How do you eat on a spontaneous trip?

[jmsvss]

On my last few trips I planned for months in advance and we had wonderful experiences at Le Cellier, O'Hana, CRT, Coral Reef, Chef Mickey's, Narcoose, and California Grill . Now with only 45 days to go I got a wonderful offer and decided to take a quick trip, just me and my daughter. BUT, I can't get any ADRs!! I have known people that just went to WDW but I never thought I would be one of them. I thought Dec 15-20 would have moderate to low crowd levels.

Seriously, how are you suppose to be able to eat (at a table) if you have no ADRs? Surely some people manage - please tell me how.

 

[Wendi2000]

Are you on the dining plan? If not, I'd go heavier on CS meals (especially since your trip is so short... wouldn't want to waste much time eating!) and then try to get some ADRs at places that aren't on the dining plan. You weren't able to get any ADRs at all? You can also look at the thread for December cancelations/trades/etc, there is a spreadsheet with ADRs up for offer that you can get. I have a dinner for 2 at Boma I can offer you - I can't remember what night it is... maybe the 18th??? It's on the spreadsheet if you are interested.

Have you checked for lunch times rather than dinner? Often you can get in easier for lunch, which also gives you a nice break in the middle of the day to rest and recharge.

 

[Kmango]

Keep calling for reservations. You may not get all of your favorites, but availability changes a good deal, and if you're persistent, you can get in. Keep trying.

 

[aurorae]

There are some very good counter service places. I like Cosmic Rays in MK, Sunshine in the Land in Epcot, and Flame Tree in AK to name the first three that come to mind.

All have a lot of tables, especially if you go there not exactly at peak meal time.

 

[jmsvss]

Thanks - I skimmed the Dec cancel/trade thread earlier but I must not have gone far enough I'll do that now!
No, I wasn't able to get any of my first tier choices but I am not making it easy on myself either - for example, I am trying to do this trip without a park hopper. I will need to be more creative!

 

[fla4fun]

The first thing is don't give up. Keep calling right up to the day before you leave trying to get those ADR's. Room only guests can cancel up to six days prior to arrival, so things open up all the time. If you are using the dining plan, it's important to keep trying so you are able to use all your credits. Also, don't forget you can use your TS for a nice hearty breakfast. Sometimes a late breakfast seating can substitute for lunch as well.

If you get there, and don't have an ADR for a particular day, try a nearby resort for lunch. If you are in MK, get on the monorail or a boat, and go to one of the nearby resorts. At Epcot or DHS, go to one of the Epcot resorts. Resort restaurants are usually not as busy at lunch time, so it's easier to walk in. Also, try to go to the restaurant as soon as they open, as they are more likely to take walk ins at that time. If you are passing a restaurant you are interested in, and you see someone at the podium, stop and ask them if they have any openings that day. But always have a CS in mind as a backup in case you strike out.

I've managed to get walk ins during free dining periods by using these ideas.

 

[Mackey Mouse]

I always attempt to do spontaneous trips.....so when I get there, I am flexible on times and attempt to book a few restaurants... Then I play it by ear, maybe doing eating on the run kind of thing in take out restaurants on property.

Mostly what we try to do is have a decent breakfast and a good dinner....in between times, we just hit the places in Epcot like the French bakery for a ham and cheese croissant or Norway for a sandwich there... in MK, Casey's for a hot dog, AK, Flame tree bbq, or do resort dining.. There are many fine restaurants in the resorts.....try for reservations at some of them at times when people are in the parks.. It is easy to do this when you are all adults or have older children, might be a little harder with little ones..

 

[MickeyNicki]

If I book a last minute trip I narrow down the places that I want, you know first choice, second choice etc and take what they have. If I cannot get nice TS dinners I will book big breakfasts instead, or maybe lunches.

Luckily there has always been great places open, even at last minute times. Last week I was able to get FF for 6pm, and I called at 10am that day! So in just 8 hours we were eating at an amazing place!

People cancel and change plans all the time, dont give up just keep on trying!

 

[Tricia1972]

You can call while you are on vacation as well. One time I got a Boma breakfast during Easter week. I've also called Disney dining Easter week the following year and been able to ask "do you have anything in the Epcot area tonight" I got a nice reservation for Spoodles that night. (They had a LATE LeCellier that I couldn't take because of the kids - but it was there)

Flexibility is key and don't be afraid to call Disney Dining that day and see what's available. I think that you will be pleasantly surprised.

If you can't get a nice TS. There are some CS's that have food that's more like TS. Sunshine Seasons comes to mind. We also really enjoy Columbia Harbor House.

 

[gigi1313]

although we had a bunch of ADRs, the touring plan i thought i was going to be following didn't happen (thanks to a baby who's schedule was totally messed up) so we had to do some serious shifting as we went along on our sept/oct trip and did just fine!

i often called from the room to cancel a b'fast and make a dinner w/out a problem... we got rose & crown, spoodles, captain's galley, plaza, cape may, donald's b'fast, and even HDDR all w/in 24 hours (usually w/in 2 or 3 hours) of wanting to dine! while i don't recommend walk-ups, i do recommend calling the night before or in the a.m. or stopping by your resort concierge desk...

 

[princesswendy720]

I'll be there Dec 15 to 20th and all I can say is keeping calling! Just last week I was able to call and get a candlelight processional package at Chefs de France and a dinner at Le Cellier! Call several times a day, I usually do early in the morning, mid afternoon, and around 8-8:30 pm. As long as you give them multiple days/times for where you want to eat, you could luck out. Try getting lunches at your favorite places rather than dinners. Or if you're concerned with get anything at this point, tell them where you'll be and what the availabilities in that area are.

 

[princesswendy720]

Thanks - I skimmed the Dec cancel/trade thread earlier but I must not have gone far enough I'll do that now!
No, I wasn't able to get any of my first tier choices but I am not making it easy on myself either - for example, I am trying to do this trip without a park hopper. I will need to be more creative!

Just skip to the last page and work your way backwards.

 

[pumba]

We went to Disney in September and stayed a week.....it was a spur of the moment type of trip and we were only able to get CP for dinner. But we ate still.....we were able to enjoy the foods at Cosmic Rays, AK counter service. The Land.......just go and call in the morning too ....Even our resort had decent meals.......we didnt eat quite like we would at TS but we still ate and had a great time doing Disney

 

[psindone]

Keep calling and try going a little earlier to many of the table service restaurants. Many times we would do an earlier lunch say around 11:30 walk up and we got a table. We were at the Beach Club a few weeks ago, I tried to get a reservation for dinner by going up to the conceige in the lobby. They were unable to get it for me, a few minutes later in my room I called dinning services and had no problem.... I know if you try to eat dinner at Tutto, outside seating is first come first serve. So even if you have a reservation it means nothing if you want to sit outside.

 

[Wendi2000]

I agree about having backup restaurants that you can ask for if your first choice isn't available. We often find that a restaurant that is not at the top of our list is very good and becomes a favorite that we weren't expecting...

 

[AdventurerKat]

I'm sorry you're having so much trouble that week. Seems kind of crazy as I had no trouble with my Xmas week reservations I made, and some of them were just made today.

I hope what you're looking for opens up for you.

 

[kinghorse]

I live in the Orlando area and always go to Disney for dinner at the last minute or to catch a show. I call repeatedly throughtout the day for several days and 9 times out of 10 I get a cancelled reservation. I have also showed up without a reservation and have been seated by telling them I will wait. I have even showed up an hour or more early for an advanced reservation and told them I was early but would walk around but they always sat us immediately. I have done this at character meals at 1900 Park Faire, Mickey's Backyard BBQ, Whispering Canyon, Ohana, etc. I will tell you the only one I will go to more then once because it was so enjoyable and the food wa so good is Mickey's Backyard BBQ and 1900 Park Faire at Dinner. Good Luck and keep dialing.

 

[jmsvss]

Thanks for the encouragement!

 

[onelilspark]

Also, I find it a great opportunity to try restaurants you wouldn't normally try. I was dating someone in August (early, not late!) who broke up with me out of the blue on a Wednesday. My parents live not too far away from WDW and said to me, "why don't you come down for the weekend and we'll do Disney?" (I have an annual pass, so this isn't nearly as crazy at it sounds, only a little crazy!) So that night, I booked my flight and called WDW-DINE to book restaurants for that weekend. We couldn't get in at prime time to the restaurants we usually could and there were some that were booked up. So we did a 4:30 at Tutto Italia because that's what was available and then we tried Spoodles, which we never tried before, but was available at a normal time. Both were great, and Spoodle's is now one of my favorites!!

Moral of the story: Try places you wouldn't normally. And go for times that aren't necessarily "ideal." You'll eat just fine. Hey! It's Disney!

 

[Clotho]

Not having a park hopper will limit you somewhat, but as others have said:

1) when calling, focus on restaurants at the park you intend to be at/are at that day
2) second, focus on restaurants in the resorts, which won't require a change in park location
3) be flexible in your timing--as night owls, we eat at very late seatings and that works well for us
4) resign yourself to the fact that you may only be able to eat CS some days. If you go in with your expectations low, then when you get a ressie at a nice TS, it's a happy bonus!

Good luck!