New Seating in Quick Service Locations in Magic Kingdom

missynole · Post by **missynole** » Oct Tue 06, 2009 9:59 am

Anyone see the article in the Orlando Sentinel about the new seating arrangements at Pecos Bill and the other fast food locations in the MK?

http://www.orlandosentinel.com/business ... 9425.story

Anyone have any thoughts on this? I'm going in a month and there are times when I just want to sit down without ordering and just rest my feet in the a/c. It's fast food for goodness sakes. That's like taking reservations at McDonalds before you can sit down.

boilerbabe · Post by **boilerbabe** » Oct Tue 06, 2009 10:03 am

I don't know how I feel about this?! I appreciate Disney trying to up their customer service, but like you said missynole, for a quick service, I don't want to feel like I have reservations. Let me sit where I want to sit! I guess we'll see how this works. We'll be going in two months and 4 days! Sounds like you're going before me, so let us know!!! Thanks!

Side note: where are you staying missynole?! Hope you have a wonderful trip!

99Soulz · Post by **99Soulz** » Oct Tue 06, 2009 10:15 am

hmmm, I think with most changes, there is good and bad. I like how it states the new format will only be used "when park attendance warrants" so for most of the time, it will probably remain as is but when the parks are crowded it will be implemented and do think it will be very helpful. I have to say, the whole quick-service experience is a little stressful on crowded days. Splitting up so my wife and kids can find a place to sit while I get the food and try to find them isn't the most fun.

The bad part about this is how it will clog up the lines and immediate area when you walk in if everyone in the party has to wait until you have the food before you can move into the seating area. This might actually work against them with making the lines look longer than they really are and possibly turning people away thinking it's more crowded than it really is.

timekeeper · Post by **timekeeper** » Oct Tue 06, 2009 11:58 am

Interesting, I know how irritating it is to have someone find the empty table while someone else is getting the food. You do the wandering tray walk until you find your family.

But 90% of the people dont even know what they want when they get to the order taker, and I see the waiting area really backing up with this.

packwingfn · Post by **packwingfn** » Oct Tue 06, 2009 12:49 pm

I could also see more people complaining that they cant go sit down while their husband/father/boyfriend sit down especially in the hot summer months. It has its ups & downs to this. I'm sure they'll evaluate it before it becomes permanent

djdevon817 · Post by **djdevon817** » Oct Tue 06, 2009 1:17 pm

If I remember correctly, Disney did a 'test run' with this earlier this year, or at the end of last year.

It certainly has its pros and cons. Since its usually just me and my partner who go to Disney, we generally order and carry our food together, then look for a table. For us, and those groups like us, this will help, as we won't be wandering around with trays in hand past tables and tables of one person reserving a table for the rest of the group in line.

Either way, the system for finding a seat isn't perfect. Hopefully Disney did enough research to decide that this system would be better than the free for all it was before. We'll have to wait and see.

Future Guy · Post by **Future Guy** » Oct Tue 06, 2009 3:10 pm

For just my wife and I, this wouldn't be a problem but it would suck if you have small children. Usually by lunchtime kids are tired and cranky and the last thing they need is to stand in another line before they can sit down. I foresee a lot of meltdowns because of this. I appreciate Disney trying to do something to alleviate the nightmare of trying to find a table in a crowded restaurant while trying to hang onto a tray full of food, though.

missynole · Post by **missynole** » Oct Wed 07, 2009 6:26 am

boilerbabe wrote:I don't know how I feel about this?! I appreciate Disney trying to up their customer service, but like you said missynole, for a quick service, I don't want to feel like I have reservations. Let me sit where I want to sit! I guess we'll see how this works. We'll be going in two months and 4 days! Sounds like you're going before me, so let us know!!! Thanks!

Side note: where are you staying missynole?! Hope you have a wonderful trip!

Actually, because I travel with my three Scottish Terriers I stay at the Residence Inn in LBV since they take pets. It's only 5 minutes from the LBV gates so it's really close. Now - if WDW would only build a hotel that took pets I think they could make a fortune!!!!!!!!

I'll keep you guys posted on how the seating goes at the MK!

chez64 · Post by **chez64** » Oct Thu 08, 2009 11:16 am

Great idea from Disney, But I see a problem with families. If you have children one parent goes with the kids to find a table and the other orders the food.
I can't see myself standing in those lines with two screaming/tired or hungry girls.
Just a thought

Mr.ToadWildRider · Post by **Mr.ToadWildRider** » Oct Fri 09, 2009 8:41 am

Is there that big of an issue finding seats? I don't really eat at counter-service restaurants. We went to Peco's Bills last time and found a seat, but I do recall it being a mad house in there and it wasn't even a crowded week.

If people are getting food and having no where to sit/having to split then it makes sense to me. I think I'd rather wait in line once and not have to find a seat for a full group. Particularly it seems like a good idea because there are people who just go in there and take up a whole area just to rest, when there are benches everywhere. I guess I get you may want to get out of the heat, but it's kinda lame to have a family of 12 sitting at two different tables w/o food in a restaurant just to talk about their plans when there are folks standing around with trays looking for a place to go.

Amber · Post by **Amber** » Oct Fri 09, 2009 8:04 pm

I just don't like the path Disney has been heading down over the past few years. We are nickled and dimed to death. It seems that if you have money, you can have a magical trip. If you don't, the magic is harder to find. We went in February and noticed more than the usual attendees bringing their own lunch. Families too.... While I definitely feel if you are a paying customer, you should have priority, Walt Disney would never have kept families on a budget from taking a seat at a quick service restaurant. We have been 4 times and have never had an issue with seating. I really hope this is a peak hour, peak park attendance solution to a real problem. I did hear several months ago on another podcast that they had removed the back on chairs at Pecos Bills. The comment was made that this was done to keep the customers moving....

I am sorry but I just don't understand Disney these days. We joined D23 only to find there is nothing special about it other than the fact that you can order special merchandise and pay hundreds of dollars for special events...

Well, I will get off my soapbox for now. I really hope this is just for summer and busy times at Disney and not a cynical attempt to suck as much money as possible out of attendees....

jenhen27 · Post by **jenhen27** » Oct Sun 11, 2009 5:08 pm

I guess I won't ever see it in action if it' oly for peak season. I try to avoid those times of the year.

spodie · Post by **spodie** » Oct Mon 12, 2009 12:19 pm

I guess I'm the minority here, but I like the idea. Of course, since I don't have kids yet and I'm young (and therefore on the go for the entire day), I just want to be able to get my food, eat, and continue on. I like the idea of not having to split up and me trying to juggle a tray full of food and drinks and my phone trying to find where my friends/family got a seat.
As I'm writing this, I'm recalling them doing this at Pinnochio's Villiage Haus awhile back. Experiencing this, I feel as though they were doing this as more of a crowd control thing rather than protecting their tables from people who "just wanted to sit."
I know this is just my opinion, but if I just wanted to find a place to sit and relax, a place where they have these crowd control plans in place would not be anywhere near the top of my list. The reason there is sometimes chaos in these places is not because of the people who just want to hang out - it's just the nature of the beast. Pacos Bills and other places like that have very high numbers of people who cycle through there, which can create mass chaos in and of itself.

blackfroggy · Post by **blackfroggy** » Oct Mon 12, 2009 12:36 pm

I guess I'm the minority here, but I like the idea. Of course, since I don't have kids yet and I'm young (and therefore on the go for the entire day), I just want to be able to get my food, eat, and continue on. I like the idea of not having to split up and me trying to juggle a tray full of food and drinks and my phone trying to find where my friends/family got a seat.

I agree with spodie. It's a great idea (espcially for my family when they come to visit )and my niece is old enought now to be patient enough for lines. It also helps that my brother explains things to her 6 year old mind very well. I do see it as a problem when my sis in law needs to feed my 5 month old nephew and wants to start feeding him while waitng for the food....if they do come down with the nephew that is.

Not sure how it really works (but from my views as a guest, cast member and those who work in that department), but in theory: cast members assist with guests with finding seats, holding food for them as much as possible. If it's super busy, I seen cast members quickly cleaning tables for families and even going above and beyond by handing them condiments (if available), napkins, etc. I have seen/heard numerous postive comments about this from guests and myself.

The new seating arrangement is a good idea for peak times (or busy times that come out of nowhere...like this weekend), but I do see it as not needed for slow times.

kcookiebaker · Post by **kcookiebaker** » Oct Tue 13, 2009 1:29 pm

Chairs with no backs, crowded lines with children and strollers, a director who tells me when and where I can sit...some kind of Magic this is. Haven't they had enough bad press this year?
Sorry, but I started thinking about the times I've gone into the Magic Kingdom for a day, to do Christmas shopping and I am alone, my arms loaded with bags...no, not staying on property so I can't have it sent to the hotel, and now I can"t have a table and a stool, geez, a stool, to put my packages on while I go get lunch...thanks bunches.

We're driving down in a few weeks, it's certainly not peak season, so it will be interesting to see how this works.
AND, pardon me for asking, but what if I want to go in and "freshen up" before standing in line and getting my food? Do I have to use a near-by outside facility?

Come to think of it, I used to like to go to Disney to get away from people telling me what to do and when to do it. Phooey