Walk-ins for MK restaurants?

[Pooh2]

Do the restaurants hold any spots for walk-ins?
We would like to eat in the park on a busy Saturday. If we tried for mid-afternoon, what are the chances we would be seated? (thinking of Crystal Palace, Be our Guest or Plaza Restaurant in MK)

 

[samsteele]

I'm not aware of any table service restaurants in MK that hold back tables for walk-ins. Even the less than busy spots like Skippers Canteen can fill up. Last Sept, I watched them turn away at least 5 walk ins before I was seated for my reservation.

Your best bet is to 1) decide on a time and restaurant and make your ADR or 2) keep checking & refreshing your WDW dining app both the night before and also periodically early the day of your meal. You may find something that appeals. As I am less spontaneous when it comes to dining and prefer to know where I will eat, I make the ADR.

Another tip, if you can't find a restaurant inside busy MK, don't forget about all the nearby resort restaurants. For table service: Kona at the Poly, the Wave at Contemporary and Trails End Buffet at Fort Wilderness (take the boat). Also some very good quick service choices at these resorts that require no reservation.

 

[Dug720]

I thought the Plaza was only ADR for a couple of hours but was Walk-up other than that. Assuming that is still true and you want to walk up, I would just plan on the Plaza. The others rarely take Walk-ups even on not busy days.

 

[OhThePain]

You could always check the WDW app when you are almost ready to eat to see what is available close to where you are. You might have to leave MK to get a table service restaurant, but between MK, CR, GF and Poly, you should be able to find something. If you do that with an open mind, you might stumble across a really good meal that you would have otherwise never tried before.

 

[_auroraborealis_]

CP and BOG are almost zero chance. Plaza takes primarily walk ups but there may be a wait. Skipper Canteen you can often get an ADR while walking that way.

 

[Pooh2]

Thanks all!

 

[sharonabe]

Thanks all!

Just to be clear. You could go up to the podium and ask if they have any availability. They tell you, "sorry, but no we don't." You walk five feet away, check the app and make an ADR for the exact time you are standing there. Go back to the podium, and you'll be seated.

 

[Quellman]

I thought the Plaza was only ADR for a couple of hours but was Walk-up other than that. Assuming that is still true and you want to walk up, I would just plan on the Plaza. The others rarely take Walk-ups even on not busy days.

Correct. Though just because they have walk ups available doesn't mean you wouldn't still be waiting. We tried this at the Plaza in October, 40 minute wait for a table for 3. No thanks. It was about 430 in the afternoon too.

 

[dwheaton]

Plaza is your best bet as others have mentioned, but it will have a wait I suspect. We have seen walk-ins at Skipper Canteen on slower times, but it's no guarantee. Liberty Tree Tavern is likely a similar case.

 

[Marthasor]

If you go at an off-hour, you'll have a better chance. We walked up to Skipper's in August around 5:30 pm (this was a party night and they were closing at 6 pm). They said it would be a 20 minute wait, took my cell number and told me they would text me when our table was ready. Exactly 20 minutes later, I got the text. It was nice because we could continue to walk around and enjoy things while we waited. Obviously, no guarantees, but it's worth a shot.

 

[Shanti]

Do the restaurants hold any spots for walk-ins?
We would like to eat in the park on a busy Saturday. If we tried for mid-afternoon, what are the chances we would be seated? (thinking of Crystal Palace, Be our Guest or Plaza Restaurant in MK)

MK's ADR restaurants do not hold back spots for walk-ins. Prepare for a long wait or to be turned away if you show up without a reservation.

Reservations often open up the night before. You might try looking then. The later you look, the more is available.

 

[Cinderella94]

I definitely recommend trying to get last minute ADRs. If you do want to try a walkup, I would also try right when the place is about to open. I never advocate for this on the boards, ever, but the day before Thanksgiving this year, my friend and her mom walked up to 50s Prime Time at 10:55 AM and were seated immediately. So, I wouldn't count on it by any means but I never would have believed it could happen if she didn't tell me herself.

 

[KenHutch]

Some friends of mine (ignored my advice) walked up to Tony's a couple of weeks ago and while they told them they should make a reservation online, seated them. They called it an Olive Garden in MK but they seemed to like it.

 

[Simba's Mom]

Do the restaurants hold any spots for walk-ins?
We would like to eat in the park on a busy Saturday. If we tried for mid-afternoon, what are the chances we would be seated? (thinking of Crystal Palace, Be our Guest or Plaza Restaurant in MK)

How many are "WE"? The reason I ask is that 2 of us, DH and I stood in line for a walk-in at CP. We listened to them turn away several families of 4 or more, so when they got to us, it was almost like "I bet you don't have a table for 2?" "OH, only two-no problem!"