Walk Ins? Are they possible?

[Mommy2Aedan]

We are leaving for our very first Disney trip on Friday! (happy dance!)

I learned about two months ago when we finalized our plans for the trip that I was already late in booking my ADRs (yikes! ) This was really hard for me as I am usually a great planner, but we weren't sure when DH was going to be off work, etc. etc. etc.

Anyway, through a lot of patience and frequent trying, I have managed to get ADRs for Crystal Palace Breakfast, Play and Dine Breakfast (I have a 2 year old!), Ohana Breakfast, Mama Melrose's, Garden Grill, and Jiko. The only one at a really "bad" time is Mama Melrose's, so I am considering that one a "?" until we see if 3:00 will really work for us as a meal!

In any event - there is a good probability that we will have 1-2 TS meals on our plan left over... I am wondering about walk-ins, especially in Magic Kingdom and Animal Kingdom (but also in Hollywood Studios if we cancel Mama's!) ... where might be a good spot to try?

 

[maxiesmom]

My best advice is to keep trying for ADRs, even call the morning you are going to be in the park. People do cancel them all of the time, and you may be able to snap one up.

But if you need to do a walk up my advice would be to show up right when that particular restaurant opens up. People seem to have the best luck getting in without an ADR then.

Have you given any thought to the resort restaurants? There are quite a few good ones that are close to the parks. The Kona Cafe and Grand Floridian Cafe are both really good restaurants that are only a short monorail ride away from MK. Boma and Jiko are both at the Animal Kingdom Lodge, which is very close to the Animal Kingdom.

HTH!

 

[luvmarypoppins]

We are leaving wednesday and I am not actually thinking of walking up with no adr but I do have a dinner one for ltt that I would rather have for lunch and nothing was available, so I might see if they could switch us on the day I have it for only. Its just dh and I so maybe we will get lucky. I guess with free dining things will be interesting.

 

[Mommy2Aedan]

Thanks. I did manage to get an ADR at Grand Floridian Cafe, so at least that is one more... we shall see how things go!

 

[Missytara]

We were quite surprised last week how empty some of the restaurants were, despite the fact that we booked weeks in advance for ADR's. Except for our two character dinners, we most likely could have done walk-ups for every other night we were there.

At Yak and Yeti, we arrived about a half hour early and thought we would sit at the bar - but they offered to take us right away. The downstairs was half full; we were seated upstairs all by ourselves - it was a wonderful view.

Same with other restaurants later in the week. We were seated almost immediately at every place we went.

I have my suspicions that people are double booking on the online system and then waiting until they get there to decide which restaurant they want to eat in.

 

[maxiesmom]

We were quite surprised last week how empty some of the restaurants were, despite the fact that we booked weeks in advance for ADR's. Except for our two character dinners, we most likely could have done walk-ups for every other night we were there.

I have my suspicions that people are double booking on the online system and then waiting until they get there to decide which restaurant they want to eat in.

Unfortunately you are probably right that people are double booking their ADRs. Becasue of that, even though a restaurant has empty seats, that doesn't mean they can take walk-ups. They will hold those tables for a while, just in case the party is just late, and not a no-show.

There have been reports from those who saw empty tables and were still turned away.

 

[rubato]

Unfortunately you are probably right that people are double booking their ADRs. Becasue of that, even though a restaurant has empty seats, that doesn't mean they can take walk-ups. They will hold those tables for a while, just in case the party is just late, and not a no-show.

There have been reports from those who saw empty tables and were still turned away.

I just really don't understand how people can be this inconsiderate. I have one double right now. We don't leave until Jan19th. I'm just holding it for a little while longer to figure out which restaurant we want to eat at. I'll be cancelling it soon. It would never occurr to me not to call and cancel an extra.

But, back to the topic, I think it's worth trying. But, I agree that you should try calling the morning of. We did that on our last trip and got in to a few places. But, we go in Jan/Feb. Good luck!

 

[disneyfan2]

I just really don't understand how people can be this inconsiderate. I have one double right now. We don't leave until Jan19th. I'm just holding it for a little while longer to figure out which restaurant we want to eat at. I'll be cancelling it soon. It would never occurr to me not to call and cancel an extra.

!

Just don't do what i did i cancelled my one and only CM after weeks of trying to get it. I made a new reservation for somewhere and cancelled it, and really did not pay attention after i put in the reservation #. So now we have no Chef Mickeys but i am hoping there still is a chance to call when we arrive

 

[Mommy2Aedan]

Thanks, everyone.

I have managed to book enough ADRs to use up my TS credits, but I still may keep trying to get in a few different places, either via ADR or a walk-up.

Will definitely cancel any reservations we won't use, though!

 

[koolaidmoms]

Just an FYI I tried to cancel an ADR today because we decided to change parks and the guest services told us they couldn't do it because the notice was too short! It was 4 hours I was hoping that someone else could take it as a walk up or something.

We are here now and many of the restaurants are busy but I still see open tables every once in awhile.

Good luck!

 

[maxiesmom]

Just an FYI I tried to cancel an ADR today because we decided to change parks and the guest services told us they couldn't do it because the notice was too short! It was 4 hours I was hoping that someone else could take it as a walk up or something.

We are here now and many of the restaurants are busy but I still see open tables every once in awhile.

Good luck!

That is odd. We cancelled an ADR for The Crystal Palace only a few hours ahead of time. You would think they would be happy for the notification.

 

[ktlm]

Just an FYI I tried to cancel an ADR today because we decided to change parks and the guest services told us they couldn't do it because the notice was too short! It was 4 hours I was hoping that someone else could take it as a walk up or something.

We are here now and many of the restaurants are busy but I still see open tables every once in awhile.

Good luck!

I agree that is odd. We were there last week and on the day we arrived I cancelled a Liberty Tree Tavern ADR at Guest Services 1 1/2 hours before it was set with no problems (DD suddenly decided she was not eating anymore turkey after I spent a month and a half online multiple times a day trying to get the ADR). They thanked me for canceling so that someone else could get it. On our last day, I cancelled an Ohana's breakfast an hour before it was set because DD (3) was wiped out and wasn't getting up- again no problem and a thank you for canceling instead of no-showing.

I would try a walk-in to Mama Melrose a little earlier. We had a 1:00 p.m ADR last week. It was supposedly booked solid that day, but they had so many no-shows the restaurant was only 1/2 full. They were definitely taking walk ins- we saw them. You can always walk-up and if you get in, have them cancel your later ADR.

When we were at the castle last week, a guy came up to check for a walk-up and they told him they had 5 cancellations and could seat his family right then. He said "No we don't want to eat now, we wanted something for lunch a little later", and they said at that time they didn't have anything later (it was already 12:55), so he left. I had to pick my jaw up off the ground-- I couldn't believe he turned down a walk up at CRT because he wanted to eat an hour later.