No ADR's

[tjmw2727]

By choice

Yes I know I may be crazy but for the first time in many trips I have only one ADR planned. Its a last minute trip and we just want to go where we want when we want and change plans last minute without having to be anywhere to eat. In addition we want to save some $ on food this trip and don't want long sit down meals.

I have a good idea of where we will eat and since quite a few of our evenings will be at Epcot IMHO they have some great counter serve options.

Of course its New Years week and I anticpate very large crowds. Other than eating at off times can anyone who does mostly counter serve meals give me any advice or warnings? One of my concerns is finding tables as it will be just me and my dd for part of the trip and I wouldn't have her try and get a table by herself.

So again- non ADR folks any support or advice for me??

TJ

 

[RMulieri]

If you are fine with CS then go for it.,but if you really want Ts,Don't try it.I like having adrs.This past week, I ate at a few places and out of all of them only Marrakesh was taking walkups.But if i was going solo , I would not do adrs either, just call and see try walkups etc, and if that fails Cs.

 

[figarofan]

I have gone with no advanced reservations before and enjoyed it. When I was at a park I would stop by guest services in the morning and ask what was available. I didn't always get what I wanted at the time I wanted, but I got to try many new restaurants I never would have tried and some of those places I have as favorites now.

 

[eliza61]

By choice

Yes I know I may be crazy but for the first time in many trips I have only one ADR planned. Its a last minute trip and we just want to go where we want when we want and change plans last minute without having to be anywhere to eat. In addition we want to save some $ on food this trip and don't want long sit down meals.

I have a good idea of where we will eat and since quite a few of our evenings will be at Epcot IMHO they have some great counter serve options.

Of course its New Years week and I anticpate very large crowds. Other than eating at off times can anyone who does mostly counter serve meals give me any advice or warnings? One of my concerns is finding tables as it will be just me and my dd for part of the trip and I wouldn't have her try and get a table by herself.

So again- non ADR folks any support or advice for me??

TJ

We also have gone over to the "Dark side" and don't do adr's. I may plan one or two in the span of 8 days but I much prefer to go without. Ironically and contrary to what every one on this boards believes, I've never gone 1 single day without a TS meal. i think most people here are simply to scared to step outside the little box disney has set up.

I will say I've never gone during extremely crowded times so that may change every thing.

Keys to our success
1) when we get up in the morning before heading out we call Disney dining and see whats available. You must be willing to be flexible. some times the parks are full but the resort hotels have a lot of openings. The great thing about this is that we have found some hidden gems that way.

2) You're right off hours usually have a lot more openings. If we're in a park we always head over to the dining concierge and see what's open later in the evening.
Also the great thing I've found about that while every one is eating dinner at 6:00 lines tend to die down (not sure if that's true during christmas & NY's but it works for us late sept & October).


The last 4 years my family (2 kids, 2 adults) have gone with very few ADR's and we love that style of touring.

 

[tjmw2727]

Thanks all, good to know we could get an ADR day of if we change our mind.

Honestly I am not sure if I even want to do a table service meal this trip. There really isn't anything we "must do" and the time and $ it takes isn't always worth the food served (with a few exceptions). I would be willing to try somthing new if we need to sit and rest though.

I guess my real concern is long CS lines and even worse walking around with my dd and our tray full of food with no place to sit. We will have breakfast in the room, snack mid morning and then late lunch and dinner. Hopefully this will eliminate some of the waiting. I do remember a few CS places where I could see the tables from the line in which case DD could find a table to sit and wait for me.

TJ