How to Get Into Ohana When No ADRs Available?

[Jaybear]

All right, I'm new to Disney trips (wife and I are going with our 2.5 year old a week from today), and we are staying at the Polynesian. We would like to eat dinner at Ohana one night, but it seems no ADRs are available at a reasonable hour (i.e., before 9:40 PM). Any suggestions about how to snag a reservation one night at a reasonable hour?

I just don't understand how we got reservations for Cinderella's castle dinner but can't get into Ohana for dinner. Thanks in advance for any and all suggestions.

-Jaybear

 

[kmk1180]

be a cast member?

seriously if your going a week from today, it's still january and slow time of year.
Just show up at 5pm when they open and your going to get a seat.
Probably with no wait.
Not all tables are held for ADR's.

 

[H20DogsNDisney]

keep calling or go online. I did this for Le cellier.
Good luck

 

[MinnieGirl33]

ITA with PP about showing up a little before they open for dinner.

Couldn't hurt to check with the lobby concierge upon check-in & throughout your stay. They will have visibility to any cancellations & maybe will find a little pixie dust for a resort guest.

 

[daannzzz]

The line to check in at 'Ohana forms before they open. Sometimes there are a few people and some times a lot. I would be there at least 30 minutes before they open and relax on the chairs nearby. When you see the line form, get in it. They also seem to check in VERY slow.
I have always had a reservation and we eat early so I have seen this "event" numerous times. Sometimes people get a pager and sometimes they are turned away.

 

[Tina]

I've been in your situation many times. I agree with the other suggestions to show up at 5 (preferable 4:45) and get in line. I've done this many times and was always seated within 30 minutes.

 

[TDC Nala]

Yes, I agree with showing up when they open. Just make sure you have an alternate plan for dinner in case they say they can't seat you.

 

[mollygirl13]

Agree with the PP.

My suggestion is to get to 'Ohana at least 1/2 hr before they open and get in line!!! We were there in Sept and had a 5:00 PM reservation. We got to the Poly around 4:15 and sat around upstairs, near the podium. Around 4:30, the line started. So I got in line around 4:35 and was 5th in line! Thank goodness I got in line when I did. At 5 pm, there must have been 100 people in line! I'm not kidding. The line was way past Kona Cafe! It was very crowded, and this was at 5 pm!!

The people who were in front of me did not have ressies (we were all chatting) and they all got seated around the same time as my family did-and we had ressies!

Good Luck. Its a great restaurant and worth it to try to eat there is you can!

 

[Jen_in_NH]

Keep calling. I tried to get one for our trip at 90 days with no luck. I saw one on the Cancellations thread here about 1 month before, and called to get that one. It was a really late reservation, but I figured better late than never. I kept checking daily, and calling when I was on my way to and from work, and even kept calling after we were in WDW. I got changed to a 7:30 one 2 days before we were going to eat there.

 

[dancin Disney style]

It seems like during non-peak times, which is now, that they regularly have tables available for walk ins. Between now and then....keep checking as many times a day as you can and after you arrive at WDW ask the concierge at your resort and call Disney Dining from your room.

Also, keep your plans as flexible as possible....if there is more than one day that you are willing to dine at Ohana you will have a better chance.

 

[roomthreeseventeen]

This may be a stupid question, but what meal exactly is 5pm? A little late for lunch, WAY early for dinner. Do you have snacks?

 

[lacrosse_lady72]

This may be a stupid question, but what meal exactly is 5pm? A little late for lunch, WAY early for dinner. Do you have snacks?

I don't think it is. When I was growing up our typical dinner time was 5:30.

But, with Disney restaurants, we actually like to get the first seating at places like Coral Reef and 'Ohana as they typically get backed up. While at Disney, we eat less often than we IRL so we have a big lunch around 11AM and a big dinner around 5PM. Imo, it's better to eat a little early and actually be seating at the ADR time than have an ADR time of 6:45 and have to wait to be seated for 45 minutes.

As for the OP, I think you should do as PPs said, show up and be FIRST in line. Ask if they can seat you ASAP or if they have any availability the rest of the night so you can come back.

They certainly DO NOT hold any tables from ADRs but there are always cancellations and no-shows. And as someone else suggested, have a back up. Kona Cafe in the Poly may be available, Grand Floridian Cafe and The Wave in CR may also be available.

'Ohana is one of the hardest to get ADRs period, harder than CRT (aside from the 8:05AM ADR), paralleling Le Cellier. I'm shocked there's anything left at all, including 9:40PM.

 

[flipflopmom]

Definitely keep calling when you are there, also. We had to change two of our ADR's on our last trip, mid July, and were able to get what we wanted within 20 minutes of requested time. One was on the day of the ADR, so things do open up!