Need help with Tusker House decision

[zaksmom]

We will be staying at Animal Kingdom until closing time. Don't want to miss one hour of our time at AK. Wanted to try Tusker House for dinner. Just found out about the $10 cancellation fee there. Surprised as dinner is not a character meal. What are our chances of just walking in and getting a table when the park closes at 6. I'm about 6 weeks out and can still get reservations for after 6pm. Also if you make the reservation at the park in the morning, does the credit card guarantee still apply? We like to be spontaneous and might decide to do the last safari of the day and need to cancel in the afternoon so don't want to pay the penalty. Do that many people reserve this restaurant after the park closes? I should add this is a Sat night in Oct when F & W is on and MK is open late and doing Wishes and the MSEP - one of the few times this week. I know no one can tell me for sure. Just trying to justify not reserving. Could just go ahead and reserve Boma - there is no cancellation fee there.

Also should add that we are a party of three, and very rarely make ADRs except if we are travelling to a resort. Either we have good luck or just look hungry! We usually don't have a problem getting seated if we are flexible with times.

 

[minnie mum]

I don't think anyone on here could guarantee that you would be able to do a walkup, but given how the park empties out after the afternoon parade, I doubt that you would be turned away. However, I would double check the time for the last seating sometime during the day. The last thing you would want to happen is to turn up and find that they had already stopped seating guests.

 

[zaksmom]

Thanks for your quick response. I know there are no guarantees. Just wondered how busy this restaurant is at that time. Never really paid attention to it. We usuallly park hop somewhere for dinner on AK days.

Does anyone know why this restaurant has the credit card hold? Is it all buffets?

 

[lilipad]

We had luck getting last minute reservations through our hotel's front desk. If you're considering walk up, you might try asking first thing that morning or the night before. I can't imagine it would be too crowded at closing time though.

 

[wdwrich]

A good number of WDW TS restaurants now charge $10 for ADR no-shows. The list of places that do can be seen here:
http://www.wdwinfo.com/wdwinfo/dining.htm

 

[CatNipRules]

I think it really depends on the time of year that you go. The less busy times you won't have a problem with walkups, but if it is busy then there will be less of a chance. We've had varying degrees of luck.

 

[JennyDrake]

I think it really depends on the time of year that you go. The less busy times you won't have a problem with walkups, but if it is busy then there will be less of a chance. We've had varying degrees of luck.

Ditto.

 

[vacationer1954]

The way I'm thinking about it (because we're planning on doing some meals with the guarantee but still might consider doing others spontaneously) is that part of what spontaneity means is accepting when what we want to do isn't available to us at the time we decide we want it. If BOG isn't available for dinner on the second day we're at MK on our trip, or Tusker House isn't available for lunch on the second day we're at AK, then we'll just do something else. If they are available, then we'll be delighted.

 

[zaksmom]

Thanks for the feedback. Serendipity is usually our theme while touring the World . We've had great fun doing that. We'll probably just try a walk up.
there's always lots of other great places to eat.