Free Dining and Restaurant Wait times

[eandrsmom]

With free dining being offered for most of the year, how will that effect wait times at the TS restaurants? I know that during busy seasons, Disney adjusts their ADR's for a fewer number of "no-shows"and no walk-up tables are available in order to keep the ADR's running on schedule. We've never been when free dining is offered. I'm wondering if this is going to effect our ADR wait times.

[crltkcagle]

I think it really depends on what time of the year you are going. I know we went during free dining in September and we didn't have to wait a long time for a table. I also think for the most part park attendance is down so free dining may not affect you as much as you think it may.

[The Hitchhiking Ghost]

Having been there in December on free dining I would have to say without a doubt that free dining is impacting the wait times. I did a post on this back in December when we got back. We had waits of an hour or more at Momma Melrose and at Ohana and we heard many people complaining of the same. As I was standing in line at my POR concierge I heard another guy trying to find open tables at restaraunts with very little luck.

I'm not saying you can't get a walk up table, but during free dining not likely. A woman at Momma Melrose was basically begging to get on a standby list and all they could say was that they were already an hour behind on adrs, and there wasn't a standby list.

I think your best odds, based on our experience, of getting your adrs on time is to try book them as close to the opening times as possible. We noticed a direct correlation between little or no waits on our early ADRs and longer waits when our ADRs stretched to 7-8:00pm.

It is definitley having an impact though, all you have to do to see it is to look at the online booking system and how little openings there are.

[clausjo]

I think it depends on how the crowds are at the time you're going. We've been during free dining before and haven't had to wait any longer than we have when we've gone without free dining. I can't honestly think of a time when we've had to wait more than 15 minutes for an ADR.

[MOJoe]

Everyone has to eat somewhere. Free dining makes some impact, pushing many folks to eat at a TS when they otherwise would save by doing CS. But the overall attendance at WDW is the biggest factor. If the parks are packed, the restaurants will be too.

[Disney Doll]

I think free dining definitely impacts restaurant wait times even in slower months like Sept. We don't use free dining and because of the crowds we opt to do less TS during free dining than we normally would. After our first experience during free dining where we walked away from an ADR after waiting more than 30 minutes I now plan for early meals to avoid peak time if I do a TS meal during a free dining time.

[Cdn Disney Dad]

An early reservation is a good way to limit your wait. Last August when we were there, most of our TS meals were early reservations (5ish). We only had to wait at a few restaurants, and that was minimal as well. I can imagine that later in the dinner service things could get backed up and your wait would be longer.

[forever a child]

Having been there in December on free dining I would have to say without a doubt that free dining is impacting the wait times. I did a post on this back in December when we got back. We had waits of an hour or more at Momma Melrose and at Ohana and we heard many people complaining of the same. As I was standing in line at my POR concierge I heard another guy trying to find open tables at restaraunts with very little luck.

I'm not saying you can't get a walk up table, but during free dining not likely. A woman at Momma Melrose was basically begging to get on a standby list and all they could say was that they were already an hour behind on adrs, and there wasn't a standby list.

I think your best odds, based on our experience, of getting your adrs on time is to try book them as close to the opening times as possible. We noticed a direct correlation between little or no waits on our early ADRs and longer waits when our ADRs stretched to 7-8:00pm.

It is definitley having an impact though, all you have to do to see it is to look at the online booking system and how little openings there are.

We were there this Dec and I don't think we ever waited over 20 minutes, ever! Now of course you couldn't just do a walk up...but It seemed to me like most places were on schedule for the most part. We ate at Le Cellier, 1900 Park Fare, 50's Prime Time, Boma's, Akershus & WCC.

I think when you book your meal will have an impact. I would not attempt to go without some ADR's. You could try walk ups at some of the less popular places. We did switch one of our ADR's when we arrived which was 50's Prime Time. We dropped our ressie at Hollywood & Vine (which was a 4:30 ressie) and could only get a 2:30 lunch ressie at PT. But we switched early in the week and was still at least able to get a reservation.

[tnpoohbear]

We are going to WDW the week of March 7th and are starting making plans. Is there free dining offered during this time?

Thanks~

[PopPhan]

We are going to WDW the week of March 7th and are starting making plans. Is there free dining offered during this time?

Thanks~

If you are asking whether or not you can get in on the Free DDP offer, the answer is no. The last Free DDP offer had to be booked by December 20th.

For those that could, and did, book before December 20th, there were periods of "Free DDP" through the end of September 2011. I cannot quote what all the 'blackout' dates were.

[RedSoxFan]

We had free dining in December and the only long wait was LeCellier. It was about 30 minutes. We really didn't wait long for any other ADR's.

[Disney4us2]

We were there in December with free dining. Our longest wait was for 'Ohana.

[Disney5+2]

When we were there in August, we really only had long waits at Ohana and LeCellier. Everywhere else we were taken right on time or close to it. Our reservations were generally in the 6-6:30 range. We were a party of 8, so that limits the number of tables available as well. Apparently a wait at Ohana is not unusual given the style dining and the entertainment. I think people tend to linger there. We were told that the wait at LeCellier was caused by people lingering at our big table too long. I do think the restaurant staff should have ways to get people to move along, and that it was kind of selfish of the diners to sit at a table when they had clearly finished their meals. The wait was almost an hour, which was not fun when we were hungry and anxious to get back to the parks. I'm sure the next people at our table weren't thrilled with us, but it wasn't our fault. Just one of the drawbacks of TS dining I guess.