The earlier the better. We had a 5:00 ADR. It was great. We got seated right away. The restaurant wasn't that busy, so the characters were able to spend more time with us. We even got second visits from Pluto and Minnie. The food was all hot and fresh and service was terrific. By the time we left around 6:00, the place was getting packed, with a long line at the check-in podium. The buffet was crowded and it was getting messy. The general atmosphere of the restaurant became very noisy and chaotic. We were glad to be leaving.