Pinnochio Village Haus -- horrible change???

[sleeping beauty 1]

OK -- so we "attempted" to eat at Pinnochio's yesterday -- we ate there last July with no issues. Now -- it appears they pay about 12 CM (between doors outside, inside, and blocking) to stop you from seating until you have food. It was horrendous. Kids were running around (almost knocking food off trays), families had nowhere to go, 5-10 people in line per group instead of one or two. Then the new people had nowhere to go and you couldn't see where the lines were.

We couldn't believe Disney actually is paying these people to stop you from sitting down until you have a tray of food. Not to mention all those blocking the doors. Is there some reasoning behind all of this?

We calculated that if those 12 CM (really not needed) get a total of $60 an hour (rounding numbers to make it easy) over an eight hour time frame that is close to $500 a day, in a week about $3500, and in a year around $170,000 to $180,000. What a WASTE!!! Those CM's were really needed elsewhere!!

Maybe there is some odd reason that this one place needs all these "body guards", but I didn't see any reason or could think of any. Any way -- we refused to eat there and won't again -- you can get the same food elsewhere for less hassle and the same price!!!

I just hope they don't start wasting that kind of money at all other TS locations.

 

[marius97]

This has beeen going on for a little while now (six months???). They started it so that people aren't taking up tables with no food while people with food have nowhere to sit. And it is not just PVH...I know at minimum that Pecos Bills does it too. They only do it at the busiest of times though so your numbers will be off by a bunch...though it is still a chunk of change that they are spending. Personally, I think that the way it is now is better. Even with this system, we still had to wander around on monday at Pecos Bills for several minutes and then jump into a seat as soon as someone stood up. And this was at 11:30.

 

[Traveliz]

It only happens during the busy times -- but I agree and am not a fan of it.

Liz

 

[twokids0204]

OK -- so we "attempted" to eat at Pinnochio's yesterday -- we ate there last July with no issues. Now -- it appears they pay about 12 CM (between doors outside, inside, and blocking) to stop you from seating until you have food. It was horrendous. Kids were running around (almost knocking food off trays), families had nowhere to go, 5-10 people in line per group instead of one or two. Then the new people had nowhere to go and you couldn't see where the lines were.

We couldn't believe Disney actually is paying these people to stop you from sitting down until you have a tray of food. Not to mention all those blocking the doors. Is there some reasoning behind all of this?

We calculated that if those 12 CM (really not needed) get a total of $60 an hour (rounding numbers to make it easy) over an eight hour time frame that is close to $500 a day, in a week about $3500, and in a year around $170,000 to $180,000. What a WASTE!!! Those CM's were really needed elsewhere!!

Maybe there is some odd reason that this one place needs all these "body guards", but I didn't see any reason or could think of any. Any way -- we refused to eat there and won't again -- you can get the same food elsewhere for less hassle and the same price!!!

I just hope they don't start wasting that kind of money at all other TS locations.

I sure hope you are wrong with the math... even rounding. That would mean they are making $5.00 / hour, and I would hope Disney wouldn't be able to stoop to such low wages.

Let's change the assumption to $10 / hour, and double all your numbers!!!

 

[Bradsdadg]

This happened to us last visit as well. It wasn't that busy when we went in, and the CMs were everywhere. They ended up letting my wife and son sit down after they saw that we ordered food. Still, seems like much ado about nothing, having all those employees just to work on this half brain plan. To be honest with you, i've never in 10 years of visits seen people take up tables and seats without buying food or drinks. I'm not saying it doesn't happen, i'm saying it isn't a big issue from what i've seen, or not seen!

 

[myAAbatteries&aTD]

First time we've seen it, too (at Pecos Bill's), but it didn't seem all that horrible to us.... just 2 people if I remember correctly and we did find a table MUCH faster than before. We were there at about 11:30 and it was still packed, but there were some empty tables....

 

[sohappy]

We saw this at Pecos Bills as well. On our first day, I did not see the CMs doing this and I had a terrible time finding a table. I was alone with my children carrying the food around for a while looking for a table while many people were holding tables for people still in line to get food. They didn't have food, but they had a table. I actually had food but could not get a table!

 

[vicki_c]

Every thread on this topic has gone downhill and had to be closed. People have strong opinions on both sides. This practice was started last year sometime - seems like it was almost a year ago.

It's at least Cosmic Ray's, Pecos Bills, obviously Pinocchio's as reported here and possibly others. It's for peak dining times at peak park crowd times only.

 

[DebbieB]

I can see the other side. When I took my then 12 year old niece a few years ago, I did not want to leave her at a table alone while I got the food. So we got in line together. Then we had to walk round and round to find a table, meanwhile half the tables had people just sitting there with no food.

 

[kaytieeldr]

To be honest with you, i've never in 10 years of visits seen people take up tables and seats without buying food or drinks. I'm not saying it doesn't happen, i'm saying it isn't a big issue from what i've seen, or not seen!

It's not done because people are taking up tables without buying food or drink at all. It's done at busy times of the year, at busy times of day, because people are walking in and immediately grabbing tables in anticipation of someone else (in their party) eventually ordering and bringing food to that table. Meanwhile, people who already purchased their food and drink are wandering around with trays, ready to eat but with nowhere to sit.

Walt Disney World is responding to that problem - and it is a problem, see sohappy's post (#7) and DebbieB's post (#9). Again, it's not done every day, it's not done all day on the days it is done, and - it works. Yes, even despite the kids running around. Parents' responsibility and all that.

 

[TDC Nala]

It's at least Cosmic Ray's, Pecos Bills, obviously Pinocchio's as reported here and possibly others. It's for peak dining times at peak park crowd times only.

I believe it's only done at the big MK CS places.

 

[TLinden16]

I'm going to move this to our restaurant board.

 

[sleeping beauty 1]

I really have never seen someone save a table without a person in line either -- most people have a family member getting food in a relatively short period of time.

When I was there it was early on and there were a couple of large groups very confused. One group tried the putting everyone in line trick -- so then the next person couldn't order on that side. The other group was hanging out around the small area left and were taking up a lot of room. It was really very confusing. I am usually with a group from 5-10 people. Only 1-2 people really need to be in line with the group and the others can sit to clear the area so more people can order and move along the process.

I was more in shock of the shear numbers of the "table and door police". Even if it is busy times -- that covers almost 5 months of the year. IT is a lot of money spent on this and really seems like it could be better used elsewhere. The way they are doing this doesn't seem efficient.

I try to eat at off times, but will not go to these places now. We went to Liberty Tree -- waited 3 minutes and got seated (without any food in hand) and had a very nice lunch. I didn't spend too much more and didn't have to deal with the crazy line and sitting issue!

 

[Cheshire Figment]

During crowded time it can easily take between 20 and 30 minutes from the time a person gets in line until they get their food.

And more than once I have been on an ECV and trying to get, with my food, to a table and had a family jump ahead of me to grab a table for a few people to hold while the rest went on line to get the food.

 

[badblackpug]

Honestly, I am not looking forward to this. I can see both sides of the issue, but I am trying to figure out how I am going to manage a double stroller and 3 big kids in the food line.

Usually we have 1 parent take the little kids (11m, 2, 9, 9) to the table and set up, (get napkins, condiments, etc, clean the table) while the other parent and my big girl (12) get the food.

I have seen people sitting, who aren't eating, particularly in the rain. So, like I said, I do understand the idea, i just can't imagine how I'm going to manage it.

 

[anonymousegirl]

Honestly, I am not looking forward to this. I can see both sides of the issue, but I am trying to figure out how I am going to manage a double stroller and 3 big kids in the food line.

Usually we have 1 parent take the little kids (11m, 2, 9, 9) to the table and set up, (get napkins, condiments, etc, clean the table) while the other parent and my big girl (12) get the food.

I have seen people sitting, who aren't eating, particularly in the rain. So, like I said, I do understand the idea, i just can't imagine how I'm going to manage it.

Maybe you and your daughter could enter the restaurant and wait to order. While you are actually waiting for the order (having already paid) use your cell phone to alert the others who can then enter the restaurant and join you.

This new policy has a benefit to me since I mostly go solo and have no one to hold a table for me. But then again, I avoid the most crowded times of the year and so I probably will never reap the benefits of this policy.

 

[Disney Commando]

When we were there in Nov, I was disappointed for a different reason, they took the cheesesteak off the menu, my wife really wanted one They were not doing table enforcement at the time.

They should police line cutters instead of food courts, but in fairness maybe there was a fight or something and someone got hurt

 

[nytimez]

I prefer this system. There's nothing worse than walking around with a tray of food, looking for a place to sit -- and passing tables filled with people who have no food.

 

[kaytieeldr]

I prefer this system. There's nothing worse than walking around with a tray of food, looking for a place to sit -- and passing tables filled with people who have no food.

I just want to point out, those of us on this 'side' of the issue do understand that it's not "table hogs" simply coming in out of the weather (rainy or hot) with no intention of buying anything who are usurping the tables.

Cheshire Figment's figure of twenty to thirty minute lines at busy times is pretty accurate.

All times are for EXAMPLE ONLY. Yes, I know - "eat at off-times". I get it. Okay, so Guest A gets in line at noon. It takes twenty minutes for him to get to where he can order and pay for his food, then get his food, and head out to the seating area. It's 12:20. He should be able to get a table. There it is - the only empty table in the restaurant. But JUST before he can get to it, Family B enters the building and sends half their party to THAT table, while the other half gets in line.

It would have taken Guest A twenty minutes or less to eat his meal and leave - but now he has nowhere to sit and eat. Meanwhile, Family B is sitting at a table with no food for that SAME twenty minutes. They didn't need the table at 12:20. They didn't need it until 12:40. They could have had it at 12:40, i.e. twenty minutes after they entered the restaurant aka when their food was ready. Instead, they used the table for nothing for twenty minutes and eating for twenty minutes, for a total of forty minutes. Meanwhile, Guest A had use of that table for zero minutes, despite already being in possession of, and prepared to eat, food purchased at that location.

How is that reasonable or sensible? Remember, this so-called "policing" is done only at specific, as-needed busy times of the year, only at busy times of the day, and only at certain counter service restaurants.

 

[disneydee6]

I am usually the designated 'table getter' (don't shoot!! ) and always get voted to sit while everyone grabs the food. I do feel guilty sitting there when I see people searching for a table with their food. I think this new policy works in favor of those who don't have kids old enough or ruthless enough (lol) to grab a table beforehand, and I think that this is a decent solution to the issue of finding a darn table at those CROWDED cs restaurants in mk.
Although what I dislike more than being the 'table getter' and going through all those lovely death stares is when people who are clearly finished and can see people looking for a table, choose to ignore them and stay seated. We all like our sitdown time in disney, find a bench and let the hungry people eat!