Sci Fi Diner walk in

[Charmagne]

I originally wanted to eat at Hollywood Brown Derby with the hubby when we head to Disney World for our honeymoon. While I've had no issue booking a reservation there, my problem is that we decided we want to eat at Sci Fi Diner instead. How likely is it that we can walk in and get seated at Sci Fi Diner. I've been looking for an ADR for about a week now, and I havent had luck. I know that walk ins are nearly impossible for some places, but what about at Sci Fi?

 

[_auroraborealis_]

Allegedly, they hold a couple tables for walk-ins, but I would suspect your best chances are at off-hours, not at prime lunch or dinner.

 

[Charmagne]

Yea I was thinking of going in right at opening or end of lunch/dinner time. Just didn't know if there would be a good enough chance I would get in.

 

[BranR]

Are you trying to go for lunch or dinner? I cannot comment on walk-ins for dinner, but they definitely have tables available as soon as they open. The last time we dined there, two different groups came in requesting a table without reservations and were immediately seated. The only thing is you may not get a car. IF you want to have dinner there, maybe walk over as soon as it opens in the morning and request to be put on the list. I am not sure if that works though.

 

[HopperFan]

Traditionally if they accept walk ups they put you at the picnic tables at the back, holding cars for reservations.

BUT as with all things you won't know until you try. Never stop checking especially day/night before and first thing in morning on MDE. I've been turned away at podiums but found a table on MDE. And have Plan B.

 

[DrivenByDisney]

My wife and I just ate at Sci Fi last Thursday with no ADR's and it was around 4:00-4:30 or so in the afternoon. Obviously just the two of us and they quoted us a 30-40 minute wait. We ended up just sitting in the Writer's Shop for about 15 minutes and were seated in a car (as hitchhikers) The restaurant was about 1/3rd full when we were seated. Though it began to pick up as we left. Dinner hours of course.

We do this a lot even at peak times for the parks and very rarely do we (as two) wait longer than 30 minutes with no ADR's. Now, they have told us no straight up and we were good with that.

I know they have the tables at the back of the restaurant though we have never been asked to sit there. We have always been in a car as walk ups. We've probably eaten there at least 12+ times this year alone with no ADR's.

If you have your heart set on it, I would for sure try to get ADR's if you can. Other wise, try walking up at non-traditional dinning times.

 

[jillt2ph]

I also usually get seated in the 3rd seat in the cars when I go as a walk-up. Love being a hitchhiker!

 

[erinch]

We are eating there tomorrow at 11:30. I will see what the situation is. I couldn't get an ADR, and touring plans reservation finder found me one.

 

[suzimar57]

Twice we've been seated at those umbrella tables in the back (when we didn't have ADR)

It was so bright back there with the lights! (much prefer the darkness in the cars)

 

[MeganS721]

We have walked up at lunch before and only waited five minutes. There were only two of us though, so they had space for us in the back of one of the cars.

 

[Charmagne]

My wife and I just ate at Sci Fi last Thursday with no ADR's and it was around 4:00-4:30 or so in the afternoon. Obviously just the two of us and they quoted us a 30-40 minute wait. We ended up just sitting in the Writer's Shop for about 15 minutes and were seated in a car (as hitchhikers) The restaurant was about 1/3rd full when we were seated. Though it began to pick up as we left. Dinner hours of course.

We do this a lot even at peak times for the parks and very rarely do we (as two) wait longer than 30 minutes with no ADR's. Now, they have told us no straight up and we were good with that.

I know they have the tables at the back of the restaurant though we have never been asked to sit there. We have always been in a car as walk ups. We've probably eaten there at least 12+ times this year alone with no ADR's.

If you have your heart set on it, I would for sure try to get ADR's if you can. Other wise, try walking up at non-traditional dinning times.

When you say 'hitchhikers' do you mean you sit with random people in a car? My husband wouldn't like that too much, so I'm going to keep trying to get a reservation.

 

[HopperFan]

When you say 'hitchhikers' do you mean you sit with random people in a car? My husband wouldn't like that too much, so I'm going to keep trying to get a reservation.

Yes the folks in the back seat are called hitchhikers. As an FYI, just because you have a reservation does not mean you won't still be hitchhikers if you are a party of 2. It seems that couples will usually be sat in the third seat behind a larger group OR a car will be filled with multiple couples.

If you are thinking that you will sit in a car alone the odds of that are slim. The restaurant, like most, works with stations and they will evenly fill sections for the servers working and leave other cars completely empty. I go every trip, and often there are two of us ... we have always shared our car.

This is a restaurant that is "communal" seating, although you since it's not easy to converse with those in other seats, it seems slightly more private.

 

[focusondisney]

When you say 'hitchhikers' do you mean you sit with random people in a car? My husband wouldn't like that too much, so I'm going to keep trying to get a reservation.

FYI: depending on your party size, you may be in a car with other people. You will get your own car if there are 5 or 6 in your party. If you have 3 or 4 in your group, you will have " hitchhikers" ( a party of 1 or 2) sitting in your car. If you are a party of 2, you will be the hitchhikers in a car. It really is a nonissue. The cars are 3 rows that each fit 2 people. So the first 2 rows are the party of 4; last row different party of 2. They will not just leave seats open because you don't want to share a car. But they also won't have you in rows 1 & 3 with strangers in between. You don't have to interact with strangers or anything. We are a party of 2 & are never bothered by being behind others. And we don't bother them either, lol!

And that will happen even if you have reservations. Try for the reservation to lessen your wait & to make sure you get a car. But having a reservation won't stop them from having someone else in that car with you.

 

[Charmagne]

Thanks for the input, everyone! If I don't get an ADR, I'll go up to the podium on the day of to request a reservation!

 

[Charmagne]

I'll keep this all in mind! I'd still like to eat there, but it's good now that I know that there's a good chance other people will be seated in the same car, too!!

 

[Squirlz]

We go during slow weeks of January and December and make maybe 1 ADR per trip. The first time we tried SciFi was after exiting the cars stunt show, about 2:30. Figured they would be swamped with all those people leaving the show but we were seated in a car in about 5 minutes. We were behind another couple and I found that I preferred that. Nobody looking over your shoulder. A couple days later we tried again and were told the wait was 45 minutes. We went to the ABC Commissary instead, which was dreadful. We should have waited. So you just never know.

 

[HollyMD]

Stealing the thread here, I have a quick question about the set up- we have a party of 5 in Oct, with one being a 1 yr old. Do they have room at the ends of the cars for high chairs or are we doomed to picnic tables?

 

[focusondisney]

Stealing the thread here, I have a quick question about the set up- we have a party of 5 in Oct, with one being a 1 yr old. Do they have room at the ends of the cars for high chairs or are we doomed to picnic tables?

Yes, they can put a high chair next to the car for you. I have seen it many times. Enjoy!

 

[HollyMD]

Yes, they can put a high chair next to the car for you. I have seen it many times. Enjoy!

Great, thank you!