Anyone show up with larger party?

[MommyBou]

We have all our ADRs set for our trip in Sept. I just found out that one more will be joining us. We've made all our ADRs for 6. With this one more, we would have 7. My mom called to change the ADRs to 7 and the CM told her that she wasn't able to make the changes because these particular restaurants were booked. The CM said not to worry about it, but to just show up for a party of 7.

I know I've seen others post this same advice, but I'm curious if anyone has actually done this? What was your experience? How did they react at the podium?

Thanks!

 

[helenk]

I would not count on getting seated with an extra person, especially with your size group. At some of the resturants the tables are pretty small, and will be set up for 6, trying to squeeze in aother person may not be doable.

 

[MisMikiNikiLynne]

I would not plan on them allowing one more person. Especially if it is in the next month or so while free dining is going on. Nearly everywhere is packed! We were turned away a year ago June from CM's because we only reserved for 4 and were a party of 5 (for a 6:55 reser). Sorry, i wish I had better news...

 

[MommyBou]

I would not plan on them allowing one more person. Especially if it is in the next month or so while free dining is going on. Nearly everywhere is packed! We were turned away a year ago June from CM's because we only reserved for 4 and were a party of 5 (for a 6:55 reser). Sorry, i wish I had better news...

MisMiki, did this happen to you on more than one occasion? Which restaurant?


Ok, I'm really very nervous about our dilemma now.... Most of our dinner ressies are in the 4pm hour or right around 5. Do you think that would make a difference? Also, a couple of the places, we actually have 2 tables reserved since they didn't have an opening for 6 originally.

Anyone else with personal experiences to share on this??? Thanks!

 

[cvallee]

as a general rule in the restaurant business it is OK to go from odd to even and not even to odd. From 3 to 4 is OK because you are probably seated at a table for 4 anyway. Going from 6 to 7 and saying that you can squeeze may not fly as some 6 tops are only designed to seat 6 and will not seat 7.

 

[Piecey]

I called to try to change a Ressie and the Dining rep told me to just show up with three instead of the reserved two..

I thought she was crazy but she said it would be fine. Now I'm nervous.

One is for three.. one is for two.

 

[aubriee]

Both last Sept and the Sept before we saw people turned away at Le Cellier, who showed up with an extra person. May '06 and also May '05 we saw people turned away at Le Cellier and also at Mama Melrose and once last Sept at Crystal Palace. However, the people in front of us at Crystal Palace were trying to add two people (not one). Oh, we also saw a party turned away at CRT, who were trying to add a person. A dad had apparently decided at the last moment to join his wife and three kids. This was Sept '05.

I think it may depend on how busy and popular the restaurant is. Le Cellier or Crystal Palace right at dinner time will be a no, but something like Marrakesh at lunch would probably be no problem. It may also depend on if it is free dining time or not. We've been the last two years during free dining and while the parks are empty the restaurants are packed. During that time they may not be as willing to accomodate you because they will have so many people waiting. As a previous poster said, going from an odd number to an even number wouldn't be a problem because you would be seated at a table for that number anyway. If they have to change you to a larger table, then it might become a problem.

 

[anbouk]

Both last Sept and the Sept before we saw people turned away at Le Cellier, who showed up with an extra person. May '06 and also May '05 we saw people turned away at Le Cellier and also at Mama Melrose and once last Sept at Crystal Palace. However, the people in front of us at Crystal Palace were trying to add two people (not one). Oh, we also saw a party turned away at CRT, who were trying to add a person. A dad had apparently decided at the last moment to join his wife and three kids. This was Sept '05.

I think it may depend on how busy and popular the restaurant is. Le Cellier or Crystal Palace right at dinner time will be a no, but something like Marrakesh at lunch would probably be no problem. It may also depend on if it is free dining time or not. We've been the last two years during free dining and while the parks are empty the restaurants are packed. During that time they may not be as willing to accomodate you because they will have so many people waiting. As a previous poster said, going from an odd number to an even number wouldn't be a problem because you would be seated at a table for that number anyway. If they have to change you to a larger table, then it might become a problem.

ok, we noticed that too, the parks were virtually empty compared to all the restaurants, they were packed!!!

 

[MommyBou]

I called to try to change a Ressie and the Dining rep told me to just show up with three instead of the reserved two..

I thought she was crazy but she said it would be fine. Now I'm nervous.

You know, I would hate to think that Dining tells people to just show up with the extra person and then the restaurant wouldn't accomodate. Of course, we'd have no proof at the podium that we were instructed otherwise by Dining.

I'm getting back on the phone now to see if any of my ADRs can be changed.

Oh, and btw... we ARE going in Sept during free dining.

as a general rule in the restaurant business it is OK to go from odd to even and not even to odd. From 3 to 4 is OK because you are probably seated at a table for 4 anyway. Going from 6 to 7 and saying that you can squeeze may not fly as some 6 tops are only designed to seat 6 and will not seat 7.

.... and of course, we would be in the situation of an even to odd. This brings on another question... Anyone out there eat at one of these restaurants with 6 or 7 people? What was the table configuration? (I know there are different configurations.)

Tony's
Ohana's (we've done this with 6 and had a large round table)
Crystal Palace (we've done this with 6 and had a booth seat on one side)
LTT (we've done this with 6 and had a booth seat on one side)
Spoodles
LeCellier
WCC
Concourse Steak House (done this w/ 6 and had a large round table)

Of the 4 we've done with our regular party of 6, we could have easily squeezed in another person. (I know this is wishful thinking at this point -- we'd have to get past the podium first!)

 

[canwegosoon]

I just think you are going to have a problem with LC...I would swing by earlier in the day and explain what you were told by DD to the Manager, and ask "Is there going to be a problem tonight"? If He/she says yes, then you have a few hours to decide what to do-2 people eat somewhere else and go from a 6 to a 5, see if there is other availbility like at CMC where it is easier to sit a large group. The great thing is you have early ADR's, so your chances are better...bad thing it is free dining and everyone is going to be there.

 

[DCDisney]

I called to try to change a Ressie and the Dining rep told me to just show up with three instead of the reserved two..

You'll probably be fine because there aren't many tables for 2 in most places anyway.

Yvonne

 

[DCDisney]

We have all our ADRs set for our trip in Sept. I just found out that one more will be joining us. We've made all our ADRs for 6. With this one more, we would have 7.
Thanks!

I think you are going to have a tough time. Getting tables for bigger than 6 people is tough even in the slower seasons. If they can accomodate you at all you will probably have to wait awhile as well. Is the extra person definitely coming and wanting to eat at all the meals? Particularly with Le Cellier it's going to be tough as they are not very accomodating typically.

Yvonne

 

[Mish]

Did you try to make a reservation for 1 around the time you are going. We had to do this at O'Hana's because my DD decided to join us on our trip in August. They could not change that reservation because we were at a table for 3 so they made her a reservation for 1 and told us to let them know when we got there and they might be able to sit us together or right next to each other.

 

[mareed]

Did you try to make a reservation for 1 around the time you are going. We had to do this at O'Hana's because my DD decided to join us on our trip in August. They could not change that reservation because we were at a table for 3 so they made her a reservation for 1 and told us to let them know when we got there and they might be able to sit us together or right next to each other.

This is what I just did at Disney's recommendation. I have an 11:30 reservation for a party of 8 at Le Cellier. We now have 9 in our group. I called today and added a table for 1 at 11:40, and they linked the reservations. I'm expecting that we'll just end up bringing an extra chair up to our table for 8, but I feel better having the other table booked. I'm also hoping it will be easier to accomodate since we're at the first seating.

 

[MommyBou]

Did you try to make a reservation for 1 around the time you are going.

Yes, we actually ended up doing this at Spoodles and Garden Grill.

We've been on the phone ALL day trying to work this out. Amazingly, LeCellier worked out the best. We had two tables there anyway for our original 6, and luckily they were for 4 each. So, all 7 are on that ressie now. A couple of the others where they had us at 2 tables were tables of 4 and 2, so those weren't able to be changed.

Along the way, we ended up changing our ADRs almost completely. The only two we haven't been able to fix or work around are a 4:45 at Ohana's and a 4:10 at LTT. I am hoping that they might take us with a party of 7 anyway since these are so early. Just in case, we made backup arrangements, but I HOPE we don't have to use them.

 

[MommyBou]

This is what I just did at Disney's recommendation. I have an 11:30 reservation for a party of 8 at Le Cellier. We now have 9 in our group. I called today and added a table for 1 at 11:40, and they linked the reservations. I'm expecting that we'll just end up bringing an extra chair up to our table for 8, but I feel better having the other table booked. I'm also hoping it will be easier to accomodate since we're at the first seating.

I didn't realize they could link two ressies. How does that work? Do you think that would work if the two ressies are in two different names?