ADRs necessary with a car and flexibility?

[Distiny]

We are going to Disney for 10 nights in August and renting a car for the first time! We are going to make ADRs for our must-dos (CM, CP, etc.), but thought it would be fun to explore other resorts and wing it for 4 or 5 of the nights. We would try to make ADRs on my phone about 2 hours in advance for dinner for 5. We're on the Boardwalk so we could also easily walk to Epcot or go to HS. We have a long list of restaurants that we'd like to try:

1900 Park Fare
Kona Café
Shutters
Ragland Road
Narcoosee's
Citrico's
Yachtsmen Steakhouse
Cape May
Shula's
Boatwright's
Boma
Jiko
Le Cellier
Coral Reef
Brown Derby
Artist Point
Trail's End
Garden Grill
Ohana
Chefs de France
Tutto Italia
Big River Grille
Trattoria Al Forno
California Grill
Maya Grill
Shula's
Todd English's Bluezoo
Trail's End

We'll be going the first week of September (before Labor Day). While we're flexible on the restaurant, we would be pretty inflexible on the time (5:30 - 6:30). What do you think? None of the restaurants above are must-dos, I'd just like to have some flexibility and try some places we haven't gone before.

Thanks!!!

 

[kaytieeldr]

Shutters, Boatwright's, Maya Grill, bluzoo, Shula's, - probably.
Yachtsman, Artist Point, Brown Derby, Jiko, Trail's End, Narcoossee's - maybe
Raglan Road you should be able to get using Open Table.

The inflexibility of your time range makes the others difficult, if not impossible. That's when most people want to eat.

 

[kangaroodle]

I actually think at that time of the year you might be in luck. The schools in the South will all have started already as well as a lot of others who start late August. Those who start school after Labor Day will probably not be taking a vacation that close to the start of school. We usually only make a few ADRs as well. Hate to be that scheduled! GOOD LUCK!

 

[djp0630]

That likely will be the start of free dining so the restaurants might be busy. But as long as you make ADRs for your must dos, I think why not!

 

[figment_jii]

Having a car gives you the flexibility to get to locations on short notice, so in that way I think you can manage to get to any location in under two hours. So if you make an ADR for later in the evening, you should be fine getting there.

However, that is not the same as saying there will be ADRs available at the places you've listed. The time you've listed is a fairly popular dining time, so it might be harder to get a last minute ADR at that point (opposed to dining earlier or later). From your list, I would say you will have the hardest time getting a last minute ADR for venues inside a theme park or for places with characters. Of the one son you list, I think the hardest places will be Le Cellier, Garden Grill, 'Ohana, Narcoossee's, and California Grill.

I think you'd have the easiest time finding reservations for the places at DTD, the moderate resorts, and the places that do not accept the DDP (e.g., the restaurants at the Swan and Dolphin that are on your list). Overall, I think given that you have such a long list of places, you'll be able to find something available.

 

[Distiny]

Thanks for the tips! I'm thinking I'll leave the first few days open and make ADR's just in case for the last part of the trip. If the first few days work, I can cancel my backup ADRs (>24 hours in advance). If I find that nothing is available, I know I won't go hungry my entire trip!

FWIW, I checked today at 4:00 and most of the signatures were still available.