Do you have to make reservations?

[zanydoc]

Hi! My husband and I are taking our son to Disney World for his 5th birthday in October. We haven't been there for about 6 years and used to go quite frequently in the 1990's when we lived in Orlando. Back then, I don't remember having to make reservations everywhere...I was wondering if you have to make reservations at the nicer restaurants in the parks--or do they still allow for walk ups? We didn't want to be tied down to a specific restaurant on a certain day, not knowing how our days will go. We are not going to be on the Dining plan. Any suggestions are greatly appreciated! Thank you!

 

[lucyem]

When are you going? But most likely yes you will need ADR's.

 

[Granfan]

Yes, you need reservations for table service restaurants. Plan ahead for what park you'll be in each day and reserve a restaurant in that park. We have tried with, without, in and out of parks and one park, one day, eat 1 table service in that park works best for us. We had no luck at all with walk up method May 08, not during free dining either. We had ADR's Dec 09 during free dining. It was crowded but at least we were able to get in.

 

[zanydoc]

We will be there Oct 10th-16th. Thank you!

 

[Pooh&OurHunny]

when I was growing up, we used to go to Disney ever other year and my family would just walk to a restaurant at Disney. Things have changed alot dinning in Disney...with free dinning (I think its being offered in October) I would make a couple of ADRs. When we started taking our son to Disney I made sure I made ADR the time he normally eats (nothing worst than a hunger child...a meltdown b/c he is hunger). I have an ADR everyday during his mealtimes (I can always cancel it if our plans changed...its better to have them or else not eat...my son does not like fast foods and we enjoy sit down meals b/c its part of our downtime too).

If its just adults I would not stress about the ADR but if I was traveling with a child or children I think its important to keeping the schedule especially the time they normally eat.
Hope this helps.

 

[PSUGuy]

I'd nail down a few, if any are still available, 'free' dining has made table service dining a premium. That said, in March and Oct of 2009 we walked into the Clam Bake at YC/BC with a very short wait and also Nine Dragons had immediate openings one early evening.

Bill From PA

 

[dixonsontour]

Yes if you want table service.

Without an adr you may have a long wait or have to travel out of park to eat - neither ideal with a 5 year old.

No charge or penalty for most adr's so why not make them.

 

[Golf4food]

If you want a seat, yes.

 

[Gary M]

The free dining has made it important to make ADR.

 

[7165red]

Yes, now you have to make ADR 180 days.

 

[stargazertechie]

Yes, now you have to make ADR 180 days.

That quote is incredibly misleading. You make it sound like if you don't make your ressies 180 days out, you won't be able to get a sit down meal in Disney.

After the WDW marathon last January, I was not going to eat another meal at CiCi's Pizza Buffet (we were staying off-site). I called the Dining Reservations and was able to get a day-of reservation for Boma that night at 8:50.

I got a lunch ressie for CRT in March for our Mid-May trip. I made all of my ADR's for that trip in March (about 70 days out) and the only place I couldn't get an ADR was for Garden Grill.

We were in The Land pavilion one night just about the time that Garden Grill was opening, and we were able to walk up, and we were seated within 5 minutes.

If you're not going to make ADRs, plan on being AT THE RESTAURANT within the first 5 minutes of it opening for whatever seating you're looking at.

 

[zanydoc]

Thank you all for your responses! I guess things have changed a lot since we last went... Two more question-what's the best way to make a reservation; call or online? We are staying at Saratoga Springs--anything noteworthy to eat there or nearby?

 

[stargazertechie]

Thank you all for your responses! I guess things have changed a lot since we last went... Two more question-what's the best way to make a reservation; call or online? We are staying at Saratoga Springs--anything noteworthy to eat there or nearby?

I normally go online and get as much as I can by myself. For things like CRT or HDDR, I usually call because (especially with this trip) even when I linked my resort reservation/dining plan to my searches, it was still asking for full payment instead of just a guarantee.

 

[Kathy Z]

From SSR you will be close to DTD. They have several good places to dine and some of them are not on the dining plan. The ones not on the dining plan are easier to get into without reservations.

But you will be going down the day before Columbus Day, so for your arrival day and that holiday Monday you should be sure to have ADRs. That entire week may be slightly busier than other weeks in October because of the holiday.

I think it is easiest to make your ADRs online. Create an account at http://disneyworld.disney.go.com/dining/listing/ (if you do not already have one.) Log in to that account to make your dining reservations. Search by date and time and the system will show you all of the restaurants that have availability near that time. This way works MUCH better than searching by breakfast, lunch or dinner. Just be sure you've properly selected AM or PM and that you've entered the number of people for your reservation.

 

[Debbie Jean]

Thank you all for your responses! I guess things have changed a lot since we last went... Two more question-what's the best way to make a reservation; call or online? We are staying at Saratoga Springs--anything noteworthy to eat there or nearby?

Since you will be staying at SSR, be sure to check out The Turf club... wonderful food and lovely ambiance

 

[sndral]

The other thing I like about online is that when you've made your ADRs they'll have a list for you w/ dates/times/restaurants/confirmation no.s. Print it out, tuck it in your wallet, good to go.

 

[Grumpy92]

I also am going to encourage you to make ADRs. For two reasons.
1. You will be going during the heart of F&WF
2. Free Dining

I remember those days of walking in too. But about 2-3 years ago we went during Oct. Thinking it would be slow and we wouldnt need to make a whole bunch of ADRs. For most nights we scrambled to get in anywhere. We ate at Boatwrights twice because that was one of the few places we could get into at the last minute. Everything at EC, ST and alot of the resorts was completely booked for dinner. If we happened upon a restaurant that was taking walk ins (very few) it was over an hour wait.

So definitely make a few.

 

[dixonsontour]

OP - hope you've been online and seen how easy it is to make adr's.

I love the facility to search for anything available at our normal dinner time or search the whole of the dinner seating for a space if I have a particular restaurant in mind.

As a mum of a 4.5 year old an 8.50pm adr at Boma isn't any use at all to us. DD would be asleep.

If your son is anything like my DD he will prefer to eat at 5/6 pm where he is not a ride on the bus away. I can't imagine having to wait an hour with a hungry child or walk from restaurant to restaurant and hope to be seated at one.

We had some lovely meals and DD behaved wonderfully at them - because we made the adr's.

 

[jshuff1]

call themandthey will let you know

 

[7165red]

I didn't mean to be misleading by saying ADR 180 days out. I remember the good old days too. Now disney has started 180 days out, I don't like it but if a want a special restaurant at a specfic time I call 180 days out, even at that you can miss out. You can always wing it if your flexable because there are always cancellations. During Easter, 4th of July, and Oct. and xmas ADR are almost a must. Making reservations on line is a snap and be sure to tell them it's your son's birthday.Good Luck, and happy birthday to your son in advance.