Ressies ***(Absolutely Necessary????) ***

[Technosavant]

Some folks are just lucky- my parents once got a walk-up to Coral Reef. Generally, though, the more popular the restaurant, the more likely you'll need one. Occasionally there's a cancellation, but depending on those is more likely to result in disappointment.

I've found that some of the World Showcase restaurants (not Le Cellier, obviously) tend to be fairly easy to walk right into. I'm guessing that you don't have a whole lot of families where the kids are willing to eat Chinese, Japanese, or Moroccan. Character meals also tend to be far more popular. Resort restaurants tend to be more available, especially when everybody else is in the parks (like breakfasts at 9am, when most are at rope drop).

If you're willing to take what can be found or even default to counter service in places with precious little table service, going ADR-less can give some good freedom, but I wouldn't try it if I was on the dining plan (at some point you'll want something that's more popular).

 

[DisneyMom5]

This makes sense why things can be booked. I've actually never even looked into the free dining thing. I take it you buy free dining for certain restaurants on the list and you eat "free" after you pay for the plan? So its not really "free"???

And, in addition to what everyone else said, it's not only certain restaurants, it's the majority of the restaurants onsite. [There are some exceptions.]

To the OP - We were there the week before Labor Day, very low attendance, and a handful of restaurants were taking walk-ups or didn't look busy.

But 'Ohana had a 2 hour wait for a walk up, and Le Cellier had NO walk ups available for the duration. The person requesting one had called at 80 days out with NO luck, so was hoping for a cancellation.

Some restaurants are just more popular than others. Some will always have room. If you are a smaller group, AND not picky, you MIGHT get some TS meals. We were a big group, and wanted certain restaurants...I was on the phone at 90 days out!!!

 

[BradyBz12]

In my experience, whether or not you need ADRs depends on a few things...

1) How important is dining to your vacation - i.e., are you ok with eating CS the entire trip? CS options are limited in most parks (EP has the biggest variety) and you may find yourself faced with a whole lot of burgers and pizza.

2) When are you going?
If it's during the slower season (and there is NOT free dining offered) it's much easier to walk in or call the day of.

3) How many people in your party?
It's usually just DH & I and we've had fairly good luck walking up for a table of 2 without a crazy wait (also during slower times of the year)

4) How flexible are you?
Do you have to eat at "normal" lunch/dinner hours or are you ok eating early/late? We've been able to get "day of" ADRs loads of times, but sometimes it means having to eat at 9 or 10pm.

5) How much time do you have?
Are you ok with having to go look somewhere else because the 1st place you called/walked up to was full? This is particularly true of the TS restaurants in the parks, that tend to be the hardest to get into. If you're ok with heading to a resort or DTD, you will most likely have better luck without ADRs.

6) Do you have your heart set on eating at a certain restaurant?
If so, don't take chances and book the ADR, regardless of any of the other factors above. Especially true for ANY character dining.

 

[SNylund]

Thanks for all the tips, I think what I'll do is plan a few nights at some of the more popular sit downs and make ressies for those, and wing it the rest of the time, thanks again.

 

[Nancyg56]

I like to know that I have a meal planned where I want to eat and when I want to eat so I make ADR's. I know that it is possible to wing it and still have good meals but I have seen too many folks turned away to take that chance every night. WIth that said, I have had to cancel an existing ADR and make lasta change and had no problem.

 

[Brian_WDW74]

I've moved this thread to the Restaurants board.

 

[DonaldTDuck]

I guess I must be slow, but I can't figure out for the life of me how showing up right at opening(a specific time) or eating in mid-afternoon (a somewhat specific time) is better than making an ADR for a specific time. Expecially when only the ADR is surefire. I usually eat at Le Cel for an early lunch and there's a line of folks trying that 'first thing' strategy that are heading out in search of a place to eat.
If you really want to wing it, try the ESPN club. Their wings are great, and they don't take ADRs.

 

[PlutoLuvr]

There doesn't seem to be any rhyme or reason as to what constitutes "busy" season. We go all the time (2 - 6 times per year), and I've seen restaurants packed and everyone turned away without an ADR, as well as just about everywhere taking walk-ins.

We just returned from a week-long trip, YES, during free dining, and the restaurants were maybe 1/4 full at least at the times we were there. Some not even that full.

Biergarten was practically empty between 1 and 3 p.m. on a Sunday.

Plaza at MK was accepting walk-ins for lunch on a Tuesday. The couple in front of us was quote a "15-minute wait" without a ressie, but they were literally seated within just a few minutes.

Brown Derby on a Friday had about six people total in there for lunch!

Boma and Jiko were both accepting walk-ins that same Friday night for dinner.

This was the week of 8/29 through 9/5.

FWIW, the parks and hotels were positively dead, deadest I've seen living in Florida and hitting the parks every other month or so for years. Only other time I've seen it this slow was the week of 9/11/01.

To be safe, make a few ressies. You can always cancel if you decide later you'd rather wing it and the restaurants are obviously accepting walk-ins.

 

[pumba]

just returned last night and I heard most of the front people at the restaurants say sorry no walk ins....alot of people were surprised at this......we were sitting outside of Le Cellier and saw a couple think they would like to eat here after looking at the outside menu......they walked in and walked out.......and said wow no walk ins.....same with Tutto Italia.....only can comment on these two sit down restaurants as we were near the cm's taking the names at the front doors

 

[3boymthr]

We went in May. In contrast to the pp we saw a bunch of people get turned away from restaurants as they had no availability. This happened at Chefs, Tutto and Tony's.

There was a family on the waiting list for Dinner at Chef Mickey's - when we arrived we were seated within 5 minutes. This family had already been waiting for over an hour - with no guarantee of a table. They were told if someone didn't show up who need the same size table they would be seated or they could wait until the last seating (about 3 hours later .

I think availability definitely depends upon where you want to go and wether you are trying for lunch or dinner. Because on the same day people were turned away from Tony's, LTT was desperately trying to get people to try to come in and try the food. But it was also dinner at Tony's and lunch at LTT.

 

[MickeyNicki]

I am a nut job with reservations...I believe in having them for every day (for dinner at least) but then we change things up a bit and I get discouraged when there is nothing available at the place we want...

BUT...

My DH thinks he is some type of God because last month he wanted Teppan Edo and for 3 consecutive days I tried to get us in, no luck. Then he walks up at 11:55 am and we get seating within minutes. Same thing at the Plaza, they told us nothing available and 2 hours later he goes back to the podium and they sat us right away....this has happened abut 4 other times so from now on I am going to leave the ressie thing up to him