any rumors on MK restaurant?

[ms*mountaineer]

I was just on the phone with Disney Dining - I was looking for ANY ADR they could give me inside MK for Dec 8. She went through the usual list (Tony's, CP, LTT, Plaza and CRT) - all booked. OK, fine. THEN she said - "wait, let me check one other thing that might be by available then... Nope, sorry I have nothing."

I got the feeling she was checking for something new. I can't imagine what else she would have been checking. I don't stay up on the rumors, but I thought I would ask you all...

 

[Cheshire Figment]

Sometimes they will set up Tomorrowland Noodle Station as a buffet; when that is done it is considered Table Service.

 

[TheRustyScupper]

They also set up the saloon for busy periods.

 

[Condorman]

Always remember, when you request a table for 2 and they say there is no availability, that does not mean tables for 4 aren't available. However, CMs have been given strict instructions not to undersell a 4-top to a 2-person reservation, or put 3 people at a table for 6, etc. They will specifically tell you that nothing is available for your party size. This is no guarantee that any tables are available as they may very well be booked solid.

Solutions: You could call back and ask about availability for different party sizes and when you show up, simply tell them that a few people in your party could not make it. I have done this myself. There is one caveat: When you sit 3 people at a table for 6, or 2 at 4, it means that many fewer people for which the server will be receiving a gratuity. That may not make a difference in your mind, but they were counting on filling every seat because of the reservation and it is what they live on. Just keep that in mind. Enjoy.

 

[Maistre Gracey]

Solutions: You could call back and ask about availability for different party sizes and when you show up, simply tell them that a few people in your party could not make it. I have done this myself.

Please don't get me started...

MG

 

[IMACM]

Yes, please call and lie to us so that you can get a table for 4 and only show up with 2 people then the family of 4 gets nothing because we booked the party of 2 at a 4 top!!!!

PLEASE don't do this!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Condorman]

Yes, please call and lie to us so that you can get a table for 4 and only show up with 2 people then the family of 4 gets nothing because we booked the party of 2 at a 4 top!!!!

PLEASE don't do this!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Why should someone who is being proactive in knowing where they want to eat, and taking the time to call and reserve a table, and proving to Disney that they want to spend money on-site, be denied the opportunity because of Disney Dining sleight-of-hand with regards to table availability?

Furthermore, why should that person lose out on the TS location of their choice on the off-chance a family of four decides to be a "walk-in" at the last minute? It's first-come, first-serve. My only concern is for people who do this and then fail to consider what it means to the server who waits on them. Assuming you receive good service, you should take the number of tops into consideration. As for that elusive family of four who couldn't get seated, they should have planned ahead. They have no one but themselves to blame.

 

[Maistre Gracey]

Why should someone who is being proactive in knowing where they want to eat, and taking the time to call and reserve a table, and proving to Disney that they want to spend money on-site, be denied the opportunity because of Disney Dining sleight-of-hand with regards to table availability?

Furthermore, why should that person lose out on the TS location of their choice on the off-chance a family of four decides to be a "walk-in" at the last minute? It's first-come, first-serve. My only concern is for people who do this and then fail to consider what it means to the server who waits on them. Assuming you receive good service, you should take the number of tops into consideration. As for that elusive family of four who couldn't get seated, they should have planned ahead. They have no one but themselves to blame.

Obviously they weren't pro-active enough, seeing as though all the tables for two were already booked.

If two people were to walk in, and a table for four were open, I bet they would be seated.

There is no Disney "sleight-of-hand" going on here. This is standard practice in the restaurant business.

MG

 

[troynkasey]

I have to agree with the CMs. How would you feel if you visited a restraunt and there were many 4 person tables with only 2 people at them? To me, that's wasted space. If you call the first day and can't get in...then that's another story, but if you give it time and then call and don't get in, then shame on you for procrastinating.

If these restraunts don't max out their seating, they don't make as much money and if they don't make as much money, that cuts into thier profits. And if profits are down, they have to raise prices... Then you'll complain about prices going up.

We never get our heart set on a reservation. If we can't get it, we can't get it. We move to plan B or get a CS meal.

 

[KYMickey]

I have to agree with the CMs. How would you feel if you visited a restraunt and there were many 4 person tables with only 2 people at them? To me, that's wasted space.

I completely disagree with his opinion. My wife and I don't have children and thus normally only need the table for two. If we call for a reservation and a table for 2 is not available but a table for 4 is we should get it. We thought far enough ahead to make a reservation. Why should somebody who calls later because of poor planning get a table and we couldn't? If at a later time they have a cancellation can move us to a table for 2 to free up the table for 4 fine, but tables should be on a first come first serve basis. It's not our fault that the restraunt doesn't have a perfectly correct split between tables for 2, 4 or whatever.

For that matter what about a family with a very young child, they take up the table for 4 and realistically only order food for two. How should the restraunt handle that situation? They will be losing as much or possibly more on them than they would be on us.

 

[KYMickey]

Obviously they weren't pro-active enough, seeing as though all the tables for two were already booked.

If two people were to walk in, and a table for four were open, I bet they would be seated.

There is no Disney "sleight-of-hand" going on here. This is standard practice in the restaurant business.

MG

See my post above. Why should someone who needs a table for 2 and calls early not get a table when somebody calls later needing one for 4 can get one? The people needing 2 thought farther ahead.

Also, I don't know where you're from but in most cities this is not the standard practice. People will make reservations earlier get a table, those calling later don't. That way there restraunt can insure they are booked.

 

[skier_pete]

See my post above. Why should someone who needs a table for 2 and calls early not get a table when somebody calls later needing one for 4 can get one? The people needing 2 thought farther ahead.

Also, I don't know where you're from but in most cities this is not the standard practice. People will make reservations earlier get a table, those calling later don't. That way there restraunt can insure they are booked.

By that logic, Disney should gladly give you a Table for 6, 8, heck even 12...because you are 2 people that want a table dammit...and no-one has called for that Table yet, so you should get it!

Sorry, I am all for being underhanded to take advantage of the system, but I wouldn't make a reservation for a bigger party than I have just to get a table. Forget screwing Disney corporation (tha man) you are also screwing the wait staff and your fellow guests. My vote on that one is no.

To get the thread back on-track...there would not be another restaurant opening between now and then. They might have been checking to see if Diamond horseshoe was opened, as it was in September, or more likely they were just checking an additional pool of tables.

A better solution for you. You have over two months until you date. Call back every few days, people cancel all the time. Especially call around 45 days prior to the date, as many people cancel their trips before they have to make the final deposit. Or, try one of the monrail resorts...it wouldn't be a far distance to get to from MK.

SkierPete

PS This wouldn't work at most restaurants, but we were outside Rainforest Cafe at DTD many years ago as a party of two, and the wait was like 90 minutes. Then the hostess came out and yelled, "do we have any parties of 6 or 8, we have open tables for larger parties." I turned to the people next to us in line and said "Would you be interested in sharing a table?" they said "Sure" so we went up with a party of 6 and got seated right away, and had a nice conversation to boot.

 

[gingerfeathers]

First, no news about the OP's question.

But to add to the argument...

I just got back a few weeks ago from WDW, and we had a reservation at Le Cellier. We were a party of two, but when I made the original reservation, the CM had given me a reservation for FOUR--not telling me that this was the case. I only found out when I called the dining line to confirm my ADR's and I discovered my LC reservation was for four. (apparently this was before Disney caught on and told their CMs to stop looking for any and all available reservations)

When we got to LC, I told them we were in fact only a party of two. Guess what: they sat us at a table for two.

I'm not saying that lying should be common practice. However, take into account that just because someone might be making a reservation for a larger party doesn't mean that they'll be taking up space that someone might otherwise be able to use.

 

[Maistre Gracey]

See my post above. Why should someone who needs a table for 2 and calls early not get a table when somebody calls later needing one for 4 can get one? The people needing 2 thought farther ahead.

Also, I don't know where you're from but in most cities this is not the standard practice. People will make reservations earlier get a table, those calling later don't. That way there restraunt can insure they are booked.

I guess I will leave this alone...

My main problem was with lying when making a reservation. If you're honest and they choose to seat you at a table for four, I have no issue with that.

MG

 

[disney1990]

I have to agree with the CMs. How would you feel if you visited a restraunt and there were many 4 person tables with only 2 people at them? To me, that's wasted space. If you call the first day and can't get in...then that's another story, but if you give it time and then call and don't get in, then shame on you for procrastinating.

If these restraunts don't max out their seating, they don't make as much money and if they don't make as much money, that cuts into thier profits. And if profits are down, they have to raise prices... Then you'll complain about prices going up.

We never get our heart set on a reservation. If we can't get it, we can't get it. We move to plan B or get a CS meal.

If I did this (take a 4 top when there were ony 2 people), I will let the waiter know that we wouldn't mind if they sat another couple with us.

 

[DisJoe26]

I don't understand the problem, if you book a restaurant with open tables they shouldn't tell you it is all booked. Saying you have a party of 4 so you can get a reservation is fine with me, some families spend over four thousand dollars a vacation to Disney, if they can get themselves into a restaurant that way thats fine with me.

 

[KYMickey]

I don't understand the problem, if you book a restaurant with open tables they shouldn't tell you it is all booked. Saying you have a party of 4 so you can get a reservation is fine with me, some families spend over four thousand dollars a vacation to Disney, if they can get themselves into a restaurant that way thats fine with me.

I agree completely, for the amount we spend visiting WDW we should be afforded every and any perc possible by Disney. Saying you have 4 for dinner when you actually have 2 is no difference in my opinion than a couple splitting up to ride a ride in the singles line! I will obviously try to get a table for 2 first but if one isn't available and I have to make a reservation for 4 so be it. I should've been offered that table original since I thought far enough ahead to make a reservation.

Actually in many ways a couple quite possibly will spend as much or more than a family with two younger children since they're more likely to buy a bottle of wine, cocktails, etc. so we're really not depriving any one of income.

 

[maleficent94]

I was just wondering, if Disney started taking CC guarantees on ALL of the TS reservations, would it be easier to get reservations for any size group? Guests may be more fruegal on how many reservations they are making if they would be charged $10 per person if they don't cancel at least 48 hours prior to their reservation. It's amazing to me that I have spoken with Cast Members at DD reservations and they encourage me to make reservations (sometimes multiple for the same day) indicating that if we decide to cancel and not show up, thats okay! This makes it very frustrating for anyone else to reserve a table. Take a look at the big picture. Disney encouraging multiple reservations and allowing the guest to not show up is an empty table. Someone who "changes" their party size to dine at a TS and does show up leaves a tip.

 

[rebecca06261]

There's already a policy in place regarding cancellations- but it's never been enforced to my knowledge. From Disney's web site:

A cancellation policy applies and may result in charges if you cancel with insufficient notice. Specific policies related to this facility will be detailed at time of reservation booking.

Here's the kicker- in 2007, I was duly informed that there would be a $200 fee if I failed to cancel any reservation within 24 hours. The cm repeated the spiel over and over after we confirmed each new adr.... just after "and you understand that this will use 2 table service credits from the Disney Dining Plan?" However, I cancelled and changed most all of my 2007-trip ressies on the day of the adr, without consequence. For the September 2008 trip, I was not reminded of the cancellation policy when booking adrs but just like everyone else, was subjected to the rest of the mind-numbing, time-consuming spiel.

 

[Condorman]

I can only hope that the new reservation system that is set to go online next month (fingers crossed, on time) takes CC #s for ADRs. They should also implement a 72-hour cancellation policy. Oh, this won't prevent double-booking as there will always be ways around that, but it will force people to make up their minds well before the last minute. Something tells me Disney isn't going to be that sensible. So I ask myself, why bother upgrading?

If they modeled their system after Opentable.com it would be flawless. Most restaurants on OT don't take CC#s, but some do and the execution is seamless. Check out OT.com's website and you'll even find on its executive board two former Disney parks employees.