No ADR? Walk Up?

[shannon1119]

In December 2008 myself and three of my friends from Orlando were able to eat lunch at Liberty Tree Tavern and that same day we had dinner at 50's Prime Time Cafe, both times we went without any ADR's and waited 5 minutes to be seated at both restaurants.

We're trying 50's Prime Time Cafe for the first time this trip and can't wait!

 

[VeganCupcake]

If you're not going until November you can always keep trying on the online reservation system. I'm going in 9 days and I keep seeing 'Ohana & Le Cellier (a TON of Arkershus) randomly popping up throughout the week when I am contemplating other ADRs. People cancel all the time. Otherwise like one PP said- It never hurts to try!

 

[MHSweb79]

I wouldn't waste a lot of time trying for walk-ups at 'Ohana or LeCellier, but if you're willing to eat at Kona anyway then I'd certainly try 'Ohana. I do think your best bet, as is posted above, is to show up shortly before they start serving lunch or dinner. After that, both of those places will almost certainly be filled to capacity. Seems like you realize it's a crapshoot and you're willing to give it shot despite the odds. I hope you get in!

I just can't stop thinking about the thread started by someone who thought ADR's were too much hassle, they didn't want to be tied down to a schedule, who knew when they were going to feel hungry and for what kind of food, etc. etc. YET they were purchasing the DxDP. During Free Dining.

 

[carrie1626]

I wouldn't hold out any hope.
Then if you get in- think of how lucky you are!!!!

I was having lunch at LeCellier on 21/Aug and every table was full. The hostess desk was turning down every call that I heard while we waited for our ADR to be called.

If I was going to wing it, I'd try at Opening and not a minute later.

 

[carrie1626]

In December 2008 myself and three of my friends from Orlando were able to eat lunch at Liberty Tree Tavern and that same day we had dinner at 50's Prime Time Cafe, both times we went without any ADR's and waited 5 minutes to be seated at both restaurants.

I remember those days,too. Luckily I have other family members who go every year and set me straight on what its like NOW. I really felt sorry for people who walked up to hosts/hostess' and were turned away. That could leave you with a "not very magical" feeling for WDW, especially when you're hungry.

 

[rachel09985]

Last trip we decided to just see if Ohana had availability. We got ther around 6 and they said if we waited maybe we could get in at 9. That being said maybe lunch but definitely not at dinner time!!

 

[Simba's Mom]

You know, everyone says not to try walk-ups, but I viewed something that made me wonder last year. The parks were fairly busy, and before I went, I tried to change my lunchtime at 50s Prime time, but couldn't. Yet, when I stood in line to check in, the family in front of me was asked if they had ADRs. Obviously it was their first trip, because they said they didn't even know they should make reservations, didn't know anything about it. The hostess at first said they were full, but then, after checking, gave them a pager and said they'd have about a 25 minute wait. Yet, when I'd tried to change my ADR, I was "told" (Disney reservation system) that the resturant was full all day.Maybe they were just lucky, I don't know, but it made me go "Hmmmm!"

 

[eliza61]

What we have great luck at is calling Disney dininig when we wake up. We go in late August and don't make a lot of adr's. We've always seem to get an adr this way.

 

[shannon1119]

Wooo hooo I was able to get a La Cellier today for lunch!! The meal we want is on both the lunch and dinner menu so this is perfect!! Now O'hana.....

Just keep calling. I have been calling and looking online every morning and night. I put Disney Dining in my phone so I also call anytime I think about it

 

[LoveMMC]

yea for you!

I got all the reservations I wanted by checking often.
I had fun checking everytime I logged on.....
I am missing it now!!!!!

 

[leebee]

FWIW... We were at WDW during the first 2 weeks of free dining in August (2010). I'd made ADR's, but several times it became clear that the timing wasn't going to work for us. I went to guest services at whatever park I was in and asked them to check for a different dining time. Each time we asked, something worked out, although we were choosing rather late dining times (after 8pm). After making the new adr's, we asked the CM to cancel the earlier times, and each time were told it wasn't necessary- to think of how happy we were making a walk-up family! (Sometimes I think we here on the DIS are far too tightly-wound about WDW...)

 

[singitalto]

We just got back from 8 nights of free dining. One night we were in Magic Kingdom, and got caught in a thunder storm. That delayed our leaving in time to get to our Cape May Cafe reservation in time. So decided to skip Cape May and I figured we would try to walk up to a couple of restaurants that we had tried to get into, and couldn't get ADR's for.
We got laughed at at Crystal Palace(not a full laugh but a big smile and a nooo we don't accept walk ins- sorry!) At 'Ohanas we were told we would be seated in 1 1/2 hours, Kona said the same thing.
So don't try to walk up,at least to the popular restaurants.

 

[palavra]

I've had two ooportunities to get into restaurants without ADR"s, and both times, we were offered something. The first was at Tony's in MK in late June. We were only at MK for the day becuase this was a mostly Universal trip. We had not planned on doing any Disney parks, so we didn't have reservations. We were offered a table on the veranda at Tony's, and if it hadn't been so darn hot, we would have gladly taken it.

The second ooportunity was during our Thanksgiving week trip. We wanted to change reservations on the Friday after Thanksgiving. We were able to get a reservation at San Angel Inn at Epcot, with the help of the hotel concierge, on the Wednesday before Thanksgiving.

 

[clairemolly]

We'll be there the week before Thanksgiving which is very slow but with all the codes out right now I am already finding things to be much more booked up that years past (we always go this week).

We are going that same week, but originally booked without a code, and didn't have a code when we made our ADRs in May at 180 days out. I think the codes may have made it more busy, but aren't the only reason.

 

[MFLetou]

Our last trip I killed myself making ADR's. We were going during free dining but not using it ourselves, and the parks were unusually crowded for the time that we were there. The ADRs all went quickly but I got what I wanted.

Just as I had sort of feared, we ended getting too stressed out by them. Its hard with kids to plan perfectly, but with a bunch of reservations, you really need to. The food at most places is good, but...i live in the metro DC area, in the city I have business lunches all the time, and frankly--I can have a better meal locally than most places at WDW. No matter what the cuisine.

So this time we have very few ADR's--just Chef Mickey's and Crystal Palace. Our last trip, despite my killing myself with those ADRs that were gone in a split second, we witnessed walk ups getting taken at the same peak hours as our ADRs virtually everywhere we went. The only exceptions were Chefs de France, which puts a sign out, and Crystal Palace. As we were being seating, 2 other walk up parties were given tables at Le Cellier--granted, this was for lunch, but in the 12 hour, not real early. 50's Prime Time, same thing. And so on.

So...my wife and I would like to split off from the kids and my parents for a quiet meal or two. Yes, we'd love to go to Le Cellier for lunch. No ADR. Will we get there? I don't know. But I do think it is worth trying.

 

[disneyaway]

Our last trip I killed myself making ADR's. We were going during free dining but not using it ourselves, and the parks were unusually crowded for the time that we were there. The ADRs all went quickly but I got what I wanted.

Just as I had sort of feared, we ended getting too stressed out by them. Its hard with kids to plan perfectly, but with a bunch of reservations, you really need to. The food at most places is good, but...i live in the metro DC area, in the city I have business lunches all the time, and frankly--I can have a better meal locally than most places at WDW. No matter what the cuisine.

So this time we have very few ADR's--just Chef Mickey's and Crystal Palace. Our last trip, despite my killing myself with those ADRs that were gone in a split second, we witnessed walk ups getting taken at the same peak hours as our ADRs virtually everywhere we went. The only exceptions were Chefs de France, which puts a sign out, and Crystal Palace. As we were being seating, 2 other walk up parties were given tables at Le Cellier--granted, this was for lunch, but in the 12 hour, not real early. 50's Prime Time, same thing. And so on.

So...my wife and I would like to split off from the kids and my parents for a quiet meal or two. Yes, we'd love to go to Le Cellier for lunch. No ADR. Will we get there? I don't know. But I do think it is worth trying.

It is absolutely worth trying. We went in May ( the week before Memorial weekend). While the girls were at the Akershus breakfast, DH and my FIL decided to walk up to Le cellier at lunch time-- I think around 11 or 11:30. They were able to get in and had a nice meal. Good luck!

 

[shannon1119]

So...my wife and I would like to split off from the kids and my parents for a quiet meal or two. Yes, we'd love to go to Le Cellier for lunch. No ADR. Will we get there? I don't know. But I do think it is worth trying.

Just keep trying. I have dining reservations in my favorites and in my phone. We checked multiple times a day and got a LC for lunch

 

[rkrushing4]

My husband and I are going to try winging it for some meals on our upcoming trip. I have always planned all our days and ADR on our family trips so decided to treat him without tying him down to when to eat where. I have made 3 though. Didn't want to miss Cape May Cafe and eating in our resort at Boma. Also my B-day dinner at Fultons. So technically winging half of it. The biggest part of winging it is I want to be able to go to whatever park strikes us in the morning so I have made non park ADRs. Usually we pick parks by the hours and whats going on. I think what we will do is decide in the morning and call to see who has openings depending where we will be going for the day.
I agree also with keep trying. I was able to secure Boma for our September trip and Le Cellier and Cinderella Table for our November. Everyday its part of my daily schedule checking what new ADR are available that I might want to change. Good luck.

 

[shannon1119]

The biggest part of winging it is I want to be able to go to whatever park strikes us in the morning so I have made non park ADRs.

We will be there 7 nights and are leaving two days and nights completely open. We are doing this for a couple of reasons. 1) We don't want to feel 'tied down' every day. If we want to just sleep in and lounge around the resort, we can. Also, we ALWAYS go home with leftover QS credits and can always make a trip to DTD since that is where our favorite QS is anyway! We LOVE the DP but you do have to be careful to not overbook yourself. We did that one year and felt like all we did was rush at the parks to make our ADRs...a mistake we'll never make again!

 

[Missytara]

With more and more free dining extensions, I see less and less chance for walk-ups.