Time to arrive?

[sharpemom]

How early do we need to arrive at our table service reservations?

 

[Dean Marino]

All personal opinion.... out of courtesy to those scheduling tables.... arrive 15 minutes early.

 

[nessz79]

Usually 15 minutes early, but don't plan on being seated until your reservation time at the very least.

 

[OKW Lover]

Disney requests (suggests?) that you arrive 15 minutes early. That's basically so they can be the most efficient at seating people. However, it values their time more than it values the guest's time.

 

[smallworldnh]

My last visit to Crystal Palace, we arrived within 20 minutes of our reservation of 6:30 pm and didn't get seated until after 7pm!

 

[Queen of the WDW Scene]

Disney used to almost "require" 15 minutes prior but I don't believe it states that anymore.
Now I generally arrive between 5 and 15 minutes early.
I would not arrive earlier than 15 and I would not arrive later than 5 prior.

 

[JZCubed]

How early do we need to arrive at our table service reservations?

On-time.

Any of the most crowded places will tell you that they cannot check you in more than 15 minutes in advance.

This game-of-telephone has all too many people interpreting this to mean arrive 15 minutes in advance.

Here's what happens at Disney - assuming equal sized parties, if you arrive for you ADR before the other people with the same time slot, you get seated before them. But you arriving early to check-in will not get you seated before another group with an earlier ADR.

The best answer remains the same - on-time.

 

[Queen of the WDW Scene]

On-time.

Any of the most crowded places will tell you that they cannot check you in more than 15 minutes in advance.

This game-of-telephone has all too many people interpreting this to mean arrive 15 minutes in advance.

Here's what happens at Disney - assuming equal sized parties, if you arrive for you ADR before the other people with the same time slot, you get seated before them. But you arriving early to check-in will not get you seated before another group with an earlier ADR.

The best answer remains the same - on-time.

It was Disney's suggestion and almost demand that you arrive 15 minutes prior. The number didn't pop up out of nowhere.
In recent times they have taken out that suggestion from what I can tell.

 

[OKW Lover]

Excellent summary @JZCubed !

 

[JZCubed]

It was Disney's suggestion and almost demand that you arrive 15 minutes prior. The number didn't pop up out of nowhere.
In recent times they have taken out that suggestion from what I can tell.

I am old enough to remember when Disney had no reservations.

It was Disney's suggestion and almost demand that you arrive 15 minutes prior. The number didn't pop up out of nowhere.
In recent times they have taken out that suggestion from what I can tell.

And all you do by repeating 'used to be' is confuse people who want a straight answer.

I'm old enough to remember when you entered Magic Kingdom to walk-up to a podium for same day seating at Cinderella's Castle, but I would never offer that advice today.

Times change, and so too should the advice we offer.

 

[Queen of the WDW Scene]

I am old enough to remember when Disney had no reservations.

And all you do by repeating 'used to be' is confuse people who want a straight answer.

I'm old enough to remember when you entered Magic Kingdom to walk-up to a podium for same day seating at Cinderella's Castle, but I would never offer that advice today.

Times change, and so too should the advice we offer.

I'm old enough as well so... not sure what you're getting at there.
Not confusing to say used to.
Also as you said its your opinion and so its my opinion to arrive 5-15 minutes prior not on time.

 

[addiln]

if you arrive 10-15 minutes early you are fine. Some places have told me to come back at the actual time when I was just 10 minutes early. Anything over that is really just a waste of time on your end.

 

[robl45]

How early do we need to arrive at our table service reservations?

Usually 5 minutes before it when we try to get there because usually there is a little wait to check in. Much more than that is useless and they are almost always running behind anyway. Also remember you could be late if you need to as well. I wouldn't try to be more than 15 minutes late (although we have been before) but sometimes rides don't go according to Disney Corporate neat little scheduling plans.

 

[AllThingsMickey4]

We were recently trying to check in to CRT for lunch around 10 minutes early and we were told they were only checking people in who were within 5 minutes of their reservation time. This has never happened to us at CRT before so it was a little odd.. the line was very long so we just got back in line and by the time we got to the front it was 5 minutes after our reservation time