Looking for TS meals w/o reservations...

[SLDL]

We are going back & forth on the dining plan. It is me, DH, DS4 & DD 18mo., and we are paying for my parents as it is my dad's 60th b-day. I really want to pay for their entire trip & I feel like as far as the food, DP is the best way to go!! I have been debating with myself for the past 3 days over this & I'm ready for one side to win over the other so I can just stop worrying about it!! My ? is this: we don't want to be tied down to lots of reservation times (per hubbies request!) and I want to know what your experience is with finding a restaurant that serves a TS meal w/ NO reservations. I'm not expecting to walk up to the castle & be seated when I feel like it, but where can I go w/o making ressies & still get the full use of my TS credits? Please HELP!!! Dates are March 1-7, 2007.

 

[bicker]

March 1-7 is in what Disney considers its "peak season". There will definitely be some restaurants that you cannot get accommodated at at the last minute, and AFAIK they could be among your selections. What I do know is that you can always be sure of being able to find a place to use your TS credits each night, since you can always (for example) take a bus to POR and eat at Boatwrights or to CBR and eat at Shutters (both of which have never "sold-out" on the same night AFAIK). However, do keep in mind that, during our trip last January (a time which is much less crowded than March) we encountered a couple of days when if you didn't have dining reservations in advance when you walked into the Magic Kingdom, you weren't going to have dinner there that night.

Here's what I think. You husband means well, I suppose, but he's not thinking long-term. Have a plan; make reservations. If you want to vary from your plan, no problem, just call and try to change your reservations. Don't rely on walk-ups, because that could cause your family more grief than being "tied down" to a plan will.

 

[Dina]

I've had more luck with lunches without reservations---we just ate at Olivia's without a reservation (but we were one of the first people there at lunch--11:30) by the time we left, it was pretty full in there. I've eaten at Tony's with a reservation I made 2 hours prior (that was for dinner during the free dining). Sometimes I have luck calling in the morning and trying to find something open that night (they get a few cancellations). We don't do that very often though--- I'd make reservations (especially if you are on the dining plan).

 

[klinlin]

Our last trip the crowds were relatively low, and still we saw people being turned away at both the parks and places like Kona. I would mke some just to be on the safe side. You can always adjust once you are there. Just be polite and cancel if you are not going to show up.

 

[freshmanjs]

We just ate at Spoodles on Wed night without a reservation. Got there at about 6:30pm, party of 5. Waited about 15 minutes.

Also had lunch at Grand Floridian Cafe with no reservation.

 

[bicker]

I was surprised at how empty Spoodles was at 6:30 pm when we were there two weeks ago. Some restaurants you simply won't have many problems at.

 

[Pedler]

We are going back & forth on the dining plan. It is me, DH, DS4 & DD 18mo., and we are paying for my parents as it is my dad's 60th b-day. I really want to pay for their entire trip & I feel like as far as the food, DP is the best way to go!! I have been debating with myself for the past 3 days over this & I'm ready for one side to win over the other so I can just stop worrying about it!! My ? is this: we don't want to be tied down to lots of reservation times (per hubbies request!) and I want to know what your experience is with finding a restaurant that serves a TS meal w/ NO reservations. I'm not expecting to walk up to the castle & be seated when I feel like it, but where can I go w/o making ressies & still get the full use of my TS credits? Please HELP!!! Dates are March 1-7, 2007.

Almost all of the TS places take the DDP and your ability to get a reservation isn't affected one way or the other by being on the DDP.