HUH?!? - Spoodles - No Grand Gatherings - Make reservation with manager

[KelNottAt]

We have a party of 22 going to Spoodles for Thanksgiving dinner. We have a Grand Gathering number.

When SIL called WDW-DINE to make our reservation, she says she was told that the central ADR office couldn't handle a party that size for Spoodles. SIL got instructions to call Spoodles directly and make reservations with the manager.

Is this correct? Sounds completely unDisney in that it disregards Grand Gathering and bypasses the ADR process. Especially for Thanksgiving dinner. Don't they love to track and study stuff like this?

Does anyone have experience with large parties at Spoodles?

Should I call the central ADR office and try the GG reservation myself?

Or, since I'm the DVC member providing the vacation for all of us, should I work through DVC member services to make a "secret backup" ADR just in case?

Thanks.
Kelley

 

[Sherrkel]

Sorry no experience with Spoodles directly; but have booked ADRs for 21 in our GG. We actually called the group dining number for our ADRs - did you try that?
Allears.net excerpt:
"We have a large group. How do we make a Advance Reservation to keep our group together?

If you have a large group (usually more than 12, but some restaurants have their own group rules), you will need to book through Group Dining:

1) Call 407-939-7707 for Group Dining.
2) Let the coordinator know your requests.
3) The coordinator can make the ressies and, based upon the time-date-restaurant, usually you can be accommodated at one table.
4) It should also be mentioned a gratuity is automatically applied for a large group.

NOTE: MOST dining reservations can be made for groups up to 12, although dinner shows consider a "group" to be 8 or more. A few other restaurants have their own rules about groups -- if you call the general number WDW-DINE, the Cast Member will forward your call to Group Dining if necessary."

I'm not sure if this still works. Now you see the exception "Some have their own group rules" which perhaps applies to Spoodles here. Good luck!

 

[Mo-Yo]

Can you make large group ressies before the 180 day window?

 

[KelNottAt]

Can you make large group ressies before the 180 day window?

Not that I'm aware of. But, the 180 day mark for Thanksgiving was May 31.

 

[bicker]

Disney means a lot of different things to a lot of different people. Spoodles, California Grill, and Flying Fish, specifically, serve more convention guests than most of the other Disney restaurants, and so it would make sense if they have adopted their own group reservations handling system, since their groups are so much more often completely different than the typical family "Grand Gathering" (again, as compared to most of the rest of the Disney restaurants).

 

[msmayor]

I forget the size party "limit" that Disney Dining deals with, but any large party needs to go through Group Dining. I recently made reservations for my parents' Anniversary dinner for our group of 15.

You also need to be aware that at many of the restaurants, if you want to sit together, you will be required to eat very early (when the restaurant first opens) or very late (closer to closing time) Otherwise, they cannot seat you together.

There are also limitations in many of the restaurants as to whether or not you can actually be seated at one table. Many of the restaurants cannot groups larger than 6-8 at one table. Group Dining can tell you which locations WILL seat you at one table, if that is important to you.

 

[mbanks21]

Large parties go to group dining but some restaurants want the guest to call them directly. Its for the guests benefit to get better seating arrangements than a dining CM can do.