Prime Time latest seating during Free Dining

[vleeth]

We are going in the middle of September for free dining. The day we are going to DHS the park closes at 7. Does anyone know what the latest seating will be for 50's Prime Time? Also, does free dining make a difference? Do they extend the dining hours since so many people are trying to get ADR's?

 

[TDC Nala]

It is likely they will not extend dining hours much past park closing. (Some restaurants, usually resort restaurants open for dinner, do open earlier for free dining)

 

[vleeth]

Does anyone know in general what time is the last seating at Prime Time when DHS closes at 7?

 

[SPOERLX3]

You can call the 800 wdw-dine and ask one of the cm's what the last seating is. Just an experience that I wanted to share about a late ressie at 50's PT:
We ate at 50's Prime Time in December. When I made my ressie, I ask what the last seating was and they said 8pm. The park closed at 8pm and I thought that this would be a good way to allow the crowds to wind down while we ate. This was a HUGE mistake. The service was HORRIBLE and the food tasted like the bottom of the barrel that had been warmed in a microwave. They sat us in the back of the restraunt and we passed several area's that were roped off as closed because they had already been cleaned. Our seat was by the kitchen and the wait staff was hollaring back and forth to each other across the place talking about a party that they were wanting to hurry and get to. Us and one other family were the only ones back in that area and probably only 10 families in the whole place. They acted like we weren't even there and the waiter rushed up the whole time. Not only did we mark off late ressie's for our trip this year, we marked 50's Prime Time off for completely. I hope you have a better experience.

 

[vleeth]

Maybe I should think about lunch instead. I was just hoping I could get a 6:30 or so seating and then not have to fight the crowds leaving at 7.

Of course maybe we wouldn't have such a bad time because if they are taking ressies that late, the place would still be quite full because of free dining and maybe the wait staff wouldn't be better.

 

[SPOERLX3]

Maybe I should think about lunch instead. I was just hoping I could get a 6:30 or so seating and then not have to fight the crowds leaving at 7.

Of course maybe we wouldn't have such a bad time because if they are taking ressies that late, the place would still be quite full because of free dining and maybe the wait staff wouldn't be better.

I don't think 6:30 would be too bad. I just wouldn't go for the very latest seating. 6:30 is a normal dinner time for us so maybe a 6:15-6:30. I just wouldn't go for anything after 6:45. Don't let my comment stear you away, we all know that some nights are better than others, some servers are better than others, etc. We normally LOVE 50's Prime Time but that one bad experience just gave us an excuse to try something different this year. We will probably be back in a couple of years, just not at the last seating. Good luck and have fun!

 

[Dizneydaz]

6:30 should be good. Most (if not all ) of the TS restaurants in the parks have their last seating at park closing. (i.e. DHS closes at 7, last ADR at PTC 7). They do extend the hours when the park has EMH p.m. hours.

We ate at Tusker Buffet at AK last year with a 7:50 ADR (park EMH closed at 8 p.m.) It wasn't the best time to go but leaving after the park was empty was great!

 

[vleeth]

6:30 should be good. Most (if not all ) of the TS restaurants in the parks have their last seating at park closing. (i.e. DHS closes at 7, last ADR at PTC 7). They do extend the hours when the park has EMH p.m. hours.

We ate at Tusker Buffet at AK last year with a 7:50 ADR (park EMH closed at 8 p.m.) It wasn't the best time to go but leaving after the park was empty was great!

That is one of the reasons I'm torn between lunch and dinner. If we do lunch we get out of the heat but we miss about 2 hrs of park time. If we do dinner we only miss 30 mins of park time and get to leave with the park empty but we don't get a break from the heat.

 

[SPOERLX3]

That is one of the reasons I'm torn between lunch and dinner. If we do lunch we get out of the heat but we miss about 2 hrs of park time. If we do dinner we only miss 30 mins of park time and get to leave with the park empty but we don't get a break from the heat.

I agree 2 hours of park time is alot unless you are going to have more than one day at DHS. I think the 630 option is a good one but before you make your final decision, check the lunch menu vs the dinner menu. Most of the items are the same but a couple are different, i.e. lunch offers chicken pot pie dinner doesnt. So if one looks better than the other go for it. I would recommend if you go for lunch, go at a less busy time, 1st seating 11 or after 3 and it may save you 30 minutes. Truly the only restraunt we go to for lunch is Sci-Fi and we pay out of pocket. Burgers are only on the menu for lunch (but i have heard you can request them at dinner) and we LOVE their burgers, onion rings and shakes. Sci-Fi, even with alot of bad reviews, is the one place that ALL of my family requests every trip. Whatever you choose, you will have a great time and I am going to hope you have a GREAT experience and a GREAT waiter that makes your experience fun!

 

[Dizneydaz]

That is one of the reasons I'm torn between lunch and dinner. If we do lunch we get out of the heat but we miss about 2 hrs of park time. If we do dinner we only miss 30 mins of park time and get to leave with the park empty but we don't get a break from the heat.

You could do do PTC for dinner (just before closing) and use CS for lunch. It was pretty cool leaving AK after it closed. Some great photo ops. And no one rushed us. Though I have read on these board that some guests have stayed in the parks several hours after closing without being escorted out.

 

[vleeth]

I have another kink in my plan. A member of our party plans to do American Idol that day, if she makes it to the finale we want to watch her. Anyone know what time the finale is when the park closes at 7? Is it still at 7?

 

[vleeth]

Just wanted to let everyone know that I just made my ADRs and I got a table at 50's at 7:17. The CM said that 50s closes at 7:30.

Also I found out that AIE finale will be at 6:00.

Thanks for all of your help.