Crowd levels at restaurants during Free Dining

[catho72]

How busy have the restaurants been lately? Will anyone who is either there now or have just returned fill us in as to how busy these "sold out" restaurants are? Are the restaurants taking walk-ups? How long have you had to wait past your ADR time? Are any signs posted stating there are no walk-ups being accepted?

Thanks!
Cathy

 

[Eeyore's Pal]

Here is my experience from last week: Link

 

[ZoZo]

I would never count on getting a walk-up, even during supposedly "slow" times of the year. I have gone every other year for several years now, and (sadly) it seems like the days of walk-ups are over.

It pays to plan ahead, now that so many people know about making dining reservations in advance of your trip. I'd make some ADRs well in advance, knowing that you can always cancel them if your plans change. Otherwise, you could be stuck with only CS restaurants.

I've never been sorry that I made my ADRs! I've only wished that I had made more!

 

[MelanieC]

And when does it usually start. I'd like to avoid it next year. We are going 8/7- 8/23. I remember one year coming home around 8/13 and that weekend the restaurants were much busier than in July.

 

[SleepingUgly]

Here is my experience from last week: Link

I agree with your POV. We got back in late August and were there for the first week of free dining. It was almost impossible to get any ADRs for that week once free dining was announced, so I was expecting the restaurants to be packed. But that was not the case. There were empty tables at all restaurants we went to, and we had TS for lunch and dinner, early and late and during "rush" times.

My philosophy is that Disney knows a lot of people book packages with free dining during this time, so there are less people paying OOP. As such, they do not release as many tables. We heard the hostesses tell many walk-ups that they were completely booked and there was no room, but the restaurant would be half full. So maybe some people just didn't show up?

Linda

 

[Susan2771]

We just got back today from Florida and were at WDW from Sept 1 until Sept 5. The only place from all our ADR which was fully booked and not taking walk ups was Crystal Palace. It was booked solid for the whole day. All the restaurants we went to were taking walk ups and we noticed had tables available. We did 4 different character meals and also ate at Wolfgang pucks cafe, spoodles, boatrights, plaza restaurant and Flying Fish. Acutally, Plaza restaurant had a 45 minute wait if you were walking up and that was at 5:30 in the afternoon. All our other dinner reservations were at either 6:00 or 6:30 and our character meals were for breakfast

 

[annie1995]

We just came back on Sunday from 9 nights. We didn't find the crowd levels in the resturants or parks to be bad. A couple of times we were even let in early for our ADR's

 

[Laura's Dad]

That's good news. We are going next week and don't wan to waste our park time sitting in restaurant lobbies for hours.

 

[nbodyhome]

The parks have been VERY slow over the last week or two. The restaurants have tended to be busier due to free dining, but I've been able to book meals last-minute, and I did a walk-in to the Liberty Tree a couple of days ago for lunch (and it was pretty empty).

 

[Evan&Kimberly]

Just Back Sept 4th-10th and all I can say with your ADR"s be on time or better yet get there 15-20minutes before your ADR is even better, I never waited no more 10 minutes except when I was late for one I had to wait over and hour so please make your ADR's and be on time and you should not have any problems.

 

[tigger_03]

We were there 8/24-8/30. I would say we waited no more than 15 minutes before we were sat. And the reason we waited that long for one of the ADRs was that we arrived earlier than our reservation time. Usually it was no more than 10 minutes, if it was that long. I was couldn't complain at all with wait times.

I know that when we ate at Crystal Palace some people walked up to try to get a table and were turned away. They told them they were completely booked up the entire day. I don't know about any of the others because no one asked when we were checking in.