Are ADR's really necessary?

[Ashleybs]

We are visiting DW June 9-14. Are ADR's really necessary for each meal or can we just decide then what we are in the mood for an go?

 

[LorieDisneyLover]

Without ADRs you are likely to be eating late ... like 8:30 or so in the evening. OR very early ... like 4 p.m.

That said, there are plenty of restaurants that accept walk-ins ... but the wait can be very long (90+ minutes)

We make ADRs in advance, but often change plans while there ... so it's not entirely impossible to find a place to eat ... but you will need to be very flexible.

 

[Claire&TheBoys]

If you want to eat at any of the table-service restaurants in the parks, yes. If you want to eat at any of the character meals, yes. If you want to eat at any of the restaurants at the popular resorts, yes. NO tables are kept open for walk-ups.

You might can score a walk-up, but I would not count on it, especially when you're going to be there. If you have the Dining Plan, you really need ADRs.

If you plan to mainly eat at counter-service places, you're ok because those don't take ADRs. If you will be OK with mostly counter-service meals and just want an occasional sit-down meal, you could wait till you get there and call the day before and see if anything is available. You'll be looking for off-times, though, like dinner at 4:00 or lunch at 3:00.

 

[AmberLuvsWDW]

If there are any Table Service restaurants that you are specifically interested in, then yes! Some places are less popular than others and you may be ok, but if it's a place you really want to try, then make the ADR. Good luck!

 

[ntsammy5]

If you want to eat in a TS restaurant they are necessary ----

 

[Dreamfinder2]

Ashleybs, in all candor, I'd get on the phone and start working. I think you can always find *something*, but if you're depending soley on winging it, especially that time of year when school is just letting out, I think you'll be frustrated as you wander around the parks trying to find a restaurant that can seat you.

But, as other posters have stated, if you don't mind eating lunch at 3, or dinner at 9, you might get lucky. Again, using your hotel's concierge, or making an early morning call, can do the trick.

And remember a handful of places don't take ADRs, so the playing field is pretty level there (think ESPN Club, Beaches & Cream, etc.).

My constant counsel for WDW visitors is ... a little inconvience in pre-planning saves a heck of a lot of inconvenience on vacation.

 

[magik]

I'd say if you are on a dining plan that includes table service restaurants - absolutely you should made ADRs to ensure that you can get into enough table service restaurants to fill up your TS credits. I imagine it would really stink to have paid for a plan that includes TS credits, but not be able to use all of them because of not being able to get in.

If there are specific restaurants that you really want to eat at, again, yes, you should absolutely make ADRs for those restaurants. If there are popular restaurants you want to eat at - definitely make ADRs (Cinderella Castle, Le Cellier, etc).

If you are not on a dining plan and if you don't really care where you eat, then sure...you can wing it. Even winging it though, I'd still go to guest relations first thing each day and make day-of dining reservations if you want to eat in a table service restaurant and be prepared for the possibility of eating counter service if there's nothing available that you are interested in.

 

[PrincessBelle39]

We made a handful of ADR's for our last trip, but I was amazed at the number of places turning people away, not even taking walkups. This was early December so a quieter time of the year. In saying that we were at the more popular restaurants but one day at DHS they said there were no TS available for walkup anywhere in the park. I'd be looking at getting something in place, even if you cancel it when you get there, you'll have something to fall back on.

 

[loonytoony]

Yes

 

[cymbaldiva]

We are visiting DW June 9-14. Are ADR's really necessary for each meal or can we just decide then what we are in the mood for an go?

It's been years since you could do that ... unfortunately ADRs are a necessary evil.

 

[SydsMommy]

ABSOLUTELY! We just moved our trip from this week to June 14-20 and I have had a very difficult time getting ADR's. It's frustrating when I just want to make some reservations for breakfast at our hotel (Poly) but can't get anything b/c of the popularity of the restaurants. I would definitley call as soon as possible. Good Luck!

 

[DisneyWorldbuff]

Yes!!!! We just moved our trip up to the 1st week in June from our original August plans... had a very hard time getting ADRs that I wanted. I made enough TS reservations, just to ensure that we had somewhere to eat each day. I only got one character meal though. Good luck

 

[justplaingoofy]

Don't take this the wrong way, but

Yes, I think you would need reservations.

 

[december14disney]

I would thinking that spending time walking up to restaurants only to be turned away, sitting on the phone with WDW Dine every morning on vacation or going to the hotel concierge every morning before the parks would be more of a hassle than just trying to call now and see what you can get. Make a few and if you go--you go--if you don't--you don't. At least you have them if you want them!

 

[perla75]

I think the decision to make ADR's really just depends on how flexible you are with meal times & what/where to eat.

If you are the type of family who doesn't care where you eat and really just needs something to fill your stomachs, I'd say don't bother making ADR's. Many people do it & they are fine. When they get hungry, they check out their options & either get lucky with a walk-in or opt for counter service, where you can actually get a decent casual dinner if you do your homework!

BUT, if you have your heart set on eating somewhere specific, the thought of eating counter service for dinner would totally ruin your night, make your ADR's.

All that said, you can often get lucky with last minute ADR's if you plan it correctly. My parents went on a WDW trip a few months ago & didn't believe me when I said to make ADR's weeks in advance (and they are the type who do not enjoy CS meals for dinner & do not like to eat dinner before 5pm or after 6:30pm). My mom finally called 2 weeks before their trip and could not get anything! They were very disappointed One night they headed over to the Pepper Market at CSR & enjoyed it (it's more of an "upper scale" CS) but the 2nd night they went to AKL to visit & just for the heck of it walked up to the Boma podium to see if there were any cancellations. Well, the very nice host ended up booking them as a party of 3 instead of a party of 2 & lo & behold they got a 5:30 reservation that night!! Then the next night, the same thing happened at the Cape May Cafe!! Both of these were their #1 choices of restaurants too!

So, it can be done, but this all depends on how much you are willing to risk & what you will be ok with if it doesn't work out.

 

[Ashleybs]

Thank you so much for all the great replies! When we went for our honeymoon 7 years ago we didn't have any reservations and ended up eating wherever we wanted but from reading all the posts I was thinking that had changed! I will definitely be on the internet tonight looking around and on the phone tomorrow!

Thanks again!

 

[kadesha]

There is no way I'd set foot on WDW property without ADR's! Especially in June!

 

[onejellyshelly]

You need to go ahead and make the phone call. Last year we went in Oct. and almost every resturant was sending the walk ups away.

 

[pamjb]

Just a note...If you don't get what you want, keep trying. I didn't make any ADR's for mine June trip. We don't have the dining plan, and we knew we wouldn't be eating a table service meal every day. First try, couldn't get anything for any of our days at Prime Time. I tried again a few days later, and I was able to get a reservation for 11 am.

 

[perla75]

Thank you so much for all the great replies! When we went for our honeymoon 7 years ago we didn't have any reservations and ended up eating wherever we wanted but from reading all the posts I was thinking that had changed! I will definitely be on the internet tonight looking around and on the phone tomorrow!

Thanks again!

That is EXACTLY why my mom was so skeptical to bother making ADR's! Their last trip before that was about 7 or 8 years ago & they used to just make dinner ADR's in the morning at the parks. I remember when I was very young (1980's), we would always just walk-in to the character buffets for breakfast and dinner at the CR (whatever Chef Mickey's used to be....something Buffeteria??) & we used to go around Christmastime!!

Anyways, times have GREATLY changed! I'm guessing it's because of the launch of the DDP.