Are you a "wing it" with meals person or a reservation person..

[DizMe]

I used to be a "wing it," with reservations for the musts (for example, BB, Ralph Brennan's, Napa Rose), but I've moved to booking a lot more reservations than before. I'm not hitting as many rides as possible with my crew, and usually not traveling with children. I'm a slower-paced, enjoy-the-ambiance type that has had an annual pass for years. I usually go with friends and/or my sister. I often like sitting somewhere and people watching while I eat/drink.

So now that Disney has muddled up my system, I find myself making more reservations to be sure I can go to the places I like best. I don't like it, though, because it locks you in (you pay a fine if you don't show up and didn't cancel by the day before). It takes away some of the spontaneity of your day (as do most of the other things they've implemented since pre-Covid days). It unnecessarily complicates dining and adds another layer of stress and cell-phone reliance. I would prefer to wing it all, from when I go to the park to when I can park hop to where I decide to eat day-of. I miss FP and unregimented schedules. But here we are, so I grit my teeth and reserve dining for about 1/3 - 1/2 of my meals.

 

[Kit Jackson]

We ususally do reservations for special things, like Blue Bayou, but wing it for the most part. There are so many quick service places with good food, and most of them have seating so it's possible to sit down and take a break after you have bought your food.

 

[bennifer]

We ususally do reservations for special things, like Blue Bayou, but wing it for the most part. There are so many quick service places with good food, and most of them have seating so it's possible to sit down and take a break after you have bought your food.

I've been wondering this about the seating at the QS. We're going for our first time in June and only wanted Blue Bayou and WOC dessert party for sure. I got WOC, but Blue Bayou is closed. At WDW during the summer getting a table at a QS is not easy, so I just assumed DL was the same. The menus for a lot of the QS looks a lot better than the TS, but we do also like having a seat for at least one meal.

 

[danceintherain]

I've been wondering this about the seating at the QS. We're going for our first time in June and only wanted Blue Bayou and WOC dessert party for sure. I got WOC, but Blue Bayou is closed. At WDW during the summer getting a table at a QS is not easy, so I just assumed DL was the same. The menus for a lot of the QS looks a lot better than the TS, but we do also like having a seat for at least one meal.

My info is somewhat old, but I don't remember having a hard time finding a place to sit, when I went to DLR a couple years ago. Definitely not as difficult as WDW.....it just seems less common for people to hold tables if they aren't actually eating something.
We were just two though. I imagine it's more difficult with larger groups. I also don't think we were sticking to "normal" dining times. We're two hours ahead, so it was easier to eat breakfast before heading to the park, then eat again around 10.....then 2....
This is part of the reason I don't love the idea of ADRs at DLR. At WDW, we have a 1 hour difference, so the dining times aren't as difficult to extrapolate. A 2 hour difference is more complicated.

ETA: We sat down....
Inside at
Flo's V8 Diner
The Golden Horseshoe
Red Rose Taverne

Outside at
Galactic Grill
French Market
Boardwalk Pizza
Award Weiners was the only place that was somewhat difficult to find a table, but we found one across the street.

 

[bennifer]

My info is somewhat old, but I don't remember having a hard time finding a place to sit, when I went to DLR a couple years ago. Definitely not as difficult as WDW.....it just seems less common for people to hold tables if they aren't actually eating something.
We were just two though. I imagine it's more difficult with larger groups. I also don't think we were sticking to "normal" dining times. We're two hours ahead, so it was easier to eat breakfast before heading to the park, then eat again around 10.....then 2....
This is part of the reason I don't love the idea of ADRs at DLR. At WDW, we have a 1 hour difference, so the dining times aren't as difficult to extrapolate. A 2 hour difference is more complicated.

Thank you so much for this! We're coming from PA so we have a 3 hr difference. That part was bothering me as well because who knows when we'll be hungry! Last year we went to Arizona and it took us a while to figure out the time change and food, lol. And there will only be 3 of us, so hopefully that will work to our favor.

 

[chezcurrie]

We ususally do reservations for special things, like Blue Bayou, but wing it for the most part. There are so many quick service places with good food, and most of them have seating so it's possible to sit down and take a break after you have bought your food.

The only place I found difficulty at in my last 3 trips (2021 & 2022) was at Pym’s - probably because many people will camp out at a table to watch all the awesome entertainment in Avengers Campus. Mobile Order helps with that as you can wait to click “i am here until you get a table.”

 

[danceintherain]

Thank you so much for this! We're coming from PA so we have a 3 hr difference. That part was bothering me as well because who knows when we'll be hungry! Last year we went to Arizona and it took us a while to figure out the time change and food, lol. And there will only be 3 of us, so hopefully that will work to our favor.

You may actually find that being from the right coast works to your favor. I found that there were excess tables most of the time, because I don't think we ever felt like eating right at noon. We did an ADR at Blue Bayou, and the experience may have been less exciting by the fact that I'm pretty sure I scheduled it for right around noon, so I just wasn't that hungry.
We usually grabbed breakfast at Panera or McDonald's on the way over.

The biggest issue I remember is finding full service food places that were open before 10am once you get deeper into the park. But even those places weren't crowded, once we found them.

 

[Kit Jackson]

I've been wondering this about the seating at the QS. We're going for our first time in June and only wanted Blue Bayou and WOC dessert party for sure. I got WOC, but Blue Bayou is closed. At WDW during the summer getting a table at a QS is not easy, so I just assumed DL was the same. The menus for a lot of the QS looks a lot better than the TS, but we do also like having a seat for at least one meal.

To be fair, I have never been to DL in the summer so I have no idea how difficult it is to get a table during peak hours at a crowded time of year. Almost all quick service places for meals to do have some seating availability. Hopefully others more familiar with summer crowds can provide more information. I totally understanding wanting to sit down and have a meal, even if it is a QS meal.

 

[Robbie Cottam]

Depends
party of 2 wing it…. Usually eat at the bar….

party of 7. Reservation

 

[Malcon10t]

I've been wondering this about the seating at the QS. We're going for our first time in June and only wanted Blue Bayou and WOC dessert party for sure. I got WOC, but Blue Bayou is closed. At WDW during the summer getting a table at a QS is not easy, so I just assumed DL was the same. The menus for a lot of the QS looks a lot better than the TS, but we do also like having a seat for at least one meal.

We've done both. I can't remember having issues finding tables and we are usually at the smallest a group of 7. Often we snag a table and fan out to get everyones favorites and rejoin as a group. Sometimes on the Wharf, we may have a problem finding a table for our big group. When it is just 2-4 of us, not a problem. Another place with difficult seating- Batuu. They just need more seating.

Pym's - People forget there is a HUGE area just past guardians with tables for dining. Yes, it is a few steps away from Pyms, but it always has seating.