Priority Seating the day of?

[sunkissed212]

What do you think my chances of getting a PS are if I call the day of?

My last trip to WDW was in 1995 - before PS was introduced (at least to my knowledge..my family never made reservations before hand except for dinner events like hoop dee doo etc.)



My BF and I are scheduled to arrive at WDW on Friday 9/10. We are a little leary about calling agead of time because we don't usually "plan" when we are going to eat. We roam until we're hungry and then eat when we're ready. We wouldn't go to many of the really poplular resturaunts in the parks. What I'm thinking of is maybe Boatwrights (we're staying at POR) or maybe Concourse Steakhouse at CR. Do you think we have a chance of getting something if we call that day or should I call beforehand? I'm not picky about mealtimes but I also don't want to sit around and wait for 2 hours for dinner. I've only got 4 days at WDW....time will be better spent at parks etc, than standing in line for dinner.

Any advice will be greatly appreciated.

 

[DebbieB]

I've called for a late lunch from the room in the morning. Once it was LeCellier, another time San Angel. You should be OK with Boatwrights. Concourse Steakhouse may be harder same day, depending on the time. Your best bets are if you plan a late lunch or early dinner. The peak meal times maybe hard to get. Have a great time!

 

[sunkissed212]

Thanks. We usually like to eat a little later dinners - not usually around "rush hour" dinner times. I guess I'll give it a try and see what they have available the day of. I'm not going to base my trip around dinner but also don't want to waste too much time in line!

Thanks again!

 

[WDWAurora]

When we get to the parks, the first thing we do is make PS, that morning for that evening. We have missed out on where we wanted once, at Epcot. We wanted Teppanyaki, and had to pick somewhere else. Otherwise we don't have too much trouble, but I think we eat a little before the crowds...

 

[sters]

You could also try calling the dining line from your cell phone once you are in the parks. We walked up to Boatrights with no problem at all and were practically the only diners there (in November).

 

[tripplanner]

We've always been able to get same day PS seatings at the Concourse. We had one occassion where we didn't get the specific time we wanted, but we did get a PS for later that same night.

Now, I can think of a couple of restaurants (Chef Mickey's) that we haven't been able to eat at because we didn't make PS.

 

[stinkerbelle]

Originally posted by WDWAurora
When we get to the parks, the first thing we do is make PS, that morning for that evening. We have missed out on where we wanted once, at Epcot. We wanted Teppanyaki, and had to pick somewhere else. Otherwise we don't have too much trouble, but I think we eat a little before the crowds...

I have to agree...in September, you can almost make any PS you want the morning of for dinner. (with the exception of "popular" places like California Grill/Ohana's (due to Wishes). But you never know!

Either call from your room in the morning for where you'd like to eat, or if you are going to be at the park all day, there is usually a "guest services" place that can make the PS for you. (We've done this in MGM many times...right near the tip board - not sure where this is done in MK or AK though. For EPCOT, it's also right near the tip board)

 

[WDWAurora]

We weren't there in any off-peak times the 5 times on our 2003-04 APs...we were there Spring break, May (sort of off-peak), early August, January (including New Year's Day), and Spring break again...I mean, you go in with somewhere you want to eat, and if you can't do it, you just pick somewhere else...if there's somewhere that you just HAVE to eat at, then sure, make them in advance. You wouldn't want to be dissapointed. We're just of the school of thought that we've been there before and we'll go back, so if we don't get to eat somewhere, we'll just do it on another trip. We're a laid back bunch....But like I said, we've only missed out once that I can remember...

 

[Harambe]

Nothing to do with the OP's dilemma - just wanted to tell Stinkerbelle that the picture of your pooch cracks me up!!!!!

 

[sunkissed212]

Thanks for everyone's help so far. There isn't really a specific place that we are looking to have dinner. It's my boyfriend's first trip to the World as a resorter. He's been to the parks before but never experienced the "real magic" of the resorts. I've been there tons of times but not since 1995 so I'm not familiar with the PS thing.

I don't really care where we eat, I just don't want park burgers for every meal!

 

[MulanMom]

Just another poster chiming in that we've had positive experiences calling for a PS the same day at most restaurants. It helps to call ahead for places at the monorail resorts so you avoid leaving a park and traveling to the resort only to find it was in vain and you can't get in.

One time when we checked at Le Cellier as walk-ins, they couldn't accommodate us, but they were able to book a PS at any other available restaurant in WS.

The only places you would need a PS are some of the character meals, but even then, calling the night before or checking at the podium can yield positive results!

Have a great trip!