Crystal Palace

[iluvmickey2008]

Hi We have reservations for breakfast. Do they honor requests to sit close to the buffet? I just do not want to be at one of the far ends of the restaurant. Would I do that in advance or when we arrive for the breakfast?

I'll be with my sons (just me) - one will be 4 when we go and the other will be 7. My 7 year old has a somewhat difficult time speaking/understanding and he has some relatively minor sensory issues.

If Disney can't, I think that they will be fine, as long as they have some of their favorite foods in front of them.

I plan on making several trips to get Breakfast Lasagna.

 

[aaarcher86]

There's no,guarantee for any requests. You could have it added in advance and reiterate at the restaurant, but I wouldn't count on it.

 

[SueM in MN]

Ask when you check in, but realize it may b a longer wait if they dont have any close tables for your size party. The table assignments are made at the time, not days before, so putting it on your ADR may not make any difference.
If you need assistance carrying plates, ask - the CMs should be able to help you.

Keep in mind that 'close to the buffet' may mean something different to you than it means to the person assigning tables. You also may want to consider traffic and whether you want a table along the wall rather then in the middle of the room considering your child's sensory issues.

 

[TheRustyScupper]

. . . The table assignments are made at the time, not days before, so putting it on your ADR may not make any difference . . .

ASKING FOR A SPECIFIC TABLE/VIEW AT TS EATERY:

1) The new method of seat assignments
. . . you check in at podium with the SEATER (aka Host, Hostess)
. . . the ressie goes into the table waiting queue
. . . an ASSIGNER walks around with handheld tablet computer
. . . when a table opens, the next ressie with the number of guests pops up
. . . the ASSIGNER places that ressie to that next table
. . . the podium is notified electronically that the table is ready by a slip printing out
. . . the podium SEATER takes the table slip
. . . the slip has table number, quantity of adults/kids, DDP/OOP/TIW/etc
. . . the SEATER escorts the guests to their assigned table
. . . the SEATER passes the slip to the SERVER or leaves it on the table for the SERVER
. . . the SERVER meets the guests, confirms slip info, starts service
2) The guest usually cannot request a table
. . . guests don't talk to ASSIGNER
. . . however, they can ask the SEATER to have the ASSIGNER look for a favored table
. . . a friendly SEATER may or may not be willing to personally communicate with an ASSIGNER.
. . . but, frequently they are you busy.
. . . and, due to computerized assignments, guests can't just ask for a different table while walking to the table.
3) With this being said, it never hurts to ask for a specific table at the podium and see what happens.

 

[SueM in MN]

ASKING FOR A SPECIFIC TABLE/VIEW AT TS EATERY:

1) The new method of seat assignments
. . . you check in at podium with the SEATER (aka Host, Hostess)
. . . the ressie goes into the table waiting queue
. . . an ASSIGNER walks around with handheld tablet computer
. . . when a table opens, the next ressie with the number of guests pops up
. . . the ASSIGNER places that ressie to that next table
. . . the podium is notified electronically that the table is ready by a slip printing out
. . . the podium SEATER takes the table slip
. . . the slip has table number, quantity of adults/kids, DDP/OOP/TIW/etc
. . . the SEATER escorts the guests to their assigned table
. . . the SEATER passes the slip to the SERVER or leaves it on the table for the SERVER
. . . the SERVER meets the guests, confirms slip info, starts service
2) The guest usually cannot request a table
. . . guests don't talk to ASSIGNER
. . . however, they can ask the SEATER to have the ASSIGNER look for a favored table
. . . a friendly SEATER may or may not be willing to personally communicate with an ASSIGNER.
. . . but, frequently they are you busy.
. . . and, due to computerized assignments, guests can't just ask for a different table while walking to the table.
3) With this being said, it never hurts to ask for a specific table at the podium and see what happens.

I don't know, but that does not appear any different than what I have seen/heard them use for quite a few years - except for the CM you are calling the SEATER. What you wrote makes it sound like the same CMs at the podium are constantly moving back and forth from checking in to escorting people to their seats. That would not work at Crystal Palace because of the small check in booth the first CM and the sometimes long lines of people. That person may rotate to different positions, but not constantly with each group at Crystal Palace. We have seen when they switch and it is tight in that booth for people moving to the check in position.

At Tusker House, they have a 'check in' point where you first check in and a second podium where they actually call you to be seated, so it does work that way at Tusker House, but that's not new. It's been that way for years.
Biergarten has a single place to check in, but the desk is pretty open and works the same.

We have made requests at the podium when first checking in at those 3 restaurants, and we ate at all 3 as recently as November 2014. That CM we first talked to at the podium was able to add a comment for the seat assigner to use in assigning a table for us.
It may take longer because the assigner may have to 'skip' your reservation when it comes up in order and go to the next reservation that 'fits' the table that is ready. A table that meets your needs may not come up again for a while. NOTE: I am not saying request a specific table, but a specific needs - for example, a booth does not work well for us. Some people prefer a booth for a child with sensory issues because no one will be behind them and the booth can cut down on the view to the sides.

The CMs may not be willing or able to do requests for people who just 'want' specific things or ask for a specific table, but we have found them very helpful when the request is related to needs for a disability. After all, meeting that guest's needs not only affects their satisfaction, but also, in some cases, the satisfaction of other guests seated near them.