Grace Period for ADRs?

[Zaptrem2]

Hi,

My family of 7 is going to WDW for the week around New Years. I read that you have a higher chance on getting into parks getting close to capacity (as long as its not stage 4) if you will be staying on site and have a dining reservation within that park. We will be going to Epcot late in the day (around 9 or 10 pm) after spending the morning at AK to avoid crowds in the morning. I missed the 180 day mark for booking a reservation at Rose and Crown (my first choice), but did find an 11:50 reservation for Tokyo dining. My current plan is to stay right outside of the restaurant during the fireworks (11:40 - midnight), and run into the restaurant around 12:05 to eat so we can miss the rush of everyone trying to get out of the parks as quickly as possible (we dont mind waiting for a less stressful exit ).

Does anyone know how long the grace period for being late to a reservation is? I would really like to eat at 12:05 (15 minutes late) but don’t want to risk paying $70 for a missed reservation.

Thanks!

 

[ENJDisneyFan]

This question gets asked a lot. Some people will tell you that 15 minutes won't be a problem. Others will tell you that there is no official grace period (which is true). No one who can say for sure that you will or won't be charged.

 

[mom2rtk]

I would pop into the restaurant and tell them you're there and want to see the fireworks before being seated. I'm guessing on that evening everyone else will be doing the same thing. No guarantee that works, but I like your odds.

 

[purple figment]

What time does Tokyo Dining close that evening? If 11:50 is the last reservation and/or closing time, it is possible they won't seat you if you arrive late.

 

[supersnoop]

They close at 11:55 that night. I doubt they’ll seat you after that.

 

[Jimmy Mouse]

Running late happens. Purposely running late isn’t fair to the wait staff or cooks. Just sayin’

 

[Nancyg56]

Running late happens. Purposely running late isn’t fair to the wait staff or cooks. Just sayin’

In this case, with the restaurant close scheduled before they check in, that point may not even be in play. I do not approve of deliberately planning to be late, and do not do so, however I sure would not plan to arrive after a restaurnt closing time and expect to be seated. Not even on NYE>

OP- Is there any other restaurant in Epcot that can accomodate you that falls within your planned arrival time? If not, I would think about a back up plan, because the one you have may not work in your favor.

 

[Shanti]

Hi,

My family of 7 is going to WDW for the week around New Years. I read that you have a higher chance on getting into parks getting close to capacity (as long as its not stage 4) if you will be staying on site and have a dining reservation within that park. We will be going to Epcot late in the day (around 9 or 10 pm) after spending the morning at AK to avoid crowds in the morning. I missed the 180 day mark for booking a reservation at Rose and Crown (my first choice), but did find an 11:50 reservation for Tokyo dining. My current plan is to stay right outside of the restaurant during the fireworks (11:40 - midnight), and run into the restaurant around 12:05 to eat so we can miss the rush of everyone trying to get out of the parks as quickly as possible (we dont mind waiting for a less stressful exit ).

Does anyone know how long the grace period for being late to a reservation is? I would really like to eat at 12:05 (15 minutes late) but don’t want to risk paying $70 for a missed reservation.

Thanks!

They will seat you 15 minutes late. I've been 20 minutes late at a few of WDW's most popular restaurants (Ohana, for example), and was seated with no issue. I called WDW Dining once to try to change a ressie I was scared to be late for, and they outright stated there was a 15 minute grace period on all reservations.

My concern with your particular ressie is that the restaurant might actually close before you get seated. If they're still open & seating people, they'll take you, but once they stop seating people at all, you'll be SOL.

Regardless, even if you were so late that they wouldn't seat you, they wouldn't charge you a fee as you did show up.

 

[Zaptrem2]

They will seat you 15 minutes late. I've been 20 minutes late at a few of WDW's most popular restaurants (Ohana, for example), and was seated with no issue. I called WDW Dining once to try to change a ressie I was scared to be late for, and they outright stated there was a 15 minute grace period on all reservations.

My concern with your particular ressie is that the restaurant might actually close before you get seated. If they're still open & seating people, they'll take you, but once they stop seating people at all, you'll be SOL.

Regardless, even if you were so late that they wouldn't seat you, they wouldn't charge you a fee as you did show up.

Ok, good to know that they won’t charge if you show up late even if they can’t seat you. Thanks!

 

[Zaptrem2]

In this case, with the restaurant close scheduled before they check in, that point may not even be in play. I do not approve of deliberately planning to be late, and do not do so, however I sure would not plan to arrive after a restaurnt closing time and expect to be seated. Not even on NYE>

OP- Is there any other restaurant in Epcot that can accomodate you that falls within your planned arrival time? If not, I would think about a back up plan, because the one you have may not work in your favor.

Yes, this reservation kind of was our backup plan as of right now. I have active searches open on the Touring Plans reservation finder for earlier times and other restaurants so hopefully something will come through for one of those. We might also let the kids stay outside and watch the fireworks and the adults can go in and order for everyone so we’re not taking up extra time for the servers/staff.

 

[FCDub]

You really want to eat a full meal at midnight, after being in the park all day?

 

[maxiesmom]

Ok, good to know that they won’t charge if you show up late even if they can’t seat you. Thanks!

Don't depend on that. That is not official policy. You may get lucky and not be charged, but you may be charged. It is up to whoever is handling things at that time.

And no, there is no official grace period. If you are late they may seat you, seat you with a wait, or refuse to seat you and possibly charge you the no so fee. There is no one on this board that can tell you for sure what will happen to you. Anyone who is claiming they can is doing you, and anyone who reads these boards looking for info, a huge disservice.

 

[Shanti]

there is no official grace period.

Disney Dining explicitly told me otherwise. Sorry if you don't want to believe it.

 

[maxiesmom]

Disney Dining explicitly told me otherwise. Sorry if you don't want to believe it.

And we know they are never wrong, right????? They never tell you one thing on the phone, and something else in the park???

If that is true, then you are lucky.

 

[Shanti]

And we know they are never wrong, right????? They never tell you one thing on the phone, and something else in the park???

If that is true, then you are lucky.

As I have also mentioned in prior posts, it has been my actual experience that you can show up 20 minutes late & be seated, even at venues like Ohana. I don't get why that makes you angry, but it's the truth.

Disney restaurants routinely make on-time guests wait 10-20+ minutes for tables that they have reservations for. They'd be terrible to not therefore give a grace period to guests arriving for their reservations, especially considering the vagaries of onsite transportation and park entry. We eat almost exclusively at ADR restaurants, and over the years of dozens of ressies, have been late to some (not most) of them. They've always graciously received us, just as we behave graciously when Disney restaurants make us wait for them to be ready.

I've waited for them a lot more often than they've waited for me. So when they do wait for me, I expect (and get) some understanding. It's a vacation, not a military operation. It's okay to relax.

 

[maxiesmom]

As I have also mentioned in prior posts, it has been my actual experience that you can show up 20 minutes late & be seated, even at venues like Ohana. I don't get why that makes you angry, but it's the truth.

It makes me angry because others have not shared your experience. When this has come up before many posters report being turned away and hearing others being turned away for being late. Your experience is your experience, but it is not a guarantee that others will have the same experience.

And that is also the truth. You cannot guarantee any one else's experience in advance.

 

[Shanti]

It makes me angry because others have not shared your experience. When this has come up before many posters report being turned away and hearing others being turned away for being late. Your experience is your experience, but it is not a guarantee that others will have the same experience.

Can you give me one specific example, because I haven't seen such a report.

 

[maxiesmom]

You can use the search function if you want. This came up not so long ago and one poster was adamant that they would seat you, and then went on to make ridiculous posts like, Well, what if you are 1 minute late, will they seat you then???

People do get turned away, and Disers have reported it. I have no need to make it up. Disney will never turn away a guest if they can help it. But it is all up to the restaurant at that time. None of us can say for sure.

And I'm done.

 

[Shanti]

I understand being done. I don't really want to argue, but I did run a keyword search like you suggested ("late for ADR"), and I couldn't find examples of people being turned away. On the contrary, within the thread I found & linked below, multiple posters described being received without issue for their ADRs 15-20 minutes late. One poster was accepted 45 minutes late. I didn't see anyone saying they had been turned away for being late:

https://www.disboards.com/threads/how-late-can-you-be-to-an-adr.3581866/

So I'm not being irresponsible by sharing my experience and the Disney policy as stated to me by a Disney Dining cm. I'm far from being the only one with this experience.

 

[ENJDisneyFan]

I understand being done. I don't really want to argue, but I did run a keyword search like you suggested ("late for ADR"), and I couldn't find examples of people being turned away. On the contrary, within the thread I found & linked below, multiple posters described being received without issue for their ADRs 15-20 minutes late. One poster was accepted 45 minutes late. I didn't see anyone saying they had been turned away for being late:

https://www.disboards.com/threads/how-late-can-you-be-to-an-adr.3581866/

So I'm not being irresponsible by sharing my experience and the Disney policy as stated to me by a Disney Dining cm. I'm far from being the only one with this experience.

These threads always go the same way. There’s a difference between sharing your experience and presenting it as fact. Despite what you may have been told over the phone or what you personally experienced, there is no written policy of a grace period and there have certainly been accounts of people being turned away and/or charged for being late.