Is Mobile Ordering still being pushed and Large Party advice

[KCMA]

There in April and many cast members out front insisted we use Mobile order… we just said no thank you we are using cash and walked right in… they tried to BS the wait times for food and as soon as we went in you could tell they were way off and lines were not bad

 

[iteachlit]

There in April and many cast members out front insisted we use Mobile order… we just said no thank you we are using cash and walked right in… they tried to BS the wait times for food and as soon as we went in you could tell they were way off and lines were not bad

I had the same experience in April. Satu'li CMs said that the wait would be one hour. It was 25 minutes.

Disney is not going out of its way to open more registers. The push to mobile is real.

However, the whole "you can't walk up and order" narrative is incorrect.

 

[KCMA]

I had the same experience in April. Satu'li CMs said that the wait would be one hour. It was 25 minutes.

Disney is not going out of its way to open more registers. The push to mobile is real.

However, the whole "you can't walk up and order" narrative is incorrect.

We laughed when we walked in Satu’li.. was maybe 30 mins before close and the cast member outside said It would be 20-25 min wait… we literally walked right up to an empty cash ordered and had our food all within 10 mins … similar experience at Pinocchios at MK

 

[Akck]

On Sunday, Pecos Bill had at least a quarter of the tables taken by guests waiting for their food. We spent 5 minutes looking for an open table and there was a long line ordering at the counter. Every place we ate at had long lines ordering at the counter. We mobile ordered as it was quicker, easier to see the menu and you can order and say I’m here before you get to the restaurant. At Backlot Express, we had walked in, saw the lines, mobile ordered and had our food before those at the back of the line had even ordered.

 

[AdamsMum]

I think most of the patrolling

I wasn't referring to cms patrolling tables. There were CMs standing at the entrance to the large seating areas, at least downstairs, directing people to get their food first then they would be able to get a table. This was happening for at least 2 of my trips so for more than one year.

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

I wasn't referring to cms patrolling tables. There were CMs standing at the entrance to the large seating areas, at least downstairs, directing people to get their food first then they would be able to get a table. This was happening for at least 2 of my trips so for more than one year.

That's what I was referring to when I said patrolling. You were supposed to have food before you sat down instead of sitting down and then getting up to get food (or not get food at all). Pecos Bill however in 2017 they weren't doing any stopping but we were there during Irma so there was next to nil guests in the parks anyhow. On our most recent trip a few weeks back when we walked in there there was no CM in sight inside or outside at Pecos Bill. Satu'li and Docking Bay 7 it was only the entrance to the actual place they stopping people and it was not that they needed to have food it was that they needed to do the mobile ordering itself.

It was just my viewpoint their goal seems to have shifted from pre-pandemic attempt to restrict access to tables before you have food to just having mobile ordering being the main thing. I think they accomplish some of the same end result where there's less looking for tables only to find people sitting there because mobile ordering, in large part that is, reduces the amount of people milling about. But crowds also mean selectively being more strict so people no matter what will have different experiences (which was the case before too).

IME people were def. sitting down before ordering (or someone found a table the other person got their order so you know they had just gotten the push notification their order was ready) or while waiting for their order for outdoors but that also was not causing anyone to be left without tables. We did mobile ordering at Lunching Pad, Pecos Bill, Satu'li (twice) and Captain Cooks (at Poly) (ETA: forgot Docking Bay 7 twice) between May 8th and May 12th and the only thing CMs were doing was "do you have a mobile order" and "is your mobile order ready" and that was just to get inside and specifically at Pecos Bill there was no one at all (for indoor or outdoor). We ate indoors once at Docking Bay 7 but the rest of the meals were eaten outside (in part because the weather was at least decently nice being in the 80s and because of covid).

 

[BroadwayHermione5]

I was there last week. Satu'li Canteen and ABC Commissary were 100% mobile order only. They refused to let us into the restaurant unless our order was ready. They wouldn't even let us in when our order was still being prepared. Peco Bill's also had people standing at the front entrance only letting people in that had a mobile order but if you enter from the exit there is no one checking (unsure if you can order from inside though as I did do mobile order). Connections Cafe did allow people to order inside but the line was ridiculously long so I did mobile order and got my food very quickly.

Wow! ABC commissary was not mobile ordering only when I went in September. It might change with the crowds the only thing 100% mobile ordering was Columbia Harbor House

Also we are a family that saves cash. BUT we charge to the magic bands/room and keep all receipts and then use said cash to pay for what’s on the bands. We do have our cards with us incase something happens.

Also for what it’s worth: at ABC commissary we expressed allergy/dietary restrictions and the CM allowed us to order at a specific line for non mobile ordering. It does not hurt to ask.

 

[Smugpugmug]

Wow! ABC commissary was not mobile ordering only when I went in September. It might change with the crowds the only thing 100% mobile ordering was Columbia Harbor House

Also we are a family that saves cash. BUT we charge to the magic bands/room and keep all receipts and then use said cash to pay for what’s on the bands. We do have our cards with us incase something happens.

Also for what it’s worth: at ABC commissary we expressed allergy/dietary restrictions and the CM allowed us to order at a specific line for non mobile ordering. It does not hurt to ask.

So I was wrong in my initial post in that it's not 100% mobile order only as pointed out by others here. I didn't mean to give anyone wrong information in that regard, that is just what I observed when picking up a mobile order there. I saw people being turned away without a mobile order and the CMs were very insistent that people were not allowed to order inside. I'm sure that if you explain your situation, you'll be allowed inside but I think you'll have to be pushy about it. They weren't budging to people politely asking.

Personally I found mobile order to be super easy and better than waiting in line but I understand not all people feel the same way. I felt bad for the people being turned away. They should absolutely be allowed to order inside, though I did like that you no longer have to fight for tables at the places where they won't let you inside until your food is actually ready like Satu'li.

 

[BroadwayHermione5]

So I was wrong in my initial post in that it's not 100% mobile order only as pointed out by others here. I didn't mean to give anyone wrong information in that regard, that is just what I observed when picking up a mobile order there. I saw people being turned away without a mobile order and the CMs were very insistent that people were not allowed to order inside. I'm sure that if you explain your situation, you'll be allowed inside but I think you'll have to be pushy about it. They weren't budging to people politely asking.

Personally I found mobile order to be super easy and better than waiting in line but I understand not all people feel the same way. I felt bad for the people being turned away. They should absolutely be allowed to order inside, though I did like that you no longer have to fight for tables at the places where they won't let you inside until your food is actually ready like Satu'li.

Absolutely. It’s always a catch 22 with mobile ordering anywhere (even the Dunkin my family and I frequent the most has their days. No one’s perfect). For us CHH was a miss in terms of mobile ordering.

I think it might depend on the popularity or the day.

 

[LPnerd]

Hello, we just went to Disney in February and are going back in July with family, party of 8. When we went in Feb, Mobile ordering was being pushed to a point where some quick services such as Satuli Canteen was only letting you do Mobile Order.

Has anyone went recently and is Mobile Ordering still being pushed?
Why I ask, i dont want to do mobile ordering for 8 I kept messing up our mobile orders in Feb for 3 people, kept forgetting drinks for some reason, so cant imagine doing orders for 8 people and getting things right. Plus worrying about getting paid back.

So i was talking over with the group, and i suggested a couple people get the My Disney Experience app and get an account and put in a credit card to do mobile ordering. I think that would work our best.

Well my sister in law doesnt have a credit card, she only has a debit card and prefers to use cash. So now i have to find out if Debit card is an option for Mobile ordering, but i get the feeling she doesnt want to use that and prefers cash.
But Cash only works if Disney has lightened up on Mobile ordering and lets people in the old way at registers.

Now when we were there in Feb i did notice there was usually atleast one register, I guess its just a question of convincing the cast member you want to use cash to let you in. But they were really pushing people to use mobile in Feb.

I guess hard ones like Satuli and Woodys Lunch Box i can always put my sister in law on mine and hopefully the rest she can use cash.

Didn't go to the parks, but it was at The Poly. No room service there yet either. and we had a time using mobile due to poor WIFI in room.

 

[iteachlit]

Absolutely. It’s always a catch 22 with mobile ordering anywhere (even the Dunkin my family and I frequent the most has their days. No one’s perfect). For us CHH was a miss in terms of mobile ordering.

I think it might depend on the popularity or the day.

Groups traveling together (sports teams, cheer, bands, etc.) often receive paper meal vouchers that are accepted at certain locations. At those locations, a walk-up register has to be available. The CMs punch in a redemption code after the order is placed. The vouchers cannot be used for mobile orders.

During my visit in late April, I used the vouchers. The participating locations I visited were:

DHS: Backlot Express, Rosie's
DAK: Flame Tree, Satu'li
MK: Pecos Bill, Cosmic Ray's
DS: Earl of Sandwich (always a long line)
EC: Yorkshire County Fish

We had a large group, 250 students and chaperones. Flame Tree was a popular choice when we arrived at DAK. A manager saw us in our matching shirts. To his credit, he came up with a way to slightly expedite ordering. He had a CM walk through the line, writing our orders on Post-It Notes. We stuck the Post-Its to the voucher, then handed the CM at the register the voucher with attached order.

As I mentioned in a previous post, every single spot I visited had in-person ordering as an option, although it was usually a single register. The longest wait was at Backlot Express. The shortest was Yorkshire County.

 

[DisBuckMan]

We've been here at WDW since Sunday. I haven't been anywhere that was requiring mobile order. All had at least one order station in operation. Most were backed up pretty good.

 

[BroadwayHermione5]

Groups traveling together (sports teams, cheer, bands, etc.) often receive paper meal vouchers that are accepted at certain locations. At those locations, a walk-up register has to be available. The CMs punch in a redemption code after the order is placed. The vouchers cannot be used for mobile orders.

During my visit in late April, I used the vouchers. The participating locations I visited were:

DHS: Backlot Express, Rosie's
DAK: Flame Tree, Satu'li
MK: Pecos Bill, Cosmic Ray's
DS: Earl of Sandwich (always a long line)
EC: Yorkshire County Fish

We had a large group, 250 students and chaperones. Flame Tree was a popular choice when we arrived at DAK. A manager saw us in our matching shirts. To his credit, he came up with a way to slightly expedite ordering. He had a CM walk through the line, writing our orders on Post-It Notes. We stuck the Post-Its to the voucher, then handed the CM at the register the voucher with attached order.

As I mentioned in a previous post, every single spot I visited had in-person ordering as an option, although it was usually a single register. The longest wait was at Backlot Express. The shortest was Yorkshire County.

Nice to see they still have group things. We had the infamous card with some money on it back when I went with my HS band

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

Personally I found mobile order to be super easy

We did too but one thing they didn't have back in 2017 was allowing gift cards to be used. Mobile ordering was much newer then so we used some gift cards on other meals non-mobile ordering and used others for souvenirs.

We went with a ton of gift cards this recent trip with the intention of using it mostly for food so it was really nice that before they officially reopened in 2020 they added the ability to pay with a gift card. Otherwise our usage of mobile ordering would have been down and we might have run into more issues that others had. IMO if there's to be a bigger focus on mobile ordering you've got to make it as consumer friendly as possible and gift cards are quite common. I'm actually quite surprised it took them several years to add the option to begin with!

 

[Smugpugmug]

We did too but one thing they didn't have back in 2017 was allowing gift cards to be used. Mobile ordering was much newer then so we used some gift cards on other meals non-mobile ordering and used others for souvenirs.

We went with a ton of gift cards this recent trip with the intention of using it mostly for food so it was really nice that before they officially reopened in 2020 they added the ability to pay with a gift card. Otherwise our usage of mobile ordering would have been down and we might have run into more issues that others had. IMO if there's to be a bigger focus on mobile ordering you've got to make it as consumer friendly as possible and gift cards are quite common. I'm actually quite surprised it took them several years to add the option to begin with!

Interesting. Before the pandemic I don't remember ever using mobile order and I don't remember that even being an option. I don't think I'll ever go to a quick service that doesn't have mobile ordering ever again if I'm being honest. The ones that allowed both had massive lines at the register (Connections and Backlot Express are the two that come to mind) and when I mobile ordered I got my food before people in line even had the chance to order. I agree that they should make the whole process more consumer friendly if they are going to push it so heavily but I also think they shouldn't be against people wanting to order at the counter.

IMO the place I found mobile order to be pushed the most was at Universal. My friend and I had lunch at a place in Jurassic Park and they were even more rude to people not wanting to do mobile order. The app wouldn't let me confirm my order and the employees absolutely wouldn't let me order inside despite having technical issues. My friend ended up having to buy me lunch since her app decided to work. With issues like that I can definitely see why people are hesitant to use mobile order, especially with larger groups.

 

[mistysue]

<snip>

However, the whole "you can't walk up and order" narrative is incorrect.

We were absolutely denied to walk up and order last year at Pecos Bills. Even with food allergies, NOBODY was being allowed in at all without their mobile order placed. I am happy that has changed for most going there but pretending it is incorrect that it ever happens is not correct either.

Didn't go to the parks, but it was at The Poly. No room service there yet either. and we had a time using mobile due to poor WIFI in room.

Poly has been pushing it hard. I'll repeat they made us wait 45 minutes to just ORDER one morning, plus the wait for the food. In much of 2021 they weren't staffing the register at all, someone had to leave their post to help you, last week they at least had one person positioned at a register for most open hours.

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

Before the pandemic I don't remember ever using mobile order and I don't remember that even being an option.

Yup, it was introduced in 2017, our trip was in September of that year and the locations were a lot less back then, over time they've expanded to many locations. Back then you didn't have a window to choose from. Instead what you did is select "I'm Here" when you got really close to the place. It worked well enough back then although signage and where mobile order pick up locations were were not completely well thought out yet. There was an exception to Aloha Isle where we ordered while on the railroad and then got an alert our order was ready..all without us having pushed "I'm Here" so when we got there they just remade us our dole whips. But Aloha Isle has been recently removed from mobile ordering and from what I understand it was just always a mess.

I agree that they should make the whole process more consumer friendly if they are going to push it so heavily but I also think they shouldn't be against people wanting to order at the counter.

For sure, there's a balance there in directing the customer on it and allowing concessions

IMO the place I found mobile order to be pushed the most was at Universal.

Was it Thunder Falls Terrace? We didn't encounter rude employees there BUT they def. seemed to prefer mobile ordering. That actually brings up another point my husband and I couldn't believe how many people were paying either for parking at the parks (WDW) or at food places (mostly Universal but some WDW) with cash. It def. slowed the process. It was like molasses at Thunder Falls Terrace and we were kicking ourselves from having not done mobile ordering. At that place they sat you at a particular spot (we politely requested over by the windows). And when I mention slow it wasn't soooo much the employees but rather the people. I'm not sure if it was just complicated orders or not knowing what they wanted but they had menus to give to people to look over while waiting in line and 2 out of the 3 people in front of us were paying cash...and they were slow. I assume people mentioning on here with paying cash are probably quick enough at least I hope lol.

 

[LPnerd]

mobile ordering means the can have fewer people working. I could do a rant on this while digital take over with everything Disney, but I will only say anything you can print a hard copy of, do it, fold it up and keep it with you. anything from your confirmation number, to your DVC member ID ( too cheap to send us plastic cards? c'mon Disney.)

 

[heathere3]

It was very awkward. That was on the same trip when we found out that at Captain Cooks at the Polynesian, they weren't even keeping someone on staff to run the register at all. They expected 100% mobile order and if you had an allergy you had to wait until somebody wasn't busy doing one of the other roles. It took us 45 minutes to start ordering breakfast one morning. Yes, I wrote a letter to the hotel explaining how crazy it was, and they had exactly one cashier this year, Even during the super busy meal times when they used to have two or three.

This is what I'm afraid of. I have food allergies, and they're not on the usual list. I appreciate the heads up about the Poly because I was considering swapping our reservation to there because of how much my husband loves hitting Captain Cooks for breakfast.

 

[mistysue]

This is what I'm afraid of. I have food allergies, and they're not on the usual list. I appreciate the heads up about the Poly because I was considering swapping our reservation to there because of how much my husband loves hitting Captain Cooks for breakfast.

We did better there last week then it was last year, But for the record the place we went last year that was amazing was the Riviera resort. They offered us the sort of service during the pandemic that the Polynesian had before the pandemic. I'm hoping the Poly really snaps back soon. The staff was still great but whoever is in charge seems to be choosing to make it more difficult.