One TS for walk-ins?

[palavra]

Should Disney set aside one TS restaurant per park for walk-ins? Not everybody can plan a trip 180 days out. Also, there are people who have annual passes and live close enough to drive in for a weekend or so. And then there are those who simply don't know that most Disney restaurants require ADR's. Personally, I think one restaurant should not take ADR's and just seat people as they come. Yes, wait times might be long, but at least there might be a chance at eating somewhere other than CS.

 

[DVC Sadie]

I think it would be wondeful for Disney to have one TS restautant for walk ups but I don't see it happening due to logistics, which park, which resort or place to have that one restaurant.

 

[Tink888]

That's a great idea but I don't know how they'd choose which restaurant. Overall, I think there is TS availability with the exception of the really, really popular TS. In all the times I've gone to Disney, I have never gotten up at 7:00 am for ADRs, never made them 180 days out and with the exception of Le Cellier, I've always gotten the ones that I wanted. Family members have gone in June with no ADRs and walked-up and gotten tables.

 

[justplaingoofy]

well i guess there is always All star Cafe, Beaches & Cream, & ESPN

 

[CR Resort Fan 4 Life]

It sounds like a nice idea however I don't see it happening, because I think it's more complicated then we think.

 

[Chloesmom]

With the exception of peak times ( holidays, free dining, etc.) you can almost always find walk up availability at each park. We went over spring break and it was very busy and we were able to walk up to Sci-Fi, Boma, and Morrocco and we changed our times at Raglan Road the day of our ADR . We usually plan it all but sometimes things change and we have never had trouble getting seated someplace..

 

[disnut8]

Which restaurant? If you go out and read the reviews, no one can even decide on which restaurant is good or bad or average.

If they set, say, San Angel Inn aside for walkups, how many people really are going to want that type of food (personally, I like American Mexican, not Mexican Mexican)? Plus, you have so many character meals and special restaurants like 50s Prime Time and Sci Fi that not everyone really wants to do.

There are table service restaurants where you can get a last minute reservation like Grand Floridian Cafe and Captain's Grille. And there are enough counter service places that offer things other than burgers and fries (Flame Tree BBQ comes to mind).

I'd rather see Disney World go to a 60 day out window instead of the 180 days. And charge a cancellation fee for every reservation instead of just certain ones.

 

[LilyWDW]

There are restaurants on property that already do not take ADRs... they are not in the actual parks, but they do exist. Plus, while you won't get into say Le Cellier or Crystal Palace most likely, there are places at Disney that people have had good luck walking into. May not happen during free dining or Christmas, but it does happen.

 

[CR Resort Fan 4 Life]

And charge a cancellation fee for every reservation instead of just certain ones.

I thought for those specific locations the guests are only charged if they do not cancel their ADR's by a certin date, so they can get their money back on the deposit if they cancel before their ADR is suppost to happen.

 

[TheRustyScupper]

1) Restaurants want revenue and profit.
2) You get those by filling tables.
3) If you can fill the eatery with advance ressies, then that is good business.
4) So, why slight the advance-planning guest in favor of the last-minute guest?

 

[CR Resort Fan 4 Life]

1) Restaurants want revenue and profit.
2) You get those by filling tables.
3) If you can fill the eatery with advance ressies, then that is good business.
4) So, why slight the advance-planning guest in favor of the last-minute guest?

You make some good points, however when it comes to #4 I don't think WDW would be slighting any guests who make ADR's at 180 days out. If they did what the OP is asking they are still not changing anything for those who wish to make ADR's at 180 days out.

 

[MickeyNicki]

I really have not had that difficult of a time getting ressies. We live 3 hours away and do last minute stuff all the time, once with just 24 hours notice! We can always get ressies somewhere. And when we are already in WDW we have been able to change alot of our ADRs around.

The problem is the big hitters like CM dinner, CRT, Cali Grill, Le Cellier etc.

 

[disnut8]

I thought for those specific locations the guests are only charged if they do not cancel their ADR's by a certin date, so they can get their money back on the deposit if they cancel before their ADR is suppost to happen.

I was referring to a $10 per person cancellation fee if a party doesn't show up at all for their reservation. It doesn't make sense now because very few people make their plans six months in advance. But two months in advance would be much better to institute such a policy.

But all that is for another thread.

 

[TDC Nala]

No, what's the point?

Disney's been attempting to inform anyone who books through them (those who have the dining plan and absolutely need TS restaurants) that they will probably need TS reservations. Guests ignore that advice at their own risk.

There are also a number of restaurants that don't take the dining plan and where it's still possible to walk in if you don't show up at peak mealtimes. Most restaurants can be reserved same day or the day before (not the popular ones that have already been mentioned, and not during peak travel times or free dining). It's pretty much guaranteed that if they did set aside a restaurant for walkups only, it wouldn't be one of the popular ones. Guests would still be complaining that they can't get into those.

There are also already a few restaurants on the dining plan (Beaches & Cream, Big River Grill, ESPN) that don't take reservations.

And WDW has a vast array of counter service.

 

[CR Resort Fan 4 Life]

I was referring to a $10 per person cancellation fee if a party doesn't show up at all for their reservation. It doesn't make sense now because very few people make their plans six months in advance. But two months in advance would be much better to institute such a policy.

But all that is for another thread.

Oh ok, now I see what you were trying to say.

 

[DonaldTDuck]

You make some good points, however when it comes to #4 I don't think WDW would be slighting any guests who make ADR's at 180 days out. If they did what the OP is asking they are still not changing anything for those who wish to make ADR's at 180 days out.

I'm a planner. Suppose that one they set aside is THE ONE I want to eat at. I want to know I will get in. Seems like a big change for me.

 

[CR Resort Fan 4 Life]

I'm a planner. Suppose that one they set aside is THE ONE I want to eat at. I want to know I will get in. Seems like a big change for me.

Well wouldn't it not be a problem if you call on your 180 day mark? I can see the point your making which is a valid one, however that's why I said earlier setting aside one table is harder then it sounds.

 

[kaytieeldr]

Interesting idea, but it would not work.

How would the decision be made which restaurant would be the walk-in one?

Would it be the same restaurant every day? Every meal?

What if say, the MK walk-in restaurant was Crystal Palace, but then at the beginning of June Disney realized nobody was booking Tony's? Do they change that to the walk-in restaurant for July? Then they have all these open slots at Crystal Palace because none of the Guests who tried to plan over the last five months, could make a reservation there.

In fact, with only three table service restaurants IN Magic Kingdom, that means designating 33% of them for walk-ins only. In contrast, Epcot, with its twelve TS restaurants, only 13% of the restaurants would be blocked from advance reservations.

There's more, but "Unwrapped" is about amusement park food. I have to go now.