Magic Kingdom QS seat policy

[Lady_Aurora]

Does anyone have any information on the new policy at the Magic Kingdom Quick Services, namely Pecos Bills, Cosmic Ray's and Columbia HH? From what I have heard, you are unable to get a seat unless you are with your whole party and you have food. You are also not able to use the bathrooms in the building unless you have food.

Any info????

 

[Nadjalu]

The seating policy is usually only in affect during high crowd periods. And yes during those times your party cannot go find a seat while you get the food. Everyone has to stay together.
I have not heard of anytimes you are not allowed to use the bathroom without eating there. So not sure where this info came into play.
The seating policy has been on and off for about a year and half and again is only during high crowds, during meal times.
If you eat off time you won't find this.

Have experienced both ways, it really isn't a big deal with everyone having to stay together. It goes very quickly and the CM helps you find a seat, so it goes smoothly.

 

[PatsMom]

We have experienced the seating policy during several trips that were at busy time, President's Day, day after Thanksgiving, etc. We love it. Means that you don't have a bunch of people wandering around the restaurant while their food gets cold, looking at a bunch of people taking up table space for half an hour before their food arrives!

 

[TheRustyScupper]

We have experienced the seating policy during several trips that were at busy time, President's Day, day after Thanksgiving, etc. We love it.

1) It has been in effect now for 1½ years.
2) It is up to the eatery's manager when to enact the rule.
3) But, people have really liked it.
4) Except those who want to grab a table and hog it.

5) Sure, you wait for the whole group to get the food.
6) But, there are not people without food taking tables.
7) It is about time this rule was designed.


.

 

[CR Resort Fan 4 Life]

I personally haven't experienced this policy, even when I have been to the Magic Kingdom in December before Christmas. However no matter the time of year whenever I am at any of the parks and have lunch at a Quick Service location I always eat at 11:00 AM because the lines are not as long and there are a lot of tables available. So maybe if you are able to eat around that time the places you mentioned in the Magic Kingdom won't have this rule in effect.

 

[Jestocost]

Even having been at WDW at Christmas, Thanksgiving, Spring Break and Memorial Day on more than one trip, we experienced the "new" QS seating system for the first time last month (Memorial Day weekend) at Cosmic Rays. Once you have your food, you get into a seating line and CM at the head of the line signals back and forth with CMs out on the floor to ID open tables. When your table is available, you are directed to the CM on the floor who shows you where to sit. It worked pretty well, IMO, but then I hate the whole table vulture method of finding seats.

 

[JimmyV]

As long as they have CM's serving as air traffic control, then the system should work fine. But if they simply have a single gate keeper preventing you from entereing the seating area until you have your food leaving you to fend for yourself once you enter, then that would be worse than no policy at all. Such a "non-system" would force you to become a table vulture with hot food on your tray getting cold, instead of a table vulture with no food yet, waiting for your order to be prepared. Frankly, I'd prefer the latter. But certainly the best option is for an orderly line with CM's directing the next party in line to the next open table. Otherwise, one wrong turn and someone who has been looking for a table for 10 minutes could miss out on a table that opens up on the other side of the dining hall which could go to someone who has been waiting for all of 10 seconds.

 

[rachellm]

Interesting.

Is there somewhere for people to stand and wait - or does your whole party have to wait in line for food? We'll have a baby, a toddler and 3 or 4 adults (depending on which day.) I hadn't really planned to have the whole crew standing in line!

 

[Pumbaa_]

This topic comes up around every peak park time

WARNING - play nice or this will be shut down in record time

we realize everyone is special and has their very own reason for needing a table before the food is ready

if that is the case, avoid the places that manage the seating and you will be just fine. Or goto a TS

Thank you everyone who has posted so far and been so nice

 

[Dizneydaz]

While we don't go during peak times we did have an experience a few year back at Restaurantosaurus (of all places) The place was packed for lunch and after getting our condiments, etc. we couldn't find any open tables. There was a CM helping people get seats. The were 2 men sitting at a table for 6. The CM nicely asked if they wouldn't mind us joining them (we were a party of 3-2 women, 1 girl). They said okay, but you could tell by their body language, etc. that they weren't happy sharing their large table. We tried to make small conversation but they basically ingored us and spoke to each other in French (I think)

I'm fine with them not allowing guest to hold tables. I hate walking around looking for someplace to sit while my food gets cold.

 

[taymaesmom]

We've encountered this a few times and we LOVE it! No more fighting for a table. Its more of a problem at Cosmic Rays then else where since Cosmic Rays have multiple lines but which ever of us gets done first just waits over to the side and then we get in the seating line. Once you get to the front of the seating line the CM there directs you to another who is waiting at "your" table and then they leave you once you get there. It works great. They also block all entrances to people trying to "hold" tables and direct them back to the lines. They are really diligent about it.

As for bathrooms, we were there the week following Christmas and I went in once to use the bathrooms without getting food with no problems. The bathrooms aren't in the main seating area so no issues there.

 

[diskids2]

I didn't know about this system. We didn't see it in July when we went last, but then again, I'm not sure we ate at those QS restaurants during peak hours.

I love it! Sounds like a good fix to a difficult problem. I hated finding, hoarding or anything that involved that scenario in the first place...PLUS my DH was always stuck carrying all this food back to the table for the rest of us!

 

[whacked]

We were there Christmas week 2010, and never noticed this occurring. It may be that we were dining early (they had discount coupons for dining before 11:30 or 4:30 at some CS places).

That being said, I would agree that this is a benefit rather than a problem if it is occurring when it's crowded.

 

[rlduvall]

We ate at Cosmic Rays Friday, June 10th around 11:00 a.m. and it was very busy, BUT they were not implementing this policy. I'm on the fence about it - I see both sides.

What did bother me . . . a family of 5 taking up two tables eating their "home" brought food when people who had bought food had no place to sit. Please do not misunderstand me, I certainly have no problem with people bringing their own food to the parks, but either eat: 1) outside if it's busy at the counter service locations or 2) at an off-time when no paying customers are searching for an empty table to eat at.

 

[candy0730]

We had this happen last Septmeber at Cosmic Rays. The process went very smooth until I left my husband and child to get some cheese sauce. The CM almost didn't let me back to my table. Next time I will be sure to grab all condiments before getting a table.

 

[2Tiggies]

I actually missed this at Pecos Bills when we went last October. It obviously wasn't being exerised tat the time, probably due to it not being peak season. However I very nearly dumped our entire tray of food to go eat elsewhere after trying to do a juggling act between people, unable to find a table for over 10 minutes. Our meal was stone cold by the time we eventually sat down. I must stress that although I personally prefer the policy I can see how it would make things difficult for some families. I guess they can't please us all.

 

[DisneySarah80]

I don't know... it doesn't really matter to me either way, but I don't really see what the big deal is if a family of 8 wants to get the kids situated at the table with all the condiments while the guys go and get the food. True, if your a single parent with your kids, you can't do this, and for those people its not fair. So for that reason alone, I understand and agree with it - but other than that, I don't see a problem with some people in the party getting the table while others get the food.
Its happened to us where we have the food, and there are no available tables - it happens. Wheather your standing in line with a CM whos directing you to an open table, or your walking around looking for one yourself, your food could still potentially get cold, so its 6 of one, half a dozen of the other. At least thats how I feel.

 

[vellamint]

I have experience it and think it is great....