What if you don't want Priority Seating?

[Gilligan]

Hi, My DH can't see the point of priority seating as he doesn't want to be told when he's going to eat and where, 3 months before we actually go (!) .
I don't need to be convinced about the benefits of Priority Seating - I've been reading these boards for months now. I know, I know - The joys of character meals, and the magic of breakfast at Cindy's will probably pass us by. What I would like to know is where are the best [other] places to eat that don't require priority seating? Are we condemned to a holiday of hot dogs? We're staying at the Dolphin, BTW. Thanks for any tips.

 

[jeleebeene]

Let me tell you, we had priority seating for every restaurant we wanted to eat at, and only had to use it once, and that was at Rose and Crown - we also were there in July, and it was pretty crowded in the parks. We found that priority seating was nice when needed, but it isn't necessary - go on a whim, and you shouldn't have a problem!

Also, even though I know you mentioned not being told when to eat, but the best times TO eat are before 1pm and after 6pm - those generally are busy times around there!

 

[kilee]

My dh is the exact same way. I wanted to make a few ps's and he says how is he supposed to know when he'll be hungry that day or what kind of food he may feel like. I am going to hope that I may be able to get into at least one decent place. Fingers will be crossed.

 

[Andy123]

What I would suggest is to make PS for the restaurants you KNOW you definitely want to eat at... and if you choose not to eat there at a later point, you at least had the opportunity.

 

[jwfla422]

Like it was said, if there are any restaurants you REALLY want to eat at you might want to make a PS. Keep in mind in many cases you can change the time depending on the day and time it is originally for.

Depending on what time of year it is you can go to many restaurants without a PS. Places like CM, CRTs or even O'Hanas would be tough to get into without PS (CRTs would be almost impossible), but there are many GOOD places you could get into without PS. If you're not going during Christmas or Easter you have a pretty good chance of short wait times at most places.

 

[honeymo78]

Don't forget you can always make a PS for dinner that morning. That is what I usually do. That way you don't have to make decisions too early in your planning but you still will be able to have dinner w/out too much wait.

 

[Gillian]

I wouldn't worry about it too much. There are a lot of places on in Epcot that you shouldn't need PS for. If you like ice cream & burgers, try beaches & cream at the Beach Club. No PS taken, and it's yummy!

Maybe you could make 1 or 2 for breakfast? You'll feel like eating breakfast most days, right? Another thing you can do is call while you are down there. Even for the same day!

If you make a few and end up not using them, it's not the end of the world, and DH will never have to know!

 

[Grumpy92]

It all depends on when you are going. Unless you are going on a school holiday or you are dying to go to one of the more popular restaurants (Cal Grill, Cindy's, Whispering Canyon), then I wouldnt worry about it. You will probably find you can walk into most restaurants. Try to avoid the most popular times dinner 7pm, brkst 8-10am, & lunch at noon. Besides sometimes husbands have to learn the hard way, then next time you visit he will let you make all the PSs you want.

 

[pollyanna]

WE made a priority seating the night before from our room for Liberty tree tavern for 11:45AM.....we got there at 11:30 ,but they started seating the 11:30 folks first and even TWO families that walked up to the podium AFTER we checked in ALL before seating us. So sometimes PS's are not worth it.

 

[feenie]

Even if you don't have PS's you can sometimes eat at sit down resteraunts without waiting forever.
We went in January last time and the only place that we made a PS was Fulton's Crab House, and only because I "promised" my hubby that we would eat there. (and we made it the morning of the day we went)
We have eaten a the Crystal Palace twice w/o a PS, the first time we got a table right away, the second time we relaxed on the porch for about a half hour, but were staying for the e-ride so we did not care.
We ate at LeCellier w/o any wait for a late lunch, and even at the Coral Reef. We had lunch in Cinderellas Castle w/ just enough time for a picture on the throne in the lobby before they sat us!
We even had a Character meal at the Garden Grill w/o a PS.
The only Place that I can remember not being able to eat out without like a three Hour wait w/o a PS is the Liberty Tree Tavern. We were walking by and took a chance.
I guess our policy is, if you MUST eat somewhere, then get one, otherwise take your chances and ask, if the wait is more than you are willing to do, go elsewhere.

 

[drusba]

When you say "3 months" to your trip, what exactly do you mean? If any of that time is between April 13 and April 26, the two Easter weeks, then warn your DH that he probaly won't be eating at a sit down restaurant for dinner in a park unless you have a PS. Those are the two most crowded weeks of the year along with Christmas Week (and they are significantly more crowded than any other weeks of the year). I once saw a family of four walk up to Crystal Palace at 6 without a PS on the Thursday before Easter and ask for the "next available time." The CM looked at his listings and then answered, "Tuesday at 8:30." Even the fast food places often have 20 to 30 minute lines to the counter at dinner. Neveretheless, even during that time it is often easy to get resort restaurants for dinner if you just call the day before, but you better call even for those no later than morning of if you really desire to engage in that activity known as eating dinner.

If you are talking a true "3 months" meaning early May, then don't worry too much as crowds will be about a fourth of what they are during those Easter weeks. You won't get Cindy's and probably won't get dinner time's at viewing restaurants (California Grill for MK fireworks or outdoor seating at Rose and Crown for Illuminations). But you will likely have luck at many other places. Still highly advise that you at least make a ressie the day before or morning of going to a restaurant for dinner. Also if you want a character meal you should reserve that in advance (although even a number of those can be had easily by calling day before). If you intend to do Hoop Dee Doo, the dinner show, then you best call now as that accepts ressies up to two years in advance and is generally filled well before you arrive.

 

[berger50]

I know just how your husband feels - 22 days to go but we won't make any PS. We never have - just can't plan that far ahead and we have never not gotten into places on our plan. We will probably call a day ahead for a character BF but other than that we've taken our chances in the past and it has worked out we'll do it again.

 

[Gilligan]

Thanks everyone!
Yes, we are going at Easter. It was a toss-up between then and the summer holidays, but we thought the weather would be kinder to us Brits than July/August - we're thinking of the children here, not so much for ourselves!

Thanks for all the tips. DS is 9 & DD is 5, so eating earlier than the norm should not be a problem. Must definitely try Beaches & Cream. Trying for PS once we're there is a good idea, and one my DH is more likely to accept. My children don't know about character breakfasts or the shows, so that won't be missed, but in fact they will be so excited (we haven't told them yet) just to be at Disneyworld that even if we were to dine on hot dogs everyday, that would be the best thing ever to them! So anything we do arrange over and above that would be just amazing! (do you think DH would notice if I slip in a trip to Cirque du Soleil, though?!)

 

[crisi]

I had hit and miss luck with no PS days last Feb. There was a two hour wait at Whispering Canyon, so we ate at the snack bar. But we could have walked into Artist's Point. No luck at Teppenyaki, but the tempura bar was open. No luck at all for lunch in MGM (Sci Fi, Brown Derby, 50s), ate counter. Walked right into Marrakesh (like you usually can).

I'd really recommend making a PS for every other day - just in case. You can always call and cancel it the morning of, and always call ahead and see if you can get booked it - even if its just 2 hours ahead of when you want to eat. Just book it and present it to your husband as "I've made reservations here, let me know if you want me to cancel them the morning of." No PS may doom you to an existence of burgers and chicken fingers (or dinner at Marrakesh or Akershus - both which are wonderful, but if you don't know what you'll be in the mood for, chances are you aren't going to luck into the "mood" for Norweigen). Although Disney does have some great variety in fast food, you have to know where to find it, and be willing to plan ahead a little to get it. Its far too easy to tour until you are starving, and then be unwilling to search out good food, or wait 40 minutes to get it.

Good non-PS Food in the Parks:

Much of Epcot. The cafe in Morrocco, the sandwichs at Norway, the fast food stands in the Land stand out. The tempura bar and lounge in Japan don't take reservations and have decent sushi if you want something different.

We are fond of the sandwiches at Cosmic Rays in the Magic Kingdom. Huge sandwiches and a good value.

Almost all of AK is fast food. Try Tusker House.

MGM: I'll let someone else suggest something, I've yet to have a good meal here.

Generally, hotel resturants are pretty easy to get into - and are among the better restaurants anyway. There are exceptions (like CG during fireworks, or Whispering Canyon.

You don't need to call 3 months out either. You can try calling with a list a day before you leave - your husband may have a better feel for things then. We usually call for all of ours about three weeks out. Chef Mickey's (I've never tried for Cindy's) is hard to get that close to travel, but I generally get everything else I'm looking for, within an hour or so.

 

[Belle5]

I remember one year we were all at MGM and starving. We wanted airconditioning and table service. We walked up to Sci-Fi and everyone was being told a 2 hour wait. My DH was so happy with me when I had a PS and we only had to wait 10 minutes.

Couldn't you make a guess about where you'll be on certain days and at least have something reserved? (You can always cancel.) That is such a crowded time of year I'm afraid you will have a difficult time obtaining same day PS's. You're DH woul dthink you're a hero if he sees the lines and then he finds out you have a PS.

Beaches and Cream (that little, tiny place)---good luck getting in over Spring break without a long, long wait. (I would go at very "off" hours if there is such a thing at Beaches and Cream.)

 

[Jen D]

My suggestion is to make a few based on your itinerary so you have them in case it turns out to be a tough week to get ps. Then you won't be high and dry. But you can cancel them if you want to play it by ear. As others have mentioned, there are only a few you have to book way in advance: CRT, California Grill, Rose and Crown during Illuminations.

We just planned an on-the-fly trip and are going to more or less play it by ear ps-wise, but I made three just in case:

1) Chef Mickey's, our first night
2) one morning at Princess Storybook breakfast-- we might cancel this one, I'm going to hold it and decide later
3) Boma our last night-- I really want to try it and I hear it gets crowded

But, I have a number of places I'd like to try- Kona Cafe, Teppanyaki, Le Cellier-- but I have decided to "play it by ear"-- can't afford to do that many ps anyway, so I'll just decided that day based on mood and money! If I can't get a ps, well, it wasn't meant to be.

 

[Real Loser]

Gosh, I think I would make a few PS's for Easter week. You can act like the ladies in Big Fat Greek Wedding. Let him think he is deciding where and when to eat. Remember," The man thinks he is the head, but the woman is the neck!" (Lanie Kazan in GFGW)

Whatever you do, enjoy!

 

[Minnie's Mate]

We go every year during Spring Break (my wife's a teacher) and it ususally coincides with Easter...My advise, make PS's or learn to love hot dogs!!!!

Seriously, when we check in for our PS's at the podium, every restaurant will be telling people anything from 2 hours to next available 9:30 tonight or even nothing left at all today (and we are talking about lunch here). Dinner is worse at that time of year.

And by the way, if you wait 'til you get there, you may find that nothing is available for any restaurant you might consider or at a time you would accept. So I would suggest making some at the times you normally would eat, you be the one to check in at the podium and let your husband think it was spur of the moment and they let you ahead of all of those people waiting because they were charmed by your British accent.

Also, unless Disney is requiring a credit card to hold the PS (they have at some of the harder to get into restaurants at Christmas) you don't even have to cancel, if you don't show up they just move someone else up a notch.

Good luck!

 

[berger50]

From your last post Gilligan it sounds like you're skipping a character breakfast???? With the ages of your kids I'd say don't miss it - Mine are 12 and 9 - I thought that they might have grown out of it but when I mentioned the thought they were adamant that we had to do one again this trip!

Another thought - we caught Cirque in Las Vegas a couple years ago - it was a $100 nap for both of us.

 

[Gilligan]

Hmm, Berger50. You might be right.
We told the children yesterday about the holiday. DD (5) is hoping to meet Snow White "because she's pretty". DH is becoming increasingly quiet when I mention PS and the suchlike. This is good. This means he's realised there's no point arguing with me!! I may have to give him an extra day at Universal Studios though! (No hardship)