Ever just wing it - without PS?

[firstmickey]

DH and I are going without kids after being there for the first time in Sept. In Sept, I made all these PS and ran around with kids. It didn't seem like we needed them and in fact we cancelled some while we were there.
For this next trip, I did not make a single PS for meals since it is just the two of us. I did not want to plan every single minute of our day.
Will we have any problems getting a table Jan. 30-Feb 3?
I am starting to get nervous reading about all the PS being made during our time period.
We don't mind a wait of around 20 mins since we are kidless
The only restaurant I really would like to try is Portobello YC.
Any other must do restaurants without kids ?(V&A doesn't appeal to us this trip).
Thanks,
Donna

 

[Aprille's Mom]

Hi Donna,
We have done it both ways and find winging it is more our style. We have also made last minute same day ps arrangements with no problem. The exception would be the very popular character meals. We are going back in June and the only ressies I plan to make are for tours. I'm well aware that I am in the minority about making advance ps arrangements but it works for us.

 

[drusba]

During the time you will be there, it is not that difficult to get into many places without a PS without a huge wait. However, it is still best to make one for park restaurants but in almost all cases you don't need to call until the day before or morning of. Where you want to consider more advanced ressies are character meals, "view" meals (England in Epcot to view Illuminations and California Grill at Contemporary to view fioreworks), and any restaurant that you consider as one you absolutely must eat at.

 

[crisi]

We "winged" most of our eating last Feburary - with mixed results. We always ate, we just didn't always eat when and where we wanted. We did it this way because we had little kids and weren't sure they'd be up for multiple table service restaurants.

My husband and dad had no problems at Artists Point, the kids and my mom and I had less luck at Teppenyaki, but did eat at the Tempura bar without a wait at 4:00. We would have had a 90 minute wait at Whispering Canyon one night - and ate at the snack bar - but called ahead one night and got PS for about 40 minutes from the time we called. We had no problems walking in to an early dinner at Marrakesh - no luck at all anywhere when we were hungry around 2:00 at MGM and ate at Soundstage.

If you are looking to eat someplace popular - make the PS. If by "wing it" you mean you'd be happy with a fast food burger if it happens - you certainly won't starve.

 

[firstmickey]

I think we will make a PS at least for Portobello.
We don't plan to do any character meals, but would like to maybe try Teppanyaki or O'hana.
Thanks for all the help.
Donna

 

[DisneyHumbug]

The only time I made PS was for Cinderella's breakfast and all the dinners during Christmas week! We always wing it - but you need to be flexible.

 

[aero99]

The last time I went to WDW we winged it mostly but I learned a very important lesson. If you happen to be in your room before heading to a meal, call and make a ps (even if it is for 30 minutes later). By having a ps you get priority over walk-ups. We did this twice with great success (one time a couple who was walking out of the restaurant told us not to bother the wait was too long. We were sat in less then ten minutes).

Melissa

 

[jds]

I'd like to second aero99's suggestion. We've NEVER made PSs before arrival, and have always had good luck getting them the same day, by calling either in the morning or shortly before leaving for a meal...

 

[MAC3]

My Dh will only allow me to make 2 PS's. I drive him crazy with planning and he says that "it's no fun if you plan everything".
But doing it without children would be easier as you don't have starving children to worry about.
If you have an hour wait you can grab a small popcorn to suffice you until your turn.

GO for it! Wing it!
Bon Appetite,
Lisa

 

[JimC]

When you visit AK, plan on taking a bus to AKL and have dinner at Jiko. Top notch.

When you visit the MK, take a boat over to WL and have dinner at Artist Point.

Shulas at the Dolphin for steak.

 

[Jordan's MOM]

On our January trip we made only two PS's ahead of time and one of them was HDDR. We made the rest the night before, the morning that we wanted them or did walk ups. We did several character meals, CRT, Coral reef ,and a walk up fantasmic package. We never waited more than a few minutes.


Jordan's mom

 

[CHIPSTER]

We usually go off season (as is your trip) and never make priority seatings in advance of leaving. WE were down the second week of December and only made PS the morning of the meal. Didn't have a problem. We canno decide what we will be hungry for that far in advance and don't like to get tied down to PS. WE are park people.

 

[perd]

We were there the week of Christmas, which is supposed to be the busiest time, and we found we would have done fine without PS's. We had no problem at all anywhere we wanted to eat. I don't think I would EVER made PS's again, unless it was something like Cinderella's. I don't like everything to have to revolve around where we need to be for dinner!

 

[ilovefh]

My Dh will only allow me to make 2 PS's. I drive him crazy with planning and he says that "it's no fun if you plan everything".

Same thing for me! I am a planner at heart and hate the idea of not having everything set before I go! But that's just what we are doing for our trip in May. We'll just eat wherever and whenever we can!

 

[Maistre Gracey]

Great topic. My wife and I are heading down for late January thru early February. I was going to wing it, but my wife wants PS. We have 'must do' places for dinner, and my wife would like to know for sure. Perhaps a PS for insurance, then we can change later that day if the mood strikes, and it is available.

 

[The Sybah Shelstah]

Our trip was our first and very spur of the moment. I didn't even have time to read everything online and grasp the concept fully about PS to make any before we got there! I didn't while there either. We had no problems eating where we wanted to although we weren't especially picky about where we ate either.
This should show you how "un"knowledgable I was at the time. Our second day at the parks was Epcot and I walked right through to where they had it closed off and asked if the Akershus (sp?) restaurant where they had the character breakfast was and he said yes and let us through. I'd read about it the night before when planning that day's "activities" but still didn't have a clue about PS!!!!
We walked up and asked if we could get a table for us (4 at the table plus highchair) and we were seated within minutes. We were there very early though. We came at opening and rode one ride and then headed that way for breakfast. So maybe it was so easy because those with PS's hadn't even arrived yet becuase it was so early? It was awesome! (I think that is the princess storybook breakfast or something like that?)

So obviously we didn't need a PS and guess what? That was supposed to be the busiest week of the year. It was Dec 26th when we did that.

 

[firstmickey]

I feel a lot better now about winging it!

 

[MadMadamMim]

In the past, we've made the PS's, and this time the only PS we have is for V&A's Valentines night - I like Aero's suggestion of making one from your room before you head out! My biggest problem with making PS's so far in advance is I may not want that particular type of food that night (i.e. to have one for say Teppanaki and not be in the mood for that type of food) I know that PS's don't by any means tie you down to a certain place (except when you have to put down that cc deposit ) but it just seems easier to me to wing it

 

[mickey7861]

Our trips are in the summer and we never make PS's. Last July/August we ate at O'hana twice (once with 12 people), Teppanyaki, Mama Melrose, Tony's, and Sci Fi all without PS. We never waited more than 15-20 min. I've waited longer than that with PS! Although we've never been turned away if it's a special occasion (birthday, anniversary, etc.) we do make PS for that meal just to be sure.

 

[pattybe]

We are doing the same thing. I made PS for 1 meal per day. One nice dinner, one character breakfast, and one lunch. The rest of the time we will just go with the flow!