Anyone not make ADRs and wing it?

[rentayenta]

Hi all. All this planning has me wondering if anyone here prefers not to make ADRs and wing it when they get there?

If so, did you get to dine where you wanted? What did availability look like?

 

[holden]

We have done this for short trips. We’ve never had a problem getting places we want. Most recently we booked a last minute reservation at Turf Club (we were staying at Saratoga Springs).

 

[pattyw]

Yes we do this all the time now. Just check what's available the morning of and see what we're in the mood for. We've gotten great last minute reservations! If you check later at night the night before, you can snag even the most coveted ADR as people are at their cancellation deadline.

 

[Queen of the WDW Scene]

If I'm just doing QS I wing it.
If I plan on doing TS I make ADRs and I have ZERO problem with making those decisions 180 days in advance.
I'm not just going to randomly change my mind like maybe I would at home because I don't go to these restaurants on a regular basis.
Winging it with TS is certainly possible if you are sticking with less popular restaurants.

 

[SgtTibbs]

I have always made a full set of ADR's but for my upcoming trip in September I'm not doing it. For me there were always two reasons to make ADR's, first to get into that hard to get restaurant and second to save time in the parks. Even on an average day the lines for food can be time consuming. This trip I'm flying solo so I'm not going to the likes of California Grill or Le Cellier and with the advent of mobile ordering I'm more comfortable knowing I'll be able to get decent food without waiting in a long line for it.

 

[sponica]

Past trips I've usually just eaten where I could book a same day table. This one is with a larger group and the wish list is different so we made ADRs (I really wish we hadn't)

 

[rentayenta]

all, great replies and perspectives.

We have done this for short trips. We’ve never had a problem getting places we want. Most recently we booked a last minute reservation at Turf Club (we were staying at Saratoga Springs).

Short trips like how short? Ours is 5 nights/6 days but we haven't been in 6 years.

Yes we do this all the time now. Just check what's available the morning of and see what we're in the mood for. We've gotten great last minute reservations! If you check later at night the night before, you can snag even the most coveted ADR as people are at their cancellation deadline.

Really? This is great news! I was reading a food report that got wondering. In the report, they seemed to get what they wanted or at least had 2 good options.

If I'm just doing QS I wing it.
If I plan on doing TS I make ADRs and I have ZERO problem with making those decisions 180 days in advance.
I'm not just going to randomly change my mind like maybe I would at home because I don't go to these restaurants on a regular basis.
Winging it with TS is certainly possible if you are sticking with less popular restaurants.

Thank you. We won't be QS heavy this trip, more TS, 2-3 signatures as well. Looking at Jiko, Il Mulino and the one ADR I won't give up, California Grill for brunch. I guess I feel tied down. LOL. But I suppose they are always cancelable as well.

I have always made a full set of ADR's but for my upcoming trip in September I'm not doing it. For me there were always two reasons to make ADR's, first to get into that hard to get restaurant and second to save time in the parks. Even on an average day the lines for food can be time consuming. This trip I'm flying solo so I'm not going to the likes of California Grill or Le Cellier and with the advent of mobile ordering I'm more comfortable knowing I'll be able to get decent food without waiting in a long line for it.

Freedom!!!! Sounds like a fun trip.

Past trips I've usually just eaten where I could book a same day table. This one is with a larger group and the wish list is different so we made ADRs (I really wish we hadn't)

Have you been happy with the options or disappointed by the lack of when you book the same day?

 

[bigbabyblues]

You will want to make an ADR when you decide where you want to eat, not just walk up and ask. However, you can do that an hour or so before, assuming availability.

 

[pattyw]

You will want to make an ADR when you decide where you want to eat, not just walk up and ask. However, you can do that an hour or so before, assuming availability.

Yes- funny as I have seen people try a walk up and they say they have no availability while I checked MDE and it shows a reservation time?? So even if MDE shows plenty of availability, don't just walk up.

 

[DisneyWishes14]

Yes, all the time, but we don't really care where we eat and aren't looking for any of the hard-to-get ADR's. We have always found something to eat! I will make ADR's if we need to be strategic with events (I have one early dinner ADR in MK on our MNSSHP night), otherwise, we typically wing it. I will also make an ADR either the night before or day-of once I have a better sense of how our day is playing out.

 

[TeresaWen]

We are going for 13 nights. I would like California Grill on a non party night timed perfectly to watch HeA. That is the only ADR I will make. I have found so much availability day before & day of.

If there is something very specific you want book that.

 

[GaSleepingBeautyFan]

I mostly go solo. Most times nothing that I want to eat at is available for one for TS unless I want to eat at a bar. Which I have. But normally I do make ADR's because I don't always want to eat TS at a bar.

 

[sharonabe]

Yes, all the time, but we don't really care where we eat and aren't looking for any of the hard-to-get ADR's. We have always found something to eat! I will make ADR's if we need to be strategic with events (I have one early dinner ADR in MK on our MNSSHP night), otherwise, we typically wing it. I will also make an ADR either the night before or day-of once I have a better sense of how our day is playing out.

Curious as to how many people your "we" includes??

 

[AngiTN]

It's the only way we go.
We open the app as we start to get hungry, see what ADR are available for wherever it is we are at that time and book it.
Works like a champ.
This is for parties of 2, 3, and 4.
We do only TS too. We aren't fans of QS at Disney
We always found plenty of places to dine that we liked. We wouldn't dine anywhere we didn't like

 

[gretchenohar@hotmail]

I have always made a full set of ADR's but for my upcoming trip in September I'm not doing it. For me there were always two reasons to make ADR's, first to get into that hard to get restaurant and second to save time in the parks. Even on an average day the lines for food can be time consuming. This trip I'm flying solo so I'm not going to the likes of California Grill or Le Cellier and with the advent of mobile ordering I'm more comfortable knowing I'll be able to get decent food without waiting in a long line for it.

There's a mobile ordering app? Could you please expand on that a little? Thanks! (Haven't been back in several years...)

 

[AngiTN]

There's a mobile ordering app? Could you please expand on that a little? Thanks! (Haven't been back in several years...)

There's Mobile ordering on the MDE app, not a separate app
Open it, click on the bubble of your icon and you'll see a link to Mobile order. It's pretty self explanatory. Most QS places offer it
It's great. You build your order, when you are ready, you place it and pay for it, or use the dining plan, tell them you are there, they get it ready and you pick it up

 

[SgtTibbs]

Total sidetrack, but do you need the phone that placed the order to pick up the food? It would be fun to order food for a friend in the park from home....

 

[AngiTN]

Total sidetrack, but do you need the phone that placed the order to pick up the food? It would be fun to order food for a friend in the park from home....

I hesitate to say no. They could ask to see it. It does say "show this to the CM" or something to that effect.
I don't think they've ever asked to see my phone but I haven't ordered since the dining plan payment option took effect so it is more popular now. They may have gotten more particular. And it may well vary by location. We have only used it at Saulti Canteen and for Dole Whip at MK

 

[DisneyWishes14]

Curious as to how many people your "we" includes??

We typically have 2, 3 or 4 people in our party. As I said, we aren't going for prime-time BOG dinner reservations and are willing to eat QS, if necessary, but we've had a few fun surprises (including walk-ups at both BOG lunch and GG dinner) We have done this very successfully day-of for numerous reservations and have even walked up to a few restaurants. This strategy is less successful during holiday times, however. In August, we were staying at WL and ate repeatedly at WCC as walk-ups. Week before Christmas, we stayed at WL again and WCC wasn't taking walk-ups at all, but we were able to secure a reservation for the next day. If someone wants to attempt to do this, you just have to be very flexible in terms of where you are willing to eat, willing to leave a park for a nearby resort if you really want TS or eat QS if nothing appealing is available. I also wouldn't recommend this if you are looking for a reservation for, say, 6 or more guests or if you are on the dining plan and have to use up credits. EP is the easiest park to do this in. AK is easy if you have a Landry's Card (we also love just eating lunch at Nomad which doesn't take ADR's). We don't really attempt it in DHS because, other than HBD, we aren't fond of the food there. MK is the same as we only really like SC there, but are willing to walk up to the Plaza (we prefer to eat QS or leave MK to eat TS). Resort TS (except Cali Grill and O'hana) are typically pretty easy to get.

 

[lovin'fl]

we wing it a lot in recent years. we can do lunch TS somewhat easy as well as non park TS places at dinnertime. we also do late dinners, like 8-8:45. i kinda like doing it. it's like playing a game of chance to see what you can get. usually a party of 2 or 4.