How strict are the ADR times?

[AllNamesTaken]

If I have a 6:00 ADR but accidentally don't arrive until 6:15 or 6:20, will they still honor it? Anyone had this happen?

 

[Bob P]

Hi,

It depends on how busy the restaurant is. Usually you will lose your "place" and have to wait a lot longer than you would have if you were on time.

ADRs are not really reservations, they just mean that you will be seated ahead of walk-ins. But you will be behind all those who have ADRs and who had checked in before you.

Bob

 

[Kimberly815]

Sorry that I can't be of more help. I have showed up just on time. . or maybe 2-3 minutes after, and had no issues.

ADRs are not really reservations, they just mean that you will be seated ahead of walk-ins. But you will be behind all those who have ADRs and who had checked in before you.

Bob

Hi Bob.

I thought this was the way before- when they were Priority Seatings. And now that they are Advanced Dining Reservations, that they were actual reservations.

Just curious.

Thanks.

 

[webray]

If I have a 6:00 ADR but accidentally don't arrive until 6:15 or 6:20, will they still honor it? Anyone had this happen?

When you make an ADR they tell you to show up 5 minutes early, not 15 or 20 minutes late. If they have an opening when you arrive, I am sure they will seat you. But, if they don't, you will go to the end of the line, as if you never had a reservation. Remember, when you don't show up, there are plenty of people trying to get in without an ADR, so they probably allow a few minutes and then sit someone who is ready to eat and pay for a table.

 

[majortom]

Hi Bob.

I thought this was the way before- when they were Priority Seatings. And now that they are Advanced Dining Reservations, that they were actual reservations.

Just curious.

Thanks.

Nope, they are still priority seatings. According to policy as quoted by Central Reservations Cast Members, after 20 minutes, they will charge your card if you are eating at a restaurant where you had to guarantee your reservation.

My experience is that if you have a reservation for that meal, it does not matter much what time you arrive, you get seated in the order you check in, not in the order of your priority seating time. They usually do seat people with priority seatings before those walk-in parties.

/carmi

 

[Kimberly815]

Nope, they are still priority seatings. According to policy as quoted by Central Reservations Cast Members, after 20 minutes, they will charge your card if you are eating at a restaurant where you had to guarantee your reservation.

My experience is that if you have a reservation for that meal, it does not matter much what time you arrive, you get seated in the order you check in, not in the order of your priority seating time. They usually do seat people with priority seatings before those walk-in parties.

/carmi

Huh. I didn't know that.

 

[lillygator]

we've been late on different trips and never had a problem!

 

[DVCLiz]

We were late once (the area in front of the castle was closed for a show and no cast member was able to tell us how to get around) for a dinner at CRT, and I had to ask to see a manager for them to seat us. The greeter called and spoke to someone upstairs, and we got in, but it was touch and go.

We thought we had left enough time, but because cast members directed us first to go around through Liberty Square, and then when we couldn't get through and went back to the front, to the other side by the teacups, where we were also turned away, I had a little bit of a temper tantrum. A staff ember ended up having to walk us through to the point by Columbia Harbor House where the "rope" was, and then another cast member let us go through to the castle. They had seated the last party for the evening - when I asked to speak to the manager, I knew the "sorry, the kitchen is closed now" excuse wasn't true - they had seated someone less than ten minutes before. I asked to speak to the manager because I felt there were extenuating circumstances due to the cast members' misdirection. I think it was a case of the manager probably saying, "Just let them come up and then close the front so no one else can try that."

We did have an ADR, and if it had been anywhere other than CRT on our last night, I'd jus have gotten something at a CS place. I didn't like making a little bit of a scene (well, I'm not really capable of making a "scene" - the fact that I was confrontational at all was a big thing for me!!!)

So, long story even longer, ADRs are not things to mess around with if you want to be sure of a stress-free meal!!!! Since then, I have always tried to be 10-15 minutes early, and that works much better!!

 

[Julylady]

I agree with Majortom. Our experience is that you can be late and still get seated without a problem. In late January, we were 30 minutes late getting to the Grand Floridian due to a thunderstorm delaying the boat from Wilderness Lodge. We were seated within 5 minutes.

On the other hand....we were about 45 minutes early to Chef Mickeys and waited about 55 minutes to be seated. They appeared to be seating people according to their reservation time. The fact that we were early made no difference.

 

[kcashner]

We have gone an hour early and asked whether we could be seated early--the answer was "yes, but it will be about a 30 minute wait." We've also been late--transportation issues, etc. The CM was great and was able to seat us with only a short wait.

However.....they do ask that you be 10-15 minutes early, and that is the only way to assure your seating.

 

[jwfla422]

Never had any problem on times we've run a little late. In some situations I've called Dis Dining if I knew we were running more than 15 minutes late and was told they would hold our PS/ADR 30 minutes from the original time. I never do the "deposit" meals so I'm not sure how that works. (and we never had to wait too long after we got there).

There have been times where I've called to try to change our time and make it 1/2 - 1 hr later and if there was nothing available they would tell me just to keep the time we had and they'd try to squeeze us in. (of course they couldn't guarantee we'd get in)--but we go during mostly off peak times so have never had a problem).