Tomorrow begins our first completely ADR-less trip...

[alex9179]

See, having adrs doesn't feel locked down or held back in any way for us. It sounds like we'll spend a lot of time trying to track down food at a place with food we want to eat. Ah, that epic day when dh needed to eat an hour before but family didn't want an adr then the line for via napoli was long and the cranky ones wouldn't wait and then sunshine seasons was closed and and and...not fun.

Having adrs gives structure to our day and makes sure we get to eat at places with food we like! And it makes sure the ones in the group who, whether they want to realize it not not, need to eat regularly so they feel better and don't drive the rest of us batty, get to eat regularly.

So to me it just sounds like the work you listed putting into it at 180 days will get down on the fly. While hungry. If you don't have family members like mine I'm very glad for you!

This is why I made a few. With my (younger) kids, it's easier on me to have a known break and some food while touring, even though they resist. My youngest was a constant snacker with all of the activity and we had to take a short breaks, every 30 minutes or so, to give/buy him something. That was a pain and I hope my accommodations for him, this trip, work better...or at least I deal with it better! My other two had very low appetites and didn't want to stop to eat even though they needed the fuel.
Seating for our past ADRs often ran late and that added stress to my day with Jedi Training, FP, shows, etc to get to. I've scheduled NOTHING for hours after a planned sit-down so that I can actually relax.

I'd go ADR-less with DH in a heartbeat!

 

[mamamelody2]

Have fun!! Sounds wonderful!

 

[DisBuckMan]

Just a quick update while escaping the heat for a moment in the DVC lounge at Epcot. Today is our first day back at Disney after a couple of days at Universal.

This morning, i asked the boys what they'd like for dinner tonight, and they wanted pizza at Via Napoli...not my first choice at all, but it'll make them happy. Went on the app, and in 2 mi utes, had a 6:35 dinner reservation at VN.

Decided to take a look at lunch for tomorrow at MK, and picked up an 11:15 lunch for our group at BoG.

We have had zero problems getting what we wanted, at very highly desired restaurants and prime times...never more than a day out.

 

[SaintsManiac]

I want to go without them for our next trip, but with it being Thanksgiving AND FD and desperately wanting the Bon Voyage breakfast I felt we needed to secure a few. I wind up canceling half of them anyway

 

[loves to dive]

Sounds good so far, yep, we have never had any problems getting same day or next day ADRs anywhere we want to eat.

 

[Princess_Kirky]

We did something pretty similar when we had free QS dining. I usually plan an area to be around for meals so we can grab something - i.e. WS or a pizza by the pool at POP. There are really a lot of yummy snacks and QS options that we would have never tried! I honestly will do it this way from now on. It was a little hard in HS to find something really good but we were satisfied with some Darth Vader Chicken and Waffles.

 

[firegurl]

You have given me hope of getting a better time for our current Ohana reside. It's at 835 at night which is not going to work for an 18 month old and a 9 year old. I still have 6 months and I look constantly but you have given me hope that we will get what we want, even if we don't get it until the day before.
I personally love the ADR's. In my family, I am the one that plans all of the meals, at home and on mostly on vacation. If I don't plan ahead of time and I get busy and distracted we have a last minute scramble that stresses me out. ADR's allow me to already know when and where our meals will be. I also tend to get a little hangry so having a plan is good for all if those around me

 

[KimBean]

See, having adrs doesn't feel locked down or held back in any way for us. It sounds like we'll spend a lot of time trying to track down food at a place with food we want to eat. Ah, that epic day when dh needed to eat an hour before but family didn't want an adr then the line for via napoli was long and the cranky ones wouldn't wait and then sunshine seasons was closed and and and...not fun.

Having adrs gives structure to our day and makes sure we get to eat at places with food we like! And it makes sure the ones in the group who, whether they want to realize it not not, need to eat regularly so they feel better and don't drive the rest of us batty, get to eat regularly.

So to me it just sounds like the work you listed putting into it at 180 days will get down on the fly. While hungry. If you don't have family members like mine I'm very glad for you!

Isn't it funny how people can feel so differently about the same thing? When we go to our favorite beach spot for the week in Florida we usually eat out once a day either lunch or dinner. Because we go in the off season some restaurants are only open some days, some meals, etc. To hit where we want to go I have to sit down and plan it all out so we don't go somewhere only to find it closed and be disappointed. So, even on what many would consider a very laid back vacation, we do nothing else but hit the beach, play games and read books, we still have to plan out are restaurants and we love that. I'm so glad all 4 of us our the same in this regard.

But, I am also very glad to those who are not like this that Disney can still be a great experience. I wish the OP the best!

 

[TiffanyA]

Last trip, I almost wish I had made no ADRs. I changed almost every single one on the day off to another restaurant because the group I was with decided they wanted something else!! I too had no trouble finding coveted reservations the day of and this was between xmas and new years. Went a lot like this,
Me: "We really have to leave for our Chefs de France lunch reservation in ten minutes."
Them: "I don't want to leave Mitsukoshi yet. Can we change to a restaurant in Japan so we can stay longer?"

I even found a BOG reservation for 45 minutes later when they didn't want to leave MK for Epcot.

On the bright side, we did Teppan Edo for the first time and really enjoyed it. And yes, they enjoyed Mitsukoshi so much, we were late even for the Teppan Edo ressie!!!!!

 

[Squirlz]

We go during slow times in January and December. For our last two 7 night trips I made a total of 3 ADRs. All busy popular places that we didn't want to miss. Otherwise we winged it with no problems.

 

[jpeterson]

We are taking a short trip in August, and are only doing one ADR (Chef Mickey for the kids) the rest of the time we are winging it. I think it will be tons of fun.

 

[JeanfromBNA]

Can you cancel ADRs without penalty on the day of? I didn't think that you could anymore.

 

[Uncleromulus]

I guess this will work if you don't really care where you eat and get places that simply have room.

 

[VillainFavs]

This would be much more stressful to me! It's all how about the individual family dynamics, I guess. To us, eating at particular restaurants is an integral part of our Disney vacation. If we went down and just figured we'd be able to get an 'Ohana dinner on the fly and it didn't work out...well, let me just say we'd be one of those crazy families that everyone sidesteps and tries to avoid eye contact with!

I also like the relaxation of knowing the dining part is already taken care of once we're onsite. Once I arrive, my planning is done! I can sit back and relax and not have to think about anything again for the next week!

And trying to decide where to eat when mom (me!) is hungry---not a pretty picture. They could make one of those Snickers commercials about me!

Hope it does work out for you. But this is the kind of thing that I have nightmares about!

 

[Jennasis]

We did this on our December trip. Made not a single ADR and stuck to counter service or same day reservations. Ate a few off site meals too. It was bliss.

 

[robinb]

Last trip, I almost wish I had made no ADRs. I changed almost every single one on the day off to another restaurant because the group I was with decided they wanted something else!! I too had no trouble finding coveted reservations the day of and this was between xmas and new years. Went a lot like this,
Me: "We really have to leave for our Chefs de France lunch reservation in ten minutes."
Them: "I don't want to leave Mitsukoshi yet. Can we change to a restaurant in Japan so we can stay longer?"

I even found a BOG reservation for 45 minutes later when they didn't want to leave MK for Epcot.

On the bright side, we did Teppan Edo for the first time and really enjoyed it. And yes, they enjoyed Mitsukoshi so much, we were late even for the Teppan Edo ressie!!!!!

Were you charged a same-day cancellation fee if you scheduled a different restaurant?

 

[Harambe]

For the most part we like going with the QS places. And making adrs through the app yourself while at WDW helps make this easier, too, as long as, like UncleRomulous says, you are flexible with where you eat.

Of course, there will always be times that having an ADR in advance is helpful (for instance, if you plan on going to any of the parks with new "lands" on the weekends, you will be better off with an ADR in your pocket due to the crowds, including locals).

 

[iheartbelle87]

love this idea! I tend to get 'anxiety' about our plans changing and feeling obligated to stick out the ADRs to avoid the $10pp charge. DH and I leave tomorrow morning for our trip and we've reduced some of our ADRs as well.

 

[TiffanyA]

Can you cancel ADRs without penalty on the day of? I didn't think that you could anymore.

Were you charged a same-day cancellation fee if you scheduled a different restaurant?

I always called in and was never charged. I never just no-showed though. I cancelled and rebooked a total of 3 ADRs during that trip. We only kept one as is and that was Le Cellier (cause it's a can't-miss for us).

 

[rosiebean]

I usually travel with a large party (8 on the 'smaller' trips, 10 plus on 'larger' ones), so getting the ADRs we want on the fly would be a trickier proposition for us. But we've become more flexible the last few trips. We book the ADRs that are 'must haves' and try for others during our trip...sometimes it works that our group gets ADRs the day off (usually at lunch and less popular restaurants), and sometimes we just split into smaller groups and eat in the same place at similar times.