adr's - reservation for 4, only 2 show???

[sfowler2003]

I had a tip that if you couldn't get a reservation for 2, then ask for 4 and then just show up with 2......is this really OK.....has anyone done it......

 

[team weasel]

I am honestly wondering the same thing. I am struggling trying to get reservations for two at LeCellier...180 days out. Have called EVERYDAY this week, and the CM told me the problem is they have limited seating for two.

 

[sfowler2003]

anyone know....

 

[Northern_Julie]

I dont see what they could do. You would just have an extra to seats. I am sure it could logically happen that two couples plan to eat and one decides to stay in another park or something. If you have tried for the table of two I dont see it as wrong.... but thats just me. I have went to places I lived and been put at a table for four with two.

 

[Valjean13]

The CMs do this for people all the time....we've made last minute reservations at the restaurant or at the lobby concierge desk and they will put us down for a party of 3, then just tell us to say that our 3rd person couldn't make it.
For our upcoming trip we made reservations for 4 people, but our friends just decided they couldn't make it. So I am debating calling in to change them to a party of 2, because I don't want to be told that all the tables for 2 are booked. Hmmm, what to do....

 

[marivaid]

We had to do that at Chef Mickey's, there aren't anywhere enough tables for 2 there. We made a reservation for 3 persons and when we checked in just said something like "There's only 2 of us." The CM didn't even blink.

 

[MickeyNicki]

We booked a 2 adult breakfast at Cape May and they had us down for 3 people. The hostess was giving me a very hard time about it because they had to seat us at a much larger table and their were other people waiting, she wanted us to be the ones to wait and I said not my problem that the CM who booked the reservation screwed up...the waiter was ticked off too that we were just 2 people, he kept asking me when the other person was coming. I kept telling him it is just the 2 of us. He was very upset that we were "hogging" a large booth. He never came around to clear dirty dishes, he never refilled drinks...DH had to get up and find him for the check.

I would not book a ressie for 4 knowing that we were just 2, that is just wrong and prevents other people from getting in. Just my opinion for what it is worth.

 

[marivaid]

I would not book a ressie for 4 knowing that we were just 2, that is just wrong and prevents other people from getting in. Just my opinion for what it is worth.

I respect your opinion however Disney Dining reservations is on a first-come, first served basis. "Other people" should have booked earlier.

BTW, we had an ADR for 2 at Cape May, were seated in a booth, and didn't have any problem with our server. There are maybe 4 tables for 2 in the entire restaurant so a party of 2 is more than likely going to get seated at a 4-top anyway. Sorry you had such a lousy experience, you handled it better than I would have.

 

[mickaholic4077]

I do it all the time and have never had a problem when checking in.

 

[texasdisneygal]

I will say fwiw that my dh got sick last week and my dd and I went to Tusker House on our own. That changed our ressie from 3 to 2. We got in super fast at a table for two -- it was great!

 

[kim_o]

I actually did that for CRT to get in. They didn't have anything for a party of 5 (but had lots of openings for a party of 6), so I booked for a party of 6 and just added an infant to my party. As it turns out, we ended up with an extra adult going so we really were a party of 6, but I had originally planned to just show up with 5. I see both sides to the issue, but at the same time I think it's unfair of disney to set so little tables aside for parties of 2 and odd numbers.

 

[Liltx]

I have also added a child when we showed up at the Princess dinner. I originally was only going to take dd4 but then dd2 came with us so DH could pack up. Wasn't planned for when I booked but still worked out.

I would say go for it and tip a little extra. I agree that "other people" should book earlier. Why should someone who wants to eat at a rest. and calls for weeks not get it before a person who calls weeks later? I think disney should change their policy as well or get tables that can be pushed together to make 4 or pulled apart to make 2's.

 

[tiger4me2]

Trying getting a table for one...just as hard as for two. If I want an early time I book for two if that is there if not for three. I was bummed out by not getting time for just me when the CM at dining said are you sure it is not two of you or maybe three as she had earlier times. So I went with it. When showing up I said just party of one they didn't blink a eye. But then again I like eating as soon as the resturant opens. MHO

 

[Melrosgirl]

The system is flawed. Yes, I have done this. Not on purpose, but when traveling with friends (party of 8), several times they decided they didn't want to eat out that night, so I showed up with a party of 4 instead. No one cared. Then last year I realized that they hold back reservations for bigger tables. That's just wrong. Seems like discrimination to me, LOL. Don't have enough kids? Sorry, you can't have a table. We're holding it for a bigger party. Traveling alone? Sorry, don't have a table for 1. Have a table for 4 though. Too bad you are alone.

LOL, totally flawed.

 

[Cheshire Figment]

However, if you try to do this at MK, they will escort you to it's a small world and make you ride it continuously until the remainder of your party shows up.

 

[Wendybird55]

This is all I can add. I have a trip planned for first week of Sept. Definately there will be 3 adults and 1 child - 2 more adults may possibly join us. When I called to make my ADRS I explained about the 2 possible extra people and asked if I should make my ADRS for 4 or 6. I was told to make them for 6 people because it's easier to subtract people from a reservation then add them - especially since they can't guarantee they will have a larger table when you need to add the people. I asked if I changed the reservations from 6 to 4 at a later date would I lose my time or reservation. I was told "no" - that the worst that could happen is there would be 4 of us sitting at a table for 6.

So you may want to make your ADRS for a larger group and then a few weeks or so later (before your trip) call Disney dining and inform them your party will be less than orginally anticipated. At least by calling beforehand to inform them of the change they may be able to shift things around if another smaller party cancelled and then there will be a larger table available for another party. I'm sure people are constantly changing reservations and I bet the restaurant would appreciate it if you call beforehand to inform them of the change in the # of people instead of just showing up 1 or 2 people short.

 

[Valjean13]

However, if you try to do this at MK, they will escort you to it's a small world and make you ride it continuously until the remainder of your party shows up.

I just called yesterday to change some of our reservations - we were supposed to meet up with 2 friends there, but they decided to cancel their trip. When I called, they told me the table I had reserved was for a minimum of 3 people, so I couldn't just change it to a party of 2. (there were no tables for 2 left) so we had to keep the reservation for 4 people. The dining CM knows there will only be 2 of us....but she said in order to hold the table we had to pretend there will be 4! Oh well, if our friends change their mind at the last minute then they will still have a few adrs they can join us for!