How quick or slow is Tusker house?

[mama36]

We are trying Tusker house for the first time, but don't want to get stuck in a looong experience. Our ADR is for 8:15.. Any chance we will be out in under an hour? (Breakfast)

 

[beachfan]

It is a buffet at breakfast so the timing depends on how quickly you can eat. I would assume lunch and dinner are the same, but have only done breakfast there. We enjoyed it last year and it is now one of our favorites for a character meal. beachfan

 

[Hopefully]

As PP said it is a buffet so you control how fast you get your food & eat. Ask for your check as soon as you are seated and settle your bill. That way you won't have to wait for it. If you want to see all the characters that will take a bit of time.

 

[msmama]

I always allow an hour for all the characters to come around at a Character meal. I feel like a long time ago that's what they actually told you. Usually/often it's quicker, but my personal rule of thumb is to allow an hour.

 

[bumbershoot]

The issue is that they are quintessentially Disney when it comes to crowd management. We love the place, but first you're in line to check in for the adr. Then you're sent back where you wait. I don't think they still have the character photo but IF they have some sort of a photo outside still and you don't want that, tell them you don't want the photo. Because otherwise you're waiting in line for that, and only after that will you be in line to be seated.

Once you're seated the only things you're waiting for anyone else to do are your drinks and the bill. Some like to ask for the bill when they order the drinks.

I prefer the place for a lunch break, personally. (And my family likes the non breakfast food more)

 

[Disney Mom 7272]

We eat here every year for breakfast and love it. I think it usually takes us about an hour!

 

[mama36]

Very helpful! Thanks

 

[TheRustyScupper]

1) If you have an ADR prior to 9:20am, you can enter as early as 7:45am. *
2) This can get you into the restaurant and out by 9:00am, easily.

* Through a reciprocal arrangement with Tokyo Disney, you can enter at 7:45 for an ADR prior to 10:00am, if you are Japanese.

 

[mama36]

Wow! Great to know. Thank you!

 

[GillianP1301]

You should have no problem getting out in an hour. My experience with character dining is if you can get in on the first wave of tables (between 8:00 - 8:15), you get through the characters pretty quickly because they start coming around before the restaurant is full and then the amount of time is up to you and your pace/how much you want to eat. As opposed to the ones I've done closer to 9:00 when the place is totally full, in which case for sure an hour or a bit longer just to get all the characters.

I would time to get there so you are going in with the first group they let through the turnstiles (before 8:00) and then you can check in a few minutes early.

 

[mama36]

You should have no problem getting out in an hour. My experience with character dining is if you can get in on the first wave of tables (between 8:00 - 8:15), you get through the characters pretty quickly because they start coming around before the restaurant is full and then the amount of time is up to you and your pace/how much you want to eat. As opposed to the ones I've done closer to 9:00 when the place is totally full, in which case for sure an hour or a bit longer just to get all the characters.

I would time to get there so you are going in with the first group they let through the turnstiles (before 8:00) and then you can check in a few minutes early.

Good advice. We will plan on getting there a little earlier than our original plan

 

[TeamSy]

I found the check in line and waiting for the table to be the worst! In September it took forever for our table of 2 to get seated! There's no way if you have an experience like ours you will be out in an hour of your original ADR time. Once inside I thought everything moved at a normal pace. We're pretty fast eaters at these sorts of places, considering its buffet and we are only two people. Character experiences were fast and not the best compared to others, given its such a big place, but they did a great job keeping everything flowing.

 

[ALD85]

I've never had a problem being seated promptly at Tusker. As soon as you are seated you go get your food and I feel like the characters come around quickly. I've never been done eating and just sat and waited for them. I think an hour give or take a few minutes is accurate.

 

[Tigger's ally]

Key thing is to just ask your server to settle the bill early and leave a cash tip that is appropriate to your service.

 

[HollywoodTowerHotel]

We are trying Tusker house for the first time, but don't want to get stuck in a looong experience. Our ADR is for 8:15.. Any chance we will be out in under an hour? (Breakfast)

How many in your party? Are there kids involved? Are you going specifically for the characters, the food, the ability to be in the park before opening?

You can be done in an hour if that's your goal. It's a buffet, you can eat as little or as much as you want and can determine your pace. But, why pay the higher cost to rush the experience?

The characters come around as you are eating and they will tell you when you want to be at your table and not getting food. But, this means you might be sitting and waiting so you don't miss the characters. This will add time to your meal. Do you want to be sitting looking at your watch?

 

[mama36]

Thanks so much everyone! This was our 4th trip with character dining experiences and the best tip came from an above poster who suggested arriving early. We arrived about 20 min early for each reservation and got in early for each. Plus, with the Tusker house did get in on the first "wave" which got us out well within an hour.

 

[d-train]

This past April, I waited for almost 30 minutes for a table, solo dining this trip... Sat at the bar and had a couple drinks while I waited. When I was seated, there were about 10 empty tables around me...weird...and still a line of people waiting to be seated. Also, the PP photo while to go in was there, but no character like other visits to have a pic with...again weird...just me in front of the signs...always had a character in that shot with me before. Then about an hour for all characters to circulate, a couple of them twice, then about 30 minutes for the waiter to get a check to me, and 20 minutes for him to process my payment... It was awful service. What a long experience at Tusker! Other than that time, the food and character interaction was good. The characters even remembered me well from visit to visit since I was waiting so long. Even with asking other servers and a manager for help! Yikes!