Going in Oct- No ADR's- Any one else just "wing it?"

[bluedoggy]

We go every year and in the last 2 yrs only had 1 ADR all week for a TS restaurant. Now, we don't mind eating in off hours, have done all the character meals numerous times- so that isn't a priority. There will be 3 of us- Me, DH & DGrD 7. She eats like a bird, so we'll probably share a meal. We never had a problem getting a seat with a walkup- and are flexible. We went during free dining last year and will be there during that time again.
Anyone else doing this?

 

[DisneyGrampa]

If free dining is still going on when you are going, you should consider making ADRs. Frankly, it doesn't make much sense not too. You can always change or cancel them later on.

 

[Kae]

With Free dinding & the F & W Fest most places won't be taking walk-ups.

Kae

 

[gracie1]

We are going the last week of october/first week of november. I have been adding, changing reservations and still have had no problems getting what I want. I seriously considered cancelling reservations and winging it. We are not using the dining plan but took the room discount. But since this will probably be our only trip to wdw for many many years if we decided to go back then we would not be making reservations. If you are using the dining plan with the ts then I would make reservations. But are you using the qs dining plan?

 

[bluedoggy]

We really eat only one big meal a day- so doesn't make sense to pay for the dining plan. Plus we usually decide the night before which park we are going to the next day. Since we stay at OKW we have Olivia's as our main source of food (and we just love it there)
Yes- free dining will be going on while we are there. Since we are so open to what we can eat (and where) If I call and can't get in at a particular time- we'll do counter service or go at odd hours.
We will be doing MNSSHP on Halloween- but will eat before we go into the park.
Curious to see if anyone has had a problem finding someplace to eat without an ADR

 

[Haley]

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Curious to see if anyone has had a problem finding someplace to eat without an ADR

In years past you'd probably be fine-- but this is first Oct with free dining and that will make it really hard to walk up to a TS restaurant.

You can make ADRs if you aren't on the dining plan-- I would just make some and then cancel/change them once at WDW if I changed my mine.

 

[Fenchurch]

We went over spring break this year (granted no free dining, but VERY busy!) and we ate pretty well. We didn't try for the super popular places, but used the hotel concierge desk early in our stay to find a few ADR's (1900 breakfast, ohana dinner) and others we stopped by the restaurant in the morning when we arrived at the park and got a lunch/early dinner ressie. We didn't try walking up anywhere right when we wanted to eat, though. We weren't on the dining plan because we didn't plan to eat a sit-down every day, but we ended up doing that anyway.

Well, actually, the day we left we did do a walk up to the GF Cafe, and it was wonderful! Great service, great food, only about a 5 min wait. It would be a nice lunch and easy to get to from MK on the monorail.