Skipper Canteen ADR watch

[PirateFrank]

How does it penalize you anymore than the fact that Columbia Harbour House doesn't take reservations? If you decide you want to eat there, you have the same exact problem. It's not a separate class of guests. All guests are treated exactly the same with regard to Skippers.

Im sorry. I thought we were talking about the canteen, not harbour house? To be clear, they are different types of dining locations, with different types of draws, turnover rates and amenities. You can't compare the two in this regard. sorry.

 

[freshmanjs]

Im sorry. I thought we were talking about the canteen, not harbour house? To be clear, they are different types of dining locations, with different types of draws, turnover rates and amenities. You can't compare the two in this regard. sorry.

And you can't compare Skippers to a place that is not walk-up . Sorry. lol.

 

[PirateFrank]

Huh???? It forces you to do walk up or nothing? You are no longer allowed to make ADRs???

The main point is it ***** IN NO WAY WHATSOEVER ***** reduces the options you have now. All it does is add a new option that you can freely choose not to use and just leaves you where you were before it opened. There is zero downside to you whatsover other than your choosing not to go there.

You're ignoring the point. It absolutely does reduce your options if you had an ADR 2 days prior and canceled it to avoid a penality. Lets assume, juat for a minute, that the objective is to eat at a table service restaurant within the mk. Not a QS. please stop trying to use them as examples to try to win a point that doesnt make sense. Most people intending to sit down and dine at bog or liberty tree are not going to accept tomorrowland terrace as an alternative. Ok?

So with that finally established, please explain to me again how nothing is lost if the intention is to eat at the canteen and the only way I can do so is either abandon my other ADR 2 days earlier or pay the cancelation fee?

 

[freshmanjs]

You're ignoring the point. It absolutely does reduce your options if you had an ADR 2 days prior and canceled it to avoid a penality. Lets assume, juat for a minute, that the objective is to eat at a table service restaurant within the mk. Not a QS. please stop trying to use them as examples to try to win a point that doesnt make sense. Most people intending to sit down and dine at bog or liberty tree are not going to accept tomorrowland terrace as an alternative. Ok?

So with that finally established, please explain to me again how nothing is lost if the intention is to eat at the canteen and the only way I can do so is either abandon my other ADR 2 days earlier or pay the cancelation fee?

If your intention is to eat at the canteen, all you have to do is show up at the canteen and wait for a table.

If your intention is the other intention you stated in the same post "to eat at a table service restaurant within the MK," then all you need to do is make an ADR at a TS that accepts ADRs, just like you have been able to do for a long time now.

In the first case, it's a new option that you never had before.

In the second case, it's the same as you had before.

In neither case is any option you used to have taken away.

 

[PirateFrank]

And you can't compare Skippers to a place that is not walk-up . Sorry. lol.

why cant I? Its a table service restaurant, correct?

 

[freshmanjs]

why cant I? Its a table service restaurant, correct?

you told me what i am allowed to compare, so i'm telling you what you are.

 

[PirateFrank]

If your intention is to eat at the canteen, all you have to do is show up at the canteen and wait for a table.

If your intention is the other intention you stated in the same post "to eat at a table service restaurant within the MK," then all you need to do is make an ADR at a TS that accepts ADRs, just like you have been able to do for a long time now.

In the first case, it's a new option that you never had before.

In the second case, it's the same as you had before.

In neither case is any option you used to have taken away.

And we go back to my original point, that your assurance of actually getting a table in the first case might not be realized. People make ADRs so that they have a reasonable expectation that they will sit for a meal at a particular time and will not be turned away due to capacity.

So, my point still stands that the person intending to eat at SC who wants such assurance and holds an ADR elsewhere, has to give it up for a chance to sit at SC.

 

[freshmanjs]

And we go back to my original point, that your assurance of actually getting a table in the first case might not be realized. People make ADRs so that they have a reasonable expectation that they will sit for a meal at a particular time and will not be turned away due to capacity.

So, my point still stands that the person intending to eat at SC who wants such assurance and holds an ADR elsewhere, has to give it up for a chance to sit at SC.

lol. yes, poor you cannot make a reservation at a place you don't intend to eat at so that you can hedge against the wait being too long at the canteen. poor guy. lol lol lol

 

[PirateFrank]

you told me what i am allowed to compare, so i'm telling you what you are.

.

Looks like you really need to have the last word to feel better about yourself, so I'll let you have it! Have a blast...

 

[Disneylover99]

We had lunch there on one of the busiest days of the year and had about a 10 min wait at 12:30. So, your 2 hour thing is a strawman.

We were walking by the restaurant a few days before Christmas. Many people walking by didn't even know what it was. They just kept going. It wasn't listed on the map yet. So unless people actually read Disney blogs, they might not realize there is a restaurant there yet. Give it time.

 

[freshmanjs]

We were walking by the restaurant a few days before Christmas. Many people walking by didn't even know what it was. They just kept going. It wasn't listed on the map yet. So unless people actually read Disney blogs, they might not realize there is a restaurant there yet. Give it time.

We'll see how it shakes out. I think if it's really so popular that it typically has 2 hour wait times, then they will start taking ADRs. Based on a lot of the reviews here, that may not be likely. (I thought it was pretty decent btw).

 

[DisneyWishes14]

No it doesn't.

It forces you to chose walk up or nothing. Youve already abandoned your ADR 2 days prior in the hopes that you might get in - and as a result, ADR is no longer an option. So its not that simple as one or the other.

First of all, you can cancel an ADR the night before the reservation without penalty. In MK, only CRT has a 48 hour cancellation policy. I don't see many people throwing away CRT in favor of Skippers.

Secondly, if someone HAS to have an ADR, they have lots of restaurants to choose from.

Thirdly, if you really want to eat at Skippers and need to have a scheduled time, check in at 10:30 when you will almost assuredly be seated when they open at 11 am or soon thereafter. This is what we did on Dec. 29 after we had made our FP+ 60 days prior to our trip which included two hours of free lunch time in which I was hoping to get a Skippers ADR. Obviously that didn't happen, but we were still able to eat at a time that fit our schedule because of how I had scheduled passes and our willingness to eat early.

Who knows if Disney will continue this test. I can see how it may be appealing to those who would rather be more flexible with their schedules. We won't be back. The food was mediocre and overpriced.

 

[quagmire0]

The way Disney is doing this, it's a controlled open. By making it walk-up only, they are naturally thinning the crowds that come into the restaurant. If they went ADR off the bat, they'd be overloaded with people wanting to try it off the bat. By giving a wait time, you naturally turn off people and keep the crowds manageable. Once they have some data and the kinks worked out, they can then move to ADRs. I don't see the big deal. Most everyone who has reported back has reported a 10-15 minute wait. Even if it were a 45 minute wait, what's the big deal? Save it for a lunch or a time when you know you won't be in a hurry. If ADRs don't come first, I'm planning on making it our 'first day' dinner. If we make it, great, if not, no big deal. It'll be around for a while, I'm sure, and there are benefits to not being one of the first to experience it.

 

[_auroraborealis_]

Or they make it part ADR, part walk-up... and make other restaurants the same. When you look at demographic trends, better accommodating younger families and first-time visitors has a lot of financial upside for the Mouse.

 

[sleepydog25]

While I understand the need of some to plan ahead for ADRs (my wife enjoys it), allowing a bit more spontaneity and chance is ultimately a good thing. Thus, I'm totally okay with a walk-up policy, as is my wife who enjoys being a spur-of-the-moment person as much as she likes making ADRs. I don't understand the angst over this restaurant being a walk-up, either temporarily or permanently. As many others have noted, Disney will change the policy if it suits their needs. Currently, they think walk-ups are the way to go. Given how many options for eating there are in Disney--in MK even--this is but one choice. If you want to be spontaneous, you get to be. If you want to plan, then you can plan to be there at an off time, or plan not to eat there. The argument that all TS restaurants there should be either walk up or ADR seems Draconian and unnecessary. They aren't aren't mutually exclusive options that must be applied the same across the board.
Tempest in a teapot.

As for the actual experience, we decided to be spontaneous and try SC (technically, it's Jungle Navigation Company Ltd Skipper Canteen, but that doesn't make a very good acronym) on 1 January. Ten-minute wait at 11:15 for four people, seated in S.E.A. Room. Food has potential but needs fine-tuning (acidity needed, more attention to detail on pot stickers which were a bit chewy, punchier drinks, etc.); however, overall experience was solid. Would go again but wouldn't make it a must-do. Yak & Yeti--which this place most resembles--is a far better option if that gives you any indication.

 

[pixarmom]

I would so love to be spontaneous, and when my husband and I travel without kids to non-Disney destinations, we are! But for Disney, I travel with our three boys (usually on my own) and our youngest has some significant disability-related issues that make spontaneity a big challenge. So I was initially concerned about the no-ADR situation. If the wait was BOG-length and BOG-style, we'd need to skip it. If it's more like places like Tutto Gusto (where you can get in relatively quickly) or CS (where you can show up for lunch at 11:15am and not have a wait) then we're good.

And at least so far, it's looking good! While things may change by next month, I like sleepydog's plan (and avatar!) An ADR is a known, comfortable strategy for dining, but there are other strategies that are equally effective for us (like those I mentioned above.) So thanks to sleepydog and others on this board, we'll have a plan!

 

[DarcyLongfellow]

I thought of starting a new thread, but it looks like most of the talk about this new restaurant is in here.

My family of 4 (me, DH, DD1 (6 years old), and DD2 (2 years old)) ate at the Skipper Canteen today for lunch.

MK was absolutely packed to insane levels today (which we knew ahead of time). We moved one of our fast passes that morning, so we ended up having an hour and a half from 12:30 to 2 to kill. We decided to grab some lunch and would have been happy with some hot dogs fromy that outdoor place across from Buzz Lightyear, but everywhere we looked into as we passed had easily a 30 to 45 minute wait.

We figured we'd walk by and just check out SC. I have to say, I really love the way they do their waiting. I was told it was a 30 minute wait for lunch, but it ended up being only 10 minutes. But the system they use where you do that have to hang around there be a use they'll text you is GENIUS. We were able to wander around instead of standing there, and if we had expected a longer wait, we could even have ridden a ride while we waited.

Honestly, we're not uber planners (we live 2 hours away and often plan last minute weekend trips), so the idea of a sit down restaurant that we have a chance of getting into on a busy day is awesome for us. I would happily put my name on a list, then go ride rides for 2 hours until it was my turn. We often sort of do this by making dining reservations on the fly from our phones. On non-insane crowd days (even in the summer) we can always find a reservation somewhere for lunch (we are rarely in the parks at dinner time).

We very much enjoyed our lunch. It's definitely true that there's not a lot for picky eaters. Even adding a grilled chicken dish to the kids menu would be awesome. My 6 year old is a very picky eater, so she and I shared the grilled chicken from the adult menu. It had a hoisin sauce and came with a nice assortment of vegetables. It was wonderful -- one of the better meals I've eaten at Disney. DH had the pork, which he thought was tasty but a bit dry. DD2 had the steak from the kids menu, and they allowed us to substitute white rice for the potatoes (no fruit was available as a side). Her meal was also good -- a bit tough, but great flavor.

Also, they brought a really good bread round to the table to start that they served with a honey and fennel dipping sauce -- it was so good I'm going to try to recreate it at home.

 

[wn01aa]

The reservation system is interesting with the text paging. However, last time I read the sign it says it only works with phones from the USA. That means the text alerts won't work for anyone who is from outside the country which means I guess those guests have to stay right beside the check-in desk.

I thought of starting a new thread, but it looks like most of the talk about this new restaurant is in here.

My family of 4 (me, DH, DD1 (6 years old), and DD2 (2 years old)) ate at the Skipper Canteen today for lunch.

MK was absolutely packed to insane levels today (which we knew ahead of time). We moved one of our fast passes that morning, so we ended up having an hour and a half from 12:30 to 2 to kill. We decided to grab some lunch and would have been happy with some hot dogs fromy that outdoor place across from Buzz Lightyear, but everywhere we looked into as we passed had easily a 30 to 45 minute wait.

We figured we'd walk by and just check out SC. I have to say, I really love the way they do their waiting. I was told it was a 30 minute wait for lunch, but it ended up being only 10 minutes. But the system they use where you do that have to hang around there be a use they'll text you is GENIUS. We were able to wander around instead of standing there, and if we had expected a longer wait, we could even have ridden a ride while we waited.

Honestly, we're not uber planners (we live 2 hours away and often plan last minute weekend trips), so the idea of a sit down restaurant that we have a chance of getting into on a busy day is awesome for us. I would happily put my name on a list, then go ride rides for 2 hours until it was my turn. We often sort of do this by making dining reservations on the fly from our phones. On non-insane crowd days (even in the summer) we can always find a reservation somewhere for lunch (we are rarely in the parks at dinner time).

We very much enjoyed our lunch. It's definitely true that there's not a lot for picky eaters. Even adding a grilled chicken dish to the kids menu would be awesome. My 6 year old is a very picky eater, so she and I shared the grilled chicken from the adult menu. It had a hoisin sauce and came with a nice assortment of vegetables. It was wonderful -- one of the better meals I've eaten at Disney. DH had the pork, which he thought was tasty but a bit dry. DD2 had the steak from the kids menu, and they allowed us to substitute white rice for the potatoes (no fruit was available as a side). Her meal was also good -- a bit tough, but great flavor.

Also, they brought a really good bread round to the table to start that they served with a honey and fennel dipping sauce -- it was so good I'm going to try to recreate it at home.

 

[senadler]

At this point not many people even know about this restaurant. If it gains popularity, that could push the waits to 1-2 hours. When you have to schedule your day around FP+ and other entertainment, it will be more difficult to include this in your plans without having a better idea of the timing. I do think that a combination of ADRs and walk-ups with texting would be a great option for all the restaurants.

 

[btk2333]

And we go back to my original point, that your assurance of actually getting a table in the first case might not be realized. People make ADRs so that they have a reasonable expectation that they will sit for a meal at a particular time and will not be turned away due to capacity.

So, my point still stands that the person intending to eat at SC who wants such assurance and holds an ADR elsewhere, has to give it up for a chance to sit at SC.

Yes that is right- but two months ago you wouldn't have even had the option to do this- more quality options for dining is always good.