How Early Can You Show up for a Dining Reservation?

[DallasToDis]

If I have a dining reservation at a time I don't love (prefer earlier) will it help to show up extra early? For example, we have a reservation at Ariel's Grotto at 12:40 PM for lunch, which is all that's available, but would prefer to eat earlier. If we show up at say, 12:15 will we be seated when a table's available or will they turn us away at check in saying we're too early? If there are people that have later reservations, but show up after us would they be seated first? Just wondering if arriving early will just end up getting us seated at the same time with a longer wait or potentially be a benefit.

Thanks for any advice!!

 

[PinkBudgie]

Anytime I've had reservations and showed up early, they told us to come back later. I noticed when we did that at WDW they accepted us as "ready" and we sometimes got seated early. I suppose it depends on the restaurant, how busy it is, and the people working there.

 

[Chelsea524]

If I remember correctly, you can check in up to 20 minutes early. They would still probably seat people that had reservations at 12:30 before you, but you may get in earlier than the 12:40.

 

[Malcon10t]

If I remember correctly, you can check in up to 20 minutes early. They would still probably seat people that had reservations at 12:30 before you, but you may get in earlier than the 12:40.

This. Especially if they're fully booked for earlier reservations. I know I would not be pleased if I showed up for my 1220 reservation, only to find out they had given it to someone with a later reservation and now I have to wait.

 

[DallasToDis]

Yes, that makes sense. I think I read somewhere that it is more of a priority window than a reservation for an actual table so I wasn't sure. Certainly wouldn't want to cheat the people that come at their actual time. Maybe we're best just having a snack and sticking with the reserved time!

 

[cinabc]

Since you are going to Ariel's Grotto you will not be able to be seated much earlier than your reservation. Ariel's Grotto has early times and late times. They want to make sure that you get to see the princesses when they come out and make their rounds. If they seat you early, you'll be finished with your lunch and waiting before the princesses come out.

 

[DisneylandPlanner]

They will not seat you early at Ariel's so do not try. They have staggered seating times. 11:30 is the earlier option.
I can not think of another place with staggered times. So if you want to try to get seated earlier I guess give it a try. The worst they can do is send you away.

 

[cmpeter]

We had lunch at Ariel's last week. We got there about 15 minutes before our reservation (which was at 1:10). We were allowed to check in and then sat and waited for probably 10-15 minutes before they called us to line up for the Ariel meet-n-greet. After the meet-n-greet, they sat us at our table.