Is there anywhere to eat without ADRs?

[AimeeAurora]

Or am I going to be out of luck?

My trip is next week. I just booked it last month. I didn't know about the reservations booking so quickly.

Are we doomed to counter service only?

 

[DVCJEN]

Or am I going to be out of luck?

My trip is next week. I just booked it last month. I didn't know about the reservations booking so quickly.

Are we doomed to counter service only?

Depends on how flexible you are. If you are willing to eat at odd times and don't have a lot of preference as to where, you should be able to have a few TS meals.

 

[daisy112878]

Biggest thing is try to eat at off times. Go ahead and call today to see what you can get. If you get a good CM on the phone ask them to look at a particular day, meal and park. They can then tell you whats available at that park on that day for that meal. Sometimes this doesn't work when you get a not so nice CM that doesn't want to do it which I've had before.

Don't give up through if you can't find anything. If you're staying at a WDW hotel, go to the conceirge once you get there. Tell them the day, meal and park to see what they have available. We've found this is easier to do. If you're not staying at a WDW hotel then go to guest services inside the park. They can look at the restaurants for you too.

 

[kwelch10377]

I don't think you are......people cancel at the last minute. Have you tried to get anything yet? If you haven't already done so I would call today and see what you can get and then maybe try again when you get down there.

As long as you are flexible and have a positive attitude about everything you should be fine.

 

[phisigprincess]

If you're flexible with restaurants and times, why don't you try calling now? That way you can be sure you can get into a few TS places.

 

[kardut]

Also consider 11:30 lunches...We made our lunch ADRs for that time, since the restaurants were just opening and we wouldn't have to wait around for seating. At most of them, they just went ahead and seated without requesting our ADR info, since they weren't busy yet. By the time we were finished with lunch, there would invariably be huge crowds waiting to get a table.

 

[davinakb]

Also consider late lunches/early dinners. You should still call now, but maybe get that last lunch seating or first dinner seating. Or if you're a late riser, maybe that last breakfast buffet, which would be a big lunch; then CS snack and a late dinner seating? Like others said, be flexible about time and place, maybe you'll get something. FWIW.

 

[cindy_k]

I live in 30 minutes from WDW. I often call in the morning for evening ADR's.
You can get them, but as the previously posters have said you have to be flexiable.

I called on Monday, for ADRs for Thursday night. I wanted to eat at Le Cellier. It was completely booked, so I asked for Boma instead. Success, but our ADR's are for 8:30p. If I wanted to eat at 4:30p I could have on Friday. The only other time on Friday was 8:10p at Boma. Le Cellier was booked solid Thursday and Friday.

However, IF you really want to eat in a location, try again. People sometimes cancel on the day of their ADR and space opens.
I may try for Le Cellier again for Friday.

 

[Eeyore's Tailfinder]

A few places don't take ADRs...

Beaches and Cream at the Beach Club and Planet Hollywood at DTD for two, so these would be 2TS for you that you don't have to book.

I'd call anyway though, you might be pleasantly surprised - you might not be, but it never hurts to check!

 

[mombrontrent]

A few places don't take ADRs...

Beaches and Cream at the Beach Club and Planet Hollywood at DTD for two, so these would be 2TS for you that you don't have to book.

I'd call anyway though, you might be pleasantly surprised - you might not be, but it never hurts to check!

I have a reservation for Planet Hollywood in DTD in a couple weeks

 

[Lynne M]

Go ahead and call now, and make whatever reservations you can. You can even call back after you get there and make changes, there are often cancellations.

I wouldn't recommend just winging it and walking up to a restaurant. Many of the TS places won't let you wait for a table if they're fully booked, they'll just turn you away.

 

[Eeyore's Tailfinder]

I have a reservation for Planet Hollywood in DTD in a couple weeks

They don't take ressies July-Sept, or they never used to

 

[cindy_k]

Even if you change your mind that morning or afternoon, you should alway call 407-WDW-DINE and see if there is space before walking up to a Restaurant.

I just got another last minute ADR, Fri 12:00p for Yak and Yeti. I haven't tried this restaurant yet. Disney is always giving me new stuff to try.

 

[allshookup]

ESPN at the Boardwalk doesn't take ADRs & we found Big River Grille easy to get into on week nights. I think Rainforest Cafe in DTD is one that almost always takes walk-ups. I know Wolfgang Puck Express is technically a counter service meal, but with their new inside seating area, it's very nice & the food is wonderful. Not typical counter service fare at all.

Also if Guest Services states that a restaurant is full, you might try walking up anyway. Last August we were told that there was NO WAY we would get into Ohana the whole week were staying at BWVs & we checked daily. So by the end of our trip we gave up & made a late evening reservation at Kona Cafe. We went early to have a drink at the bar & the lounge area was quite empty without a lot of people waiting so I went up to the podium at Ohana just to see & completely lucked out & got a window seat with a gorgeous view of the castle right before Wishes started. The place was only half full!

 

[blerner1]

Big River Grille is good, and I dont think they even accept ADRs...Its on the Boardwalk right near Epcot

 

[Amy&Dan]

Some places I have luck getting into last minute:

Magic Kingdome: Plaza, Tony's and LTT for lunch

Studios: Prime Time, Sci Fi

Epcot: Nine Dragons, San Angel, Garden Grill,

Animal Kingom: Used to not have full service so a lot of people don't automatically think of table service eating with that park. You can try for Tusker House or Yak and Yeti and see what happens. Rainforest Cafe at AK takes walk ups and if you join their Safari Club for fifteen bucks you get priority seating and a discount.

The resorts have lots of restaurants. I have gotten in last minute at Kona Cafe at the Poly as well as the Grand Floridian Cafe. The moderate resorts also have full service restaurants, all three of which are quite good. They are lovely resorts and fun to check out, if you have a car this especially might be a good idea. The Turf Club at Saratoga Springs and Olivia's at Old Key West almost always have availabilty and can be gotten to via boat from Downtown Disney.

If you are on the Disney Dining Plan for sure call now and get what you can. You don't want to run the risk of having table service credits you cannot use. Even if you aren't on the DDP I suggest you call and just see what you can find. I am going in two weeks and was able to get Sci Fi, Crystal Palace and the Hoop Dee Do Review just a few weeks ago. And those were just the ones I tried for, there were in all liklilood lots more available. I am also going in late May into early June and just last weekend booked a few more ADR's with no problem.

I really think that there is always something available somewhere on Disney property, especially at off times. Don't give up without trying now and again once you get there (if you don't get exactly what you want now, people do cancel and last minute adr's do open up).