Didnt think about ADR.

[righttrack]

As for having reservations and the feeling of being "pinned" to a location for a period of time and a potential loss of spontaneity, I can understand that a bit. You really just need to say to yourself, I'm going be at this park at dinner time. Whether the park itself has the restaurant, or a nearby resort, beyond that, you don't have to much to worry. If I have an ADR for Mama Melrose, at Hollywood Studios (formerly MGM) for 6pm, I just get myself in the park by 4pm. We go do something low key, without a long wait and right before dinner we try to grab a fastpass to something popular. Walk up to Mama Melrose around 5:50pm and just walk in and eat. It beats the alternative by a mile. We would have to try and an odd hour like 4pm or 9pm to eat, and the wait would be at least an hour, perhaps 2 or most likely not at all.

 

[Justin Doggett]

Ok thanks guys for all the suggestions

 

[Tomi-Rocket]

You shouldn't have much trouble if you are planning to eat at quick service restaurants since they don't take ADR's. Also, we NEVER eat at the usual times 12 for lunch or 6 for dinner, usually earlier or later.

As for sit down restaurants, I have seen quite a few posts of people who had good luck just walking up and getting seated within a short amount of time. I would never chance it, I love planning all our meals and where we are eating for our trips. Now, if we don't feel like it or we're not hungry then we skip the ADR and just wing it but we don't go to a sit down but to a quick service.

However, we did on one trip walk in to a restaurant without an ADR and were seated within 15 min! The plan was to go Yak & Yeti for their quick service but it was SO BLISTERINGLY HOT that day so we looked for a table in the shade. I sat down and my DH went to get the food. Well, I sat there just melting in that seat so I went to my DH and said, "I cannot eat out here, it's too hot." so we decided to try our luck at the sit down Yak & Yeti and as I said before we got in within 15 min. Oh, the air conditioning was glorious but I didn't care for the way my dish was prepared but since we were on the DDP, I still had plenty to eat.

So I guess my message is, it never hurts to try!

 

[stlbobby]

I do not understand why people don't want to make ADR's. For me it is a great part of the experience. I get to plan and imagine and maneuver several months out. Then I get to adjust and rethink for six months. Anything that get's me thinking about Disney gets me excited.

But even if you aren't a Disney fanatic like me you have to understand making reservations months out is important. If you go on vacation anywhere in the world you are most likely going to need reservations for the best dining options. This is true in New York, Paris, Milan, London, Miami, or even Scottsdale. You can play it by ear and be spontaneous, but you will miss out on the best restaurants and end up dining at food counters, second rate restaurants, and fast food chains, or eating dinner at 9:30.

I had to make reservations for meals at the Grand Canyon six months out and I went on one of the slowest weeks of the year. Reservations for rooms or beds have to be made 13 months out.

I don't understand why people think WDW, the most popular vacation destination in the world, should be different.