Pre-booking musts?

[VSL]

OK, so apart from the Character Dining breakfasts/meals, which restaurants/packages on Disney Property require you to pre-book (or otherwise you'll have NO chance of getting a seat there)?

I'm talking about the ones that really need to be arranged before you leave home as opposed to what can be arranged a few days beforehand.

Also, what restaurants can you not just walk into and get a seat (whether there's a wait for it or not)?

TIA!

 

[ceecee]

You didn't say when you were going. We usually have had good luck with just walking in during off season, this year I plan to make PS due to the free dining plan. I would say if you really want to go somewhere make one.

 

[VSL]

You didn't say when you were going.

Good point!

I'll be in WDW between [and including] 7 Dec 2005 and 23 Dec 2005.

I do not have the Dining Plan, BTW (although this MAY change).

 

[erikthewise]

There are relatively few instances in which you MUST have an AR or have virtually no chance of getting in. Those would include the Princess character meals, Victoria & Albert's, Hoop Dee Doo Revue dinner show, and no doubt others I'm not aware of. I'm not aware of any restaurant (including these) that would turn away a walk-up if seating were available. But there is always a chance of walk-ups being turned away at popular restaurants, especially at busier times.

Would you rather be seated immediately or after a 5 minute wait?
Would you rather wait 10 minutes or 20 minutes?
Would you rather wait 20 minutes or an hour?
Would you rather eat at your first choice of restaurant, or have to look elsewhere?
Would you rather eat at table service or counter service (because no table service seating is available)?

If you prefer the first choices, make ARs. Even if you do so earlier the same day.

That said, for the first 10 days of your stay, crowds have historically been pretty light. You can probably get seated without ARs at many places, even without wait, depending on the restaurant and the time. From the 17th to the 23rd crowds will increase dramatically. It's more important to have ARs at this time.

 

[Mysteria]

Good point!

I'll be in WDW between [and including] 7 Dec 2005 and 23 Dec 2005.

I do not have the Dining Plan, BTW (although this MAY change).

Because of the time you are going I would make prior arrangements at any World Showcase restaurants that participates in the Candlelight Processional package. They are often booked solid.

Myst

 

[Aimeedyan]

When we went in May, they were turning anyone away without an AR at Brown Derby, 50's PT, Sci Fi, and Ohana's. They were taking walkups at Whispering Canyon and Yachtsman. The parks were not crowded AT ALL.

If you want to dine for dinner anyplace that offers the candelight processional package, I would make an AR for it as they will book (sorta like the Fantasmic package at MGM and dinner seatings).

You can always have guest services at your hotel get you into a place the day of, or even 1 hour before (we did that at Sci Fi! but yet they weren't taking walkups if we had waited and just gone there) if you want to dine someplace.

 

[cobbler]

We usually go the week after Thanksgiving into the first week in December when it is traditionally a slow period and I made one PS/AR a day for where I wanted to eat. There were more times than not that people were turned away because they didn't have a PS. If they extend the free dining plan I assume it would be the same way if not worse.

If you know you really want to eat somewhere then make the AR!

 

[VSL]

Thanks for all the replies!

Thankfully, I have a few months to think things through, but now I have an idea of what to expect

 

[Deb & Bill]

Two weeks ago they were turning people away from La Cellier.