What are your sure-fire "no ADRs needed" restaurants at Walt Disney World?

[Laugh O. Grams]

Mind you, we do operate around the busy times for most meals, eating a 1/2 to an hour earilier than we usually do, but we've always been so lucky with simply walking up to Kona Cafe, Jiko and Sci-Fi Drive In without ADRs and getting seated within a very reasonable 15-20 minutes every time that I thought I should ask here: Do you have any sure fire suggestions for table service/buffet style restaurants at Disney where you can typically get a table without an ADR, regardless of season?

 

[jenjersnap]

I've never gone during the busier times but we've had success walking up to Garden Grill for late lunch several times.

 

[tednvon]

Good question...the ones you mentioned other than Kona's can get pretty busy, so not sure if you got lucky or we hit them at busy times...

From memory:
Biergarten, Germany
Askerrus, Morroco
Grand Floridian Cafe, very nice!
Olivia's
Great River Brewing at Boardwalk (great dry ribs)
After 8:30 PM, Cape May Buffet at Beach Club...love it!
The buffet at Norway, but we just did not like it...
Tony's in MK


those are just off the top of the old head...enjoy...Ted

 

[LauraAnn630]

Laugh O. Grams is right. Garden Grill in Epcot. The foods not bad. Mickey, Chip and Dale are there.

 

[Carneymom]

Like you, we tend to "eat on the fly". I never have my heart set on anything in particular so if it is too busy, I'l just move on to the next one.

BUT; on our last trip 11/06, our first since the start of the dining plan, it seems there are some new policies in place. First of all, there are many more people eating in sit down restaurants than before simply because they have the plan, so all of the ADR's are taken way before you will get there. Second, I found that the Hostess podiums at some of the restaurants will not take walk-ins. You must call the dining number. We went to several restaurants and were told they had no tables, then I called from my cell phone inside the park and was giving a seating for 25 minutes later. I don't know why the hostess couldn't just tell me that!

I found this to be inconsistent however, and there were times that the dining number told me they had no availability and then we walked up to the restaurant and were seated right away.

So my plan for this time is to try both before I give up trying for a table at any particular place.

Good Luck

 

[kldmom2000]

There are actually some that don't allow ADR's too..... such as Beaches and Cream @ the YC/BC and ESPN club as well as Big River Brewing Works @ the BW

 

[LauraAnn630]

Carneymom, You are so right! Always call the dining number first. Actually go the restaurant if you are going to be near it.

Disney is very unconsistant!

For me, I get a little mad. People are spending a lot of money there!

 

[jennib5426]

I have found the Liberty Tree in MK has always had walk up available for lunch. I really like there lunch, it is not buffet it is a menu.

I have herd many people have luck at Nine Dragons and Marakesh in Epcot with walk ups.

 

[TaraPA]

I've never had an ADR for Sci-Fi & have walked in 4 times. 25 min. was the longest wait.

 

[starbox]

We've always been able to walk in wherever we wanted for a late lunch - around 2-3pm.

 

[tortoni]

Lunches at the resorts are usually ok. At dinner, we've gotten into Yacht Club Galley without reservations.

 

[Luv2Roam]

No ADRs and being able to walk up really depends on timing.
I have found, whether we have ADRs or not, that right at openingtime is the best bet for dinner. But even 45 minutes later and the place can be at or near capacity.
And places that are walk in are not bad places. Just sometimes the lesser thought of, or a little more out of the way for some. (Shutter's, Olivia's, The Turf Club, etc)
We have had some luck with places like Kona and WCC in the past. But again it is just timing and luck.
In a pinch, I always have my RFC Safari Club card that gets me preferred seating with very little wait, if any.

 

[Dina]

We've had luck with:
Olivia's
Fulton's (very early at lunch)
Rainforest Cafe (I know not really a disney restaurant, but we like it)
WCC (arriving right around opening for dinner)
Tony's (for dinner during free dining)
Garden Grill