Do you really need a reservation for most buffet styled restaurants?

[DisneyKoyote]

I love planning, but also don't want my Disney days to be scheduled hour by hour (my group prefers not to follow a strict schedule anyways if possible). I have a couple of ADRs booked, but was wondering on the days that we don't have ADRs is it possible to walk into most buffet restaurants with say...less than a 30 minute wait (for both lunch and dinner)?

 

[Calee]

I love planning, but also don't want my Disney days to be scheduled hour by hour (my group prefers not to follow a strict schedule anyways if possible). I have a couple of ADRs booked, but was wondering on the days that we don't have ADRs is it possible to walk into most buffet restaurants with say...less than a 30 minute wait (for both lunch and dinner)?

No I wouldn't count on it. A lot of the buffet restaurants are extremely popular, especially the ones that are character meals. They can be tough to do as a walk up. If you don't have very particular restaurants or times you want to eat, there will be same day ADR's available. I have gotten on MDE and made a reservation for an hour out before. On the other hand, I tried to do that in Hollywood Studios last trip and couldn't get anything except Brown Derby and we didn't want a 2 credit meal.

 

[DisneyHardin]

Yes - you definitely need an ADR at most buffets. Most of the buffets are character meals and they are some of the most popular restaurants on property.

 

[crazy4wdw]

I love planning, but also don't want my Disney days to be scheduled hour by hour (my group prefers not to follow a strict schedule anyways if possible). I have a couple of ADRs booked, but was wondering on the days that we don't have ADRs is it possible to walk into most buffet restaurants with say...less than a 30 minute wait (for both lunch and dinner)?

In most instances, the answer would be no. Their buffet restaurants, especially the ones with characters, usually sell out months in advance.

You might be able to get a table without an ADR at Cape May Cafe at the Beach Club. It would depend if there was a convention going on at the time of your visit. It's one of the few buffet restaurants that does not have characters at dinner. (the breakfast meal does have characters and is extremely popular).

 

[DisneyKoyote]

Got it, should i assume this is the same even for TS restaurants that are not popular?
I guess the best option is to do same day ADR if we want to keep our schedule open then...

 

[Anchored]

I always make my reservations the day before and almost always get what I want
People cancel the day before to avoid being charged if they don't plan to go after all.
There are only a handful of restaurants I haven't been able to book this way (Be Our Guest, and some signature dining, CRT)
I wouldn't stress out too much, check the night before and the day of.

 

[DisBuckMan]

Got it, should i assume this is the same even for TS restaurants that are not popular?
I guess the best option is to do same day ADR if we want to keep our schedule open then...

We never make ADR's more than one day in advance anymore...and have done it this way for several years now. Most of our ADR's are made same day, and we haven't had any problems getting what we want, mostly around the time we want. People cancel a lot within 24 hours of their reservations, whether it be changing plans or ADR hoarders.

It does require a bit of flexibility, and you cannot get your heart set on a single restaurant at a single time, though. That said, we've had really good luck.

Like your goal for this trip, we prefer to keep our schedule open.

 

[sharonabe]

Got it, should i assume this is the same even for TS restaurants that are not popular?
I guess the best option is to do same day ADR if we want to keep our schedule open then...

90% of the restaurants (buffet and a la carte) won't take walk-ups AT ALL, but they will take an ADR that was made just minutes before you go to the podium. I say make this a trip of "where will we eat roulette" and enjoy the spontaneity and surprise of where you'll find an ADR.

 

[ButterbearUK]

When we last went (February, off season) we had made loads of advance dining reservations, most of which we had to cancel for various reasons relating to travelling with a 2 year old...

Anyway, we found it was fairly easy to get same day reservations at resort restaurants without characters (Ale and Compass, Grand Floridian Cafe etc) but eating in the parks was a different story. Nothing available for the times we wanted, either 2/3 days before or day of/day before. So we started just asking at guest services or at the podiums.

The night that we tried to eat in Epcot before Illuminations the latest seating we could get was about 3pm. In the end we wandered around the World Showcase asking at the restaurants that looked less full and managed to get a walk up at Tutto Italia - best meal we had all week! A lot of it is just pure luck, and being flexible. Unless you are on ththe dining plan with credits to spend, there’s always the option of counter service. Some of those options are far better than the sit down restaurants anyway!

 

[MrsDuck]

Yes, especially if they are character buffets. Perhaps you can get away with walking up to Boma but that's it.

 

[DisneyWishes14]

Got it, should i assume this is the same even for TS restaurants that are not popular?
I guess the best option is to do same day ADR if we want to keep our schedule open then...

Yes, this is your best strategy. I would also, perhaps, familiarize yourself with QS menus and locations so, if you find there are no TS available at your desired time and location, you can simply eat QS for your meal. Mobile ordering for QS on MDE is a good time saver if you go this route.

 

[MomOTwins]

IT never ceases to amaze me that people go from waiting an hour plus for rides that have an hourly capacity in the thousands and walking through streets crammed with people walking inches apart then walk into a restaurant with capacity of a couple hundred people at a time and wonder why it is full.

 

[Nancyg56]

IT never ceases to amaze me that people go from waiting an hour plus for rides that have an hourly capacity in the thousands and walking through streets crammed with people walking inches apart then walk into a restaurant with capacity of a couple hundred people at a time and wonder why it is full.

I know.

OP- You can always find someplace to eat, however the buffets may not be the choices open when you want to dine. If you really want to skip ADR's you should expect to be flexible as to where and when you can find TS open.

 

[Pumbaa_]

Disney likes adrs. Period. It is what it is

As other folks have posted, people have been turned away. Then went on the app and booked. I’ve read reports of cm at the podium giving this advice

It makes little sense, it is NOT guest friendly, but it is what it is.

 

[Unlimited N2O]

As most people have stated, if its a character meal, forget it. Best have the ADR. There are some non-character buffets NOT in the parks and NOT popular (Boma) that you may not need an ADR for. We walked up to the Wave of American Flavors for buffet breakfast on a weekday morning and were seated no problem. I've heard stories from friends that Trails End by Wilderness Lodge is rarely full. It also varies if you're eating during the off times.

 

[DisneyKoyote]

IT never ceases to amaze me that people go from waiting an hour plus for rides that have an hourly capacity in the thousands and walking through streets crammed with people walking inches apart then walk into a restaurant with capacity of a couple hundred people at a time and wonder why it is full.

Personally as someone who has never been to Disney, I was shocked to learn that the majority of these restaurants were full LOL. Rides...I understand, there's a limited amount of them, they're pretty much the main attraction, and they're free to go on (since you've already paid the ticket). But overpriced restaurants with generally average food, I guess I'm surprised by the amount of people willing to pay the large uptick for convenience to eat in the parks or to see a character. Esp when food is a large area you can save money on considering a Disney trip being so exp already. It's like going to NYC and eating in Times Square the entire time. Then again who am I to talk! Bc here I am ready to pay the upcharge as well hahaha. Just my POV as a newbie because I certainly can't blame anyone for wondering why they were full when I was one of them

 

[Pumbaa_]

Leaving the bubble to eat outside the world is a huge time suck. Just leaving MK and getting to your car can be an hour. Then leaving property, getting to a restaurant, eating then heading back, add 2 hours.

W a time is money vacation your 3 hour off property lunch can be 25% of your park day if you plan a 12 hour day.

Most restaurants aren’t at capacity. They are staffed based on adrs. Repeat guests have been trained to plan every day in great detail. New folks not so much, and they may wander trying to find a restaurant that will take a walkup. Sadly not many.

If you want ts, make an adr. Even if it’s same day. No one wants to be hangry wandering the world

 

[Nancyg56]

Personally as someone who has never been to Disney, I was shocked to learn that the majority of these restaurants were full LOL. Rides...I understand, there's a limited amount of them, they're pretty much the main attraction, and they're free to go on (since you've already paid the ticket). But overpriced restaurants with generally average food, I guess I'm surprised by the amount of people willing to pay the large uptick for convenience to eat in the parks or to see a character. Esp when food is a large area you can save money on considering a Disney trip being so exp already. It's like going to NYC and eating in Times Square the entire time. Then again who am I to talk! Bc here I am ready to pay the upcharge as well hahaha. Just my POV as a newbie because I certainly can't blame anyone for wondering why they were full when I was one of them

I think you may want to rethink the quality of food there is on WDW property. In general, it is not "fine dining" even if you are paying an inflated theme park price, however for the most part it is good. In regards to the buffet type meals, most are character meals, so the upcharge is for the character interaction, and this is part of what makes the meal so difficult to secure at the last minute.

If you consider the number of people in the parks, and compare them to the number of specialty restaurants available for meals it really is no wonder that these restaurnats require an ADR to enter. The lines woudl be enormous.

There are plenty of CS restaurnats that offer decent meals throughout the parks, so if you really do not want to bother with ADR's and you cannot find an ADR opening that is convenient to your location, you will be able to eat.

I suggest you check out the restaurants and menus online, and for the heck of it, look up ADR's periodically to see what restaurnat typacally are able to accomodate your family at the last minute. As you can see, there are a lot of folks who never bother with ADR's and still manage to dine well. I prefer to know in advance my spot is reserved for a time that I know my family likes to eat and that is convenient to my touring plan, but that is fun for us, For your family it may be torture.

 

[Nancyg56]

Leaving the bubble to eat outside the world is a huge time suck. Just leaving MK and getting to your car can be an hour. Then leaving property, getting to a restaurant, eating then heading back, add 2 hours.

W a time is money vacation your 3 hour off property lunch can be 25% of your park day if you plan a 12 hour day.

Most restaurants aren’t at capacity. They are staffed based on adrs. Repeat guests have been trained to plan every day in great detail. New folks not so much, and they may wander trying to find a restaurant that will take a walkup. Sadly not many.

If you want ts, make an adr. Even if it’s same day. No one wants to be hangry wandering the world

When I was a kid we had a local amusement park a few miles away. We only wnet once in a blue moon, but when we did my Mom packed a lunch and we trudged back to the parking lot and ate our sandwiches, etc. Years later I used to pack lunch when I too my kids, no matter where we drove for the day.

Today that park is a 6 Flags with a parking lot the size of the moon. I cannot imagine getting all the way to the car without just getting in and going home! These massive parking areas have changed the way folks vacation I think, at least for me. AS you said, vacation time is valuable, and leaving for several hours just to dine can eat up a good part of a day in the park. WHile it costs more to just eat inside, it is worth it to me.

 

[Tink9721]

Personally as someone who has never been to Disney, I was shocked to learn that the majority of these restaurants were full LOL. Rides...I understand, there's a limited amount of them, they're pretty much the main attraction, and they're free to go on (since you've already paid the ticket). But overpriced restaurants with generally average food, I guess I'm surprised by the amount of people willing to pay the large uptick for convenience to eat in the parks or to see a character. Esp when food is a large area you can save money on considering a Disney trip being so exp already. It's like going to NYC and eating in Times Square the entire time. Then again who am I to talk! Bc here I am ready to pay the upcharge as well hahaha. Just my POV as a newbie because I certainly can't blame anyone for wondering why they were full when I was one of them

I mean, people need to eat. And the table service restaurants aren't just crappy theme park food. Neither are the QS places, really. TS is just so much more relaxing before/during/after walking 10+ miles around the park. As others have said, going off site to eat would take hours, and you would need a car. Even leaving the park to eat at a hotel takes a big chunk of time, unless the hotel is really close. Bringing in food is an option too, but I have no desire to lug a cooler around all day.

Disney food is part of the experience for most people, including my family, and it's something that's included in the budget long before the trip.