Dining on-site for those staying off-site???

[Booknut]

Hi,

My husband and I don't have much of a schedule when it comes to our dining options. We did try to make a couple of reservations at Le Cellier at Epcot but the woman at Disney said that they have few tables only for 2 and that she cannot make a reservation for 2 at a 4 seat table. But she told me not to worry as September is not a busy time and we should be able to just go to a restaurant and get seated then and there or after not too long a wait.

So is this true? If we decided one day to have lunch at The Brown Derby at MGM or at the Crystal Palace at MK would we be able to get a table do you think? Have any of you done this?

We only want to eat in 4 or 5 places at Disney, no more. Would really appreciate your answers as i'm a newby and leaving in 2 1/2 weeks!

Thanks,

Eloise

 

[disneyholic family]

i didn't make any advance reservations for our trip in July (a very very busy time at WDW)...
instead, I made our reservations on the day before we arrived at each park (we were staying onsite, so i don't know if that makes a difference...but i don't think it does)...

i was able to get every one of the reservations i wanted by just calling the day before we wanted to eat there, including a character breakfast at the chystal palace and dinner at the california grill..

we even walked into lunch at the prime time cafe without a reservation....we did that by going at 11:30 am, which is considered very early....

my guess would be that you would also be able to walk into the brown derby if you go early.....or try calling a day or two before....

oh...i forgot...i think you can also go into guest services, right when you walk into the park in the morning and make reservations for the same day....when i was at guest services in the morning at MGM, there seemed to be people making lunch reservations...

 

[Young Pooh]

We've been a couple of times at the end of August/beginning of September and find that the crowds drop off dramatically in September.

Whilst we ususally make some reservations before we travel we have found that we can usually get a table where we want either by just turning up at the restaurant or making a same day reservation.

I think if there are just two of you, as with us, it usually isn't a problem. I think you would have more difficulty if there were say six of you.

Young Pooh

 

[ukdisneydreamer]

remember though that disney are doing their free dining promo in september for resort guests....we phoned for adrs recently and a lot of thingswere booked solid

 

[gilld]

We've rarely made reservations in advance other than for Christmas Day. Try a day or so before and you should be fine.

 

[natalielongstaff]

i hear that the free dining offer is really making an impact on restaurants being booked up and not taking walk-ups
the best you can do is to be flexible with when and where you want to eat

have a great time ( we may see you there )