Chef Mickey's walk up?

[heather13]

We're staying at the Contemporary after Thanksgiving but aren't able to book ADRs for Chef Mickeys for breakfast. What do you think the odds are that we'll be able to get in by walking up if it's super early - like 6:30 or 7am? What if two of us go down to get the table and the other two meet us 15 minutes later - is that possible or does the entire party need to be present to be seated?

 

[MAGGIED]

That is a very busy time in WDW. I have seen them turn away people many times because they are booked... but guess it never hurts to try. I would suggest having your whole party with you though... and I dont think they are open at 6:30am.. I think they open at 7am

 

[BraveLittleToaster2]

I would say your chances are less then 1% as that restaurant is ALWAYS fully booked it seems.

 

[heather13]

I should clarify - it's the week after Thanksgiving, not the day after!!
From everything I've read that's the slowest time of the year. Would that improve our chances?

 

[ktlm]

No- that's a free dining time which means the restaurants are really booked up. Your best bet is to get on line and check for cancellations multiple times a day, starting right now. People switch things around and cancel a lot. I've had good luck doing that. Last year for that same week it took me almost 2 months to get the ADR I wanted, but it finally popped up. Also, they will not seat you or even check you in unless your entire party is there.

 

[LSUmom4kids]

Can u walk up and get in a standby line right when it opens? Or am I setting us all up for a disappointment? Is is "reservation only"?

 

[MHSweb79]

As a rule, one should NEVER count on "standby" availability at WDW, and that's even more true during free dining. Even if you say you are willing to wait an hour - most restaurants we've been to during FD had signs posted that said, "Sorry, no walk-ups accepted."

I know a lot of people don't want the hassle of planning their parks & meals up to 6 months in advance, but the reality is if you have the dining plan you need ADR's for most, if not all of your TS meals.

That said, I can tell you that Kona Cafe and Biergarten were both taking walk ups last Sept. which was during free dining. Those were the only two places I saw with any availability at all. That's why it scares me when I see posts here from people who purchase the DxDP and they pooh-pooh the idea of making ADR's, with the thought that they'll just take what they can get whenever they get hungry.

I do think that Disney does a great job selling the DP and what you can get for it, but I don't think they stress how important it is to make ADR's as far out as you can.

 

[LSUmom4kids]

Is it safe to say then that WDW wants everyone to buy the dining plan and plan every sit down meal as far in advance as possible?

We have a large family and don't want to plan every minute of every day of our vacation, much less what time and place we are going to be when we want to eat. So we are the group that WDW will make us decide to eat offsite.

We've done CM, SciFi, & Trails End with ADR's before, & DH "hated" that we couldn't "eat spontaneously".

So I guess we'll just take our chances & eat when we get hungry wherever we are at that particular moment...

DH is a Planner in his job; but on vacation he wants to do the opposite. I'm glad my kids are older and don't need to see characters when they eat....

 

[aussietravellers]

We have done walk ups at Chef Mickey's twice and been successful both times, so it is possible, but you have to be prepared to get turned away

We went in the morning, on opening both times. We were at WDW for three weeks and it drove us mad that in 21 nights, so that's 42 meals (breakfast and dinner's) that we could not get an ADR. I was calling every morning and night and they always said sorry, there is nothing available and we had tried also for an ADR before the trip. So one morning we thought we are just going We arrived about 15 or 20 minutes before opening, we were not too far down the line. When we got to the front of the line to check in I had this whole speech prepared about we were happy to wait for a noshow etc and I just said there are three and we don't have an ADR and was about so proceed with we will be happy to wait but I didn't get a chance, she asked for our name and handed us a beeper and off we went to join the line for the photo. We were seated both times in about 5 minutes of opening.

So if you are going to try, I would have your whole group with you, turn up before opening and give it a try. You are staying at CR anyway so you don't have to travel far, and if you don't get in you can just have breakfast somewhere else and if you can, try another day. Go for it I say, but just be prepared that you may not get in

 

[CR Resort Fan 4 Life]

I would keep trying for ADR's since you still have a lot of time before you get there. However since your staying at the Contemporary you won't have far to go and I think it's a good idea to be the 1st ones in line when they open. Now if you are turned away at least you wouldn't waste anytime driving there without an ADR. Finally on a previous vacation my family and I were able to walk-in at Chef Mickey's but it was for dinner, so walk-ins have happened there and I will also admit we were lucky to do that.

 

[MYD714]

Good luck. It's always super crowded every time we've ever been there, but we've never been there the week after Thanksgiving.


Persistence is the key. The first year of the free dining offer, we wanted to eat at CRT (before it went to a character meal though). We tried to get in every day of our trip. Finally, we got lucky--even though we had to eat dinner really early. We were flexible and got what we wanted. Unfortunately, it was nothing to write home about. Glad I did it once, but I'd never pay for it.

 

[heather13]

Thank you! I'm planning on CS most of the time since we're not doing the dining plan, but thought we might decide to hit CM one morning at the last minute. I guess I could always try to make the ADR and if we decide not to use it, call down and cancel and then someone else can take advantage of our no-show.

 

[Luvchefmic]

Thank you! I'm planning on CS most of the time since we're not doing the dining plan, but thought we might decide to hit CM one morning at the last minute. I guess I could always try to make the ADR and if we decide not to use it, call down and cancel and then someone else can take advantage of our no-show.

Welcome to the Dis Heather...I would say keep trying for an ADR only if you really want to go there and then keep it. Chef Mickeys is a HARD ADR to get most times.

If you get it and then "decide not to use it and call down and cancel and then someone else can take advantage of our no-show" even though you sound very nice with the intention to do this it really won't help.

Lets say there is another party of 4 that really really want Chef Mickeys for the date/time you have the ADR they couldn't get it and you got it and are only "iffy" with plans..you cancel they are still out of luck. See what I mean?

Whatever you decide to do enjoy your upcoming trip

 

[CR Resort Fan 4 Life]

Thank you! I'm planning on CS most of the time since we're not doing the dining plan, but thought we might decide to hit CM one morning at the last minute. I guess I could always try to make the ADR and if we decide not to use it, call down and cancel and then someone else can take advantage of our no-show.

You're welcome and I think that sounds like a great idea you have.

 

[AndyFL]

On our last trip we stayed at the CR and I asked about our chances at getting a table if we just walked up and a CM said that later in the morning we would stand a pretty good chance so we gave it a shot. They gave us one of those pager thingy's and in 10 min it was buzzing. As far as the food went, it was vastly overpriced but for the chance to take pics with so many characters without having to boil while waiting in a mile-long line it was priceless.

 

[DVCStudio]

Like some have said, it can be done, but be prepared with an alternate plan or a long wait. I think that if you show up very early (or late in the morning) you may have a better shot.

In the past we've shown up early and gotten in with no reservations, and have made reservations the same day for dinner.

Seems like this whole internet thing and Dining plans are really making it harder to get in... Years ago, it used to be you could walk up early and get in (and the other character meals as well). Now with everyone making reservations (and not showing up) and having dining plans it's harder to get in!

Also - many times you call up for a reservation, and they say "we only have time x". Ok, you take it, and when you get there, half the restaurant is empty. I've also been turned away from restaurants "no space, sorry", called up and gotten a reservation for 15 minutes later (back to the podium we go!).

So... it's all a crap shoot.


Jose

 

[mistysue]

I would also keep trying. People get in all over the place, and it's not like it takes a long time to check. I would just make it part of your routine a couple times of day for a while.