Reservation timing etiquette

[PixieDust&MickeyPretzels]

What is the window for showing up early/late to your dinning reservations? 15 minutes?

 

[Halle]

What is the window for showing up early/late to your dinning reservations? 15 minutes?

It used to be that you were advised to arrive 15 minutes early. I don't know if that is still the case.

 

[Lizgistix]

I believe they prefer you arrive 15 minutes early to get checked in, go over any special requests or dietary needs, and put in the system if they need to call you to let you know your table is ready.

 

[focusondisney]

I don’t know about late, but we are at WDW now. We can check in 20 minutes early

 

[chicagodisneyguy]

Arriving early is never a bad thing...getting seating before your ADR will depend on if tables before you are done. As far as the "etiquette" of arriving late I would suggest not doing it. It can throw off the parties after you. It's Disney, so they know things happen. Rides get stuck. 30 minute waits end up being 60. But if the premise of the question is "can I book a ressie I know I will be late for"....well the answer is its not very cool

 

[MATTERHORN]

I am a CM seater at Sanaa. While you can come up to 20 minutes late and still be seated, if you are much later, we will most likely be able to accommodate you, but you definitely might have to wait a decent chunk of time (up to an hour) to get seated if we are really busy. So I wouldn't book it intending to be late.

Also pay attention to the hours of the restaurant. For instance, we close at 3. The last ressie is 2:55. If you come after 3:15, our kitchen is closed until 5 and you would not be able to order the full menu, only the three things we serve in our lounge while we are "closed".

 

[MATTERHORN]

Forgot to add, I frequently check people up to an hour before their ressie and if we can seat them early without affecting other reservations, we do. Just keep in mind that even if you check in super early, we have until your ressie time to seat you!

 

[PixieDust&MickeyPretzels]

I am a CM seater at Sanaa. While you can come up to 20 minutes late and still be seated, if you are much later, we will most likely be able to accommodate you, but you definitely might have to wait a decent chunk of time (up to an hour) to get seated if we are really busy. So I wouldn't book it intending to be late.

Also pay attention to the hours of the restaurant. For instance, we close at 3. The last ressie is 2:55. If you come after 3:15, our kitchen is closed until 5 and you would not be able to order the full menu, only the three things we serve in our lounge while we are "closed".

thank you!

 

[Deb & Bill]

Forgot to add, I frequently check people up to an hour before their ressie and if we can seat them early without affecting other reservations, we do. Just keep in mind that even if you check in super early, we have until your ressie time to seat you!

We've tried to check in 20 minutes early at some of the WDW restaurants and they told us to wait until ten minutes before. It happened twice at Tiffins.

 

[MATTERHORN]

We've tried to check in 20 minutes early at some of the WDW restaurants and they told us to wait until ten minutes before. It happened twice at Tiffins.

Yeah, I guess it depends on where you go. But at Sanaa and at the Wave (Steakhouse 51) we always check in when you come no matter what.

 

[Mazz519]

They usually give you a 15-20 minute window... We always get there early to check in, most times we get seated early.... one time we were 40 mins late because we were stuck on Test Track (inside the ride)...when we got to the Living Seas they sat us down within 5 mins