How long does it take to eat?

[Trina7020]

I know it is slightly different for everyone... but give me a rough idea?


Let's say you have ADRs and you are seated within 5 minutes... (I know perfect world!)

How long do you spend at a Buffet? A regular TS?


What about CS? Consider you have to wait in line during a fairly busy time of year and time of day. (My kids tend to eat at the same times each day?)


Thanks!

 

[Hollymom1229]

If seated quickly and service is efficient buffet is typically 45 minutes, an hour if we linger. TS is generally right around an hour.

 

[Trina7020]

I have heard of CS taking that long if there are long lines? Is that true?

 

[mom2aredhead]

I have heard of CS taking that long if there are long lines? Is that true?

Longer than what - TS?
There is not a CS on property that is worth 45 minutes on line. Of course, I've never been there during Christmas week, so I guess it's possible.

 

[suzimar57]

TS can be longer than an hour if the server is very busy, and spaces out your meal longer than necessary - narcoosees comes to mind for that - although i'd wait 2 hours for the almond crusted cheesecake!

 

[frannn]

DH likes to get to our ADRs at the designated 15 minutes early that WDW recommends. We usually have to wait until a few minutes after our ADR time to be seated. At TS/buffet with characters and TS where you order off the menu, it averages 1-1.5 hours from drinks to desert. That includes character pics & autographs, deciding what to order, and DH and I switching off -one going to the buffet and one sitting with DD5. At a TS buffet with no characters (like Boma, H&V), the time spent is closer to the 1 hour point. So, depending on how long the wait is before you are seated, we usually spend 1-2 hours from check in line to getting the check. There have been extremes, like WCC, where we got there a bit late and waited over an hour for a table, and the Princess dinner in Norway, where it took over 25 minutes to get the check after we were cleary done eating, and Coral Reef, where they were 45+ minutes behind in seating. I'm thinking that since free dining is so popular now, dining may take a bit longer to get seated & served, so I'm planning on bringing stuff to keep us busy while waiting.

 

[chessie2008]

Do any of the restaurants have the notification things that light up or shake when they are ready for you? If they are running late it would be much easier to get one of these and wait than to be all up in the crowd waiting for your name to be called...

 

[Sobes]

Our TS buffet with characters took about an hour from sit down until walking out the door. I agree with mom2aredhead pp, that NO CS are worth a long wait.
The longest we waited to be seated was 20min(at Hollywood and Vine). The longest CS was about 5 min in line.

 

[frannn]

Takes us about 5 minutes to find a table and decide what we want to order, about 10-12 minutes additional on line & getting everything back to the table & passed around (plus another trip to the napkins, flatware, straw island if forgotten). 20-25 minutes to eat, and then gather all the stuff & dump in the garbage. We're talking 45 minutes- 1 hour total. Sorry for the blow by blow, but I'm wondering this myself, since we're doing deluxe dining with ALL TS this coming Sept. What I neglected to mention is the time we spend deciding where to go for CS. So, erring on the side of caution, we're looking at an extra 1.5 hours spent eating on days where we have 3 TS scheduled, and 1 hour when we have 2. My days have been so crazy here, that I have not had time to read or play my PSP (yes, I'm a kid at heart). So, I'll bring one or both of these in my park bag, and if DD is behaving, wala!

 

[disneyfav4ever]

When I make my daily intineraries, I plan on an hour at buffets, character meals, and family-style meals, an hour and a half at "regular" table-service meals, and two hours at signature restaurants. It may actually be a little less then that, but I like to eat slowly and savor my food, as well as sipping cocktails, so it takes me awhile, and it's also my "break" during the day.

 

[MickeyNicki]

At a buffet DH and I are done in 30 to 45 minutes. Sit down can take 45 to 1.5 hours. We were at the Yachtsman for about an hour and 45 minutes but that was our own doing, we relaxed and enjoyed our meal and dessert!

 

[WillCAD]

These are my average times; obviously, sometimes it takes me longer, sometimes I'm out quicker:

Dining solo:
CS 15-30 minutes
TS 40-50 minutes after I'm seated
Buffet 30-40 minutes after I'm seated

Dining with a medium-sized group (4-8 people):
CS 25-45 minutes after we're seated
TS 60-90 minutes after we're seated
Buffet 60-90 minutes after we're seated

Dining with a large group (10 or more):
CS 45-75 minutes after we're seated
TS 90-120 minutes after we're seated
Buffet 90-120 minutes after we're seated

 

[aljack33]

We just returned from spring break and CS were as long as the time it took for a TS. Generally, all our TS took about 45 minutes (buffets) to one hour (sit downs). An exception was Teppan Edo where it took awhile to be seated. The CS were had, took about the same time. 20 to 25 minutes in the line for sure on a good day. Pizza place in AK took about 30 minutes just to stand in the line and get our food. That was ridiculous.

 

[madalex]

Do any of the restaurants have the notification things that light up or shake when they are ready for you? If they are running late it would be much easier to get one of these and wait than to be all up in the crowd waiting for your name to be called...

All of the TS restuarants we went to on our recently completed nine day Easter trip (and we ate TS every night for dinner) provided pagers that light up and vibrate when your table is ready.

On that trip, we were seated exactly on time (if not early) for every single TS dinner. Our dinner ADRs were at various times between 6:30 and 7:00 and, due to my nature, we always showed up at the restaurants 5 - 10 minutes prior to the ADR time. Every single time, we were either seated immediately or within 5 minutes of our arrival at the restaurant. With Easter and the crowds I was surprised by this, but it just goes to show how valuable it is to have ADRs.

 

[chickenskin]

How long does it take to eat?

As fast as you can chew.

Sorry, couldn't resist.