New Dining Trial - No Seating until you have your food

[mommie2angels]

Thanks for posting this Sue! I may not have seen it otherwise. I am curious how it will work for us. With two wheelchairs, dh pushes one to the table while I push the other one. Then dh goes and gets food. I usually try to use this time to set up everything to get ready to feed the girls. That way when dh does get to the table everything is ready. We also try to go at off times and not the rush meal times.

 

[PatMcDuck]

While I can see the problems of people holding tables, we always do it. We have 6 in the family, do they WANT all 6 people on the food line?? WITH the wheelchair, too?? Those lines will sure get alot longer. And slower. We send 2 to get the food. We figure out the order first. If all 6 are on the line, they will be figuring out the order AS they order. (I want a hot dog, NO, make that a burger with fries, NO, give me the carrot stcisk, etc)

I see people just sitting at the tables to take a break, not ordering food, they should make them move. Or people eating food from home that they brouhgt into the park.

 

[LisaBi]

Boy - this is a tough one. I love the idea of actually being able to find a table because they aren't filled up with people who won't even have their food until after I'm done eating. But, I most often travel to WDW with just me and DS, who uses a wheelchair in the parks. He cannot manage the chair himself, especially in a crowded restaurant. So I usually take him to the counter area, decide on his order, then go park him at a table I can see from the line, then go order. There is no way I can push the chair and carry a tray. If the lines are very long, he can't stand with me that long - or we could park the chair in a corner while we get our food. I guess we'll have to order, get food, then I take the food to table, then go back to get him. Of course, we usually only go in slower times so maybe it won't be an issue.

The other fear that immediately came to my mind is that DS loves to eat a ASMo food court - and insists on sitting back by the TV in the corner. If CM's are directing you where to sit - we could have a meltdown if he can't sit by the TV.

 

[SueM in MN]

For people who didn't read the original thread (it's like 15 pages long!), I want to point out that it seems to be a trial right now in a few counter service restaurants.
From what was posted on the other thread, it appears that even if it is extended to all the other counter service, it will be during busy times, probably not slow seasons. The original poster and several other people who posted on that thread sounded like Disney management thinks the trial is going well, so chances are it will appear at other places.

 

[dclfun]

I like this new policy for the reasons Bill and Cheshire Figment mentioned. I have seen many, many instances where someone can't find a table who already has their food. Sometimes the line takes so long that a family who already is ready to eat would be finished by the time the "table holders" party actually sits down to eat. Often most of the tables are taken by those sitting and waiting vs. sitting and actually eating. I'm just glad they're aware that there IS a problem with seating and are trying out something that might work. As has been mentioned, it's only a trial so we'd all have to see if it ends up being helpful or if accomodations will be made for those with special needs ( without a hassle ). I haven't read the original thread. Did they mention which CS places are part of the trial? ---Kathy

 

[Carnator]

Wow!! I can see some flaming threads coming from this. Now not only do we (wheel chairs, ECV, and other special needs) get to go to the front of the lines on rides

now we get to go straight to the table and dont have to wait.

 

[SueM in MN]

I haven't read the original thread. Did they mention which CS places are part of the trial? ---Kathy

From what I saw on that thread, it was Pecos Bill at MK. The poster said he had talked with the manager to express his delight with the new arrangement and that the manager said it was a successful trial so far and would probably be used in all the CS restaurants during busy times.

 

[SueM in MN]

Wow!! I can see some flaming threads coming from this. Now not only do we (wheel chairs, ECV, and other special needs) get to go to the front of the lines on rides

now we get to go straight to the table and dont have to wait.

I can see that coming too.

Although, as some people who use wheelchairs have posted on this thread, it will make the restaurants more accessible for them.

The part that I still don't understand is how changing the seating makes it faster to get your food??? The OP on that thread and several others who have been in the restaurant since the trial have said that the food lines were very short, so their wait in line was only a few minutes.

The problem I could see at CS was not specifically people saving tables. It was people sitting at tables waiting for 20 minutes while the member of their party was in line getting their food. The posters on that thread keep talking about 'improved capacity' by people being able to sit down once they have their food. But, having a CM directing traffic into the seating area doesn't do anything I can see with the wait in line

So, I think they have added extra CMs at check out or in the back processing orders too.

 

[triplefigs]

Do you think there will be a new stamp for the GAC (there is no way my DS can wait in a line for food), or will the the existing stamp that we use for rides to wait in an alternate area will suffice?

 

[BeckyScott]

Sue, you're making sense. It seems like, if anything, the line would be longer (or at least look longer) if the whole party was in line. Even if the family sent one person to get in line and the rest went to a "holding area" it would still make the line as long as before. I can see how it would make the turnover faster and more efficient, but that doesn't directly effect the speed of stuff coming out of the kitchen and onto trays.

Maybe it is just the perception, that in fact the line was just as long as before, but since the seating is more opened-up it makes the wait more tolerable? Or the whole experience seems less chaotic? Or maybe the word is spreading and all the table-hogs went to a different CS? For some people, upon being told they would have to wait to sit, they'll go to a different place to eat, because they'll think it is a worse deal than it really is. So it will work as long as only part of the CS's are like that, but if/when they do it with all of them it will even itself back out.

 

[SueM in MN]

Do you think there will be a new stamp for the GAC (there is no way my DS can wait in a line for food), or will the the existing stamp that we use for rides to wait in an alternate area will suffice?

No idea.
Before, GACs were not used at all in the restaurants, so if they use them at all, it would be new.
If this plan was the idea of the food service managers, I would not be surprised to find out that special needs were not discussed.

On the other hand, even if they do institute it, the reports so far are that it would be only during peak times. So, it's very possible that if you go to the park at non-peak times and don't eat at the very busiest times in the restaurants, you might never see this in action.

The additional unknown is what they are doing to speed up the lines for ordering and processing orders. If that part is speeded up and is only taking 5 minutes to get thru, being in line might not be that much trouble for people with special needs and the new way may actually turn out to work better for many people.

 

[triplefigs]

No idea.
Before, GACs were not used at all in the restaurants, so if they use them at all, it would be new.
If this plan was the idea of the food service managers, I would not be surprised to find out that special needs were not discussed.

On the other hand, even if they do institute it, the reports so far are that it would be only during peak times. So, it's very possible that if you go to the park at non-peak times and don't eat at the very busiest times in the restaurants, you might never see this in action.

The additional unknown is what they are doing to speed up the lines for ordering and processing orders. If that part is speeded up and is only taking 5 minutes to get thru, being in line might not be that much trouble for people with special needs and the new way may actually turn out to work better for many people.

We are going in September which is lower crowds in the parks, but it is also free dining which means the restaurants will be more crowded. I have a feeling this policy may be in place during that time period. I hope we hear back from members of this board who have experienced the new policy first hand on how the CMs and CS managers accommodate people and families with special needs.

 

[MomOf2DisneyKids]

Do you think there will be a new stamp for the GAC (there is no way my DS can wait in a line for food), or will the the existing stamp that we use for rides to wait in an alternate area will suffice?

I'm wondering about this too!!! I can't imagine all of us in line with my ds!!!

 

[Tissa]

You wouldn't all have to wait in line, I see one person going up to order while the others hang back somewhere. Then everyone go to their table together.
My ds has a harder time waiting at the table with no food than he does standing in another area.

We will just all have to wait and see what happens.

 

[MightyMom]

We will just all have to wait and see what happens.

hehehe Just have to WAIT and see. No pun intended... right?

While my oldest son is in a wheelchair.... my younger son has some major sensory issues. (going through autism tests now) I don't see how this will cause a problem at all for our family.

Personally, I don't understand how this is any different than waiting for a table at a table service restaurant. The only difference is someone in your party will be bringing the food. (I'm gonna demand a 20% tip from my family!) And you will be seated promptly by a CM. Makes good sense to me!

I really detest walking around looking like a vulture waiting for the next available table.

I hope it works out for everyone.... because I think it is a great idea.

Now... if we can just convince Disney to put up canopies over the Value Resort Bus Stops!

 

[dawnball]

It may be that shorter lines were because people who found the policy didn't suit them ate elsewhere. As far as I can tell, it was only Pecos Bills that was trying this, so there are plenty of other options.

 

[cmwade77]

I guess this just means we will need CMs to help us with taking our food to the table as some will not be able to carry food and what if some people are sharing a meal? Or not eating but want to sit with their family.

 

[lunapnp]

I still don't see how this would guarantee a table when you have your food? What about slow eaters (my DD for one...not intentionally, just does not chew well) or people just lounging around at a table after finished eating? Will the CM's monitor that, too? I'm not for it or against it...either way. But I just don't see how it guarantees a table. Nothing in life is guaranteed other than taxes and death!

 

[dclfun]

I guess this just means we will need CMs to help us with taking our food to the table as some will not be able to carry food and what if some people are sharing a meal? Or not eating but want to sit with their family.
__________________
I'm not sure how this would be different? CM's have always offered to carry food for those unable to do so but it doesn't mean that within a group, everyone has to carry their own tray or be able to,...it just means that others won't be able to "hold" a table while someone else in the party stands in line for a long time to get the food items. If a family sits down to eat then certainly someone not eating that is with them could sit with them even if not eating. I don't think it means there will be someone monitoring if you're eating or not as long as you're within a group that is dining vs. waiting. ---Kathy

 

[kaytieeldr]

I still don't see how this would guarantee a table when you have your food? What about slow eaters (my DD for one...not intentionally, just does not chew well) or people just lounging around at a table after finished eating? Will the CM's monitor that, too?

Apparently not. Some people eat slowly; some people do like to relax a bit before heading back out into the parks. But for the most part, people are anxious to get back out and hit another ride or show, so this doesn’t appear to be a problem. Unlike the apparently baseless fears some of the naysayers in that thread have, Cast Members are not tossing anyone out the instant the last French fry crosses their teeth.

You wouldn't all have to wait in line, I see one person going up to order while the others hang back somewhere. Then everyone go to their table together.

Or, proactively get the napkins, straws, cutlery, even condiments – the same things some parties do now, except they can’t go directly to a table, they have to wait for the food-bearers.