Is it too late???

[goofy0101]

So I have this friend who leaves for WDW day after tomorrow - Friday, Nov. 16 - and she's made no advance dinner reservations whatsoever. For me, planning ahead is half the fun but I realize that's not for everyone. However, does she have any chance of getting in wherever she and her family want to eat at this point?

Is all my advance planning done in vain or can people really go and get in to eat wherever they want at the last minute?:shrug:

 

[lilclerk]

Definitely not "wherever they want" but if they're flexible in where and when they eat, I'm sure they'll find something. Plus there's always counter service.

 

[ngynnhu]

You can always call adr on the day of and see if there is any openings. I got lucky sometimes and will be able to get a table.

 

[Eyorefan]

So I have this friend who leaves for WDW day after tomorrow - Friday, Nov. 16 - and she's made no advance dinner reservations whatsoever. For me, planning ahead is half the fun but I realize that's not for everyone. However, does she have any chance of getting in wherever she and her family want to eat at this point?

Is all my advance planning done in vain or can people really go and get in to eat wherever they want at the last minute?:shrug:

Well, considering that the this is not a peak time, and people do cancel ADRs at the last minute, they have a shot if they call around. I wouldn't want to try it though. I can't imagine wasting time worrying about where I'm going to eat dinner when I could be enjoying a day at the park.

 

[DisneyJoe]

Flexibility is key here - in both time and the restaurant.

I would definitely call first thing each morning, if not the night before to try and arrange something.

Eating at off-peak times can help.

 

[Hakunamatata]

We were in the World from Oct 13 to 28. We had a difficult time getting ressies day of. At EPCOT if you are flexible and call for any available at any country, then you possibly would be able to find something. We tried Chefs de Frenchy French for the first time doing this. We could not get anything at the MK for day of. We were able to get Whispering Canyon at WL day of.

Its all in the luck of the call, but you have to be very flexible and consider resort dining as well if you want to get in somewhere.

 

[cajunCinderella]

I wish her luck! I have friends who are going on there first trip (16 - 23) so I helped them plan and they wanted to do a character breakfast or dinner and the only one they could get was Crystal Palace on saturday morning.

 

[maharet97a]

They may get lucky and get in where others have cancelled or if they're flexible in their choices, but I called weeks ago and couldn't get in any of my first choices for the week after next (in this supposedly "off" season and the WDW Dine rep said that the whole next two months were like that). Also if they're willing to wait they can probably get in their choice. ADR's are not a set in stone reservation if you will, they just give you priority seating (as they used to be called) over walk ups. And as there is no penalty for cancelling or skipping your ADR, seating may open up literally at the last minute due to people being unable to make their reservation or changing their mind. This of course is not a guarantee though.

 

[Hakunamatata]

They may get lucky and get in where others have cancelled or if they're flexible in their choices, but I called weeks ago and couldn't get in any of my first choices for the week after next (in this supposedly "off" season and the WDW Dine rep said that the whole next two months were like that). Also if they're willing to wait they can probably get in their choice. ADR's are not a set in stone reservation if you will, they just give you priority seating (as they used to be called) over walk ups. And as there is no penalty for cancelling or skipping your ADR, seating may open up literally at the last minute due to people being unable to make their reservation or changing their mind. This of course is not a guarantee though.

Many places now will direct you to a phone to contact Disney Dining if you walk up. Have personally seen this happen at Le Cellier.

 

[happymom52003]

So I have this friend who leaves for WDW day after tomorrow - Friday, Nov. 16 - and she's made no advance dinner reservations whatsoever. For me, planning ahead is half the fun but I realize that's not for everyone. However, does she have any chance of getting in wherever she and her family want to eat at this point?

Is all my advance planning done in vain or can people really go and get in to eat wherever they want at the last minute?:shrug:

Not much more to add in regards to your question, but I have not eaten lunch yet and your avatar is really making me wish I was at the Hoop dee doo RIGHT NOW!!:slurp:

 

[Deadmanwalking]

There best shot now is to check with the conceirge (or however its spelled) as soon as they get there and have an idea of where they want to go. Odds are some of the most popular places will be very unlikely. Non-peak times you do have a good shot at the often booked places like crystal palace... but if they plan on going to more popular places than that it is a roll of the dice.

 

[maharet97a]

Many places now will direct you to a phone to contact Disney Dining if you walk up. Have personally seen this happen at Le Cellier.

Hmm...we've never had this happen to us. Doesn't make sense. Why would they tell you to call if they don't have the seating? Seems like they would just tell you they don't have any availability (doesn't mean they don't do it though...sometimes big companies do things that "just don't make no sense"). I've got to call Disney Dining this week any way, I'll see what they say there.

Update: Rep at Disney Dining said that while they prefer people to have ADR's, she herself hadn't heard of them turning anyone away or redirecting them if they wanted to wait (it wasn't policy to do so anyway) but that it could vary by location (Victoria & Albert's came to mind).

 

[Surf Fish2285]

Tell her to see the hotel concierge desk. They will help her find available reservations.

 

[WDW-LUVR]

years and years ago my Husband and I would go with out ADR . At 1st we had great luck and got in where we wanted to, but then it started getting more difficult. Sometimes we would walk up and they would tell us sorry they were booked, my husband would go around the corner to the pay phone and call Dinning and would get ADR for like 15 to 20 minutes later. Now adays I wouldn't dare to try it, unless I planned on counter service the whole trip.

 

[Hakunamatata]

Hmm...we've never had this happen to us. Doesn't make sense. Why would they tell you to call if they don't have the seating? Seems like they would just tell you they don't have any availability (doesn't mean they don't do it though...sometimes big companies do things that "just don't make no sense"). I've got to call Disney Dining this week any way, I'll see what they say there.

Update: Rep at Disney Dining said that while they prefer people to have ADR's, she herself hadn't heard of them turning anyone away or redirecting them if they wanted to wait (it wasn't policy to do so anyway) but that it could vary by location (Victoria & Albert's came to mind).

It may have something to do with not having the time to try to explain that you probably wont get in because the place is completely booked for the night. Its easier and more efficient to have them speak to a CM that is not trying to deal with guests who do actually have a ressie. Makes a whole lot of sense to me.

 

[maharet97a]

It may have something to do with not having the time to try to explain that you probably wont get in because the place is completely booked for the night. Its easier and more efficient to have them speak to a CM that is not trying to deal with guests who do actually have a ressie. Makes a whole lot of sense to me.

That may be their reasoning, that or the fact that maybe it's easier to keep track of things from one central point instead of two, but it's still strange to me that instead of taking a minute to say "I'm sorry we don't have any more availabilities this evening." that they would take the same minute to ask a guest to go out of their way to call the line and go through all the menus and then possibly have hold time to find out the same information. That's not good customer service in my opinon (it's alright if you disagree, like I said it strikes me as strange because Disney CM's usually go above and beyond the call of duty to make things hassel-free for guests).

 

[Hakunamatata]

That may be their reasoning, that or the fact that maybe it's easier to keep track of things from one central point instead of two, but it's still strange to me that instead of taking a minute to say "I'm sorry we don't have any more availabilities this evening." that they would take the same minute to ask a guest to go out of their way to call the line and go through all the menus and then possibly have hold time to find out the same information. That's not good customer service in my opinon (it's alright if you disagree, like I said it strikes me as strange because Disney CM's usually go above and beyond the call of duty to make things hassel-free for guests).

True, but how many times do CMs have to deal with guests that dont politely take no for an answer, dont understand English very well, or dont want to follow the established guidelines for obtaining ressies. If I was standing behind someone who just walked up and ended up getting seated when I had to pay long distance phone charges on a number of occasions to get the seating that I wanted, I would be a fairly hacked off guest. So, isnt it better to make the guest that does not follow the rules upset vs upsetting the one that followed the rules, went to the trouble and expense to get the ressie?

 

[MichWolv]

For the OP, tell your friends to give it a shot. Even during free dining in August, I was able to reservations up to a day or two before (not my choice,-- we had unplanned changes in plans) by being flexible and having table-service meals at lunch. Garden Grill, Kona Cafe, Yacht Club Galley, and Biergarten all worked out just fine this way. Dinner was much harder, but we did get into Jiko and Wolfgang Puck with very little advance notice.

 

[goofy0101]

Thanks everyone - I'm grateful for all the responses!

 

[maharet97a]

Sorry for hijacking the thread...it's just an interesting discussion to me. Regardless of anything it would be disappointing for me to have the experience of being referred to a partially automated phone system (I hate the things) for information that could have been given to me in person. I've been on both sides (dealing with paying guests in a similar situation, but on a much smaller scale and being the guest as well) so I could see their point in maybe doing it. But your average guest is not as WDW saavy as we are and may not even know about ADR's so you can't punish (that's not the right word, but I can't think of a better one at the moment) them for that. I'm sorry....I just feel bad that people would miss out on doing something they want to do because of a system that they know nothing about.

Now on to happier topics....like if cavemen and astronauts got into a fight, who would win?