When do you check in for your ADR?

[nikjd68]

I know WDW asks you to show up 15 minutes before your time. But who does this help? Us or Disney?

On a recent trip, I arrived at most ADR's 15 minutes early. However, there was no rhyme nor reason as to when we were seated.

Also, showed up one hour early to CRT and were immediately seated! Showed up a half-hour late to 50's Prime Time and were seated in about--drum roll please--15 minutes.

So I ask again: When do you check in for your ADR?

 

[Camster0307]

Honestly, I show up closer to time I really want to eat rather than the time of my ADR. If I wanted to eat at 7pm and could only get an ADR for 7:20, I still show up at 7 and usually get seated earlier than what my ADR was for!

 

[disneyfan55]

We were there last week and arrived at most reservations 1/2 early and were seated within 10 or so minutes everywhere except Ohana's. There we were seated at our reservation time.

 

[Terk-1]

I usually arrive around 30 minutes prior to my ADR. Sometimes I'm seated early, other times around my ADR time. I have arrived even earlier on a few ADR's and most of the time am seated fairly quickly. Other times, more closer to ADR.

 

[debaone]

I think it depends on the restaurant and the time of day. If you have an ADR at a busy time and would like to eat earlier at a non-busy time, then check in when you want to eat and see if they can get you in. The restaurant will want to clear as many ADRs as possible as early as possible, leaving either a less-busy busy time or more availability for walk ins.

 

[dqpowell]

I check in for ADRs 2 hours and 17 minutes early. If I can't make it that far ahead of time, I do some more park touring and then check in 1 hour and 8 minutes late. They love it when I do that.

Seriously, I don't think I've ever tried checking in more than 15 minutes early for an ADR, or more than 5 minutes late. The longest I've had to wait is around 25 minutes, but then again I never go during the peak times like midsummer or the holiday weeks like Thanksgiving or Christmas/New Year's.

David

 

[TinaLala22]

First I'd say it depends on the time of year....if you're going during a holiday check in at least an hour a head of time. Last year we had ADRs for OHana's and had to wait over an hour for dinner and we had 8:30pm resies.

Otherwise you can usually go in about 20 mins and sometimes we still have to wait for a table.