I don't know what ships you have been on, but I have never had to wait ten minutes for an elevator.
My point was about not clogging up the lobby in front of the MDR. If I was going to start on my way before I was assigned a table, it's better IMO to hang out nearby (Promenade deck or lobby bar, for example) and wait for your notification.
It is super annoying when you have your table number and it takes ten minutes to get past people sitting on the stairs, people stacked in front of the hostess stand, etc. What they really need to do is have a velvet-rope type of line that is only for people who have their table number, have their whole party together, and are ready to sit down.