Am I the only one who doesn't get PS's?

[disneysteve]

The more I read the boards, the more it seems that I'm the only person who doesn't schedule all our meals months in advance. If you have a large group or there is one place that you absolutely must eat (like CRT), I can understand it, but otherwise I can't see doing it.

There are so many wonderful restaurants at WDW from fast food to buffets to gourmet sit-downs that you can't possibly go hungry. And there is no way for us to decide 2 months, or 2 weeks, in advance where we will want to eat on a particular day. There are so many variables like the weather, special events, our mood, crowds, etc. For example, we might plan to do EPCOT on Tuesday. If we wake up Tuesday and its raining, we may change and do MK instead. So much for any reservations we might have made in EPCOT. We will make PSs the day before or the morning of a meal, but that's about it.

I guess its easier because we go off-season, but we've never really had a problem getting in somewhere we liked. And if one place was booked, we went somewhere else. I guess we're just not that picky. We're fortunate to be able to go to WDW every year, sometimes twice a year, so if we don't get to a certain restaurant one trip, we just plan to do it next trip.

Sorry if I'm rambling. Just wanted to get some other views.

Steve

 

[lwestwise]

I agree, it is impossible to plan every meal and not be crazy running around to meet them, BUT, I do get PS for very specific dining that we want to do. Also, while at Disney when we decide that we want to go to a certain place, I pick up the phone and make a PS. If I don't get it and we really want to go there, We go and get in line, not usually a terribly long wait or we pass.

 

[JAP]

I also get a PS for specific dining or a character meal.

On our last trip though we had a PS for lunc at H&V for 12:45. DD was getting crank and I was hungary as well. We went to MGM on EE day (Nov 00) so we walked up at 11:30 and the fit us in within 15 minutes. They said it worked out ok b/c the 12:30 to 1:30 pm was their busiest time.

 

[erikthewise]

It's probably true that you don't usually need a PS, especially at slow times. Many have said as much. But we go at a slow time (early Dec), and I find that we get treated well if I have a PS. For example, last year we had an 11:35 lunch PS for CRT, made at 60 days. When we checked in at 11:30 (when lunch service begins), the lobby was already full of people. But we were the 3rd or 4th party called, and got a window table! Coincidence? I don't think so.

If it makes you uncomfortable to feel locked in (though of course you aren't), then don't it. But if you have definite plans, there's nothing to lose by making a PS.

 

[westjones]

I only make PS for character meals we really want, although, this time I did make a PS for Jiko the one night we are staying at AKL.

My DD was asking about eating at a specific place and I told her that I didn't want to make a PS for that because I don't want to worry about being in that spot at that time.

We have 2 breakfasts (CRT and Storybook Princess Breakfast), and 2 dinners (Jiko and GF 1900 Cinderella Dinner) only because this is my twin's 10th birthday trip and I wanted to make it a 'Princess Birthday Trip' (while they are still young enough to enjoy that sort of thing).

But it would drive me crazy trying to certain places at certain times. Breakfasts seem easiest because that is the first thing we will be doing that day, then off to the parks to play!
DJ

 

[dznyntnh]

I think it all depends on what your priorities are for your trip.

Usually, I only make a PS for restarants I want to make sure i don't miss or for a special occasion.

However, my trip coming up in October is my first solo trip and i've decided to really pamper myself this time around and relax alot, so I am PS'd out (I've made them for just about every night). I'm letting the food and shopping dictate this time around rather than the parks (after going to wdw for 25 some odd years, I know how to get in, do my thing and get out).

I can easily see the benefit of no PS. When we took my friends kids a couple of years ago the only PS we made was for a sitdown meal the night we arrived, other than that we winged it. And we were fine.

 

[disneyvoice]

It's the planning that I like!! I'm a planner by nature so for me the fun is in trying to figure out exactly what meal would work best when and then get all the details taken care of in advance. With that said, we still do allow ourselves to be spontaneous. If we change our mind at the last minute or decide to visit a different park we will cancel the PS and eat somewhere else. We also visit during the slower times so we have never had a problem walking into a restuarant without a PS and being immediately seated. Sometimes we also end up snacking a bit too much throughout the day and wouldn't be able to eat at a big sit down restauarant.

 

[lwestwise]

We have had PS and then gone and dined without PS and never have been treated any different with or without. We have been made to feel special either way. I don't think PS get you anything but a PS.

 

[tricia]

I'm with the OP, I only make special PS's in advance of the trip, like our arrival meal at Chef Mickey's. All other meals I call and get PS's for either that morning or the night before. I have 2 young children so we usually eat early and I like the fact that you don't have to wait as long with a PS.

 

[FloridaCat]

Since we live close to the park, most of our visits are a one day trip. Many are also off site stays, when family came down, but we have never made PS's and keep in mind the largest percentage of those in the parks are one dayers and they never make a PS, most would not know what we are talking about.

This year we stayed on site as we did not want to drive back North and I made a PS for CP, which turned out to be a waste of time. The party ahead of me and the party behind me had no PS and were seated the same as us in the same general area.

We like sit down breakfast and dinner and had no problems during our four day stay, 7/7-10/03

 

[polyfan]

For us, having the PS makes life alot easier. We tried to make just a few this past trip, and I found that we really do prefer to make them in advance. There is nothing more frustrting then everyone deciding their hungry, but noone can decide where it is they want to eat. We then waste alot of time debating what/where should eat. We had this happen a few weeks ago. We were in Epcot, thekids were hungry , the adults were all hungry, everyone kept saying "i don't care where we eat" or I'll eat anything"- well we ended up eating a burger and fries- because the kids were starved by this time, and everyone else frustrated. Just what works for us.

 

[heart4dis]

I tend to overplan anyway, so I'm sure my family appreciates the fact I haven't planned every meal as well! I don't want to plan our schedule around meals. I will try for CRT and maybe the day we do Epcot, make a PS that day at the park, but other than that, I'd rather let it flow.

I started to worry when I saw how many people made them and when I read how it works in the Unofficial Guide. It's been 10 years since I've been to WDW so I thought maybe I would need them this time. We're going off-season, so I think I'll be OK and if we need them, we'll just make some when we get there.

(Those who make PS's have made great points, and I can see why they do it, but it's not for us).

 

[lmhall2000]

I'm wondering if you have little children or many of them )) you see we have always gone with little munchkins- when they're hungry- they want food fast!! They don't want to wait 20 minutes in a long line at a walk-up- so we eat our breakfasts in our room each morning- then at 11:30am we have PS's for lunch at the park we'll be at- if the weather changes our plans (which is almost never) we just phone in the change. But at 11:30 we walk up sit down and eat. For dinner we usually don't do a PS and wing it- we usually only have 2 dinner PS's in a 7 day stay- room service is a godsend and the quick bites back at the resort kitchens are usually no wait. If I were by myself or with my spouse or friend I probably wouldn't make any PS's- I like spontaneity- but after walking 8 hours in a day I don't like to wait 40 minutes to an hour to try a restaurant I've really wanted to try. And we go in off season (September and January) and we've always encountered some wait - because we tend to be scheduled eaters- breakfast 7:30- lunch at 11:30 and dinner at 5:30. It gets busy around those times. So I'm thrilled to have the option of the PS's.....glad you can wing it when you go!
Tara

 

[disneysteve]

Originally posted by lmhall2000
I'm wondering if you have little children or many of them )) you see we have always gone with little munchkins- when they're hungry- they want food fast!! And we go in off season (September and January) and we've always encountered some wait - because we tend to be scheduled eaters- breakfast 7:30- lunch at 11:30 and dinner at 5:30. It gets busy around those times. So I'm thrilled to have the option of the PS's.....glad you can wing it when you go!
Tara

We have a 7-yo daughter. We also eat breakfast in our room. But we always carry some light snack food with us into the parks - granola bars, pop-tarts, cereal, etc. That way, if we get hungry at a time when the restaurants are mobbed with peak crowds, we have a little something to hold us over until the lines subside.

By the way, I DO make PSs, just not weeks in advance. For example, as soon as we get into MK, I'll go straight to City Hall and make a PS for lunch at Crystal Palace. We almost always get an acceptable time by doing it that way. Same for the other parks.

Interesting story: Last trip (or maybe the one before that), we went to Mama Melrose at about 1:00 to try and make a PS for dinner for the Fantasmic package. The only available time was something like 3:30, which is not when we wanted to eat dinner. However, we hadn't eaten lunch yet. The hostess said she could seat us right away for lunch and still give us a Fantasmic seating voucher, so we did it.

Steve

 

[JAP]

Originally posted by disneysteve
Interesting story: Last trip (or maybe the one before that), we went to Mama Melrose at about 1:00 to try and make a PS for dinner for the Fantasmic package. The only available time was something like 3:30, which is not when we wanted to eat dinner. However, we hadn't eaten lunch yet. The hostess said she could seat us right away for lunch and still give us a Fantasmic seating voucher, so we did it.

Steve

That is great! Can you tell us how the sitting voucher for Fantasmic works? I was wanted to do a dinner package for the Studies and knew there was some sort of voucher.

Thanks.

 

[disneysteve]

Originally posted by JAP
That is great! Can you tell us how the sitting voucher for Fantasmic works? I was wanted to do a dinner package for the Studies and knew there was some sort of voucher.

Thanks.

You can have dinner at Mama Melrose, Brown Derby, or Hollywood and Vine. They will give you a coupon to admit you to Fantasmic in a section reserved for guests using that coupon. The advantage is you don't have to stand in line for 1-1/2 hours before showtime. The disadvantage is you get seated in the far end section which isn't the greatest but still have a good view.

If you do this, one piece of advice. Get to the check in point at the earliest time you can. You have to walk backstage to get to the theater and its actually a pretty good walk, especially if you have any elderly or disabled in your party. Plus, by being one of the first in the section, you can sit at the end of the rows closer to the stage rather than being stuck at the other end if you get there late.

Steve

 

[GladysK]

On my last trip in November,I would go to the front desk in the evening and the CM would make my next day's PS's with no problem.

But for our 11:40 lunch PS at Liberty Tree Cavern,a large family who walked in the door behind us at 11:30 was seated BEFORE us....so sometimes PS's are unnecessary.

 

[minniecarousel]

We're glad we had PSs for Sci-Fi Dine-In for lunch, Rose & Crown for dinner and RFC for Lunch. The unnecessary PS was at 9 Dragons for lunch! So PSs at some restaurants aren't needed!

 

[diskids2]

Oh gosh I have to laugh! You sound just like my Dad, who by the way has a first name of Steve.

My parents usually come with us on our WDW trips and I come around with printed out menus from different restaurants and he tells me all the time, "How am I supposed to know where I want to eat 120 days from now!"

I ignore him of course!

I make PS and change them even the day of the PS. I just feel better having them around. LOL, just humor me, Steves!

 

[Simba's Mom]

I'd like to know where some people have had positive (and negative) experiences getting to eat fairly promptly at resturaunts without PS. I'm going solo in December and would love to more spontaneous and not make PS in advance. However, I'm so afraid of not getting a table at a sit-down resturaunt w/o advance PS. I'm especially interested in Rose & Crown and Teppenyaki (both lunch), LTT (lunch), Cape May Cafe (lunch and dinner), and Donald's Breakfastosauras. Those especially, but anywhere else you've had good luck getting a table w/o PS?