Better to show up "early" or "later" for ADR?

[yaya74]

As titled, is it better to show up 10 minutes early for your ADR or 10 minutes later? Which scenario would allow my family to get seated quicker??

ETA: I am trying to figure out what time I should reserve for 50's Prime time. I have a 11am FP+ for Alien Swirl. According to TP, I would get to 50's PT around 11:35am. Currently I could only get 11:30am or 11:45am. I have a 1pm FP for Frozen Singalong (for 1:30pm show time).. Wondering if I should get the 11:30am and show up within the 15 minutes grace period, or get the 11:45am ADR and show up early..

 

[Disneylover99]

I don’t think there will be a guarantee either way.
Just show up on time.

 

[maxiesmom]

I think it is better to show up a little early. However, they may not be able to seat you right away. But if you show up late they may not seat you at all, depending on how busy they are.

 

[LindySpirit]

Early. I often show up early if we are ready, knowing they may not seat us immediately. We are often seated within a few minutes.

 

[drwadadli]

It is absolutely better to show up early. If you show up late, your reservation might have been cancelled. They reserve the right to cancel your reservation if you are more than 10 minutes late and if they are really busy. Cancelling your reservation is that discretion.

 

[OKW Lover]

In terms of wait time to be seated there is no difference. If you arrive earlier you'll be seated earlier. If you arrive later you'll be seated later. But your wait time will likely be the same.

 

[epcotobsessed]

Early. I've almost always been seated when we show up, even if it's 15-20 minutes early.

 

[LilyWDW]

Early.

If you are late at all, they hold the right to cancel the reservation and mark you as a no show while charging you the fee.

You are told to show up 15 minutes before your reservation time anyway.

 

[bigbabyblues]

Early. If you are late, you run the (probably slight) risk of being turned away and charged the no-show fee.

 

[2xcited2sleep]

Also recommend early / on-time. Arriving late doesn’t jump you to “next seated status” just because your ADR time would likely be earlier than others checking in on time. Of course seating depends on the availability of tables for your party size and attempts to accommodate special requests (e.g. booth, window seat etc) but generally it seems like they seat in the order of check-in.

 

[blackpearl77]

We showed up early once at Tusker breakfast and they took us right in! We were like 20 minutes early. But that's never happened again. So you never know.

 

[GaSleepingBeautyFan]

I usually arrive 10 minutes early because the line to check in is that long. By the time I get up to the front of the podium it's time for the ADR. Then I have to wait until 10 minutes or so after to get to my table.

It's been that way for years for me.

 

[ScooterScott44]

We tried an early arrival to avoid a FP conflict and didn’t get seated until actual ADR time. While at dinner we mentioned we had a FP and might miss it by a few minutes, waiter told us to tell the ride we “were at sit down restaurant”. It will not help with the OP since it is a show but will that be accepted as an excuse?

Since they have starting to enforce the end time on FP we have not really tried to ride after the FP time window. Also skipped that last FP as the ride went down so we opted for a different FP on another ride.

 

[yaya74]

Thank you all!!

 

[sharonabe]

We tried an early arrival to avoid a FP conflict and didn’t get seated until actual ADR time. While at dinner we mentioned we had a FP and might miss it by a few minutes, waiter told us to tell the ride we “were at sit down restaurant”. It will not help with the OP since it is a show but will that be accepted as an excuse?

Since they have starting to enforce the end time on FP we have not really tried to ride after the FP time window. Also skipped that last FP as the ride went down so we opted for a different FP on another ride.

For shows, if you show up late to your FP, you'll miss the advantage of getting seated first and either be seated with non-FP guests or if you show up after the show starts, you may not be allowed in at all. OP has a 1:00 FP for a 2:00 show, so they probably have until at least 1:30 to still get there in time for FP seating.

What do you mean by enforcing the end time on FP? There is a 15 min grace period at the end of your FP time, and I've not seen any reports that they are no longer allowing that.

 

[TheRustyScupper]

ADR Times and Tardiness "411":
1) WDW advises you to be at the ADR 15-minutes early.
2) You are expected to meet your ADR time, just like any other appt.
3) Being on-time is your responsibility, not that of WDW.
4) If late, they *can* cancel the ADR.
5) Under normal conditions, they usually allow up to a 15-minute lateness, but this is kindness, not a Grace Period.
6) If really busy, (eg, Free Dining, Holidays), there might be no Grace Period.
7) If you miss the ADR, you *might* have the ability to wait for a table.
8) For waiting times, there is no estimate, waits of 1-1½ hrs are common.
. . . if the eatery is not too busy, wait times could be minimal
. . . just depends upon the individual day-time-etc
9) They also have the option of canceling and just sending you away.
10) These options are at the discretion of the SEATER on duty at the podium.
11) Plus, it is up the eatery manager to decide if you get charged the $10/person no-show fee.

NOTE:
If it is near the end of the ressie period or the end of park hours, do not expect ANY leniency in being late.
You are expected to make your ressie time, with zero excuses.
Cortesy is courtesy.
Plan to make your ressie or ADR times.
Selfishness does not count.

 

[ScooterScott44]

What do you mean by enforcing the end time on FP? There is a 15 min grace period at the end of your FP time, and I've not seen any reports that they are no longer allowing that.

Thanks, that helps and sorry if I wasn’t clear. I have not heard any instances other than the 15 minutes or so for FP. The waiter seem to hint that it might be possible for a longer grace period due to dining.

 

[DizneyMommy]

We were about 45 minutes early to an ADR at Beiergarden last week because the skies were about to unleash and I didn’t want to be behind the crowd, we got seated immediately!

 

[TheRustyScupper]

We were about 45 minutes early to an ADR at Beiergarden last week because the skies were about to unleash and I didn’t want to be behind the crowd, we got seated immediately!

PIXIE DUST does get sprinkled every now and then.

 

[maxiesmom]

PIXIE DUST does get sprinkled every now and then.

It helps too if you are nice about it. I showed up really early for an ADR at the Plaza and asked about being seated early. At first the hostess looked at me like I was crazy, but when I explained that I knew I was very early and it wouldn't be a problem to be told No (I wasn't go to go crazy on her), we were found a table.