No ADR

[bebelle]

What is the likelihood of my DH and I getting into a restaurant without reservations during our stay 3/1-6? (for example...Boma, Japan, Liberty Tree, Sci-Fi, Concourse) We really didn't want to make ADR. We were really hoping for an unstructured vacation.

 

[chobie]

WDW is just not the best place for a "winging it" vacation. If you really want to try a certain restaurant then make an ADR. Otherwise, be prepared to eat CS or wait 2 hours for a table somewhere. Plus many places won't even take walk ins. If they fill up for the evening then that's it.

March is a busy month at WDW.

 

[Sunshein]

You are hitting right into March Break so it might be really difficult, but here is what you can try. Either go for very early or very late meals, or try getting the front desk CM at your resort to call ahead for you on the day of to see if there might be a last minute opening on the day of.

It also depends a lot on where you are hoping to walk in. At the parks it can be very difficult. It is a little easier at resorts and DTD or Boardwalk.

Good luck!

 

[michellem1118]

It can be really hit-or-miss. Last year when we went in April, during Spring Break, we were able to walk into both Le Cellier & Wolfgang Puck Cafe without reservations, at busy dinner times. When we went back in October, we were able to get lunch at both without ressies, but dinner was a no-go. We were able to walk in to other places at dinner that weekend though, and we made one ressie at a restaurant for the next day. For our upcoming honeymoon trip, I've already made all the ressies, but we're only in Orlando for 3 days before a cruise, so we planned meals around the parks we wanted to visit.

 

[ajleone]

WDW is just not the best place for a "winging it" vacation. If you really want to try a certain restaurant then make an ADR. Otherwise, be prepared to eat CS or wait 2 hours for a table somewhere. Plus many places won't even take walk ins. If they fill up for the evening then that's it.

March is a busy month at WDW.

I disagree we always wing it- and have the best time! I stop by guest relations in the morning and see whats available that evening for dinner and go from there. And as for it being March you shouldn't have any problem till the week after you leave.

 

[MamaCoog]

We just got back from 02/13 and when we ate at WCC they said they were not accepting walk ins... they were totally ADR booked. When we ate at Ohanas the next night they were telling walk ins 2.5 hours or more wait. I would recommend making a couple and worst case scenario, you go to the ones you can make and cancel the ones you cant get to. I made an ADR at Kona for breakfast one day and the night before I knew there was just no way we could make it so I went to the concierge desk and asked that it be cancelled.

 

[chobie]

I disagree we always wing it- and have the best time! I stop by guest relations in the morning and see whats available that evening for dinner and go from there. And as for it being March you shouldn't have any problem till the week after you leave.

But then you still have to plan your whole day around whatever place you will be eating at that night.

I assumed that what the OP meant was just waiting until it was lunch/dinner time and then heading to whatever place they felt like going.

Although your plan is slightly more winging it than making ADRs before the trip, you still are putting some planning into it and taking time in the morning to go to guest services and find out where you will be eating that night.

 

[eliza61]

WDW is just not the best place for a "winging it" vacation. If you really want to try a certain restaurant then make an ADR. Otherwise, be prepared to eat CS or wait 2 hours for a table somewhere. Plus many places won't even take walk ins. If they fill up for the evening then that's it.

March is a busy month at WDW.

I disagree, We never make adr's and always manage to eat 1-2 TS a day. The key is flexibility. If you definitely want to eat at Boma, make an adr. but you can enjoy your stay without them. I've never been in March so I can't comment on how busy it is. Here are my tips that have worked for us.

1) don't eat at the normal rush hour. Your right it's very hard to walk up to a restaurant at 6:00 pm. We have always been able to get into a restuarant on off hours, say 7:00 pm or how about an early dinner/late lunch. 4:30ish.

2) Try the resort hotel restaurants. The Yacht club gallery is absolutely one of the best kept secrets at the WDW. We have never ever had to wait to get in here and the food is great.

3) If you are very flexible, call disney dining in the morning, see what is available? Take what is offered. We have tried many great restuarants this way. Ones that we would have never ever tried.

We love touring without adr's. for us it means no more watching the clock to make sure we are in teh proper place at the proper time.

 

[eliza61]

But then you still have to plan your whole day around whatever place you will be eating at that night.

I assumed that what the OP meant was just waiting until it was lunch/dinner time and then heading to whatever place they felt like going.

Although your plan is slightly more winging it than making ADRs before the trip, you still are putting some planning into it and taking time in the morning to go to guest services and find out where you will be eating that night.

Not really, we will call in the morning and tell them where we will be and then they generally will tell us what is open. We like the fact that we can get up in the morning and decide where we will tour. Before we would make an adr say for Mk and then decide that we would rather go to MGM instead but then would decide not to because we had an adr at MK.

 

[septbaby]

I disagree we always wing it- and have the best time! I stop by guest relations in the morning and see whats available that evening for dinner and go from there. And as for it being March you shouldn't have any problem till the week after you leave.

This isn't winging it, but rather making ADRs each morning before you start your day, right?

 

[luv disney]

I could not imagine going to WDW without any adr's! Just try your best to schedule them when your family usually likes to eat their meals. We go several times a year and always see families turned away who didn't make an adr....

 

[ajleone]

This isn't winging it, but rather making ADRs each morning before you start your day, right?

No- we don't do it everyday nor do we always do it in the morning. Sometimes its 3 in the afternoon and we stop into guest relations and see whats available.

 

[Aliceacc]

Why not make tentative ADRs.

If you wake up that morning and don't feel like hitting that particular location, cancel the ressie and see what else is available.

You'll still have the safety net, just in case.

 

[Mkrop]

Why not make tentative ADRs.

If you wake up that morning and don't feel like hitting that particular location, cancel the ressie and see what else is available.

You'll still have the safety net, just in case.

This is what I would do esp if I had paticular restaurants I wanted. Just be polite anc cancel if and when you know you wont use them.

 

[Bill From PA]

this is 'our week', been there 8 of the last 10 years. Up to 2005 we'd get Teppanyaki on one day's notice and walk in to Akershus, Mexico and others without fail. Starting in 2006 we luckily got Le Cellier for 2 one day out and nothing for dinner at Epoct the rest of our stay. I've been booking ADRs since then 180 days out and even then sometimes don't get our preferred time although we do get our restaurant and date. Like some others we book something every day knowing we'll not use them all. Out of courtesy we cancel as far in advance as possible to open the time for others. You may blunder into one of these openings, but don't count on it. It may already be too late for you.

Bill From PA

 

[eliza61]

This is what I would do esp if I had paticular restaurants I wanted. Just be polite anc cancel if and when you know you wont use them.

This is what usually kills me, I always forget to cancel the things and then I feel guilty. I envision some poor little children with their noses pressed up to the window at Tony's Town square looking at the empty table where my buns should be. Like some dickens oliver twist scene.

 

[septbaby]

No- we don't do it everyday nor do we always do it in the morning. Sometimes its 3 in the afternoon and we stop into guest relations and see whats available.

But you are still making an ADR, right? Just later vs sooner?

 

[apostolic4life]

The two schools of thought at work here are simple:

1.) Plan your days and meals out in advance so you will be guaranteed a seat in the restaurant of your choice.



2.) Go to WDW without planning of any kind with a willingness to be flexible in what and where you eat.


Neither is right or wrong; it all depends on how you function and the wishes of your particular group. It drives me nuts when people want to declare one way is better than the other......to each his own!! We are of the planning school of thought because for us the dining is an important part of our WDW experience. At home, we eat very little fast food or counter service type food.....we are primarily sit down meal people so we make the decision to plan ahead so we can go to the restaurants of our choosing. Bill From PA is correct in saying flexibility is still important 180 days in advance too since you may not get the time you desire, but at least you can get into the restaurant of your liking. I can also see the fun of "winging it" if you just want to go and let the chips fall. With this though, you need to be willing to eat some counter service meals if sit down restaurants are booked. If this is OK for you then you will be fine........you can still get some great sit down dining even if you wing it, but you may have to settle for a second or third choice of time and location with out ADR's in place.

There are times of the year where "winging it" for sit down meals does not work because crowd levels are high. These times of year would dictate making ADR's for everyone since walk up business is always turned away.

 

[TinkerbellMama]

What is the likelihood of my DH and I getting into a restaurant without reservations during our stay 3/1-6? (for example...Boma, Japan, Liberty Tree, Sci-Fi, Concourse) We really didn't want to make ADR. We were really hoping for an unstructured vacation.

You will probably get into "a" restaurant, but you'd have to wait quite a while for the next available opening or eat someplace not as popular (The Plaza, etc.). You are going to waste a ton of time trying to get into Boma, etc. and may not get in at all. How is that fun? Sorry...you can't wing it and expect to get into the good places, especially if you are there during Spring Break season! Good luck!

 

[ksbean]

It’ll depend on how flexible as others mentioned you are and whether or not you'll be disappointed not to eat at certain places. With the way the US dollar is going there are a lot of visitors from other countries visiting WDW right now besides those of us in the US visiting. If it was me I’d make a few reservations just in case you can always cancel them later. We prefer eating at TS restaurants for the most part. To help we program the Dining number in our cell phones before we go so we always have the number availalbe. Just keep in mind if you decide to check at 6:30pm for a 7pm or so reservation you may find the only thing available is around 9pm. But then again you may get lucky and there’ll be something available. Good luck.