Chances of eating TS with no ADR's ??

[Britgirlus]

Ok - I know - if you want to eat TS, then make ADR's. We're going next month (May 16th - 23rd) - my first trip since 1990, and the first trip for dh and ds5. We'll be on the QSDP, as we figured we'd rather not be tied down by ADR's for our first visit. However, dh loves to try new food, and I know that he would love to eat at at least one of the nicer restaurants. For those who don't plan ahead, how much luck have you had in either walking in or making reservations on the day ? Obviously, we would pay OOP, and if we couldn't get in, would happily eat CS - just wondering if other non-food planners have fared

 

[catne]

Ok - I know - if you want to eat TS, then make ADR's. We're going next month (May 16th - 23rd) - my first trip since 1990, and the first trip for dh and ds5. We'll be on the QSDP, as we figured we'd rather not be tied down by ADR's for our first visit. However, dh loves to try new food, and I know that he would love to eat at at least one of the nicer restaurants. For those who don't plan ahead, how much luck have you had in either walking in or making reservations on the day ? Obviously, we would pay OOP, and if we couldn't get in, would happily eat CS - just wondering if other non-food planners have fared

That week you're there will not be the busiest - still before Memorial weekend so most U.S. kids still in school. Yet you probably will not stand much chance at the most popular restaurants like Le Cellier, Coral Reef, Boma, etc. But if you're willing to try TS for late lunches or early dinners (right when the restaurant opens for dinner) you'll have better luck geting in on walk ups. Also, most resort table service restaurants are easier to get walk-up or same-day reservations (you can call that morning from your hotel room to get same-day ressies.) We've had good meals at Kona, The Wave & the Grand Floridian Cafe (all monorail resorts so handy to a couple of parks)

 

[ChristaDeVil]

We switched around our ADR's at the last minute on our last trip and had no problem. You do have to keep an open mind and know that you're more than likely not going to get anything that's the most popular. We had luck getting Whispering Canyon Cafe by going to Guest Services at our hotel and having them look for us.

 

[blissventure]

It would be my guess that easily 50-60% of visitors would prefer to not be "tied down" to dinner reservations. That said, people generally book them because it's a trade off. If you wing it, maybe you'll get in after a short wait, more likely it will be a long wait, or you'll be told there is no room at all. You can hedge your bets by not wanting any particular kind of restaurant or price point, just ask the concierge desk at any resort on the day you want to eat to see if they can find you any table service. You can then decide then if you like the food/ambiance.

 

[jfelcie]

We are leaving in 4 days and have NO reservations!!! I am going with my daughter who does not like to plan ahead. I always make my reservations as soon as possible. She insists that we will have 3 or 4 wonderful table service meals, some with characters. She has always met with success in the past. I will let you know what happens!

 

[SassyCat]

When DH and I went in Jan 2008, it was the first time for both of us in years and years (him 7 and me 13 years or so). We had NO IDEA what the table service situation was like. We had only made reservations for three character meals. On our first night, we tried to walk up to Narcoossee's and not only was there no table, we were told we could not even wait! We also tried Citrico's and Grand Floridian Cafe. We were all dressed up and ended up eating chicken fingers at Gasparilla's which was disappointing for something we had looked so forward to. All week, similar stuff happened everytime we tried to eat at a ts. We had so many darn cs meals, I could barely look at a french fry for a while. Anyway, we were going to end up screwed on the meal plan since we had paid oop for crt when we booked it and had only used 2 (!!!!) of our ts credits. We ended up doing room service (2 ts credits), and at the end of the week we were able to get the concierge to make a late, late dinner res for our last night at Narcoossee's (2 ts credits). And this was during when of the lower attended times of the year. So, from my experience, I believe it is best to at least make some reservations before you go. That way you are not completely tied down every day, but you do have some opportunities to have a ts meal on your trip. Otherwise you can have cs meals or try to see if any other ts have available tables.

 

[HdnMickeyGrl]

as long as you aren't going during one of the major crowded holidays (which you're not) then your chances of eating TS without ADR's is good as long as you are open to two things:

1. You may not have any choice about where you eat.
2. You may not have any choice about when you eat.

What do I mean? If you are at DHS and you decide at 4pm that you want to eat dinner at a TS restuarant there, you can go into any TS resturant and check on availablity, DHS also has that kiosk at the front or you can go to guest relations. You may be told, sure there is a table for two at Sci Fi at 6:55. That's it. OK, if you want it. If not you may not be offered any other choices. Not trying to make this sound dire. It absolutely can be done (most of the time) but you may not be able to say, what do you have at Prime Time. That's my point. If you're up for an adventure then add the unexpected to the adventure. You know you want dinner, lunch, breakfast etc... but you don't know what. Well just ask what's available and let Disney (and eveyrone who has snatched up an ADR) do the picking for you.

The one real caveat would be breakfast. You can get into the parks for breakfast before the park opens but I don't think you can walk up to the entrance and make ressies. If you want an early park breakfast you're gonna have to get that ADR at least the day before.

 

[Dreamfinder2]

OP, we'll be at WDW the same time you are. I didn't have any trouble at all getting ADRs for when and where we wanted them, and I even got Le Cellier for dinner when I called a couple of days ago.

My counsel? Go ahead and make ADRs. You are not tied down. Cancel if you change your mind, as a courtesy.

 

[CR Resort Fan 4 Life]

I am not sure what your chances will be like, however there is always a chance of going without ADR's and here is my story about that. This past December I went to the Magic Kingdom with three of my friends from Orlando and for lunch we were able to eat at Liberty Tree Tavern without an ADR and only waited 5 minutes to be seated, when the waiting area was very busy. Later that same day we all went to Hollywood Studios and for dinner we went to 50's Prime Time Cafe for dinner without any ADR's and once again we waited 5 minutes to be seated. So just remember that anything is possible and if you don't ask you will never know.

 

[jfelcie]

My daughter does exactly what HdnMickeyGrl stated. She loves the adventure and being spontaneous. If we get hungry at DHS we will take what is available. We are traveling with teens, so late seatings are ok. You can not be that flexible with small children. Let the adventure begin!!

 

[n2mm]

We are leaving in 4 days and have NO reservations!!! I am going with my daughter who does not like to plan ahead. I always make my reservations as soon as possible. She insists that we will have 3 or 4 wonderful table service meals, some with characters. She has always met with success in the past. I will let you know what happens!

Please post back when you return. I would love to hear where you get into without ADRs. Good luck.

 

[PHXscuba]

Check guest relations when you get to a park. There's always something available somewhere, it just might take being flexible. I second the late-lunch-or-early-dinner suggestion by a PP. Gets you out of the heat and crowds at a busy time of day.

Our personal experience was that the hostesses at the restaurants just blanketly told everyone there were no walk-ups. One even gave me the Disney Dining number and told me to call them! I think if you go to the guest relations desk when you get to a park, they will have the best overall choices for you without having to go to each individual restaurant (but maybe take the Dining phone number with you so if you walk by someplace that looks cool you can call).

I know the resort restaurants also often have availability.

PHXscuba

 

[CR Resort Fan 4 Life]

In December 2007 at the Magic Kingom by City Hall which is where their Guest Relations office is, there was a board which listed what restaurants you were able to walk into or you could have made last minute ADR's at those locations. So you should see if they still have it and if they do what locations are available.

 

[Mick West]

We were at Disney in Jan 09 and will be back in Sept 09, usually go 2 times a year. We personally never get the DDP - it's more food than we care to eat and another area that will have to be "Planned" out. Now we don't just fly by the seat of our pants but we're not obsessive planners. We always do at least two table meals, usually one lunch and one dinner. We never make ADR's. We find if we go at "off times" - 11:30am or so for lunch and 4 or 5pm for dinner - we never wait to long irregardless of the location.

 

[Simba's Mom]

For the last couple years, I've never made ADRs in advance of our/my (sometimes solo) trips to WDW. I've gotten LTT (lunch), Cape May Cafe, R&C, Tusker House (lunch), and GFC (lunch), to name a few. However, I haven't even TRIED places like CG or Le Cellier-don't expect I could get in there. DH and I leave in 17 days and once again, have no ADRs.

 

[Beauty & the Best]

In December 2007 at the Magic Kingom by City Hall which is where their Guest Relations office is, there was a board which listed what restaurants you were able to walk into or you could have made last minute ADR's at those locations. So you should see if they still have it and if they do what locations are available.

I second this advice! We went to Boma for dinner one night & liked it so much that we walked up to guest relations on main st. and checked to see if we could get into Boma the next night...poof! Disney magic and it was available so we did get into Boma that night & just cancelled our other ADR.

We've also walked right up to Tusker House for lunch. Restaurant Marrakesh in Morocco always seems to have room for walk ups.

We've overheard hosts at Sci-Fi, Ohana and Le Cellier turn walk up guests away, so it's a good idea to try guest relations first.

 

[HelenParr]

We usually have limited ADRs, and take our chances because we are very flexible in our touring plans. We've found that if you are flexible on times (as PP said and it is not peak season or holiday) you can book TS ADRs midday for that same night at many places. When mood strikes us, we will check in at concierge in main lobby after returning from park late afternoon, and they are happy to run through your choices and see what's available. Usually tons of options. We have also had great luck with walk-up at lunch (not dinner as much).

 

[macmom3]

Last year we had to a change a meal because of a tropical storm and didn't go in the park for the day. We went to guest services at the resort and they were able to get us into CP the next day. If you want to eat somewhere try talking to guest services and they might be able to help you.

 

[jfelcie]

We are back from a very crowded 9 days at DW with no ADRs. My daughter was correct, we had many fine meals! At first we tried Disney Dining and they claimed that everything was booked . . . We then tried Member Services and they came through every time!!! We had reservations for Cape May character breakfast, Tusker House twice, Prime Time, Whispering Canyon Cafe, Yak & Yeti, Spoodles, T-Rex no reservations 20 min. wait, and many CS meals. We would call in the morning and say that we needed reservations and we would take what was available. For example . . . Cape May was at 7:50am and WCC was at 8:45pm. We were very flexible as we were not traveling with small children! We had a super time!!

 

[eliza61]

Ok - I know - if you want to eat TS, then make ADR's. We're going next month (May 16th - 23rd) - my first trip since 1990, and the first trip for dh and ds5. We'll be on the QSDP, as we figured we'd rather not be tied down by ADR's for our first visit. However, dh loves to try new food, and I know that he would love to eat at at least one of the nicer restaurants. For those who don't plan ahead, how much luck have you had in either walking in or making reservations on the day ? Obviously, we would pay OOP, and if we couldn't get in, would happily eat CS - just wondering if other non-food planners have fared

We don't do walk ups but we're not food planners either and we always manage to get a sit down.

When I wake up each morning I call disney dining and ask what's available. Generally I have 2 or 3 choices to pick from. I always get park hoppers so it's very easy for me to change parks but most times a resort restuarant will have an opening.


As the previous posters have said, for some reason Guest services at the resorts seemed to have tremedous luck. Whenever I ask them to check, they come up with some thing.

I also always try to eat at off hours which makes it a lot easier. The park restuarants are too loud for me at 12 noon and 6:00 pm so I have lots of luck when I ask for a 7 or 7:30 dinner.

Good luck. We've had great luck dining this way. Oh I never go during Free dining so that probably makes a huge difference.