Do I really need ADR in late Sept?

[Dong]

Okay, this will be my first trip so I don't know what to expect in term of crowd in late Sept. Do I really need ADRs if I want to get a table in some restaurant? How long is the average wait without ADRs? I am thinking about just walking up to a restaurant, check out the menu and atmosphere and go in if I like what I see. I know in peak seasons ADRs are highly recommended, but what about late Sept?

 

[Jenvenza]

I would say you so. The free dining ends on September 20th, but for those people who booked their vacation On 9/20 - the free dining goes into October. I made ADR's for late September back in April and couldnt get half of the things we wanted.

 

[Aimeedyan]

If you're going during the free dining time (Aug 24 - Sept 20) you can expect most spots to already be full and almost all spots not taking walk-ups, except a few resort restaurants that don't get as much traffic.

Even the few days after free dining will mean crammed restaurants and no walk-ups.

 

[IggyLans]

Absolutely! You should make them ASAP!
The parks will not be too crowded, but the restaurants will due to Free Dining.

 

[ms_missy66]

I just booked ADRs for a week Disney declared as a "lower traffic" week and STILL wasn't able to get all of the restaurants and times I wanted! And I'm only like 2 weeks off my 180 day range. You'd *think* since it's supposed to be dead and my trip is 5+ months off I'd have no trouble. I think the deal is, though, that the dining plan has gotten SO popular and everyone is eating at the table service restaurants in the parks.

I would 10000% definitely encourage you to make ADRs. A few years ago I winged it, expecting to be able to walk up to restaurants and sorely regretted it as we at counter service meals for everything that week.

Have fun!

 

[catho72]

You will need to make ADR's if you wish to eat at any TS restaurants. We are going for free dining from 9/20-9/28. I've had mine in place since the 180+10 date back in March. There are a couple of restaurants I'm still trying to get into for dinner but they're booked.

If you don't mind eating CS for most of your meals and don't want to be held to a schedule with your ADR's, then you don't need to make any ADR's. My OCD in planning our vacation wouldn't work with that plan.

 

[WriteDisney]

It's always better to be safe than sorry! It's cliche, but very true!

 

[spiceycat]

the most popular restuarants won't allow walk in - if they have too many ADR's already.
so don't expect Le Cellier.

 

[Tara D]

We are doing Free Dining from Sept 9-15 and we just booked our trip last week... I called this weekend to book our ADRs and quite a few things were full. We couldn't get Coral Reef for ANY day during our trip, lunch or dinner, also could not get Le Cellier and we have some funky times for some of the others. I would definitely call ASAP.

 

[ljcrochet]

We went to Disney in October 2007 didn't have a single ADR when we got to dinsey. (too many people were coming and then backed out of the tirp) After eating cs the first night, we were able to get ADRs for the rest of the trip.
Gone are the days when you can just walk up to a TS and get a table.

 

[Grumpy92]

I would strongly encourage it especially with Free Dining and Food & Wine Festival.

 

[MichelleVW]

We are doing Free Dining from Sept 9-15 and we just booked our trip last week... I called this weekend to book our ADRs and quite a few things were full. We couldn't get Coral Reef for ANY day during our trip, lunch or dinner, also could not get Le Cellier and we have some funky times for some of the others. I would definitely call ASAP.

Agreed...I called last week to try and get Coral Reef for Sep 8th, but no luck.

 

[kimsuenew]

I would say you so. The free dining ends on September 20th, but for those people who booked their vacation On 9/20 - the free dining goes into October. I made ADR's for late September back in April and couldnt get half of the things we wanted.

And also for those of us "bouncing back" with free DDP 2007, we were allowed to book free DDP bounceback thru the 27th of September (and some even were able to extend that ending date)!

To the OP: I would call and see what ADR's are available, for the dates/park that you will be visiting. Doing that will show you what is/is not available. I would not be comfy trying to get "walk-ups", however there may be availability that route as well (I am simply to much of a "planner")!

 

[scmouse]

There are two seasons at Disney these days, crowded and more crowded. I wouldn't run the risk of going without dinner ADR's any time of year regardless of estimated crowd levels. Better to have them and not need them, then need them and not have them. Peace of mind.