Sci-fi Dine-In Theater - Walk in?

[ROBEAR84]

We've had to swap our AK and DHS days round - as The tree of life and It's tough to be a bug are closed during the day we planned in our first week and the Frozen show etc at DHS will be finishing then too, so makes sense to swap.

We had dining reservations for Tusker House at AK, which amazingly I've managed to rearrange albeit for 3:55! must've got lucky there.

However the Sci-fi dine in theater has no availibilty now. Annoyingly I'm sure that they did until quite recently as I'd toyed with the idea of swapping before but there were no Tusker house reservations then!

How likely is it that we'd be able to get a table with not too long a wait there? I'm not expecting great food, but the kids were really looking forward to lunch here. There will either be 5 or possibly 8 of us which I'm guessing if 8, might make it harder too.

Should I just give up on this one?

 

[chmurf]

We've had to swap our AK and DHS days round - as The tree of life and It's tough to be a bug are closed during the day we planned in our first week and the Frozen show etc at DHS will be finishing then too, so makes sense to swap.

We had dining reservations for Tusker House at AK, which amazingly I've managed to rearrange albeit for 3:55! must've got lucky there.

However the Sci-fi dine in theater has no availibilty now. Annoyingly I'm sure that they did until quite recently as I'd toyed with the idea of swapping before but there were no Tusker house reservations then!

How likely is it that we'd be able to get a table with not too long a wait there? I'm not expecting great food, but the kids were really looking forward to lunch here. There will either be 5 or possibly 8 of us which I'm guessing if 8, might make it harder too.

Should I just give up on this one?

With the App you can now make ADRs up to 20 minutes in advance. So that's one more chance to get a table on the day.

but there are not many TS options at DHS, so the restaurants are often booked solid

it depends on when you go (especially if it's free dining season ... which tends to be nearly all year long now ...)

a party of 8 will require a limo (8 seats), so basically you'll need 2 tables, and you might be told that there will be availability later but you won't be seated at the same table (in the same car)

I would seek another plan, as walk in for 8 people is something I wouldn't bet on.

 

[MarkF0wle]

Whenever I have eaten there is always been rammed & they have been simply turning away anyone without reservations. But that said with the CC policy now in force you can still grab a reservation the night before when people cancel to avoid the fee.

It's worth a try if you really want to eat there however & September is a quiet time of the year but I would have a backup plan as I would say you have a lower chance of success since the tables that seat 8 there are in limited supply.

 

[darthtatty]

we were there last week and they were taking walk ins, they had a 45 min wait.
There seemed to be lots of empty tables at most of the restaurants in August.
I know with 8, youre more likely to struggle but if you try and avoid the peak times, they you might get lucky.

good luck.x

 

[mackay_j]

just to add with 8 you won't get to sit in the cars - you will get tables near the back and center. We managed to let then allow 7 in our car a 10 days ago (no walk in at 2pm ish that day)- but that was because two of our party are quite small.

 

[Elise79]

September is traditional US free dining so I wouldn't count on a walk in at any park restaurant even less so with a larger party of 5 or 8. Sorry, I would make other plans

 

[scoobydooby]

Check the app daily. People do cancel so your best bet now is a cancellation. Good luck!

 

[KenDoll]

I was there the last three september/octobers and i had walked in with a party of 6 just fine. I'd say give it a try, you can always ask them in the morning and then head back around lunch time as well. We even scored a walk in with Canada last time. We only ever make our ADR's for Tusker House and the rest we just do walk in, and it has always worked for us because typically september is slow, I mean just look at the park times, their forecast for people is much lower than other months.

 

[zavandor]

Walkins at the Sci Fi usually get the picnic tables on the back instead of the cars tables. So even if you get a table, it wouldn't have the wow factor of dining in the cars.

 

[ROBEAR84]

Thanks all, sorry I thought I'd replied already!

Figured that might be the case. Guess I just didn't realise how popular it still was. Up until a month or so ago it was still coming up with options and I was thinking the iffy reviews recently may have had an impact, but perhaps not!

Thanks for the day before tip, didn't think of that but will check then, and if not never mind, given the choice, I'm just glad we managed to rearrange our Tusker House meal!

 

[flortlebap]

If it's any consolation, it isn't just you! We needed an ADR for the last day of our trip and 42 restaurants are fully booked.

I'm so glad I made the rest of our ADRs 180 days out, but it seems the days of walk ups are limited. That said, I do think there will always be SOMETHING available, as long as you aren't picky about where or when you eat!

 

[ROBEAR84]

If it's any consolation, it isn't just you! We needed an ADR for the last day of our trip and 42 restaurants are fully booked.

I'm so glad I made the rest of our ADRs 180 days out, but it seems the days of walk ups are limited. That said, I do think there will always be SOMETHING available, as long as you aren't picky about where or when you eat!

Ah, yes it's so hard this close!

No not picky, would have been something a bit different that I know the kids would have liked but we're off site anyway so can always grab something on the way back to the villa if needs be too

We have another evening at DHS when sods law we can get a res for 9pm, but I think it's available as it clashes with the Frozen fireworks... the reason we're going back another day!

 

[ROBEAR84]

Woo hoo! 2 days to the off and I managed to get a reservation for the 25th! glad I kept checking

I have one here for the 1st and a few other cancellations to do now if anyones after them (1st October 1:20PM) , Tusker House (25th 10:45 & 1PM) or the Plaza restaurant (23rd 5:25) . Have added to the cancellations thread on the dining reservations board. All are for 5 apart from sci-fi which was for 6. Haven't done yet but can co-ordinate times up until Friday lunchtime when we leave for Gatwick