Making same-day reservations

[anneofgreengables]

How easy is it to make reservations the day of? I already have my ADRs for my dining plan, but there are a few restaurants we'd like to try and get a snack there, paying out of pocket. For instance, we'd like to try out Sci-Fi and get a shake or something, but we don't want to use our dining plan credits, so I'm not making ADR for that. So I'm thinking that the day we are at MGM, I can make reservations for Sci-Fi lunch in the morning. How likely am I to secure reservations for that day?

 

[Mickey'snewestfan]

I'm not sure why the fact that you aren't using DDP credits influences why you would or wouldn't make an ADR? On our last trip we booked one more restaurant than we had DDP credits, and simply told them when we got there "we're paying OOP" it wasn't a problem. On this upcoming we originally were booked at ASMo with dining and then got a great deal at the Swan. When I called they said I didn't need to change my dining reservations to reflect the fact that we didn't have DDP, because it didn't make a difference.

On the other hand we made reservations while we were there in Early August for Flying Fish and Crystal Palace and got our first choice times at both places.

 

[duckie0517]

If there are 2 of you, you might be able to sqeeze in. But if there are more in your party then you can forget it.

It is usually just DH and I and we have had problems getting in to any restaurant without ADR.

Question is, do you feel lucky?

 

[scrump]

I would just make the ADR now, why chance it? Especially since Sci Fi is pretty popular. I go with a friend, and we were scrambling to get into restaurants at times, without ADRs. We ended up eating at Nine Dragons, something we vowed never to do.

 

[Aimeedyan]

It depends on park levels and how many people have already made reservations. With the dining plan in place, few people are willing to chance not having a reservation already lined up so they don't waste credits. There really is no way to guesstimate whether or not you can walk in.

It's always much easier and less of a hassle to make a reservation and cancel it if you decide not to use it then trek all the way to the restaurant just to be told no.

 

[anneofgreengables]

Not having done the dining plan or been to WDW in ages, I was afraid that if I book more ADRs than my dining credits, the credits will go to all the ADRs I made in the beginning of my vacation, and I would end up paying for the later ones out of pocket. And I don't want to do that because my last ADR of the week is the pricey Cinderella's Royal Table. I would rather pay out of pocket for the less expensive ADRs.

So, it looks like you are able to tell them which ADR you will pay out of pocket for and which you will use your credits for. They don't automatically use your dining plan credits for all your earlier ADRs until you use up all your credits. So you can choose which ones to use for the DP credits and tell the server. Am I right?

Maybe I'm overly cautious because I've read here of people who had problems because their credit cards were charged for ADRs that were meant to go to dining credits. And I don't want that to happen to my Cinderella's Royal Table reservation.

 

[BlindTyldak]

Nope, the way it works is at the time that they seat you, you tell your server if you are using the DP; you can even say that one of you is and the other is paying OOP if you want to, just because you are on the DP doesn't mean you have to use JUST that or JUST cash.

If you're going during free dining, make the ADR. But if you don't get one, try walking into Sci-Fi around 2:30 for the milkshake, I've always gotten seating for a pair for a snack at that time.

 

[Aimeedyan]

Not having done the dining plan or been to WDW in ages, I was afraid that if I book more ADRs than my dining credits, the credits will go to all the ADRs I made in the beginning of my vacation, and I would end up paying for the later ones out of pocket. And I don't want to do that because my last ADR of the week is the pricey Cinderella's Royal Table. I would rather pay out of pocket for the less expensive ADRs.

So, it looks like you are able to tell them which ADR you will pay out of pocket for and which you will use your credits for. They don't automatically use your dining plan credits for all your earlier ADRs until you use up all your credits. So you can choose which ones to use for the DP credits and tell the server. Am I right?

Maybe I'm overly cautious because I've read here of people who had problems because their credit cards were charged for ADRs that were meant to go to dining credits. And I don't want that to happen to my Cinderella's Royal Table reservation.

The restaurant doesn't care whether or not you told the dining people that you were on the dining plan when you made reservations. I am not even sure that they get records that tell them what you told dining (I think they ask more for marketing reasons than anything). When we made reservations, we didn't tell them whether or not we were on the dining plan because we hadn't even booked the trip yet! =)

The waiter/waitress doesn't know how you want to pay until they deliver the check to you. Most people are telling the waitstaff that they are on the dining plan so their server can help them maximize the plan but you don't even have to do that. When they deliver the check, you either hand them money or a room card with the dining plan attached to it.

Now the reservations that are tied to a credit card are a different story...

 

[anneofgreengables]

Thanks for the explanation. So I will go ahead and make all the ADRs I need and just tell the server when the check comes that I am paying out of pocket for the ones I intend to. That way I can be sure to experience places like Sci-Fi, even if it's just for a milkshake!