easiest place in each park to make a PS?

[dj2]

DD11 and i are going for 9 days (yay!!) in january and want this trip to be a lot looser than trips in the past.

also, a lot cheaper...we'll probably not eat at many full service restaurants. but i have still never seen the inside of sci-fi or 50's prime time and would like to.

thing is, we don't want to be held to a schedule. not even sure what parks on what days. so making a bunch of PS's in advance seems wrong.

at that time of year, i'm figuring we can just make a same day PS and some time will probably be open for each restaurant (does this sound right?).

we won't be staying on site, so does anyone know where's the best place inside each park (esp. Disney-MGM) to make the PS? do i need to go to each restaurant directly, or is there a better way?

thanks!


dj

 

[dj2]

anyone?

 

[bubba's mom]

Since you said you've never been to Sci-Fi, why not make a PS for there? We are making ours for about 45-60minutes before the parade. I believe you can make a PS at the restaurant (walk-up) or at Guest Relations in the park. In January, you may not need PS...crowds shouldn't be that bad...especially if you eat off-peak times.....good luck!

 

[MulanMom]

You have many options available to you. We often do not have many PSs made before a trip for the same reason as you...we don't want to be tied to a schedule. For the most part, it has worked well. Sometimes a PS can be made the night before or even the day you are in the park by calling WDW-Dine. Often the full-service restaurants have podiums outside and a CM making PS that day or directing people into the restaurant when it's slow. Most of the time, we are able to eat where and when we want, but our experiences have been mixed.

For example, we traveled to WDW a few weeks after 9/11 when it was considered slow. We could not walk-in to Le Cellier for a dinner without an hour + wait. When we went in March during a crowded spring break week, we happened to be walking past Canada when a Le Cellier CM was drumming up business around 5pm! In the first case, Le Cellier checked their computer for openings at other WS restaurants. We chose Marrakesh in Morocco.

I don't know which restaurant would have more availability for a walk-in or same day PS at MGM, but I do recall on past trips seeing CMs out early in the day at podiums for Mama Melrose's, 50s Primetime, and Brown Derby.

Good luck with whatever you decide to do!

 

[dj2]

i think i'll try to wing it. good to know that the cm at one restaurant is tied into the whole system! i'm guessing that means that i can walk up to any full service rest. and ask the cm to help me make a ps for that day at any rest. (being cost conscious on this trip, i'm trying to save minutes on my prepaid cell phone and you never know how long you'll hold at WDW-DINE).

THANKS SO MUCH!

DJ

 

[KevinFSU]

I would recommend against "winging it", only because you may end up not getting to eat where you want, or having to stand in long lines.

I plan in advance, but the extent of my planning is which park I'm going to be in on each day, and then I make any PS that I want. I don't micromanage the trip like some apparently like to do. Generally, I only make on PS per day, usually dinner, and this gives you only one time where you have to actually be somewhere during that day.

 

[Mortlives]

Don't use your cell phone. You can make PS's from any pay phone in the parks free of charge. IIRC, the number to dial is on the phone. Or, since noone's mentioned this lately, have they discontinued this? Has anyone looked at a WDW pay phone lately?

Kungaloosh!
Morticia.

 

[shelly3girls]

We were able to do this in May '03 but have not tried since then.

 

[bubba's mom]

Originally posted by Mortlives
Has anyone looked at a WDW pay phone lately?

they still have/make pay phones????