Large group at Ohana w/o ADR

[Regan117]

yea, I'm checking multiple times a day to see if it comes available. got whispering canyon already booked as a backup. I asked because while I have been to Disney 70+ times over my lifetime, I never really went to Ohana until recently so I am still learning the tricks and tips involved with that restaurant.



Because just because a restaurant is not taking reservations, doesn't mean they don't take walkups. I have eaten at fully booked restaurants such as Be Our Guest and Le Cellier (before the quality fell off a cliff) numerous times when ADR's weren't available numerous times.. It's all about knowing the down times for the particular restaurant. Ohana is not one of the restaurants I have that knowledge for so I asked here.

Ohana doesn't really have down times. They're busy from open to close.

 

[JerseyJanice]

I think it's easier to find ADRs as you get closer to the date you want to be there. A lot of people hold ADRs and wait till they're close to cancel them.

 

[RedskinFan]

When we were waiting for our reservation last August a woman approached the check in desk right soon after they opened and asked they could they fit her group in even though they didn't have a reservation. I forget how large the group was but I want to say around 12 people. They were able to accommodate her group. While we were waiting for the restaurant to open, I overheard the woman tell her dining companions that this was something she had done numerous times when she couldn't get a reservation.

I myself wouldn't waste my vacation time trying to score a table at a fully booked restaurant but to each their own.

 

[GreatLakes]

Anything is possible, like spontaneous combustion. The relevant question of "is it probable" is a no. If you go every single day with your scenario I would expect you to get in maybe once every 500 attempts.

 

[over50visits]

That's stretching it a bit. Many people report a wait to be seated at 'Ohana -but a wait of over an hour? There are also many posters like me who have never waited longer than 10 minutes except for once, and that wait was 30 minutes.
I do agree that a walk up at 'Ohana with that large a party - or even with any size party is highly unlikely.

I am so happy to hear that. After 3 times in a row we sat in the lobby for over an hour, we just gave up (even with the other problems of food choice/price we still enjoyed going there). Since then, we often eat at Kona and every single time the 'Ohana lobby is filled with families just waiting their turn. Literally filled with so many people that many are standing. I am really happy your wait is never longer than 10 minutes.

 

[Maggie'sMom]

Off topic a little.... does Ohana use pagers or text messages to let people know when their table is ready, or do you have to just sit and wait for your name to be called? Last year at Cape May Cafe we experienced the text messaging for the first time. That was the only TS restaurant we ate at on that trip. On previous trips, some restaurants gave us pagers and others just had us hang around the lobby waiting for our name. It would be nice if we could walk around the GCH a little rather than be stuck sitting there.

 

[mckennarose]

Off topic a little.... does Ohana use pagers or text messages to let people know when their table is ready, or do you have to just sit and wait for your name to be called? Last year at Cape May Cafe we experienced the text messaging for the first time. That was the only TS restaurant we ate at on that trip. On previous trips, some restaurants gave us pagers and others just had us hang around the lobby waiting for our name. It would be nice if we could walk around the GCH a little rather than be stuck sitting there.

We were there again last week for dinner and got a pager. I wanted to go to Trader Sams but the cm at check in wasn't sure if the signal reached that far. It was fine because I got my lapu lapu and we wound up going in 10 minutes early. (We checked in 20 minutes early).
There were multiple parties trying to get in without reservations the times we've been to Ohana.

 

[Figmentmommy]

I am so happy to hear that. After 3 times in a row we sat in the lobby for over an hour, we just gave up (even with the other problems of food choice/price we still enjoyed going there). Since then, we often eat at Kona and every single time the 'Ohana lobby is filled with families just waiting their turn. Literally filled with so many people that many are standing. I am really happy your wait is never longer than 10 minutes.

I am really happy to hear that you decided to dine at Kona instead. If my wait had been over 60 minutes 3 times I would have done the same. Actually I would have done that after the first 60+ minute wait.

 

[MickeyWaffles]

I think your chances are incredibly low for a walk up, but reservations could definitely open up before your trip. How soon are you going? Lots of people make changes at FP booking time. Also-what I thought was impossible can be possible! I got a table for 8 at BoG for dinner the week before my trip. I think a last minute reservation opening is much more likely than walk up success as there really isn't an off time at Ohana. You could always try but I wouldn't go out of my way to try unless I was already at the Poly.

 

[VAfamily1998]

I am so happy to hear that. After 3 times in a row we sat in the lobby for over an hour, we just gave up (even with the other problems of food choice/price we still enjoyed going there). Since then, we often eat at Kona and every single time the 'Ohana lobby is filled with families just waiting their turn. Literally filled with so many people that many are standing. I am really happy your wait is never longer than 10 minutes.

We were there last month as a party of 3. Our reservation was for 3:50, but it took us a lot less time to get there than we thought it would, so we checked in at 3:30. We were seated in just a few minutes. It was great!

 

[2hapykdz]

Is this a possible task? We got a group of 10 and want to go to Ohana but waited too long to make a reservation. Is it possible to walk up and get a table without a 60+ minute wait? Obviously we'd have to arrive either really early or really late to even have a shot. Has anyone else had success in the past? Any tips or advice is appreciated.

I'm trying for a 2 ....IN SEPTEMBER!!!! Good luck! Just call ahead so you dont waste your time. Theres always Trader Sams for cocktails!!!!

 

[Canesfan3234]

I'm trying for a 2 ....IN SEPTEMBER!!!! Good luck! Just call ahead so you dont waste your time. Theres always Trader Sams for cocktails!!!!

Love trader sams. unfortunately the group includes kids and there is no way we will be done at the park by 8

 

[Roxyfire]

I am so happy to hear that. After 3 times in a row we sat in the lobby for over an hour, we just gave up (even with the other problems of food choice/price we still enjoyed going there). Since then, we often eat at Kona and every single time the 'Ohana lobby is filled with families just waiting their turn. Literally filled with so many people that many are standing. I am really happy your wait is never longer than 10 minutes.

Our wait has always been short, but I tend to book the 4-5:30pm range. It's before they get too behind and gives us a chance to leisurely walk off all that food before evening entertainment. I know many are not accustomed to eating dinner that early so it's a less hectic time to go.

 

[Canesfan3234]

Just an update on this. It is possible to walk in with a large group. I was able to get a reservation for 4 people at 9:15. We showed up with 12 people and they sat us within 5 minutes of the original reservation time. I asked if I would have been able to do the same thing with out the original reservation and they said yes. A server told me that once the fireworks are over at 9:15, Ohana pretty much clears out for the night. They don't take too many reservations after 9:00 because they don't want the restaurant to be still pumping out food for a full dining room at the end of the night, but they will seat someone who asks for a table. So if anyone else is ever in a situation and is willing to take a chance, yes you can get in to Ohana w/o an ADR if you wait until after the fireworks.