Is is really necessary to make ADRs?

[Sue's Mum]

We do not do "planning" and take each day as it comes. Of course, this means that we never know where we will be eating until the day arrives. We will be in WDW from October 13 for two weeks. So what are the expected consequences of not ADR-ing?

 

[jamiesmom07]

Do you have the dining plan?

We went last April and had the dining plan. I had made reservations for one meal a day for the whole time we were there except one day. We also cancelled a reservation one day. I was so sorry I did. The one day we sacrificed a table service for a counter service because the wait time was so long for table service, the other day we waited for 50 minutes to be seated at Tony's in MK.

So, my suggestion would be to make reservations if you are expecting a sit down meal, esp. one with characters.

 

[3Minnies1Mickey]

So what are the expected consequences of not ADR-ing?

Waiting a long time to get into a TS restaurant, or being turned away entirely...or having to go out of your way (to a resort or DTD) to sit down for a meal. If you have the dining plan (other than QS) then ADRs are a must or you risk not being able to use your credits.

 

[mickeystoontown]

I've never traveled to Disney in October so I am not sure about that time frame. But, we have traveled in November, September, August, May and June and I can tell you that I've seen many many park guests turned away from restaurants because they weren't taking walk-ups.

 

[figment_jii]

I think it is important to have ADRs if there is some where you really want to eat or if there are specific times when you want to eat. If you think you want to eat somewhere popular (like anything with characters), then you should probably get an ADR. As other posters have said, if you do not have an ADR there is a chance you will be turned away. Be prepared for this. I would guess that getting a walk-up at a resort restaurant is easier than in the park (especially MK). Of the parks, Epcot is probably the easiest to find something that is taking walk-ups (from what I can tell Marrakesh is usually available), it just might not be your first choice. Likewise, if you eat at off hours you might have a better chance.

Personally, I would not want the stress of wonder when and where the next meal will be (especially if on the dining plan).

 

[Sue's Mum]

Thanks for the responses. We will not have the dining plan because we do not have large appetites. Also we are DVC owners and usually have breakfast in our room.

It seems that I have a lot of thinking to do!

 

[peabody58]

DW and I use our TIW card. We make 1 or 2 ADR's for our 6 day trip, and wing the rest of the meals. So far that has worked out well for our last 3 visits.

However our Sept '11 trip will have DD/SIL along, and we have made ADR's for at least one meal everyday to ensure our time and DD's requests are optimized.

We've also canceled some of our ADR's, and made even better selections the evening or morning before. It's been kind of fun 'winging' it.

 

[fla4fun]

I think it depends on your dining style.

I do not make a lot of ADR's. I usually make one for Le Cellier, because I love the sausage & polenta appetizer and it's a harder restaurant to get a walk in meal. Otherwise, I manage to get most of the restaurants I want either as a walk in or by visiting the dining website the night before. I do not like to plan my day around my meals. I prefer to eat if and when I get hungry - not because I'm on a dining schedule. I am perfectly OK with using QS as a backup plan if I can't get a table service meal. QS dining has improved as much as TS seems to have declined - there are a lot more QS options than burgers and hot dogs these days.

The only people I recommend should make ADR's are those using the dining plan (so they don't end up with credits they can't use), if you absolutely must dine TS every day, or if your favorite restaurant is a hard to get meal (like me and Le Cellier). If you are OK with dining at your second or even third choice of restaurant, dining at less popular times, or dining QS instead of TS, then it's not so crucial.

 

[Pakey]

We do it all the time. Had no problems getting in last October as walk ins. The only place we ate that was full was Flying Fish but we still got in. The other places were half empty.

 

[3pletprincesses]

I went last October, halloween week for that matter, and I saw many people getting turned around. I would make ADR regardless and worse comes, you can cancel them later

 

[dolfan71665]

on our last trip and some of the places we wanted to eat were full. Eating counter service fine, but if you want a sit down meal. unplanned ...at a better eatery... good luck, use ADRs.

For a good example: go and look(at the disney world site) for an ADR for a resturant about 7 pm for a 7:30 pm table

Plus more and more are using ADRs. But you can live without them, but plan on waiting longer for a table.

We will be on DDP this time and booked a few places. but we know where we can get in without ADRs now.

 

[MHSweb79]

You don't need ADR's if you:

1. Are willing to eat counter-service every day if you have to
2. Don't mind waiting a long time for a table (over 60 minutes)
3. Like to eat dinner after 9pm
4. Are willing to travel to an outlying resort for a sit-down meal

You should get ADR's if:

1. A sit-down meal is important to you
2. You have a specific restaurant that you really want to eat at
3. You like to eat at the most popular meal times

Another tip is to show up right at the restaurant's opening time, say 5pm, and ask for a table. This is reported to work very well.

It just hasn't been my experience to show up at a restaurant, see it half-empty and walk up to a table. I HAVE seen many many signs saying "no walk-ups accepted at this time." But then again, we generally eat dinner by 6pm and lunch around noon-1pm.

 

[TDC Nala]

If you have the dining plan, make ADRs.

If you want to be certain you eat at a certain restaurant, in a certain park, or at a certain time, make ADRs. The only exception might be Epcot, if you are OK with eating at Nine Dragons or Marrakesh, which rarely fill up.

If you are not on the dining plan, try the Swan/Dolphin restaurants or Downtown Disney. DTD has only four restaurants on the dining plan. It is usually not difficult to get seated in a restaurant that does not accept the dining plan.

 

[bluejasmine]

We go in Sept and I always see alot of ppl getting turned away..Oct is when most ppl go for MNSSHP so I would think the TS places will pretty much be packed. Forget any places like Ohana, Le Cellier, Crystal Palace, Chef Mickey, CRT, Prime Time or any of the other popular places..

If you really dont want to do ADRS I say you need to atleast call your front desk or stop by each day and see what has openings that evening and make ADRs then. Save yourself precious park time so your not waiting to eat..