Anyone ever done DDP without any reservations?

[stoneyloon]

I'm thinking that this year it would be fine to just go where we fancy for lunch / dinner but realise that some places may have no seating available.

Have any of you ever had the DDP and not pre-planned your meals. I imagine I can speak with guest relations each morning to see of there are any open bookings available that day?

 

[disneyholic family]

we haven't done it without any...
we did do several walk ups...
and i suppose it's possible, but know that there are many places that you simply will not be able to get at the last minute....even at odd times...

we had an ADR for yak and yeti and enjoyed it so much, we wanted to eat there again...
but there wasn't even a single spot available on any day at any time during the rest of our trip..
so had we not had that ADR, we wouldn't have been able to eat there at all..

so understand that there are restaurants that you won't be able to get near...especially those that are inside the parks...

the restaurants inside the parks are those that are typically booked up...so if you want to eat at a TS restaurant while you're inside the parks, it will be much more difficult for you to do..

 

[wayneg]

We have done walk up meals no problem, places like Boma, Trails end usually have availabilty but I have also been waiting to be seated in plenty of restaurants overhearing they are fully booked for the evening.

If there are any places you definitely want to eat then book, if you don't mind where, willing to eat at some of the less popular places, possibly away from peak times then I am sure you will get in somewhere.

Couldn't you book say half of them to be sure then wait for the rest?

 

[disneyholic family]

i should have added that we did do some walk ups, when our plans changed..

but you have to make do with what there is..

for example, when we were in epcot, the only thing available was in mexico (we didn't eat there)..

at DHS, we were able to do a walkup at sci fi, but it was at their walk up tables, which are these tiny round tables at the back (not the cars)..

so it's possible, but it will be difficult...
and some restaurants will be completely unavailable without ADRs...

 

[flortlebap]

Nooooooooooooooo.

However, we have done a more relaxed DDP, booking only the must dos. Then on an evening, we'd call WDW Dine and see where had availability and head somewhere random it actually worked quite well.

Book the places you'd be disappointed to miss, though

 

[beautifullily]

Having to decide where we are going to eat each day on holiday is completely alien to me, however I know that's what we need to do in order to maximise our time and enjoyment in WDW.

Although my ADR window is open and I made some reservations, I'm having to wait until my brother visits next week so we can plan the rest of the holiday and I am getting twitchy that we might not get the restaurants we want.

 

[Disneymad]

How many ADR's you make is directly dependent on how flexible you/your party are willing to be and also how busy WDW is expected to be at the time - as I see you're going in October I would say not to worry too much. I regularly go at this time of year (love the Food & Wine Festival at Epcot!) and it's not too crazy.

I usually go about 50/50 with pre-booking from home and then the rest either walk-ups or (as I travel with my lap top), I book a table before leaving the room literally a couple of hours before I plan to eat.

I'd say meals you should prioritise for booking as far in advance as you can are all Character Meals, and also if you are considering Le Cellier or 'Ohana for dinner. Magic Kingdom restaurants and resort restaurants may also be busier on Halloween party nights as people tend to congregate and eat in the area so they can dive straight into the party afterwards.

My main tip regarding booking ADR's is remember, booking a table a long time in advance doesn't mean you are tied down. ADR's are easy to cancel so if you change your mind 3 months out or 3 days out, it's very very easy to just go and cancel them online or at your resort. I always take the view it's better to have something booked on potentially difficult days/restaurants and cancel it later if your plans change, than wait till the day and be able to get nothing you like!

 

[Elise79]

I would alway book something even if it is only a couple of hours before.

Last year we hadn't got a dinner ADR - I checked online from the room GFC had several opening however Kona only had a later time but having got in before we decided to try a walk up. Was told the wait would be 45 mins so we decided to go to GFC. No problem around 15 min wait.

Well we ended up waiting around 30 mins and in that time people with ADRs were seated ahead of us after arriving after us.

Next time I will book that ressie online!