How Strict Are Dining Reservation Times?

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

We're trying to catch the 5 PM Voices of Liberty show. We miss it every trip and are only coming into EPCOT for dinner that night. 10 minutes makes all the difference in this particular scenario. It's a mute point because I found a later dining time. I knew I likely would but was curious what others experiences had been.

To the bolded: That detail or more or less your thread phrased a different way would have likely resulted in less negative comments.

As is people just saw you wanted to be late for a reservation purposefully rather than you had two plans too close together in time.

Glad you got a later time though that works out the kink in your plans

 

[TheRustyScupper]

until Disney is able to seat everyone with a few minutes of their ADR time, then they have no leg to stand on

1) OK, maybe a valid statement, IN YOUR OPINION.
2) But, exactly how do you get people to move from their table and exit the restaurant just to make room for the next ADR?
3) It is against the law to force someone out, except when eateries have specific time dining ranges (like HDDR or Luau seating's).
4) NOW, HOW DO YOU NOW ASSURE PEOPLE WILL GET SEATED WITHIN A FEW MINUTES OF THEIR ADR ???

NOTE:
We need to get real.
If people stay at their table longer than anticipated, their is zero way to remove them.
If you were enjoying a pleasant conversation at the end of YOUR meal, would you want to be pushed out or ejected ???

 

[Cinderella94]

Also important to remember: An ADR is kind of like a FastPass, only for a restaurant. It doesn't guarantee there will be a table promptly at a time, just like a FP+ for Test Track doesn't promise it won't be down, or delayed, or a FP for Frozen doesn't promise that there's not going to be faceless Elsa to haunt your nightmares.

I wonder why Disney changed the name from 'Priority Seating' to 'Advanced Dining Reservations'? 'Priority Seating' seems to more accurately convey what you stated above. I don't know if that question has ever been answered by Disney, just something that occurred to me.

 

[Janet McDonald]

I have a question on the opposite side of this. I have an 8:30 am ADR for Garden Grill wanting to be there to beat the line for Soarin. If we show up at 8:00 is there a chance we could be seated early?

 

[DisBuckMan]

I have a question on the opposite side of this. I have an 8:30 am ADR for Garden Grill wanting to be there to beat the line for Soarin. If we show up at 8:00 is there a chance we could be seated early?

Very possible *IF*...they don't change opening times for Epcot for that day.

 

[poohnpigletCA]

I have a question on the opposite side of this. I have an 8:30 am ADR for Garden Grill wanting to be there to beat the line for Soarin. If we show up at 8:00 is there a chance we could be seated early?

We showed up to the Plaza 30 minutes early we explained that we understood we might not be accommodated. I can only guess that the CM at the front podium was having a bad day. We got a bit of a lecture that we are only supposed to check in 15 minutes prior and she should not even check us in but she would do it this one time but there was no possible way our table would be ready until our ADR time. Feeling chastised hubby went to take one kid to the restroom while I waited with the other for our 30 minutes to be up. No joke within a minute of checking in our table was ready. Then she was mad that our entire party was not there. I had sent him a text they had only gone a little ways and immediately came back. I think the meal was fine but that whole experience just kinda left a bad taste in our mouths and we have never gone back to that restaurant.

 

[Kaytie]

I’m glad things worked out for you.

This is the wrong forum to ask about “bending” a Disney dining “rule.” The school marms here always come out in force with their cyber hickory sticks if you dare to ask about doing anything outside their strict interpretations of ADR policies.

They certainly did not disappoint on this thread. LOL! Hope you enjoy your meal.

Is the snarkiness really necessary?

We turned up on time for our ADR and they made us wait 30 minutes to be seated...

An ADR provides seating at the next available table for your party size, at or after the ADR time. If other parties of the same size arrive after you but are seated first, definitely approach the host/ess.

 

[JerseyJanice]

Is the snarkiness really necessary?

There were several posts scolding the OP. I did not find that necessary.

 

[PrincessWithABlaster]

. And if Disney were to pressure people to leave their table after X minutes, people would have a fit about THAT.

I absolutely wish they would. Not other people. Me. We can’t seem to escape from a Disney table service restaurant in less than 75 mins no matter how badly we want to. Either the kitchen is slow and food doesn’t come out, or the characters go on break, or the server disappears for 20 minutes right when we want our bill. I’ve come to expect it. I think it’s cultural in part (being from the north) but Disney could do their part to move people thru. I would gladly volunteer to help them.

 

[Janet McDonald]

I absolutely wish they would. Not other people. Me. We can’t seem to escape from a Disney table service restaurant in less than 75 mins no matter how badly we want to. Either the kitchen is slow and food doesn’t come out, or the characters go on break, or the server disappears for 20 minutes right when we want our bill. I’ve come to expect it. I think it’s cultural in part (being from the north) but Disney could do their part to move people thru. I would gladly volunteer to help them.

We are doing deluxe dining in December and your post makes me wonder if after we have ordered all our food, how terrible would it be to go ahead and ask for our check to go ahead and pay so that we can cut out some of the waiting lol.

 

[JerseyJanice]

I absolutely wish they would. Not other people. Me. We can’t seem to escape from a Disney table service restaurant in less than 75 mins no matter how badly we want to. Either the kitchen is slow and food doesn’t come out, or the characters go on break, or the server disappears for 20 minutes right when we want our bill. I’ve come to expect it. I think it’s cultural in part (being from the north) but Disney could do their part to move people thru. I would gladly volunteer to help them.

It never fails to amaze me when I read a post where someone says they felt rushed at a Disney restaurant. That has never happened to us. Our experiences have been more like yours.

I can’t tell you how many times I’ve been at restaurants (and not just Disney) when I wanted to leave and it took forever to square up.

 

[GillianP1301]

1) OK, maybe a valid statement, IN YOUR OPINION.
2) But, exactly how do you get people to move from their table and exit the restaurant just to make room for the next ADR?
3) It is against the law to force someone out, except when eateries have specific time dining ranges (like HDDR or Luau seating's).
4) NOW, HOW DO YOU NOW ASSURE PEOPLE WILL GET SEATED WITHIN A FEW MINUTES OF THEIR ADR ???

NOTE:
We need to get real.
If people stay at their table longer than anticipated, their is zero way to remove them.
If you were enjoying a pleasant conversation at the end of YOUR meal, would you want to be pushed out or ejected ???

I'm not suggesting people need to be rushed from their tables at all. I believe that Disney overbook too much at certain restaurants. They have more than enough data to show them how many tables they can turn in a day and it's pretty obvious that factoring in 30+ minute waits is acceptable to them, which I don't blame them since people seem willing to wait it. A better job in reservations in the first place would avoid lengthy waits. I make reservations at non Disney restaurants all the time and I'm never left waiting when I show up.

That being said, I think this is really only an issue at a select few restaurants at Disney so I don't think this is an epidemic by any stretch. I think I am seated in less than 10 minutes 80 - 90% of the time. Which means the problem shouldn't be that hard to fix really. The end result would mean even less ADRs for already difficult to get ADR restaurants and perhaps that backlash is not worth them fixing the problem maybe?

 

[Roxyfire]

We are doing deluxe dining in December and your post makes me wonder if after we have ordered all our food, how terrible would it be to go ahead and ask for our check to go ahead and pay so that we can cut out some of the waiting lol.

I don't see why that would be a problem. People often do this for character buffets because it's an all in price. As long as you put your whole order in at once, I don't see why you couldn't. Ultimately everyone is going to have a different "feeling" on how long the meal takes and some places are faster than others. I do not like to spend a long time in a restaurant so we don't mind if food comes out quickly. Others want to sit and visit, enjoy the ambiance and AC.

 

[TheRustyScupper]

I believe that Disney overbook too much at certain restaurants.

1) They recently made a change that intensified this.
2) They "dialed back" the average eating time (aka: Table Time) of diners at many eateries.
3) This allows more ADR's.
4) There were complaints by folks that they were unable to get ressies.
5) So, with the dining-dollars WAY DOWN, Disney decided to increase the diners by allowing more ADR's
6) But, when shortening the Table Time thee are more waits by people with ADR's . . . in some cases, more than 30-45 minutes delay.

 

[Wubar]

1) They recently made a change that intensified this.
2) They "dialed back" the average eating time (aka: Table Time) of diners at many eateries.
3) This allows more ADR's.
4) There were complaints by folks that they were unable to get ressies.
5) So, with the dining-dollars WAY DOWN, Disney decided to increase the diners by allowing more ADR's
6) But, when shortening the Table Time thee are more waits by people with ADR's . . . in some cases, more than 30-45 minutes delay.

That's what worries me a bit when trying to plan our day and FP+s around ADRs. Thank goodness the FPs have about an hour and 20 minute window!

 

[rg35]

1) They recently made a change that intensified this.
2) They "dialed back" the average eating time (aka: Table Time) of diners at many eateries.
3) This allows more ADR's.
4) There were complaints by folks that they were unable to get ressies.
5) So, with the dining-dollars WAY DOWN, Disney decided to increase the diners by allowing more ADR's
6) But, when shortening the Table Time thee are more waits by people with ADR's . . . in some cases, more than 30-45 minutes delay.

Just curious, but when did these changes take place? We have been to WDW 5 years in a row and have never waited more than a few minutes to be seated (including this year) nor have we ever felt rushed at any TS restaurant. Is this something that just happened over the last few months?

 

[_auroraborealis_]

Just curious, but when did these changes take place? We have been to WDW 5 years in a row and have never waited more than a few minutes to be seated (including this year) nor have we ever felt rushed at any TS restaurant. Is this something that just happened over the last few months?

Probably depends on the restaurant. Some places are notorious.

 

[GillianP1301]

Just curious, but when did these changes take place? We have been to WDW 5 years in a row and have never waited more than a few minutes to be seated (including this year) nor have we ever felt rushed at any TS restaurant. Is this something that just happened over the last few months?

I'm curious of this as well because I have not noted a marked increase (or decrease) in ADR wait times and I have never felt rushed.

I've also been seated in nowhere near full restaurants where it's pretty obvious they are choosing not to run at full capacity (including BOG) so if there are increases in wait time is more likely due to less staffing than increased ADRs. Just guessing, I have no insider info.

 

[TheRustyScupper]

I'm curious of this as well because I have not noted a marked increase (or decrease) in ADR wait times and I have never felt rushed.

I know of eateries where ADR wait times have increased form a few minutes to over 45-minutes.

 

[jcvalenti]

1) They recently made a change that intensified this.
2) They "dialed back" the average eating time (aka: Table Time) of diners at many eateries.
3) This allows more ADR's.
4) There were complaints by folks that they were unable to get ressies.
5) So, with the dining-dollars WAY DOWN, Disney decided to increase the diners by allowing more ADR's
6) But, when shortening the Table Time thee are more waits by people with ADR's . . . in some cases, more than 30-45 minutes delay.

They've been shortening average dining times ever since the Dining Plan debuted. That's also why they've homogenized menus - even at TS, they want you in and out like cattle at some of these places. I've noticed if you want slow, relaxing and enjoyable, a lot depends on your venue. It's not going to happen at Be Our Guest, where they would prefer you get in and out in 40 minutes because there are 1000 other people in the queue. It will almost always happen at a fantastic place like Jiko or Il Mulino, as those places are usually (inexplicably) far less crowded.

We always tell our server early when we plan to take our darn time ... and we always cover it (usually in the form of a few bottles of good wine and a big fat tip). Unfortunately, we still expect now that it might take up to a half hour past our ADR just to get seated (more if we're picky about where we're seated). All in all, Disney Dining can be a pretty frustrating experience, but the task they have is huge - they have to provide an enjoyable, consistent experience to a LOT of people (all with different proclivities, preferences, and agendas) and ALL of whom think they deserve special treatment because this is their own personal expensive vacation. Frankly, sometimes I'm surprised it works as well as it does as often as it does.