Group of 12...split into two tables or pick other restaurants?

[ellimeno]

Hi everybody, we have a grand gathering of 12 going in the last week of November, on DDP for 4 days. Our 4 TS restaurants are (1) Princess Storybook, breakfast (2) Kona, dinner (3) Chef Mickey, dinner (4) Whispering Canyon, dinner.

At Chef Mickey, we're all seated together. The others, we're split into two groups of six.

The Princess meal we will do no matter how we are seated. But I wanted to get your opinions on whether we should keep our resvs for Kona and Whispering Canyon, split into two groups of 6, or try for other restaurants. Those were our top two choices based on food/decor/service/location.

What's it like for a group of 12? What are the possibilities that our 2 tables of 6 would be nearby? Even with a resv for 12 do they still sometimes split you up?

The reservation agent noted we could all sit together at GF cafe, Yacht Club, Shutters, or Boma (not that she searched for many, she just looked up a few). Would you give up Kona or Whispering Canyon for those?

Thanks in advance!!

 

[cinjoe22]

I just made ressies for a party of 10 in November as well and also had trouble getting our group together. I would go with the places you most want. I know from traveling in a large group before it was actually nice being split up every now and then so you could have smaller conversations with people. I was able to get us together for 5 out of 7 nights and will just enjoy the aspect of seperate tables the other nights. Don't count on your tables being next to each other. It would be luck if that happens.

 

[travelgirl06]

We have a group of 8 and we elected to split up every night, since we're just a group of friends it will be nice to have "rotating" dinner companions, and to get to have more personal conversations with everyone.

Another (big) reason why we did this is that when I was making ADRs, I asked the CM if the wait times would be a lot longer for a table for 8, and while she didn't officially say anything, she seemed to hint that tables for 4 might be seated sooner.

Another advantage to splitting up is that you can go to different restaurants if you want to. On one night half our our party will be at Kona while others are at Ohana. This seems like a nice option to accomodate everyone's desires (although you seem to already have restaurants picked, so you may not need this option )

 

[wdwishes1990]

There were 13 of us last December and of all our dining experience we were only able to sit together at one table twice. Boma and 1900 Park Fare. HOWEVER the best experience we had as a large group even though we were at two tables was Whispering Canyon. I also would trade Kona in a heart beat for BOMA

 

[Cheshire Figment]

A lot depends on the time of your reservation. If it is within the first about 1/2 hour of the restaurant opening, or possibly within about a half hour of the restaurant closing it may be possible to seat you all together.

However, if it is the middle of peak dining the restaurant will not want to hold one (or more) table(s) open until they can put together a large table for you.

 

[Pumbaa_]

I have a group of 9 in September. We will be split a few meals, but I think that is ok, can talk easier in a small group and catch up with different members of the family this way. Ideal? No, but it is just for a short time, we are ok with it,

 

[jenn-]

I think it really depends on your group. We will be having a similar problem it appears (didn't realize it until this thread though), as there will be a few meals we will have a party of 10. My immediate family is a us and 4 kids, so we have to be seated together, the other 4 people are 2 adults and 2 kids, so they have to be together. If it was all adults mixing and matching dinner companions wouldn't be a big deal and you can compare waiters when you are done.

 

[MOM POPPINS]

We went as a group of 9 in March. I was told 2 tables for all my ADR's but we were able to sit together at every place. I did make our ADR's for around 5 to 6 o'clock. We ate at Prime Time Cafe, Le Cellier, Chef Mickey's, Coral Reef ( although we were in a big booth that had 2 tables), Marrakesh.

On a normal basis we are a group of 7. Me and Dh and 5 kiddos and although at times we are told 2 tables, when we arrive we are seated at 1 table.

 

[Inkmahm]

Hi everybody, we have a grand gathering of 12 going in the last week of November, on DDP for 4 days. Our 4 TS restaurants are (1) Princess Storybook, breakfast (2) Kona, dinner (3) Chef Mickey, dinner (4) Whispering Canyon, dinner.

At Chef Mickey, we're all seated together. The others, we're split into two groups of six.

The Princess meal we will do no matter how we are seated. But I wanted to get your opinions on whether we should keep our resvs for Kona and Whispering Canyon, split into two groups of 6, or try for other restaurants. Those were our top two choices based on food/decor/service/location.

What's it like for a group of 12? What are the possibilities that our 2 tables of 6 would be nearby? Even with a resv for 12 do they still sometimes split you up?

The reservation agent noted we could all sit together at GF cafe, Yacht Club, Shutters, or Boma (not that she searched for many, she just looked up a few). Would you give up Kona or Whispering Canyon for those?

Thanks in advance!!

I have a group of 12 going in December. We are at the same table for Jikos and Cinderella's Royal table. We are separated into two tables at Liberty Tree and California Grill. Two tables shouldn't be bad.

 

[maelstrom]

There is room for 12 people to sit together at the Kona Cafe and I don't know why they would split you up. They have those long benches/booths on one side with chairs on the other, and they can just line all the tables up touching. There are plenty of "regular" tables as well, but the booth/chair setup would be really easy to accommodate 12 people.