Should Disney get rid of ADR'S?

[kerplop]

I know it's not quite the same thing, but when I was a kid we used to go to Disneyland and at the time (pre-CA) there were a grand total of three sit down restaurants - Blue Bayou, Golden Horseshoe, and I can't remember the name but it had Polynesian food/a show. There were no ADRs and you had to sign up at the start of the day in the park for reservations or if you were staying in the hotel you could book then. If you didn't get in? Out of luck and you had to eat a counter lunch and dinner. I like ADRs because they actually give me a fighting chance of getting into restaurants for a good meal where I want, when I am planning to be in that park. I can't imagine the stampede to restaurants at mealtimes if they didn't exist. In a perfect world would I enjoy just walking up to restaurants? Absolutely, but it won't work at a Disney park imo.

 

[WDWLODGE]

Getting rid of ADR's is a ridiculous idea. The lines at the popular restaurants would be longer than some attractions. Like it or not ADR's are a part of planning your WDW trip. For me, I love the planning stages and have no issues planning out our days 200+ days out.

 

[disneygymmom]

What I don't understand is, 8-9 years ago you could get into most theme park dining by simply calling the morning you were headed to the park or going by the restaurant fairly early in the morning. Were there less people? I doubt it. Less hype is what I think. We stayed at the Contemporary for two weeks and ate at CM nearly every day without ADRs. Now, there's no way that would happen. Kinda sad I think. I don't mind planning my vacation but I think 90 days out for ADRs is enough.

 

[KingdomHeartsFan]

What I don't understand is, 8-9 years ago you could get into most theme park dining by simply calling the morning you were headed to the park or going by the restaurant fairly early in the morning. Were there less people? I doubt it. Less hype is what I think. We stayed at the Contemporary for two weeks and ate at CM nearly every day without ADRs. Now, there's no way that would happen. Kinda sad I think. I don't mind planning my vacation but I think 90 days out for ADRs is enough.

I'm pretty sure you can thank the Disney Dining Plan for that one. I wish I was there for those days you speak of, but I didn't take my first trip to Disney till 2004.

 

[sjs314]

While I do miss the days when you could just about walk up to any restaurant in Disney and be able to be seated, since the advent of the DP it can not be a reality now.

 

[danielle782001]

nope

i agree

 

[mjkacmom]

No way would I like WDW to get rid of ADR"s. I would much rather, as other posters have said, plan my meals 6 months ahead of time than waste precious hours of our vacation waiting around. There are too many restaurants where we live that don't take reservations, and we avoid them because no restaurant is worth an hour or more wait. Don't want to go through the same thing while on vacation.
.

I was thinking the same thing! We have many popular restaurants here that take reservations, but you have to make them well in advance. We also have many popular restaurants here that don't take reservations, and there are horrible waits. Give me the opportunity to make reservations!

 

[think-like-tink]

Nope. I don't think the should get rid of ADR's. I like having my character meals booked so, if we don't see Mickey in the park....my kids will get a hug from him at a meal. This lets us stand in lines for attractions! We already stand in line for attractions....characters.....I could not imagine waiting in line for a hour or two for food.

 

[Robo]

Disneyland and at the time (pre-CA) there were a grand total of three sit down restaurants -
Blue Bayou,
Golden Horseshoe, and
I can't remember the name but it had Polynesian food/a show.

"Tahitian Terrace"

 

[Bellamouse]

Does anyone remember back in the early 80's (I was there for the first time in 1983), when they had a line at Epcot that you got into and you waited for a spot at a bank of television screens. Each screen was a reservations agent with a "skype" type set up - they could see and hear you, you could see and hear them - and they would set up your dining reservations for the day as soon as you came into the park! It was a cool concept at the time (pre-computer days), but it took a long time as I recall to get through that line.....

I also think the always full restaurants also has more to do with changes in people's lifestyles. When we were kids, no one ate out except for some big occasion. Then as we got older, it was typical to go out maybe once a week. Now people eat out all the time and it's a normal way of life. Hardly anyone even cooks! So perhaps "back in the day", people brought in their own food more, went back to their rooms and ate, ate at counter service more and just did maybe one or two TS meals as their big treat. I don't think people see it the same way anymore. We have a TS meal planned for every day, and sometimes two in a day.

Restaurant dining has changed too - there's a ton more choice and higher quality food than say 20 years ago. With all that choice, it's all the more fun to go out. So much to try that we don't want to miss out. Moroccan food, Indian food, amazing seafood prepared all kinds of new ways, fancy desserts, etc. All that was much more limited say 20 years ago.

 

[JimmyV]

I know it's not quite the same thing, but when I was a kid we used to go to Disneyland and at the time (pre-CA) there were a grand total of three sit down restaurants - Blue Bayou, Golden Horseshoe, and I can't remember the name but it had Polynesian food/a show. There were no ADRs and you had to sign up at the start of the day in the park for reservations or if you were staying in the hotel you could book then.

When Epcot first opened, they used a similar system. There were several "World Key" interactive kiosks that you would rush to when you entered the park and use the touch screen to access what can be best described as a "Skype 1.0" video phone. You would talk "face-to face" with a CM (usually female, wearing a Judy Jetson jumpsuit outfit) and make dinner reservations for that day. Cool system, but totally impractical.

ETA: Bellamouse, we were posting the same thing at the same time! We even happened on the same "Skype" analogy!

 

[Robo]

Does anyone remember...Epcot that you got into and you waited for a spot at a bank of television screens.

Yup.

And, even then, we PLANNED ahead of time which restaurant we wanted.

Shortly thereafter they started letting guests staying on-property use the PHONE to make restaurant reservations 24 hours in advance.
Then, it became two days... then more, etc.

 

[Bellamouse]

When Epcot first opened, they used a similar system. There were several "World Key" interactive kiosks that you would rush to when you entered the park and use the touch screen to access what can be best described as a "Skype 1.0" video phone. You would talk "face-to face" with a CM (usually female, wearing a Judy Jetson jumpsuit outfit) and make dinner reservations for that day. Cool system, but totally impractical.

ETA: Bellamouse, we were posting the same thing at the same time! We even happened on the same "Skype" analogy!

So funny!! Although I like your description MUCH better!! I forgot about the Judy Jetson jumpsuit!! LOL.

 

[wolf29]

Really a moot point, since this will never happen, but I love ADRs. I get to get into the vacation spirit 6 months out. I plan our meals, rejoice when we get the venue & time we hope for, and then envision what our day will be like. I've no wish to just walk up and wait, or get turned away from a restaurant. I've no wish to waste precious time scrambling for a place to eat.

 

[ols386]

I don't think they should get rid of ADRs. We usually only schedule one ADR per day when we are there. Other meals we just do counter service.

It's not real difficult to schedule one ADR per day, just a little advance planning if it's at a restaurant in one of the parks rather than at a resort.

 

[twinboysmom]

I guess I am in the minority but I absolutely despise the current ADR system. But I think it is brilliant marketing on the part of WDW. They have filled their restaurants and have people competing to pay for overpriced food. The people I feel sorry for are those who pay for the dining plan and them come to WDW only to realize that they can't eat at a table service restaurant anywhere. Not everybody is a Disney geek like those of us that frequent these boards and most people just don't realize how competitive eating on WDW property is.

 

[mishkamushka]

Forgot to mention earlier, I don't plan my day around my ADRs. I check for the least crowded days etc. and go from there. Ok, it's a least crowded day at Epcot that day -- I will make my adrs for X restaurant.

 

[kerplop]

"Tahitian Terrace"

Thank you! We ate there a couple times when I was young, but for the life of me I couldn't remember the name of it. Or maybe I blocked it out because of my family.

 

[sydneysmom]

Personally, no, I don't think they should do away with ADR's. I don't see how you can say that you don't know if it's fair though. Everyone HAS the opportunity to make ADR's, if you choose not to, then that is YOUR choice. It's not unfair that I chose to make ADR's.

To me, the planning is fun. Is it a bit odd to make ADR's 6 months out ? Sure, but it's vacation.... it's not "normal life". And there are thousands of other people who are also on vacation. Some vacations require planning ahead, others do not. You can choose to plan ahead at Disney or choose to just "wing it".

I don't find it "insane" that you can't just walk up to LeCellier on any given night. If you went to NYC for a trip, there's plenty of good restaurants where you try to walk up and the waiting list is 3 months. Or you can go to a diner on the corner and just sit at a counter and eat. It's not unusual. It's the same everywhere. Disney has a captive audience IN the parks. If you don't choose to leave the park to eat, you are limited to where you can eat. Table service requires reservations so they can plan their food quantities , staff, etc.

For us, we'll keep making our ADR's and planning because we like to know that we can get in where we want to eat.

 

[SafetyPinndSally]

I shudder to think about a WDW vacation without ADR's and how miserable DH and I would be. I love making ADR's and knowing where we are going to eat...it allows us to go through the day with a more relaxed feeling.

It's, "Oh, we're eating here at this time..."

Instead of, "Where do you want to eat?" "I dunno, I don't care, you pick." "Okay, we're eating here." *looking over menu* "No, I don't like anything here..."

For us ADR's just work.