Need a table for 7, but not available. Book for 6, or two tables of 4 and 3? (Cape Mays)

[DisneyFive]

So we are celebrating my parents 50th wedding anniversary, and my birthday during our trip to Disney in August. We want to celebrate at Cape Mays. Due to the special nature of the dinner, we need to all sit together or we won't do the meal.

Problem is, all 3 dates that we are looking at don't have a table for 7 at dinner. 6 person tables are available each of those days, and so are a table of 4 and 3.

I'm wondering if they would turn us away if we booked a table for six but want to add our 11 year old when we get to the restaurant? Our other option are the two tables, but my concern with a table of 4 and 3 is that they are both small tables and not sure they will have a large enough table to combine them since we need to eat together. We've eaten at Cape Mays many times as a party of 7 so I know they can seat us, just wondering what to do...

Any suggestions?

Thanks,
Dan

 

[rwdavis2]

Try for 8 people? A table for 7 is probably holds 8 anyway. You don't get charged if one person does not show up.

 

[DisneyFive]

Great suggestion but no tables of 8 availability.

Dan

 

[jillt2ph]

I would book 2 tables for 4 right now and just keep checking. If nothing ever shows for 8, maybe send someone ahead to the restaurant and explain you would like those 2 parties to be seated next to each other. I have had to do this before at Chefs de France when we were a party of 4 - 2 paying OOP and 2 on a CP package. It was actually the cast member on the phone who told me to do it that way.

That is way better than booking for 6 and showing up with 7, IMO.

 

[Hopefully]

If you book for 6 and show up with 7 there is a good chance they can only seat 6. Then what will you do?
I recommend you book2 Tables of 4 and keep looking fora Table for 8. Also set up a Touring Plans search.
Or find a restaurant you can book you all together

 

[DisneyFive]

Thanks both. I did setup searches in Touringplans. Honestly, I expect something to open up closer to our travel dates, but in the meantime I'll just book two tables instead of one table for 6. Thanks.

Dan

 

[purple figment]

So we are celebrating my parents 50th wedding anniversary, and my birthday during our trip to Disney in August. We want to celebrate at Cape Mays. Due to the special nature of the dinner, we need to all sit together or we won't do the meal.

Thanks,
Dan

Since you have to sit together you need to find one reservation for your entire group of 7. Anything else means you will have to ask the host/hostess to seat you together and while the castmembers will do their best, there is no guarantee that it will be possible to grant your request.

If you book two reservations of 4 and 3 (or 4) the restaurant doesn't know you are one group. If all the larger tables are fully booked you'll have to wait longer for a large table or 2 adjacent 4 tops to open up at the same time and if neither of these happen you may be seated at two nearby tables or two tables in different sections of the room.

If you book a reservation for just 6 people and need a table for 7, you are going up in size to a larger table. Disney doesn't just add chairs to squeeze more people into a table. If the restaurant can't accommodate you, you will have to decide which person in your group will not be dining with you. Try looking for 7 and if that doesn't work, try for 8 because everyone needs to be included in the reservation for fire and safety concerns.

Touring Plans reservation finder has worked well for many, but you need to quickly jump on any notification you receive. You can also subscribe to the August cancellation thread on the Dining Reservations board. Most likely something will open up, but since you need a larger table, being flexible on the date and time will help expand your options. Good luck and congrats on your parents' milestone anniversary.

 

[Nancyg56]

You also need to keep in mind that on occasion parties are split up. It has happened to us however we were a party of 9

 

[JerseyJanice]

Is this during Free Dining? If not, I wouldn’t worry about an ADR opening up. It will.

 

[DisneyFive]

Thanks all. It is not during free dining. I expect it to open up for seven and will keep looking. There are three days that work for us so I am pretty confident one of them at work

 

[kaytieeldr]

instead of one table for 6.

Please. Forget. This. Number.

You do NOT have a party of six.

Look for one reservation for eight, or two reservations for four.

Odd numbers are harder to find.

As stated above, you do not get penalized/charged if a (nonexistent) person in your party doesn't appear.

 

[TheRustyScupper]

I'm wondering if they would turn us away if we booked a table for six but want to add our 11 year old when we get to the restaurant?

THE QUESTION OF AN EXTRA PERSON or EXTRA PEOPLE (the "411"):
1) Disney is getting wise to the "but, they decided to join us" or "I miscounted".
2) People can't always get the ADR they want.
3) So, they under-count to get a table.
4) Then, they show up with "unexpected" additional people.
5) In a team meeting, CM's have been told to warn guests against this.
6) If there is room, WDW will not turn away revenue.
7) But, if busy, they will turn away the additions.
8) Go ahead and arrive with the extras, if you like.
9) Just be prepared to have someone stand around while you eat.
10) I have heard explanations such as . . .
. . . "but, Aunt Suzy decided to join us and we need an extra seat"
. . . "but, two friends from off-site decided to join us and we need two extra seats"
. . . "but, brother-in-law decided to join us and we need an extra seat"
. . . "but, the entire Boy Scout Troop decided to join us and we need 14 extra sets"
. . . "but, my baby is so small that I didn't count her in the number of eaters"
.
NOTE1: It is far easier going from an odd-number to an even number, such as from 7-people to 8-people, adding a person to an even number of diners, such as going from 6-people to 7-people. Adding odd person can mean adding a table, and this might not be possible. Going from an odd-to-even might only mean adding a chair or using an empty seat. So, if going from even-to-odd, you might not get the extra person a seat. It is always better to get another ADR with the proper people-count.
.
NOTE2: Frequently a party-of-two will try to add a third person at the podium. This can be risky, because many eateries do have tables-for-two. If the guest was slated for one of these, there simply might not be a table available to seat the third person - even if an infant. The extra chair location might extend into an aisle and block access for other guests or Servers.
.
NOTE3: Sometimes it is a threesome adding a fourth. Unfortunately, there are many eateries that do have 3-top tables - usually against a wall or pillar. They can't add a fourth chair, since that would invade the aisle and be unsafe for SERVERS.
.
NOTE4: The final question is that of how many people are in the eatery. There are Fire Codes which dictate the maximum amount of people. If the capacity is exceeded, there are some big fines possible. And, Disney will not violate the max-capacity of an eatery.

 

[kaytieeldr]

1) Disney is getting wise to the "but, they decided to join us" or "I miscounted".

Might be time to edit out the word "getting." : ) You've been saying it for almost five years. I think Disney already got wise

 

[motherof5]

Try for 8 people? A table for 7 is probably holds 8 anyway. You don't get charged if one person does not show up.

I agree. Or have kids at one table, adults at another. I have a family of 7 and we have done that and asked for tables next to each other, not guaranteed but we were lucky that it worked when we did it. Good luck.

 

[DisneyFive]

Thank you all who suggested a table for 8. I was able to snag a reservation! A table for 7 was not available, but a table for 8 was, go figure.

It is during dinner (which is what we wanted) on a day we are at MK, but oh well. For such a special occasion, I'll deal with the travel back and forth from MK to the Beach Club. I would prefer it to be during one of our EP or HS days, and I'll keep looking but we're very excited to have this one in hand. Thanks again!

Dan

 

[purple figment]

A table for 7 was not available, but a table for 8 was, go figure.


Dan

Yay! Glad you were successful.

The Dining reservation system has a quirk that often makes it harder to book an odd numbered group. Most tables in the restaurants seat an even number and the system wants to fill every seat at the table so when you input an odd number it skips over available tables. Add one more to make your party an even number and often the system will now "find" tables for your group. As a party of three we've often had to look for tables for a party of four because of this quirk.

 

[TheRustyScupper]

Thank you all who suggested a table for 8. I was able to snag a reservation!

CONGRATS!
Sometimes PIXIE DUST pleasantly rains down upon you.

 

[DisneyFive]

Thanks, yeah it's nice to know we have this one in our back pocket. Not our optimal day, but it will work just fine. Beggars can't be choosers...

Dan

 

[MakiraMarlena]

Don't try leaving a person out and then trying to add them at the restaurant. Much better to do what you did and get a reservation for 8.

 

[DisneyFive]

Touring Plan’s reservation finder came through! Got our reservation for the exact date and time we wanted. It’s for a table of 8. Thanks again for that suggestion. I’ll keep using that trick.

Dan