Is This Solo Discrimination?

[Fantaluminishes]

So I've been making ADR's for my upcoming trip for weeks. I had an ADR for Narcoossee's for one night, and then decided to cancel it because my plans changed. So decided last week to add Narcoossee's again, only to find no dinner availability for a party of one during my entire 11-night stay.

I then did a dinner search for one night, with a party of two. Low and behold, all kinds of openings appeared for Narcoossee's and several other restaurants that were not available prior to this. I made reservation for a party of two, even though I'll be just one. It's written in UG that as long as one person shows up for the reservation, you won't be charged a no-show fee.

I had previously secured a dinner ADR for BOG for two people (by mistake). I called Disney and had the reservation changed to one person. After I discovered openings at Narcoossee's, I did some other searches and found availability at many other restaurants (Le Cellier, 'Ohana, Trail's End, etc.) that were unavailable for a party of one. Is Disney discriminating against solo travelers in order to save tables for larger parties? If this is the case, all of us people who go to WDW solo, need to complain. It's just wrong.

I'm not going to call Disney to change these reservations. But if I get any grief at the restaurants, I will ask for a manager and explain how unfair this practice is.

 

[Viva Las Disney]

Others have said this is one of MDE's glitches.

I'm going solo and also checked for both 1 and 2 because I would get different results for the dates I needed. I got lucky and was able to get everything I wanted at reasonable times without resorting to reserving a party of 2 but it was frustrating that often there were more or better times available for a party of 2 than for a table of 1 many days when I was looking.

I can understand that restaurants like Biergarten with picnic seating or restaurants with bar seating might only have one seat available but I'm guessing at the vast majority of restaurants the smallest table seats 2 so it should be available to singles.

 

[navywifetill2002]

It is like this for a lot of odd numbered parties. Last year I couldn't get seating for 5 but 6 was available. This year seating for 3 was hard to come by but I could book for 4.

 

[JamesA1]

I have had this happen also, but thought it might have to do with table size. When doing a search for two they would return a table for two or four. When doing the search for one it only returns tables for two. This would result in a small portion of the tables to reserve.

 

[winthropf]

The dining reservation system online has been like this for years. I now always make ADRs for 2 when I am going solo. When I check in, I just say that it will be just one today. Never a problem.

 

[MdmMim]

I have been able to make ADRs for one in the past few months, for Dec, Jan and Mar. Haven't had a problem at all. Maybe something's changed?

 

[abdgeek]

Narcossee's is a very popular restaurant so it is possible that there was no availability when you went to re-book it. I just ate there solo and didn't have a problem when I made my reservation 180 days out. While I was there, a couple walked up and was able to get a table at 6:15pm. When we chatted later on the monorail, they said they had gone online and it kept saying no availability so they figured they'd chance it an come in person to see if they could get in. You may want to do the same thing. Nothing's guaranteed, but you never know.

 

[Chuck S]

This glitch varies from restaurant to restaurant. You should be able to call Disney Dining to book a party of one. I understand you frustration, I've been traveling solo lately.

 

[FoxyGranny]

I don't have any personal experience with this issue at WDW, however a single patron can be seated adequately at a table for two. Perhaps a request for three or five would pose a different outcome.
This in my opinion is not handled in a gracious manor by WDW. Solo travel and dining is something I do often. I have made two solo trips to WDW resorts, I did not choose to procur dinner reservations, but opted for more casual options.
Solo is not taboo in my book, but rather relaxing and refreshing

Love Solo ❤

 

[princessdawn2011]

I'm certain it's not solo discrimination. Working in restaurants for 20 years-there aren't any tables for 1, so, it's probably a small oversight & glitch in the system. I would be concerned that if there weren't a table for my party of one, I would be placed on a barstool. Like in California grill. Because the bar is part of the restaurant and Disney has their own rules. Thàt said, I think 1 or 2 in a reservation is always fine in such a situation. Bon appetit!

 

[PoohLover78]

I just found this thread because (as a solo traveller) I have run into the same problem. I wanted to reserve Ohana and couldn't get even one reservation for 1 person, but 2 wasn't a problem. Are they gonna give me grieve if I reserve for 2 and then just show up alone? I'd really like to do Ohana in memory of my dad who passed recently as it was his favorite restaurant (we always stayed at the Poly). I don't want to run into any problems though by having to pay double if I reserve for two and show up alone.

 

[Chuck S]

I just found this thread because (as a solo traveller) I have run into the same problem. I wanted to reserve Ohana and couldn't get even one reservation for 1 person, but 2 wasn't a problem. Are they gonna give me grieve if I reserve for 2 and then just show up alone? I'd really like to do Ohana in memory of my dad who passed recently as it was his favorite restaurant (we always stayed at the Poly). I don't want to run into any problems though by having to pay double if I reserve for two and show up alone.

Have you tried calling and booking via Disney Dining or Member Services? If you try to book a table for two online, it will access your room booking and ask for the name of the second traveler. I would try calling rather than adding a 2nd name.

 

[gwynne]

Have you tried calling and booking via Disney Dining or Member Services? If you try to book a table for two online, it will access your room booking and ask for the name of the second traveler. I would try calling rather than adding a 2nd name.

There is no reason not to book online. it's easy to skip the step of adding a 2nd name online. When you get to the page that says "my dining party" just hit next. The OP's name will be listed first. Disney doesn't care if you don't fill in all the "my family" blanks.
Finish the reservation, and you're all set.

As an occasional solo traveler, I don't give it a second thought to either book for one or two. I understand that reservation availability seems to be skewed towards two, so I check both.

 

[PoohLover78]

I am not staying on-property (friends have a timeshare closeby) so I don't have any room reservation in my account. If making reservations was tied to staying at a Disney resort, nobody staying off-property would be able to make reservations?!?

I guess I will just make reservations for two then and maybe call guest services a couple days beforehand to change the number on the reservation.

 

[DCTooTall]

Not a new glitch... and I wouldn't say it's an intentional snubbing. Disney's Reservation system has always been weird when it comes to odd numbered groups. Even though the physical tables used are the same, it's almost as if they have had a manual preset allocation of each part size.

One trick that has always worked, even with prepay or deposit restaurants, would be to use the "Phantom Infant". Ie... just 1 or 3 of you eating... but can't find a table of 2 or 4? Just add the free under-2 Infant to round out your party.

 

[Fantaluminishes]

I just found this thread because (as a solo traveller) I have run into the same problem. I wanted to reserve Ohana and couldn't get even one reservation for 1 person, but 2 wasn't a problem. Are they gonna give me grieve if I reserve for 2 and then just show up alone? I'd really like to do Ohana in memory of my dad who passed recently as it was his favorite restaurant (we always stayed at the Poly). I don't want to run into any problems though by having to pay double if I reserve for two and show up alone.

Make the reservation for 2 online, and if you want, you can call Disney to change it to 1 person. I did this with a BOG dinner ADR that I was lucky enough to snag, and had no problem.

Have you tried calling and booking via Disney Dining or Member Services? If you try to book a table for two online, it will access your room booking and ask for the name of the second traveler. I would try calling rather than adding a 2nd name.

Adding the names of additional diners is optional, not required. The only problem with calling Disney direct is that sometimes the hold times are a little long. This is why the online reservation is preferred.

 

[Simba's Mom]

This glitch varies from restaurant to restaurant. You should be able to call Disney Dining to book a party of one. I understand you frustration, I've been traveling solo lately.

Unfortunately, when I've called the CM can't book for one and tells me to go ahead and book for two. I always do-hey, I may meet my new best friend on the way to my ADR and want to invite them to join me! If not, I've never had a problem when I check in telling them it's one instead of two.

 

[purple figment]

Is Disney discriminating against solo travelers in order to save tables for larger parties? If this is the case, all of us people who go to WDW solo, need to complain. It's just wrong.

I'm not going to call Disney to change these reservations. But if I get any grief at the restaurants, I will ask for a manager and explain how unfair this practice is.

Disney is not discriminating against solo travelers. The same problem affects many odd numbered groups. The reservation system has a quirk that makes it harder for any odd numbered group - 1, 3, 5, etc to get reservations. Almost all tables are even numbered - 2, 4, 6 tops and the reservation system wants to fill all the seats. So if a solo searches for a party of 1, the system says nothing is available even though a solo can be seated at a 2 top. If the solo inputs "party of 2" suddenly a table is available because now the system sees that both (all) seats at the table will be filled. The recommended solution is for any odd numbered group to go up 1 and search with an even number.

You won't have any problem showing up at a restaurant with a res for 2 and you're a solo. Also, at restaurants with a credit card guarantee, as long as you show up, you will not be charged the no show fee for the "missing" guest.