How long dining takes from start to finish...

[FunkyDuckToo]

Approximately...how long on average from wait time to finish does it take to eat at most restaurants? I would like to book early enough to be out for the evening shows, etc...

 

[Calee]

Waaaaaay too hard to know without more details. Quick service or table service? Character meals? Buffet? Signature?
At a busy time you may have to wait even with an ADR. If you eat at the most popular times of day it might be more crowded and take longer,
For a sit down meal or a character meal I would mentally budget 1 1/2-2 hours. May very well take less but if you have somewhere to be you don't want to be rushing or stressed.

 

[Aimeedyan]

I wish there was an easy answer! There are just too many variables at play. Do you order apps and dessert? Drinks while you look over the menu? Is it a signature spot or a burger place? Characters or not? Is it raining outside (it means people seated refuse to leave). And, unfortunately, some spots are notorious for seating people way past their reservation time.

I would budget 90 minutes to be safe.

 

[sullyfam]

90 minutes for standard table service. Could be less but I would plan on 90. If you are doing character dining, a dinner show or fine dining, I would plan on longer (2 hours).

 

[FunkyDuckToo]

Okay, thank you everyone for your replies. I was thinking 2 hours to be safe as well.

 

[TiggerTrigger]

I've had TS dinners go less than an hour and with waits and other issues, others that have gone 2-3 hours. If a nighttime show is your goal, I would book something well before just to give yourself time, since you'll also need to factor in finding a spot...and you might be severely limited if you cut it too close. Ex. We were in MK in Dec 2017 and they were announcing 30-45 min before HEA that the hub was at capacity.

 

[Jennasis]

It's only DH and I but no meal other than Cali Grill has ever taken us more than an hour from being seated to walking out.

 

[goofyintoronto]

It's only DH and I but no meal other than Cali Grill has ever taken us more than an hour from being seated to walking out.

The same for us two. For two ppl about an hour. Three or more people, it will be longer.