Chances without a PS??

[swilphil]

I have made 3 PS's for our 6 day trip, but I hesitate to make any more. Last summer my in-laws, who like to just go with the flow, caused us to miss all but 2 of the 6 PS's we made.

What are my chances of getting a table at some of the more fun restaurants without a PS? Can we just put our name in a couple of hours before we eat? I hate to take PS's away from people who really will use them. We are going July 10-15. We do have PS's for Crystal Palace Character breakfast, Epcot Ice Cream Socia w/charactersl, and Whispering Canyon. There are four in our immediate family. I'll let the inlaws fend for themselves this trip. We are staying at the Swan, so I'm especially interested in the Boardwalk restaurants, World Showcase restaurants, and Brown Derby or Primetime at MGM. I don't need any more character meals, but would like something that will be good with two toddlers. Nothing too fancy.

 

[swilphil]

I just read another poster who said on two occassions she was told the restaurant was booked but during her PS's 1/3 of the tables were empty. Is there a huge number of people who make PS's and then don't show up, or make PS's at several places on the same day?

I did notice Gullivers was somewhat empty last summer when we went on a PS, but I thought that was because of a rainstorm.

 

[Barbday62]

My last trip was in May 2002 and we didnt do any reservations either. We got everythign we wanted except Primetime. They said we could get in at something like 9PM and this was a party of 2. (We were there about 4:45PM asking) We even got intot he Coral Reef in Ewpcot which I heard is harder to get. I personally think you should make the PS for the ones you really really want to do just in case. But wing it for the others.

 

[WatchOutMickey]

Ok I re-registered (I think I used to be a member here ages ago) to answer this lol.

Anyway over various trips I've nearly always been able to get in whereever I wanted with PS....especially if you go slightly off hours, ie Cindy's anytime after 1:30 for lunch. And that usually fine with me cause I'd rather go when things are slightly less crazy. Just walk up to the restaurant and ask, preferably starting a few hours ahead of when you would like to go. Occassionally it takes a couple tries but generally you can get something unless you are there during holidays etc. And don't forget to try that morning anyway, especially if you are staying on property. I've gotten ressie's at restaurants that I was told are sold out for the day. I think folks make several and call back and cancel.


Anyway good luck and bet you'll get in.

 

[crisi]

We have horrible luck walking up. Two hour waits or "sorry, full tonight." But there are some restaurants that are better than others.

For instance, we've never had an issue walking up to Marrakesh, the Morroccan restaurant. The restaurant in Norway is supposed to be an easy walk up as well. But I've been turned away from and watched people get turned away from Le Cellier, Teppanyaki, San Angel Inn....

Primetime will be hard, its very popular. Brown Derby may be easier.

Flying Fish is small, and very popular, especially on the weekends. Spoodles is a large restaurant that is popular, but often has walk ups available. The other BW restaurants don't do PSs.

We've noticed two things with PSs and full restaurants - one is that the resturant is not always fully staffed - especially in off season off hours. The other is we tend to eat early, and the restaurant often fills during our dinner. We walk into a half full restaurant with no waits for walk ups, leave with a full restaurant and a hostess telling someone "2 hours"

 

[swilphil]

Originally posted by WatchOutMickey
Ok I re-registered (I think I used to be a member here ages ago) to answer this lol.

Watch Out Mickey--Thanks for reregistering just to answer my question.

I think we'll stick with our 3 PS's we have. I may try to book a PS for Primetime and/or Flying Fish when we get to the Swan. Last year the Dolphin concierage desk in the lobby made some PS's for us. I'll also try to make some PS's the morning of once the group has decided.

I'm not sure if I want to do Primetime or not. We are doing Whispering Canyon which has similar antics, and I've been reading bad reviews about Primetime's food. The problem is there are so few good restaurants in MGM, even counter service.

 

[Mom2R&D]

We were there the second week of June and managed walk-up PS's at Cinderella's Castle, 50's Prime Time and Tony's. We were seated within 30 minutes at all of them.

 

[magsmom]

I only do PS at Boma and if we are going to do Cindy's for breakfast . Every other place I have either called perhaps a day or 2 ahead or have just walked in. Usually it is off-hours, though.

And yes, I have cancelled a number of PS in the past.

 

[etwinchester]

Do you need a PS for these places and how far in advance for each one?

Chef Mickey’s
Coral Reef
Sci-Fi Movie
50’s Prime Time Café
Ohana

Can you make any of them in 2 or days more advance? I want to go for 2 weeks, but now sure which ones on which day. I didn't know if I could book some when we arrive and pick days then.

Example: I might not want to do a park (MGM) if it's way TOO hot. I might already have booked a PS for MGM and would have to go and eat...

 

[Alice28]

I think you would definitely need a PS for Chef Mickeys and Ohana and probably 50's Prime Time as well. I tried getting a PS for Chef Mickey's about 36 hours in advance during regular season and it was booked solid until 9:15. When I called at the 90 day mark (we went to WDW for 10 days; the first night was Chef Mick's and the last night my parents wanted to take the kids again- this was a spontaneous thing, hence no PS in advance) I got the exact time I wanted, no problem. 'Ohana might be tricky if you try and get any time near the fireworks at MK. Prime Time often seems to be crowded; maybe if you tried eating at a weird time like 2:30 or 3, it wouldn't be too bad.

 

[swilphil]

Originally posted by Mom2R&D
We were there the second week of June and managed walk-up PS's at Cinderella's Castle, 50's Prime Time and Tony's. We were seated within 30 minutes at all of them.

I'm starting to feel more hopeful that we will able to get into some great places with a day or 2 notice. I'd like to try Coral Reef, Marrakesh, Prime Time, Le Cellier and/or Flying Fish.

Thanks for the great info.

 

[jiminy14]

We always like to eat at PrimeTime when we visit. Unfortunately, we do not always know what park we will be in on what day. I have been able to book PS at Prime Time every visit as long as I call a day or two ahead of time. We usually go in early August and I have noticed that PT is often listed as "Sold Out" at the reservations booth in MGM, so a walk-up might be a problem.
As far as your other listed restaurants, the only problem might be Le Cellier. We have walked-up to Coral Reef and Marrakesh and could have had immediate seating. Flying Fish is difficult on the weekends without a PS, but easier during the week especially if you go early.

 

[swilphil]

Thanks for all the great informatin.

Does anyone know when lunch ends and the dinner prices start?

 

[WatchOutMickey]

Oh I very politely beg to differ about good MGM restaurants. I think the Brown Derby may be one of the best in the entire place. Their Cobb Salad is true to the original and out of this world. They do some other really interesting and great dishes, though I find the salad (minus the icky cheese lol) and an appetizer more than I can handle.

Though I would definately try for one of the booths as the floor tables are loud, crowded, and far less pleasant.


Last, someone made a comment about walk up so maybe I wasn't clear in my suggestion. I didn't say you could walk up and walk IN lol. You swing by the restaurant you would like to eat at at some point LATER in the day lol and see if they have room for you. It generally is a few hours, so if we coudn't get PS to someplace we want to go I go by the restaurant planning on doing some other stuff for awhile and coming back. People play with PS all the time, or hold multibles so it is rare that something doesn't open up as long as you are flexible with your time.

Hope that is clearer! And if you want my 2 cents aside from the server chatter (which actually got on our nerves that day lol), I found the food especially lousy at the Primetime. I was dragged back on a later trip with a friend who had never been and while it was a more fun environment with a better server, the food still stunk IMHO. I'd HIGHLY recommend the Brown Derby over it anyday! Have fun! And if you go have a Cobb for me. YUM!!!!

 

[WatchOutMickey]

OH SwilPhil I forgot...I would definately be optimistic but based on lots of experience I don't think your best odds of getting in are a couple days ahead but rather that day. That is when stuff opens up. But good luck! I'm betting you can end up everywhere you want to go, long as you don't care about the exact times. (Wish I was going with you! lol).

And PS you are most welcome for motivating me to sign up again...was a great excuse to jump back in again lol.

 

[zumbergc]

We generally have PS for most dinners on our trips (6-8 days).
Generaly 2-3 nights we don't have PS. We generally decide that afternoon where we want to eat on the flex days, and try to make a PS then,
sometimes we call for the PS the night before when we decide which parks we are going to be in that day. We do some planned days and some more flexible days.
If we decide to switch our PS, we always call and cancel to allow another guest the opportunity.

We are a party of 2 adults, so we can easily squeeze in. We never bank on being able to walk into a restaraunt at disney,
we've been turned away during some of our first visits, and left hungry or eating at the counter areas. ( I know our fault for no PS).

We haven't been successful in obtaining chef mickey's, or the 1900 park fair dinners when doing this same day, or previous day call-ins. We are not really morning people, so we dodn't try for breakfast ressies either at the last minute.

If your worried at all about being blocked out of a sit-down meal it might be best to book the PS. Once you know you aren't going to be using them, early that day or in the previous day, just call and cancel. Otherwise, in the horrible event you do get locked out of the dinners, you might be second guessing yourself and playing the blame gane about not getting a sit down dinner. If you play the blame game, make the PS, if your more a roll with the punches, and the flow type of person, then wait til the day of and you'll see what happens. All depends on your personality and the flow of the family. I'm a planner, so I make the PS's.

Connie

 

[swilphil]

Watchout Mickey--I had heard great things about the Brown Derby, but I was a little hesitant to try it because of the prices and, especially, my two children--ages 2 and 4. We are traveling with relatives and possibly might get a night out alone with my husband. Brown Derby could be a good place to go.

I get what you're saying about dropping by and putting your name in a few hours before you eat. That's what I was thinking.

 

[WatchOutMickey]

Have you checked the recent menus? I didn't find them to be any more expensive than anywhere else, esp at lunch. And they have a kids menu that from a quick look appears to be the same pricing as elsewhere. A few of the high end dishes are a couple bucks more, but I think they are pretty much on par with all of Disney's overpriced food. But at least here it's good overpriced food versus a $20 hamburger that stinks at the Primetime LOLOL. (Ok I'm exaggerating but not by a lot!). JMHO. But might be a nice excuse to get out with just you and your hubby.

Let me know if you need a link to current menu's. I couldn't recall if it was ok to post links to other boards here, and was too lazy to go read the rules hehe.

Oh did I mention my last meal at the Brown Derby fell on my friend's birthday. Since we didn't have PS (LOLOL....I live by what I say) I couldn't order a cake so I just pulled our server aside and mentioned it. They whipped out a gorgous presentation with Happy Birthday written in chocolate on the plate. I was almost scared to see what they were going to charge me (I told the server to bill me separately and didn't ask). I was delighted to find out it was their complements. WoW! Anyone know if they always do that parkwide? I was impressed. Heck I was impressed thinking I was paying for it lol.

I love Disney and my pals there ! Have I mentioned that

 

[swilphil]

WatchOutMickey--I was comparing the Brown Derby prices more to counter service prices than other sit downs. I eat a lot of salads, and while I'd love to try the Cobb it's twice as much as a counter service salad. I wasn't so concerned with the cost of the kids meal as I was about bringing my two young ones to a place where they would be bored and antsy after having so many entertaining meals.

 

[WatchOutMickey]

Ahhhhh I see what you mean. It certainly doesn't have the "floor show" type entertainment. I have a vague memory of seeing kids get some games or coloring stuff, but I wouldn't swear to it, and only you know how your kids would do. But trust me to compare one of the stand salads with one of the Cobbs (seriously the best salad I've ever had in my life) is like comparing a fast food hamburger with the finest Filet Mignon you've ever had IMHO.

Ya know all this Cobb Salad talk has me DYING for one. I know they gave the recipe when there but who knows where it is (probably with the other recipes I got at the Food & Wine Festival LOL). But I found it with an easy web search. I'm thinking I might just try dicing my way through one next week and see how it comes out. Has anyone ever tried this at home? Even the fake Cobb Salads here pale in comparison to the real Brown Derby ones. I wonder if I remember how to make real bacon LOLOL.

And while we are talking about counter service, as a bonus I'll share one of my favorite stands and tips for anyone who doesn't know it. One of the ways I try to save money is to go to the nice restaurants for Lunch and grab something lighter/cheaper later. (plus by lunch I usually need a restful air conditioned break before I LOL).

I think the BEST cheap stand food in the MK is Cosmic Rays in Tomorrowland. The Big Dipper Stacked Sandwich - smoked ham, salami, pepperoni, provolone cheese with honey mustard dressing $5.29 is almost always great. And I know they have some family chicken special. But here's the best part. If you get a table on the outside, you have one of the best and most comfortable views of the fireworks and the castle! The only thing you have to be careful about is some folks just walk up to the rail at the last minute, so you need to make sure you have a little area cornered off. But if you've never done it, it's a great way to combine good cheap food with awesome viewing. Needless to say, enough folks know about this you want to go a little early....but it's still a pretty good secret so SHHHHHH lolol.