How is Walk-Up (no Res) dining?

[gharter]

Personally, if you have free dining, I would get an ADR at the places I knew I wanted to eat.
If you are eating outside of popular times, you probably can walk up to most places and get seated.
For the places i really want to eat, I would not put it to chance.

 

[kiford]

Boma is definitely not a walk-up. Even with an ADR, you will usually wait 5-15 minutes to be seated. I also second other comments about checking online either the night before, the morning of, or even just before bothering to ask for a walk-up. You may be able to find ADRs at even popular/busy places within that timeframe as people often cancel within the 24 hour period. Or pick them for slightly off times (i.e., late breakfast, late lunch, early or late dinner). We noticed signs at a few places last week asking you to check the system before asking if there's space. We managed to get an ADR for Boma for breakfast about 90 minutes prior to seating and one for 50's diner about an hour prior to seating so it's possible to do last minute, just probably not physical walk-up.

 

[Simba's Mom]

I am going on a solo trip in October. When I am solo I don't like to wear a watch or worry about reservations. I typically make little or no plans and wander where I may.

I do have the standard dining plan, but I do NOT want to be a slave to reservations. I would love to tour the hotels and the cool places to eat.

I am thinking about the Boma at AK Lodge. It's a $60 buffet, I've never been there. Looks like it is worth my $75 for the day. Have y'all ever just walked up and in for dinner?

Any other suggestions for walk up dining? The hotels seem to be less hectic than the parks and more relaxed. Where would yo go without a res?

I can't comment specifically on Boma. However, I just checked something similar this morning, because I'm going on a solo trip in September, and thinking of not making ADRs ahead of time. So this morning, I "pretended" I wanted to eat today at a random time I picked, and fortunately found lots of availability. So I figure that, come September, I'll go on the MDE app a couple hours beforehand (that's spontaneous enough for me) and get an ADR somewhere.

 

[eva]

I can't comment specifically on Boma. However, I just checked something similar this morning, because I'm going on a solo trip in September, and thinking of not making ADRs ahead of time. So this morning, I "pretended" I wanted to eat today at a random time I picked, and fortunately found lots of availability. So I figure that, come September, I'll go on the MDE app a couple hours beforehand (that's spontaneous enough for me) and get an ADR somewhere.

Don’t count on September being anything like May. Free dining in September makes TS restaurants a madhouse. Even with ADR’s we waited a lot longer than normal in September. We had a 35 minute wait with an ADR at Kona Cafe. And Mama Melrose had over an hour wait with an ADR. We finally ate QS instead. Free dining makes all those that normally eat a lot of QS to make ADRs for TS. Getting ADRs at any 1 credit TS at the last minute will be rough. Swore I will never go during free dining again.

 

[isabellea]

Don’t count on September being anything like May. Free dining in September makes TS restaurants a madhouse. Even with ADR’s we waited a lot longer than normal in September. We had a 35 minute wait with an ADR at Kona Cafe. And Mama Melrose had over an hour wait with an ADR. We finally ate QS instead. Free dining makes all those that normally eat a lot of QS to make ADRs for TS. Getting ADRs at any 1 credit TS at the last minute will be rough. Swore I will never go during free dining again.

Except that this year there’s no FD (that I know of) in the fall. But SWGE will be open so nobody really know what the crowds and waits at restaurants will be in September.

 

[eva]

Except that this year there’s no FD (that I know of) in the fall. But SWGE will be open so nobody really know what the crowds and waits at restaurants will be in September.

Just do a Google search. You will find this info on numerous sites.

Free Dining 2019 Announcement & Dates. Free Dining has been announced for Walt Disney World. Free dining was announced uncharacteristically early—on January 2, 2019. You have to book by February 10, 2019 and the offer is valid for arrivals between July 5 and September 30, 2019 for 5-night/6-day stays.

 

[isabellea]

Just do a Google search. You will find this info on numerous sites.

Free Dining 2019 Announcement & Dates. Free Dining has been announced for Walt Disney World. Free dining was announced uncharacteristically early—on January 2, 2019. You have to book by February 10, 2019 and the offer is valid for arrivals between July 5 and September 30, 2019 for 5-night/6-day stays.

Oops! I knew about July FD but I thought it ended at the end of August. No need to bold everything like I was dumb. I clearly wrote (that I know of) in my post...

 

[Simba's Mom]

Don’t count on September being anything like May. Free dining in September makes TS restaurants a madhouse. Even with ADR’s we waited a lot longer than normal in September. We had a 35 minute wait with an ADR at Kona Cafe. And Mama Melrose had over an hour wait with an ADR. We finally ate QS instead. Free dining makes all those that normally eat a lot of QS to make ADRs for TS. Getting ADRs at any 1 credit TS at the last minute will be rough. Swore I will never go during free dining again.

Thanks for the warning! I was afraid that free dining would mess up my plans. I remember one previous year, having the same "great" plan, then arriving at MK with signs in front of the Town Hall saying that all TS restaurants were fully booked. Oh, well-looks like I'll have to resign myself to eating at off-times, and eating lots of CS.

 

[vincep]

Always use your app as people are suggesting. It's very flexible and up to date. Boma is great and worth making a special trip to the AKL for. While Boma is very popular I'm sure if you check a few times the afternoon you decide to go something will turn up. It isn't that tight the way Ohana is.

And this is very important if you are going solo. Look for a reservation for two(maybe this was already said)you'll find the available times much more numerous. Then tell them your partner didn't show and they will not charge you that $10 cancellation fee.

 

[GeorgiaHoo]

We've had pretty good luck with same day reservations but haven't been choosy about where we eat. As others have mentioned, places like Boma may be tough due to popularity.

 

[Mr Mannn]

I have been watching ALL the replys. I learned a thing or two. I will be making reservations but on the morning of with a concierge. and the res for two thing is sheer genius. Thanks!

 

[eva]

Oops! I knew about July FD but I thought it ended at the end of August. No need to bold everything like I was dumb. I clearly wrote (that I know of) in my post...

I didn’t bold it. It was that way when I copied it from the site. Sorry, no mean intentions.

 

[Deb & Bill]

I have been watching ALL the replys. I learned a thing or two. I will be making reservations but on the morning of with a concierge. and the res for two thing is sheer genius. Thanks!

The concierge might not be able to get you any reservations that you really want. Make them as soon as you can.

 

[Nancyg56]

Always use your app as people are suggesting. It's very flexible and up to date. Boma is great and worth making a special trip to the AKL for. While Boma is very popular I'm sure if you check a few times the afternoon you decide to go something will turn up. It isn't that tight the way Ohana is.

And this is very important if you are going solo. Look for a reservation for two(maybe this was already said)you'll find the available times much more numerous. Then tell them your partner didn't show and they will not charge you that $10 cancellation fee.

No need to say anything other than you are a party of one. Disney is aware that sometimes you cannot book a party of 1, but must select 2.

As long as one person shows upo here is no cancellation fee.

 

[beccasmom]

I am of two minds about this question. I agree that during Free Dining your choices are limited without ADRs. But if your heart is not set on a specific place, you may be fortunate.

We dislike being tied down with ADRs, but also realize that we risk disappointment without them. So we usually make a few and otherwise wing it, but we normally don’t visit during Free Dining either. And we’re okay with counter service when push comes to shove.

 

[roselark]

As a frequent solo diner, I have had decent luck getting walk-ups at a lot of places, but I often eat at non-peak times. I have had luck at Boma for both breakfast and dinner. For dinner, try to get in right at opening. I can almost always get in at Sci-fi as a solo diner, or hitchhiker as they call it . I have also gotten in at Kona, Skippers at MK, La Hacienda at Epcot, the list goes on. It is definitely possible, especially if you are flexible in where and when you eat.

I always make reservations for those places I really want to eat at most (2 or 3 per trip) and then get walk-ups or same-day reservations as I feel the need.

 

[skullsplitter]

We've done walkups at Sci Fi and Napoli multiple times the last couple of years. We've never expected to get a table like that but it doesn't hurt to ask. Just have a backup plan.