Do I need dining reservations?

[MaxSkywalker]

I see a lot of people fretting over dining reservations - do I need em? My kids don't care about having dinner with characters, and I don't anticipate us being too picky about where we eat. I think I'd rather have the flexibility of eating where we want, but OTOH, I don't want to be completely shutout of all sit-down places should we decide we want to take a break. Do all service restaurants fill up? We're going to HS/AK/MK the Wed- Friday before Columbus Day weekend.

 

[UmmGooD]

We did a trip once without reservations and I wouldn’t do it again. There was maybe two restaurants that had availability at Epcot when we wanted to eat and that is the park with the biggest amount of choices. I would book restaurants when you usually eat. Another option is to book sit downs for lunch and then snack or do counter service at dinner when the sit down restaurants are more crowded.

 

[MG40MG]

Prepare, Prepare, Prepare

 

[Alesia]

I honestly prefer counter service restaurants at WDW to table service. There's more variety and more flexibility. We typically only do one TS meal about every 3 days. If you're not super picky, I really wouldn't worry about it

 

[DavidNYC]

For most sit downs meals (particularly the more popular ones) you definitely need them. I've seen many people turned away at the check in desk. You'll likely be able to find a few that you can make day of or stand by but it'll be hit or miss. That being said, I've also had many trips where we've done quick service only and been perfectly happy (especially with many good additions to QS in the last few years). I'd make 1-2 at places you think you might like and you can always cancel them a few days before when your plans will likely be a bit more final.

 

[Nancyg56]

You know your family, so you know if they ill need to eat at a TS restaurant when you want to eat dinner, and if they do, are you prepared to be flexible?

I know my family, so i book TS meals every day that are convenient to our travel plan, but there are so many folks on the DIS who wing it and are more satisfied without having "appointments" for dinner.

Take a look on and off during the day to see what is available that day for TS restaurants for lunch and dinner. That will give you an idea if your plan to wing it will work.

 

[Pumbaa_]

If you want a ts meal make an adr. Do not expect any restaurant to have walk up seating. It is more a way of life at Disney. I’ve read stories where someone walked up to 50s pt, was turned away. Went online and made an adr. Walked back up to the podium and seated. Take that as the way the world turns

There are lots of cancellations though. If you aren’t fussy, you can check day before/day of and make your adr. But do not think you can walk up and be seated. It may happen sporadically, but Disney prefers adrs

 

[Nancyg56]

If you want a ts meal make an adr. Do not expect any restaurant to have walk up seating. It is more a way of life at Disney. I’ve read stories where someone walked up to 50s pt, was turned away. Went online and made an adr. Walked back up to the podium and seated. Take that as the way the world turns

There are lots of cancellations though. If you aren’t fussy, you can check day before/day of and make your adr. But do not think you can walk up and be seated. It may happen sporadically, but Disney prefers adrs

I agree. I know that a lot of people are fine without making ADR's but I think that it is a good idea to at least accept that the family may not be able to secure what they want when they want it, and that no matte the case, if they want a TS meal they are going to need to make an ADR to enter.

 

[StitchesGr8Fan]

That week is fall break for a lot of schools, so expect it to be crowded. There are likely not to be any ADR’s in the parks.

 

[MaxSkywalker]

Some of the quick service places seem really good - Columbia Harbor and Pecos Bill in particular. I don't/can't get reservations there, right?

 

[Alesia]

Some of the quick service places seem really good - Columbia Harbor and Pecos Bill in particular. I don't/can't get reservations there, right?

Correct.

There are tons of great counter service options.