Going to Ohanas Without Reservations

[Doug123]

We'd like to change one of our May reservations to Ohanas. At this point, as you might guess, it's booked solid. Does anyone have an estimate of how long of wait we'd be facing (around the 5-6 PM hour) if we just showed up without reservations?

Thanks.

 

[DISNEY1975]

Its booked solid for a reason!

While I never say never, I would lean towards the never pool with this one. Dont waste your time even going unless Capt. Cook is your second choice.

 

[itchin2go]

No guarantee you'd get in at all. I'd keep calling rather than take a chance on waiting and being turned away.

Watch the May cancellation thread and call once you get there as well. There are lots of same day cancellations.

Good luck!

 

[Cameo]

I wouldn't even try that. They always seem overbooked to me. Even when we have reservations, we end up waiting 15-20 minutes to get in from our ressie time. Feel for you - we couldnt' get any ADRs there for our last trip either and it's our favorite restaurant. I tried multiple times, including going to the conceirge desk twice while we were there to check if there had been any cancellations. No dice.

 

[BriarRosie]

I'd get there before they open at 5pm. It can't hurt to ask at the podium. Worst they can do is say no.

If that happened, I'd just walk to the sushi bar area. When you're that early, you should find plenty of seats there. And you can order off the full Kona Cafe dinner menu. Not a bad backup plan.

 

[vettegirl]

I would check online daily, I was able to get a ressie for a very last minute trip in Oct for 8:30. We arrived at 8:00 and they called us 5 minutes later, I could not believe it, as there were people waiting all over the place.

 

[MinnieLovesMickey]

We had 5:30 reservations on our last trip, showed up at 4:45 (so I could have my pina colava) and the line to check in was back to the sushi bar! I was about ready to leave at that point, so don't even bother. I didn't even think the food was that spectacular anyway.

 

[WAHMto5]

Thtis is one place I would never even chance it with, sorry

 

[sweetsusannah]

Keep calling...something may open up. I've been able to get ressies when calling from on property for that day from a cancelation, not for OHana though. Even with a ressies they have a wait at Ohana, so I'd say not a very good chance of a walk up in May.

 

[Doug123]

Thanks everyone for the comments. For once on the DIS it seems like everyone is in agreement! Right now we're trying Raglan Road for the first time (it's for the first night of our trip, so we won't be in the parks).

After the Podcast recommendation, we started to think about Ohanas. Although we've tried (online) every day since, it's been booked solid. Next time for sure!

 

[kissakat]

Here is what I did on our last trip, in May '08 - and we lucked out. Ohanas was fully booked so I made a reservation instead at Kona Cafe and we were all fully OK with that (if slightly disappointed), because we really wanted to go to the Poly one night. When we arrived at around 6:00 for our 7:00 Kona reservation, I asked at the Ohana podium if they had any cancellations and could seat us (4 people). They did! We had about a 15 minute wait, and once I knew we were definitely going to be seated, I popped next door and canceled the Kona reservation with the hostess (she was fine with it). After all that, the food at Ohana was not even that good, IMHO. But my son loved the entertainment and we loved the exotic drinks. So, give it a shot if you really want to go, but have a Plan B just in case.

 

[LilyWDW]

Unless you are already going to be at the Poly, I wouldn't take the time personally.

Plus, I liked Raglan Road better the 'Ohana anyways... both were wonderful though!

 

[tndisneyfan]

We went to Ohana in March. A couple in front of us walked up and asked if they could be seated. I was shocked when they said yes. They only waited about 10 minutes. Thus was at 8 or so on a Saturday night. It's not something I would try but you may get lucky.

 

[itchin2go]

We went to Ohana in March. A couple in front of us walked up and asked if they could be seated. I was shocked when they said yes. They only waited about 10 minutes. Thus was at 8 or so on a Saturday night. It's not something I would try but you may get lucky.

This is the first time I've ever heard of this! Should give some people hope. Still, I would say to try this only if you have the evening to burn. I mean, if it's resort CS vs. *trying* to get into 'Ohana, and you WANT to tour the Poly and you're ok if it doesn't work out, I'd say, give it a whirl.

Me? My vacation nights are too high stakes for me. I wouldn't want to gamble it. On the other hand, what the previous poster said about dining at the bar is at least a back-up plan.

Good luck, no matter what you decide.

 

[CanadianPaco]

I'd get there before they open at 5pm. It can't hurt to ask at the podium. Worst they can do is say no.

I agree provided you didn't go out of your way to get there. I would waste a lots of effort trying to get in...

 

[Batch]

Keep trying to get an ADR online. I just secured an 8:15 ADR for dinner next Saturday night. I had been trying every couple of days over the past couple of weeks and all of a sudden on Tuesday...poof, April 24th at 8:15. It's definitely worth a try! It'll help if you can be flexible with time (I would try a few different times everytime I checked).

Good luck!

 

[Tribe0701]

We went to 'Ohana in March and it was well, well below par. $40 per person for substandard service, poor food and a guy walking with a guitar (entertainment). Bottom line is that we feel 'Ohana went downhill. On the ADR side of things, we tried to get some in China and were told no. We went to China at 6PM and were told it would be 25-30 minutes and we sat in 8 minutes.

 

[BriarRosie]

I agree provided you didn't go out of your way to get there. I would waste a lots of effort trying to get in...

That's why I suggested a backup plan! Sure, they probably could have tried for a walkup at the Kona Cafe, but they wouldn't need an ADR to sit in the sushi bar area. And the Kona food is good.

 

[MyVirtueAidan]

Definately Check the May Cancellation thread...

Have you ever though of adding a pretend person to see if anything opens... That what we had to do... Couldn't get anything for a table of 4 but found a 7pm for a table of 6... Crazy right... Luckily the hubbys relatives will be comming so we won't be needing to fib!