Hoop dee doo unfair for solo diners?

[LIPeter]

Last year I went to the hoop dee doo review, and was seated in catagory 3. I could see the show fine, but I had to keep turning around to eat, and watch the show which was kind of annoying. I decided if I ever went back, I would try to get catagory 1, or catagory 2. I'm going back to Disney in May, and even though I'm way past my 180 adr, I figured I would try to book a dinner there and get a better seat. I went online, but unfortunately, for every night I'm gonna be there, only catagory 3 was available.
Now, here's the thing, just to test a theory, I put in for 2 people instead of 1, and surprise, all 3 categories were now available. I don't know why going solo would be an issue for them, especially since they get a lot of solo travelers. It just makes me think about Disney greed. Why give a table for 1 when they can get money for 2? It does annoy me, but it's not that big of a deal. Has this happened to anyone else?

 

[disneyAndi14]

Make your ADR for 2 then just modify it, you will get your time and category.

 

[Disneypeach]

Last year I went to the hoop dee doo review, and was seated in catagory 3. I could see the show fine, but I had to keep turning around to eat, and watch the show which was kind of annoying. I decided if I ever went back, I would try to get catagory 1, or catagory 2. I'm going back to Disney in May, and even though I'm way past my 180 adr, I figured I would try to book a dinner there and get a better seat. I went online, but unfortunately, for every night I'm gonna be there, only catagory 3 was available.
Now, here's the thing, just to test a theory, I put in for 2 people instead of 1, and surprise, all 3 categories were now available. I don't know why going solo would be an issue for them, especially since they get a lot of solo travelers. It just makes me think about Disney greed. Why give a table for 1 when they can get money for 2? It does annoy me, but it's not that big of a deal. Has this happened to anyone else?

Yup, this happens to me with regular Disney ADRs and I have also learned to just enter 2, get my time/seating, then go back in later and change. Altho, with HDDR there is a bigger hit to your credit card until you get the second "person" off the reservation.

 

[Lesverts]

Places I've noticed this issue at:

Tusker House
Cinderella's Royal Table
Trattoria al Forno breakfast
Akershus
Chef Mickey's
Crystal Palace
The Boathouse
Be Our Guest

I am just use to entering two.

 

[LIPeter]

Ok, I'll try that. Thanks guys.

 

[Dug720]

Places I've noticed this issue at:

Tusker House
Cinderella's Royal Table
Trattoria al Forno breakfast
Akershus
Chef Mickey's
Crystal Palace
The Boathouse
Be Our Guest

I am just use to entering two.

'Ohana is well-known for always showing no availability for 1. Because of that I always enter 2 - it's not like it really changes anything seating-wise. 1 person is almost always going to be seated at a table that seats 2. (Beaches and Cream is the only real exception I can think of since they have the counter seating and that's where I've always been put as a solo.)

So yeah. All my ADRs for my August trip are for 2. I'm not doing any pay-in-advance meals, so I don't have to deal with trying to get a refund for my "hitchhiking ghost". (And at least a couple of them there IS someone joining me, so no biggie there.)

(I've heard that 'Ohana doesn't play nice with ANY odd number, not just 1.)

 

[Euby]

Hmmm... I may go back and review my ADRs with 2 instead of 1 for my upcoming solo trip and see if I can move some things around.

 

[Eastern]

(I've heard that 'Ohana doesn't play nice with ANY odd number, not just 1.)

This is somewhat true in my experience... I tried booking for 5 and got 'bad' times. Then I tried booking for 6 and got exactly the times I wanted.

 

[Paula Sedley-Burke]

Yes same for us booked 3 at BOG no 2's? It's most strange.

 

[focusondisney]

Kind of funny. About a week ago there was a thread complaining that the poster couldn't get ADRs for 2 but could for 3 or 4.

 

[disneyvoice]

It happens when the system is set up to recognize a table for 2 as the option for a party of 2. It won't sit a party of 2 at a table for 4 because then 2 seats are unoccupied. But a party of 3 HAS to sit at a table for 4 so it will accept that. A CM explained this to us when it was showing up as unavailable for a party of 2 online but when we got to the restaurant and asked if they had room they immediately seated us at a table for 4. At the last minute they would rather have two empty seats as opposed to 4. It seems that not all restaurants do this, or maybe there are a certain amount of tables for 4 that will be released for parties of two as it gets closer to the ADR date.

It does seem though that the OP should have any easier time at HDDR since there are probably unoccupied seats already from odd numbered parties at several spots since you are likely to be sitting with another party anyway.

 

[CuteAsMinnie]

We are not flying solo, but... When we made our ADR for a party of 2, sometimes initially requesting a table of 3 got us closer to the time we wanted, or even a table at all. then we went and modified our party from 3 to 2. It didn't not bother me. No big deal.

 

[LIPeter]

So I think I figured it out. Seems that any child under 10 is free. So, if I book for 1 adult, and 1 child, I should be able to get my category 2 seat, and only get charged for 1 person.

 

[Simba's Mom]

Make your ADR for 2 then just modify it, you will get your time and category.

When I'm solo, I always make all my ADRs for two. I figure I might meet someone I want to invite to join me for a meal, or maybe DH will surprise me and show up. Neither has happened, so I'm always a solo showing up for dining reservations for two. I've never had a problem at a restaurant.

 

[Cinderella94]

When I'm solo, I always make all my ADRs for two. I figure I might meet someone I want to invite to join me for a meal, or maybe DH will surprise me and show up. Neither has happened, so I'm always a solo showing up for dining reservations for two. I've never had a problem at a restaurant.

It isn't a problem for normal reservations - as you know, you don't get penalized. But since HDDR is a dinner show, you pay the whole thing in advance - it isn't just a credit card hold in case you no-show. That's why the poster mentioned that OP will need to modify this (unless he wants to pay for a second person who is not coming). You may already know that but I couldn't tell from your post.

 

[Cinderella94]

So I think I figured it out. Seems that any child under 10 is free. So, if I book for 1 adult, and 1 child, I should be able to get my category 2 seat, and only get charged for 1 person.

Where did you see this? This is not correct.

https://disneyworld.disney.go.com/d...wilderness-resort/hoop-dee-doo-musical-revue/

"Category 1 Category 2 Category 3
Ages 10 and older $72 $67 $64
Age 3 to 9 $43 $39 $38
Price includes tax and gratuity. Prices and show times are subject to change without notice. This show may be cancelled due to severe or inclement weather."

This doesn't copy and paste perfectly - the prices are in a table.

 

[TinkLoverSam]

You can book an infant for free though

 

[LIPeter]

Where did you see this? This is not correct.

https://disneyworld.disney.go.com/d...wilderness-resort/hoop-dee-doo-musical-revue/

"Category 1 Category 2 Category 3
Ages 10 and older $72 $67 $64
Age 3 to 9 $43 $39 $38
Price includes tax and gratuity. Prices and show times are subject to change without notice. This show may be cancelled due to severe or inclement weather."

This doesn't copy and paste perfectly - the prices are in a table.

Oops, sorry about that. I made a fake person, and put the age as 2 years old. When I reviewed it, it showed no charge for the 2 year old. I thought it was free for 10 and under, but it looks like it's free for 2 and under. My bad.

 

[Cinderella94]

Oops, sorry about that. I made a fake person, and put the age as 2 years old. When I reviewed it, it showed no charge for the 2 year old. I thought it was free for 10 and under, but it looks like it's free for 2 and under. My bad.

No need to apologize, I just didn't want you to get saddled with a charge that you weren't expecting for, say, a 5 year old

 

[LIPeter]

Should I bring a baby doll just in case? Lol.