2 families and ADRs: is this frowned upon??

[Momma2PrinceNPrinces]

We're a total of 8. It is hard to find ADRs for all 8. So someone suggested on the dining board book 2 parties of 4 using 2 different MDE accounts. I did find I have a ton more options doing this. So far I just have 2 ADRs for TH booked 10 min from each other. However I am worried when we get there the CM won't seat us together or they will not be happy it was done this way or BOTH!

 

[kmb584]

We're a total of 8. It is hard to find ADRs for all 8. So someone suggested on the dining board book 2 parties of 4 using 2 different MDE accounts. I did find I have a ton more options doing this. So far I just have 2 ADRs for TH booked 10 min from each other. However I am worried when we get there the CM won't seat us together or they will not be happy it was done this way or BOTH!

It's a genuine concern. To accomodate a party of 8 they need to put two 4-top tables next to each other and there's no guarantee that there will be two 4-tops available in the same area to do so.

 

[Crl1817]

I don't think they will be unhappy with you for booking two reservations for two parties of four. But I wouldn't count on being seated together. I'd assume the reason you aren't seeing any reservations for eight is that they don't have a space that will work for that available at that time, so one most like won't magically appear when you show up. If they can, I'm sure they will seat you at adjacent tables. And they might even push tables together if possible. But I wouldn't count on it.

No personal experience at disney, just going on what I have read here and how restaurants generally work.

 

[Karenj2]

We'll be a party of 9 when we travel, and we're having similar problems. One thing to note is that they often will say that large parties might not be seated together (even when you book as one reservation).

I would think that if you're willing to possibly eat separately, go that route. Otherwise, try odd times (earlier or later) - that's what we found worked for us. You could also arrive before the first reservation (early), and politely ask if you can all be seated at the same time (be willing to wait, and polite if it's not possible).

 

[Mariep26]

I definitely think that you will risk not being seated together. Are you trying for the more popular restaurants/character dining? I had a party of 10 in 2012 and a party of 11 in 2013 and I didn't have a huge problem getting reservations. We ate at H&V, Crystal Palace, Via Napoli, Sci Fi, Mama Melrose, Teppan Edo Tusker House..etc.. but no BOG or anything remotely higher end.

 

[ssommerville]

I've done this before and we were never sat together. We were usually close enough to see each other, but they never pushed two tables together for us.

 

[HopperFan]

They won't care how you book it because all they have to do is seat you as you booked - two tables of 4. If they are restaurants you really want to eat in then keep the reservations because at least each family can eat there. Then keep looking online to see if a 8 table pops up as available. It very well could happen as people change their plans. But I wouldn't plan on being seated together and if someone does seat you as 8 then consider yourself just dusted with pixie dust.

If your priority is to sit together then I would look for open reservations for parties of 8 or call and see if they can help you find something. If you are looking at non-Disney restaurants often you can call them direct for reservations especially bigger parties. The biggest problem I see, and it might not be, is if your families are really 3 and 5 or 2 and 6, then you have a problem - you need to book your families together.

 

[amym2]

When is your TH ADR? Looks like we'll be there around the same time as you and I have an ADR for 8 that I need to release before the trip (we have 2). I made my ADRs on our 180 day and didn't have any trouble getting tables for 8, but since then when I have looked I haven't found too many.

I would definitely attempt to find ADRs for 8 instead of booking two tables for 4. You can always ask if they can accommodate you, but I would not count on it.

 

[scrapquitler]

We're a total of 8. It is hard to find ADRs for all 8. So someone suggested on the dining board book 2 parties of 4 using 2 different MDE accounts. I did find I have a ton more options doing this. So far I just have 2 ADRs for TH booked 10 min from each other. However I am worried when we get there the CM won't seat us together or they will not be happy it was done this way or BOTH!

With two separate reservations, you should plan for sitting separately. You might get lucky and have them seat you together or nearby, but I don't think you can or should count on that.

 

[maxiesmom]

We're a total of 8. It is hard to find ADRs for all 8. So someone suggested on the dining board book 2 parties of 4 using 2 different MDE accounts. I did find I have a ton more options doing this. So far I just have 2 ADRs for TH booked 10 min from each other. However I am worried when we get there the CM won't seat us together or they will not be happy it was done this way or BOTH!

There is no guarantee you will be seated together. You did not book as one party, but two. Maybe keep your 2 separate ADRs, and keep searching for one for 8 to show up. Otherwise know going in that there is a good chance you won't get 2 tables together, and figure out ahead of time how you will all sit.

Oh my gosh, I see now where you asked about it, and many posters told you to book that way! I'm sorry, but that was not the best advice. It does give you a good shot of getting the ADRs you want, but not such a good shot of sitting together.

 

[Betty Rohrer]

this was years ago but our TA told us that large parties over 6 if I remember correctly could only get ressies for the first or last hours of meal seating times. ie if breakfast was served from 8 to 1130 large parties could only book from 8 to 9 and 1030 to 1130. was really hard for dinner times. do not know if this is right but it did work for us on that trip where we had 11 people

 

[Gracie09]

this was years ago but our TA told us that large parties over 6 if I remember correctly could only get ressies for the first or last hours of meal seating times. ie if breakfast was served from 8 to 1130 large parties could only book from 8 to 9 and 1030 to 1130. was really hard for dinner times. do not know if this is right but it did work for us on that trip where we had 11 people

That's not true. I've had groups as large as 16 on the same reservation and we are outside the first and last hour (cm at 6:30, 50pt at 6ish) etc

 

[LockShockBarrel]

I'd imagine from a server or host's point of view, they wouldn't be happy about it. Think about it, if you make a reservation for 8, they can see that in the system and prepare for it. Maybe they don't sit a 4 top because when the table next to the empty one leaves they can push them together. Booking two 4 tops then saying "oh but we want to be together" put the servers and hosts in an awkward spot because now they have to try to find some way to accommodate you which is their job but with no advanced notice it could be a long time til they can get the space together, the customers get angry and it makes the host look bad.

Book for 8.

 

[Momma2PrinceNPrinces]

When is your TH ADR? Looks like we'll be there around the same time as you and I have an ADR for 8 that I need to release before the trip (we have 2). I made my ADRs on our 180 day and didn't have any trouble getting tables for 8, but since then when I have looked I haven't found too many. I would definitely attempt to find ADRs for 8 instead of booking two tables for 4. You can always ask if they can accommodate you, but I would not count on it.

It's for 10/21 breakfast. I'm having a harder time because we just booked the trip in the beginning of May. Please let me know if you decide to let this ADR go! Thanks sooooo much!!

 

[willowsnn3]

I've done this before and we were never sat together. We were usually close enough to see each other, but they never pushed two tables together for us.

Same here on one of our trips. We sometimes asked but didn't push the point. The only time they put us together was at Rainforest at AK, but they cancelled the 2 ADR's to combine them and we had a longer wait for a table.

 

[Tropics]

I've done this before at Akershus, CRT and Biergarten and they have alway been very accommodating at seating us together. We may have had to wait a bit extra but we always made a point of showing up early to see if they could accommodate us. If that's the only way that you can do it then I would make the 2 reservations and show up know that it's a risk.

 

[amym2]

It's for 10/21 breakfast. I'm having a harder time because we just booked the trip in the beginning of May. Please let me know if you decide to let this ADR go! Thanks sooooo much!!

Just sent you a pm... the ADR I need to cancel is 10/21 at 10:45!

 

[dis-happy]

Put the adults at one table, the kids at another!

 

[GWhitten98]

You may want to try calling, I had one reservation that I could not get for our party of 7 at one table, but the CM booked it for 4 and 3 under one reservationa number. She said that as long as she booked it like she did they would seat us at 2 table near each other.

 

[powellrj]

Put the adults at one table, the kids at another!

I hope you are joking because that happened to us one time and it was awful being stuck next to the table with the kids. Please don't even joke about those things. We had a table of kids with their shoes off and feet on the table while others were on the floor and the oldest kid who was in charge was sending food back to the kitchen left and right.