Are ADR's necessary?

[sandy6879]

Hi all,

Planning our trip that's in a few weeks and I'm looking through the menus on All Ears. . .just wondering, are ADR's necessary? I know they are at WDW but how often can you just walk in to a table service and get seated in a reasonable amount of time (30 min or less)?

 

[shyboy72]

It really depends on where you're planning on eating. For sure, at the Blue Bayou, you need it. But other places, I think you'll be fine. It wouldn't hurt though if you're going on a weekend to get reservations at restaurants @ Downtown Disney because its a spot to head to and there are a good amount of people waiting to get tables.

 

[honeymom]

We haven't done table service recently without any ps, but we called an hour before ps at Wine Country Tratoria last trip (dis dining told us minimum 1 hour before a ps), showed up early, were seated right away.

Prior trip, we called day before for Napa Rose. They were technically booked, but they made room for us.

Even BB on last year's trip, we made reservations 1 week out.

 

[disneyfaninaz]

They are called Priority Seating at Disneyland. For the most popular places, like BB or character meals, it certainly doesn't hurt to make the PS. There is no penalty for not keeping it if you decide to eat someplace else. I would rather be able to plan when dinner is than chance on waiting 30 minutes or more for a table.

 

[Queenbillabong]

And at Carnation Cafe, which is quite popular, we always saw quite a line up - but since we had our PS, we did not have to wait. I felt a little bad for the people lining up, but maybe they did not know they could make reservations??

 

[sandy6879]

Thanks all -

LOL I can't keep it straight in either park for PS/ADR. Thankfully people know what I mean.

We did a PS for Blue Bayou but I think we'll hold off on the others til we have a more firm plan as to which days will be for DLR and which days we choose to go somewhere else. DD11 is past the character meal stage ("Mom, I'm too old for a character meal" ) so now it's just figuring out where we'll be and which places we'd like to go to.

Are the table services in the hotels pretty much the same in terms of walking right in? Looking at the options, it seems that the hotels have a good selection of where we'd tend to go.

 

[audrabolster]

During busy peak times, you should really make a PS to guarantee you'll be able to eat there. This does depend on where you are eating though. Most definitely for the Blue Bayou, and I've also heard the same for Ariel's Grotto.

 

[disneychrista]

This is just my opinion. If you plan on eating somewhere make a PS. Blue Bayou will be the one place where you are likely to NOT be able to eat if you don't have a PS. But that doesn't mean you have to make it 30 days out. A few days in advance might work, depending on when you are going.

 

[lulubelle]

I am in the "better safe than sorry" club. If there is somewhere that it is important to you to dine, make the PS. You never know what the crowds will be like. But depending on when you are going, I say to for sure call for BB, any character meal, Napa Rose and any dinner on Friday or Saturday night. The weekends are always busy. Good luck deciding and have a great trip.

 

[Amy&Dan]

I also like the better safe than sorry mantra! I always call at around 60 days out for my Blue Bayou and Goofy's Kitchen ps', the other's I call when it gets closer. My experience has been that we have gotten into some of the resort restaurants (Storyteller's Dinner and Hook's Pointe) last minute on some trips, other trips not so lucky. Once there was a convention at the DLH and everything was booked. I have also found if you are going off season and the parks close early, trying to get into most of the restaurants in DTD just after park closing (when it closes at 8:00 on weekdays offseason) can be a nightmare. I am always glad I walk up with my ps past all the tired people wating in the long standby line.

Rainforest Cafe, definitely make a ps (you an call Disney's number and they will give you RFC's number, Disney doesn't make those). That place is always mobbed. Or get their Safari Card, you get priority seating and a discount for parties of six or less with that card (costs something like $15 and is good forever at all Landry owned restaurants).