Once Again, Are ADR's needed

[jackmac]

I've always said "ADR's are not needed, just call the day that you want to go". But, I got a little worried, I wanted to have dinner during Illuminations at the R&C later this month. So I called expecting to have trouble getting the ADR, but there was no problem. I was looking for a table for 4 for 7:40 pm during the week of May 21, and I had my choice of days. So, for all of the non-compulsive planners out there, you won't go home hungry.

 

[FLonMYmind]

I think it depends on what month and what restaurant. Last year in May we walked right into Nine Dragons but couldn't get anything at Le Cellier. Better to be safe than sorry if you know for sure where you want to eat when. We will be there May 15-20 and made ADRs for about half our meals and the rest we'll just decide where to go when we get hungry and hope we can get in.

 

[dnbent]

I guess I'm the kind of person that would be so disappointed if we couldn't get into our favorite restaurants that we always make one ADR for each day we are there. Now that seems like a lot but there are always at least 5 of us and we each pick two places and an alternate and then I put them together based on the Extra Magic Hours, etc. We always say that it will be ok if we miss one or two but so far we always make it and since we know it was someone's pick it has always been very enjoyable.

I'ld rather be safe than sorry.

 

[MickeyMonstersMom]

I guess I'm the kind of person that would be so disappointed if we couldn't get into our favorite restaurants that we always make one ADR for each day we are there. Now that seems like a lot but there are always at least 5 of us and we each pick two places and an alternate and then I put them together based on the Extra Magic Hours, etc. We always say that it will be ok if we miss one or two but so far we always make it and since we know it was someone's pick it has always been very enjoyable.

I'ld rather be safe than sorry.

We think like that, too. Actually, over the winter (taking our minds off the cold!) we pulled out our old Passporter and the Unofficial Guide and each of us gave each TS place a score of 1 to 3. Then we added up the scores and created our "must go next time" list of the top scorers. After all that work, there's no way I'd trust our next trip to chance! I've made ADR's for August to make sure our hopes aren't crushed at the podium.

 

[pezpam]

Better safe than sorry seems to be the way to go. I just got back from WDW - when I checked in, I asked to have my ADRs printed out and the woman checking me in commented what a good idea it was to make them ahead of time. She said that a lot of guests had been walking in and asking her to make ADRs for their entire week's stay..... and getting angry when they couldn't eat when or where they wanted - or get one at all sometimes. Better to have an ADR for a place you like and be happy with it if you can't change it later than not to have one.

 

[KHubbs94]

I just got off the phone w/WDW. We had made ADRs for LeCellier on 5/14, then decided to go more child oriented and now we can't get anything @ Garden Grill! We have Coral Reef ADR as a back up on that day. Frustrated about our 5/14 ADR too, have 7:20 @ Whispering Canyon, we were hoping to have something before 7:00. I wish I had started making ADRs earlier! Our last trip was in 2000, we just called that day then, but we didn't have our ds 5 and dd2 then (well actually ds5 was there, but we didn't know it ) Maybe parenting has made me an over planner, but next trip I will have ADRs for every day and start making them 180 days out.

 

[glencoe]

With kids making ADR's is necessary. The worst is to be hungry and not be able to get into anything and not have any counter service meal that they will eat. It happened once to us and I swore never again!! I have my whole week done and we are going July30!!

 

[Disney_Freak56]

I tried for that same week as OP last year and was unable to get R&C two weeks before our trip. Guess you were just lucky -- this time.

Personally, I would never go without some ADRs. We have favorite places we like to dine at and not being able to dine at them during our vacation would be a major bummer. So we (okay -- me) make them and everyone is happy.

 

[HayGan]

Sure you may be able to find a place to eat but it likely won't be at your first choice (if it is a more popular restaurant!) The dining plan has certainly made ADRs tougher to come by! We had some difficulty in December getting times for several of the places that we wanted.

I would advise anyone who wants to eat at TS restaurants to make some ADRs so that they aren't completely shut out!

 

[pinkminnie]

Definitely get your ADR's. We just returned from Disney and luckily I had an ADR for every night. We watched at Le Cellier, 50's Prime Time, and Spoodles as people were turned away because they were fully booked. We were there the first week of May and the crowd level was pretty low. Ride waits were between 10 and 20 minutes. I think the dining plan may have something to do with it? Anyway, it never hurts to have an ADR to fall back on just in case.