What happens if your whole party doesn't show for an ADR?

[cbg1027]

Sorry, I know this has been asked a million times....
Will they still seat you or do they stick to the we cannot seat you until your whole party is present thing?

 

[squirrel]

I was able to be seated without my neighbours and their family. The table was for 6 but would have been for 8 if they had shown up. My niece and I were seated fairly quickly after I let them know we weren't waiting any longer for them to show up.

When I booked the ADR's they were for 6 people-my neighbours and my niece and I, then my neighbour's step-mom and nephew decided to come.

 

[delilah]

I think it depends on the restaurant. One time, we had a reservation at Crystal Palace. My brother wasn't there, but, the rest of us were (a total party of 8). They made us wait until he was there, and then ,we waited about an hour longer, because, by then, there was no table that size to seat us. And, even at that, we were seated at two separate adjacent tables.
Then, another time at Boma, we made a reservation for 5, but, two weren't able to make it. They seated us immediately, and were totally cool about the situation.

 

[pyrxtc]

If you know they aren't coming then they will seat you when a table becomes available. If you are waiting for them to show up, then you all have to wait.

 

[Allison]

I have never been seated without the entire party there unless of course they weren't coming at all.

 

[NikkiLovesWDW!]

We had an ADR for 8 at Teppan Edo and after a full day of Food and Wine, 4 of us decided not to go to dinner. The other 4 got in at the ADR time with no problems!

 

[Cheshire Figment]

One thing you can do is grab a couple wjo seem lost and don't have reservations. Invite them to join you (separate checks, of course). You may learn something from them, and/or they may learn from you. You might even get some new friends. At worst you may have a miserable hour, but you will have given them a touch of magic.

 

[Hopefully]

I agree with PP, if you are waiting for additional guests to join you at that meal, they will not seat you until everyone has arrived.
If some in the party are not going to attend at all, tell them the new number and you will be seated.
Have a Great Trip

 

[squirrel]

We were at DHS for the day. I hadn't seen my neighbours the entire day. I wasn't even sure if they were at DHS-they often change their minds and do what they feel like.

When I checked in for dinner at 50's Prime Time, I told the CM that I wasn't even sure they were at DHS. I waited about 15 min for them and then I told her to just seat us as we weren't going to wait any more for them to show up. We were seated quite quickly.

I did find out they were at DHS that day. They were running about an hour behind and they went to Sci-Fi when they realized they had missed the ADR time. What was weird was we ran into them many times at the other parks and DHS is the smallest park. I know it has more indoor rides/attractions.

 

[cbg1027]

Thanks for the info everyone.

I have some friends in Orlando and they were interested in dining with us at Coral Reef one day, but they can't commit to actually coming yet. Meanwhile I have an ADR for 4. I tried to book one for 2 so I could just cancel the other one but no luck.

You know, the thought crossed my mind about grabbing a random party of 2 to sit with us if our friends can't make it.