No ADRs!

[MaryPoppins983]

So I just called to make reservations for my trip in January and there are no available reservations for any of the restaurants I wanted on any days I am going to be there. I am assuming this is because of free dining. What are the chances we can still eat at the restaurants if we just show up? My family was planning to eat at the California Grill, Teppan Edo, Sci-Fi Diner, and Le Cellier. What have your experiences been when just showing up to eat at booked restaurants?

 

[PictureJumpr]

For most of your selections, chances are slim.

Le Cellier is going to be a definite 'no' for dinner. Lunch may be possible if it is a slower day and they've had no-shows.

California Grill is also more or less going to be a definite 'no.' This is a relatively small restaurant as compared to other WDW spots, and its view and service are both quite highly valued, so no-shows for it are unlikely. If you are set on this one, I'd say be ready to call each day until something opens up.

Teppan Edo is another one that is going to be tougher just based on real estate - its seating capacity is more limited than other locations.

Sci-Fi, on the other hand, is a possibility especially if you are asking at non-peak times - like 4 in the afternoon, for example, or right before park closing.




The key to dining without ADRs is flexibility and patience. You have to be willing to take 'no' for an answer and move on to plan B, too. I've done many trips without ADRs, and I've been on the cell phone on the bus in the morning headed to a park before and asked for an ADR for that evening, and gotten either the time slot I wanted at another location nearby, or the restaurant I've wanted at a different (usually much earlier or much later) time slot. And then again, I've been willing to eat QS dinners every night as a backup (there is enough variety in QS at WDW that this risk doesn't bother me). Keeping a list of restaurants grouped by proximity (near MK, between Epcot and Studios, etc) can help too - when you're on the phone that morning with Dining, you can know what else to ask for if they can't find you what you want.

 

[Tricia1972]

I can see that LeCellier is/would be booked up, but I just looked at random dates throughout January for your other choices and all have availability. I checked and even LeCellier has a dinner or two available mid month.

You may do better calling directly, or searching for broader terms "Dinner", etc vs looking for specific times.

 

[MaryPoppins983]

I just looked online and booked California Grill, Teppan Edo, and Sci-Fi for the days I wanted! Still crossing my fingers for Le Cellier....

 

[Tricia1972]

The date I saw was for January 19th, table of 4 when searching for dinner.

 

[FireDancer]

I often go in January for marathon weekend and the vast majority of the time I don't have many ADR's. For my 5 day trip this coming January I have 2 total. I have never had any trouble walking up to any restaurant I wanted. There are a couple of things to keep in mind though.

1. Eat at shoulder times. If you try to eat at noon or 5:00pm you will have more trouble then 10:30 or 7:15pm.

2. Don't try to get into the extremely popular restaurants like LeCellier. You can try but be prepared to be turned away which leads me to...

3. Be flexible. If you walk up to Marrakesh and they don't have anything go over a country or two and try something else.

It is very common for the ADR line to tell you nothing is available when there really is. In May 2009 I called from the lobby of the Contemporary to get an ADR at The Wave and was told there were none. I walked up and was sitting within 10 minutes.

 

[maxiesmom]

I just looked online and booked California Grill, Teppan Edo, and Sci-Fi for the days I wanted! Still crossing my fingers for Le Cellier....

If you can't snag an ADR, try walking up right when they open up for lunch. I did that during Spring Break and was able to be seated immediately.

There is no guarantee of it working for you, but it is worth a shot!

 

[bella77]

My suggestion is keep trying for the places you want. We decided to do a quick trip about a month and a half out. When I first tried to get ADRs, I got nothing that we wanted. I just kept looking everyday, and slowly but surely, I've gotten almost everything we wanted! And that is with a goup of 8. I guess a lot of people reserve spots before they really know what they want to do, and those spots open back up as they cancel them. So keep trying!