Seriously?

B

Buzz Lightbeer

New Member
Original Poster
I have not been to wdw since this reservation system cam in place, do i seriously have to book all meals in advance? can i not rock up on the day and just wait for a seat? I've always been in november and thats when im going this way and the parks are very quiet!

I will book a couple i thin but will i be able to get a seaton the day even if they say come back in an hour?

Cheers

Si
 
surfsupdon

surfsupdon

Well-Known Member
We book everything in advance b/c you are told to. Having said that, so many Guests double book and overbook that a restaurant says it is "full" on the screen, but in reality it may not even be halfway full.


This past Oct (Halloween Week) we walked up and got tables at Liberty Tree (during a Halloween party night), Yak and Yeti, Brown Derby, and Sci Fi. For a party of 8. Maybe we were lucky. But, honestly, many of the tables sat empty during dinner hours.
 
Andrew54

Andrew54

Active Member
I would recommend ADR's especially if you are going to use a dining plan, to make sure you get your moneys worth of the plan. Because there are so many people using dining plans with ADRS, for this very reason it has become difficult to "walk up".
 
MissM

MissM

Well-Known Member
Buzz Lightbeer said:
I have not been to wdw since this reservation system cam in place, do i seriously have to book all meals in advance? can i not rock up on the day and just wait for a seat?
Click to expand...
Yes you really DO have to book everything in advance. And six months to the day, first thing in the morning if you want the popular places. No you can not just walk up and expect a seat.

For example, if I wanted to eat at say, Le Cellier for my birthday on May 16th, I would have had to call at the crack of dawn on November 16th and hope that it wasn't already all booked up for people who had 180+10 resort stays.

The system is annoying, stupid and absurd but that's the way it is these days. Have fun. :rolleyes:
 
Victoria

Victoria

Not old, just vintage.
Knowing precisely when and where you want to dine 180 days in advance of your trip is a necessity. It is the sad reality of WDW these days. You can walk up to a restaurant and ask to wait, but don't expect to actually get seated anytime soon. Wait times quickly go into the 1 hour+ range all times of the year. Going to WDW in the middle of February or going to WDW 4th of July weekend has no impact on dining anymore. 180 days is 180 days. :shrug: Gone are the days of spontaneity and relaxed dining experiences in WDW.
 
D

DisneyJoe

Well-Known Member
Buzz Lightbeer said:
I have not been to wdw since this reservation system cam in place, do i seriously have to book all meals in advance? can i not rock up on the day and just wait for a seat? I've always been in november and thats when im going this way and the parks are very quiet!
Click to expand...

Much depends on where and when you want to eat.

If you are trying to walk up to Le Cellier or Chef Mickey's at 5pm, you may either be complete turned away or told to wait an hour or two or more. If you are flexible and don't mind eating late or at some of the less popular places, then you will have more success.

Most people are finding that there is no quiet time at WDW anymore.
 
coltow

coltow

Well-Known Member
I was at Sci-Fi last September. We had at 12:15 reservation. While we were waiting they were turning people away for the ENTIRE day. Anyone that walked in they were told that they didn't have any tables open for the rest of the day. They could try back tomorrow.

I will always book in advance. I book things as soon as possible but then know I can always cancel or try to change them later. My rule of thumb is to book one meal per day
 
stlbobby

stlbobby

Well-Known Member
You definitely need reservations. Even if you are willing to wait several hours many of the best restaurants will be filled up completely weeks or months in advance.

I actually like the system. I enjoy knowing I have a table ready for me when I leave home. I don't have to worry about figuring it out on the fly. I did like 90 days better than 180, but I love having the whole thing mapped out. I can always wing it if my appetite changes, but I always have an ADR at the ready.
 
DougK

DougK

Well-Known Member
MissM said:
Yes you really DO have to book everything in advance. And six months to the day, first thing in the morning if you want the popular places. No you can not just walk up and expect a seat.

For example, if I wanted to eat at say, Le Cellier for my birthday on May 16th, I would have had to call at the crack of dawn on November 16th and hope that it wasn't already all booked up for people who had 180+10 resort stays.

The system is annoying, stupid and absurd but that's the way it is these days. Have fun. :rolleyes:
Click to expand...

Nicely said!
 
SwistakFam

SwistakFam

Member
After waiting for 2 hours at Crystal Palace in Sept '09, I will be making some if not all of our ADR's. We were kinda lucky at Yack and Yeti and Biergarten, but I an not going to chance it this year :animwink:
 
D

DisneyNole

New Member
It's true - you must plan and reserve ahead. My family didn't believe me either, and made much fun of me for planning "our every move" for a big family trip 2 years ago. I look at it this way - at least we got to eat at great places, even if we did know 4 months ahead of time. I've watched the reservation system change since Disney dining began, and the restaurants are very full all the time.
 
rsoxguy

rsoxguy

Well-Known Member
Oddly enough, we decided to go to EPCOT on 2/20, and we just got an ADR at Le Chefs De France for 5p.m. without a problem. I thought that two weeks in advance for dinner would be impossible. Who knew?
 
unkadug

unkadug

Follower of "Saget"The Cult
Pumbas Nakasak said:
Youll be fine, no one needs reservations. Its a myth put about by web sites all over.
Click to expand...

True...you really don't need reservations if:
  • You like to fast the length of your trip
  • You don't mind leaving the property completely and eat off site

You POSSIBLY could get a walk up at one the restaurants at DTD or a resort...but don't count on it either.
 
Pumbas Nakasak

Pumbas Nakasak

Heading for the great escape.
unkadug said:
True...you really don't need reservations if:
  • You like to fast the length of your trip
  • You don't mind leaving the property completely and eat off site

You POSSIBLY could get a walk up at one the restaurants at DTD or a resort...but don't count on it either.
Click to expand...


You did realise that was me posting that.........:animwink:
 
sweetpee_1993

sweetpee_1993

Well-Known Member
Buzz Lightbeer said:
I have not been to wdw since this reservation system cam in place, do i seriously have to book all meals in advance? can i not rock up on the day and just wait for a seat? I've always been in november and thats when im going this way and the parks are very quiet!

I will book a couple i thin but will i be able to get a seaton the day even if they say come back in an hour?

Cheers

Si
Click to expand...


If you've not been since the reservation system was put in service then I think you're going to have a serious reality check when you get there in November. The parks aren't like they used to be. Even the locals consistently say "There is no slow-season anymore." The quieter days are much busier than they used to be. Take that into consideration and make those dining reservations. It's better to have them than to get there and wish you did because you're hungry with nothing but counter-service for meals.

Have fun! :wave:
 

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