Dining reservations for 16

[NDAMomX2]

We are two DVC families 183 days out from our vacation. Villas are booked . With a party of 16 is it possible to use the on-line dining reservations? So far my experiences with the on-line My Disney Experience has been frustrating to say the least. Should I just call DVC member services for dining reservations?

 

[Minniesgal]

I don't think member services can help you with a party of that size I think you need to call WDW group dining.

 

[drusba]

In the past even before MDE it was the rule that you needed to call for reservations for any party over 9 because those require special arrangements in advance and need to go through the Group Dining arm of Disney Dining. The only way to avoid that is to make separate reservations for smaller sets of your group but you give up the chance of sitting at the same table or even sitting together in the same area of the restaurant. To contact Group Dining you call 407-WDW-Dine and they will connect you. You can also call MS who will just send you to the Disney Dining group.

 

[barrysprot36]

I made a booking for 13 at Teppan Edo for this last August online.

 

[m6c5a90]

I made at least 10 reservations for a party of 15 through both the online reservation system & reservation phone line at restaurants including Ohana, Crystal Palace, Whispering Canyon etc.

I will say from experience we were separated at MOST of the restaurant which was completely fine BUT we were still charged the automatic gratuity of 20% even when at completely separate tables with less than 6 people. In the future I would make 3 separate reservations for 5 seeing as we were often split up this way to avoid being automatically charged that 20% even at a buffet where it did not feel necessary.

 

[rlovew]

If you want to sit altogether at places that have the ability to do so I have been told in the past that we either have to be booked at the first or last seating of a meal at the restaurant. That was true for all character meals that we ate together over a number of years. Granted our group was over 20 for some of those, but in doing the 1st seating we actually all sat together (sometimes at semi-separate table in an area (like at Cape May) and other times at a large table (Ohana's and 1900 Park Fare).

 

[Pirate Granny]

I called for 10 persons as I needed BOG....still had issues. CM refused to book two reservations to split the group in two (said she wasn't allowed). So I took the 8 person and called back and got one for 2 persons ten minutes later.

 

[kristenabelle]

I booked for my group of 12 all over the phone, and we were always seated together/at adjoining tables (even at BOG, which was a nice surprise).