Which restaurants are notorious for falling behind on seating ADRs?

[illiniowl]

Dining vets - In your opinion and experience, which TS restaurants at WDW have the worst reputations for regularly requiring people to wait well past their ADR time to get seated? And to be fair, which ones have the best reputations for managing their inventory and getting people seated on time?

So this thread is of the most benefit to all, I'd like to hear about all restaurants, but of course I'd be especially interested in hearing about the following restaurants which I have booked for 2A & 2C in the last week in Sept. (all for dinner unless otherwise noted): Boma, 'Ohana, H&V, Le Cellier, Coral Reef, Chefs, Spoodles, Biergarten (lunch), SciFi (late lunch).

 

[hulagirl87]

I was at Ohana for breakfast just last week and they were running about 20 minutes behind first thing in the morning...

Sci Fi I have noticed tends to run behind as well...

 

[calypso*a*go-go]

Le Cellier -- We had to wait over an hour past our check-in time. Of course, that was for an ADR very late in the evening during free DDP. This time I made ADR's for dinner as early as possible. I figure they shouldn't be too far behind at that point.

 

[disneyfav4ever]

I know I had a wait at Akershus when I had a 1:00 lunch ADR, and at CP with a 10:30 breakfast ADR. Other then that all my waits have been about five minutes, or I've been seated right away. I usually get the earliest available seatings though, I find that eliminates waits.

 

[JC Butterfly]

I've dined an 'Ohana quite a few times for both breakfast and dinner, breakfast I have often had to wait, sometimes 20 minutes or more but dinner I recall being seated quite promptly.

Of three times at the Sci-Fi, I have had to wait a minimum of 20 minutes and once was a 40 minute wait (although if you didn't have an ADR you were turned away entirely that time).

For the most part, I think that the resort restaurants do a better job of getting diners seated on time (as opposed to in the parks) but of course that would make sense as you don't have tired/hungry people just finishing the park and deciding to eat now.

Boma and Jiko are located near each other and there can be a bit of a bottle neck in that area. I felt my worst wait was trying to eat when Boma first started serving for the evening, just lots of bodies to maneuver. But overall I'd say my waits were 10 minutes or less.

You'll be going just after the free dining promotion so your chances will be better than if you had gone the week earlier. But you've also picked some of the favorite restaruants (Boma, Le Cellier, Sci Fi) and when they're popular, you just may have to wait a bit more.

 

[summerlandjeff]

We had an ADR for 6:20 at LeCellier. We arrived right on time (6:18 actually) and waited 25 mins. to be seated ! Yikes!!!! The hostess told us next time it would be best to arrive 10-20 mins. early for ADR's at LeCellier. (She said it with more charm than I can write although!! )

Boma was just the opposite. Learning from the LeCellier experience we arrived 20 mins. early, checked in and grabbed a cocktail at the bar. No sooner did my lips touch the glass and our pager went off ! We got a great window seat away from the buffet and kitchen . Go figure?????

 

[jenjersnap]

For us, worst has been, by far, Boma and Akershus (we've waited 30 minutes plus every time we've been to either restaurant).

Runners up are WCC, Ohana and Biergarten.

None of this will keep me from returning to any of them!

 

[Laren]

In my experience, "on time" for disney dining is considered late. They ask you to arrive at least 10 minutes early, we always try for at least 15. I usually just write down the time for the ADR as being 15 minutes earlier than what I actually booked so we make it.

I think people often forget to alot enough time to get from parks to resorts to dine, as well.

Longest we've ever waited for an ADR was for O'Hana dinner and we waited an hour past our ressie time.

But it was worth it, they gave us a window table and we sat down literally just as Wishes was beginning

 

[crisi]

Ohana breakfast was 45 minutes late. The characters left before we got our food. I'll never do a late character meal again.

We had a long wait at Boma as well.

 

[Luv2Roam]

Crown and Roses, or whatever the UK place is named, is the only WDW restaurant I have had a problem with in this area, that I recall.

Not long ago we showed up 15 minutes late for our Kona Cafe ADR. (And that was because the monorail from MK stopped running and kept us stuck for at least 20 minutes.)
Kona was half empty and we still had to wait 15 minutes to be seated, after our chilly reception at the check-in counter. We felt as if we were being punished and made to wait 15 minutes simply because we were 15 minutes late.

 

[slduck]

Akershus and Le Cellier! We waited 20 - 30 minutes at each both times.

 

[MomofKatie]

The only 2 restaurants we've had more than a 5 minute wait for were Crystal Palace in MK and Chef Mickeys at the Contemporary. We did have a wait at LTT, but it was during the first 30 mins of MNSSHP, so I'll give them a pass.

 

[DonaldTDuck]

Had ressies at H&V last year. When we walked up, we could see many empty tables. We had to wait nearly 20 minutes for a table. Didn't mind, though. We met the only Dissers we ran into all week then, plus we met Santa Claus.

 

[Momelie]

We usually have to wait at least 20-30 minutes past our reservation time at Le Cellier (and that's after we get there 15 minutes early!). Once, at Biergarten we waited nearly 45 minutes.

I seem to have the best luck with Chefs de France, LTT (lunch only), and Alfredo's.

 

[debit34]

One my recent trip the worst was 50's Prime Time - we had a 6:30 ADR and were seated at 7:15. I had just gone up to ask how much longer it would be and they said "oh, you are next". No problems to mention with any other ADR - we were seated immediately at Ohana's for dinner and Hollywood and Vine for Breakfast.

 

[dogsmom]

Waited over an hour for an 8:10 pm reservation at Le Cellier in Dec. last year. The hostess told us to go watch the Canada movie while we waited!

 

[mommyaof2]

The longest wait that we had last month was at Ohana. Although it was only about 15 minutes. Everywhere else was less than 10 minutes. Including Kona, CP, LTT, LeCellier(had a 4:30adr), Artist Point, and Coral Reef.

 

[MommaPooh217]

We had a 5:30 ADR at 50's PT last September , we were a large party (9 ppl) and we waited 2 hours to be seated, my DH got up twice to check on our ADR's and each time was assured it would be a few minutes. He was definitely not a happy camper at the end of 2 hours. They were very apologetic but never really offered us an excuse for the delay. I think someone may have skipped over our names because DH sat inside waiting for us to be called while the rest of us waited outside. Then I think they gave our table to another larger party of 12. We were not happy after the 2 hour wait and we were all starving especially dd 7 and 3, but our server was a very nice man and very funny( I wish I could remember his name,my oldest DD20 thought he looked like John Ritter) so we still managed to have fun and have a good meal. We have another ADR there this year so hopefully seating will go better this time lol.

Blessed Be,
Tina

 

[yrdlyprincess]

Le Cellier -- We had to wait over an hour past our check-in time. Of course, that was for an ADR very late in the evening during free DDP. This time I made ADR's for dinner as early as possible. I figure they shouldn't be too far behind at that point.

Hi, I was just wondering if you could help me out w/something...Most of my ADR's are early evening 4-5pm because of DS2-DD7 but we got a lecellier @ 6:20pm (which I will have to cancel Mama Melrose Fantas.pkg for same day @ 5:10pm) which should I keep?????

 

[Simbee3]

During our last trip we had a few that stand out it me. When we went to Chef Mickey's we waited atleast 45 minutes to be seated. My husband even sat at the bar next door and had enough time to have 2 drinks.

At Ohana's we waited about 40 minutes, we did some shopping in the gift shop. But with that said it was well worth it. We were seated near the window in time to see wishes as well as not being far from the cooking of the meat. While the kids were able to paricipate in the coconut races. They also gave my husband and I drinks on the house.

Can't forget Coral Reef. We had to wait about 30 minutes to be seated here. But, once we were seated all was good in the world. Our server was great and very apologetic for some reason for or wait time.

Boma's was the worst in my opinion. It was really crowded and it took us about 15 minutes to check in. Then we had to wait another hour to be seated. The food was good but I have been rethinking this ADR for this years trip. I really don't want a repeat of last years problems.

But, we are from NYC and pretty much used to long waits when dining. So for this trip I used that to coax my husband into a few more days to make up the time.
Go figure he fell for it.