Have you tried to go to a table service restaurant without an ADR?

[pumba]

because we were only two people we have been able to get a few walk ins ...One was at Le Cellier, one was at Biergarten..another was at Morocco..all at Epcot...and yes were have been turned away too...
So it doesnt hurt to try...but if you are going to Disney...I would make some just in case ..because the ODDS are against you ..

 

[chalee94]

i've been turned down a couple of times at les chefs for lunch on solo trips. i just go to the tangierine cafe instead...

 

[MaleficentRN]

Only twice. Did an early dinner for four people (Were leaving at 5:00, kids starting to melt down and would never have made it to an off site restaurant) walk up at Coral Reef. Waited about 15 minutes.
Another, DH and I dropped the kids at Neverland and went to MK. We were then going to go to EPCOT, but we were too tired. We did a walk up to Kona at about 7:30 and were seated right away. Would never have gone there otherwise. Loved it!
Last trip tried a walk up for lunch at Sci Fi. No luck. Backlot Express for us!

 

[Jkpark]

We walked up to Sci-Fi on 9/25 to see if they could seat us and we were in within 10 minutes, no ADR.

I usually have ADRs but also walked in to Sci Fi on 9/25 and was seated within 10 minutes.

 

[LilyWDW]

I have personally never tried to do walkups, but here are a few observations from restaurants we had ADRs at and witnessed others trying to walk up.

Turned away:
Le Cellier Dinner
Les Chefs Dinner
Jiko Dinner
Boma Dinner
Crystal Palace Dinner
Ohana Dinner

1+ hour waits:
Raglan Road Lunch

30min-1hr waits:
Brown Derby Lunch

10min-30min waits:
Flying Fish Dinner

 

[nansmama]

We have done walk ups to Prime Time Cafe on several trips. A few days ago we went to Beaches & Cream and the wait was 20 minutes. I don't think they take reservations, though.

 

[TheNewMrsB]

You CAN get into Ohana, but you have to be there by 4:00 or 4:30 and then you have to wait, and wait, and wait.

On our last trip a few weeks back, we passed someone trying to get into 'Ohana without an ADR and I overheard the CM informing them that 'Ohana is ADR-only now. Granted, they may have just been saying that because the place was crawling, but who knows?

The only time we've attempted dining without ADR's is when going to breakfast at Kona.

 

[goofyintoronto]

I know many people have opinions about this (I do too ) but I'm looking for people who have actually attempted this.

If you have gone to a table service restaurant without an ADR (in the past 2 years) can you please answer the following for me:

1. Were you ever turned away?
2. How long was your average wait?
3. Were you able to dine at the more 'popular' restaurants or the ones you wanted to or, did you need to make choice you wouldn't normally or, leave a park and go to a resort?

I have a friend who is traveling in early February who has purchased the DP but she does not want to be tied down to reservations. I want to be able to provide her with accurate information from those who have BTDT.

My personal opinion is that she'd be better off to make reservations but since I've never actually tried to go to a table service restaurant without and ADR I can't really share from personal experience with her.

Thanks!

Every trip we manage to get a table walk-up to about 2 restaurants on average. Some examples: Sci-Fi, Teppan Edo, Rose&Crown, Raglan Road, TRex, Tonys, Liberty Tree, etc. We always have luck with this. Not sure if its because there are only two ppl in our party (my son & I)? Average wait time was about 10 minutes.

 

[Emilylou]

I had 5 ADR for the week of 9/29-10/5, but was able to change all but 2 of them on the fly the day of.

I had never been to WDW- so some of my ADR although popular places didn't really work for our time schedule once I was there. It was a slow time and I switch places with no problems. I used my smartphone to search for what was available near us when when we were hungry and then canceled our original ADR. Hope that helps.

 

[DisneyFansInLINY]

On our trip in January 2011, the Rainforest Cafe was not on the deluxe dining plan but was on the platinum. However, when I went to make a reservation online and clicked the accepts dining plan search option, it came up so I made the ADR not knowing it did not accept my plan. (And now in 2012, it is accepted). Anyway, when we went to eat we told them we were on the plan and they told us they don't accept it but would give us 20% off and we declined and left. Then we needed to find some place to eat fast because I was 7 months pregnant, my daughter was 3 and DH gets cranky if he doesn't eat and we were starving. I called the reservation line and they said I would have to find a restaurant and ask them if they had availability. We went to Yak and Yeti and they took our names and we waited about 25 minutes. Now skip to May 2012. We had reservations at Fultons but were at Magic Kingdom and my daughter wouldn't leave. Again we were on the deluxe plan. I called and cancelled my reservation and asked to make a new one. The reservationist said there was no availability at MK. I could leave and go elsewhere. This was not an option and I had a very hungry 13 month old to feed. So we walked up to Tony's and were told there was nothing and we saw lots of people waiting. Then we walked up to the Plaza which is a sandwich place and the least likely busy. But guess what? There was nothing! I was a bit upset especially being on the deluxe dining plan so I told them I was unhappy that we paid for a plan but could not be accomodated to eat and they got a manager and the manager
told them to seat us. We waited about 15 minutes. However, I never want to go through that again and that is why reservations are a must!

 

[scrappinginontario]

Thanks so much for sharing your experiences. Greatly appreciated! I've passed a link to this thread to my friend so that she can look at it and decide what's going to work best for their group.

Thanks again!