ADRs for 1 vs. 2

[ArthurFiggis]

Ok, so I'm making my ADR's for my upcoming trip in January and I'm not having luck scheduling dinner for my first night. I decide to see what would happen if I change "1 Guest" to "2 Guests" and Boom! the exact time I was looking for was now available.

Does anyone know why this is? Well, other than the obvious that 2 people spend more money than 1.

Not that I'm planning on doing this, (I pinky swear, I'd rather walk-up and hope than even have the appearance of cheating and if this is out of the board rules, please delete it mods) but would it be out of the rules to book an ADR for 2 guests and show up with just little old me?

Edit: Just for the heck of it, I put in 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13 and 14 guest groups and had availability for all of them within 15 minutes of my time. Room for 14, but not for 1?

 

[maxiesmom]

It is a strange glitch in the system. Some people report being told when they call in to make reservations to say they have 2 people, when it won't allow them to book for 1. So if that is what you need to do....

 

[purple figment]

It happens frequently because there's a glitch in the res system. It wants to fill as many seats as possible so even though a table for 2 is available and obviously where you would be seated, the system wants to seat a party of 2 there. Thus it will say there's no table for 1 person available. Go ahead and book online for a party of 2 and when you arrive at the restaurant let the CM know it is just for 1. We're a party of 3 and routinely find more availability for a party of 4.

 

[ArthurFiggis]

Wow! See this is why I ask you all questions like this. If the system is broken and two of my most respected DISers tell me about it, I won't worry then.

I guess this does mean I have to possibly take back my pinky swear though...I'm not sure how that works.

 

[ktlm]

It was an uninformed pinky swear, so it doesn't count!

I concur, go ahead and make the ADRs for 2. The system is definitely biased against odd numbered parties and has been for several years. We are a party of 3. Even back when ADRs could only be made by phone and not online, when I called in to make one and nothing was available, I had a CM tell me (wink; wink) that if I suddenly had a "baby" or decided to bring a "baby" to CRT (a baby doesn't have to pay for a meal and CRT is pay up front which is why she suggested "baby"), I should go ahead and make an ADR for 4 right then, and that she was sure she could find something- and then if we "decided" not to actually bring the "baby" it was no big deal. We went from nothing available at all, to having our pick of any time we wanted. I felt like if it was condoned by a reservation CM, I wasn't going to feel guilty about it. I have had to do it at least a few times since then, and have never once had an issue when we got to the restaurant.

 

[ArthurFiggis]

Now comes the next complication...

Of course, now that I asked this of you all, most of my ADR's for 1 suddenly worked. But, I wanted to try eating breakfast at 'Ohana and schedule an earlier ADR for Narcoosee's. (Dun, dun, dun!) the CC policy. I might call Dining and ask if there's a way to fudge the numbers on those, but I'm guessing not.

So, the current plan is to eat at Kona (never been there or had Tonga Toast) and either eat at Tony's Town Square before Wishes (never eaten there and this would allow me to stay in MK for the whole day) or show up early and spend a bit of time at the bar in Narcoosee's to watch Wishes on the deck (which I truly love to do). So many hard decisions that will work out wonderfully regardless! How will I survive?

I had a CM tell me (wink; wink) that if I suddenly had a "baby" or decided to bring a "baby" to CRT (a baby doesn't have to pay for a meal and CRT is pay up front which is why she suggested "baby"), I should go ahead and make an ADR for 4 right then, and that she was sure she could find something- and then if we "decided" not to actually bring the "baby" it was no big deal.

D'oh! I get it now

 

[Cafeen]

The CC policy is an "all or nothing" sort of thing. If you show up short, they should not be charging you at all.

Disney Dining CC-guarantee FAQs

Most notably:

I have a dinner reservation for 10 Guests at a restaurant that uses the credit card guarantee policy. Only 8 Guests are able to make it to dinner. Will I still be charged $10 each for the 2 Guests who were unable to attend?

No. As long as you honor the reservation, then there will be no charge to your credit card.