Group Dining Sales??

[ptslp]

We have a large group going to WDW in April/May. It will be 13 total. My sil tried to make dining reservations and they said she had to go through Group Dining Sales. Can someone explain this to me? Also, at what number do you have to go that route, rather than the regular dining reservation line? We will probably all have the dining plan.

Thanks in advance!

 

[KIRSTIN'S MOMMY]

If you have more than 8 I think it is, you have to go through group dining. Nothing different than making regular ADR's just a different number, unless you have a really large group, then they suggest that you eat either at the beginning of a seating (like maybe 11am for lunch) or the end. The number is 1-407-939-7707.

 

[GEM]

We have a group of 12 going in June and we made all our reservations with the regular dining number. We didn't have to go through group reservations. A few times the CM said something like, "I think I'll have to connect you to group reservations, let me check." And then, they would come back in a second and say, "Nope. I can take care of 12 right here, actually." So, I think the number where you have to use group reservations must be higher. Maybe 13?

Anyway, with the 12 of us, we managed to get lots of popular places on the exact days and times we wanted. For a few places, we did have to be split into two tables. No big deal to us.

As the other poster said, though, if you do have to use the group number for a party of 13, it works pretty much the same way the regular number works.

 

[KIRSTIN'S MOMMY]

That's weird, we have a party of 9 going in Oct. and had to use group dining. Maybe because we're booked as a Magical Gathering. GEM, was your group listed as a gathering?

 

[GEM]

Yep. We have a Magical Gathering number and everything, but we still had no problems just using the regular dining number - and I made LOTS of priority seatings - inlcluding Cinderella's, Chef Mickey's, Boma, Ohana, and lots of other really popular places. And, this wasn't just one CM, either. I made probably 25 phone calls making and changing our seatings, and I never once had to be transferred to the group number. Although, several CMs did think they would have to transfer me, as I mentioned before.

 

[KIRSTIN'S MOMMY]

Wow, then I don't get it? I wonder why we're being transferred? I had a group of 16 before, so of course that went through group dining, and when I was making those I was told 10 or more had to book through the group #. Guess it's like everything else when calling them, depends on who you're talking to, huh?

 

[GEM]

Guess it's like everything else when calling them, depends on who you're talking to, huh?

Probably.

 

[srfrgrl07]

Wow, then I don't get it? I wonder why we're being transferred? I had a group of 16 before, so of course that went through group dining, and when I was making those I was told 10 or more had to book through the group #. Guess it's like everything else when calling them, depends on who you're talking to, huh?

It actually depends on what restaurant you are booking. Most of the restaurants are booked through group dining for parties of 13 and more...group dining has certain table combinations they are allowed to book for larger parties and also usually recommend that you dine in the first 20 minutes or last 20 minutes of a meal (breakfast, lunch, dinner times) in order to increase the odds of tables near each other when multiple tables are booked.

Hoop Dee Doo Review and Spirit of Aloha require group dining for parties of 8 or more. Maybe Cinderella's Royal Table and Bistro de Paris as well. I'm not 100% positive on those, but I can tell you it depends on the location you are booking...not whether or not you're a Grand Gathering or based on who you talk to.

 

[GEM]

We booked Cinderella's for lunch for 12 people through the regular dining number, so that must not be one of them.

Thanks for clearing that up, though. That does make sense. I guess all the (many) places we booked were able to book up to 12 through the regular line.