Kona Cafe now Reservation Only

[AngiTN]

I'm wondering if some do not take walk-ups because they do leave it to the computer. So many folks are booking on their phones as they walk up. Could make for double booking?

We had almost no adrs back in October. When we felt like a sit down experience, I opened the app, checked out who had availability, and booked it. I would never try walking up to a restaurant in Disney that did not show availability in the app. Since I am already in the app, I just tale he final step and book. Easy peasy.

I think that could play in to it for sure.

Spice Road is not Disney (I do believe that impacts) and we’ve always been able to do walkup but it’s not everyone’s cup of tea.

We eat at Biergarten regularly and every time see folks turned away.

I think if you want something for sure book it. Otherwise be flexible on where you eat especially busier times.

Yes, Spice Road, and Marrakesh, are both leased and do work under their own set of rules. Combine that with being less popular and they are often very easy to get for a walk up.
I think the restaurants in Mexico, Japan and China are also leased. Maybe Italy, though less sure about them. They sort of get to decide about walk ups more than a Disney owned and operated location does, since they have different rules to follow

 

[married2mm]

We arrived at Olivia s one morning to be told only reservations accepted..
No tables available or walkins

We simply left -wanted food-food & more food.

We have since dropped by unannounced and remarkably got a table.

 

[_auroraborealis_]

Not every restaurant in WS releases their whole inventory to MDE.

Almost every Disney-owned restaurant does 100% of tables via MDE, with obvious exception cases (hi, Plaza).

 

[TiffanyA]

The only guaranteed way to get into a restaurant is to make an ADR* - that's a given.

Whether or not the CM at the podium can or is willing to take a walk up I think depends on a number of factors - both dining related AND personal - the current status of the restaurant/kitchen and also the CM.

It seems obvious here that there is no set policy, even for the busiest of restaurant (someone cited getting a BOG walk-up). So try your luck as long as you understand you may get told no. Depending on how busy they are, how many pending ADRs they have, and likely how the CM is feeling at the moment, you may or may not be granted a table. I wouldn't read into it any more than that.

* Or have a Landry's card at a Landry's owned restaurant. I'm going to consider it a FP ADR, lol.

 

[Kaytie]

Guess I'm just thinking about those times when I'm "winging it". I just want to roll by .. "eh, you wanna eat something? Hey, you got an opening? No? Cool."
But the thought that you shouldn't even waste your breath because they won't allow anyone in without a reservation just knocks the wind out of my sails.

How often do you find yourself hungry for what that restaurant serves, right at the exact moment?

 

[Pumbaa_]

Don't believe that OP. If there is unused capacity and someone walks up the restaurant manager isn't going to deny a table to a paying customer. Now, actually being there at a time when there is unused capacity is another issue.

Sadly I have read this time and time again

Make an adr! Never count on walk up availability

 

[paradesintherain]

We did a walk-up on 11/2. May have gotten lucky with a cancellation because we were seated minutes later, but they did tell us it may be 40 minutes.

 

[kittylady1972]

I think as other people have mentioned here that it varies, but I do think at TIMES some restaurants, like Kona, are Reservation only.

We took a trip in August, and got hungry around lunchtime and wanted sushi. We headed to the Polynesian and walked up to Kona Cafe and were seated pretty quickly...for lunch...with no ADR. It was delicious.

Last month (October) a few of us were wandering around the Polynesian at breakfast time. We thought we'd have a meal at Kona Cafe around 9am. We walked up and were told they were only seating those with reservations. I checked my phone and I COULD get one but it was an hour later. It wasn't worth that wait...so we ate at Captain Cook's instead.

 

[Mome Rath]

Back in the "good ol' days" you just walked up to any restaurant just like in the "real world." It was lovely. It's also true that if there were tons of people there you could wait forever. Now, with the total takeover of ADR's and DP's and MDE, I tell people that it never hurts to ask if there are walkup's accepted, but be prepared to be disappointed. I recommend everyone just check the app even if turned away, last time that happened to us was at Kona, and there was a table immediately. The best "luck" we've had lately with walk ups was Via Napoli.