Something I learned about Character Meals yesterday...

[momof3disneyholics]

Yesterday we decided to go to Epcot for a little while. I like to have reservations when I go there and not "wing it" so I called and tried to see if we could get into any of my favorite restaurants. One of the ones I had the lady on the phone check was Garden Grill. She said there wasn't anything open at all for the rest of the day. So, we decided to just get counter service then and go.
While we were in the Land pavillion, I noticed that The Garden Grill didn't look that busy and so I decided to stop by just to see... I walked up to the podium and asked the CM if there was any chance of us getting in without a reservation. The time was 5:45. She said, "Well, we've had alot of no-shows today, so it shouldn't be more than 5-10 minutes.
BINGO!!
We had a great time and enjoyed our character dinner.
So, in the future, I am not going to rule out eating at my favorite places, just because they say there is nothing left for the day.

 

[LMO429]

I'm glad you were able to eat at the Garden Grill.

 

[simonkodousek]

While that may work at this time of year, it certainly does not work in summer. We were 1/2 hour early for our CP ADR time, and we didn't get seated for an hour...

If you don't mind my asking, how was your meal at the Garden Grill?

 

[momof3disneyholics]

It was really, really good. We have eaten there several times before, but weren't planning on it yesterday. Actually, we weren't even planning on going to Epcot until about 30 minutes before going! The kids were just bored and needed something to do. It was nice because it was the baby's first time going to a character meal. I already have the reservations made for his birthday in August at Crystal Palace. Now that restaurant is a hard one to get into!

 

[momof3disneyholics]

While that may work at this time of year, it certainly does not work in summer. We were 1/2 hour early for our CP ADR time, and we didn't get seated for an hour...

I agree, I don't think it would work during peak times either.

 

[Joanna71985]

Glad you got to eat in the GG.


OT- I LOVE the new pictures. So cute!

 

[crisi]

Disney apparently uses a statistical model to book reservations - they will actually overbook restaurants knowing that on a normal day x% of reservations are no-shows. This is apparently year round, and with the amount of data they collect, they are pretty good. But it is the nature of statistics that some days will be outliers. One day EVERYONE will show up and people with ADRs will end up waiting an hour to get seated. Or one day people will stay away in droves and you'll get a walk in to Le Cellier. Some variables affect it - like if it rains people might skip their park reservations and just have pizza in their hotel rooms - or if its a holiday there might be less no-shows.

If you decide to change plans spur of the moment, it certainly doesn't hurt to check. But its never a good thing to count on - my luck is that I always hit the "show" streaks and never the "no-show" streaks when I try - the ones where the CM looks at you like you've sprouted a second head when you ask about a walk up - and even your ADRs are spent with a beeper in your hand.

 

[momof3disneyholics]

Glad you got to eat in the GG.


OT- I LOVE the new pictures. So cute!

Thanks!

 

[chief19spixi]

Disney apparently uses a statistical model to book reservations - they will actually overbook restaurants knowing that on a normal day x% of reservations are no-shows. This is apparently year round, and with the amount of data they collect, they are pretty good. But it is the nature of statistics that some days will be outliers. One day EVERYONE will show up and people with ADRs will end up waiting an hour to get seated. Or one day people will stay away in droves and you'll get a walk in to Le Cellier. Some variables affect it - like if it rains people might skip their park reservations and just have pizza in their hotel rooms - or if its a holiday there might be less no-shows.

.

Wow this I did not know!! Thanks!!

 

[photobob]

It is definately much easier to get in for lunch at a TS restaurant. We got in to Le Cellier last year w/out ADR but we showed up early for lunch and were one of only a handful of walkins taken. Last year's experience made me decide to make reservations for all my TS meals this year for the first time. The popularity of DDP makes ADR's more necessary than in years past. Not DDP bashing that's just the way it currently is.

 

[Sysyphus]

Aggre with tht last point... didn't book our recent trip until january - tried to get dinners at Coral Reef and/or Le Cellier and no luck... found ourselves hungry in Future World 11:30 one morning and got a walk-n for Coral Reef - sat at a "window" table in less than 10 minutes!! Le Cellier was also showing at guest relataions as "limited availalbility" for lunch a couple of days that week.

 

[madalex]

I had a similar thing happen last year at the Yacht Club Galley. At about 4:00 one afternoon, I tried to get a dinner ADR for that night and was told there were none available. Now, I thought that was odd, as I have stayed at the YC numerous times and have never seen the Galley anywhere close to full. So, at about 6:15, we showed up at the restaurant and had no problem getting a table right away (it was less than 1/2 full). Not sure why ADRs weren't available, but it certainly shows that it is worth checking at a place just to be certain.

 

[bunnyfoo]

I just called to try and book a breakfast at Donald's Breakfast Safari but it wasn't available for any of my dates The CM told me the same thing - he said to do a walk up because the restaurant holds back a number of tables.