How much time do you "plan" for sit down meals during free dining?

[kjetjl]

So from the time you get to the restaurant (with wait time, ordering, eating, interacting with characters, taking care of the bill, etc.) to the moment you leave the restaurant.....how much time does this take?

I know there will be considerable differences for time of day, which restaurant, whether buffet, etc. but I am just curious as to others' opinions and experiences.


Thanks.

 

[Jack&Ryan'smom]

I would say about an hour to an hour and a half.

 

[RMulieri]

1 1/2-2hrs...I have gotten seated almost 40 mins past my adr time before so I budget lots of time.

 

[pooch]

but I don't time it unless it gets REALLY long and this hasn't happened during our last 2 Free DDP trips. We look at our TS meals as our break for the day so don't worry about how long it takes most of the time.

 

[kadesha]

I allow an hour to an hour and a half.

 

[beautifultomorrow]

This doesn't apply to buffets, but previously on the dining plan almost all of our table service meals were right at 2 hours, including the wait which was usually a few minutes. I would imagine its a little shorter now that the appetizer is no longer included. Maybe we just go to slow places but I don't think I've ever been anywhere on the dining plan where we got in and out in less than an hour and a half.

 

[planitdad]

I started a thread on the dining plan board you may also be interested in titled Free Diners with ADR's - How long have you waited for a table?

I know we usually get seated in 10-15 minutes, and are all done eating in about 1 hour - so total about 1 hour 15 minutes for us too.

Some posters have encountered unusually long waits, unfortunately.

 

[GraceLuvsWDW]

Buffets: 1 hour max

A La Carte: if you order everything up front you can be out in 1.5 hrs or if you want to stretch it out order drinks, then wait to order entres, then wait to order desserts-you'd be looking at 2 hrs at least.

Some rests are faster than others. The characters meals IMO try to get you in and out pretty fast. So Princess Storybook in Epcot usually is only 1 hr for us. We've been to Cinderella's Royal Table breakfast in & out in about an hour and 15-including wait, picture and all.

Maybe we just eat fast???

 

[B-Ride]

We budget 1.5 hours for all meals. Buffets are quicker but there is no guarantee you will be seat on time.

 

[kjetjl]

Thanks for all the replies.

I was thinking average 1 1/2 hour as well; a little shorter for buffets and a little longer for some of the sit downs. Of course, there are no guarantees but I am glad to know my guesstimates are in line with others.

 

[a1tinkfans]

So from the time you get to the restaurant (with wait time, ordering, eating, interacting with characters, taking care of the bill, etc.) to the moment you leave the restaurant.....how much time does this take?

I know there will be considerable differences for time of day, which restaurant, whether buffet, etc. but I am just curious as to others' opinions and experiences.


Thanks.

From our experience It did not change whether it was during FREE dining or purchased dining,. It is usually about 1 1/2 hours for sit down, but can go up or down a bit! I think buffet generally goes a bit faster though.

 

[kimsuenew]

We allowed about 2 hours, some took longer than others of course, and sometimes there was a somewhat lengthy wait to get seated even with our ADR (LTT and 50's PT for us).

 

[momto2inKC]

Buffets usually take about an hour, other ones about an hour and a half-2 hours.

 

[momof3poohlovers]

I agree with the PP's. We allow about 1 1/2 to 2 hours. Usually 1 1/2 hours for buffets and 2 hours for TS. It never fails, we always have to wait 15-30 min. past our ADR time for our TS even though we always get there early.

 

[comicguy]

I would say from our experiance that an hour and fifteen to an hour and a half is about right.

 

[Aimeedyan]

We allowed 1.5 hours to 2 hours.

We were at Coral Reef just over 2 hours and almost missed IllumiNations. 45 minute wait with a reservation + a terribly slow waiter = 2 hours stuck at the restaurant.