CP Wait Times? Getting a bit worried.

[bamor]

WE had a 4:40 res last Thurs prior to MNSSHP, they were running 45 minutes behind. This food was just OK. I wish we had done a TS lunch then just a quick CS dinner or used the TS credits for a late breakfast on our checkout day.

I tried to find something else (Kona, GF Cafe or The Wave) but nothing as available (party of 7). Maybe you will have better luck (The Plaza, Tony's, LTT).

 

[Mrs D]

Thanks for the heads up. I just rebooked to an earlier time! I had a 1pm lunch; there is NO WAY my kids could wait until 2pm to eat! I have an 11:45am now, we can manage that!

 

[bamor]

To the OP,
We had absolutely no problems at Teppan Edo. Our reservation was for 5:30 last Tuesday. We were seated within 10 minutes.
The service was very good at CP, but we found the food only so/so. This was our least favorite meal of the week (ate at Wolfgang Puck Cafe, Teppan Edo, Kouzzina, Hoop Dee Doo, Le Cellier and Ohana.) Honestly, I think we are just done with character meals. They are just that, and I know not to have high expectations. Bring me the good food!

 

[vinotinto]

We have 5:45 pm reservations for CP, which sounds like a bad time since they're running way late since the middle fo the afternoon. If there is a long line, do we all have to wait, or can DH take the kids to do something nearby (and WHAT might be nearby to entertain them)? Sorry if it's a dumb question, but kids are not at a patient age (2 and 4) and it's our first time at Disney.

 

[Praise2Him]

We ate there this past Sunday night (Oct. 4). Our time was 7:20 and the line to check in was about 15 minutes (so get there early). They were not taking walk-ups. They gave us a buzzer. We waited 30 minutes, then went and asked how much longer. They said, "Oh, we're not using the buzzers, just calling names!" Okay...moved closer so we could hear, waited another 20 minutes or so - finally called us at 8:10.

On the plus side, the food was excellent as always!

 

[kidsgobears]

Thanks everyone for your replies!

I've decided to keep the reservation, BUT I've made an extra dinner ADR for a couple of days later. I will cancel CP if we get there and the wait is crazy and then we'll just eat CS before the party. I will cancel my extra ADR immediately if we do eat at CP. I think we should be well covered.

2 WEEKS FROM TODAY!!

 

[Smiling Cheshire Cat]

Our ressie is for 11:55 am the day after Thanksgiving. I'm also traveling with impatient children, not to mention DH. Do you guys think this will be a good time regarding waiting or would an off-lunch time be better? Or will it even matter?

 

[maxiesmom]

Thanks everyone for your replies!

I've decided to keep the reservation, BUT I've made an extra dinner ADR for a couple of days later. I will cancel CP if we get there and the wait is crazy and then we'll just eat CS before the party. I will cancel my extra ADR immediately if we do eat at CP. I think we should be well covered.

2 WEEKS FROM TODAY!!

I have been considering doing the same thing.

Hey, our trip is 2 weeks from today too!!!!

 

[redhead09]

We were there for MNSSHP on 9/29. Our ressies were for 445. So we actually checked in at 430, hoping to be seated earlier. However, there were alot of not too happy people milling around. We were told about 20 minutes. At 5:05, I asked approx. how long, we were told just a few minutes more. We were seated at 520. So, about 40 minutes after our ressie time, and 50 total wait. When we left, there were twice as many waiting.

I did like to selection of food at the buffet tables - plenty to pick from! However, they seemed to have a hard time keeping the platters full. Well, at least we seemed to get hot food each time

 

[Danis630]

Mid August we waited about 25 minutes for our ADR. Then it took about 90 minutes to dine and see everyone.

 

[disneyJMD]

we arrived 15 minuytes before our ressie which was at 8pm. It took at minimum 30 minutes to get cheked in and then we were seated about 9pm. so a little over an hour. This was in august during week one of free dining...that was our worst wait ever.

 

[minniebeth]

Did CP for lunch two weeks ago. Want to say a ton, but I'll keep it brief:
Waited 45 mins past ADR time and then another 90 mins for characters to go around like others have said. CMs didn't like the fact that we were offered to use the bathroom inside while waiting and stayed a little longer to cool off (very hot) since DD literally felt like she was going to pass out. "Can't have everyone waiting inside, you know" is what I was told.

Some had pagers, some did not. Hard to hear names being called it was so crowded. The lines for the food themselves were just ridiculous and timing it between characters even harder.

Service was horrible.
Food was good even though they were not attentive to food allergies like they usually are so wonderful with. We asked to see the chef several times and were treated like an absolute bother.

I was thinking we should have skipped this meal while we were there and then DD7 said, "Mommy, this is the prettiest restaurant I've ever eaten at" and well, that made it worth it.

 

[tami82]

Isnt that the start of dinner time? Usually when we had early dinner times we had no wait maybe 5 minutes if that. That is the advantage of booking an early dinner time.

 

[waltskids]

Ate there in August and October (10/4 to be exact), both times for lunch, we never waited more than 10-15 minutes each time, although there were a ton of people both times that were saying they had been waiting for 45 minutes or longer. I know the first time was during free dining, not sure about the second time (we always pay OOP since we don't get the DDP). Each time we had two adults and 2 kids (one in high chair, one in an infant high chair). I am not sure if people try to check in early and then count that as part of their wait time??? Or maybe they were larger parties possibly??

 

[RitaFaye94]

Over spring break we were seated around 415 for our 400 reservations. The later in the evening I would say they would get later off schedule. We tried to make all of our meal times a little off regular times to avoid this.

 

[ShannonMB]

OP, in your situation, where you don't want to waste party time waiting around, I would check in very early (like 30 minutes), then you'll probably be seated around your ADR time (if not a little earlier). We did that last time we went there.

We have a reservation before MVMCP for 1900 Park Fare for 4:45pm, so I'm planning to be there right when it opens for dinner (4:30pm), so hopefully we'll get in in a timely fashion.

Good luck!

 

[Cafeen]

We ate at CP on 9/21. Had an ADR for 11:50. Checked in right at 11:50 and were seated within 10 minutes. They were also accepting walk ins at lunch that day.

Seems like early seatings and/or off time eating may be key. We were there the same day (/wave), but had a 7pm dinner ressie. Now, 7pm isn't "prime-time" so much, but it does come after the rush. We arrived around 6:55pm (by the time we checked in) and were seated close to 7:45pm. We were told that they were behind and were still working on the 6pm ressies when we checked in.

Now, would I do it again? Yes, everything was great once we got in. Service, Characters, and food were all wonderful. It's just a matter of getting seated in the first place. (I'd aim for the pre-dinner rush times, or the early lunch times as the quoted poster did)

 

[kdnmom]

Count us as one of those waiting over an hour past our ressie time. We were there at the end of August with a 6pm (or so) ADR. Got in line to check in a couple of minutes before 6, and it took FOREVER just to check in. There were several people in front of me that were trying to book ressies for later that night, but were told that there were none available. How about putting up a sign stating that, then? Why have a bunch of extra people crammed into that little space on the porch for no reason?

Once we checked in, we tried to find some free space to stand with our 3 kids (8, 3, and 1). It was pouring rain so everybody was squished in on the porch trying to stay dry. Can you imagine trying to keep a 1 1/2 year old still and out of the rain for over 45 minutes???

Then, the CMs periodically come out and, not all that loudly for the most part, call out a name. If you could hear it, and if you could understand it (there was one CM with a thick accent that was largely unintelligible), you would then be allowed inside. Many people had to ask "oh, did you say Miller"?? There was one male CM who was actually loud enough and clear enough. Why not have him call out all of the names?

We struck up a conversation with another family while we were waiting, who had a similar party size and a later ADR than us. They were called first! WTH? So, now my husband went up and asked what the story was with our reservation. Suddenly, he was told that our table was ready right away!?!? But no, we didn't get seated yet. We're now standing inside, being told by the CMs that we're not allowed to be there, to which we were saying that we were told that our table was ready. But the CM that had told us that had disappeared. Another 5 minutes waiting, and we catch a CM going outside to call our name.

One of our worst restaurant experiences ever!

The food was OK. The characters were OK, but our 1 1/2 year old had fallen asleep before they all came around. Our waiter did give us a Fast Pass voucher for our trouble (and, I guess to compensate us for the several rides that we could have ridden instead of standing outside).

It will be awhile before we'll be back to CP.

Thanks for letting me vent that! It's been bottled up for a couple of months.