Walk-ins

[knebkagnau]

Does anyone choose not to make dining reservations? What kind of luck do you have with walk-ins and where?

 

[labmom67]

I think it depends on when you plan on going to Disney. If you're traveling during the
'free dining' promotion, having a walk in available will be next to impossible. You also may have luck finding times available during 'off-peak' dining times at off peak travel months.

 

[Silver Queen]

We haven't gone without ADRs in over 3 years. After two trips of no ADRs, being turned away, and having to settle for counter service we got smart and now make ADRs for all of our dinners. We're happy to wing it for lunch most of the and we don't eat big breakfasts, but having the reassurance of a nice place to sit down and enjoy dinner is a must for us. On the very few instances when our plans changed we cancelled the ADRs with no problem.

 

[pepperw23]

We always make ADRs, but our last trip we ended up making some last minute changes due to the storms (didn't feel like messing with em'). We had no trouble getting our ADR changes to Trails End at Fort Wilderness. We ended up liking it so much we ate there again as a walk up. Hope this helps

ETA: This was during FD Aug 08

 

[bijoli666]

Are you going with kids? In that case I def. wouldn't do walk-ups b/c of the long wait that could be involved

 

[FQ fan]

I think it depends on how flexible you are. Last year we were not completely prepared and didn't make any ADRs (during free dining.) We were able to find quite a few lunches in the parks, but not necessarily at our first choice places. It was actually probably good for us because we ate ate at wonderful places we wouldn't have tried otherwise!

 

[catne]

when are you going? If you're flexible on where & when you want to eat, and not going during the busiest times of year you might do just fine. Especially if you have a car & don't mind driving to resorts for meals.

In January 2009 & 2010, just after MLK Jr weekend, we saw mostly empty tables in every restaurant we went to...May 2007, 2008, 2009, and 2010 is a bit busier, but still a lot of availability even at monorail resort restaurants if you go right when they open.

During free dining in Sept. 2008 and 2009 (week before & week after Labor Day) we saw empty tables in many restaurants in & out of parks at off times (early dinner seatings - like right when they opened for dinner - before 5:30 p.m.) Course the restaurants were jammed by 6:00 p.m.

Much smaller crowds at resort restaurants than in park restaurants, and non-character meals are far less popular, naturally.

 

[EastonCat]

We make at most 1 ADR per day for whatever table service meal we think will be most important on that day. Walk-in dining at resorts is fairly easy if you're flexible about the venue. If we're in the MK area, we start dialing about 90 minutes before we want to eat and find an ADR at a hotel restaurant. If we're in the Crescent Lake area, we do the same. If we're at Animal Kingdom, we tend to have no trouble walking in to Yak and Yeti. We've yet to go without. If we do strike out, we head to the Orlando Ale house (we tend to rent a car even when on property) or somewhere else off site.

Our in-park walk in success has included Hollywood and Vine for the Little Einsteins character meal (late in the seating), Le Cellier (late in the evening), The Brown Derby (lunch), and Nine Dragons in Epcot. We also did a very quick ADR (30 mins) at Tokyo Dining online this past June.

 

[purple figment]

If I could go to DisneyWorld frequently ADRs wouldn't be as vital because there would always be "next time," but since a trip to DisneyWorld is a major vacation for us I always make reservations.

If you're going during a busy time or FD, I would recommend reservations - at least for the places you really want to eat at.

People have had luck walking up at off hours (e.g. right at opening or closing), traveling to some of the resorts further away from the parks or checking at Guest Services to see what's available for that day. Without ADRs you'll have to be flexible, be willing to try new places and be prepared to eat CS.

 

[winterman]

If you have the DDP, it would be foolish to go without ADRs.

 

[RMulieri]

If you have the DDP, it would be foolish to go without ADRs.

Agree..Since the popularity of the dining plan( free or otherwise) spontaneity of just walking in to a restaurant and getting seated has decreased tremendously.It is not impossible, but you will spend a lot of time trying to find somewhere to eat.You can try calling disney dining each morning to see what is available and where, but unless you have a park hopper, you will be limited to the park you are in or resorts.

 

[MinnieLovesMickey]

I always make ADRs. After checking in for my ressies, I've watched many people either get turned away because the restaurant is full for the night or are told that it will be an hour+ wait. Even trying to change my ressies at the resort or guest services, I've usually be told they were completely booked.

Go and check what's available on Disney's website.

 

[beroh2253]

We always make ADR's but you wanted to know restaurants you may be able to get into without ADR's -last year the last week in October I saw several goups of people walking up to Chefs de France and getting in. Don't even try Le Cellier at 180 days out it's hard to get a ressy.

 

[PrincessV]

I had very good luck the past 2 weeks... got into Tutto, Brown Derby, and Sanaa with no ADRs and no waiting. Tutto and Sanaa were at our preferred dinner times: 5:30-6 ish. Brown Derby was around noon.

 

[chartle]

We always make ADR's but you wanted to know restaurants you may be able to get into without ADR's -last year the last week in October I saw several goups of people walking up to Chefs de France and getting in. Don't even try Le Cellier at 180 days out it's hard to get a ressy.

Thats most likely because Chefs de France doesn't take the dining plan.

 

[RMulieri]

Thats most likely because Chefs de France doesn't take the dining plan.

Yes they do...The Bistro upstairs does NOT

 

[chartle]

Yes they do...The Bistro upstairs does NOT

I knew something there didn't take the DP and therefor was easier to get into during FD.

 

[RMulieri]

I knew something there didn't take the DP.

Yup..The Bistro is excellent though.It was far better and leisurely than downstairs.Expensive but worth it

 

[chartle]

Yup..The Bistro is excellent though.It was far better and leisurely than downstairs.Expensive but worth it

I will never know because we rarely do TS. We are not foodies and we just don't think its worth for the cost and time.

We are big Breakfast Buffet people though.

We are most likely going to be staying at a Fort Wilderness Cabin and I'm thinking my DW and DS18 are going to want Trails End every morning.

 

[Beauty & the Best]

Agree that it depends when you are going.

I would imagine that most people who wouldn't make reservations are fairly flexible - that's probably part of the reason they don't want reservations, so they can be flexible w/ their plans.

We make ADR's for a multi-day trip, but we have walked in several times to restaurants when we were just there for the day. The ones we have had success with are - Tutto Italia, Tusker House and Boma.