Question about restaurant walk ups..

[disneyboy123]

Im curious about restaurant walk ups. I'm visiting next week and really want to eat at O'hana's for dinner, maybe Chef Mickey, but of course its all booked. If i were to do a walk up and say the wait is an hour or 2 hours, do I have to stay at the restaurant or can I leave and come back?

 

[Cheshire Figment]

You would have to stay. If an opening comes up and you are called you will then be cancelled.

 

[MOM POPPINS]

Go when they first open or closer to closing and you will have a better chance at being a walk up!

 

[purple figment]

Many of the restaurants will now give you a pager. You can only go as far as the range of the pager. If your entire group is not there when the pager buzzes you will not be seated.

 

[disneyboy123]

anyone know if its possible to keep calling the day of to see if there are any cancellations? Or is it 24 hour notice to cancel, thus should be calling the day before? or is it better to keep checking online for cancellations?

 

[AngiTN]

I think both of those are 24 hour in advance places so I'd check then. I'd call for sure. The website is too wonky.

Be prepared to hear them tell you that they won't take you period. I witnessed it a few times on our trip this year. A couple locations allowed walk ups to go on a wait list. Others told them they would be unable to seat them at all. Seems like 'Ohana was one that turned diners away, but I can't recall now for sure.

 

[momto3pirates]

You can also try at the concierge desk the morning you want to go. They may be able to find you a reservation.

 

[TDC Nala]

You're talking about two of the most popular restaurants at WDW. You may get a walkup, but you may not. You couldn't leave the restaurant area (at least the range of a buzzer) while waiting.

You can check whenever you want to get a reservation. Even the same day.

 

[schoen]

Take every piece of advice you get on this board with a grain of salt. A few years ago I needed to add a person to my 'Ohana reservation. I tried the website and called the number, but the computer kept telling me no. I asked on here if folks thought they would help me at the podium. Everyone said "no way!" The feedback on here had me convinced that I was out of luck, so I fretted, and worried, and let it consume my mind. And what do you know? When I asked at the podium they were more than happy to add a person for me. It was no big deal.

I would for sure at least try walking up. It might work, and it might not. I would be prepared to stay on-site, but I might ask at the podium if there was some place you wanted to go.

 

[matheke]

Take every piece of advice you get on this board with a grain of salt. A few years ago I needed to add a person to my 'Ohana reservation. I tried the website and called the number, but the computer kept telling me no. I asked on here if folks thought they would help me at the podium. Everyone said "no way!" The feedback on here had me convinced that I was out of luck, so I fretted, and worried, and let it consume my mind. And what do you know? When I asked at the podium they were more than happy to add a person for me. It was no big deal.

I would for sure at least try walking up. It might work, and it might not. I would be prepared to stay on-site, but I might ask at the podium if there was some place you wanted to go.

Well who ever told you "No Way" would be wrong. Can you add somebody at the last minute? Maybe. Can you get walk ups at the last minute? Maybe.

There is no definitive answer to those questions. We have no idea how booked, overbooked or underbooked any restaurant is or will be on any day or night.

All we can tell you is of our past experiences and to be prepared not to get what you are hoping to get, but it doesn't hurt to try.

 

[OhMari]

Last year, we went to Ohana's the Tuesday after Easter. We walked to the Podium at 5:00 p.m. and they said we can stand in line, that they had roped off for people with out ADR's. After they had everyone seated, they came out and seated all of us in line. There had to be at least 30 of us. He told my dh, it would be about a 20 minute wait and it was. We had the best service that evening too.

 

[StitchesGr8Fan]

You might get a walk-up, it doesn't hurt to try.

However Ohana is one of the most popular (and crowded restaurants on property so your chances are worse than with a lot of other restaurants.