One hour limit @ 1900 Park Fare

[Nancyg56]

of course she did. if you don't see her at the beginning of your meal you'll see her at the end. NOT ok and I would not let anyone rush me through either given what I am paying to be there. AND the server's tip would be impacted with an explanation to the manager as why. They need to know this bullying tactic will net them less tips, not more.

I was not overly fond of the server. I am pretty easy because I come from a food family, and waiting tables was how I supported my family for moe years than I care to count. However, I am not a pushover, so while she was not "punished" with a reduced gratutity, she was not rewarded with more than my average percentage as had many othes who made our meals lovely were.

 

[Lisa F]

I was not overly fond of the server. I am pretty easy because I come from a food family, and waiting tables was how I supported my family for moe years than I care to count. However, I am not a pushover, so while she was not "punished" with a reduced gratutity, she was not rewarded with more than my average percentage as had many othes who made our meals lovely were.

for me it would depend on the rest of the service and the vibe. Although it is hard to rush people out at a buffet but quickly cleaning off dishes would not be a downside.

 

[Nancyg56]

at $50 a person plus tips for mediocre food (at ANY disney buffet) you should not be rushed by the waiter. If this is NOT the restaurant policy then the waiter needs to be reprimanded and the customer needs an apology from management. It's not acceptable to be treated that way by the wait staff.

I agree. I am not saying I want the server fired, but honestly when a server treats guests as though they were on a production line, that hurts the entire enterprise. If I was a manager I would want to correct the behavior, and I woudl want to be sure that that mindset was not being spread throughout the house. You see, if I turn tables fast, and we have a full house, I will get more tables than a serve who plays by the rules, so if my behavior goes unchecked, others tend to follow suit so their numbers are not affected.

 

[Nancyg56]

for me it would depend on the rest of the service and the vibe. Although it is hard to rush people out at a buffet but quickly cleaning off dishes would not be a downside.

Oh it is possible. People respond to a sense of urgency. They eat and they leave. ANd then they resent the cost for a less than magical experience.

 

[AngiTN]

I find it bizarre to be told you have 1 chance and 1 chance only to see a character at a meal. I've never encountered that. At every meal we've ever done, including the ones this April, we were asked before the end of the meal if we got to see all characters. They had charts to mark off to confirm that any given table had met with all characters or if someone was still needed to stop at that table. So y'all are saying people did not do that during your meals? Heck, I admit most of the time we linger long enough that we get more than 1 visit with some characters.

I'm with the PP who said a comment like that would make me slow down and linger. I'd dare them to remove me before I was done.

 

[Lisa F]

I find it bizarre to be told you have 1 chance and 1 chance only to see a character at a meal. I've never encountered that. At every meal we've ever done, including the ones this April, we were asked before the end of the meal if we got to see all characters. They had charts to mark off to confirm that any given table had met with all characters or if someone was still needed to stop at that table. So y'all are saying people did not do that during your meals? Heck, I admit most of the time we linger long enough that we get more than 1 visit with some characters.

I'm with the PP who said a comment like that would make me slow down and linger. I'd dare them to remove me before I was done.

this made me lol. I hope you'd be wearing your tiara while issuing that dare. I need to get me one.

 

[Richard M Nixon]

I don't see why a waiter would think actively rushing you along would help them at all. If they are hoping to earn more tips through higher volume, then coming by more often to make sure the table is set and being proactive about asking about to-go boxes, checks, whatever would give them the opportunity. Flat out saying there's a time limit or bringing the check before guests are finished dining with no chance to ask for dessert, coffee, etc. is a great way to come away with low or no tip, which would defeat the purpose entirely.

 

[GaryDis]

bringing the check before guests are finished dining with no chance to ask for dessert, coffee, etc. is a great way to come away with low or no tip, which would defeat the purpose entirely.

1900 PF is a buffet. I haven't been there, but I assume that other than drinks, everything is included. So once they have the info, there's no reason not to bring the check. Of course that doesn't mean they shouldn't keep,checking back for refills or other issues. But I'm very happy if I get the check right away at a buffet.

 

[MagnoliaBend12]

Whether the waiter miscommunicated what he was saying or not it's wrong if it made you feel rushed. I do think they bring the check as soon as you are served in case you are in a hurry to get to a park to see fireworks etc.

 

[Baklava]

I'm so sorry; I'm not getting the difference between any of those statements. Can you explain what you hear in each of those?

Especially since you'd been there before, and I assume know how long you generally take there...how does that change your experience?

I suspect the difference is in the delivery. "Dinner takes an hour" feels like a warning that I will need to invest an hour to get the full experience. "Dinner is an hour" *could* go that way with the right delivery and follow up, but it's more likely to feel like, "check out time is noon," and a concrete time limit rather than an estimate.

 

[GillianP1301]

Is it possible that the message from the server was supposed to be that it takes about 60 minutes for all the characters to circulate to your table? I know I'm told that at every character meal. It seems absurd to be told you have a time limit on your meal and if that's what was said, I'd be annoyed too and would probably go out of my way to eat really slow. Honestly though, 60 minutes is about the longest it takes us at a character meal, so it shouldn't be an issue. That being said, they shouldn't be pre-emptively kicking people out of the place.

 

[mommycrawford]

I am facinated by this thread, as I would be shocked to be told this, and would also feel very comfortable rewarding the server for their crappy service! I believe that I would enjoy my meal at my own pace before paying for it!...I am not so optimistic as to think the check is laid down when it is to accommodate me, but is a hint that I respectfully ignore until I am done with my meal....I appreciate the heads up, and I am very sorry that the OP had this terrible experience at what should have been a fun memory!

(Honestly though, I do remember dining there one night that I did describe as "a drive by" princess meal, but no server spoiled the meal.)

 

[A Mickeyfan]

I will be there on the 25th with my 2yr old granddaughter and my 2 DD's. It takes us more than an hour when we go to Longhorn. OP has me rethinking my dinner plans.

 

[arcticdisneylovers]

We must be fast eaters, LOL. I don't think we've ever taken an hour to eat at a buffet unless we are waiting for the characters to arrive. We've always been done eating way before we ever get the check. That being said, I wouldn't leave a meal until I saw all of the characters (that's what we're paying for, the food has never been worth the price!) and I would refuse to be rushed.

 

[wmcyip]

Was not able to make direct contact with the gm but will have to email since we are leaving tomorrow.

To me "dinner is an hour" is setting a definite limit on your visit vs "dinner takes an hour" which is a range on the time. To be told this on the onset just ruined our experience.

I know i am giving the the experience piece-mealed as i respond to comments.
This guy may be a rogue waiter or not but it did feel like the two (junior looking) managers backed him up with their "takes an hour" response following it up with take all the time you need and inquiring if we saw all the characters (totally non-relevant to my our conversation).

i also want to say that we did not hear anything statement about time from other wait-staffs adjacent to us. Crazy as it sounds but i was eavesdropping to see if others were getting the same statement.

About 5 mins after we got our check he came back to retrieve it for payment and i told him i haven't had time and was still eating, he walked away, not happy. This was the one time i didnt want to use my TIW card cause as others said, he got a big tip out of us. we didn't linger much longer (approx 20 min), i tend to eat faster after feeding my toddler, and within 5-min of signing the check, he was back to retrieve the folio, bidding us a goodnight.

I am not one to nit-pick but this has been one if the worst dining experiences at WDW for us in the last 6 years.

 

[GaryDis]

To me "dinner is an hour" is setting a definite limit on your visit vs "dinner takes an hour" which is a range on the time

I'm sorry, but I think you're just misinterpreting the statement. Neither phrasing says anything about a limit. People just naturally use different words at times, depending on where they're from or what they're used to.

That doesn't mean you shouldn't point out that the wording could be interpreted your way. But until they actually tell you that you need to leave or finish up soon, it wouldn't even occur to me to treat that as a limit instead of an estimate.

 

[JerseyJanice]

I am always amazed when I read posts where guests say that they were rushed at a Disney meal. That has never, ever happened to us. In fact, just the opposite has occurred more times than I want to recall. We've sat there forever waiting to settle up the check--gave the server our CC or cash then waited and waited and waited for our receipt or change.

 

[maxiesmom]

I'm sorry, but I think you're just misinterpreting the statement. Neither phrasing says anything about a limit. People just naturally use different words at times, depending on where they're from or what they're used to.

That doesn't mean you shouldn't point out that the wording could be interpreted your way. But until they actually tell you that you need to leave or finish up soon, it wouldn't even occur to me to treat that as a limit instead of an estimate.

I'm betting it is the statement combined with the vibe the waiter was giving off. You can say "Dinner takes about an hour" and not have it sound as if you are setting a clock, ready set go!

OP--I'm hoping you got that waiter's name. I would mention too that is was obvious his attitude was affecting the other diners he was supposed to be taking care of.

 

[Nancyg56]

I'm sorry, but I think you're just misinterpreting the statement. Neither phrasing says anything about a limit. People just naturally use different words at times, depending on where they're from or what they're used to.

That doesn't mean you shouldn't point out that the wording could be interpreted your way. But until they actually tell you that you need to leave or finish up soon, it wouldn't even occur to me to treat that as a limit instead of an estimate.

There is a lot to be said about delivery. I knew the minute I got there I was on a time frame for my server. I did not like that, and while I do not deliberately linger, I refuse to be rushed. If a server uses verbiage that makes guests feel as though there is a time limit, and backs that up with a sense of urgency, that server needs additional training.

We can say that the OP misinterpreted the statement, but since I got basically the same treatment, different words, I think there may be a server who likes to turn tables in a systematic manner. My experience was to be told my girls would miss a character if we did not meet her before we had even gotten the chance to park in a chair. I know what that means and do not need to give that server a chance to prove me right. I set my own expectation by stating that we wanted to get settled and that I was sure Lady Tremaine would find the girls before we were ready to leave. I almost added that we had all night but chose not to get snippy.

 

[disneyfav4ever]

We've never been told anything about a time limit there. I checked the time stamps on my pictures from the last time I ate there and it looks like we were there for about an hour and a half.