Table service or counter service during busiest days in the parks?

[littlbugmom]

We usually mix a number of ADRs and counter service meals into our days but we're going over christmas this year and I've read that the counter lines can get ridiculous. Should we plan more ADRs? We stay off property in a condo. A typical day finds us eating one meal in the park each day and the others at the condo.

 

[Disneylover99]

It depends on what time you like to eat at. We go over Christmas and mostly do counter service, but we like to eat an early lunch and dinner, so we always avoid counter service lines.

 

[SmallWorld71]

We preferred Table Service over Christmas week. The counter service at MK at lunch time was particularly insane. We liked to eat back at our resort midday. You could also eat at the CS at one of the monorail resorts, less chaos and better food.

 

[DisneyFansInNYC]

I bet now with the Mobile food ordering for the quick service restaurants it will ease up the lines. You can order in advance and it will be ready when you get there. But we do like Table Service around the busier times.

 

[_auroraborealis_]

I bet now with the Mobile food ordering for the quick service restaurants it will ease up the lines. You can order in advance and it will be ready when you get there. But we do like Table Service around the busier times.

I doubt it eases them up much in busy times, though, and you'll still need to find a place to sit.

That's the real magic of a TS reservation: The place to sit without shivving someone.

 

[rosiebean]

On the busiest days, I personally find TS a great way to relax, recuperate from the crowds and get a table without a fight. I might not do TS every meal during that season, but you bet I'd have them strategically planned. And my stops at QS places would be as early as possible to avoid crowds.

 

[ColoradoMom12]

We did both at spring break/Easter week. We did TS on days when we wanted to plan on having a noon-ish lunch. In the past, we encountered crazy QS lines at noon (especially at MK) and finding a table almost impossible. So at spring break this year, we planned a few days with TS lunches. On other days (especially the days when MK had 7:00 EMH), we found the QS locations (even in MK) not too busy at around 10:30-11:00 AM. We waited in a small line to order and another for our food to be ready, but we had no problem at all in finding a table (one day we even got one at Pinocchio Village Haus right next to the Small World window!). I know that 10:30 probably sounds early for lunch, but after being up at 5:00, we're hungry for lunch by then!

If you need a QS lunch, though, in MK you are pretty much guaranteed a table at BOG. Difficult to get a reservation, but if you're on the regular DDP and want to save your TS credits for dinner, you should think about giving it a try.

 

[PolyRob]

We typically prefer TS meals when dining in the parks. Its a great way to relax and unwind before heading back to your resort/condo or going back out for more park time! I also like that is guarantees an indoor area with air conditioning. We like to cool off and relax when eating. Not sit outside with the elements.

 

[DisneyWishes14]

TS definitely. As others have said, the QS lines are out the door and there is nowhere to sit. We were in MK on Dec. 29 with no ADR and ended up leaving the park to find some lunch because getting QS would have literally taken an hour or more.

 

[disneygolfer1985]

We will be there over Christmas as well and we usually go over Christmas, so we try to eat table service for dinner and try to snag an early lunch at the QS. If you do eat at a QS, just make sure it is either or late.

 

[GillianP1301]

I would definitely go with ADRs, especially during a really busy time. I really dislike finding seating at QS places even when it's not crazy busy, so no way I'd add that stress during a peak time.

 

[melanielll]

I doubt it eases them up much in busy times, though, and you'll still need to find a place to sit.

That's the real magic of a TS reservation: The place to sit without shivving someone.

Ha! True! Casey's on Christmas Day a few years ago - I am surprised that anyone made it out alive.

 

[shoney]

We prefer ts lunches. Opportunity to rest and indulge in a beverage or 3!

 

[littlbugmom]

Well, it doesn't look like it matters cuz I can't get any reservations!!!!

Really??
Nothing??
This is crazy!

I know things might open up. During each trip, I've had to keep checking back for the more popular ADRs and was able to eventually get them but I've never been 180 days out and not able to get ANYTHING!

 

[tndisney5]

Going for NYE and having done it before ADRs were def helpful. We only did one TS per day. The lines for QS were definitely long, but the longest were at MK. We waiting a long while at Pecos Bills Jan. 3 and it took a while to find a place to sit. That was around 11ish. I'm not sure eating at an off time would matter because the whole park was jam packed.

 

[deedubb]

Well, it doesn't look like it matters cuz I can't get any reservations!!!!

Really??
Nothing??
This is crazy!

I know things might open up. During each trip, I've had to keep checking back for the more popular ADRs and was able to eventually get them but I've never been 180 days out and not able to get ANYTHING!

Wow, very surprised you could not get anything at all. Today was the first day I could book and I was able to get everything I wanted. I even looked up some of the more popular ones that I had no interest in (eg. BOG) and there was still availability. I would check again because I really don't think you want the aggravation of QS for every meal at one of the busiest times of the year. We usually only do QS because we like the flexibility of just eating when we're hungry wherever we happen to be at the time, but for Xmas, I've booked 1-2 ADR's for every day that we're there.

 

[mco65]

Even with ADRs, there would always be at least one QS meal for us during the day. (rope drop to fireworks or close to it).
We have been during Christmas week and marathon week the past few years and you just have to eat early. We start looking for a place to eat lunch (if we did not have an ADR) between 1030 and 1100. It works out well even during those crazy crowd days. If by chance we had a fast pass or something that kept us from getting to an early lunch/dinner we simply had 3 of us look for seats while 2 stood in line. That works well now that the kids are teenagers, doesn't work at all when they are toddlers.... I only lost Jacob twice but he eventually found his way back to us, plus I saved $ on lunch those days..