ADR's and seating

[ericaseiler]

If you have an ADR and arrive a little early (I am talking like 15-20 minutes), would you get seated before someone who checks-in after you but has an earlier ADR? Thanks!

 

[TDC Nala]

Seating for ADRs is done according to party size - when you check in, you're supposedly up to get the next table to open that would fit your party size. If a table that is the right size for a subsequent party opens before a table that would fit your party, then it's possible that persons with ADR times after yours will be seated before you will.

As to whether they'll seat parties of the same size according to the time on their ADR rather than the time they check in - I dont' have any idea if checking in first gets you on the list first.

 

[ScubaCat]

If I had to guess, from experience (and this is ONLY an educated guess), I think it's the order of check-in only. The time is just a guideline as to when they're supposed to check you in. In other words, if you have a 7:30pm reservation and show up at 6:00pm and they're extremely busy, they may not check you in.

When walkups are accepted, there seems to be an ADR-to-walkup ratio of seating. For example, let's say it's a 3:1 ratio. In this example, suppose there are 8 parties of 4 people. 6 of the parties have ADRs, 2 are walkups (WU), and there is a wait to be seated. The parties check in in this order: WU1, ADR1, WU2, ADR2, ADR3, ADR4. They would be seated in this order: ADR1, ADR2, ADR3, WU1, ADR4, WU2.

That's obviously an oversimplification, but as a systems and software engineer, I try and think of a logical algorithm that would serve this purpose and that's a basic version of my theory on how the disney dining system works.

 

[TheRustyScupper]

If you have an ADR and arrive a little early (I am talking like 15-20 minutes), would you get seated before someone who checks-in after you but has an earlier ADR? Thanks!

1) If they have not arrived and a table opens, usually yes.
2) If they are there when a table is available, they get it.
3) Please note that many eateries only allow check-in 15-20 minutes early.

 

[Mickeyfollowers]

I was there last month and anytime I tried to check in early they told me to come back 20 to 15 mins before my ADR.

 

[Racknack]

When making my ADRs by computer on the WDW Resort site I noticed that one is advised to arrive 20 minutes before the reservation time stated on the ADR. Since that's what WDW advises, that's what I try to do. In the past I have almost always been seated sometime during that 20 minute time frame. (Note: that's as a solo traveler, with an ADR for one.)

Karnak

 

[tink1953]

We just got back and we were seated early for every meal we did except Coral Reef....we got there as early as 30 mins and got right in..so I say go for it!

BArb

 

[dvcdisney]

I was always told (and under the impression) that you need to arrive for check in at about 15-20 min prior to your reservation. On our last trip, two of the restaurants had told us that we can only check in 5 mins prior . I was a little confused, but came back 10 minutes later. However, at the other 12 restaurants, we checked in around 15-20 mins prior and we were usually seated very close to our reservation time.