ADR time vs realistic seating time?

[popsynic]

Whey you make an ADR, on average how long do you wait until you actually get seated. Someone has scared me by saying that you can sometimes wait up to an hour past your actual ADR time?

If this is the norm, why do Disney ask you to get to your ADR 20 minutes earlier - isn't this just adding to the frustration?

 

[Aimeedyan]

95% of the time, we are seated in 5 minutes or less. 5% of the time we've waited 15-30 minutes. The longest being 30 minutes, at Coral Reef - they were really backed up one night when we went. I remember also waiting for a bit at LeCellier and Akershus. Honestly, the other times were almost immediate seatings.

 

[eyeheartgoofy]

We ate at Le Cellier, 50's Prime Time Cafe', Chef Mickey's, Cape May Cafe', and Cinderella's Royal Table over spring break. All of our waits were short ... I'd say we were seated within 5-15 minutes of arrival at every place. Maybe 20 at CRT b/c we had to wait in line to get pictures with Cinderella.

 

[Haley]

The way it works is that once you check in at the podium, you will be seated at the next available table for your party size.

So yes, it's possible it could take awhile for the next table to become available.

But if you arrive 15 mins early- you will still get the next table available so it really doesn't hurt.

 

[Belleandtinker]

The only LONG wait we had was at CP. It was 45 minutes, a very LONG 45 minutes with a 3 year old. We try to make our reservations earlier rather than later and arrive 15 minutes before our ADR.

Otherwise, our wait has been 5 - 10 minutes after checkin.

Great question - I'm interested in everyone else's experience.

 

[M5ward]

Our longest wait was at CRT. Both times we have eaten there in the recent past, we have waited about 15-20 minutes. Considering the popularity of CRT, I don't think that's too bad.

 

[DisneyMim]

Most times the longest waits are for character buffets IMHO. People sometimes don't leave because either they haven't seen a character yet or the kids are so excited they hate to say goodbye!! Very understandable. We don't do character meals anymore but I can remember waiting up to an hour. I would say we wait 5-20 minutes. Not too bad in my opinion. Last time I was at Coral Reef a lady was screaming at the CM saying she had a reservation and wanted to be seated right away. I finally told her that EVERYONE waiting had a reservation (my family usually hides when I try to play CM!!). I think that's the problem. People think that it's a reservation set in stone for a time. No, you still have to wait for the right table for your party, etc. By and large (and we go to WDW 3-4 times a year) the waits are not bad.

Enjoy The Magic!!

 

[anlashokna]

I think the worse wait was in early april and we had to wait about 45 minutes past our ADR time and this was for a Liberty Tree Tavern lunch no characters. It was interesting because at christmas we never waited, were pretty much immediately seated with no more than 5 minute waits.

Don't know why you have to wait sometimes and others you don't. I do know some walkins went in ahead of us which I'm not sure why that was either.

 

[crisi]

95% of the time, we are seated in 5 minutes or less. 5% of the time we've waited 15-30 minutes. The longest being 30 minutes, at Coral Reef - they were really backed up one night when we went. I remember also waiting for a bit at LeCellier and Akershus. Honestly, the other times were almost immediate seatings.

We've also had a few longish waits - for us Ohana for breakfast (horrible experience) and Boma (which for some reason sat us 30+ minutes past our ADR, was completely booked according to Dining, but was taking walkups - no wonder they were running behind).

The vast majority of time we are seated within a few minutes of arrival.

 

[ktlm]

With the exception of 1900 Park Fare and CRT, the lastest we have been seated was about 10 minutes after our ADR time. We have been seated before our ADR time at many places including Chef Mickey's dinner where we got seated about 15 minutes prior to our ADR time. CRT it was maybe 15-20minutes after our ADR time, but well worth the wait. 1900 Park Fare , we got there 20-30 minutes before our ADR time, and did not get seated until 45 minutes to an hour after our ADR time (6:15). That was the longest wait we have ever had anywhere at Disney. Thank goodness for the piano player in the lobby who provided "dance" music for my 3 year old and a couple of the other waiting kids and kept them entertained part of the time.

 

[clanmcculloch]

Everybody else here has been lucky. I've had some HORRIBLE wait times. Last year during FD, both of our DHS restaurant ADRs resulted in really long waits. One was over 40 minutes and the other was 1.5 HOURS. Yup, you read that right.

Most of our waits even during past FD times have been under 15 minutes and generally under 5. We'll never eat at a TS restaurant in DHS again.

 

[Dani C]

My longest wait was approximately 45 minutes after my ADR. This was at Chefs de France. (But it was also during the transition - where the CMs are changing out as many are returning home and new ones are starting at Disney.)

Generally, I try to get there 15 minutes before my ADR and have been seated right when I walk up to around 5 minutes after my ADR. You can always ask them when you go to check in if they are running on schedule, in the event that you don't have time to wait.