Just Back: Important Dining Priority Res News...

[Paul Samanant]

Just back. See a separate posted thread regarding FOTL. I do have some comments/reccomendations regarding priority dining at peak times. We were interested in Jimmy Buffet's. Ideally you make priority seating in advance, if possible. This may not always be the case, and apparently the policiy is uncertain.

The first night, the Hotel Concierge desk said it was booked. The second night, we were told that that if we showed up with the room key, it would be 30 minutes or less. Well, when we checked in - we were told that the "normal" wait was over two hours, and that the priority wait was an hour to 1.5 hours. Here is what happened - we put our name down, and while contemplating an alternate plan (with hungry kids), the buzzer went off - 10 minutes. I think that the following happens: The computer handles the priority seatings, and that priority really does work, that you really are placed at the front of the Queue. The people checking you in, don't know any better, so their wait estimates are just that - estimates. Bottom line is that priority seating really does work - have faith in the system providing that, regardless of reported wait times. We could be wrong on this, but it worked for us....

 

[highlander447]

Thanks for the advice

 

[phamton]

I've never had trouble getting into Margarittaville just walking up. I even went Thanksgiving day and Christmas day this year.

Oops, I do remember only one time I couldn't get in without a wait. It was during Halloween Horror Nights.

 

[highlander447]

At spring break it was pretty busy long waits although I think a bad time to go anywhere in citwalk is just as the parks close as everyone seems to head for dinner

 

[sha_lyn]

unless the system has changed it has a flaw. they put you in for a priority seating and it automatically asigns you to a table, it does not put you in a Q for them as they come available. We were once told we had a 30 min wait. Turned into about 3Xs that because the people at the table assigned to us didn't leave. They ended up giving us the next available table. There were parties our size from the regular wait line that ended up being seated before us.

 

[Immelman]

We always just make a seating time in the parks or Citywalk, and have never waited more than 5 to 10 minutes past that time. that's an interesting situation.

 

[kgilchri]

There is actually no priority seating for Margaritaville on Friday and Saturday b/c of large crowds. The dining cart won't accept them. Just thought I'd let everyone know.