can you just walk into a park restaurant, or do all require reservations?

[Shellydm]

hello,

I know a little about the ADR, and how long in advance you have to book to get in. I was just wondering if the general public who didn't know about the ADR's and just walked by a restaurant at a park and thought hmm, that sounds good and I'm hungry. Can you just walk in and see if there is a table? Do you think there ever would be a table say mid day or afternoon just walking by a restaurant at a park?


Also, we only have the QSDP and have never been to a sit down restaurant at the park or resorts. I spend hours drooling over all the food photos and also how neat some of the atmospheres look like the sci-fi diner etc.

I have a 5 year old daughter, and am going with her and my husband in May. We are going to try 1 restaurant (because of budget). SO I want to pick the best one in terms of neat atmosphere for my daughter, but with OK food. We are not fancy eaters, but of course would love anything. My husband is a vegetarian. Which 1 restaurant would you choose for your only sit down restaurant to get the magic atmosphere and food.

I want to open my husband's eyes to this whole food world I read about for hours on here. I think if I can hook him this year when we go by trying 1 restaurant (out of pocket), maybe next year we can upgrade a step from the QSDP to the regular one. Saying that, I am excited to try the QSDP. This is a first for us too

Thanks everyone in advance

Shelly

 

[TDC Nala]

None of them REQUIRE reservations. However, if you want to be certain that you eat in a park TS restaurant at a time you want it is strongly suggested that you make reservations, especially if 1) you are traveling at a busy time or while a free dining offer is in effect 2) you want a character meal or some other extraordinarily popular restaurant 3) you eat at peak mealtimes 4) you know for sure you want a specific restaurant 5) you are on a table service dining plan. Better safe than sorry.

All I can tell you is that I was at the Epcot Mexico pavilion at lunchtime on Sunday, March 6, when the San Angel Inn (generally not an extremely popular restaurant) was turning away anyone who did not already have a reservation. That obviously does not happen ALL the time but do you want to chance it happening on the day you are looking for a place to feed your child? Dragging hungry small children around the park looking for a restaurant with space can't be good for a vacation.

 

[otownguy]

It depends! Totally on how busy or booked they are. We rarely make ADR's since most of our visits are spur of the moment. I can tell you that we never visit the parks during the busiest times and we almost always just walk up and are able to get a table. We also tend to try to get the latest lunch seatings which are usually around 3:00.

 

[BEASLYBOO]

It all depends on when you go! During really busy times like spring break and Christmas, you will not have any luck without ADR's.

I make a few ADR's but I don''t like to pre-plan every minute of our vacation so sometimes we've called early that morning to book an ADR for later in the evening and have been successful at Les Chefs, Boma, Jiko and Tepan Edo. We've also tried just walking up on the spur of the moment and usually bat about 30-70, getting in at Jiko, Les Chefs, even at Le Cellier.

Flexibility helps, eating at off peak hours and I always travel at off peak times of the year!

 

[kwdw]

If you want to "sell" the meal experience to your hubby - I might suggest doing a character breakfast at Crystal Palace or Tusker House and make an ADR BEFORE the park opens - but not so early it's hard for you to get there on time. Walking through either park before it officially opens is an awesome experience - and I suspect your daughter will love the character interactions. Now - both of those are buffets - so it's not a total "table service" experience.

Otherwise - you did say not too fancy - so then I think you are on the right track with something like sci-fi diner, primetime cafe. Check the MENUS at allears.net - and the restaurant reviews. With your husband being a vegetarian - it would be important to pick a meal where you think he would like the choices.

And again - for the "selling the idea" piece - I would not pick the height of meal time to eat - do a breakfast, an earlier lunch (maybe 11:30), or an earlier dinner (maybe 5 pm). You'll likely have less of a wait - even with an ADR - and that helps with the "pleasant" experience.

Definitely get an ADR!

 

[disneynanacat]

I know this isn't an answer to your question, but, just wanted to tell you that if you're going to pay out of pocket for a sit down meal, you might come out ahead to go ahead and get the regular dining plan.

It's just myself and my granddaughter going in May also and I'd book the QSDP at first. I decided I wanted to do the Fantasmic! dinner package thing so we wouldn't have to wait in line so long. I got to thinking about it last night and check the price difference and for $55 more I switched to the regular dining plan. I was going to pay that much with the F! dinning thing! Now I've got a TS meal everyday to boot. We're only going to be there 5 nights this time and you have one more adult than us but figuring 5 nights for you your family it would be around $110? I've never gone to any WDW sit down for less than $60-$80. Since you've been drooling over the food pics and wanting to do it, I just thought I'd mention it. Also, I made ADR's last night with no problems. Granted, I wsn't trying to book the big signature restaurants either, but we're plenty happy!

 

[ZoZo]

Here's my philosophy: I think of ADRs as a "necessary evil" at WDW. It's a pain that you have to plan in advance, but if you want specific, popular restaurants, you're better off making at least a few ADRs well in advance.

(After several trips to the World, I eat mostly Counter Service meals on my trips, with a TS meal thrown in every couple of days. Dining isn't that big of a deal to me, I guess - lots of folks can't imagine not eating at least one TS meal per day.)

Think of it this way: you can always cancel an ADR if your plans change, but you can't magically make a reservation appear out of thin air if the restaurants are all booked up in advance! To me, that's like hoping that you can drive up to a hotel and get a room without a reservation -- sure you could, if you're lucky, but wouldn't you rather plan ahead and get what you want?

 

[John Tag]

I also would reserve a time seating at a place your like. I know we do for the simple reason of not wanted to be turned away. Also even some the fun places we like get booked fast and sold out. We are going during Easter and Planet Hollywood for example is booked for the entire week for times we wanted. Like others said easy to cancel, Not as fun getting turned away.

 

[monami7]

Think of it this way: you can always cancel an ADR if your plans change, but you can't magically make a reservation appear out of thin air if the restaurants are all booked up in advance! To me, that's like hoping that you can drive up to a hotel and get a room without a reservation -- sure you could, if you're lucky, but wouldn't you rather plan ahead and get what you want?
__________________
I agree completely. I book 3 meals a day. We don't do the dining plan and average 2 meals a day. I have a 4 yr old and a 5 yr old. I cannot at any time with more that an hour notice know what there mood is like.
DH and I like to sit and have meals. He is a chef and though he is an amazing cook it is really nice to just enjoy each others company while eating!
So I book the ADR's and cancel them when we aren't going to use them. But I am very happy to have those ADR's when the kid are hungry and we want them!

That said I am also a vegetarian. BOOK TUSKER HOUSE FOR LUNCH!!!!!
It is the best veggie meal out there. I took the girls with my best friend (also a veg.) and she went to the buffet like 5 times. It is so good! It is the only meal at WDW that I ate like I did at home without thinking about it at every meal!

 

[TDC Nala]

I know this isn't an answer to your question, but, just wanted to tell you that if you're going to pay out of pocket for a sit down meal, you might come out ahead to go ahead and get the regular dining plan.

Only if you actually want a sit-down meal every night. If all you want is really just the one TS meal because you don't want to spend time in the restaurants, then it won't be cost effective. (I get the impression that the OP wants sit-down meals but her husband doesn't, so it might be hard for her to convince him at this point that they need to book a sit-down every night instead of just one)

 

[3Minnies1Mickey]

Think of it this way: you can always cancel an ADR if your plans change, but you can't magically make a reservation appear out of thin air if the restaurants are all booked up in advance! To me, that's like hoping that you can drive up to a hotel and get a room without a reservation -- sure you could, if you're lucky, but wouldn't you rather plan ahead and get what you want?

Excellent analogy!

 

[disneynanacat]

Only if you actually want a sit-down meal every night. If all you want is really just the one TS meal because you don't want to spend time in the restaurants, then it won't be cost effective. (I get the impression that the OP wants sit-down meals but her husband doesn't, so it might be hard for her to convince him at this point that they need to book a sit-down every night instead of just one)

Obviously............

I just felt bad for her drooling over the food porn thread.lol But ya never know, the guy might just be thinking about the cost.....just sayin'.

 

[Shellydm]

Thanks everyone! I really appreciate all the replies! Great advice!!

I am going to go and look at the menus now.

Many Many thanks,
Shelly