Getting tables without ADRs

[redoschi]

I called WDW DINE but couldn't get the ADRs I wanted (of course I'm late, people here couldn't decide on restaurants until now and we're just 2 months from the trip!!!)

I was wondering if it's possible to arrive at the restaurant and get a table even without a reservation?

The 2 restaurants I tried to book were Teppan Edo for 12/21 for dinner and Le Cellier for early lunch on 12/23 (like 11:30am)

Last time we went to WDW (long time ago, back in 2000) we didn't have any ADR and managed to eat at the old Teppanyaki, at Biergarten and at the Alfredo's. But nowadays people are talking much more of ADRs so I'm not sure if we can get tables by showing up early.

 

[G's mommy]

You can try, but you are traveling at a very busy time so don't count on it.

 

[CarolinaBlue]

A very busy time and those are very popular restaurants, so I wouldn't count on it. Just keep calling and see if there are any openings. Maybe someone will cancel. Good Luck!

 

[redoschi]

what I was also wondering, do the restaurants save any tables for regular people that show up at the park without ADRs?

Cause I know there are people that are going on their first trips and don't know anything about ADRs.

 

[KimWDW]

Your best chance, probably, is to call earlier that day hoping for a cancellation. Lots of people make ADR's then cancel them when they find they won't get there in time or chose a different park, etc.

 

[HolliePoppins]

what I was also wondering, do the restaurants save any tables for regular people that show up at the park without ADRs?

Cause I know there are people that are going on their first trips and don't know anything about ADRs.

No I dont think so.

 

[redoschi]

we'll be at EPCOT from opening on both days, so I'll visit Guest Info first thing in morning and maybe at lunch on the day we're looking for dinner.

Of course I'll call some more times till we fly over to WDW to see if I can grab a reservation.

 

[Lynne M]

what I was also wondering, do the restaurants save any tables for regular people that show up at the park without ADRs?

Cause I know there are people that are going on their first trips and don't know anything about ADRs.

I don't think they do this anymore. Many restaurants just turn people away if they're booked up. Unfortunately, those who don't know about ADRs often get a nasty surprise when they walk up to a restaurant and ask for a table.

 

[tjmw2727]

what I was also wondering, do the restaurants save any tables for regular people that show up at the park without ADRs?

Cause I know there are people that are going on their first trips and don't know anything about ADRs.

Generally no - especially LeCellier. If you want LeCellier keep trying and be flexible.

It is unfortunate that folks planning the first vacation may not know about ADR's but most restaurants don't hold back tables. Recently I have seen sandwich board signs outside of guest relations at the parks indicating what restaurants are available for reservations and to stop in for more information.

I would suggesting making some ADR's if you want TS meals even if its your 2nd or 3rd choice. Check the menus here and on allears and maybe you will find something you otherwise wouldn't have tried.

We ended up in Epcot one afternoon hot and tired and had planned on CS but dh really wanted to sit down and relax instead. We went to GR to see what was available and got into Marrakesh, a restaurant we would not have otherwise tried and it is now one of our favorites.

Have Fun
TJ

 

[Lynne M]

we'll be at EPCOT from opening on both days, so I'll visit Guest Info first thing in morning and maybe at lunch on the day we're looking for dinner.

Of course I'll call some more times till we fly over to WDW to see if I can grab a reservation.

If you're going to have your cell phone with you, you don't need to go to Guest Relations....just call 1-407-WDW-DINE.

 

[Evil Princess]

If you're going to have your cell phone with you, you don't need to go to Guest Relations....just call 1-407-WDW-DINE.

Although, the easiest way if you're in the park is to go to Guest Relations. Last year during New Years Eve, they had a sandwich board with each restaurant and whether they were available/weren't for lunch and dinner.

 

[solferino]

what I was also wondering, do the restaurants save any tables for regular people that show up at the park without ADRs?

Cause I know there are people that are going on their first trips and don't know anything about ADRs.

From what I read in the 2008 UG, no tables are set aside for walk-ups. They want to fill in as many slots as they can, which is why it's so necessary to make the ADRs ahead of time.

My suggestion would be to call every day until you're able to get the days filled that you need to, assuming having a TS is of utmost importance. If you're still ADR-less when you arrive do counter-service or wing it.

 

[vafarmmom]

See, I had always heard how important adr's were. We went in Sept during free dining, so I booked early, yet still had a very hard time getting onto a few places. I called a zillion times, and ended up flying in early just so ds could eat at the castle. I was repeatedly told by dining that a table for two was extremely hard to get at the castle, and that I would most likely have no shot at a walk up. Needless to say I was very shocked when some fairly obnoxious young couple pushed past the line to check in at the castle and demanded a table. They did not have adr's, they just wanted in. The first hostess recited the same speech I had heard on the phone and to the many others who had tried before them. So they said they would just keep coming back, and another hostess just swept in and sat them ahead of the waiting line. My child and I had to wait one hour and forty minutes for our reservation that I had booked three months in advance. In definately dimmed the magic for me on our first night.

 

[Tink415]

I've had luck at a few places this year and last either showing up 10-15 minutes before opening or having a trained negotiator inquire about a table I would keep calling and book ADR's someplace else in case you don't get what you want eventually.
I got very turned off at the castle Princess meals years ago when I wanted a table for 4, could only reserve one for 2, and got a table for 4 when 2 of us showed up. Decided eating together is more important than where we eat

 

[byoung]

Most will not be available on a walk up.

 

[redoschi]

If you're going to have your cell phone with you, you don't need to go to Guest Relations....just call 1-407-WDW-DINE.

We're from Brazil, so our cell phones will be with us but more for emergencies, as each call is considered an international call by our cellphone company.

I believe we'll call more often from our hotel room at All Stars Sports and visit Guest Relations also.

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World Showcase opens at 11am on the 23rd and Le Cellier starts at 11:30 apparently only, I hope that if we arrive before it even opens and ask for a table, explaining that we really will have to leave early (we have to go to the airport directly after lunch as we have an international flight in the afternoon). I'll keep calling, but hope they can arrange us a table at such an early hour.

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I'm in these forums for just a couple months, and even though I had read that people are making ADRs, I thought that in Value Season it wouldn't be THAT difficult (of course when the trip was extented till Dec 23rd, it wasn't Value anymore ) and as we didn't have it all set up about our trip, I didn't call much earlier. But my phone bill will surely rise a lot this month as I'm calling a LOT more these days.

 

[MSSANDRA]

Visit guest relations at your resort as they can be very helpful. They can not get an ADR if there are none BUT sometimes they can call and get you in if there is any fex room. We had great help at POP, better then at the deluxe resorts .

 

[crisi]

They don't set aside tables - wouldn't be fair to the people who called and couldn't get a reservation to take the folks who didn't plan. They do tell you about a million times now, including doing a pre-mailing, to make reservations as table service restaurants do book up.

 

[redoschi]

Visit guest relations at your resort as they can be very helpful. They can not get an ADR if there are none BUT sometimes they can call and get you in if there is any fex room. We had great help at POP, better then at the deluxe resorts .

Great, thanks for the advice!

We ended up in Epcot one afternoon hot and tired and had planned on CS but dh really wanted to sit down and relax instead. We went to GR to see what was available and got into Marrakesh, a restaurant we would not have otherwise tried and it is now one of our favorites.

I have never read about Marrakesh (mostly heard and read about Tangierine Café), now I took a look on their menu and it seems pretty good!

I'm thinking of calling tomorrow again and seeing if I can get Marrakesh for dinner on the 21st and maybe people haven't booked Teppan Edo for early lunch, I read in some places that it is more popular for dinner and as it wasn't open for ADRs till recently, maybe there's a spot for the 23rd.

Thanks for the advice!

 

[crisi]

Marrakesh is usually pretty easy to get into and (shhhhh!) one of our favorites. I live in fear it becomes the next Le Cellier. Which, since the previous Le Cellier was Boma, isn't as far fetched as it sounds.