Do I really need to make ADR???

KatAlysmom · Feb 15, 2019

Looking for some reassurance.
We are staying at the Contemporary for 9 nights mid-August and have the dining plan. My husband absolutely hates the idea of being tied down with dining reservations. We are so scheduled during our regular lives and for us a vacation means no schedules. Our kids are 20 and 17 and don't care about character dining (not opposed to it, just don't care). We also like to eat either very early, like 4:30 pm or else late, like 9:30 or 10:00 pm. The crowd calendars that I'm looking at show the parks to be anywhere from 4's to 6's out of 10 the entire time we are there. Do we really, really need to book reservations? Yesterday was the first day I could start booking. We were at WDW in August in 2014 and I cancelled all of my reservations before we got there for the same reason stated above. We were still able to eat everywhere we wanted just by walking in when we were ready. The crowds in 2014 for the same time in August were all 10/10 so if these things are accurate, it should not be as busy.
Thoughts??

maxiesmom · Feb 15, 2019

If you have the dining plan ADRs are a smart idea. It isn't as if you get money back if you don't use the credits. If you want to go without them you need to be very flexible. I wouldn't plan on walking up to the California Grill at 9 pm, or Chef Mickey's either. As long as you are flexible and are willing to eat most any type of food you should be ok.

Disneylover99 · Feb 15, 2019

I'd just make them now anyways. You can always cancel them at a later date like you did before. You mighty feel differently this time.

Brett Wyman · Feb 15, 2019

Yes, yes you do.

Mamabun · Feb 15, 2019

FYI - today's numbers are not really comparable to numbers from 2014 - Touring Plans and other refactored their system. So I wouldn't bank on significantly reduced crowds. Although summer crowds have not increased the same way other months have in recent years.

And as a point of info, some friends of ours were there in Jan, tried to walk up to a dozen different restaurants at different times, and were told they would not be accepting walkups that day at all, no matter how long they wanted to wait. Since they didn't have any prebooked ADRs, the only way they ended up with any table service was to make day of reservations at some of the less popular restaurants. So, I'd be prepared to be really flexible.

Queen of the WDW Scene · Feb 15, 2019

You're going during FD so even if crowds are not too high demand for TS locations is.
If you're not going to the most popular restaurants then you'll likely not have too much of an issue.
Honestly though if you're not interested in being tied to a time and place then I'd suggest just going to QS restaurants instead.

KatAlysmom · Feb 15, 2019

Thanks for the responses. I have been reading this afternoon that its easier to walk-in to the table service restaurants at Epcot and Disney Springs...does that sound right? I have booked a few reservations today, maybe I will try to book the places we really want to go to and maybe it will work out.

KatAlysmom · Feb 15, 2019

Mamabun said:
FYI - today's numbers are not really comparable to numbers from 2014 - Touring Plans and other refactored their system. So I wouldn't bank on significantly reduced crowds. Although summer crowds have not increased the same way other months have in recent years.

And as a point of info, some friends of ours were there in Jan, tried to walk up to a dozen different restaurants at different times, and were told they would not be accepting walkups that day at all, no matter how long they wanted to wait. Since they didn't have any prebooked ADRs, the only way they ended up with any table service was to make day of reservations at some of the less popular restaurants. So, I'd be prepared to be really flexible.

Do you meant that a park that has a 4/10 would still be really crowded? I found the 10/10 crowds horrible.

Queen of the WDW Scene · Feb 15, 2019

KatAlysmom said:
Thanks for the responses. I have been reading this afternoon that its easier to walk-in to the table service restaurants at Epcot and Disney Springs...does that sound right? I have booked a few reservations today, maybe I will try to book the places we really want to go to and maybe it will work out.

Depends on the particular restaurant and if it's a more or less popular one.
Resort restaurants that are not buffet/character dining/signature dining are usually fairly easy to walk up.

AllyReggie · Feb 15, 2019

Here is my take on it:

If there is nothing you REALLY must eat, and you don't care if you eat at one restaurant or another, AND are okay with being turned away... don't make reservations and have fun with finding food each day.

If you are even the least bit concerned that it will dampen your experience if you are turned away or have to wait 60min+ for a table... I'd book the reservation.

During free dining, ADRs are going to be at a premium, and even a 4/10 crowd is high enough that people will be booking lots of ADRs, also take into account that people will want to be in the cool, ACed restaurants and you have a combination that could force you to wait long waits or settle for outdoor (read: HOT) Counter/Quick Service meals.

The climate of ADRs and Disney restaurants has really changed and even at off times, its not uncommon to see people who HAVE ADRs waiting for 30 minutes or more. In 2016 for our Reservation for Hollywood Brown Derby, we waited 15 minutes after our scheduled reservation, (we were also there 15 minutes early for a total of 30minutes waiting) and lots of people were waiting when we left, and that was a 4:30p dinner.

If the gamble of having to walk from restaurant to restaurant for a table doesn't sound like a bother to you, I wouldn't worry about it, you will find *something*. But if you are the sort that really wants to eat at X once you see its an option, you may struggle with fluctuating availability.

I am biased, because food is a big part of my Disney, and I couldn't imagine stressing on the fly what we might get to eat, or worrying about waiting for a table. But if being spontaneous is your Disney, you probably wont be as encumbered by it. Just know that San Angel Inn, Le Cellier, Tokyo Dining (and Teppan Edo) and even Restaurant Marrakesh can really be popular, and the crowds at EPCOT will be there for Food & Wine most likely, so you might find the reservation availability... unpredictable.

isabellea · Feb 15, 2019

Walk ups will be close to impossible but you should be able to find last-minute ADRs the day off. Many cancel theirs the evening before, freeing up many ADRs. If you want to eat at one restaurant in particular, I would make an ADR but if you don't mind eating at a resort or worst-case scenario a QS, you should be fine.

SaraMc · Feb 15, 2019

So if you really really want a certain restaurant on a certain day then yes I would. We have gone so much we kind of just like to see what’s available the day of. If we miss the “must do” restaurant that’s ok. We know we will be back.

caisland · Feb 15, 2019

Think about the restaurants you would most like to try and get. Then take a look at the 14 days prior to your trip and see what there is for availability for those restaurants. If nothing available for them now then don't expect much later.

erinlynn2020 · Feb 15, 2019

If you have a flexible schedule & can just roll with it, give it a try- but if it were me, I’d book a couple just to get anything I really wanted. As a couple we often take bar seating because we like a more relaxed ambiance (if that makes sense) & your kids should be old enough that sitting in the bar area should be all right. Being at the Contemporary, you’re close to a lot so if where you eat doesn’t bother you, just enjoy not having a schedule.

If you don’t use your free dining credits, will they be cashed in as snacks? Just curious.

Scar1199 · Feb 16, 2019

We had the dining plan for our first 2 visits and found that we were always needing to leave something we were doing to get to our ADR, or we had an ADR and we weren't really hungry. So the last 2 trips and our upcoming trip, we stopped getting the dining plan. We always go for 9 days and the 4 of us each gets to pick a sit down restaurant, all other times we use QS. I have found that it's much less stress planning and getting to your reservations plus it has saved us money.

maxiesmom · Feb 16, 2019

KatAlysmom said:
Thanks for the responses. I have been reading this afternoon that its easier to walk-in to the table service restaurants at Epcot and Disney Springs...does that sound right? I have booked a few reservations today, maybe I will try to book the places we really want to go to and maybe it will work out.

It depends on what restaurant at what time.

Think about it this way. Say you are in the World Showcase and decide you are hungry. Your first stop is La Hacienda and they have no room. Are you willing to walk to Norway, and then maybe on to China, and maybe continue around until you find a restaurant that can seat you within a reasonable amount of time? Or would you be happier with knowing you have plans for Le Ceiller, and be able to walk there when the time comes?

DisTXMom · Feb 16, 2019

Free dining season=need reservations. Sorry

kuhltiffany · Feb 16, 2019

We went for the last 2 weeks of August last year. If there is somewhere you really want to eat, book it. With the app, it's really easy to change the booking times if you need to. The app also makes it easy to add reservations, we often found them available the night before as people altered their schedules. We even got be Our Guest for breakfast on while on the bus going to Magic Kingdom! We tried walking in a few times and it was a nightmare, we didn't want to waste time waiting that long. Instead (if you're flexible) look at the app to see what's available and use that...

Dumbo7 · Feb 16, 2019

Book your reservations. You can always change them. We book
Them after we book our fast passes. You’re there 9 days. Ask yourself how do I eat? We do club level. So we never need to book breakfast unless we want a brunch. We tend to eat signature and usually two meals a day

marcyleecorgan · Feb 16, 2019

KatAlysmom said:
Thanks for the responses. I have been reading this afternoon that its easier to walk-in to the table service restaurants at Epcot and Disney Springs...does that sound right? I have booked a few reservations today, maybe I will try to book the places we really want to go to and maybe it will work out.

Some of the non-Disney owned ones have their own reservation system that is independent of Disney, but they don't accept Dining Plan. Some people are able to walk up, but it's like any other popular eatery - it could be a 40 min wait.

KatAlysmom said:
Do you meant that a park that has a 4/10 would still be really crowded? I found the 10/10 crowds horrible.

The new crowd numbers are slowly moving towards a Galaxy's Edge-based reality, in which a previous 10/10 day would now be considered a 5/10 day. Think about how many more people are going to be there... advance reservations are KEY to your getting anything done in any short amount of time.

Queen of the WDW Scene said:
Depends on the particular restaurant and if it's a more or less popular one.
Resort restaurants that are not buffet/character dining/signature dining are usually fairly easy to walk up.

I would agree with this, also especially if they are not Dining Plan restaurants they sometimes have more availability.

But... I would make SOME kind of reservations to eat SOMEWHERE. Throw a dart at a chart or pick out of a hat, just make sure you have SOME kind of emergency plan for when you find out that all table service restaurants have a 3 hr wait, it's a 30-min wait for a hamburger, and the fireworks show will be starting soon so the people are packing in, the popcorn carts are sneakily disappearing, and your HANGRY is only half-satisfied by the bag of overpriced candy you found at a register in a gift shop... cuz that has happened to my family, as well as many other people without a plan.

Do I really need to make ADR???

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