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No dining reservations
- Thread starter Liz1599
- Start date
Depends on when you will be there. Most of the year you may not be able to get any same day reservations at MK unless you don't mind eating late. Crystal Palace would be the best possibility. Liberty Tree Tavern would have been another option, but it is closing for a several month refurb this year. At EPCOT, there can be several choices, including Tutto Italia, Via Napoli, Chefs de France, Tokyo Dining, Coral Reef, and Biergarten. Again, you might have to wait until 8:30 - 9 pm in order to get a table.
Why are you so hesitant to make ADRs? I know that people say you have to make reservations at 180 days, but that is only true for a handful of restaurants. Most can be reserved within a few weeks to a month prior for decent eating times.
Why are you so hesitant to make ADRs? I know that people say you have to make reservations at 180 days, but that is only true for a handful of restaurants. Most can be reserved within a few weeks to a month prior for decent eating times.
Tuvalu
Premium Member
Depends on when you are going. If during busy periods, the chance of walking up to any table service restaurant in the MK is slim to none (because there are so few table service options). You may get lucky in Epcot, as Nine Dragons (China), Restaurant Marrakesh (Morocco) and Biergarten (Germany) can usually accommodate walk ups, even during crowded times.
Going in September, we go every year usually it's not too crowded. My kids are young and labile, lunch and dinner can be a challenge depending on their moods, we've previously brought our own food and ate at quick service. I would like to have sit down dinners but can't do it if they are cranky and I don't want to make reservations and lose money. So if we are having a good day I just need some suggestions to keep in mind they
dreamfinder
Well-Known Member
At Epcot you can always try walking out International Gateway. You stand a reasonable chance at getting into something in the Epcot resorts especially in the Swolphin area, but as @Tuvalu pointed out, Biergarten and Marrakesh are usually options and I'd probably throw Spice Road into that list as well.
MK, good luck. You may be able to get something at The Wave over at the Contemporary, but in park will be really tough.
MK, good luck. You may be able to get something at The Wave over at the Contemporary, but in park will be really tough.
materbuddy
Active Member
The only place I have been able to to get in last minute is Crystal Palace.
ToTBellHop
Well-Known Member
You improve your odds if you are able to make a reservation day-of, at least. We made a reservation for 5 pm at San Angel last May just two hours prior to showing up. People who tried to walk up were turned away. Surely, you can commit to something a couple hours out? If you can't find a reservation day-of on MyDisneyExperience, you can't walk up anyway.
sxeensweet
Love a little Disney every day!! ;)
Sept the parks are not as busy but usually free dining is happening so your chances are very slim you will get anything by walk up at either park especially at MK!! You may really late in the evening but with kids you might not want to because they may not want to wait that long to eat, etc. Please consider making reservations! I would never chance it unless you want to do all quick service dining and no table service! 
Tuvalu
Premium Member
Yes, September is probably the worst month to try and attempt a walk-up due to free dining!!Sept the parks are not as busy but usually free dining is happening so your chances are very slim you will get anything by walk up at either park especially at MK!! You may really late in the evening but with kids you might not want to because they may not want to wait that long to eat, etc. Please consider making reservations! I would never chance it unless you want to do all quick service dining and no table service!
Gaston's gal
Well-Known Member
Try to find a place that they will enjoy the atmosphere. If you leave MK and ride the boat over to Wilderness Lodge, you could eat at the Whispering Canyon Cafe and they might enjoy that. They have had kids up doing pony races or sharing ketchup with other tables. If nothing else, they will love the "all you can drink" milkshakes. (reservation will be needed though) If you wanted a fun atmosphere for them at HS, take them to the Sci-Fi Dine In restaurant. They may enjoy sitting in cars watching the sci-fi movies while they eat. Have a good time!
CaptainAmerica
Well-Known Member
At MK, you'll probably have more success (for relatively little inconvenience) if you go to one of the monorail or boat-access resorts. Kona, The Wave, Grand Floridian Cafe, Trail's End, Whispering Canyon, etc.
Courtney6682
Well-Known Member
In Sept of 2013(as a party of 6, 3 kids aged 13, 11 and 7) we had no problem getting last minute reservations...I called around lunch time for dinner, and even tho the place we wanted was booked, the girl on the phone proceeded to tell me what WAS avail in my time frame...very helpful
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Weather_Lady
Well-Known Member
Can I ask why you are hesitant to make reservations? If you cancel more than 24 hours out, you won't lose your "deposit" for places that require it. An ADR gives you the advantage of not having to struggle to find something at the last minute, and knowing that your kids will be able to eat on their usual schedule. If you're hesitant because you don't know where you'll be (in terms of what park), then make some reservations on the monorail loop, like Chef Mickey's (Contemporary Resort), 'Ohana (Polynesian Resort), etc.
As others indicated, if you decide to wing it and can't find anything day-of, your options are to eat at a counter-service location instead, or check availability at nearby resort restaurants. Higher-capacity (or lower-popularity) restaurants where my family or my sister's family have been able to get day-of reservations in the past are: Tony's Town Square (MK), The Plaza Restaurant (MK), and Biergarten (Epcot, Germany pavilion).
iluvMainStMagic
Active Member
I would also suggest calling closer to when you might want an ADR - after you arrive, the day before, the day of... Guest Services or WDW-DINE can help you with any possible cancellations that might have opened up last minute. If you need somewhere close to MK, I agree that there are some great choices at the Deluxes on the Monorail line. One that seems to have fairly consistent last minute availability is the Grand Floridian Cafe - so if you really need to try walking up (or last minute call-ahead), and you like the menu, that one might work.
boilerpicc
Well-Known Member
We usually go in Sept. Except for the super popular restaurants, I generally do our reservations either the night before or the morning of. You will have much better luck with lunch reservations than with dinner, and you will have better luck at Epcot than at the MK. I've never tried walking up, but we have been able to find reservations as late as a couple of hours before we ate.
I would start by saying I would highly recommend ADR's, at any time of the year. That being said, The Plaza can squeeze you in sometimes without an ADR.
PinnySmart
Well-Known Member
I may get bashed for this and I swear I am not bashing the OP but I just can't understand children dictating the whole trip. I kept mine rested and hydrated with no high sugar treats. They never dictated, by their moods, what we did or didn't do. If they tried it all it took was "the look" and the straightened up quickly. Just my thoughts. Not throwing any shade because I know we all parent differently and each child is different.
ToTBellHop
Well-Known Member
I will say, with our two-year olds, yes we could, in theory, do whatever we want and eat at California Grill for example, but if the boys are having a bad day, we would have a bad meal. Other days, they'd be wonderful. But, because there is no guarantee, we just don't book signatures. In a theme park restaurant, if the kids don't behave, it's not a huge deal because there are lots of poorly-behaved kids. We wouldn't enjoy the meal very much, though...
ninjaprincesst
Well-Known Member
I agree, I don't get it I have taken my daughter anywhere I wanted to eat since the day she was born. She has never once acted up in restraint. I guess it just depends on how you raise your children, mine was raised just like my parents raised me, you always knew how to behave I public (in my day there was no such thing as a meltdown, I had no desire to push anything past the point of the "look" from Mom).