Just HOW important are ADR's?

[unclescrooge_0707]

How important are ADR's? I went to WDW in August 98, and had no problems eating anywhere. In 2000, we got seated at the fancy Italy restaurant (name escapes me) and at rose & crown, and walked into the Sci Fi dine-in theater with no issues. In 09, we walked right in to the Biergarten restaurant. While I PLAN to do ADR's, but I don't want to do 4 ressies per night, just b/c i won't know where we'll be.

 

[moparop]

It really depends on where you want to eat and the time of year you are going. If you are looking for things like Ohana or LeCellier then ADRs are a must. If you are traveling in summer or during free dining and want to eat in the parks -- again, a must. If you are somewhat flexible and are willing to travel for restaurants you are good to go.

With the popularity of the DDP, it has gotten much harder to just do walk ups.

 

[n2mm]

ADRs are very important, but mostly it depends on the time of your trip. You will NOT be able to do 4 ressies per night, because when you put in for the second reservation now, it will bounce back to you in red and say "you already have a reservation for this timefame, please delete your current reservation". A nice little function they added to their online system. BTW--their online system makes it great to search for times and make reservations. You can certainly get some of the harder character type meals and then slowly fill in the blanks as you decide what you want to do. This is what we do and often with the new online system I do find myself moving things around as my dates get closer. Good luck.

 

[ancestry]

I would highly recommend ADRs if you want to eat at table service restaurant during top dining hours. If you are willing to eat at out of the way places and at off hours you *might* be able to do a walk up. The dining plan is very popular and as a result it is very difficult to get seated as a walk-up. I highly doubt that you will be seated as a walk-up anymore at the Italian Restaurant in Epcot. That restaurant is very popular and one of the better values price wise when eating on the dining plan.

 

[eliza61]

How important are ADR's? I went to WDW in August 98, and had no problems eating anywhere. In 2000, we got seated at the fancy Italy restaurant (name escapes me) and at rose & crown, and walked into the Sci Fi dine-in theater with no issues. In 09, we walked right in to the Biergarten restaurant. While I PLAN to do ADR's, but I don't want to do 4 ressies per night, just b/c i won't know where we'll be.

I think it depends on the vacationer.

If you want to do a character meal then ADR's are a must.
If you HAVE to eat at a certain restaurant, make an adr's
If you are going during the summer or holidays I would make a few.
I do think walkups in the parks are tough but I've never had an issue in most of the resort restaurants (some exceptions among the very popular ones like Boma)

I don't do many adr's (maybe 3 out of a 10night stay). I've never, ever had any problems getting a sit down meal. Basically, when I wake up in the morning I call disney dining from my room phone. I simply ask what's available for that day. The great cm's always give me a variety to choose from. I've also found some great new restaurants that I would not have tried if I always made adrs. places like Olivias at OKW and the Yacht club Galley.


I think the scenerio of you being forced to eat hamburgers every day if you don't make an adr is a myth that is bounced around here.

 

[U2_rocks!]

Large group sizes and unusual food allergies also make ADRs a must. We always need them because of that.

If you are a smaller/average group, don't have significant/unusual allergies that require a chef to make special meals, are willing to eat at non-peak times of the day, aren't going in high season and aren't dead set on the most popular restaurants, then you will be fine if you don't have ADRs for every meal or every day.

Make a few ADRs and leave the rest up to chance. Just be willing to be flexible and show up before the dinner rush.

ETA: there are some CS places that serve good sandwiches, salads, wraps and actual meals. Even if you don't have a TS ADR, you can still eat well.

 

[christinec68]

There are also places that don't take ADRs like ESPN, Beaches & Cream plus a lot of the restaurants in DTD.

 

[WETWHISTLE]

We wouldn't go without ADRs.

We're doing Deluxe DDP for the first time and we're definitely making ADRs.

 

[PIRATEGIRL007]

You will NOT be able to do 4 ressies per night, because when you put in for the second reservation now, it will bounce back to you in red and say "you already have a reservation for this timefame, please delete your current reservation". A nice little function they added to their online system.

This might happen if you pick the exact time but it will not with as little as a 5 minute change. At least Disney is trying something nowadays to stop it but its still totally easy to get around and people do it more and more every year.

 

[doodlebug]

What about making an ADR (one that doesn't make you put down a fee)based on your hope of being at the park that day and for some reason you don't make it there..? Like I think we will be going to Disney Studio on 4/17 and make an ADR for 11am at 50's Prime Time, but then family changes their minds. Is that okay?