Jiko or Boma without ADR?

[malcontent]

Our plans for our AK day in August are tentative. Though we have an ADR at Jiko for late evening, in fact we may decide to go to an early dinner.

If we do change our plans, what are the chances of being able to get an ealry dinner (5 or 5:30) at Jiko, or in the alternative, Boma without the benefit of an ADR?

 

[aubriee]

Our plans for our AK day in August are tentative. Though we have an ADR at Jiko for late evening, in fact we may decide to go to an early dinner.

If we do change our plans, what are the chances of being able to get an ealry dinner (5 or 5:30) at Jiko, or in the alternative, Boma without the benefit of an ADR?

Last May I tried this, but was not successful at Jiko. I had like an 7:30 ADR there, but was tired and wanted to eat early. I showed up at the podium and waited until they opened. I was told that no way they could work me in early. They had no openings whatsoever that night. I walked next door to Boma and asked about a walkup. I was told no problem, handed a pager, and was told it would be 10 minutes or so. I turned, walked over to one of those big round stools next to the pay phone and started to call Disney Dining to cancel my 7:30pm Jiko ADR. Before, I could even finish dialing the number, my pager went off. It had taken less than 2 minutes from the time I checked in, until I was seated in Boma.

This past Dec I again tried to check in early for my Jiko ADR, but they wouldn't let me. Since I really wanted to eat there this time, I just went out by the pool and waited until my ADR time.

For my trip this May, I made ADRs early, but then decided a few weeks ago to add the DxDDP. I had to call and rearrange every one of my ADRs. The only ones I had trouble with was Le Cellier and Jiko. In fact, I got my Le Cellier ADR, several days before I finally got a 5:30pm ADR at Jiko. I've called back several times to change the times on both. Nothing is available all week.

 

[DVCkidsMOM]

We have also been unsuccessful moving a Jiko reservation up to an earlier time. The only time we ate at Boma, we had a reservation and still waited over 30 minutes to be seated. I'm thinking that due to the AKL location and relative difficulty just going somewhere else for dinner, that Jiko and Boma are less flexible than are other resort restaurants that have more other options near-by. We've always been able to walk up 2 hours early for a reservation at Cape-May Cafe...

 

[heartbeeps]

I've got a private party (of 20) booked at Jiko's. They told me I had a choice of these times:
5:30pm
6:00pm
7:50pm

so perhaps there isn't availability earlier because of the private parties?