Free Dining Question

[loser1824]

I have a quick question about the free dining plan and reservations. (We usually go in May but this year we are going in August.)

Every time I try to change a reservation there are literally no restaurants available. I am trying to get a reservation at a TS in DHS, but no luck. Do they only reserve so many tables and you can do walk ups during free dining or are they literally packed right up? Or would it be possible to call while on-site and get a reservation?

Thanks!

 

[sgrabin]

They are "literally packed right up" at good reservation times, because of the free DDP. You may be able to do a walk up at times like say, 3:45pm where it's not so crowded.

 

[DsnyQueen]

They are definitely booked solid - we didn't have much luck with walk-ups, but did get lucky a few nights in having the CM at the hotel look for something. I believe that some people cancel while they are there because they don't want to leave the parks or get tired of eating! It is not usually the "normal" dining times that are available even when people cancel though, because they get snagged pretty quickly.

 

[loser1824]

Thanks a bunch for the info.

 

[Eeyore's Wife]

You mentionted the restaurants in the Studios being booked up while you are there. If you are willing to get creative with where you eat, there are still a few openings.

The studios are close to several restaurants on the boardwalk. You might be able to book at Captain's Grille, Spoodles, Big River Grille, Cape May, or ESPN Club.

In addition, you could plan a mid-day heat break meal either at your hotel or at a nice relaxing location such as the new restaurant Sanaa.

I hope that helps.

 

[TDC Nala]

You mentionted the restaurants in the Studios being booked up while you are there. If you are willing to get creative with where you eat, there are still a few openings.

The studios are close to several restaurants on the boardwalk. You might be able to book at Captain's Grille, Spoodles, Big River Grille, Cape May, or ESPN Club.

In addition, you could plan a mid-day heat break meal either at your hotel or at a nice relaxing location such as the new restaurant Sanaa.

I hope that helps.

Spoodles closes August 2. It will reopen as a new restaurant called Kouzzina, but the reopening date has not been announced.

Captain's Grille is at the Yacht Club, Cape May at the Beach Club. ESPN does not take reservations at all. Big River Grill might or might not take a reservation, but you can't reserve them through Disney; they'd need to be called directly.

 

[Eeyore's Wife]

I realize that the restaurants I suggested were not in DHS, that is why it was called "Getting Creative."

I should have checked the close date on Spoodles, I thought it was for mid-August, but is early August.

As to the other locations, and having to call directly, well I was offering them as alternatives, which must be better than being stuck without a nice place to eat, and each of them is a quick boat ride away, which seems preferable to the ABC Commissary.

I stand by visiting the boardwalk restaurants when the DHS restaurants are filled to the brim.