Priority Seating Question

[AdventureGuru]

Is it possible to make your priority seatting the day you want to go to the resturant? BF and I dont like to choose before-what if we're not in the mood...but if we get there and there is some place we want to go can we make PS that day?
Thanks

 

[LakeAriel]

Is it possible to make your priority seatting the day you want to go to the resturant? BF and I dont like to choose before-what if we're not in the mood...but if we get there and there is some place we want to go can we make PS that day?
Thanks

You can certainly try! I have done that successfully. Don't expect much during free dining though.

 

[JimMIA]

Can you do it, sure. Will you be successful? I sure wouldn't count on it, especially if you are there during a busy time.

We tried that during December last year and some of the restaurants were so busy they were not even keeping waitlists...much less taking last minute reservations (which, incidentally, are now called Advance Dining Reservations or ADRs)

 

[Tam1067]

We just got back on Tuesday and during our trip were able to walk into Kona for lunch and breakfast without ADRs. We had ADRs for every dinner, however. One day the restaurant board at MK said they had ADRs available for lunch seatings at Crystal Palace, and dinner at Plaza, Tony's, and Liberty Tree Tavern, but then another day, the sign saying no priority seatings were available was up, and I saw people attempting to get into Crystal Palace being turned away. It really depends. I'd say that if you're looking for lunch or breakfast at a non-character place, you'll have a better chance than if you're trying to get dinner, but it's certainly not impossible either.

 

[thunderbird1]

Yes, you are allowed to make same day reservations or even walk up to pretty much any restaurant. But this won't work at all restaurants, and not during all times of the year (free dining, Christmas week, etc.). We've usually had pretty good luck with same day reservations as long as we weren't trying to go to the most popular places at the most popular times.

My dh also would prefer to "go with the flow," but I'm worried about not being able to get in to our favorite places, so we've compromised. I've made ADR's for every night. If we change our minds while we're down there, we can always call to cancel (AFTER we make sure we can get into whereever it is we want to go on a whim). This way, at least we have a place to go if we can't get into anywhere else.

 

[Figment2]

Depends on the time of year. We were there in early May and couldn't get same day reservations a couple of times.

At one point, we asked dining to check for ANY restaurant in the MK area including the hotels for anytime between 4 & 6 for a group of six and NOTHING was available.

Our group who always do table service ended up doing counter service.

Cyn

 

[AdventureGuru]

ok thanks.
is it possible to call and ask for what they do have available....and then spin the wheel from there?

 

[Mickey-4-Me]

ok thanks.
is it possible to call and ask for what they do have available....and then spin the wheel from there?

Yes, call 1-407-WDW-DINE immediately. We made ADRs for all of our TS meals. I wanted to call and change an ADR to LeCellier (because we read so many good things about it on DIS) with no luck on any night we are there. The CM that I spoke with actually chuckled (jokingly) at me for thinking I could get that ADR 30+ days out. Good luck.

 

[BrerMama]

Possible? Yes. Probable? Depends on if you're going during free dining. If you're not choosy about where and when you eat, you can certainly call in the morning and ask what they have available that evening.

 

[Amyg]

We just returned last week and you can wait but it's the luck of the draw on whether you'll get what you want or not. We ate at Crystal Palace at 6 p.m. and the wait was only 10 minutes. We had ADR's at 50's Prime Time at 6 p.m. another day and the guy was turning away people with no ADR's because they were totally booked.

People cancel all the time so you never know. I'm kind of anal about these things so I HAVE to have ADR's.

 

[AdventureGuru]

unfortunately, we like to fly by the seat of our pants...well BF doesnt like to commit to anything as far as meals go...but then again he can never make up his mind as to what he is going to eat either... (men!) So, I dont bother w/adrs b/c with my luck he wont want italian or steaks the night we are in epcot and he wont want to eat at Chef Mickeys just cuz...so I just wait until he gets tired and hungry and go from there!

He's a pain in my bum but he is all mine!
Sometimes life if fun if you just drop back and punt! Isnt that what vacation is all about? (ok well sometimes for some people-dont flame me here)

 

[bicker]

My wife likes to fly by the seat of her pants too, but keep in mind that there is no harm in making ADRs yourself, and if they aren't what your BF wants to do, just cancel them when you make the new ADRs that you BF does want. That way, if you cannot make the ADRs that your BF does want, you still have your original ADR to fall back on.

 

[The Sweetness]

I agree with the above post. If you dont make any adr's you may well be eating every meal as CS. Which isnt the worst thing in the world, but it can get boring

 

[Deb & Bill]

unfortunately, we like to fly by the seat of our pants...well BF doesnt like to commit to anything as far as meals go...but then again he can never make up his mind as to what he is going to eat either... (men!) So, I dont bother w/adrs b/c with my luck he wont want italian or steaks the night we are in epcot and he wont want to eat at Chef Mickeys just cuz...so I just wait until he gets tired and hungry and go from there!

He's a pain in my bum but he is all mine!
Sometimes life if fun if you just drop back and punt! Isnt that what vacation is all about? (ok well sometimes for some people-dont flame me here)

If you are paying for the dining plan, I'd skip it. If you are getting it free, it won't be any loss if you don't use all your TS credits. Just don't get upset if you can't find anywhere to eat TS.

 

[HaleyB]

unfortunately, we like to fly by the seat of our pants...well BF doesnt like to commit to anything as far as meals go...but then again he can never make up his mind as to what he is going to eat either... (men!) So, I dont bother w/adrs b/c with my luck he wont want italian or steaks the night we are in epcot and he wont want to eat at Chef Mickeys just cuz...so I just wait until he gets tired and hungry and go from there!

He's a pain in my bum but he is all mine!
Sometimes life if fun if you just drop back and punt! Isnt that what vacation is all about? (ok well sometimes for some people-dont flame me here)

Your ticker is for Free dining time period. Last year that time of year we saw signs at 9am in front of MK saying there were no avaliable ADR's at all. Same thing in Epcot... we ran into lots of people who could not get in anywhere because they did not have a back up ADR. Get on the phone right now and make some.

 

[aubriee]

Your ticker is for Free dining time period. Last year that time of year we saw signs at 9am in front of MK saying there were no avaliable ADR's at all. Same thing in Epcot... we ran into lots of people who could not get in anywhere because they did not have a back up ADR. Get on the phone right now and make some.

We were there last Sept 17-24th and saw the exact same thing. I'd make at least some ADRs or there's a good chance you'll be eating CS every day, unable to even use you TS. Last Sept we saw several irate people cursing restaraunt staff saying Disney gave them free dining, then wouldn't let them eat anywhere. The parks are empty that time of year, but the TS restaraunts were packed.

 

[AdventureGuru]

I guess the way around that is to eat TS at lunch instead of dinner...it isnt as great but unless there is something that I really really want most of the stuff you can get at dinner you can get a lunch....can you order dinner at lunch? we will have to see...I'll have to chat with BF and see what he says...I hate when plans dont go as well..
When we went to WDW in Jan we could have walked into everything! So, as far as I can see I could walk onto rides or have minimal wait but wait or not get to eat dinner...

You would think that if Disney knows its going to be busy during free dining and would adjust their schedules accordingly. Oh well..its all about money...and I'm all about free food!

So, can you use your TS for counter service?

 

[Cookie Princess]

You are a tad crazy if you don't make any ADRs during the free dining period. Last year we went to WDW in early November which is not free dining and supposedly a "slower period". There were numerous families at our hotel and the theme parks complaining because they had the dining plan, but couldn't get into any of the restaurants. They had tried to call that same morning, but everything they wanted was booked solid. This year we are going during the free DDP and I expect the restaurants to be busy.

I would make some ADRs and not tell the BF. If you don't need them when you "drop back and punt" that is great, you can always cancel them. It would be too bad to be on the DDP and not get to experience some of WDWs better restaurants. Just my 2 cents...I would hate for you to be kicking yourself on vacation.

 

[bicker]

can you order dinner at lunch?

Sometimes, but much less often than you can order lunch at dinner. Regardless, neither is something you can count on. Using TS credits for lunch still might be "worth it" but the probability is much lower.

When we went to WDW in Jan we could have walked into everything! So, as far as I can see I could walk onto rides or have minimal wait but wait or not get to eat dinner...

That's actually when we were there. The specific date I observed what I relayed earlier (no TS places available for dinner at the MK) was Thursday, January 19.

You would think that if Disney knows its going to be busy during free dining and would adjust their schedules accordingly.

How so?

So, can you use your TS for counter service?

My understanding is that some hotels have been willing to convert some TS credits to CS credits for you, on a one-for-one basis. However, it isn't automatic, and, of course, you cannot switch them back (or ever convert a CS credit into a TS credit).

 

[Deb & Bill]

...You would think that if Disney knows its going to be busy during free dining and would adjust their schedules accordingly. Oh well..its all about money...and I'm all about free food!...

That's what most of the people going at that time have on their mind. So if you want ANY of that free food, you definitely will need ADRs. I bet lunch time TS will be as difficult to get as dinner time TS. There are only so many slots at each meal time.

Like I said on another thread - your choices might be Tofu Mickey's or Goofy's Blood Sausage Factory. At 10PM.