Anybody else have an issue when only 2 are dining?

[deakam]

On my last trip I had an issue that I have never had before and was wondering if anyone else has ever had this happen to them.

We had a lunch reservation at Liberty Tree. It was just my adult son and myself. We checked in 10 minutes early and sat down to wait. And wait and wait and wait. 30 minutes later so 20 minutes after our reservation I went to the desk to see why people that had just walked in were being seated and we were not. The response was we are very busy. Ok---so we wait and we wait some more. Forty minutes later---so an hour past our reservation with the lobby nearly empty I went to the desk and asked why I am required to have reservations if the time is not honored. The CM said and this is a quote "today if you didn't have a reservation you would not be eating here." As she turned her back on me I said I have a reservation and I am still not eating. Shortly there after we and another group of 2 that had been waiting as long us were escorted to a nearly empty room. I have no proof but I believe that our reservation was set aside in favor of larger groups.

Now the food was great and the service top notch but I really think we were pushed back because we were only 2 people. By the time we were actually seated the place was nearly empty. An hour and 10 minutes past our reservation. Just curious if anybody else has had this happen. We usually travel with a larger group this was unusual for us.

 

[jrmasm]

DH and took an adult only trip last August. If anything, I think our party of 2 was seated faster then larger parties.

 

[Nohal]

I've never had that problem but feel that we were ignored a lot being just the 2 of us. Seems like the wait staff is more attentive to larger groups which equal bigger tips.

 

[LilyWDW]

Never had an issue and have always traveled either solo or as a party of 2. Sorry that happened, but there are possibilities besides being put aside in favor of larger groups.

 

[msmama]

Never had that problem and usually it's just my son and I (my son is 8).

If anything, I actually think we usually get seated sooner (I think because they realize that we'll be in and out fairly quickly) and think we often get great service because we're so easy (compared to large parties).

 

[Disneylover99]

I would have been very ticked off if I had walked in to a nearly empty dining room after waiting almost an hour with an ADR.

 

[BigAlsGal]

I've never had problems and we dine with 2 often. I've also never waited an hour for a reservation. I would have been ticked as well.

 

[deakam]

I've never had that problem but feel that we were ignored a lot being just the 2 of us. Seems like the wait staff is more attentive to larger groups which equal bigger tips.

The tip thing had crossed my mind as well as the other 2 person party waiting with us. The server was wonderful and she did not pay the price for the wait. Like I said we always travel with a larger group and was just wondering if this was typical. The server also told me that Liberty Tree no longer closes between 3-4 to set up for dinner instead if your reservation is after 3 you must order dinner. We were seated after 3 with a 2pm reservation. Maybe we just hit them at a bad time but the room was nearly empty in fact we were the only ones there by the time our meal was served. We waited an unusually long time for our table at Mama Melrose's as well.

 

[minnie mum]

I doubt you were ignored in favor of a larger group. If a table for two is empty, the next party of two will be seated there. Now, if a table for 6 was empty, yes, they would seat the next party of 5 or 6 at that table. Not a party of 2. That's why they have tables of various sizes.

Weve been dining at WDW restaurants as a couple for many years. Occasionally we've encountered a long wait, but I know we weren't the only ones on those occasions. If anything I think it's easier to seat smaller parties at smaller tables than large parties that need more than one large table pushed together.

ETA: Mama Melrose is notorious for very long waits. So is Coral Reef. So is Ohana. But we've never waited longer than 5-10 minutes at LTT.

 

[focusondisney]

We're a party of 2 also. We've only had 1 instance of a long wait at LTT. We were checked in by a new CM. We waited about 20 minutes. When I started noticing that everyone in the room had checked in after us, I went back to the desk. Turned out the CM hadn't act aurally gotten us checked in. They apologized & we were seated within 5 minutes.

I have trouble making reservations for 2 tho. Especially at Tutto Italia. If I find so something for 2 the times aren't what we need. So I have to make the ADR for 3 & then tell them when we get there it will just be for 2. Annoying.

 

[married2mm]

We're a party of 2 also.

So I have to make the ADR for 3 & then tell them when we get there it will just be for 2. Annoying.

Is there any penalty imposed over this ?

We have 4 booked for a couple of adrs however there maybe only 3 in attendance-I was thinking of changing reservations to 3 guests

 

[deakam]

I doubt you were ignored in favor of a larger group. If a table for two is empty, the next party of two will be seated there. Now, if a table for 6 was empty, yes, they would seat the next party of 5 or 6 at that table. Not a party of 2. That's why they have tables of various sizes.

Weve been dining at WDW restaurants as a couple for many years. Occasionally we've encountered a long wait, but I know we weren't the only ones on those occasions. If anything I think it's easier to seat smaller parties at smaller tables than large parties that need more than one large table pushed together.

ETA: Mama Melrose is notorious for very long waits. So is Coral Reef. So is Ohana. But we've never waited longer than 5-10 minutes at LTT.

I was expecting to have to wait for a small table but when we were seated it was in an almost empty room at a table for 4. And I totally agree with the longer waits at Ohana and Coral Reef. But Mama Melrose has usually gotten us seated within 15 minutes of our reservation time. I think I am going to chalk it up to a bad day at LTT for us.

 

[focusondisney]

Is there any penalty imposed over this ?

We have 4 booked for a couple of adrs however there maybe only 3 in attendance-I was thinking of changing reservations to 3 guests

No, as long as at least 1 person shows up, they just seat you at the appropriate table with no penalty. I have done this several times at Tutto Italia. Did it at Minnie's Holiday Dine in December. No problems.

 

[Hopefully]

Never had a problem. Sorry you had a bad experience.

 

[Meriweather]

Sorry you had such a bad experience. I would not have waited as long as you did.

We are always a party of 2 and have always been seated within 5-10 minutes of our ADR time..........except at 1900 Park Faire. We waited 45 minutes past time there and it sure wasn't worth it

 

[DisneyHardin]

OP - I think your experience was just a weird fluke. We are always a party of 2 and have never had to wait a crazy amount of time while larger parties were seated.

 

[MakiraMarlena]

the dining rooms are empty because they don't schedule enough staff to work the entire restaurant. This is the current management. They'd rather see empty tables than have to pay more in labor costs.

That said, I don't think what happened is because you were a party of 2. At least not with seating. The podium staff don't get tipped, they won't care how large or small a party you are. I think they were having issues that day. It's Disney, can happen anywhere.

 

[deakam]

the dining rooms are empty because they don't schedule enough staff to work the entire restaurant. This is the current management. They'd rather see empty tables than have to pay more in labor costs.

That said, I don't think what happened is because you were a party of 2. At least not with seating. The podium staff don't get tipped, they won't care how large or small a party you are. I think they were having issues that day. It's Disney, can happen anywhere.

I am starting to think the same thing. Like I said we normally travel with a larger group so I was wondering if what happened was normal for smaller parties.

 

[Lisa F]

I always traveled as a couple before my kiddo, we took a few trips as a famliy, then got divorced and my last trip was just me and the kiddo. I have never had an issue or felt slighted servicewise because we were a table of 2 but I'm sure some of that is luck (it does happen that smaller tables or tables not ordering a ton of food get less stellar service than large tables) and never had a problem with seating either. Sounds like some weird glitch but highly atypical.

 

[hedberg1661]

Been to LTT numerous times and I think regardless of the party size they seem to have issues with getting you seated on time.