Does anyone go without any ADR's?

[kangaroodle]

Just wondering if anyone does this. We used to plan all our meals and then found that to be too restricting. I felt like we were always looking at our watch to make sure we could get to the restaurant on time. Now we go with the flow. My kids are 8 and 11. They don't always want to stop for a full sit down meal anyways. It uses a lot of time (and $$$). We don't just eat burgers, fries and coke all week either but sit-down meals are usually more than we care to eat. Just wondering if I'm the only one. I know I am the minority, but am I alone among the DIS'ers?

 

[photobob]

I haven't made them in the past but will probably make a few for my next trip. My last trip I got into the restaurants I wanted by going for lunch and walking in before opening and grabbing some of the very few walkups taken for the day. We travelled the last week of June btw. We plan to go the first week of June which isn't quite as busy as the last week but with the popularity of DDP walkups are getting more and more difficult. I agree with you on having meals dictate your plans, I don't like it either, but to get a few of the restaurants I want ADR's may have to be reluctantly made..

 

[DVC Grammy]

We don't make ADRs before we arrive. Once there, we'll decide where we want to eat.
We prefer to do TS meals for either a late breakfast or lunch, and I'll make the reservations that day (or the night before if it's for breakfast). We're very flexible as to times and even restaurants; if whatever's available isn't to our liking, we'll just skip it, or try for another day.
We haven't starved yet in all the years of going to WDW.

Keep in mind that we don't try for Le Cellier, not because of the food but because it's too cave-like for us, plus very "squished" tables and not the best service we've experienced. I know it's the favorite of many folks, so if it's one of your must-do's, ADRs are probably mandatory!

 

[Buttercup Roberts]

I pretty much know which places you can walk up to and when, and which places you HAVE to have an ADR.

Joe complains if we make more than one ADR per trip. He hates being scheduled.

So no, we never make a bunch of ADRs. It's why we've never paid for the dining plan, or bothered planning our vacation around the free dining promotions.

Actually, there is another way... I could make ADRs and not tell him about them, and we just somehow "end up" right there at the right time. That's so sneaky, I haven't actually tried it... but I guess it would work.

 

[mickeymousemom]

Always. We aren't commando type people, but I feel more comfy having the ADR's made. We go in October, so the crowds aren't low and I won't take any chances. My family asks ahead of time, or I tell them, where we're eating and so we know for 6 months where we're going. However, when we get there, if we decide to change our minds and if its possible to get in somewhere else, then we do. Otherwise, It's always ADR's for us. I've been too many times the last few years and seen sandwich boards at the front of the parks saying that there were no openings at any of the TS places.

 

[SGMCO]

Last month I was so glad that I had made ADRs in advance because
there were always people in front of us and in back of us who did not
have ADRs and were turned away.
That is the 1st question they will
ask you and you can see it on the CMs face whenever
the person doesn't have ADRs.
We also visited during FD and I think that could have
made a big difference on availablity of walkins.
I think it is easy to get walkins if you have a small party of
2 or 3. Impossible for a large group. Have a nice trip!

 

[DisMN]

We don't make ADR's. We like to play our trips by ear.....we're VERY flexible and make our dining plans each morning, sometimes the day before. No biggie, we've always been fine doing it that way.

 

[ciera321]

We always make ADRs. For us, there is too much to do at DW to waste our time waiting for a table someplace. Also, there are places we love to eat that we would hate to miss because they were too busy to get into. I'm a planner so making the ADRs is all part of the fun for me...

 

[pumba]

we were at Disney a few weeks ago.....because we made our reservations for air and hotel at the last moment (surprise trip from our kids) we were able to only make one reservation....we went to Crystal Palace before the Halloween Party.....we missed getting into Le Cellier.....they gave a walk up to a couple in front of us......but no biggie .....we walked into Biergarten and had another nice meal there.......we did like where we went and we ALSO liked being able to say.....hey where do we want to eat ....cs or whatever......it is doable.....we did not eat hamburgers and fries everywhere .....

 

[jmkrat]

Back in the good old days, we didn't. Now it seems like you almost have to make sure you can have TS places to eat. I liked when we could just walk up and wait. I don't like to plan so much, and I sure don't like everything centered around my eating. But, we do love Disney food and it is a part of our magical experience, so we do make those ADR's. I usually only go during peak times too, so it is for sure a must to make ADR's. Sure wish it wasn't, I have no idea where I want to eat 180 days out.

 

[Eeyore's Pal]

We usually make two, maybe three (at most) well in advance of the trip. Those are usually for our two favorites. We may make a couple more once we arrive or sometime after. And we just wing the rest of it.

We used to do the "comando" thing, but once we became DVC members, that sense of urgency disappeared. Our next magical trip is never more than 12 months away and we feel comfortable being very flexible about dining and scheduling.

 

[decomouse]

When the girls were small we always made ADRs for whatever character meals we felt were necessary. Now the only ADR we make is for Christmas dinner. Otherwise, we are flexible. DH & I normally prefer TS, but the girls tend to like CS better. That means we don't eat every meal together, but it works for us. A few tables are normally saved for walk-ups, so since we are not committed to a strict timetable it's not often a problem. Of course, time of year, crowds and time of day all affect availability.

 

[720L]

We never make them. We prefer CS because they are quicker and cheaper. Our kids aren't old enough to appreciate the sit down restaurants. We usually do 1 character meal which we do make a reservation for.

 

[I loveStitchnippyjon]

Last month we did our first free dining. We found it way too restricting to be tied down to dinner ADR's every night, not to mention that we usually were not very hungry at that time!
Next trip, I'll make maybe two ADRs for dinners and eat counter service or just snacks for the rest of the meals.

 

[Sues423]

We usually don't make ADRs either. However the last time we went to WDW was dec 2005. It happened to be Pop Warner week. We couldn't get into any of the restaurants we usally get into. A little disappointing but we survived.

We are doing again in dec of this year. Nov 30-Dec 8. Pop Warner week again (we didn't know this when we booked)....We made ADRs this time. We'll see if we like being on a schedule. Next time we book we'll find out when PW week is. The lines to the attractions were fine...just couldn't get in the resturaunts.

Sue S

 

[MickeyNicki]

We used to be that way for breakfast and lunch and have a nice sit down dinner but lately we tend to make a ressie for breakfast and wing it for dinner, there are alot of great CS places to try.