Long wait even with ADR?

[OurLittleLove]

Do you find that you still have to wait a while even with dining reservations? Just wondering as this will help in deciding what reservation time slots I book. I don't expect to be seated immediately but just wondering f it's typical to wait a while. With a toddler, a half hour or so can make a big difference.

 

[Alesia]

I always plan on waiting 30 minutes.

 

[mommajo143]

Depends on where u are & what time. Some places we've been seated quickly (in the order of 15 min or less) but some places have been so long we once asked to have the cancellation fee waived since it had been over 45 min already and we were sitting outside, in the heat, starving and about to get into our FPP window. Generally 20is min is expected.

 

[OurLittleLove]

Thanks for your replies!

 

[Lucius Best]

We usually go during low crowd times, but we've gone with Free Dining when restaurants are busy. 90% of the time we only waited 5-15 minutes, with a few notable exceptions. 'Ohana seemed to consistently be a longer wait, as was Chef Mickey's, and Cinderella's Royal Table. Worst experience was Whispering Canyon (45 minute debacle, manager involved), but we never had a problem on other visits to WCC.

 

[figment_jii]

I've had similar experiences; sometimes the wait is minimal (<5 minutes), but most times it's in the 10-15 minute range. I've waited 30 minutes to an hour at some location (e.g., Citricos, BOG, and 'Ohana), but it hasn't been consistent. I would probably plan on somewhere in the 30 minute range to be safe, but know that it can be faster or slower.

 

[Serial]

So in a recent thread asking how early to check into CRT (really, it could be any restaurant), several replies suggested showing up 15 minutes before your ADR time. http://www.disboards.com/threads/how-early-to-check-in-for-crt-and-akershus.3418009/

Are we counting those minutes before your ADR as waiting time, or are PPs' estimates how many minutes after your ADR time? Because if showing up 15 minutes early means I wait those 15 minutes to be seated at or very close to my ADR time, that's not bad.

 

[BudgieMama]

We checked in at 15 minutes before, and didn't figure that into our wait time. At CRT, we were asked to check in 5 minutes before... and then waited 30 minutes. Wasn't too bad as we were inside and seated, and when we got to the dining room we understood. The only free space was the table we were being taken to.

At Mama Melrose, we waited 20 minutes after the ADR time, and when we were seated, there were lots of empty tables around us. Most of them were still empty when we left, but it was still chaos with people waiting in the foyer. Made me rather cross.

 

[Uncleromulus]

This is a "it all depends" sort of Q & A

We've been seated immediately a # of times--even a bit early at times.

Then there are times we've waited a few minutes--then times we waited 15 minutes.

Then a few times we waited an hour.

 

[jrmasm]

The only place we've waiting more than 10 minutes is Ohana (both times we went). More than 45 minutes each time. Never again!!!

 

[Hopefully]

I agree with an average wait, after your ADR time, of 30 minutes. I have been seated sooner and I have been seated later.
An ADR is not a typical "reservation" like in the real world. They are not holding a table for 4 at 7 PM if you have a 7 PM ADR. I simply puts you in line for the next table for 4 that opens up close to 7 PM. You are waiting for a table to empty. If folks linger longer than anticipated, you will be waiting longer than you thought.
Good Luck

 

[SouthJersey]

Do you find that you still have to wait a while even with dining reservations? Just wondering as this will help in deciding what reservation time slots I book. I don't expect to be seated immediately but just wondering f it's typical to wait a while. With a toddler, a half hour or so can make a big difference.

Le Cellier and Coral Reef have been the only places we've ever had to wait more than 10 minutes.

 

[loves to dive]

I don't think I've ever waited longer than 15 min. with an ADR to get seated. Now, after being seated? All bets are off. I've waited as long as 15 min. to have a server actually appear at the table after being seated and waited 30 min after the bill was brought to me to pay once at Sanaa.

 

[EmilyS90]

We waited maybe 10 minutes at most at all our ADRs except Coral Reef. And that was only because we asked to be seated near the tank, so we waited about 20 minutes or so.

 

[Aggieamy5]

We never had to wait more than 10 minutes for an ADR (from actual reservation time), except at Kona for a dinner reservation. When it started to approach about a 30 min wait, I complained to the manager and we were seated shortly thereafter. I think it's beyond ridiculous to have to wait somewhere more than 10 or 15 with a reservation, regardless if I'm at Disney or at home.

 

[jenjersnap]

It happens occasionally and we have found some restaurants with consistent waits over 30 minutes: 'Ohana, Boma, Chef Mickeys, etc. If you are eating early in service that helps but we tend to eat later coming from the west. But, I would say our average wait is about 15 minutes.

 

[IWRBIE]

Maybe we’ve just been lucky, but other than the character breakfast at Hollywood & Vine, I can’t recall ever waiting more than five-ish minutes to be seated for any ADR.

 

[Dis703]

Most of the time we've been sat pretty quickly but we've had a few with very long waits. Twice at Hollywood and Vine we've had a 30-45 minute wait. Once at the Plaza it was 30+ minutes and the one time we went to Ohana we also waited 30 minutes for a table. I've seen H&V and Ohana mentioned a lot in regards to long waits.

 

[Kenny1113]

I have consistently had to wait approx 30 min past adr time at boma

 

[maxiesmom]

I'm happy if the wait is under 30 minutes. And I have had wait times about that long at The Crystal Palace and The Rose and Crown.

As a previous poster pointed out, and ADR is not a reservation for a specific time. It is for the next table available for your party size. So with a child I would book prior to when I think they will be getting tired or hungry. And maybe bring along a small toy that they only get to play with when waiting to be seated.