Few ADR's available...do these restaurants take walk ups

[michellemb]

My husband told me at the last possible moment that we could take a vacation, so I booked a trip for June 17th-June 22nd for our family. We have the dining plan, but since we are just now booking our dining reservations most of the restaurants are full.

So, I have a couple of questions.

1. We would like to eat dinner at Ohana's but the only time available was at 9:45pm at night. Should I take this ressie and check with the restaurant when we get there if they can give us an earlier time? Or do they take walk-ins? We typically like to eat early, like around 5pm due to our young boys (I have a 3, 5 and 10 year old).

2. I have a breakfast reservation for O'hana's at 10:55am on the morning we are going to Hollywood Studios (they have the extra park hours this morning). Would we have enough time to see some of the park and get back to O'hana's or should I cancel this reservation?

3. Mickey's BBQ is full. Do you think I would have any luck calling 48 hours before to see if someone cancels or should I just continue to check everyday before we go?

4. Does Chef Mickey's take walk ups? Do you think if we were there first thing in the morning we would be able to get a table?


Any advice would be appreciated.

Thanks!

 

[Cherinva]

I can speak of O'Hanas.....they are very understanding when something comes up...I would go there around the time that you want to eat, and just explain to them that your kids are hungry and ask if they could fit you in early...I'm sure they will. I've done this before here and at another restaurant...it doens't hurt to ask.

Have a great time.

 

[Hopefully]

'OHana is currently one of the most popular TS restaurants. If they had space available, you would be able to book it. It is possible, but highly unlikely that you will be able to walk up earlier to dinner. Try right at opening and you may get lucky.
I wouldn't try to get back from the AK for a 10:55 breakfast ADR. It is possible to do, but your time at AK will be pretty short. If you are organized and know exactly what to see and do it can work.
Chef Mickey's is another highly popular restaurant, especially for breakfast. My advice is the same as for 'OHana. If they had space you would be able to book it. If you get there right at opening, you may get lucky, but the chances are slim. Have a backyup plan and be sure your little ones aren't going to be very disappointed if (when) you are turned away.
Sorry I don't have more encouraging news.

 

[TDC Nala]

I can speak of O'Hanas.....they are very understanding when something comes up...I would go there around the time that you want to eat, and just explain to them that your kids are hungry and ask if they could fit you in early...I'm sure they will. I've done this before here and at another restaurant...it doens't hurt to ask.

Have a great time.

Don't count on it. 'Ohana dinner has replaced Le Cellier as the hardest to achieve meal at WDW.

If they don't have a seat to give you, saying your kids are hungry won't get you in. If you want an early meal, show up before 4:30. They start checking in guests at 4:45 and by that time there is a line past Kona of guests waiting to check in, and a good many of them don't have reservations. It's also possible but they could agree to seat you but give you a wait time of up to 2 hours (have seen that reported before, too)

Chef Mickey's is popular, but they have breakfast and dinner to choose from, and 'Ohana's breakfast is nowhere near as popular as its dinner.

2. I have a breakfast reservation for O'hana's at 10:55am on the morning we are going to Hollywood Studios (they have the extra park hours this morning). Would we have enough time to see some of the park and get back to O'hana's or should I cancel this reservation?

No, you won't have time to do both. If it were MK, I would say you do, but not Studios. That would be if you are using Disney transportation. If you have a car or are willing to take a taxi, go for it.

 

[DIS_MERI]

Be sure to keep trying, too. I just decided on our trip on Apr 20, and I've been able to get every ADR I wanted on the day I wanted, and only 1 at a time I'd rather change (and may be able to do that, we'll just deal if it can't be since its only for 8pm). I got breakfast at CRT a few days ago and had to cancel breakfast at CP and nothing was available the next day for CP....and yesterday breakfast at CP showed up. So, check regularly and something that works/works better might just show up

 

[Niki in NJ]

If it were me, I would re-think the restaurants you want to eat at. There are many great restaurants that are easier to get an ADR for. Of course, it doesn't hurt to ask once you are there whether you can be accommodated, but there is always a good chance that they won't be able to and it's good to have back ups.

If you like to eat earlier I would not take a 9:45 ADR for Ohana; however, I would keep the ADR, check in early, see what they say. If it's no, I'd have a backup ADR at another monorail resort restaurant or in MK.

DHS takes us longer to tour through because we feel like the attractions take longer to go through (not a bad thing, but we always plan for this). There's no way, in my opinion, unless you only plan to do two or three attractions, that you would make it back to Poly for a 11am breakfast. I'd probably do lunch in DHS, or a late afternoon lunch over in Epcot resort area.

If you definitely want to do Chef Mickey's, keep checking and it doesn't hurt to try walking up. Is there another character breakfast that you would be open to doing in it's place? Make that ADR now and you can decide later what to do.

There is no rule as to how many ADR's you can make, so I would definitely plan a lot of backups right now as you are planning. Once you decide what you think you will do, cancel those ressies that you know you won't be using. Once you are on your trip, you can still cancel any remaining ADR's you won't be using. Since others do this too, it's always possible others are doing this at places you want to eat, which is why you can keep checking throughout your stay to see if anything opens up.