Dilemma about lunch reservations

[SFMommy]

As I am planning our days for our upcoming trip for Thanksgiving, I am hesitant to make any dining reservations for during the day.

In the past we have always had a dining reservation for lunch in the park. If we saw that we were not going to be able to make it, I would call ahead on my cell phone and cancel or change it. Most of the time (9 out of 10), we were able to keep our lunch reservations. But that was before Fastpasses were being enforced, and before you had to cancel your dining reservation at least 24 hours ahead of time or be charged a fee.

We will be getting and using Fastpasses. And we will also be getting Return Passes for Anna & Elsa. I can't imagine also having a dining reservation and worrying about it conflicting with our Fastpasses and M&G return times. So I guess we will just do counter service for lunch this year and forgo the reservations. Although I really loved the security of knowing we had a place to eat, especially during a busy time of year. Not sure what to do...

Is everyone else having this same dilemma? Are there a lot less dining reservations being made because of this, so getting a table as a walk-up at table service restaurant is easier because there are fewer tables that have been reserved?

Thanks!

 

[sonnyjane]

Certainly you can still try to walk up and see if they can take you. Since you're going during a busy Thanksgiving time it might not work, but worth a shot!

Two years ago I went during Easter week and walked up to Cafe Orleans. She told me that the wait would be close to an hour, but that I could make a reservation for 90 minutes from then, so I just made a reservation and came back!

 

[lozzypop]

I understand where you are coming from, but if I were you, I would simply adapt my FastPass strategy around my dining reservations. I always make dining reservations for at least one meal when it is busy, because it is nice to know there is at least one place you don't have to wait long, and let's face it - who wants to wait when they are hungry.

Make your dining reservation for your preferred time. That is your known quantity - you know that you have reservations for Cafe Orleans at 1pm on Friday 28 November (for example).

If you want to see A&E on that Friday and you are given a return time of 1pm (or 1:30 etc.), simply ask the CM if you can step aside and wait to collect a later time (like 3pm). It won't take long at the rate that the A&E FPs are going these days. Same thing with a ride FP - check the return time given at the FP location; if the return time conflicts with your dining time, just come back in a bit and get a different return time.

Sure it takes a bit more planning, but the consequences are not dire if you unwittingly pull a ride FP for your dining time. You just don't use the FP, and collect another once you are done with your lunch.

 

[SFMommy]

I understand where you are coming from, but if I were you, I would simply adapt my FastPass strategy around my dining reservations. I always make dining reservations for at least one meal when it is busy, because it is nice to know there is at least one place you don't have to wait long, and let's face it - who wants to wait when they are hungry.

Make your dining reservation for your preferred time. That is your known quantity - you know that you have reservations for Cafe Orleans at 1pm on Friday 28 November (for example).

If you want to see A&E on that Friday and you are given a return time of 1pm (or 1:30 etc.), simply ask the CM if you can step aside and wait to collect a later time (like 3pm). It won't take long at the rate that the A&E FPs are going these days. Same thing with a ride FP - check the return time given at the FP location; if the return time conflicts with your dining time, just come back in a bit and get a different return time.

Sure it takes a bit more planning, but the consequences are not dire if you unwittingly pull a ride FP for your dining time. You just don't use the FP, and collect another once you are done with your lunch.

Yes, I see where you are coming from. While I really like the certainty of knowing that we can eat when we are hungry, I'm not sure that it is worth the stress and worry of making sure that we are at location x at a certain time. The penalty being $30 ($10 per person for a missed reservation).

I'm thinking that this trip might be a chance to eat at more casual places that we have never tried...Hungry Bear and Zocolo for example.

Thank you for the input! Will also discuss it with DH, who leaves all the planning and decision making to me!

 

[cmpeter]

I still make reservations...then I plug everything into RideMax and they tell me when to go where.

 

[figment_jii]

Is everyone else having this same dilemma? Are there a lot less dining reservations being made because of this, so getting a table as a walk-up at table service restaurant is easier because there are fewer tables that have been reserved?

Some of it will depend on when you want to eat and where you want to eat. Even with the "no show" penalty in effect, the more popular places are still "full" and may not accept walk-ups. I've yet to be there when Blue Bayou accepted walk-ups (for example). I've had the same thing happen at Cafe Orleans as sonnyjane mentioned - the standby was super long, but they were taking "reservations" for a later time (it was three hours in my case). I think you stand a better chance of walking-up at odd hours (e.g., lunch at 2:00 pm).

As lozzypop mentioned, I would opt to make the lunch reservation and wait for an ideal FP/Return Ticket time. A&E, like RSR, tends to move pretty quickly, so even if the time isn't one that will work for you when you get to the front of the line, just let the CM know and stand aside until a workable time comes up. I've done this at RSR in the past.

 

[CAFarmerGirl]

We have called and pushed out our reservation an hour and they were very accommodating. We have also walked up and when we were debating on the menu because none of us were hungry yet, they happily pushed back our reservation. They were always really kind and no charge issues.

 

[GPmice]

I still make reservations...then I plug everything into RideMax and they tell me when to go where.

Ditto!

 

[SFMommy]

We have called and pushed out our reservation an hour and they were very accommodating. We have also walked up and when we were debating on the menu because none of us were hungry yet, they happily pushed back our reservation. They were always really kind and no charge issues.

That is good to know! I would never just not show up. I would call to change the time, if possible. But I thought I would be charged $10 per person if we call on the day of our reservation. Thanks for the tip!

 

[Rubygoose]

What we did that worked out really well was to grad a FP for something right before checking in for our reservation, then usually our window would be open shortly after we finished eating. Also, we always make reservations for the beginning of our trip and then leave the last day or two unplanned so that we can fit in whatever we missed or things we want to repeat. You may also want to think about booking a lunch reservation for one day and then an early dinner for a different day, so that you're not always blocking off the same time of day.

 

[cmpeter]

You could call to confirm. But when I made our reservations a month or so ago, I was told that if I called day of and switched to another reservation that same day I wouldn't be charged the cancellation fee. But , that also requires that there is another reservation at a place and time that works for you.