Has anyone ever tried to eat anywhere without a ADR?

[theeisens]

My husband surprised us with a short notice Disney vacation!! We were able to get some ADRs but were really hoping to have breakfast at Chef Mickeys one day! Our family is early risers and could be there by 7am. Does anyone think we have a chance?

 

[tdsbu]

CM is generally really tough without an ADR - we usually play things by ear and eat at a lot of places without ADRs, but CM may be asking too much!

 

[TDC Nala]

I think you can pretty much forget about Chef Mickey's without an ADR.

 

[Wants2Live@WDW]

The CM's at the front of the restaurant will know best if there is ever stand-by availability. I know that I asked at Mama Melrose's and was told that they almost never have any stand-by availability. However, I know that my parents have gotten stand-by seating at San Angel Inn, and I have gotten stand-by seating at the Sci-Fi diner and Hollywood and Vine. This changes, based on the season, crowds, etc. My suggestion is to keep trying the dining reservation line for any cancellations as well as your hotel's concierge (if on Disney property). There is a special option on the dining number for plans within the next 7 days, so maybe they have a list of last-minute cancellations?? Good luck!

 

[kelleigh1]

I suggest talking to the concierge at your resort to see if maybe they can help you. Sometimes a last minute cancellation will come up and they would be able to get you in.

 

[Simba's Mom]

I've gotten into lots of places without an ADR, and seen other people also at resturants where I did have an ADR, but never at Chef Mickey's.

 

[Jenngoofys]

My husband surprised us with a short notice Disney vacation!! We were able to get some ADRs but were really hoping to have breakfast at Chef Mickeys one day! Our family is early risers and could be there by 7am. Does anyone think we have a chance?

When are you going? you could do a date range search on the dining reservations page. Or call 1407wdwdine. and have them check for the days you want. Good Luck.

 

[Boardwalk Tigger]

Keep trying online or with Disney dining for Chef Mickeys

 

[RMulieri]

Chef Mickeys is highly unlikely.If you are going during Free dining, Walk ups are difficult at most places. I had luck at Marrakesh in epcot and Biergarten .Thats about it

 

[LYNSUE]

DH and I did two walk up lunches without ADR's on our 9-12 to 9-16 visit. And free dining was in full swing. First was a Sunday at Mama Melrose's in DHS. We just entered the restaurant when it opened at 11:45 and got seated right at noon when they started serving. The second was at the Plaza in MK on a Tuesday. Same thing.... walked up close to the restaurant opening and got a table. I was suprised both times. Perhaps the fact that there were only two of us might have helped also.

 

[TinaMcTeer]

We were at Epcot in 2006 and we were hungry so we tried to see if we could get into Le Cellier. They were booked but it was just the two of us so they were able to squeeze us in. It was so nice. I say go ahead and try. You never know when they will have a cancelation or a no show.

 

[ElementCamper]

We were at Epcot in 2006 and we were hungry so we tried to see if we could get into Le Cellier. They were booked but it was just the two of us so they were able to squeeze us in. It was so nice. I say go ahead and try. You never know when they will have a cancelation or a no show.

I tried that at LeCellier once, party of one as I was traveling by myself. The Host/Hostess was very polite 'let me check, can you come back in December?' This was second week of December...

 

[chocovrdmicears]

Chef Mickeys, probably not. I would check as often as you can online.
Other places, definately. We were able to walk into San Angel, 50's and The Plaza this past June.

 

[Doingitagain]

I keep the ADR phone number in my cell phone. If we want a walk up and there is a line, I call to see if there is an ADR available short notice and if there is, it gets us ahead of the line. It has worked a couple of times.

 

[StephanieCG]

We were able to get into Kona Cafe last Thursday at around 1:30PM, with about a 5 minute wait. I think as a rule the regular restaurants are easier to get into than the character ones. Good luck though...you might just get some pixie dust.

 

[milmore104]

I would keep trying online until you go. Then when your there call and ask. They do get no shows and people do cancel while there. I leave a few open spots and can usually get in somewhere!

 

[tiredsigh]

We were there last December 18-23. Chef Mickey's was the one that I couldn't get. I called the first two days we were there. We just showed up the second night. People with ADR's didn't show up so we were seated right away. Two nights later, we had to wait 20 minutes after walking up there. But we got in

Back in 2004, I couldn't get into CRT no matter how hard I tried. It was MLK weekend but it was raining one morning. We walked up and were able to get in. It shocked the CM at the front But I had read at the time that you could sometimes get a walk up at CRT in bad weather. I think that has changed now that you have to guarantee with a credit card. But in really bad rain, some people may not show up.

I would try Chef Mickey's for dinner or first seating at breakfast. A lot of people think that they will get up early and then stay up too late the night before at the fireworks. For the dinnertimes, a lot of people are having too much fun in the parks to leave.

Program the dining number in your phone so you can call a lot while you are there and be prepared to give it a chance by walking up.

Good luck!!

 

[TCups4Me]

Although Chef Mickey's is a tough one, I wouldn't worry too much about not having ADRs. I was just browsing the "October Cancelled ADR" thread where people post the ones they are cancelling, and I couldn't believe how many people reserve multiple times for the same restaurant. They also reserve multiple restaurants for the same time so that they can pretty much eat wherever and whenever they want. I was completely ignorant to this practice but it makes sense as to why people are still able to walk into a "booked up" restaurant without an ADR.

We've done walk-ups for most of our TS meals every trip without a problem and plan to do it again this trip. With that being said, we always make an ADR for anything that we really want and are happy to settle for CS meals if we can't swing a walk-up.

Have I totally confused you? Bottom line is that there are so many people that book multiple backup reservations without using them that I don't think it's a huge issue for slower times of the year.