening that day that wasn't there previously. It's too much effort to be angry over the small stuff.

I'd rather have an ADR for a place I know I want to go than to take my chances that I'll be turned away as a walk up. That's the beauty of having an ADR. I view it as a guaranteed spot.

[bobbiwoz]

We had a grand gathering for my DM's 85th birthday, and I THOUGHT that I had booked the Fantasmic Dinner package for 11 of us. When we arrived at Mama Melrose, we found that we only had a reservation for dinner (this was in '04). We were very disappointed of course and figured we would just have to see Fantasmic the regular way. However, during the meal, one of the staff came up to me, said there had been a cancellation and gave us passes. This was wonderful pixie dust for us and we were very grateful!

For the entire 5 night stay, this was the only mistake that I found. I don't know the circumstances involved in your "incident" but it is possible that some pixie dust was called for.

Bobbi

[TLHB70]

I agree with everyone. I am definitely going to continue my planning and booking ADRs before my trips. I, too, would rather plan and book to guarantee a spot rather than to wing it and hope to get in. I had just hoped for a later time than 4:05 and was initially bummed that I couldn't get it. After having to wait to be seated, though, it was really closer to 4:30 so it was a bit later.
For those of you going soon, I would definitely suggest trying to get a table if there is a place that you really wanted but were unable to book. From what I could see, it is a good chance you will get a table.

[Tricia1972]

How awesome for that family to get the Fantasmic Package at the last minute like that! Hopefully that's a lesson to us all to just ask at the podium for a package if we didn't get one, but want one. Perhaps there's a cancellation that we don't know about, and pixie dust will be sent our way!

[twins2again]

Just think tho, they are taking a chance. They dont have the secure feeling you get knowing you are booked and have that res for sure. Its well worth the peace of mind to do it the way you do and know for sure. Plenty of people dont get in, some just get lucky and personally I wouldnt want to take a chance on getting lucky or getting turned away and searching for a place to go

[Acklander]

yeah, the ant always hates it when the grasshopper survives. That being said, I'm not much of a planner - more of a go with the flow type person. I might make an occasional priority seating if there's something special I'm looking to do, but for the most part we just wing it. We're not a large group (usually 3 or 4), we don't go during high season, prefer to eat later and we're flexible on waits. You'd be surprised on what we've been able to do. I once even got into the castle on a day's notice.
some people (such as the OP) are planners, some aren't. Yet we all are able to have a great time at Disney, isn't that wonderful?
By the way, I've never been to a park for rope drop either and still managed to have a good time.

Just curious, why did you write down the manager's name???

[ROEDISNEY]

Originally Posted by TLHB70

We just got home last night from a week long trip at WDW. We saw MANY people walk up without reservations and get seated at table service restaurants. We saw this happen at Liberty Tree Tavern (during the lunch time slot - around 1 PM and during the dinner time slot - around 5:15 PM) We had reservations two days there at two different times because we love both the lunch and dinner menu. It happened at both times. Also people walked up at San Angel Inn for dinner (around 5:30 PM). It also happened at Sci Fi around 6:45 PM. As a matter of fact, these walk ups even got seats in cars! Two round tables in the back of the restaurant were even empty! And, the most unbelievable part of all, walk ups got a table at Mama Melrose when we were there! I have to admit that I got a bit upset about this one. I tried to get my attitude right, but I initially got upset! We had Fantasmic dinner package reservations at 4:05 PM. I set my alarm clock and got up to call right at opening for my 90 day mark to get this spot. I planned and worked hard for it. I had hoped for a later seating than 4:05, but I was happy to get anything. Our family showed up on our last night, Friday night (two nights ago), and had to wait about 15 minutes. The lobby/waiting area was SWARMING with people. It was a crazy place! I watched people check in while we waited. One group came in without reservations. There were 4 adults and two children. The hostess "worked them in." The husband talked to her a few more moments, and then the hostess said she had to check with the manager. She left and returned a couple of minutes later. She got them a FANTASMIC PACKAGE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! The husband came back and told the wife who had stepped to the side with the children. She said, "How did you do that?" He winked at her and they waited for their table. They ended up getting a table right next to us about 25 miutes or so after we were seated. We had finished appetizers and were waiting for our entrees when they were seated. We heard the waitress give them the talk about Fantasmic......where to enter.........when to show up, etc. Since we were seated late, and they came in after us, they got prime dining time, one that I had hoped to get. Yet they didn't have a reservation. I don't understand that! DH reminded me that I do not know their story. Perhaps they know someone. Perhaps they have some sort of medical condition, etc. Who knows. He was correct. I still can't help it that I got a bit upset. I did write the manager's name down, though.

I wanted to do my own survey this trip and I had my parents do it to.
I to got up and was on the phone at 7:00 am with my DH on the his phone at 7:00 am to get r dinning ress first.
That is really suprising to hear. I was there on 8/27 to 9 8 and made sure I watched to see if ppl would get turned away and they did at every single place we ate at. Me my dh & the boys all looked 4 this and so did my parents.

I don't think that's fair in a way cause we have to take the times they have and that maybe not what we wanted.
Here were we at at Myparents ate at 9/12 to 9/19
T-Rex Wave
France Kona
Canada Maya
Italy Capt Jack's
Japan WGP
CP Tony's
Tony's Capt Grill
Prime Time Canada
Tusker House
Big River
Chef Mickey's
Ohana
Myparents ate at 9/12 to 9/19
Wave
Kona
Maya Grill
Capt Jack's
WGP
Tony's
Capt Grill
Canada

[Coach81]

ADR= guaranteed spot at the place you know you want to eat, at the time you want to eat there. Other than that, luck of the draw... I'll keep my ADRs thank you!

[bytheblood]

I think it depends on the restaurants. I like the guarantee of being able to dine where I would like. Thanks for the report.