Horrible Experience - Warning

[Tyler'sDisneyMom]

Hello All,
My 4 year old and I took our third trip to Disney together on Dec 11 through the 18th. Although I have been to Disney may times before, this was our 3rd trip together. This was our first year not using the dining plan and paid out of pocket for a few of our choice disney dining experiences - OHANA and Chef Mickey. They were both disasters. The food was good, but the service was horrendous.
At Chef Mickey, my son had to use the restroom toward the end of our meal. I took him downstairs to the restrooms. As an independant 4 year old, he insisted on doing everything himself. Of course this meant a 15 minute wait for him. When we went back upstairs, our table was cleared and there were new place settings at our table. I got dessert and sat down with my son. The waittress came over and said, "I thought you just walked out on the check!!!!!" IN FRONT OF OTHER CUSTOMERS IN EAR SHOT!!!! The manager came over and said. "We thought you left - we pulled all your information from previous visits and from your reservations and already BILLED YOUR ROOM!!!!" I was disgraced, humiliated, and sad to be treated this way. I JUST TOOK MY SON TO THE BATHROOM!!!!!! I pulled out a credit card and told them to please bill me and that I do not walk out on my bills. They billed me and reversed the charges on my room. When I got my room bill at check out it showed my Chef Mickey bill with a note "WALK-OUT" and a few lines below there was a reverse on it.
I may have been dressed casual in a Disney t-shirt, I may be a divorced single mom, but I am an attorney and an upstanding member of my community and DID NOT DESERVE TO BE TREATED LIKE TRASH.

CHEF MICKEY SHOULD BE ASHAMED OF THEMSELVES!!!

My experience at OHANA wasn't nearly as bad. I had very late reservations - 9:45. The food was excellent, but my waiter went home before serving dessert. Just left for the night. Didn't say goodbye, didn't clear our table, didn't bring dessert, didn't tell another waiter to take care of us. I sat there until I found a waiter to look for our waiter. He was shocked to tell us he had left for the night - then he cleared us and brought dessert. The manager was wonderful and told us that this should not have happened and picked up our bill. Thanks OHANA for making a mistake a good experience. We will always keep you on our dining to do list when we visit the world.

 

[momtoBrandon&Jacob]

Wow, that's a shame and it was wrong for them to say that to you in front of the other customers. What I usually do if I have to leave the table with my kids is usually tell at least someone because I guess it can look like you walked out when in fact you hadn't. We will be eating at both places on our next trip and really looking forward to it.

 

[DebbieB]

Did you let the waitress know you would be back? Otherwise, how were they supposed to know?

 

[beroh2253]

Being gone 15 minuite and not telling anybody you would be back? Comon! I would have thought you walked out. No matter how upstanding you look.

 

[momtoBrandon&Jacob]

Being gone 15 minuite and not telling anybody you would be back? Comon! I would have thought you walked out. No matter how upstanding you look.

 

[Blueyed Girl]

Sorry about your experience. It's good that they made it right at Ohana's.

I'm thinking that they could and should check the restroom to make sure someone is not in there before they decide you are a "walk out". When I waited tables a long time ago, this is what we had to do. I don't see why Disney should be any different.

 

[Boardwalk Tigger]

They were ridiculous to act this way. They know that the bathrooms are downstairs and even without a little one in tow it can take a while if there is a line. Beside people are walking about getting their food and that can take time too. I would have left her a 0 tip.I wonder if they get walkouts very often?

 

[Allison]

Honestly, if someone was gone that long, I would think the same thing, unless of course you let them know you were leaving the table for awhile.

 

[PatsGirl]

I waitressed for what seems a thousand years and if one of my tables were empty for 15 minutes, yep, I'd assume you'd walked. All you had to do was let the waitress or host person know that you'd be back or leave something at the table even like a sweatshirt or... anyways, sorry this happened to you. I know as a single parent that I often had to make bathroom trips with the kids but always let someone know "where" I was.

 

[momtoBrandon&Jacob]

Sorry about your experience. It's good that they made it right at Ohana's.

I'm thinking that they could and should check the restroom to make sure someone is not in there before they decide you are a "walk out". When I waited tables a long time ago, this is what we had to do. I don't see why Disney should be any different.

So you think that each time a server sees his/her table is empty they should stop what they're dpoig and immediately run to the bathroom, knock on the stalls, look under the doors just to see if their customer is in there. Yeah, I can just imagine stepping out of the toilet and seeing my server standing in front of me arms crossed, chiding me for leaving my table. I'm sure that would go over really well!

 

[rcraw45425]

When did the bathrooms move? We've always used the set by the elevator to the monorail station. It's directly across from the escalator.

 

[bdcp]

The problem is plenty of "upstanding" appearing people do walk on checks and the staff at Ohana doesn't know you so although they shouldnt' have said what they said loudly, they had every right to think you had "walked". I used to wait tables too years ago and I would have assumed the same thing. Always let your server know that you are leaving the table temporarily. It's not their job to assume you're in the bathroom. I think you took a business reaction personally. They cannot tell by looking at anyone that they are honest, upstanding people. And just saying it to them doesn't make it so.

 

[LVSWL]

Well, I was thinking that maybe there are a lot of kids that might not be able to sit and wait for you to "find" you waitress and let them know that you are just going to the bathroom. Usually when they have to go they have to go! So..what should you do then? Make your child wait, or assume that some waitress has a stopwatch and is clocking you as you leave your table and will clear your food if you are gone in "X" amount of time. What is the exact amount of time that you can be gone anyway without risking this problem. It must be really tough on single parents! Sorry for your problem OP. Sometimes I travel with just my DS if my DH and other DS can't go and I would be ticked if this happened to me. Hope you enjoyed the rest of your trip!

 

[TheRustyScupper]

1) If the table was empty for 15-minutes, the perception is a Walk-Out.
2) As a lawyer, you know that perception is reality.
3) Maybe an advance comment to the waitress would have prevented the problem.

 

[honeymom]

Don't take it too personally - they probably have plenty of experience with walkouts.

 

[suzannews]

Sorry but I would have thought you walked out also unless I knew you were going to the bathroom and would be back. Unfortunately, I don't have time to check the bathroom to see if the guest is there.

 

[elastigirl]

I agree with the PPs. Leaving the table empty, towards the end of a meal, and being gone for 15 minutes, I would assume walkout as well. How long would you expect them to keep a table open, completely empty, at a place that turns so quickly? 20 minutes? 30 minutes? Until they do a sweep of the premises?

A word to your server, or even the host(ess) at the podium would have been the way to go.

 

[crisi]

I would have assumed you walked as well. They possibly could have used more discretion in saying "oh, we are so sorry, we thought you had left and forgotten the bill - we billed your room!" But the reality is that a table without occupants for 15 minutes does not generally mean a bathroom visit.

And I'm not sure what being an attorney has to do with a darn thing.

 

[Schmeck]

A word to your server, or even the host(ess) at the podium would have been the way to go.

That's the best advice on this thread - I wouldn't have thought of the hostess, I would have tried to find the nearest server. Thanks for posting that!

 

[NEVERENOUGHWDW]

Sorry, I have to agree.

Gone from the table that long and told nobody you would be back?

Sorry for the bad experience but based on how quickly they turn over tables & you not telling a CM is was bound to happen.