To make ADRs or not???

[osugal]

We're going in 3 weeks and staying at BCR for a week. It's me, DH and kids (3,7). We didn't do the DDP because we're staying Club Level and thought it may be too much food. I can't decide whether to do ADRs or not. I have one at T-Rex cafe for my son's birthday and one for 50's PT Cafe before Fantasmic. But, other than that I guess I feel like we'll have more flexibility to just walk over to Epcot and eat when we feel like it. Or go off-site occasionally. If we want to just walk into a TS restaurant in September do you think it will be impossible? Thanks for any opinions.

 

[3Minnies1Mickey]

It's free dining and many restaurants are already booked. Not saying its not possible, but you'll likely have a wait at the very least.

 

[Hootch]

will be hard in September. With free dining offered the TS restaurants will be cowded mire so than the parks.

If you are flexible you can call Disney Dining and see wat is open. Also the signatures tend to be not as full.

 

[Skye23]

I'm currently booking for February and there are already entire restaurants where I cannot get a single time slot for a particular meal for multiple (if not every) day of our week long trip. I think you're going to find there will be very little (at the most) to NO (far more likely) "just walking up" and getting a seat to eat in most of the parks, particularly Epcot. You might be able to at the resort restaurants at various times.

 

[lin7]

It's going to be near impossible to get a reservation if you dont make reservations way out which is the case with us I'm trying to make reservations for the fantasmic package for Mama Rosa and its not available at all for the date I want, which is Dec 18, a while aways I dropped the time I had as a regular reservation and tried to make it into a fantasmic package and it went as soon as I dropped it.

Either I wasnt fast enough, or there's a gliche in the computer system

 

[Cdn Friends of Pooh]

We're going in 3 weeks and staying at BCR for a week. It's me, DH and kids (3,7). We didn't do the DDP because we're staying Club Level and thought it may be too much food. I can't decide whether to do ADRs or not. I have one at T-Rex cafe for my son's birthday and one for 50's PT Cafe before Fantasmic. But, other than that I guess I feel like we'll have more flexibility to just walk over to Epcot and eat when we feel like it. Or go off-site occasionally. If we want to just walk into a TS restaurant in September do you think it will be impossible? Thanks for any opinions.

While not impossible, as the others have said, with free dining, your chance at walking up to a TS restaurant and getting a table is slim. When you arrive at the parks each day, you can check the availability board near Guest Services for TS restaurants that are still taking walk ups.

 

[djp0630]

It depends where you want to eat. Some of the less popular restaurants in Epcot (Nine Dragons, etc) might have availability. Your chances of getting any popular restaurants (character meals, Le Cellier, etc) are slim to none for walk-ups. Your best chance of getting a walk-up is to go right when they open up and for less popular restaurants. The restaurants are always so busy during free dining.

Personally, I would make ADRs, you can always call and cancel. As it is, there will be very few availability as people make reservations at the popular places 180days in advance, but it's still not unheard of.

 

[krb2g]

I'd recommend making ADRs for restaurants that appeal to you ahead of time. If you decide you don't want to keep them, cancel them day of. This strategy won't work for any ADR that requires a credit card, as you'll be penalized for canceling.

Edited to add: We do find that CL fulfills our breakfast needs and many of our snacking needs throughout the day. We also eat smaller dinners especially.

 

[Brian Noble]

It is better to have an ADR that you later decide you don't need and can cancel, than to not have one that you later decide you really wanted.

Go ahead and book a few things now. You can always cancel them if you change your mind.

 

[lanagraves]

As others have said, some reservations will be tough to get. But as of a few days ago, there is still some availability at some good spots. Boma, for example, and Sanaa, Biergarten, Restaurant Marrakesh, Akershus, Liberty Tree, Crystal Palace, Kona Cafe, Rose & Crown, and Raglan Road still had several times available for the September 21 - October 3 time period. I'm sure there were others too, but these are the ones I checked when I was tweaking our ADRs a couple of days ago.

 

[TiggerTrigger]

I would book ADRs just to have something. With free dining - most of the places are going to be packed. We just got back - and while there was no free dining- places were still packed. You're traveling with children and unless you're good with counter service (nothing wrong with that- just not everyone's top choice), it's better to have something booked in case you need it.

 

[kleigh1969]

All I can think about when you ask this is seeing a family who was trying to do a walkup at Sci-fi during EMH. It was late (we had already eaten our dinner) and everyone, the kids especially, looked positively miserable and wilted.

I forgot about them, and we went off to do some attractions. We passed by there quite a bit later and they were STILL WAITING. I felt so sorry those kids!

I would say make the ADR.....

 

[dvcHammer]

During "Free" Dining it is best to avoid the park TS restaurants anyway. Overcrowded, chaotic and underwhelming. With few exceptions there are few worth going to.

It's not free dining, you payed for it with your room package.