Do I have to make reservations for every night?

[butterfuleyes]

One of my Disney planning books makes it sound like you have to make reservations for any table service restaurant you want to eat in. I thought you could just get hungry and go in to a random restaurant. Please tell me I'm right.

Also, this will be my first Disney trip and I don't know those restaurants.

 

[Allison]

It doesn't work that way any more. The dining plan has made the table service restaurants very busy and getting a table without a reservation can be very hard to do. It's certainly not impossible but you would need to be flexible on where you eat and what time. You wouldn't be able to go to the more popular restaurants and get a table during the standard meal times. The time of year you are going will also have an impact. June is a busy time.

 

[butterfuleyes]

lol We're going in June. What is a standard dinner time? 5 ish?

 

[The Sweetness]

You could always just wait on nice long lines for CS with all of the other people who didnt commit to a restaurant early in their planning. I like the CS at WDW. I Dont, however, want to eat it for lunch and dinner for 9 days

 

[Allison]

lol We're going in June. What is a standard dinner time? 5 ish?

It's a much bigger range. Probably 5-8. Just guessing.

Do you have an idea of what restaurants you want to eat at?

 

[dawgfan]

I have done it both ways. June is busy. Without ADRs you will wait. Nowadays you may wait a great deal of time. If you don't mind waiting and have a drink at a bar you may be fine. I suggest dining at off times. Either early of very late. Other than that I would make at least a few ADRs especially for restaurants that you really want to it and which may be very popular.

 

[bicker]

Do I have to make reservations for every night?

Do you want to eat every night?

Seriously, as Allison mentioned, you really want to consider having ADRs for every TS meal you plan to eat. It's just a good precaution.

On the last night of our recent trip we were at Liberty Tree Tavern for dinner. This was Thursday, January 19, which was a very lightly-attended day. We had an ADR but it took about five minutes for me to get to the front of the check-in queue, as literally a half-dozen people in front of me were looking for walk-in accommodation, and waxed poetically to the hostess that everywhere else they checked was full-up for the night as well.

Best advice: Have ADRs!

 

[Wendy31]

Have you looked at the menus on allears.net &/or have some idea about what restaurants at which you wish to eat?

Are you planning a sit-down restaurant for every day/night of your stay, or are you more interested in just a couple of sit-down restaurants & are okay w/ counter service for the majority of your meals? (And Disney has some great counter service restaurants - especially in the World Showcase at Epcot!)

Do you have the dining plan? If you have the dining plan, you're going to have TS (sit-down) credits for every night of your stay (they don't have to be used every day, however). And, if you don't make ADR's, you might end up not being able to use all of your TS credits.

 

[JennyDrake]

Since the new meal plan, you almost HAVE to have dinner ressies. While there in July and in Dcemeber, NUMEROUS times we encountered restaurants that were not accepting ANY walk up seating NONE. We were told at 3 different places in Epcot that they were full for the DAY and it was not yet 12 noon. They would not suggest our even hanging around and waiting for no-shows.

We also tried calling for PS at Boma (once we were at WDW) and were told there was nothing available for our entire visit. I know this sounds extreme, but it was. In December, were were not there suring peak season, but rather just the first week in December.

Here is where we were turned away: Le Cellier, Chefs du Paris (go figure), Rose and Crown, Alfredos, Crystal Palace, Boma, Ohana's.

It was very disspointing and has just about eliminated spontaneous dinner choices. I am an AP holder, so I do not qualify for the meal plan as it is linked to your tickets.

Jenny

 

[shellybaxter]

I was there the first week in December as well and found the situation to be much like Jenny described. We were able to get ADRs for the next day a couple of times when we wanted to switch things around, but most restuarants were not accepting walkups.

If you are new to this you are surely wondering how you will decided where to make reservations (or actually something called advanced dinner reservations or ADRs) if you don't even know what the restuarants are called, let alone what they will serve. Try checking out this link

http://www.allearsnet.com/menu/menus.htm

Its at Deb Willis's site and lists all the restuarants and their menus. There is also a sticky thread at the top of the restuarant forums about pictures of disney food. It can be very helpful when trying to decide where to eat.

BTW - the dinning number is 1-407-wdw-dine

Shelly

 

[thelionqueen]

but YES you do need ADR's for your TS's. If you are planning on just winging it, you're going to wind up eating at places you don't want to, mainly counter service meals.

On our trip in Oct. there was no availability at all...zero..for the majority of our stay. We were lucky and able to get a seating @ Teppanyaki really late one night, otherwish our entire stay, every seating was taken! We were there for 10 days BTW.

It only takes a second to call and make your ADR's. Check allearsnet.com for menus and nail it down. Just what I would do, have a great trip!!!

 

[Donna]

Do you want to eat every night?

Seriously, as Allison mentioned, you really want to consider having ADRs for every TS meal you plan to eat. It's just a good precaution.

On the last night of our recent trip we were at Liberty Tree Tavern for dinner. This was Thursday, January 19, which was a very lightly-attended day. We had an ADR but it took about five minutes for me to get to the front of the check-in queue, as literally a half-dozen people in front of me were looking for walk-in accommodation, and waxed poetically to the hostess that everywhere else they checked was full-up for the night as well.

Best advice: Have ADRs!

This always bothered me. We plan and take the time to call WAY ahead of time for our ADR's, yet you have to wait in the same line as those that just walk up and ask whats available. I always thought they should have a separate line for the ADR people and the walk up people. Sometimes, it's not much of a wait, but other times, you can be standing there a long time in the line. It's especially unnerving at Sci-Fi at MGM. Most of the time the people are told nothing is available but you still have to wait behind them for them to find that out and then you can finally give your name to the hostess. I think these days, it can't be stressed enough to have ADRs (doesn't hurt to bring your confirmation no. either) made.

 

[finnie48]

Hi,

Of course ADR's are not set in stone, so if you are engaged in something and don't want to leave whatever it is, just call and cancel. A few times we have been lucky and gotten reservations in the morning for that night from our resort guest services. Being flexible helps a lot, but as all have said, do make ADR's for the ones you have your heart and stomach set on.

Have a magical trip!!!

Peg & Bob

 

[Donna]

Hi,

Of course ADR's are not set in stone, so if you are engaged in something and don't want to leave whatever it is, just call and cancel. A few times we have been lucky and gotten reservations in the morning for that night from our resort guest services. Being flexible helps a lot, but as all have said, do make ADR's for the ones you have your heart and stomach set on.

Have a magical trip!!!

Peg & Bob

I was thinking this too. The only exception would be one where you had to put a deposit down. If you don't show for those, you get charged whether you show up or not.

 

[butterfuleyes]

ok, so if I want to eat, get ADR's. I have the Dining Plan.

So, now begs the question, what time? I've never been to Disney so I don't know what time is a time you can get the bulk of the rides under your belt. How do you plan what time???

 

[Donna]

So it looks like you're going in May and it's just the two of you? Do you have your day to day plans set yet? You shouldn't have any trouble getting ADR's for two even though it's a little later than usual (you can call at 6 mos. out now). Decide if you want your sit down to be a lunch or dinner and then just plan those around your park days (not the other way around). For instance, in august, on a tuesday, we will be at MGM so we will eat lunch at Sci-Fi that day and i chose 11:00 because it's before the lunch crowd gets bad there (around noon its a zoo). If you are late eaters, you might want to make your lunch around 1 or so and then have your dinner around 7 or 8 which is off peak times. Alot of the planning is personal preference. I believe the first available lunch ADR is 11 and dinner is either 5 or 5:30 depending on where it is. If you can snag the first dinner time, there's hardly any wait at all anywhere, but it will crowd up well into the evening until around 7-7:30 and then it'll slow down again.
Remember, you can have the ADRs but you don't have to keep them but have something for a back up (for 2 people you might have luck with walk ups). If you decide to not do an ADR and you're near the restaurant, they do appreciate you letting them know!

 

[butterfuleyes]

We're going June 8th. I think I'll plan dinner around 7pm. This is so overwhelming....I have 7 web browsers up with various show and restaurant times and two books and a calendar. The only thing I know is what parks I'm going to on what days.

 

[shellybaxter]

We're going June 8th. I think I'll plan dinner around 7pm. This is so overwhelming....I have 7 web browsers up with various show and restaurant times and two books and a calendar. The only thing I know is what parks I'm going to on what days.

Knowing what days you want to go to which parks is a great start. Now go to the menu pages and look at the restuarants in the park you will be in. Choose either breakfast, lunch, or dinner sitdowns. I think 7:00 is a great time for two adults to plan dinner. Thats when Dh and I eat when are by ourselves. I always plan to have a lunch (usually counter service) by 12:00noon but we don't eat breakfast so its usually closer to 11:00.

If you don't find a restuarant that you want inside of a park look at the resort restuarants that are by that park. For example, the Contemporary, the Poly, and Grand Floridian and the Wilderness Lodge are really close to the Magic Kingdom. All of the Boardwalk restuarants (Boardwalk Inn, Yacht and Beach Club and Swan and Dolphin) are a short boart ride from both Epcot and the Disney Studios. Of course the Animal Kingdom Lodge is a five minute bus ride from the Animal Kingdom. Planning can be fun. Don't get so overwhelmed and enjoy yourself

Shelly

 

[Wendy31]

What parks are you doing which days? And how long are you staying?

Do you want to try any character meals?

If I were on my honeymoon, some restaurants I'd be interested in would be the following:

Magic Kingdom Park & Resort Restaurants -

* Chef Mickey's for breakfast - in the Contemporary Resort (a MK monorail resort); this is a traditional Disney character meal (buffet) w/ Mickey, Minnie, Goofy, Pluto, Chip, & Dale - w/ the monorail running through here, it's the quintessential Disney experience
* Crystal Palace for breakfast or lunch - in the MK; this is a character meal (buffet) w/ Pooh & Friends - the buffet is yummy & the restaurant is very pretty; if you schedule an ADR here for before the park opens, you can get some great pics of the castle
* Artist Point for dinner - in the Wilderness Lodge (a boat ride away from the MK); while there, I'd also try to schedule a carriage ride - this restaurant looks so romantic & the menu looks delicious!
* California Grill for dinner - in the Contemporary Resort (If I ate at Chef Mickey's, I'd probably schedule Narcoose's instead) - great views of the MK - perfect if timed w/ Wishes
* CRT for dinner - in the castle in the MK - I'd have to eat in the castle on my honeymoon! The Fairy Godmother is there as well for a special "wishing presentation". I think honeymooning couples get special treatment here too!
* 1900 Park Fare for dinner - in the Grand Floridian; this is a character meal w/ Cinderella & Prince Charming - seems to kind of go w/ weddings & honeymoons, & the GF resort is gorgeous!
* Narcoose's for dinner - in the Grand Floridian - again, gorgeous resort; the menu looks great, & the setting is lovely - perfect if timed w/ Wishes

Epcot Park & Resort Restaurants -

* Chefs de France for lunch (France World Showcase) - I just love the thought of being in France, so romantic!
* Coral Reef for dinner (The Living Seas Pavillion) - I think the setting (the aquarium) is so unique - the menu looks good too
* Le Cellier for dinner (Canada World Showcase) - gets great reviews! Perfect if your DH-to-be likes steaks
* Rose & Crown for dinner (United Kingdom World Showcase) - time this one w/ Illuminations!
* San Angel Inn for lunch or dinner (Mexico World Showcase)

MGM Park Restaurants -

* Sci-Fi Dine-In
* Hollywood Brown Derby or Mama Melrose's for a Fantasmic Dinner Pckg

Animal Kingdom Park & Resort Restaurants -

* Boma in the Animal Kingdom Lodge
* Jiko in the Animal Kingdom Lodge - the Animal Kingdom Lodge is gorgeous!

One of my fav parts of planning our trip is choosing our restaurants! Check out the menus on allears.net, and have fun!!! (And let us know what you decide!)

Edited to Add - some of the restaurants I mentioned are 2 TS credit restaurants, if that makes a difference to you (Artist Point, California Grill, CRT, Hollywood Brown Derby, Narcoose's, Jiko).

 

[butterfuleyes]

Here's what I reserved with the help of the Disney lady:
Mama Melrose's w/ Fantasmic
Le Cellier
Rainforest Cafe for lunch and Wolfgang Puck's for dinner
Cinderella's Royal Table
1900 Park Fare
'Ohana