Hi, Brent, and welcome to the Disney Parks Moms Panel! You're just in time to talk dining at the Walt Disney World Resort!
It's really fun to
plan a Walt Disney World vacation, isn't it? You start with your dream itinerary, then get to work on making it reality, from making
FastPass+ selections to securing dining reservations. But sometimes things happen and those plans can go a little sideways. I've found that Disney is typically pretty accommodating when something unexpected throws a wrench in your plans and you end up running a bit late for your dining reservation. If you're within about 15 minutes of your reservation time, you should be ok. Just explain the situation to the Cast Member when you check in, and I'm sure they'll do everything they can to get you seated as quickly as possible.
If you'll be running more than a few minutes late, it might be worth a
call to Disney Dining to let them know what's going on. We had to do this once when we were driving to Walt Disney World from our home about an hour away and got stuck in some horrific traffic. The Cast Member was able to alert the restaurant that we were on our way, so we avoided the cancellation charge and were seated soon after we arrived. There's no guarantee that they'll be able to accommodate you in a case like this, but I do know that Disney will always do their best to help you have a magical vacation!
I hope this helps with your planning, Brent. Please come back and see us again if you have any more questions!
Keep Disney Dreaming,
Kathy K.