I "hacked the system" and changed a reservation from 2 to 3 people.

[whiteness]

I had originally made a reservation for Whispering Pines Thanksgiving Dinner for 2 people. I later learned someone else wanted to join us, and tried to "modify" my reservation from 2 to 3 people. I was unable to do this either online or by phone.

But, I figured that, since most tables are actually for 4 people, there was space at "my" table for another person. But Disney's software was too stupid to let me use it.

So, I opened the "search for reservation" screen in one browser window, and "my plans" screen in another. I searched for the time of my reservation and, of course, it was unavailable. Then, I canceled my existing reservation for 2 people, and immediately searched for my reservation time for 3 people.

The time slot I just canceled for 2 people now popped up for 3 people, so I reserved it. I then had a reservation for 3 people at exactly the same date and time that I'd previously had for 2 people just minutes before. Result!

I'm glad I was able to figure out how to trick the system into letting me change my reservation from 2 to 3 people, but it's really stupid that I had to go through all of that trouble and stress. Obviously, just as I suspected, my reservation was always blocking 4 seats, even though it was nominally for only 2 people. If actual humans were involved in this process, instead of poorly designed and programmed software, this would have never been a problem.

 

[Welsh_Dragon]

There must have been a nervous few seconds there.

 

[mom2rtk]

That can work. But many restaurants do have tables for 2 (I've sat at them on many occasions) so try this at your own risk.

Additionally, a given restaurant might decide they are overbooked and decide not to let any cancellations hit the system again.

 

[whiteness]

That can work. But many restaurants do have tables for 2 (I've sat at them on many occasions) so try this at your own risk.

Additionally, a given restaurant might decide they are overbooked and decide not to let any cancellations hit the system again.

All reasons why Disney’s system should be able to add people to your table upon request if space is available.

in our case, our daughter wanted to join us for Thanksgiving dinner, so I was either going to get a confirmed reservation for her or we weren’t going, either. I’m sure whispering Pines is nice, but she’s nicer

 

[disney-inspired]

All reasons why Disney’s system should be able to add people to your table upon request if space is available.

in our case, our daughter wanted to join us for Thanksgiving dinner, so I was either going to get a confirmed reservation for her or we weren’t going, either. I’m sure whispering Pines is nice, but she’s nicer

I would have just brought her and squeezed haha

 

[FCDub]

You could've also searched for 4. There's no penalty for showing up with fewer.

 

[BJoy82]

This may be something most of you already know. (I'm new to both this forum and scheduling ADRs.) But I was surprised to find that when I selected the option to "edit my reservation", there were times slots available that hadn't been there when I logged into My Disney Experience and was booking them in the first place. This was within a few minutes of having booked the initial reservation! Most of them were for what I had intended to be an early lunch, but the only times available to me were, say, 10:30am or 1pm instead of my preferred window of around 11:30am. Out of curiosity, I nervously clicked on the "edit your reservation" button and saw the option of 11:30 for all of them! I know for a fact that it hadn't been an option in My Disney Experience just minutes prior, but I made the switch with no problem.

 

[tseitel]

Where is Whispering Pines? Is it Whispering Canyon? Or somewhere offsite?

 

[whiteness]

Where is Whispering Pines? Is it Whispering Canyon? Or somewhere offsite?

It's late, I don't remember the name. The place with the all you can eat skillets...