Be Prepared to Wait?

[yorkieteacher]

What table service restaurants in WDW that have developed the deserved reputation of generally seating you much later than your reservations, even when you check in 15 minutes early? I want to be prepared on our next visit. I heard on another forum that Tusker House had this reputation, which I found to be true on a previous visit. Any others in general that one should probably just be prepared to wait?

 

[jenjersnap]

Places we have waited over 20 minutes: ‘Ohana every dang time, breakfast and dinner. 1900 Park Fare breakfast. Boma dinner. Sci Fi lunch. Chef Mickey dinner. Tusker House breakfast.

I know this seems like common sense but the earlier in the meal service you book the less waiting you will do, generally. Unfortunately, this doesn’t always work with our plans (I don’t want to eat at ‘Ohana at 3:30, for example) so we wait.

 

[MomOTwins]

Ohana, Chef Mickey, Tusker House, Hollywood & Vine are the ones that always are late for us. Come to think of it, there is a common themes: character meals with mickey. Maybe people stay longer at these to see the characters a second time or something.

 

[KrazeeK120]

I think it’s hit or miss depending on the day. I don’t think I’ve ever waited excessively long anywhere. I was a little worried about our 10:50 Tusker House breakfast reservation in October. We checked in a little early, but were seated promptly at our ADR time.

 

[Farro]

October 2017 we actually were seated right away each time, even our 8:40 pm at 'Ohana.

 

[Justplainchy]

Ohana breakfast. It was raining which the hostess said makes people move a lot slower in the morning (no place to be, so they linger), so we were sat 1.5 hours after our reservation time. It was worth the wait—especially with a window that overlooked the castle—but still. I wouldn’t have anywhere pressing to be right after.

 

[mamamelody2]

We've waited a while at 50s Primetime Cafe, Chef Mickey, Crystal Palace, Garden Grill. Multiple times at each.

 

[Elizakapeka]

ohana, sci-fi and teppan edo for us last trip all 20-50 minutes past out ADR time

 

[epcotobsessed]

Ohana, Cape May Cafe, Boma, Akershus, in my experience.

 

[GoingSince1990]

Our longest waits have been at Chef Mickey. On the flipside, one thing I love about Tutto Italia (apart from the excellent food) is that on every single occasion of the five times or so we have visited, we have been whisked directly from the podium to our table with no wait at all.

 

[Belleandtinker]

We haven't had much of an issue but we do make early ADR. For example - First available at TH in the morning and 5 pm at Chef Mickey AND get there early.

 

[Amy11401]

When we went in October 2018...we never had to wait to be seated. In fact we got to a couple of places early and we were able to get seated early. We even ate at Ohana twice....once for breakfast and once for dinner and dinner at Chef Mickey's. Now several of our reservations were on the early side since we had other evening plans afterwards.

 

[samsteele]

Ohana, BOG dinner, Sci-Fi lunch and dinner, Boma dinner and now Skippers Canteen dinner if ADR after 5:30pm. Skippers is getting lots more love and lots more waits.

 

[DISNEY1975]

Ohana, San Angel Inn, Cali Grill, Crystal Palace, Le Cellier

Actually, it would be much easier to tell you the restaurants where you dont have to wait!!

All resort restaurants except Cali Grill, Ohana and 1900 Park Fare
9 Dragons, Spice Rd, Beirgarten - Epcot
Tiffins - AK
Tonys Town Square - MK
Mama Melrose - DHS

 

[Wild4Walt]

Kona Cafe - breakfast / Ohana - breakfast or dinner ( as previous poster said - every dang time ) / Garden Grill - breakfast / Be Our Guest - dinner / Teppan Edo, but I think this was because we were early and they try to seat everyone at the table around the same time )

 

[B-Ride]

We've had great luck in the past. Our worst was Crystal Palace and we don't eat there anymore. On our last trip the only wait was for Art Smith's and they gave us free biscuits as an apology.

 

[goofy4prez]

Ohana for breakfast and dinner. LeCellier , Coral Reef and Be Our Guest.

 

[Disneypro1]

While we almost always eat counter service only....We do from time to time make several adrs...Cancel what we won't use that day..then we find a table service with a short wait. I think even with a reservation...its WDW and its totally expected that there will be a wait..you can't hurry people up thats already at the tables....it is what it is. I don't think its reasonable to expect a no wait. Now, we do go in early May..so its incredibly non busy. So, we don't usually wait much at all if any..but again..its not busy either.

 

[CuteAsMinnie]

What table service restaurants in WDW that have developed the deserved reputation of generally seating you much later than your reservations, even when you check in 15 minutes early? I want to be prepared on our next visit. I heard on another forum that Tusker House had this reputation, which I found to be true on a previous visit. Any others in general that one should probably just be prepared to wait?

We waited for about 15 SECONDS for our 9am Tusker House reservation, nor more than 5 minutes for 1pm Crystal Palace. OHANA... no more than 10 minutes for a 5:30 ressie. We were seated right away for a 6:30 and California Grill (worst meal of the trip) and 5-10 min. for Narcoossee.

There is a formula typically used based on the restaurant and number of guests. If a party blows that formula out of the water, everything gets thrown off. It's always best to dine ant a non-typical dinner (lunch) time.

 

[Shelleyfs]

Only place we had to wait for our table last trip was Via Napoli.

I don't mind waiting 15 - 20 minutes. I am pretty easily amused, enjoy just looking around and watching people's family dynamics. You see some crazy stuff, but also some pretty heart warming things as well.