Arriving early for ADR?

[DisFam95]

Now I fully understand there is no guarantee - I'm just wondering what is everyone's experience for showing up early for and ADR. I have a Boma ressie at 5:50 and we usually are done with AK pretty early and just wanted to go straight there by 5.

What is your experience with that early time and in August.

Thanks for any input.

 

[Jadyreen1282]

Depends on how busy they are really. We try to hit ours 15 minutes early each ADR and are rarely seated early. We'll except for Boatwright's. They're never busy.

We've been to Boma at dinner call and got right in fifteen minutes early.

 

[lizard1]

Most of the places I have been won't even let you check in until you are within 15 minutes of your reservation time. I haven't been to Boma yet, so I don't know if it will hold true there. It may depend on how busy they are at the time as well. Good luck.

 

[tomatecerise]

Take your Time to visit the resort, go outside if you see animals, go in rocking-chair visit the shopping boutique and you Will Be in Time! My sister and i did this when we go to Boma. It Was fantastic, better then the dinner itself!

 

[Alesia]

We were about 40 minutes early for 'Ohana last year and we were seated immediately, which is unheard of. We're a party of 3, though, which sometimes helps.

 

[minnie mum]

It seems in recent years that being able to do this is becoming increasingly difficult. Especially at the more popular restaurants like Boma. ( thanks a lot, FD). We are usually told (nicely) to return within 15 minutes of our booked time.

I agree with Tomatecerise. If you arrive early to AKL, wander the public areas, grab a drink at Victoria Falls, or just relax in the lobby for a while.

 

[wnielsen1]

Doesn't hurt to stop by and ask when you arrive. As others have stated, the Lodge is great to wander around in so not a big issue.

 

[HopperFan]

Agree with others. Check in to see if they will let you but the best part is even if they say no there is so much to see at the AKL. Animals, art, talk to the African CMs, the gift shop has some fun stuff. You could easily use up a big chunk of time.

That said last week we were at WDW and we tend to be early for ADRs and not once did they let us check in, each time they told us to come back a XXX time which was always 15 minutes out except for BOG, they told us to come back 5 minutes before.

 

[Hopefully]

If there was availablity at 5:00 you would be able to book that. I would plan on exploring the Lodge and check in to Boma a few minutes before 5:50

 

[Disney Mom 7272]

The last 2 years that we have gone in September we have gotten to all of our dinner reservations early and they have gotten us in. Now September is a little less crowded so I'm sure that has helped. We have never waited more than 5-10 minutes to be seated at any restaurant that we have been too!

 

[TXAKDisneyFan]

We just got back from WDW earlier this week. We had 11 TS meals, and checked in between 5 and 20 minutes early for each. We were seated just about right at our ADR time (including at Boma), except for at 'Ohana (where we were seated I think about 15 minutes past our ADR).

 

[Drusilla]

On our first trip to WDW in 2007 we had an ADR for an early dinner at LeCellier, however it was just one of those rainy days, we were soaked (completely unprepared), kids were whining and everyone wanted to go back to the resort. It was about 1pm and DH really wanted to eat at LeCellier. I knew if we left the park, we wouldn't be back in time for our dinner adr. We went to the check in desk (originally thinking if we could move our adr back a couple hours...) but instead said we had an adr but were a bit early, about 3 hours early. The CM smiled and asked if we minded waiting about 20 minutes. No problem. We were seated moments later. I was in shock and so thankful. Truly one of the best meals we've ever had at WDW, and it wasn't at all about the food

I know this was some major WDW magic and pixie dust and would never go in expecting that to happen but it does. IMO WDW accommodates guests whenever they can. It can't hurt to ask And if they can't accommodate you, AKL is beautiful and you will have no problem finding something to look at for 40 minutes.