Thinking of just "winging" it for my dining

[melana]

so I am heading to WDW at the end of October. I currently have changed the majority of my dining reservations almost 10 times since my 180 mark.

I have three that I know I want to do and not change...Beaches and Cream, Monsieur Paul and 1900 Park Fare Breakfast.

I am having a hard time deciding anything else. I am now thinking maybe I just need to wing the rest of my ressies and just using MDE to find places with availability when I get hungry. Is this crazy? Have other done this?

This is a very laid back, solo, 40th birthday trip. I am on the DxDDP. I have hoppers and will be enjoying F&W at least one or two afternoons.

On all my past trips, I have known where and when I would like to eat. Probably because I had someone else helping me with the panning. But this trip, I have been so indecisive.

 

[Haygar2]

I would think that as long as you reserved the ones that mean the most to you, and you are fine with taking whatever is available...I say go for it. It will be a laid back, go with the flow, kind of trip.

 

[GillianP1301]

If you already have booked the ones you have your heart set on and you don't really care about the rest and have flexibility (which you have with the hopper), then I think that's the perfect time to wing dining, especially as a solo traveler. When you're hungry, check the app and see what's available and off you go.

 

[TheSouthernBelle]

so I am heading to WDW at the end of October. I currently have changed the majority of my dining reservations almost 10 times since my 180 mark.

I have three that I know I want to do and not change...Beaches and Cream, Monsieur Paul and 1900 Park Fare Breakfast.

I am having a hard time deciding anything else. I am now thinking maybe I just need to wing the rest of my ressies and just using MDE to find places with availability when I get hungry. Is this crazy? Have other done this?

This is a very laid back, solo, 40th birthday trip. I am on the DxDDP. I have hoppers and will be enjoying F&W at least one or two afternoons.

On all my past trips, I have known where and when I would like to eat. Probably because I had someone else helping me with the panning. But this trip, I have been so indecisive.

I agree with PP, if you have your must do's reserved then I say you are good. Being a solo diner, it should be easier to get reservations on the fly and of course, this gives you so much more flexibility in planning your day so you can go with the flow. Sounds like a good plan to me. Happy early bday- best place to be!!!

 

[Hopefully]

I wouldn't, especially with the DxDDP

 

[loves to dive]

That's the way we do it every trip (minus the dining plan). We just hop on MDE when we start getting hungry and find something. We have found many new favorites that we wouldn't think to try. We have also gotten Flying Fish, Tiffins, Jido and Sanaa for the same night doing this. The only ADRs I've ever made in advance is Tea at the GF because it's a hard to get last minute ADR and V&A.

 

[mi*vida*loca]

I wouldn't do it while on a dining plan. I plan to do it next trip but we will be paying OOP.

 

[CraigInPA]

I love the ability of finding out what's available using MDE "day of" and booking through that at the last minute. I've snagged day of and day before reservations at BOG, 'Ohana, Cape May Cafe, and other difficult locations without any issue whatsoever, and even got desirable times! But, if I was on DxDDP, I'd try to make my dinner reservations at signature restaurants and might "wing it" for every other meal.

 

[melana]

Thanks everyone. I figure I would book at least 2 more signatures and the wing the rest after reading some responses. I just never know what I am going to be in the mood for. Now just to decide on my other signatures. This whole trip has proved to be difficult planning wise.

 

[999_Happy_Haunts]

Since you will be traveling solo, don't forget that several of the better places have counters or bars where you can get full service such as California Grill, Flying Fish, Jiko among others. If you are willing to sit at the counter of an open kitchen, you open up a lot of options that might otherwise be unavailable. Keep in mind that while October used to be the "off season", and to be sure, attendance-wise it still is, the F&W event attracts a lot of food-centric people who gobble up ADRs at the top restaurants. So even if the resort is less busy generally, the better dining options are not less busy. Since you are on the Deluxe Plan, I assume that "better dining" is a priority for you, so keep that in mind. That said, if you dine solo and dine late, you shouldn't have too much difficulty especially if you avail yourself of the counters that are available.

 

[Lisa F]

Is there any downside to booking in advance so you know you can use all of your credits but changing on the fly if you see something that is more appealing? That's what I would do. Agree with @Hopefully , and would add it is a very busy time of year... I'd be worried about being left with the dregs or nothing at all. I'd make a plan and then just change day of if you want something different. You can do it very easily on the app.

 

[DaisyNY]

I agree with previous posters...if you are paying for DXDDP I would pin down a few reservations and cancel them along the way!

 

[DisneyWishes14]

Have you considered dropping DxDP, just booking your must-do's and winging the rest? We wing it all the time. For our upcoming trip, I only have dessert parties and HDDR scheduled, otherwise, it's wing-it time, fully knowing our chances of getting into some of our favorites on-the-fly (Artist Point, WCC during the day and Spice Road Table) are very good (we will check the app day-of). And if we don't get in, no biggie. There are always other places to eat. I do this so often and see SO much available day-of. Honestly, if you aren't picky as to where those on-the-fly reservation will be, you won't have any problem spending those TS credits.

 

[disneyvoice]

My DH and I have been doing a lot less ADRs than we have in the past on our recent trips and have enjoyed being able to eat when we are hungry instead of being tied to our ADR times. We don't do a dining plan though so we are perfectly content doing some of the QS locations. I would be concerned that you would end up wasting a LOT of your dining credits if you don't make ADRs in advance. I agree with @DisneyWishes14. If you aren't concerned about being limited to certain TS that aren't booked, you will probably be fine but I think this approach works best without a dining plan.

 

[WildernessMickey]

I like your plan. The problem with scheduling an ADR to fill a slot is you would have to cancel it 24 hours ahead which takes away some of your flexibility. I went on a solo trip and I ate at bars for dinner quite a bit. Some have the full menu and it was fun to just walk up. I ended up chatting with others and meeting some nice people. The other thing I did was nice sit downs during lunch. I would just go at opening time and I was able to get a seat no problem. Did this at Hollywood Brown Derby and it was yum! I have also been on trips where we didn't plan much and we ended up eating at some places we really liked but had never tried, such as Captains Grill, Marrakesh, and Boatwrights. Whatever you do, have a happy birthday in DisneyWorld!

 

[GeorgiaHoo]

I suspect you'll be ok just winging it. On the deluxe plan you'll want to (or at least I would) eat 1 signature a day, and signatures are typically the easiest to find reservations for on short notice. For example, the only signature that is unavailable tomorrow at 6:30 for dinner is Boathouse. So I'd find a TS for lunch and a signature for dinner each day, and eat wherever is available.

 

[maramarrie]

That's the way we do it every trip (minus the dining plan). We just hop on MDE when we start getting hungry and find something. We have found many new favorites that we wouldn't think to try. We have also gotten Flying Fish, Tiffins, Jido and Sanaa for the same night doing this. The only ADRs I've ever made in advance is Tea at the GF because it's a hard to get last minute ADR and V&A.

We have also done this more recently and found that we can *usually* get a reservation we wanted anyhow, perhaps because they open up at the last minute as people cancel. Also, during F&WF we almost never get ADR, spend most of our time at Epcot, and hop from booth to booth to fill our bellies....or we park hop and end at Epcot for "dinner" sometime mid-afternoon, snacking our way through the food booths.

 

[DaisyDuck001]

A lot depends on your personality type. Some people are more comfortable winging it; other people are more comfortable pre-planning almost everything; and some are somewhere in between these extremes. You know which type you are. I agree with previous comments that the DxDDP is not so compatible with winging it, so I'd either cancel the DxDDP or stick more to a plan.

 

[sky13]

I've done a few solo trips, and usually don't have too much of an issue getting less popular ADRs at short notice (often on the same day) - this is for things like Garden Grill. More popular ADRs will be harder to get at short notice, though occasionally still doable if you keep checking back on the MDE app.

But - since you are on a dining plan - it might be worth just making backup ADRs and a rough plan (with signatures) to ensure you do use up all your credits, and you can always cancel them in advance as you change your plans...

 

[figmentedfollies]

While not to take away from what previous posters have said, as you are doing a solo trip it is going to be a lot easier to find tables for one person over tables for larger parties. You've booked the meals that mean the most important to you. I personally go with winging it.