Grace Period for ADRs?

[Shanti]

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.

Where's the written policy saying that late guests will be turned away?

 

[ENJDisneyFan]

Where's the written policy saying that late guests will be turned away?

Look I’m not here to argue. If you feel comfortable telling people they absolutely won’t be turned away for showing up late, then go for it. I will not tell someone who’s planning on being 15 minutes late (as OP described) that it won’t be an issue, because the truth is that it’s up to the CM at check in how they want to handle it. Disney instituted a $10 fee for a reason...they can charge the fee, turn you away or pretty much do what they want based on the situation.

 

[Shanti]

Look I’m not here to argue. If you feel comfortable telling people they absolutely won’t be turned away for showing up late, then go for it. I will not tell someone who’s planning on being 15 minutes late (as OP described) that it won’t be an issue, because the truth is that it’s up to the CM at check in how they want to handle it. Disney instituted a $10 fee for a reason...they can charge the fee, turn you away or pretty much do what they want based on the situation.

It takes two to argue, so you can't put it all on me if I respond to your post. You just responded to my post. We're debating an issue, and that happens on the boards and doesn't have to be anything nasty.

Disney has a standard way of handling this. As long as the restaurant is open, they accept the guest who is 15-20 minutes late. This has been said to me explicitly by a Disney dining rep, and has also been my actual experience and the experience of several other posters. All of that is since the $10 fee was instituted, not before.

The $10 fee has nothing to do with people being late- it's to discourage no shows & the last-minute cancellations that used to be chronic back when some people would schedule simultaneous ADRs for every park, so they could decide at the last minute where they wanted to go that day, yet still have an ADR waiting for them.

 

[ENJDisneyFan]

It takes two to argue, so you can't put it all on me if I respond to your post. You just responded to my post. We're debating an issue, and that happens on the boards and doesn't have to be anything nasty.

Disney has a standard way of handling this. As long as the restaurant is open, they accept the guest who is 15-20 minutes late. This has been said to me explicitly by a Disney dining rep, and has also been my actual experience and the experience of several other posters. All of that is since the $10 fee was instituted, not before.

The $10 fee has nothing to do with people being late- it's to discourage no shows & the last-minute cancellations that used to be chronic back when some people would schedule simultaneous ADRs for every park, so they could decide at the last minute where they wanted to go that day, yet still have an ADR waiting for them.

Thanks for a peaceful debate.
I’m not discounting your experience nor the experiences many others have posted. I’m just saying it’s not guaranteed. This whole debate is kind of a moot point since OP is trying to arrive after the restaurant has already closed, which it sounds like we agree probably isn’t going to work out.

 

[Nancyg56]

Thanks for a peaceful debate.
I’m not discounting your experience nor the experiences many others have posted. I’m just saying it’s not guaranteed. This whole debate is kind of a moot point since OP is trying to arrive after the restaurant has already closed, which it sounds like we agree probably isn’t going to work out.

A few years ago we were running late for our Narcoossee ADR and I was mortified. The concierge called ahead but told me the many restaurants practice an unofficial grace period. She made sure to emphasize that it was unofficial, and the individual restaurants would make determinations based on the circumstances. I was grateful that she did call on our behalf, becuase we were faced with a little one who just could not wake up from a late nap. I will say the wait was long, and if nothing else that would discourage me from suggesting that people could build plans that already have them running late.

In this instance, a plan to arrive after closing time for an already late night for the restaurant seems to be a disaster in the making, and I sincerely hope the OP can find one that is better suited to his night.

 

[Zaptrem2]

Hi, thanks everyone for the responses. I understand that purposely showing up late is never really a good idea, this was our worst case scenario. Luckily I was able to get earlier reservations! We are split up with 2 tables 11:10 and 11:20 (I’ll just call ahead and ask if we can be seated close together) so I cancelled the other one. We’ll just try to eat fast so we’re done in time for the fireworks. Thanks again!

 

[Nancyg56]

Hi, thanks everyone for the responses. I understand that purposely showing up late is never really a good idea, this was our worst case scenario. Luckily I was able to get earlier reservations! We are split up with 2 tables 11:10 and 11:20 (I’ll just call ahead and ask if we can be seated close together) so I cancelled the other one. We’ll just try to eat fast so we’re done in time for the fireworks. Thanks again!

I would try to check in early. Hopefully they are turning tables quickly and you can be seated earlier. Ask if you can sit together, and hopefully you will be out in time to find a spot.

 

[purple figment]

Hi,

My family of 7... the fireworks (11:40 - midnight), !

Hi, thanks everyone for the responses. I understand that purposely showing up late is never really a good idea, this was our worst case scenario. Luckily I was able to get earlier reservations! We are split up with 2 tables 11:10 and 11:20 (I’ll just call ahead and ask if we can be seated close together) so I cancelled the other one. We’ll just try to eat fast so we’re done in time for the fireworks. Thanks again!

You need to keep looking for an earlier reservation. With a party of 7 and reservations at 11:10 and 11:20 there's no way you'll be done in time to see the fireworks at 11:40. You can sign up with the Touring Plans reservation finder and subscribe to the December cancellation thread at the top of this board to help in your search.

Disney doesn't publish restaurant phone numbers so you would be calling the dining reservation line and regardless of what they tell you, checking in early and being seated close together are only requests and it will be up to the restaurant at the time you check in to determine if either will be possible. On NYE it will be extremely difficult.