Carnation Cafe - Reservations?

[Pakytral]

How important are reservations at Carnation Cafe? We'll be there in May after Spring Break, is it an absolute must to do reservations?

 

[Heymy]

No not a must, but it is nice to have. We had PS for breakfast in February and arrived 20 minutes early. I figured we'd just get in line since we were so early. When the CM walked by to ask for party size, I mentioned our PS and she told us to stand by the podium so we could be seated immediately. That was very nice!

 

[TSRE]

I would go ahead and make the reservations if you can - better to get in quickly than have to be one of the people standing in line watching other people eat. I've seen the line move quickly, but I've also been there when the restaurant was just seated in the morning, and the people in line waited a LONG time for people to start to clear out (40 minutes at least).

 

[LavenderPeach]

I would go ahead and make the reservations if you can - better to get in quickly than have to be one of the people standing in line watching other people eat. I've seen the line move quickly, but I've also been there when the restaurant was just seated in the morning, and the people in line waited a LONG time for people to start to clear out (40 minutes at least).

Yes, I agree. We often don't make PS since it's usually a last minute decision for us but we always make PS for Carnation Cafe. And we only call for reservations a day or 2 before and have never had a problem getting in. I say go ahead and call. You can always cancel it later if you change your mind.

 

[Sherry E]

Just speaking from my own experience, we (friends and I) would not eat at Carnation Cafe without a reservation again. In fact, even if we didn't make reservations for any other restaurant, we would make them for Carnation. We really like it there, especially for lunch, dinner or dessert-only. But if we were to eat there spontaneously - just a sudden decision out of the blue - it would only be if we saw that there was no line of people waiting. Otherwise, we would have to have a reservation.

I have never been to Carnation at a time when there was not a long line of people waiting for tables - and this is for the simple fact that the seating is quite limited, so they can only move guests in and out of the restaurant so quickly. I have heard from other DIS-ers on the board that Carnation does have some days here and there where there is no wait for a table and they get seated right away. I have not encountered a day like that yet (because I think we tend to go during busier times of year). And the wait can be very long sometimes. It could be 10 minutes or it could be 45 minutes. We wasted a lot of time standing there that we could have avoided if we'd had a PS.

 

[wvnative]

I'm with Sherry E. We also never eat there without a reservation. Like she mentioned, there are only a few tables so the wait could be long depending on how long folks take to eat. We always do breakfast there and I like the first seating if possible. When we were there in March, that kept us from waiting in line. I just want to mention that the folks we would have been behind didn't get a seat until we were almost done with our meal and a couple of my girls had a hard time choosing what to order so we were delayed a bit.

I'm sure you could get reservations within a day or two but I tend to make mine as soon as we book our flights/decide on dates. lol

 

[tlovesdis]

I tried to make a reservation over a month ago for breakfast this coming Sunday and they told me they weren't taking reservations and to just get there early and wait in line????? Is this something new???

 

[Sherry E]

I tried to make a reservation over a month ago for breakfast this coming Sunday and they told me they weren't taking reservations and to just get there early and wait in line????? Is this something new???

Yikes! I hope this is not a new policy. I know they changed the reservation process a bit for Ariel's (now the reservations can't be made 60 days out but can only be done 30 days out or less, I think) because of the new World of Color show and the fact that there will be no more character dinners there, but I didn't think they changed anything for other restaurants too. Carnation Cafe needs to have reservations for those who want to make them. I would say Carnation, Rainforest and ESPN Zone are 3 places that really need to allow reservations due to how busy they get, but especially Carnation because of the limited seating that was mentioned earlier.

 

[chrissiecutie]

Just speaking from my own experience, we (friends and I) would not eat at Carnation Cafe without a reservation again. In fact, even if we didn't make reservations for any other restaurant, we would make them for Carnation. We really like it there, especially for lunch, dinner or dessert-only. But if we were to eat there spontaneously - just a sudden decision out of the blue - it would only be if we saw that there was no line of people waiting. Otherwise, we would have to have a reservation.

I have never been to Carnation at a time when there was not a long line of people waiting for tables - and this is for the simple fact that the seating is quite limited, so they can only move guests in and out of the restaurant so quickly. I have heard from other DIS-ers on the board that Carnation does have some days here and there where there is no wait for a table and they get seated right away. I have not encountered a day like that yet (because I think we tend to go during busier times of year). And the wait can be very long sometimes. It could be 10 minutes or it could be 45 minutes. We wasted a lot of time standing there that we could have avoided if we'd had a PS.

Sherry, I like to go to DL when it's not as busy. I have often walked by empty tables, especially at odd times- it's almost always empty mid day. To the point where I usually wonder if they are opened or closed. Summer...now that's another story!

 

[Sherry E]

Sherry, I like to go to DL when it's not as busy. I have often walked by empty tables, especially at odd times- it's almost always empty mid day. To the point where I usually wonder if they are opened or closed. Summer...now that's another story!

I tend to be there in the peak of Halloweentime or the peak of the Christmas season - both exceptionally busy times - so I think that's why we keep seeing Carnation when it's jam-packed and there is always a long line made up of hungry guests, staring down the people at the tables, waiting for them to leave!!

But I have heard of these mysterious, elusive days when it is empty, or at least when there is no line of people - so hopefully, one of these days I will see it for myself.

 

[disneylovingfamily:4]

I just got off the phone with Disney Dining and I made a PS for Carnation Cafe for Monday..

 

[tlovesdis]

I just got off the phone with Disney Dining and I made a PS for Carnation Cafe for Monday..

Hmmmm, maybe they just don't like me! LOL Or maybe they don't take them on Sunday mornings? I'm reaching here!

 

[Vala]

No, that definitely wasn't you.

I tried three times to get a reservation for our Halloween trip last year and was always told on the phone that they wouldn't take reservations.

In the end we stopped when they were just opened the place in the morning and got a PS for that night directly with the CM who was checking people in.

 

[disneylovingfamily:4]

Hmmmm, maybe they just don't like me! LOL Or maybe they don't take them on Sunday mornings? I'm reaching here!

i would try back now if you have a chance.. The CM I spoke with was really nice about it maybe you will get him lol..

 

[heatherleigh]

They aren't terribly important, but you may as well make them since you can. I went ahead and did that on our last trip, even though it probably wasn't necessary. I intend on making as many reservations as I can prior to our trip this year as well.

 

[Eeee-va]

Yikes! I hope this is not a new policy. I know they changed the reservation process a bit for Ariel's (now the reservations can't be made 60 days out but can only be done 30 days out or less, I think) because of the new World of Color show and the fact that there will be no more character dinners there, but I didn't think they changed anything for other restaurants too.

I could have misunderstood but I THINK the new rule for Ariel's is that it's 30 days out ONLY for dinners, due to whatever they're doing for WoC. I BELIEVE you can still book breakfast and lunch at 60 days (up til at least 3:30 or 3:40 PM).

For PSes, a great tip I read here for some restaurants (not necessarily Carnation Cafe) is the program the reservation number into your cell phone and then call in a reservation as needed. You would probably be OK calling a few days ahead, most times, and the person who mentioned this idea called in after being told there was a long wait at Cafe Orleans, and got a PS which allowed them to get in right away!

 

[erinbharris]

Would I call the regular Disney Dining # to make a reservation for Carnation Cafe?

Sorry...I'm a newbie to all of this!

 

[TSRE]

Would I call the regular Disney Dining # to make a reservation for Carnation Cafe?

Sorry...I'm a newbie to all of this!

Yep

 

[Sherry E]

Would I call the regular Disney Dining # to make a reservation for Carnation Cafe?

Sorry...I'm a newbie to all of this!

Yes. In fact, you can make all reservations for any table service restaurant in DLR (including the DTD restaurants) at that number except for Rainforest Cafe, which has their own separate number for reservations, and for certain times at ESPN Zone. Some of the ESPN Zone times can be booked through Disney Dining, but others have to be done through ESPN Zone (I think you can go online, sign up for their free MVP Club, and book certain meal times through them).

 

[cooniez]

Do you guys make reservations for breakfast or even if you plan to stop by and sit down just for dessert? Also, our plans are kind of up in the air right now...I know we'll be there mid-June, but I haven't finalized my daily plans yet. How do you all decide on a time for your ressie or do you just make one & fix the time once your schedule is more firm? Newbie here so sorry for all the questions!