ADR check-in times

[jemtx]

How early and how much after your reserved ADR time are you allowed to online check-in for ding reservations? If it remember correctly, before COVID you had somewhere around a 10 minute grace period?

 

[morganms22]

We were never late for our reservations this week so I am unsure on the grace period, but we could check in as early as 15 minutes before,

 

[MATTERHORN]

If I remember correctly, it's about 10 minutes afterward still. But I've never been past that so can't verify for sure!

 

[tuckymom]

^^I'm always stupidly early but I've seen Chefs de France turn away someone (in 2019) for being 20 minutes late. Admittedly it was a super busy night at Epcot and they had people waiting around to see if people didn't show up. It was also about an hour before the park closed so I assume that had something to do with it (as opposed to being able to work them in).

 

[jemtx]

If I remember correctly, it's about 10 minutes afterward still. But I've never been past that so can't verify for sure!

That sounds reasonable. We’ll try to plan extra time so we are able to check-in within 10 minutes.
Btw, how close to the restaurant do you need to be to check-in?

 

[MATTERHORN]

That sounds reasonable. We’ll try to plan extra time so we are able to check-in within 10 minutes.
Btw, how close to the restaurant do you need to be to check-in?

I haven't used online check in for a sit down yet, so not sure, sorry! I still just head up to the podium so I'm always actually there.

 

[Dug720]

As I understand it, technically there is NO "grace period" - most will accommodate you if they possibly can up to about 10 minutes late, but it's at their discretion. And they may put you behind people arriving on time for theirs (as IMHO they should...someone on time should not have to wait just because someone assumed they could be late).

 

[jemtx]

I’m sure it’s not that most people assumed they could be late, but things happen—theme parks are a big distance to traverse or sometimes people get stuck in a line, etc.

 

[Dug720]

I’m sure it’s not that most people assumed they could be late, but things happen—theme parks are a big distance to traverse or sometimes people get stuck in a line, etc.

Oh trust me. There have been enough posts on here about purposely cutting it close with arrival times and/or a Fast Pass window (not as applicable now, but insert "getting in line") that opens at the same time or just before an ADR that there are plenty of people who clearly intend to be late.

If you plan ahead - get yourself to the area of the park you are eating in so that you're there before your time - ie: don't plan on being at Splash Mountain 5 minutes before your ADR at BOG but plan your Fantasyland activities for closer to your ADR time so you're already in the area - it's easy. And as for lines, if your ADR is in 30 minutes, don't get in a line that says 45 minutes in case it moves more slowly. With proper planning there should not be as many incidents of being late as people want you to believe there are.

 

[MinnieMSue]

So we got stuck in a line that was much longer than posted in September and had a 4:45 yak and yeti reservation. We ran as fast as we could (I fast walked). The kid got there at 4:50 and I made it a couple min later. Park closed at 5. They said we were good since we made it before park close. First time we were ever late in over 15 trips. As far as online checkin goes it is 15 min before and you have to be pretty close to the restaurant in our experience.

 

[Ariel 1715]

It was 15 minutes before to check in on the My Disney Experience App and if you are running late, it sent a reminder. I believe they do allow for 10 minutes after. Also just an FYI, but they will work with you if you have a reservation and get a Boarding Group for Rise, as long as you can show you had an ADR, they will take you after your reservation