I don't understand ADRs BEFORE you travel

[RobinHood's merrymen]

We're not veteran guests (only been to WDW 3 times) but I don't get ADRs before your visit. We ate at numorous resturants during our stay and we just rang our ADR through either on the day or a couple of days before with no problems. The only one we struggled with was breakfast at Cindy's but the CM was still able to offer a day and time during our stay. Am I missing something

 

[Figment*Fan]

I think they are really necessary because the restaurants fill up quickly, and from our experience, the really popular ones have *no* openings for walk-ups.

We just got back from a short trip last week, and we needed to switch a few ADRs around -- it was not easy. Even when there were openings at places we wanted to eat, they were for really late times (8:00 - 8:30 pm for dinner just doesn't work for us).

It ended up that we tried some new places like Olivia's at OKW, which was nice for variety's sake, but we didn't get some of the places we really wanted to eat at.

 

[DisneyAprilFool]

When we went on our honeymoon, we walked up and were simply seated. In fact, at Nine Dragons, there was about an hour wait- but since there was only 2 of us- we were seated right away.

Which makes me think, "Why make ressies?"

BUT THEN AGAIN, this time around, we will have 6 people in our party and free dining. If we DON'T get a table service meal- we'd be paying out of pocket for our food and wasting a TS on the dining plan. And waiting for 6 people? I cannot imagine it!

So I've made ALL of our ADRs already. Just makes sense to me.

 

[Princess Roo]

I think you've either just been lucky or prefer less popular restaurants. I have been trying to get a Chef Mickey's (breakfast or dinner) or CP (breakfast) calling twice a week for the last month (for Mid-May). I have two or three different days that would work for either of those. There have been no openings, except for dinner after 8:30PM, which doesn't work for DS. When I booked Chef Mickey's and Boma for our last trip, about 4 months in advance, the choices were very limited then, too. During free dining, I imagine it would be nearly impossible. I'm hoping there will be some last minute cancellations, but if not we'll have to skip the character meal this time around, I guess.

 

[Snow Shoe]

We've always made ADR's because we always go during high attendance times, summer and Christmas. I have seen many people turned away for dinner as well as lunch because they didn't have ADR's. I will not be one of those people! I am a "planner"-not compulsive though, and therefore as a part of the trip, I want to make sure that where we want to eat that night, I and my family will have a place to sit for sure.

 

[crisi]

We are notoriously unlucky.

We've had good luck with last minute reservations at the signature spots and there are a few places where we've been pretty lucky (Spoodles, Marrakesh), but we've been turned away half a dozen more times in the past five years, spent an hour worth of vacation time on the phone with Disney Dining looking for ADRs during a single trip (I'd rather do that at home), and watched many, many people turned away from restaurants.

 

[TJA]

I think a lot of it depends on what season you go. During slow season, which is when we usually go, it's fairly easy to walk in and get seated that day/night. But even then, we still could not get into popular places like LeCellier and the Castle without ADR's. Also, with the free dining promo's offered these days, many restaurants get booked up because those people want to eat free at the "best" places so they make ADR's, which makes it harder for us people to get in without ADR's.

 

[LuvOrlando]

Hmmmm. While it is true that most of the time someone can get into a restaurant without a ressie if the party is willing to wait I wouldn't recommend the practice because it can backfire.

During less busy times of year and of the day the wait will be short especially at less popular destinations. Conversely, during busy times of the year and peak mealtimes at very popular restaurants a group may end up waiting hours or turned away.

Since most people who want to eat at a sit down will end up disappointed with a quickie counter service meal somewhere they don't want to be it's probably not a good idea to skip the advance reservations. But, if your group is the sort that doesn't mind eating a hot dog at Casey's when your kids got dressed up for Cinderella's castle then there isn't a need to bother with reservations.

As for me, I plan ahead because my family really dislikes a bagel when we want Tonga-Toast.

Different Strokes for different folks.

 

[twinspluscade]

We're not veteran guests (only been to WDW 3 times) but I don't get ADRs before your visit. We ate at numorous resturants during our stay and we just rang our ADR through either on the day or a couple of days before with no problems. The only one we struggled with was breakfast at Cindy's but the CM was still able to offer a day and time during our stay. Am I missing something

If I'm not mistaken the last time you were at WDW was in 2004, right?

The popularity of the dining plan has really changed things in the past 2-3 years. It's made ADR's pretty much necessary for the more popular meals (including any character buffets).

I have a feeling you may find it harder to get in on your next trip (2008?).

 

[RobinHood's merrymen]

Thanks DISs! As twinspluscade pointed out things have changed since our last visit.....hence the question in the first place. There seems to be a lot of talk about 'free dining' so I can see why that could have an impact too. There is very little info in the UK on this so I'll check out the dining reservation pages on DIS. Thanks for all the advice.

 

[traviesojmt]

One night this past Feb, we had reservations at Le Cellier. While we were waiting to be seated, we witnesses several people without reservations try to be seated. They were all told that all of the table service restaurants in Epcot were completely booked and they were not any accepting walk-ups. On the same trip, we were able to get same day reservations at the Concourse Steakhouse. It really is going to depend upon when you are going and where you want to eat. If there was a particular place that I knew I wanted to eat, I'd make reservations. Of course, I love figuring it all out ahead of time, so it is fun for me .

 

[ANTSS2001]

We're not veteran guests (only been to WDW 3 times) but I don't get ADRs before your visit. We ate at numorous resturants during our stay and we just rang our ADR through either on the day or a couple of days before with no problems. The only one we struggled with was breakfast at Cindy's but the CM was still able to offer a day and time during our stay. Am I missing something

If you are very flexible where and when to eat you dont need to worry about ADRS, I think. But one good example was during my recent trip there were alot of Peeps that were not able to get a table at CP when thy decided on the spot to eat there. It was pakced last Thursday the 19th from 11:30AM lunch till 3PM... and another situation I saw was at Biergarten at EPCOT they were sold out the whole day of the 17th even me calling the day before but the CM was nice enough to offer other alternatives that has availability for the time I was looking for.. so it all boils down to flexibility... hope this helps...

 

[TheDizMom]

Simple, if you go during high traffic times you are screwed if you don't make ADR's. We went the week before Easter and I can't tell you how many people were trying to get into restaurants and told there was no way they could get them in at all that day. We also decided to make a last minute change to our TS meal plans on our last day and were unable to make a reservation at any restaurant except the one in Morocco at Epcot. A definite forget it with my DD and picky nieces. If you want to eat someplace at the time you want to eat and not have any problems make you ADR's as soon as you can. It saves huge on the stress. A few years ago it probably didn't make as big a deal, but since everyone makes their ADR's months in advance, unless you are going at a slow time of year, you need to do the same thing if you want to eat at a decent time.

 

[design_mom]

I also think your party size has something to do with it. It would be easier to get walk-up seating with a party of 2, versus a party of 4 or more.

But I also miss the days where you could phone in the morning to get ressies for the evening. Sigh.

 

[kribit]

We went during free dining last year and never had problems with walk ups We ate at Chef Mickey's for lunch, SciFi, Mexico, Crystal Palace and Biergarten and we didn't have a wait. I made a couple ADR's this year because we have a more organized park schedule, but if we find another dining location along the way we feel like eating at better, we'll do the walk-up (and take our chances). My family likes to be spontaneous.