Reservations Necessary?

[5thGenTexan]

We are planning a mid-June WDW trip.

Some of my criteria for eating....

I don't want a hamburger evert meal.
I don't want to have to stand and eat on the top of a trash can.
Be Our Guest and that type aren't something we are really interested in anyway,

My question is... is everything booked solid all the time where you wouldn't be able to sit down and eat when hunger strikes?

 

[MarvelCharacterNerd]

If you're willing to eat at less popular table service restaurants or at off hours (i.e. lunch at 2:30, dinner at 4:15), you can likely find availability but you may or may not like the food selections at what's available. Popular places with popular food selections get booked in advance.

So, yes, it's doable to eat without reservations, but may not be desirable.

 

[Prince-1]

Without a doubt you should make reservations. Now that you can cancel up to two hours before your time makes it very easy to be flexible.

 

[anchorman314]

If there is a particular restaurant you really want to eat at, absolutely make a reservation. Or even if you think you might want to eat at a certain place, go ahead and book it, keeping the cancellation policy in mind. But if you just want to see what each day brings and take it from there, it is very doable to avoid hamburgers and nuggets. There are great QS options in parks or a bus/monorail/boat ride away. We did a whole week with 0 reservations and I ate 0 burgers. (Though some members of my travel party ate burgers by choice.)

 

[5thGenTexan]

Been doing a lot of research and we are now 6 days from being able to make reservations.

No table service in MK. Nothing that really interests us.
No table service in AK. Once again, nothing that really we want to sit down for.

Garden Grill, Biergarten, and Mama Melrose's we are do want to do. Any need to be ready at the crack of dawn next week to make sure we get those?

 

[Weather_Lady]

Been doing a lot of research and we are now 6 days from being able to make reservations.

No table service in MK. Nothing that really interests us.
No table service in AK. Once again, nothing that really we want to sit down for.

Garden Grill, Biergarten, and Mama Melrose's we are do want to do. Any need to be ready at the crack of dawn next week to make sure we get those?

It depends. Anything you want on the first couple days of your trip (meaning that others who arrive before you and stay onsite have already been booking up those dates), would probably best be booked first thing in the morning, especially if you have a specific dining time in mind. I'd go ahead and do them all then, so you don't have to worry about it later. Apropos of nothing, Biergarten is one of my family's perennial favorites: I hope you enjoy it as much as we have!

FWIW, if you are a member of the Landry's Select rewards program for Landry's restaurants (you sign up online and pay a $20 fee, but then you get a $20 rewards credit to use the first time you visit a Landry's venue, so it ends up being free), you get priority walk-up seating at Landry's restaurants. The ones on Disney property are Yak & Yeti (AK), Rainforest Cafe (AK), Rainforest Cafe (Disney Springs, there's a second one!), and T-REX (Disney Springs). We've relied on our Landry's card a few times when we were at DS or AK and the weather started to turn, or we otherwise wanted a spontaneous sit-down option.

 

[buckeyegator]

just try to walk up to the desk, ask if there is something available, chances are there is.last 2 times we got homecoming that way, also liberty tree tavern, it never hurts to ask.as for biergarten, never a full house, plenty of times available.

 

[JIMINYCR]

If you like a gamble then don’t book. You can still hear from those on this site who swear they still can walk up and dine wherever they want. I’m not one of them. I’ll always book a spot so I can ensure I get what I want when I want it. Too many times even with booking ADRs on time, the popular spots get booked up solid and I’ve had to seek out lesser alternatives.
Another option most don’t think about is dining at one of the resorts which offer some great choices for quality meals.

 

[buckeyegator]

If you like a gamble then don’t book. You can still hear from those on this site who swear they still can walk up and dine wherever they want. I’m not one of them. I’ll always book a spot so I can ensure I get what I want when I want it. Too many times even with booking ADRs on time, the popular spots get booked up solid and I’ve had to seek out lesser alternatives.
Another option most don’t think about is dining at one of the resorts which offer some great choices for quality meals.

not desputing you, but like i said last 2 times got homecoming, a very, very hard get by just asking.i still say, and many may think i am wrong, that places do not hard sellout reservations, hold some back for walk-ups, again, no harm in trying.

 

[5thGenTexan]

It depends. Anything you want on the first couple days of your trip (meaning that others who arrive before you and stay onsite have already been booking up those dates), would probably best be booked first thing in the morning, especially if you have a specific dining time in mind. I'd go ahead and do them all then, so you don't have to worry about it later. Apropos of nothing, Biergarten is one of my family's perennial favorites: I hope you enjoy it as much as we have!

FWIW, if you are a member of the Landry's Select rewards program for Landry's restaurants (you sign up online and pay a $20 fee, but then you get a $20 rewards credit to use the first time you visit a Landry's venue, so it ends up being free), you get priority walk-up seating at Landry's restaurants. The ones on Disney property are Yak & Yeti (AK), Rainforest Cafe (AK), Rainforest Cafe (Disney Springs, there's a second one!), and T-REX (Disney Springs). We've relied on our Landry's card a few times when we were at DS or AK and the weather started to turn, or we otherwise wanted a spontaneous sit-down option.

I understand, and I do plan on making the reservations for those places, but IF I don't have to be up on the internet at 5:00 am next Wednesday to do it, that would be great. Waiting a few hours would work a lot better for me.

Yes. we are Landry's Select members. I think for like 13 years now. We do have a $25 reward to use, so may try Yak and Yeti. I don't waste my time with Rainforest here, so probably not going to at WDW either.

 

[5thGenTexan]

If you like a gamble then don’t book. You can still hear from those on this site who swear they still can walk up and dine wherever they want. I’m not one of them. I’ll always book a spot so I can ensure I get what I want when I want it. Too many times even with booking ADRs on time, the popular spots get booked up solid and I’ve had to seek out lesser alternatives.
Another option most don’t think about is dining at one of the resorts which offer some great choices for quality meals.

My line of thinking may be wrong, but I think of the folks that leave and go to a resort for a meal are the same that make several WDW and have the time. I just hate the thought of wasting my park time leaving and finding transportation and then returning to the park. My kids are in band and in 3 years I think its going to be a Disney trip year. My wife and I will chaperone and maybe we will venture outside on that trip to explore other dining options.

 

[JIMINYCR]

My line of thinking may be wrong, but I think of the folks that leave and go to a resort for a meal are the same that make several WDW and have the time. I just hate the thought of wasting my park time leaving and finding transportation and then returning to the park. My kids are in band and in 3 years I think its going to be a Disney trip year. My wife and I will chaperone and maybe we will venture outside on that trip to explore other dining options.

You mentioned MK. Well Contemp, Poly and GF are just a 10 min monorail ride away. You can walk to the Contemp in 15 min. From Ep you can reach Beach Club, Yacht Club, Boardwalk in 15 min. None of these require transportation or much time getting to them. All these have good dining options. You can waste more time walking around searching for a place to eat or waiting for tables.

 

[Weather_Lady]

Yes. we are Landry's Select members. I think for like 13 years now. We do have a $25 reward to use, so may try Yak and Yeti. I don't waste my time with Rainforest here, so probably not going to at WDW either.

Rainforest and T-REX are basically Applebee's-level food, but with fun animatronics and immersive decorating.

FWIW, we've found that Yak & Yeti is a cut above them, in terms of the breadth of the menu and quality of the food, and I encourage you to give it a try if you find yourself looking for a relaxing meal in AK. If I might recommend a couple of items, the Ahi Tuna Nachos and Bhaktpur Duck with plum barbecue sauce are exceptional.

 

[esskay]

Depends where you want to go and on what days. I'm off in May and havent bothered getting tons of reservations as theres absolutely loads of availbility, but Junes a fair bit busier than May so may be worth at least booking a few.

 

[dreday3]

We have been here since 4/18 and we probably rebooked most of our reservations day of!

If you are even the tiniest bit flexible, it can be done.

Only tip from me is if you are a party of two, look for four. No penalty.

 

[5thGenTexan]

I ended up making reservations for 3 meals. Rest will be QS probably.