1st trip to Disney World Dining question

[briking]

Do you have to make advanced reservations? I'm not sure how all of this works. We're about three weeks away from our trip, are we going to have a hard time finding places to eat without reservations?

 

[fireman17]

If you are on th Disney Dining Plan and have table service you need to make your ADR now if you are only three weeks away from your trip. If you have the counter service plan you will not need to make ADR just plan accordingly when going to eat.
It is virtually impossible just to go into a restaurant and have an available table without a very long wait without ADR's.
Good luck.

 

[briking]

We're not on a Disney dining plan. We only purchased our tickets through the hotel we're staying at.

 

[kamik86]

It is good that your not on the DP finding ADRs now that would work with where you are each day this late (for a trip that I'm guessing is at Christmas time) would be tough.

If you want to eat at any TS places in Disney though I would definitely start checking for ADRs. With the Christmas crowds I can't imagine most places haveing much for walk ups.

 

[Alabama Minnie]

I would regularly check the Dec. cancellations board on here (people post what they are going to cancell) and sign-up for the email notifications too. It will be difficult this late to get the "more in demand" places but having a ressie somewhere is better than none to us. Good Luck!

 

[briking]

Thanks for the tips!

 

[2forMe]

even if you are not on the dining plan.. if there are restuarants that you want to eat at.. meaning sit down/server/buffet style.. you need to look right away to see of there are any available. You can reserve on-line.. this is available to anyone going to WDW and not just people staying on disney property.
To eat at coutner service/fast food you do not need reservations.

 

[LilyWDW]

Do you have to make advanced reservations? I'm not sure how all of this works. We're about three weeks away from our trip, are we going to have a hard time finding places to eat without reservations?

Ask yourself a handful of questions:

Do you want to eat at table service meals?
Do you like to eat at "normal" meal times?
Do you mind traveling to a restaurant if needed?
Are there any restaurants you really want to try?

It comes down to this... if you want to eat at table service during normal meal times OR if you want to go someplace in particular then you need to make reservations.

If you don't care if you eat table service, where you eat, or if you have to travel to another park or resort to find a place, then you might be okay without.

If you don't have ADRs then there is a good chance you will not get into the restaurants you want. If there is anything open, they will be less popular places and you may have to go elsewhere to get a place that is open. You may even have to settle for counter service depending on the time or situation.

I would sit down, look at menus, and try to book a few things.

 

[lucyem]

If you do want some sit down meals certainly start trying to make ADR's. But keep in mind there are some really good counter service places. Sunshine Seasons in Epcot for example. And with this being your first trip you may not want to spend a lot of time getting to ADR's and eating.

 

[vicki_c]

And just to add - more for your future reference - reservations for Disney sit-down restaurants open 180 days ahead of your trip dates. In general, it's important to make reservations as early as possible - even more so if it's free dining time or a holiday.

So if you go again in the future - think 6 months ahead of time!