Short Notice Trip Next Week---Too Late to Make Good Reservations

[johnlv]

We did not plan this trip 180 days out like Disney recommends to get into decent restaurants. We go into some "B" list places like The Wave, Yacht Club Steak House, and others. What are the chances of getting a walk up at some of the popular places if we get there early? Does help to offer a cash gesture like we have had to do in Vegas and other cities?

Also, does Disney hold back any seats for walkins or is everything only done by reservation? We have a lot of reservations just not at the places we wanted. We heard about a steak place in Epcot and also wanted to try Ohana.

We are staying at the Beach Club.

 

[TDC Nala]

What are the chances of getting a walk up at some of the popular places if we get there early? Does help to offer a cash gesture like we have had to do in Vegas and other cities?

Slim, and probably not. You can always try a walkin but make sure to have an alternative plan.

Also, does Disney hold back any seats for walkins

No, they don't.

 

[johnlv]

Thank you for the information. We will try to plan our next Disney vacation and meals 180 days out to eat at a decent place.

 

[kaytieeldr]

Why do you consider those "B" list? Why not keep those reservations and relax at those (possibly) less-crowded restaurants? Enjoy discovering new favorites. Maybe even come back here and rave about them - make them the new A list restaurants. Just because they're not inside parks doesn't mean they're not better than the so-called popular spots.

 

[kaytieeldr]

Oh, and no, it absolutely does NOT help to offer a cash incentive to get seated at a WDW restaurant! Please don't even try putting the Cast Members or yourself in that awkward position!

 

[TDC Nala]

I would think it is the truth about Disney restaurants - the most popular ones are not necessarily the ones that have the best food. Nor do I understand why a restaurant is automatically not a "decent" place to eat because it is not one of the ultrapopular ones that books up at 180 days - some of that popularity is due to hype. WDW has more than 75 different table service restaurants and I've eaten at most of them. The Wave would be higher on my list than either 'Ohana or Le Cellier. Try the ones people aren't fighting each other to get in, you might like them.

 

[johnlv]

So far we have the following booked:

Ohana (Breakfast)
Cape May Café (Breakfast)
Kouzzina (Breakfast)
Mama Melrose’s (Lunch)
Yak & Yeti (Lunck)
Captains Grill (Dinner)
Coral Reef (Lunch and Dinner)
Kona Café (Dinner/May try to walk into Ohana first)
The Crystal Palace (3:40 pm)
The Wave (Lunch and Dinner)
Yachtsman Steakhouse (Dinner)
Cape May Café (Dinner)

We may try the new Italian and Mexican place as a walk in. I know we won’t use all of our reservations and I’m sure other people will do the same. We will make the best of it and enjoy whatever we can get at this point. I’m sure the food is palatable and fit for human consumption wherever we go .

 

[Harlemgirl720]

So far we have the following booked:

Ohana (Breakfast)
Cape May Café (Breakfast)
Kouzzina (Breakfast)
Mama Melrose’s (Lunch)
Yak & Yeti (Lunck)
Captains Grill (Dinner)
Coral Reef (Lunch and Dinner)
Kona Café (Dinner/May try to walk into Ohana first)
The Crystal Palace (3:40 pm)
The Wave (Lunch and Dinner)
Yachtsman Steakhouse (Dinner)
Cape May Café (Dinner)

We may try the new Italian and Mexican place as a walk in. I know we won’t use all of our reservations and I’m sure other people will do the same. We will make the best of it and enjoy whatever we can get at this point. I’m sure the food is palatable and fit for human consumption wherever we go .

You have some good restaurants. I wouldn't change a thing. A few of those you snagged are hard to get like Ohanas, Cape May for dinner (which has a good seafood buffet, IMO) and Coral Reef.

 

[johnlv]

We are staying at the Beach Club and wanted some stuff close by. I have heard great things about The Wave. I also called the Beach Club and they have a bus departing at 7:00 going to the MK that will take us to the early morning breakfast at Ohana. Someone must of canceled as the reservation wasn't available before.

We are not interested in the super fancy stuff this time but would go the CA Grill if it comes open. We do have a backup plan for every meal such as the Kona Cafe if we can't get Ohana without a reservation.

 

[herb102211]

You actually have a very good list of restaurants there, a lot of them are our favorites and "regular" reservations we tend to book (Crystal Palace, Coral Reef, Mama Melrose). Plus, its always exciting to try new restaurants. We try to book at least one restaurant that we've never eaten in before each trip. Who knows, some of those restaurants that you picked might become your new favorites.

If you keep checking the Disney dining website, people are constantly cancelling or changing their reservations, so a reservation that maybe wasn't opened today, might be tomorrow. We ended up snagging Chef Mickey's for dinner when I was on the site last week, for our upcoming trip next week.

 

[johnlv]

We are not renting a car this time and decide just to eat at WDW for all of our meals. We may pack some snacks so we don't have to purchase so many meals.

 

[EvilQueenT]

if you are looking at going over memorial day weekend plan on it being crowded so i think you'll have to accept that the most popular places won't likely be available. some really great places get overlooked tho...(flying fish for one) where you can almost always get in and have great food and service. sometimes being at a place (like narcoosee's and citricos) you can get in around 5-ish as a walk up

 

[cmesq61]

Why are the Wave and Yachtsman B list?

 

[jennylyn_b]

So far we have the following booked:

Ohana (Breakfast)
Cape May Café (Breakfast)
Kouzzina (Breakfast)
Mama Melrose’s (Lunch)
Yak & Yeti (Lunck)
Captains Grill (Dinner)
Coral Reef (Lunch and Dinner)
Kona Café (Dinner/May try to walk into Ohana first)
The Crystal Palace (3:40 pm)
The Wave (Lunch and Dinner)
Yachtsman Steakhouse (Dinner)
Cape May Café (Dinner)

We may try the new Italian and Mexican place as a walk in. I know we won’t use all of our reservations and I’m sure other people will do the same. We will make the best of it and enjoy whatever we can get at this point. I’m sure the food is palatable and fit for human consumption wherever we go .

IMHO, these are really good choices. The only one I would consider changing would be coral Reef but that is because I had a horrible food experience there. However, everyone has different experiences. Yachtsman steakhouse is amazing!!!!! We go to Disney about twice a year and the best advice I can give you about dining....just go with an open mind and see for yourself. Don't worry about what you didn't get , hopefully if you are lucky you will get what you wanted on your next trip or will forget you wanted it because what you ' ended up with' was a great meal with exceptional service !
Enjoy your trip

 

[Turtlegirl]

Yak & Yeti is our favorite restaurant! We're going there twice next month. Coral Reef was great once and GROSS once so perhaps only go for one meal there. Don't fret, you have a lot of great ressies!

 

[hannahdrewmom]

So far we have the following booked:

Ohana (Breakfast) YES!
Cape May Café (Breakfast)YES!
Kouzzina (Breakfast)YES!
Mama Melrose’s (Lunch)haven't been
Yak & Yeti (Lunck)YES!
Captains Grill (Dinner)haven't been
Coral Reef (Lunch and Dinner)mwah
Kona Café (Dinner/May try to walk into Ohana first)YES! I actually think it's better than Ohana
The Crystal Palace (3:40 pm)YES!
The Wave (Lunch and Dinner)YES! Hidden jewel!
Yachtsman Steakhouse (Dinner)YES! Delicious
Cape May Café (Dinner)YES!

.

You have some GREAT restaurant choices. I think you will be very pleased. I wouldn't worry about changing a thing!

 

[rapunzels]

That's a pretty good list too!!

That's a lot of ressies.. how many days are you going for???

 

[johnlv]

I figured The Wave was a "B" list place because they always have openings. The Coral Reef seems like it can be hit or miss. We may skip it and replace it with the pizza place. This will be our first time stay at a WDW hotel. We are were considering the Swan or Beach Club and went with the Beach Club. We are also considering eating at the beer place at the Boardwalk.

We are going to ask the morning we go to Ohana if they have something for the evening. I have heard it is the best place on WDW and you should do anything to eat there for dinner.

 

[johnlv]

I checked the reservation website this morning and a lot of "A" list places are showing up. There are either some cancelations or Disney is releasing some more tables. We were able to get into Le Cellier Steakhouse for dinner and had our choice of three different days. Ohana is still full but I will keep checking.

 

[TDC Nala]

We are going to ask the morning we go to Ohana if they have something for the evening. I have heard it is the best place on WDW and you should do anything to eat there for dinner.

You will find just as many bad reviews of 'Ohana dinner on this board as you will find good ones. Popularity doesn't equal best food all the time. I thought the food was pretty good (not fabulous or anything but pretty good and lots of food) but the service was awful. In my opinion you are not missing anything major if you can't get into 'Ohana; it's fun, but it isn't to die for. By no means would I consider it the best restaurant at WDW (and Le Cellier isn't either). You have what I consider to be far better restaurants on your list.

I also don't think the OP is using "A list" to denote quality, but popularity. As noted with Disney it is not generally one and the same.