Didnt make ADR'S

[jdorow]

Well, I did everything else but no ADR's. My family is leaving Sunday for a week at Disney. I called for ADR's...oh last week? I understand how everything could be full but honestly, how can everyone plan that well. My DD and DS dont make it that easy. Great kids, just hungry at wierd times.
Any suggestions on good places to possibly get into>

 

[mickeystoontown]

Is this your first trip to WDW? It kind of sounds like it. I say that because I had that same mentality on our first WDW trip. Boy, was I forever wrong about a whole lot of things including how and when we would eat!

With the dining plan becoming more and more popular, the restaurants are becoming busier than ever.

The Magic Kingdom and the Epcot restaurants are usually booked full. You might possibly get a walk in table if you at "off times" such as 2:00 p.m. or a late dinner reservation.

If you don't mind sitting at table instead of in a car, you may be able to walk in the Sci-Fi. Mama Melrosa's is overlooked sometimes so you may be able to get a table there too.

Hope you get to eat a lot of good food ! Lisa

 

[SamIAm21]

Well, I did everything else but no ADR's. My family is leaving Sunday for a week at Disney. I called for ADR's...oh last week? I understand how everything could be full but honestly, how can everyone plan that well. My DD and DS dont make it that easy. Great kids, just hungry at wierd times.
Any suggestions on good places to possibly get into>

I would try to eat at off times and early March is usually a bit slower traffic wise, so maybe it won't be as bad as it will be once you get closer to Easter weekend. I would try places like the Terrace Noodle Station and Cosmic Rays. They have some nice choices and Cosmic Rays has a kick butt chicken caesar salad. You could get lucky to find that El Pirata y El Perico in Adventureland is open and serving up some really good Mexican food. Their tacos are pretty good. The Electric Umbrella in Epcot is pretty good too. I would try to eat at your resort as much as possible as you will have a better chance of getting into those places at the last minute. Call your hotel concierge when you arrive and ask if he/she can help you score some last minute reservations. People will cancel daily as their plans change, so you should try calling a couple times to see what comes up.

Have fun and don't sweat it. It could be fun to just wing it!!

 

[DisneyMomx7]

I would try the Plaza and MK, Mama Melrose's at MGM, Restaurant Marrakesh or Biergarten in EPCOT and maybe Grand Floridian Cafe.

 

[KevinYee]

I would wing it, personally. With the dining plan filling up so many spaces ahead of time, your choices will be so limited that you might end up in restaurants you normally wouldn't want. So if you can resign yourself to either counter-service in the parks or eat off-property, I'd wing it.

 

[SamIAm21]

I would wing it, personally. With the dining plan filling up so many spaces ahead of time, your choices will be so limited that you might end up in restaurants you normally wouldn't want. So if you can resign yourself to either counter-service in the parks or eat off-property, I'd wing it.

Sorry, this is off topic, but WOW!! Kevin Yee is on the DIS!
Your column at MiceAge rocks and I love your book!!

Nice to see you!!

 

[Deb & Bill]

I hope you didn't pay for the Dining Plan. You are going to be sorely disappointed.

You say your kids are picky. Does that mean they don't like anything but standard food? That makes it even harder.

How about Garden Grill at Epcot? Yacht Club Galley? Cape May Cafe for breakfast (character meal at BC). Boatwrights at POR? Grand Floridian Cafe? LTT at lunch (no characters, order from the menu).

 

[fivefordisney]

Well, I did everything else but no ADR's. My family is leaving Sunday for a week at Disney. I called for ADR's...oh last week? I understand how everything could be full but honestly, how can everyone plan that well. My DD and DS dont make it that easy. Great kids, just hungry at wierd times.
Any suggestions on good places to possibly get into>

Okay, well you probably won't be able to sit down and eat as much as you'd like. However, there is hope! When you are at the MK, you can hop on the monorail and try either Kona Cafe or Ohana (at the Poly) or Chef Mickey's or Concourse Steakhouse (at the Contemporary)...We have walked up and have gotten into these places with a 20-30 minute wait the week before Christmas. In fact, we ate at Ohana on Dec 23 with a castle view with no ADR. We were on the DDP and we hadn't prepared as much as we should have... You could take the boat to MK and try the restaurant at Fort Wilderness!

That being said, the REALLY popular park choices will be really tough. I imagine Le Cellier, Teppanyaki, Sci Fi, 50's Primetime, LTT, CRT --will be full. Although, Mexico is usually an option without ADRs...

You also may want to call places like CRT or Hoop Dee Doo that are prepaid places on the day or the day before you want to eat...People will definitely cancel if they are not going to show up because they won't want to pay.

We have also cancelled many an ADR the day of when our plans suddenly changed.

You should definitely talk to the concierge at your resort...or any of the CMs, they may be able to give you some guidance.

Good luck. Just remember, it is not about the eating! It's about the fun--believe it or not, sometimes we feel strangled by our ADRs!

 

[fivefordisney]

ooops...double post!

 

[disnut8]

I couldn't decide on where I wanted to eat this Friday night. I finally decided on the Yacht Club Galley and called last week. We're in at 6:40 PM.

There are a lot of good restaurants in the Epcot resort area. It's easy to "dip out" of Epcot and then back in again for Illuminations. There's a new Italian place at the Swan that looks pretty good.

Good luck. So many people make their reservations 180 days out and then if it doesn't work out when they are there, they either don't show up or cancel them. I've had success on the Saturday before Easter calling the dining number in the afternoon and snagging a spot at the Rose and Crown for dinner.

 

[RangerPooh]

Table service

You could probably get into Whispering Canyon Cafe at WL and Trail's End at FW without a ressie. Or at least one the day of. They are both a short boat ride from the MK. If you are at DTD you could do Rainforest Cafe without a ressie, just avoid the main rush times for a shorter wait. Over at EPCOT Beirgarten is almost always a walk in and San Angel Inn usually is do able too. We've scored Tony's at the MK at of tms without any wait during March, also try Plaza Inn too.

Counter service
Electric umbrella and the food court over at the Land both at EPCOT, Flame Tree at AK, Cosmic Rays (enough food on on plate for 2!) and Pecos Bills both at the MK,.

It dosn't hurt to try and call about making some ADRs. We're going in 2 weeks an I just made soem for 50s yesterday. HTH.

 

[KevinYee]

Thanks for the welcome, Sam.

To keep us on-topic here, I'd reiterate the advice about Trail's End. I like that place. It's far off the beaten path, which is why it doesn't have the demand other places do, but it's good comfort food. I wouldn't want it more than once pre vacation, though.

 

[Freyja]

We hardly make any ADR´s. We made 1 last year which was for a chracter meal for a birthday celebration. This year we´ve made 3 ADR´s for our 2 week trip, 2 for characters breakfast and 1 for the Rainforest Café at the AK.

We usually eat CS or off-site (either breakfast or dinner) and it´s never been a problem.

 

[The Sweetness]

If you dont have ADR, and need more flexibility to be impulsive, than TS restaurants may not be right for you. There is, however, a decent variety of counter service foods available in all 4 parks, plus food courts with many choices in the resorts.
If you are staying offsite, it may be too time-consuming to leave the parks to eat lunch, but you can have a hearty breakfast before you go to a park, and if your kids are old enough to hold out for a late dinner, you may be able to eat dinner offsite when you leave the parks

Have a great time, and remember, you are at WDW for the experience. Food is just food. I am trying out the DDp, and will be dining in TS daily on my next trip, but Ive never had a trip with more than 2 TS in the parks / resorts before, and I never felt deprived, or went hungry (I *do* however enjoy park food such as burgers, pizza, and many of the other *goodies* available from the CS locations