Not booking ADR's for Disney

[Fiona35]

So I just wondered if anyone had ever done a Disney Holiday with the dining plan and not booked any ADR's or maybe just a couple before going and just winging it each day and seeing what was available on the app each day, if anything!
I'm just curious if you could have a Disney holiday on the dining plan but not be tied down for the holiday.
Thanks

[Princesa]

If you’ve got the credits then obviously you’ll want to use them, but if you’re not bothered about where you eat then you should still be able to book some places when there. Though I’d imagine they’d be the less popular ones. You could also change them for CS credits if you’re not fussed about sit down meals. It depends how long you’re going for, if it’s 7-14 days I’d definitely be booking some as I’d want to make the best use of them and get the places I want. I’m doing 7 days and I’m booking for every day.

[Guest]

I haven’t actually done that, I usually book. However after I got home last trip, I compared where I actually ate per my dining report to my planning spreadsheet which contained all my bookings before I left. I found I only attended one of the ADRs I booked in advance of my holiday, lunch at Liberty Tree Tavern in our first park day.

Everything else was changed, some restaurants I changed the time / date of but there were more that were a total change and were booked on the day or the day before.

[sha9]

I haven’t done it because there are certain restaurants I want to lock in plus we like having them booked in advance. I think you could do it though as long as you didn’t have your heart set on a specific place and were potentially willing to change plans. Plenty of restaurants have availability any time we’ve looked last minute and we’ve often changed plans while there. I think I would still book rather than try for walk ups and I’d book as soon as I knew our plans.

[chmurf]

it's so hit or miss
depends on the time of year. Slow times or peak times

depends if you're strict or flexible on where/what you want to eat
there could be a table you like at the other end of the resort, and that means transportation, there and back. You may not always find inside a park. If you're looking at character meals, then the odds of a walk up are rather non existent.

depends on your tolerance towards wait times, as you may be told you could get a walk in table in 90 minutes time

you will always find somewhere to eat on the day, be it at a CS place if all else fails.
if you decide on not booking ADRs, at least book those hard to get tables (ohana, bog, and others ca be tough to get on the day)

if you're a little more in a planning mood, you will find options a few days before the meal, even at places like chef mickey's for example

you will also need to accept eating at odd times, either very early dinner or very late dinner for example.

if you're ok with all that, then I'm sure you could make the best out of it.


but as far as I'm concerned, I would not dare not booking ADRs

[suehen]

I have booked only 5 ADR last trip and the rest were booked on the day. I booked the 5 we wanted the rest was what we fancied on the day went for 2 weeks. In April we only have 6 ADR for 14 days there but with 2 little ones it works out better as 3 are breakfasts one lunch 2 dinners the rest will be what we feel like on the day never had a problem never gone hungry and makes planning easier as sometime we booked them 1 hour before usually in Disney Springs. Used to panic about booking all the meals now we just like to go with flow and not feel like are ADR are planning our days or rushing to get to one.

I do always book the ones we really want to do.

[Fiona35]

Thanks for everyones input.
I think we may choose to book our favourites before leaving but maybe the rest when we are out there and have a little freedom from the planning spreadsheet.😀

[Dunc]

I've done the DDP a few times, and always felt mostly stressed by having multiple ADR's. I've now modified this by booking one Signature meal, and one nice buffet breakfast before arrival, and doing the rest on the fly, after arrival. We mostly do QS now, and occasionally book on the day for less crowded restaurants. Last time, we got a fireworks view at Rose and Crown by just turning up at about 7pm. we find it much more relaxing without having to turn out at about 4pm to get a Uber when we're knackered, for something thet seemed like a good idea 7 months before.

[Sweets]

We were on DDP on our last trip and we booked some, but when we got there we found we changed a lot - either the times or day or cancelled for another restaurant.
We had BOG (B, L and D) and California Grill, Yachtsman anddd... a character breakfast in MK that I just can't think of right now.

So I'd be happy to go again (on DDP) and not have the whole trip set in stone. I'd probably just choose 1 or 2 that I was set on and leave the rest.