Subsonic Radio

Is it me or is the Disney Dining Plan screwing up the park eateries? Two observations.

One: The complicated plan always slows down checkout as every helpful Cast Member wants the guest to fill the tray with all that is coming to them.
Two: We went to DHS in Jan 08 and it was a slow day even raining. We didn't have a reservation for the Italian eatery next to Muppets. Can't remember the name. anyway we waited for a hour. They squeezed us in. We finally sat down and there we empty tables all over the place I stopped counting at two dozen. So I had to ask the waiter what was with the sitch? He told me that people book reservations double up all over WDW because of a fear of not getting the most of the dinning plan. So you have people like us waiting in the rain for a table that no one shows for. I think they need to fix this.


joe

I thought ADR's only said that you got to be ahead of walk-in's when your time rolled around. That means if you don't check in, you don't get any kind of priority. I wonder if they changed their policy because to my knowledge there are no real "reservations" that you can make at any of the restaurants. Now I do know that the nicer places (California Grill, 'Ohana, etc) don't take walk-up reservations if the ADR's take up all of their slots for the night. I wouldn't think that this would happen at lunch...and any place in DHS.

theBIGyowski wrote:I thought ADR's only said that you got to be ahead of walk-in's when your time rolled around. That means if you don't check in, you don't get any kind of priority. I wonder if they changed their policy because to my knowledge there are no real "reservations" that you can make at any of the restaurants. Now I do know that the nicer places (California Grill, 'Ohana, etc) don't take walk-up reservations if the ADR's take up all of their slots for the night. I wouldn't think that this would happen at lunch...and any place in DHS.

That's mostly true I think. There are no reservations, only "priority seating" which means the PS gets you a table ahead of walk-ins when one opens up @ or around your time. In other words they wouldn't be holding a table for you w/ PS and I don't think DDP gives anything beyond PS? I would wager that the reason you were waiting when there are empty tables inside is because you went on an off season day. I do believe that in off season days they run less staff (just like in any restaurant in most cities). Now even an off day in Disney would still be busy generally, but with the recession and potential lay offs I'd imagine Disney would cut back accordingly. Furthermore, I'm not sure a restaurant like Mama Melrose is operated by Disney, is it? It's a chain from outside, and while I assume the servers are CMs hired through Disney I wonder how much say Mama Melrose's people have in what their staff levels are like, whether they pay the CMs or Disney does, etc.

Now, the reason I said "mostly" true about Yowski's post was because even nice restaurants on property I'm fairly certain retain some seats open for walk-ins. The reason I think this is true is because back in November I took my g/f to the Cali Grill as our special night and I tried to have our reservations coincide w/ the fireworks... well I called 3 months out and couldn't get the 7:30 time, only 5:45 or 10:00 or something. I booked the 5:45 (I guess) but by the time, 3 months later, rolled around I somehow got back in my head that it was for 7:30. I was genuinely upset/embarassed when they told me my reservations had been for 5:45 and the CM assumed it was the WDWDine people who screwed up the entry and they immediately gave us a table right in the corner overlooking Tomorrowland/MK. I assume they hadn't held that table for us from 5:45 onward and clearly the reservation list was full at 7:30 from when I had called months earlier. I suppose someone could've cancelled but I just believe they don't book reservations for ALL seats and always allow walk-ins, so long as they expect to wait.


And yes, I realize I got very handsomely rewarded for my own stupidity. That's what they call dumb luck.

Mr.ToadWildRider wrote:Now, the reason I said "mostly" true about Yowski's post was because even nice restaurants on property I'm fairly certain retain some seats open for walk-ins. The reason I think this is true is because back in November I took my g/f to the Cali Grill as our special night and I tried to have our reservations coincide w/ the fireworks... well I called 3 months out and couldn't get the 7:30 time, only 5:45 or 10:00 or something. I booked the 5:45 (I guess) but by the time, 3 months later, rolled around I somehow got back in my head that it was for 7:30. I was genuinely upset/embarassed when they told me my reservations had been for 5:45 and the CM assumed it was the WDWDine people who screwed up the entry and they immediately gave us a table right in the corner overlooking Tomorrowland/MK. I assume they hadn't held that table for us from 5:45 onward and clearly the reservation list was full at 7:30 from when I had called months earlier. I suppose someone could've cancelled but I just believe they don't book reservations for ALL seats and always allow walk-ins, so long as they expect to wait.


And yes, I realize I got very handsomely rewarded for my own stupidity. That's what they call dumb luck.

We ate at the California Grill on our last trip. When we checked in, I asked if there were any tables near the windows and was told no. We waited about 15-20 minutes and our hostess came to seat us. She told us that today was our lucky day and that they had a table right next to the window for us. Needless to say, Wishes was incredible and it was a dinner we'll never forget.

I think it is most apparent at the quick serve eateries because of desserts. If you are paying - how often do you get dessert along with your burger? But because it is part of the plan, guests have to decide what they want and then the employees take extra time to get them. Maybe just a few seconds but it adds up when the lines are long.

I do agree that it slows down the checkout, but it is not any fault of the CMs or having to get an extra dessert or anything like that. Case in point: we were at Pizzafari one day getting lunch. It was only my sister, dad and I, with me ordering first, then my sister, and then my dad. My dad went into the line next to us (with the same CM ringing him up). I got my food first and found a table and then my sister joined me a couple of minutes later. We waited for about 10 minutes for our dad and after that, I figured he got lost looking for us and I went to go find him. Went I got to the ordering area, I saw him still in line! When he finally got to the table, he told us what happened: the guy in front of him ordered for a large party. After the CM ran his card, he thought that that was the best time to tell her that not everything he ordered was to be on the dining plan. So the CM had to start over and the guy had to go searching around to find his kids to ask them what dessert and sides they wanted. I guess this could be a rant suited for the Pet Peeves thread as well, but that is the real reason why the DP messes up the lines.

One reason I love the places where you can order via kiosk. Pecos Bill's is like that. If you don't feel comfortable ordering on your own...go to the CM. If you know what you want it saves a ton of time. Maybe they can put more of these in the counter service restaurants.