Showing Up Early For An AR?

[scanne]

What would happen if we showed up an hour early for one of our AR's? We have AR's at BOMA for 7.30pm. We're a large party (8 adults 2 children). We'd love something at 6.30pm but when I called they said that nothing was available.

I will keep checking periodically.

But what if we went at 6.30? Would they turn us away? Make us wait until 7.30 anyway? What do you think?

 

[Lewisc]

If you want a table for 10 you might have to wait. Even if you get there at 7:30p you still may have to wait. Decide in advance if you're willing to accept two tables in the same general area.

 

[devotedchristian]

What does AR stand for?

 

[kbkids]

AR = PS. Advanced reservations (I believe) - Disney's new term for Priority Seating.

 

[shellybaxter]

It really depends on how busy the resturant is. We showed up about 45 mins early for Primetime one evening and they said they couldn't seat us until our assigned time. They wouldn't even let us check in until 10 mins before. It was really busy at the time and the parade had just ended.

In contrast, we arrived at Ohana about 45 mins early once and there was no problem. I checked in and we wandered over toward the gift shops. We had barely begun looking when our pager went off. They seated us almost right away. They were not terribly busy. People weren't waiting to be seated. I think we could have been walk ups that night with no problem

Shelly

 

[cseca]

Yeah... it depends on the CM and how busy the place is.

All the restaurants we've gone to a couple weeks ago would take us a little earlier no problem except for LTT. Then again there were only 2 of us.

In LTT seems that they put your PS (or ADR) time in the slip and put them in some kind of order. Because there were people who came in after we did and got in way before us.

but who knows...

 

[n2mm]

Be prepared to wait an hour. Not sure if your kids can handle it. I agree with the other posters, if the restraurant is not busy they will try to seat you early. But during dinner when we have arrived 15 or 20 minuts early, we, on many occassions are told, they can not seat us until our PS/ADR time, actually on some occassions we start the wait for a seat after our PS time, so can be a double wait, which can be a pain too. During lunch time, arriving early and being seated early is probably easier to do, but not dinner. I think you should continue to check for other opennings, even the morning of, but with the group size you have, sounds like the time you have may be it. good luck.

 

[LisaS]

We showed up at 6:30pm for a 7:00pm PS/AR at Boma in early May. They allowed us to check in and gave us a pager. I asked how long the wait might be and the CM said they would get us in as soon as they could but we might have to wait up until our original PS time. He didn't sound optimistic that we would get in early, so we were very suprised when the pager went off about 10 minutes later. We were just a party of 2, though, so I don't know what our experience might have been if we had been a larger group.

So I'd say it's hit or miss. If you get lucky (Boma isn't busy for some reason, or some folks with 6:30 PSs either don't show or are very late) you might get in early but you will need to be prepared for a long wait. Boma can get quite busy and there have been times when we have waited until 15-20 minutes past our PS time to be seated.

 

[MelanieC]

I've definately had to wait before if I showed up early. If I show up a few minutes to 15 minutes no problem unless its not busy.

Be prepared to wait if you do.

 

[BostonRob]

As others have said, it could go either way. But I'd say show up at 6:30 and then go walk around the resort. There are much worse places to have an hour to kill than the AKL.

 

[Aimeedyan]

Totally depends on the night and how busy they are.

We showed up for Brown Derby about 45 minutes early for our PS and though told we'd be seated within 15, it ended up being over an hour later - so 20-30 minutes AFTER our PS time.

Remember that AR/PS are not reservations per say, and you don't even always get seated at that time.

You are welcome to go check in but I'd be prepared to entertain the group for an hour or more.

 

[blanq]

I think that a smaller party (2 or 4) might have a little better luck attempting the strategy you are suggesting, but a party of 10? And in July (at least it appears to be that month based on your ticker) to boot? And at the primetime dinner hour of 6:30? If I was a bettin woman I would bet that you're not gettin in until 7:30.