CityWalk Restaurant Walk-ups - late August?

[DisneyWishes14]

Hi everyone! We are headed to Universal the last week of August to celebrate DS9 finishing all 7 Harry Potter books! Super excited!

I'm trying to plan out our meals and so far have reservations at Mamma Della's and Mythos, with plans to go to Three Broomsticks and the Leaky Cauldron plus an early walk-up lunch at Toothsome (thought we would go around 11:30 am when we first arrive on Aug. 28). I was thinking of making a dining reservation for the Mexican restaurant in CityWalk, but know DS9 would prefer the NBC Sports restaurant and I really liked Cowfish the last time we went (though I've read good reviews of the Mexican restaurant). I just hate showing up at a restaurant only to find out we will either be turned away or there is a wait over an hour. What do you think wait times might be on on weeknight the last week in August? We would probably arrive around 6:30/7:00 pm. Maybe I should reserve Antojitos for one night and try a walk up for NBC the next?

 

[mjhtvchick]

Hi everyone! We are headed to Universal the last week of August to celebrate DS9 finishing all 7 Harry Potter books! Super excited!

I'm trying to plan out our meals and so far have reservations at Mamma Della's and Mythos, with plans to go to Three Broomsticks and the Leaky Cauldron plus an early walk-up lunch at Toothsome (thought we would go around 11:30 am when we first arrive on Aug. 28). I was thinking of making a dining reservation for the Mexican restaurant in CityWalk, but know DS9 would prefer the NBC Sports restaurant and I really liked Cowfish the last time we went (though I've read good reviews of the Mexican restaurant). I just hate showing up at a restaurant only to find out we will either be turned away or there is a wait over an hour. What do you think wait times might be on on weeknight the last week in August? We would probably arrive around 6:30/7:00 pm. Maybe I should reserve Antojitos for one night and try a walk up for NBC the next?

Are you staying onsite? Guests staying at RPR, HRH or PBR get priority seating at select restaurants.

 

[DisneyWishes14]

Are you staying onsite? Guests staying at RPR, HRH or PBR get priority seating at select restaurants.

Yes! We are staying at PBR. Really? I had no clue! Do you know if Cowfish or NBC are included? Thank you so much!

 

[cschaaf]

This list shows Cowfish is inluded in the Priority Seating.

https://orlandoinformer.com/universal/dining-reservations/

It hasn't been updated for NBC, but it seems likely that it would be included.

We've only used the priority seating once - at Mythos right around noon. The wait was something like 45 minutes. Then we showed our hotel key and were seated within about 5 minutes.

We've never booked reservations days in advance and have never had an issue. Only once, we booked a same day reservation at Vivo. It was the newest City Walk restaurant at the time, and it was mid June. Not even sure we needed it then, but it was easy to do and it was where our one daughter really wanted to eat for her birthday.

 

[DisneyWishes14]

This list shows Cowfish is inluded in the Priority Seating.

https://orlandoinformer.com/universal/dining-reservations/

It hasn't been updated for NBC, but it seems likely that it would be included.

We've only used the priority seating once - at Mythos right around noon. The wait was something like 45 minutes. Then we showed our hotel key and were seated within about 5 minutes.

We've never booked reservations days in advance and have never had an issue. Only once, we booked a same day reservation at Vivo. It was the newest City Walk restaurant at the time, and it was mid June. Not even sure we needed it then, but it was easy to do and it was where our one daughter really wanted to eat for her birthday.

Wow, that's awesome! Thank you so much! Planning WDW trips has put me in the habit of locking down restaurant reservations! LOL! I'm excited about priority seating! Thank you!

 

[elaine amj]

I always stayed onsite but always forgot about priority seating. I just made Opentable reservations and went with that. LOVED Cowfish!!!!

One time we tried to walk up to the onsite at Hard Rock Hotel as we were staying there. Told an hour's wait. I ended up hopping on my phone and booking an Open Table reservation for something like 10 mins later and finally was seated immediately. So crazy.

 

[mjhtvchick]

Wow, that's awesome! Thank you so much! Planning WDW trips has put me in the habit of locking down restaurant reservations! LOL! I'm excited about priority seating! Thank you!

As cschaaf said, Cowfish is included...not sure about NBC though - I know Toothsome is not included right now. It may be that the "newer" restaurants are not included for a bit.

If you want to be sure, you could always call them (+1 407-224-7223) or pose the question on their Facebook page...https://www.facebook.com/pages/NBC-Sports-Grill-Brew/905264042888886

 

[PoohIsHome]

As cschaaf said, Cowfish is included...not sure about NBC though - I know Toothsome is not included right now. It may be that the "newer" restaurants are not included for a bit.

If you want to be sure, you could always call them (+1 407-224-7223) or pose the question on their Facebook page...https://www.facebook.com/pages/NBC-Sports-Grill-Brew/905264042888886

Toothsome now shows HRH, PB and RP receives priority seating.

https://orlandoinformer.com/universal/dining-reservations/

 

[mjhtvchick]

Toothsome now shows HRH, PB and RP receives priority seating.

https://orlandoinformer.com/universal/dining-reservations/

Oh excellent! Great news for our trip next year!

 

[cschaaf]

Wow, that's awesome! Thank you so much! Planning WDW trips has put me in the habit of locking down restaurant reservations! LOL! I'm excited about priority seating! Thank you!

Planning never hurts! That's the great thing about Universal - if you want to plan, you can do it. If you don't like to plan, you really don't have to.

You're going to love the Express Pass and Priority Seating that you get from staying at PBR. It's kind of intoxicating to be able to walk past the crowds with your special access

And PBR is a beautiful resort. Oh, and you will also love the boat transportation to the parks.

Keep asking us questions, we love to help!

 

[DisneyWishes14]

Wow! Thank you so much everyone! Wow, great news that Toothsome is now included in priority seating as well! I will probably still keep our plan to go to Toothsome around 11/11:30 am (we will be arriving from WDW that morning and know we will want to eat before going into the parks, so might as well go there!) and will keep the reservations I made for Mythos and Mamma Della's. We had a reservation for Mythos on our last trip in Feb. 2015 and boy was I glad we did when I saw the crowd of people waiting when we walked up. I am so glad to hear about the priority seating though. We have two more nights with no set plans and I feel so much more comfortable going over to CityWalk and just walking up to Cowfish and NBC now. Thank you for all of the info!