Now for our Regular Jeopardy questions, in the category "Food": 1) Have we ever been to WDW before? Correct! Now for our $200 question.... 2) Are we on the DDP? Right again! So, for $400...... 3) Is it possible to just get food in a decent table-service restaurant at WDW if you don't have ADRs far in advance, just call the same day? Chances of cancellations if you just show up and wait? (You will get a 500 point acronym bonus if you've understood all the jargon I've used thus far. God knows it took me enough reading and inference to figure out what it all means.) Take your time........
It depends on what time of the year you are going..... Free dining - slim to none off seasons- 20% chance holidays- slim to none Good luck!
Even during the off-season, the odds of getting a popular place (Le Cellier, character meals, maybe 'Ohana or Boma at dinner, Coral Reef) as a walkup are pretty much slim to none unless you are dining after 9 PM. I would try restaurants that don't take the dining plan. There are several on property (but only one inside a theme park). Or try some of the lesser known resort restaurants (Turf Club at SSR, Maya Grill at CSR, etc)
You will have a better chance to be successful making same day ADRs if you want lunch instead of dinner, you are prepared to eat early or late for a meal (say, dinner at 5:30 or 8:30) and/or you are trying to get into a resort restaurant. I would never recommend just walking up to any TS restaurant and hoping to get a table.
We were at DW last week (a slow week) and . . . Friday, May 9 we arrived and decided we wanted to have dinner at a Disney location since we stay off site. When I called to make a reservation I was told that all the restaurants we booked. We decided to take a chance and drove over to Wilderness Lodge to eat at Artist Point. We walked up to the front desk at 7:00 p.m. and asked if they had anything available and sure enough we were seated immediately. Sunday, May 11 (Mother's Day) I hadn't made any plans and wanted to try at Jiko's (my favorite restaurant). We arrived at the front desk about 6:30 and told we could sit at the "chef table" at 7:15. We waited and had the most wonderful dinner sitting at the chef table watching the chef's make appetizers . . . I'll always sit there now! Monday, May 12 -- I had been trying for lunch of dinner at Le Celler for anytime the week we were there. We walked up at noon for lunch and asked if "there was any way" and sure enough 20 minutes later we had a nice lunch (FYI - not sure why everyone raves about it). So . . it is possible if you are at DisneyWorld during a slow time. Have fun!
Odds are not in your favor for walkups to TS. However, you have better odds if you are fine with using your credits at the less popular TS restaurants (Captain's Grille at Yacht Club, Grand Floridian Cafe, etc.) during "off hours". Try a late lunch, a very early or very late dinner. The most popular restaurants don't accept walkups - at least that I've ever seen (and we are the ones that eat very early dinners when walkups would potentially be a possibility.)
Yes but you have to be super flexible as to where you are going to go and what time you want to eat. We were there for 9 days March/April and there was a few times we wanted to change the ADRs we already had...I was suprised to find alot open, some at great times some too early or late but we did get Chefs de France, Boma breakfast, Yachtsman dinner all at the last minute.
places like Beaches and Cream, ESPN Club and Big River Grille don't take ADR's and Grand Floridian Cafe, Captain Grille, Maya Grill and Shutters have been easy walk ups for me! Hope that helps.
Thanks for all the thoughtful responses. This greatly expands my view of what is / isn't possible if one wants to just dine "al fresco" at WDW. All I could find previously was pretty one-dimensional, and seemed to indicate that reservations made WELL in advance were necessary to eat on campus. We can work within the guidelines you folks laid down very well indeed.
Definitely plug the dining reseervation phone# in your cell phone, that way you can call and see what's available without having to trek all over the parks. You can also ask at Guest Relations at the parks and they can check for you. Granted, I wouldn't try it during the free dining period, but you never know!
