How late can you be to an ADR?

[Ian W.]

Like marcyleecorgan said, it may also depend on the restaurant (and the CM you deal with, of course). On our last trip, we ended up nearly half-an-hour late for breakfast ADR's at Chef Mickey's (on a Saturday morning, no less); the hostess said it was no problem, and we were sat within a few minutes. However a couple days later (Monday), we got to our lunch ADR at the Hollywood Brown Derby less than 10 minutes late (due to a back-up on GMR), and the hostess there looked at me like I'd just kicked her cat.
Different types of eateries, different expectations, I suppose. The CM's at Chef Mickey's are used to families with kids that, as I know, can't get anywhere on time any day, never mind on vacation.
I should note that we were not charged the no-show fee in either case, so no harm done anyway.

I would imagine most of the restaurants in MK have a little leeway in regards to showing up a bit late.

 

[Dug720]

I am generally low-key and someone who will not raise a fuss about things, but... I just know if I am on time to my ADR at BOG (and by "on time" I mean the requested 15 minutes early) and someone who comes up late for theirs (and admits it that they are late) having obviously been on say Splash (as it will be VERY obvious) is seated before me, I WILL be raising a fuss about that.

 

[North of Mouse]

BTW, eating dinner at 5:10 is super early, could you push it to normal dinner time or are you an early eater as a rule?

Not 'super' early for us! We like to dine 5-6pm - no later. Know plenty of others that do the same. We're hungry, so if we don't eat dinner, then we just start snacking!!

 

[amberpi]

Not 'super' early for us! We like to dine 5-6pm - no later. Know plenty of others that do the same. We're hungry, so if we don't eat dinner, then we just start snacking!!

Just thinking - normal corporate jobs, you get out of the office at 5 if you're lucky, realistically 6, and by the time you hit the gym, maybe commute, maybe take a call in a different time zone and make dinner, 7-8 seems like a regular day dinner time to me and pretty much everyone I know. Except for those rare snowflake, up at 5 to work out types, but unfortunately, that ain't me If I had to work out in the morning, let's just say, the gym would make a lot of money on my membership.

 

[Lisa F]

Just thinking - normal corporate jobs, you get out of the office at 5 if you're lucky, realistically 6, and by the time you hit the gym, maybe commute, maybe take a call in a different time zone and make dinner, 7-8 seems like a regular day dinner time to me and pretty much everyone I know. Except for those rare snowflake, up at 5 to work out types, but unfortunately, that ain't me If I had to work out in the morning, let's just say, the gym would make a lot of money on my membership.

you must not have kids. My kid is in bed by 8:30 and we have to fit dinner, bath and homework in there, along with some down time. There is no "go to the gym after work" time in there there for me and a 7pm dinner is very very late for him, I try to be done well before then so he has some down time, spend some time with me and time to digest. 8 is an outright no-go, on weeknights and is even way too late for him on weekends... he'd have melted down an hour ago if I tried to make him wait that late to eat.

If I'm going to fit in a workout it has to be up before my son's morning routine starts and it has to be something at home because I can't drag him to the gym. I used to try to get in a half hour between me getting out of work and having to pick him up at the Y (also at the Y) but it was too long a day for him and he was really missing me. so butt-crack of dawn it is, and home workout only.

 

[amberpi]

I don't have kids, and I'm NOT a morning person - I do it to handle east coast time, but I rarely have my teeth brushed for those early calls I'm impressed by those dedicated enough to do the o'dark thirty workouts. The bed would always win.

I don't know how ya'll professional parents do it - I couldn't; its like time magic to me. Growing up, I had 2 corp folks, so we ate late too, I guess, and I will admit that I always had the latest bedtime of all the kids I knew. So, you can understand my befuddlement when people say they eat when I'd still be at the office; often at the office for hours after their dinner time.

 

[amberpi]

How did I just mess that reply up so badly? I can't even.

 

[amberpi]

And, full disclosure, when you include my immense travel time (hey, they pay me to Dis because I can't work in public, so airtime = internet play time), I may or may not be a workaholic.

 

[lpizzuro123]

We try to eat an early dinner when we are at Disney. At home we usually eat around 7:00 but we enjoy the nighttime entertainment at Disney and some meals are so large ('Ohana for one) we don't like eating that much very late.

 

[pdj262]

Last night--as a result of a napping kid who could not be roused--we were 20+ minutes late for our 5:45 ADR at BOG. The hostess could not find our names when we first gave it. Then we told her it was for 5:45. She said, "let me check a different list." She found it, picked up the phone and said "I need to reinstate a no-show for 3." We were at our table within five minutes.

 

[vinotinto]

I think you have gotten some good advice here. The only thing I will add is that I have encountered a long line to check-in at BOG. So, I would add to your time estimate 5 - 10 minutes to check-in.

 

[Lisa F]

How did I just mess that reply up so badly? I can't even.

lol I love in particular that it is attributed to "so butt-crack of dawn it is" haha.

The way most working parents do it is sadly to put themselves last. the gym is a luxury I think. I'm a single parent on top of it so I can't even switch off with someone else and have them do kid routine while I go to the gym and vice versa (I do know some who do that). once the kid is in bed it's time to do the laundry, dishes, make lunches etcetc. The only time I can fit in a half hour or so is at the beginning of the day and yes most of the time I choose rest over working out.

When the kiddo is with his dad I do tend to stretch my schedule out a bit and work later and eat later, lol.

 

[Lisa F]

Last night--as a result of a napping kid who could not be roused--we were 20+ minutes late for our 5:45 ADR at BOG. The hostess could not find our names when we first gave it. Then we told her it was for 5:45. She said, "let me check a different list." She found it, picked up the phone and said "I need to reinstate a no-show for 3." We were at our table within five minutes.

Glad to hear a report at BoG. The fact that they WILL give your ADR away if you're late is another thing that is said on the DIS like it is gospel, but I'm not sure I've ever heard of a direct report of that happening to someone. I was curious if they were more hard lined at BoG than my experience everywhere else. Most vacationers do not plan to the second like many at the DIS do and people are going to get caught on rides, kids are going to have meltdowns, stuff is going to happen. I can't imagine the lack of magic if every time a family ran into something unanticipated that Disney told them "too bad, so sad" for their ADRs. I think most disney CMs want to make magic wherever they can.

 

[maxiesmom]

Glad to hear a report at BoG. The fact that they WILL give your ADR away if you're late is another thing that is said on the DIS like it is gospel, but I'm not sure I've ever heard of a direct report of that happening to someone. I was curious if they were more hard lined at BoG than my experience everywhere else. Most vacationers do not plan to the second like many at the DIS do and people are going to get caught on rides, kids are going to have meltdowns, stuff is going to happen. I can't imagine the lack of magic if every time a family ran into something unanticipated that Disney told them "too bad, so sad" for their ADRs. I think most disney CMs want to make magic wherever they can.

Of course they do. If they can. The problem is there is no guarantee they will be able to fit you in if you are more than a few minutes late. They may want to make magic but be unable to. Know way of knowing what is going to happen if you are late. You may be lucky, you may be unlucky. Who knows??

 

[maxiesmom]

Btw, I want to add that I have heard them being hard line, and at the Kona Cafe, believe it or not. So it does happen.

 

[LilyWDW]

It DOES happen that you can be turned away if you are late for an ADR. I have personally seen it. The people checking in were 10 minutes late. Yes, 10 minutes. The CM explained to them that there was no grace period and, if they are busy, they will be unable to fit someone in.

So you do take a chance if you don't show up on time. Wouldn't be something I want to risk, that's for sure!

 

[Maggie'sMom]

I agree that they will fit you in if they can, but there's no guarantee they can fit you in.

I was once almost an hour late to an ADR. My DD has autism. She was 5 years old and had fallen asleep in our room at the WL before dinner. My plan was to leave for our dinner at 1900PF an hour before our ADR time. I started trying to wake her up about a half hour before I wanted to leave. She wouldn't wake up and once I finally did get her awake, she had a meltdown. It took an hour to get her to a frame of mind where I was comfortable taking her out of the hotel room. By the time we made it over to 1900PF, we were 45 minutes late. I figured the chances of us getting seated were somewhere between slim and none. But I'd ordered a special cake for our dinner that night because we were supposed to be celebrating her birthday. Since I'd pre-paid for the cake, I thought we'd at least ask for the cake to be boxed up for us then we'd get dinner at the quick service place. I approached the podium and explained the situation. I told the host I was very sorry we were a no-show for our ADR and I understood that we couldn't be seated for dinner, but would he be able to get the cake I'd paid for boxed up for me. He first said he could seat us but it would be a 45 minute wait. I told him that wasn't going to work for us that night, I'd just like to get the cake to go. He went over and spoke with another CM for a few minutes. I figured he was asking the other CM about the cake. But he came back and said "I can seat you now." It was a wonderful bit of pixie dust.

 

[Dug720]

I agree that they will fit you in if they can, but there's no guarantee they can fit you in.

I was once almost an hour late to an ADR. My DD has autism. She was 5 years old and had fallen asleep in our room at the WL before dinner. My plan was to leave for our dinner at 1900PF an hour before our ADR time. I started trying to wake her up about a half hour before I wanted to leave. She wouldn't wake up and once I finally did get her awake, she had a meltdown. It took an hour to get her to a frame of mind where I was comfortable taking her out of the hotel room. By the time we made it over to 1900PF, we were 45 minutes late. I figured the chances of us getting seated were somewhere between slim and none. But I'd ordered a special cake for our dinner that night because we were supposed to be celebrating her birthday. Since I'd pre-paid for the cake, I thought we'd at least ask for the cake to be boxed up for us then we'd get dinner at the quick service place. I approached the podium and explained the situation. I told the host I was very sorry we were a no-show for our ADR and I understood that we couldn't be seated for dinner, but would he be able to get the cake I'd paid for boxed up for me. He first said he could seat us but it would be a 45 minute wait. I told him that wasn't going to work for us that night, I'd just like to get the cake to go. He went over and spoke with another CM for a few minutes. I figured he was asking the other CM about the cake. But he came back and said "I can seat you now." It was a wonderful bit of pixie dust.

That is AWESOME!

That is also a totally different situation than scheduling your FP+ too close to the dinner though. Your situation was out of your control. Booking a FP+ and ADR is fully within your control because you can choose to take it or keep looking.

 

[KrazeeK120]

Just thinking - normal corporate jobs, you get out of the office at 5 if you're lucky, realistically 6, and by the time you hit the gym, maybe commute, maybe take a call in a different time zone and make dinner, 7-8 seems like a regular day dinner time to me and pretty much everyone I know. Except for those rare snowflake, up at 5 to work out types, but unfortunately, that ain't me If I had to work out in the morning, let's just say, the gym would make a lot of money on my membership.

I worked a corporate job for 10 years and was rarely in the office after 5. My husband works one now and, same deal. He goes in pretty early though, before 7. On the days I run, I am on the treadmill or out the door (weather depending) by 5:30 AM so I can be done and showered by the time my kid wakes up. (I hope to get the jogging stroller out here soon as the weather gets nicer.) We start getting him ready for bed by 7:15 pm. We always eat around 5-5:15 so his food can settle before bed. I think most families with young children would consider a 7-8 pm dinner to be quite late as that is almost all little kids' bedtime.

To the original question...you'll likely be ok, but I'd move one or the other. You could end up stuck on Splash, and that will probably stress you out. No need for that worry on vacation!

 

[Nancyg56]

Glad to hear a report at BoG. The fact that they WILL give your ADR away if you're late is another thing that is said on the DIS like it is gospel, but I'm not sure I've ever heard of a direct report of that happening to someone. I was curious if they were more hard lined at BoG than my experience everywhere else. Most vacationers do not plan to the second like many at the DIS do and people are going to get caught on rides, kids are going to have meltdowns, stuff is going to happen. I can't imagine the lack of magic if every time a family ran into something unanticipated that Disney told them "too bad, so sad" for their ADRs. I think most disney CMs want to make magic wherever they can.

Disney CM's do want to make you happy, but since the entire FP+ scheduling mixed with ADR timeing has occured, the overlap is creating some problems at the podium. The OP is one example of trying to make two things happen at once, and doing that with the most popular restaurant on DIsney property. Now she has a little wiggle room, and if the planets align may make her ADR in time, btu how may posts have we seen lately from folks who know they cannot make it, but want to be assured all is going to be okay? Between making ADR's for fewer people than the party actually has and then hoping the CM at the podium willjust seat the whole group, and trying to work it so that the party can be late for an ADR in order to have that FP, some restaurants are simply saying "no" if it is busy. There is a difference between a child who was sleeping and then melted down (it happened to us on our family trip, we asked the concierge to call and see if we could be a little late,) a transportation breakdown, etc, and deliberately scheduling too close. I cannot in good conscience tell posters who ask if they will be okay that they automatically will. They may not be and that no show fee is not always reversed. I also feel that if we insist that Disney CM's will always allow a grace period we may be doing someone a disservice. For some people dining in a specific restaurant like BOG is pretty special, and even if the fee is reversed can we guarantee the late arrival will allow them to be seated? If we cannot, then they should know that they are making a choice that might disallow their meal.