Arriving on time

[First time disney]

We are coming to Disney this month, our travel agent has us flying with Delta. We live in Missouri and it shows our flight arrives at 11:36. We have a reservation at 1 pm to eat at the Wave.
We are 1 hr before Florida time. Would the flight arrival time be on my time or Florida time?
Want to make sure we get to the restaurant in plenty of time.

 

[disney4life2008]

Reservations require a CC to back them up. So if your late or a no show, you will be charged $10 per person, regardless of who booked it.
We were late to a reservation when a magic kingdom bus didn't show up for almost an 1 hour to our resort, we called the restaurant and they told us, if we were more than 30 minutes late, we would be charged and possible not have seats anymore. We did make it just at the 30 minute mark, ate dinner, and still got charged. They were kind enough to remove it but it took a few days to get the refund and 30 minutes of our vacation on the phone. So regardless of where you're coming from, they will still charge you. It takes us an average of 1 1/2-2 hours to get from the plane to arriving at our resort. Resorts share buses, so you could be the last stop of 3 or 4 resorts adding significant time to how long it takes.
I would try for atleast 1:45 and if you arrive early, they should have no problem seating you.

Again, change the time. There is no way you will make it to the restaurant in a hour. I just changed some times with my ADRs and had no problem. They really will charge the no show fee - its not worth it.

 

[First time disney]

I tried to explain some of this to her and she basically said that they know when our flight arrives so we don't have to wait for someone to pick us up to take us to our hotel cause she already signed in for our rooms. I guess she thinks someone is already there waiting for us and knows when we arrive. and the travel agent knows when our flight arrives and the restaurant knows we are flying in that day, ect. She said since she paid the travel agency to plan everything for us, there won't be any more charges.
I've told her. I'd call the travel agent and ask her myself but I don't know her name nor do I want the travel agent calling my MIL saying I called. Then husband would get mad, Yada Yada...
I've told MiL, so it's up to her to call the agent.

 

[First time disney]

Oh I looked for a different time and it didn't look like anything was available till 3 pm. And we have dinner at 5 so that won't work.

 

[disney4life2008]

Oh I looked for a different time and it didn't look like anything was available till 3 pm. And we have dinner at 5 so that won't work.

I am sorry this is turning out for you like this. Well worst case - you can play with luck and hope to make it by 1 (130). But just know that regardless of rental car, personal car, magical express - it will take at least an hour from airport to hotel.

 

[Cesar R M]

You better hope they are launching you on a shuttle in from Cape Canaveral if you want to make your reservation. It is a huge airport at Orlando International and usually take anywhere from 20-30 minutes to get your luggage. You would have roughly a half hour drive to WDW property after you get on your transportation. You may have to wait on everyone to load too. I hope you make it but I am thinking it would be tough.

not to mention the 10-40 mins for the disney magical express buses to depart.

 

[First time disney]

Another thing mil said was the restaurant can't charge her credit card cause the travel agent set it up.
So I guess I have done my part on letting her know. If she doesn't want to call the agent next week, it's my mil the one that gets charged and all that.
I'm not going to worry about it any more and just look forward to counting off the days ( and remembering how early I have to get up the day we leave.
(10 days left. 2:30 am)

 

[Tinkerbell397]

Good luck with your plan. It sounds like the travel agent may have arranged for a car to pick you up and the airport instead of taking DME to your hotel. You will still need to make your way on the tram to baggage claim and wait for your luggage to come off the plane....Orlando is a HUGE airport! It sounds like you are quite stressed about the entire situation so I would just forget about it and let the cards fall where they may. You have warned everyone about the time constraints and they seem to think that Disney will make special exceptions for you all....not true. The restaurant does not care if you are arriving my car, plane or skateboard....you have reservations for 1:00 and if you are not there on time, they will give your table to someone else and charge you $10 per person for a no show....it is the policy. Please keep us informed and let us know how you make out and good luck. The situation is out of your hands.....

 

[First time disney]

Thanks everyone for all the info. Now I'm just going to stress about getting everything ready so we can leave for our trip and not worry about this situation not a second more. LOL!!!

 

[Cesar R M]

You will still need to make your way on the tram to baggage claim and wait for your luggage to come off the plane....Orlando is a HUGE airport! It sounds like you are quite stressed about the entire situation so I would just forget about it and let the cards fall where they may. You have warned everyone about the time constraints and they seem to think that Disney will make special exceptions for you all....not true. The restaurant does not care if you are arriving my car, plane or skateboard....you have reservations for 1:00 and if you are not there on time,

Agree!, I think the slowest part of the Orlando Airport is.. waiting and then using the trams that connect some of the terminals with the others.

 

[Hrudey3032]

Thanks everyone for all the info. Now I'm just going to stress about getting everything ready so we can leave for our trip and not worry about this situation not a second more. LOL!!!

I always write everything out on a spreadhseet on my lptop I am taking. I then make 2 copies just in case program ever goes kaput! One for when I am leaving and the 2nd is for my return trip. Anything I add I put on the spreadsheet so I know for sure what extra things I have bought. I work the day I am flying out in October so I have to be packed night before so when I get off work I can go straight to airport. Hope you have fun and enjoy everything even if the reservation doesn't work out.

 

[LAKid53]

I would try to get a later time. If you get lucky and get there early, you can check in and freshen up or walk around the resort and if the plane is delayed or you have a long wait for the DME, you won't be completely stressed out on the way down. If you don't show up on time, they could charge your credit card (I think its $10 per person).

Have a great trip!

They charge the $10 per person if you don't show up at all or cancel less than 24 hours before the reservation time - I've never read in the policy where $10 is charged for showing up late. However, I agree with everyone else responding - there is no way you will make a 1:00PM reservation if your flight arrives at 11:36 AM. You are going through Atlanta, right? Every Delta flight going to the South just about goes through Atlanta. I've flown all my life (and my dad was in the business) and expecting your flight to arrive ON TIME is also a bit of a stretch. So I would tell your husband that (1) your are so appreciative of your MIL handling everything and (2) in order to assist her and help with the stress of planning the vacation you are (3) changing the reservations to 2:00PM. That way it gives you 2 hours to get from landing to the resort and be able to take a breath before you go to eat. I would also program Disney Dining along with the dining reservation number (the app is glitchy at times) into your phone so that if your flight has a connection in Atlanta and you are delayed or stuck (Hartsfield is the busiest airport in the U.S.), you can call them and let them know you will be arriving late, since they don't publicize how late you have to be before they consider you a no-show and charge you the $10 per person fee. They will understand - you won't be the first person arriving late due to flight delays. I once called 2 hours before our reservation time to cancel because my daughter had gotten ill and they were very good about cancelling and not charging the fee. They even said if she wasn't better the next day, to call and let them know and they would be more than happy to cancel that day's reservation too without penalty.

Enjoy your trip! Let us know what you think about the restaurant - I've got a reservation there during our November trip - we are staying at Bay Lake Towers.

 

[LAKid53]

I tried to explain some of this to her and she basically said that they know when our flight arrives so we don't have to wait for someone to pick us up to take us to our hotel cause she already signed in for our rooms. I guess she thinks someone is already there waiting for us and knows when we arrive. and the travel agent knows when our flight arrives and the restaurant knows we are flying in that day, ect. She said since she paid the travel agency to plan everything for us, there won't be any more charges.
I've told her. I'd call the travel agent and ask her myself but I don't know her name nor do I want the travel agent calling my MIL saying I called. Then husband would get mad, Yada Yada...
I've told MiL, so it's up to her to call the agent.

Because you will be the only Disney on-property guest arriving that day, right? The restaurant doesn't have a clue what time your flight gets in, nor does it care....

Is her credit card guaranteeing the reservation? If so, then let it go and when they charge her card the $10 per person for showing up late, try to resist the 'I told you so" glance at DH. And if you are 30 - 60 minutes late, there is no guarantee when you will be seated because they will seat everyone else with a reservation before you - will be the dining version of the standby lines at the parks. Seriously, I would change the time of the reservation - no reason to start off your vacation like this.

 

[Clamman73]

Since you already have a 5:00 dinner reservation, I would just do a QS lunch so you don't have to worry about when you get there.

 

[Disvillain63]

Driver or DME, either will be a close call. Also, even at 1pm, that's almost too close to eat at another ADR at 5pm. Don't think changing it to a later time would be beneficial.

 

[LAKid53]

I missed that you are using the DDP. Your DDP credits are included on your magic bands and you need to physically check in to make sure the bands for each member of your party are functioning correctly. Tell you MIL that checking in on-line means only that your room package is ready to pick up and you don't have to wait in the longer line. I always check in on-line and use the same magic band for each trip and this last trip was the first time I had any problems - took me 3 trips back to the check in counter and nearly 1 1/2 hours to get my band to open my room door - and I used it less than 30 days prior to that on a previous trip. You know what they say about Murphy's Law....

So both your husband and MIL are incorrect that (1) because a travel agent booked your trip everything will go smoothly and (2) being late for your lunch dining reservation is no biggy. But since you said her card guaranteed the reservation, it will be her card that takes the $10 per person hit. And if you are really late and they automatically cancelled your dining reservation, do what my mother always did in situations like this - walk away and find some nice serene place to wait while my dad vented his displeasure at the top of his lungs....

If it were me, I'd cancel the reservation and just pick up something in the food court to tide me over until the ADR at 5:00PM.

I hope everything goes smoothly and you have a wonderful trip.

 

[DisneyJoe]

Driver or DME, either will be a close call. Also, even at 1pm, that's almost too close to eat at another ADR at 5pm. Don't think changing it to a later time would be beneficial.

Precisely. Even if you did eat at 1 or 1:30, you wouldn't be done until 2 or 2:30 (assuming all 19 of you finished in an hour), and you should check in for your dinner by 4:45.

 

[PrincessNelly_NJ]

They charge the $10 per person if you don't show up at all or cancel less than 24 hours before the reservation time - I've never read in the policy where $10 is charged for showing up late. However, I agree with everyone else responding - there is no way you will make a 1:00PM reservation if your flight arrives at 11:36 AM. You are going through Atlanta, right? Every Delta flight going to the South just about goes through Atlanta. I've flown all my life (and my dad was in the business) and expecting your flight to arrive ON TIME is also a bit of a stretch. So I would tell your husband that (1) your are so appreciative of your MIL handling everything and (2) in order to assist her and help with the stress of planning the vacation you are (3) changing the reservations to 2:00PM. That way it gives you 2 hours to get from landing to the resort and be able to take a breath before you go to eat. I would also program Disney Dining along with the dining reservation number (the app is glitchy at times) into your phone so that if your flight has a connection in Atlanta and you are delayed or stuck (Hartsfield is the busiest airport in the U.S.), you can call them and let them know you will be arriving late, since they don't publicize how late you have to be before they consider you a no-show and charge you the $10 per person fee. They will understand - you won't be the first person arriving late due to flight delays. I once called 2 hours before our reservation time to cancel because my daughter had gotten ill and they were very good about cancelling and not charging the fee. They even said if she wasn't better the next day, to call and let them know and they would be more than happy to cancel that day's reservation too without penalty.

Enjoy your trip! Let us know what you think about the restaurant - I've got a reservation there during our November trip - we are staying at Bay Lake Towers.

We got charged when we were an hour late once, but they still sat us and they later removed the fee. So it can happen.

 

[PrincessNelly_NJ]

Another thing mil said was the restaurant can't charge her credit card cause the travel agent set it up.
So I guess I have done my part on letting her know. If she doesn't want to call the agent next week, it's my mil the one that gets charged and all that.
I'm not going to worry about it any more and just look forward to counting off the days ( and remembering how early I have to get up the day we leave.
(10 days left. 2:30 am)

I guarantee you, whatever credit card payment you used for booking your trip, she used that card to reserve the dining reservations. I have never met a travel agent that would use their own cards to reserve things for any guest.
But if she isn't concerned, then oh well. I hope she doesn't get upset when she gets charged and blame the TA.

 

[lunchbox1175]

Please come back and give us an update after it all goes down, I would like to hear how it turns out.

 

[LAKid53]

We got charged when we were an hour late once, but they still sat us and they later removed the fee. So it can happen.

I must admit the latest I've ever been for a dining reservation is 10 minutes. However, if you have a valid reason like she may have (late arriving flight), I would hope if they charged the late fee, the restaurant would happily void it. But the best bet is to cancel it, pick up something light and quick and then enjoy your 5:00PM ADR, rather than rushing around and getting stressed out trying to make a 1:00PM reservation.

Her MIL thinks that some other card was used to guarantee the ADRs? Is she going to be in for a rude awakening....