ADR's or not???

[bucky925]

We are going the second week of December and have a big question. We haven't been to disney in quite some time and wonder if ADR's are now a must? We plan to make a couple at a few of the restaurants that we really want to try, but don't want to be tied down to trying to keep a schedule just to eat. If we try and wing it, are we going to be able to eat? Thanks for the help.

 

[aim]

We are going for our 3rd trip within the last couple of years. We have always had ADR's and really wouldn't recommend going without them. Reservations are getting rather hard to get for many popular restaurants. If there are certain ones that you really want -- definitely don't risk being turned away! I made ours on my 90 day mark and some were really tough to get. Good luck and happy eating!

 

[trac96]

definatly a must atleast in my opinion!

 

[MHSweb79]

I would strongly suggest making ADR's for each day. Unless they take a credit card to hold the ressie, you can cancel at any time without penalty.
That way, you'll have the safety net of at least one ADR every day but you'll also have the flexibility to cancel the ones you end up not needing.

 

[ShannonMB]

I would strongly suggest making ADR's for each day. Unless they take a credit card to hold the ressie, you can cancel at any time without penalty.
That way, you'll have the safety net of at least one ADR every day but you'll also have the flexibility to cancel the ones you end up not needing.

Agree with this. Why not have something just in case, and cancel as needed? Less stress if you're doing the dining plan IMO!

 

[eliza61]

We are going the second week of December and have a big question. We haven't been to disney in quite some time and wonder if ADR's are now a must? We plan to make a couple at a few of the restaurants that we really want to try, but don't want to be tied down to trying to keep a schedule just to eat. If we try and wing it, are we going to be able to eat? Thanks for the help.

We're going the first 2 weeks in august for 13 days and I have a grand total of 3 adr's.

• First, I always make a bunch of them and I never ever seem to make them, then I forget to cancel and get all kinds of flames about how inconsiderate I am.
• Second, my family is like you, I loathe, hate and despise having to stop what I'm doing if I'm having fun just to get some where to eat.
• Third, for some reason when we are on vacation we never follow the rules like we are at home. So I make adr's for let's say 6:00 pm and of course no one is hungry at 6:00
• lastly, I have yet to eat at any restaurant at Disney that is a "must do", but I go regularly so if I don't eat at some place it's no biggie.

Anyway, we always manage to have a TS meal every day with out them. How flexiable can you be? can you eat at off hours?

Get up in the morning and call disney dining. they usually have tons of restaurants that have openings. I have never, ever gone when absolutely every thing is booked solid. You'll get a chance to eat at some less popular restaurants that are really very nice.

Good luck.

 

[B-Ride]

We are going the second week of December and have a big question. We haven't been to disney in quite some time and wonder if ADR's are now a must? We plan to make a couple at a few of the restaurants that we really want to try, but don't want to be tied down to trying to keep a schedule just to eat. If we try and wing it, are we going to be able to eat? Thanks for the help.

You will definitely be able to eat, maybe just not at the place you would like to.

ADRs are only a must if you would like to eat at a TS restaurant every night, which is a must if you are on the Dining Plan.

Otherwise, you can take a chance if you are willing to eat CS if you can't get into a TS restaurant.

 

[bucky925]

Keep the advice coming. A little additional info. It's not like we will have small children whining because they are hungry. We will have a 20 and 16 year old whining .
We want to keep it as spontaneous as possible and still treat the kids and ourselves to nice meals. We are staying at AKL so I figure breakfast will be at boma each morning? I assume we can go downstairs and eat breakfast without a ADR?
We are planning to make a few dinner ADR's for the nicer restaurants during our stay.

 

[secretpantssam]

We went without ADRs last February and we were fine. We had one dinner reservation at Liberty Tree Tavern (it was a character meal at the time). We were able to get into Mama Melrose, Biergarten, Toyko Dining, and Yak and Yeti. We mostly ate lunches because that's when we were hungry. I personally don't really like making ADRs in advance either, because I never know what I'm going to want on a particular day. Though now I've been going during free dining so I make them just to be sure. But even then, I've had some luck. Last year when we went during free dining we didn't make a reservation for our first day and were able to get into Tony's Town Square for lunch right after we arrived.

So it is possible. But I will say, be flexible, and it always helps to go during off hours.

 

[eeyoregon]

Keep in mind that FREE DINING pin codes were sent out for much of December so that is going to fill up table service venues much more quickly.

 

[PrincessBelle39]

We went December 2007 and saw people turned away from Boma and Ohana. There was also a sign up at DHS saying that no restaurants would accept walkups. I suppose if your flexible you'll get something but it may take time trying different places and travelling a bit to get to them.

 

[Lizzybear]

I would say certain restaurants are a must for ADRs, like Le Cellier/Coral Reef/Ohana, but for others there MAY be walk-ups at less popular times or if you can get to a restaurant right when they open and see if they can seat you. When we were there for free dining in 07 a lot of places were turning people away but I heard a few people at guest services managing to find places to eat at for that day.

 

[eliza61]

Op, I just wanted to add that while we do "wing it". I generally don't try walk ups especially with the popular in park restaurants. Generally if you have some idea of where you'd like to eat the morning of you'll have great success.

I've never been during free dining so my "tips" may not work during this period

 

[RMulieri]

Yes .Especially since a good many of us have free dining for December and Free dining fill the restaurants

 

[ktlm]

I would not expect to walk up to Boma without an ADR in the mornings and get to eat breakfast there. It's possible, but doubtful. It is a pretty popular restaurant. If you don't make ADR's there, you most likely will be eating at the counter service for breakfast (which we thought was fine). I would suggest that you make one TS ADR a day to be safe (and if you want Boma every morning pre-park make ADRs for that). You can always cancel your TS reservations even the day of, if you change your plans; want to do something else, or find someplace better to eat. It is better to have some as a back up, than to not have anything at all. If you don't have ADRs, you will be able to eat, but especially with it being a free dining time, you may be limited to counter service. We were NOT impressed with most of the counter service in the parks (Epcot world showcase excepted). I sure wouldn't want to eat it for every meal for a week.