traveling with non-planner -- where to eat?

[Sweetpeamd]

Here's what I would do. When you are in the parks and start talking about what you are in the mood for for dinner, I would call Disney dining (407-wdw-dine) and tell the CM that you are in the parks and would like to know what may be available for dinner during the time that you want. If you get a CM who is impatient or not helpful, just hang up and call right back. We have done this before with great success. No, you won't get any hard-to-get adr's but you should be able to find something that interests you. Please try to get your DH to agree to at least a couple of sit-down/TS meals. IMO you are really missing out if you only eat hot dogs and burgers for every meal while at the world. There are so many interesting and good meals to be had. That is my family's favorite part of visiting WDW!!

 

[Kaleigh]

Here are restaurants we have walked into during free dining in the past:
Captain's Grill at the Yacht Club
As soon as they opened at Cape May Cafe at Beach Club
Restaurant Marrakesh
Nine Dragons
Les Chefs de France as soon as they opened for dinner
Tutto Italia for lunch
Biergarten as soon as they opened for lunch
Yak and Yeti
Wolfgang Pucks Cafe- early dinner and lunch

Just personal experience! Have also been able to get same day ADRs at Sanaa, but ended up canceling. Your best chance for a walk up is right when they open for lunch and sometimes right when they open at dinner, assuming they don't serve all the way through. Good luck!

 

[mistysue]

If you are in DTD, Raglan Rd will probably take walk ups for an early dinner.
We walked up and saw other walk ups for 9 dragons and Biergarten last year during free dining. I know The Plaza also wasn't too busy during off times.

While we were on our trip I went online to look at the ADR system and we could get in anywhere we wanted 2-3 days in advance (besides LeCellier), so I bet you could ask in the morning and you will find *something* at whatever park you will be at. This was late August, and I remember everybody on the boards commenting on how dead the parks were in September.
With your kids' ages, I would aim for buffets because the food happens so much faster and the youngest one is free but gets all the food they want.