How bad could it be?

[zimaaaaah]

OK - after 2 vacations during free dining, I am really tired of planning my vacation around my ADR's. This year we are changing it up and going March 6-13 which is before most of the Spring Breaks and (I don't think anyway) during free dining. We're a party of 4, me DH, DD 11, and DD 8.
So here is the question - if we plan say 2 or 3 ADR's and just wing the rest, would I be really sorry? I thought we would just check for cancellations when we went to whatever park for the day and be flexible on times, etc.

Is this a workable plan or a really bad idea?

 

[katscradle]

It is a workable plan.
Book your character dining or something that is a must do for your family.
You can then wing the rest i think.
I have never been there in March, also disney has the buy 4 get 3 free promotion going on right now.
We usually go the beginning of December which can be pretty busy.
Last year we booked only a couple as there was nothing available so they told us on the phone.
If you are prepared to eat some quiet meals in your resort or one of the other resorts that you are near that day then you can have nice sit down meals everyday. There is a res. beside the hoop dee doo review called Trails End, it's a buffet and not to be overlooked.
Also eating at off times can help you get in to some of the sit down places in the parks. There are alot of people who make several res. at different places for the same day then pick one to eat at. So it is possiable to walk up and ask if they have anything available.
Sorry for the length of my reply.
Hope this helps you.

 

[RMulieri]

You should be fine with your plan...as long as they do not offer free dining .

 

[mtmbyck]

This is when we travel every year and we rarely make ADR's as we are staying offsite and not on DDP. I have been able to secure 1900 Park Fare for Cinderella's dinner but had to cater to when they said it was free and it was a few days out (had to wait 4 days). We tried to find a TS while we were at MK one day last year and it was about noon and we wanted a dinner time and there was nothing except Tony's for 4pm. You will need to be really flexible.

If I were you, secure a few favourites, if you don't make it, no worries but at least you have them if you want them.

 

[islandchick779]

We always go the first week of March (this year 3-10th) and we never make ADR's, but we've also never done the dining plan before. We have never had a problem getting in to most TS dining at the parks. We've had a 30 minute wait a time or 2, but I expect it since we didn't make ressies.
However, this year we are doing the dining plan and I want to try a couple of restaurants we haven't done, so I've made ADR's for those, but we don't have every day of dining scheduled.

 

[fla4fun]

You should be fine with your plan...as long as they do not offer free dining .

I have to comment here that sometimes even during free dining, you can get last minute ADR's. I was at Disney for two weeks in September (very much free dining time), I was not on the dining plan, and I didn't make any ADR's in advance. I was able to get 4 last minute ADR's and two walk-ins during that time, which is about as frequently as I do TS on a Disney trip. The key is to be flexible, both in times and restaurants, and to have a backup plan. Obviously, if you're looking for character meals, or the most popular restaurants, you'll have a harder time of it, and I wouldn't suggest trying it if you ARE on the dining plan. Any one on the plan should be making ADR's for all their TS meals. But for those of us paying OOP, it's possible.

I think the OP's plan will work, especially if they check when they first get to the park what restaurants have availability. I've called from my room before heading out in the morning. I've called from payphones in the park. I've called from my cell phone while on the bus going to the park as well, since sometimes I don't know until the bus comes which park I'm going to. Traveling without ADR's is very liberating.

 

[zimaaaaah]

Thanks for the input! Sounds like we'll give it a go!

 

[DRS_Are_Best]

Last time we went (2.5 years ago), we really didn't know anything about ADR so we didn't plan any (we also weren't staying onsite or on dining plan). We went in mid-May (higher demand I'm sure) and we had to be flexible about where and when we ate, but we never had too much trouble finding meals in our higher choice restaurants.

Like pps have said, make sure to book the "must dos" like character meals if that's important to you -- just to be sure you can get in. But otherwise, just be flexible and you should be fine!

 

[B-Ride]

The only thing I would say is: do you want to do your planning now or when you are there. IMO, the advantage of having ADRs is not having to give any thought to were you are going to eat on any given day. I would hate to see you fretting each morning over where you are going to eat that night. If you are not the type to do that (I definitely am), then by all means, go ahead.