Politely declining seating options on ADR

[_Crush_]

Has anyone had any experience with waiting for a different table after they are ready to seat you? We have two ADRs where I can foresee an instance where I will be happy to let others be seated in exchange for a better seating area:
1-- Ohana -- I've been told that we definitely want don't want to sit on the "other side of the wall."
2-- Garden Grill -- I've been advised my ADR for 6 may be split into two different tables, which would be OK I guess, but not the same as sitting together with the family.

Thoughts?

 

[Noreen411]

Hi

My husband and I showed up for our ADR at Cape May Cafe at the Beach Club in February. We waited about 15 minutes and our buzzer went off.

The original table they tried to seat us at was in this small room off to the side that used to be a bar. It wasn't in the main part of the restaurant.

We politely asked if it is possible to be seated in the regular restaurant section. The CM said we may have to wait a little longer and we were fine with that.

She gave us a new buzzer and we waited another 10 minutes or so before it went off and we were seated in a much more desirable spot.

We weren't being picky about where in the restaurant, we just wanted to be in the restaurant itself not this little offshoot room.

Enjoy

 

[aubriee]

At 'Ohana they may or not let let you. Twice we've been seated in that little area, to the right just as you walk in and when we asked if we could wait for a table in the main area were told that we could not. Both times we were told that they were booked solid and we had to take the first table available for our party size and that was it. Also at Citricos I've requested twice to wait for a window table and have been refused both times. I was dining solo and wanted to pass the time looking out the window. In all four instances I was very polite and requested window seats, when I checked in. I know that at Rose & Crown, you can no longer wait for a patio table either, but must take the first available table.

 

[Dorisk3]

I usually ask at the podium right at check and did so for both Garden Grill and Ohana's.

At Ohana's I asked to sit in the main part of the room and at Garden Grill in the booths. Both times they said it might take a little longer, but we got our tables, at Ohana's right away (might have just been lucky) and at Garden Grill within 10 minutes.

Good luck!

 

[Goofy4]

2-- Garden Grill -- I've been advised my ADR for 6 may be split into two different tables,

Our experience with a group of 9 in June was very good. We were told several times that we might have to be a split up, but we never had to do so.

Also, if you show up a little before you ADR time, that might help. My thinking is to get ahead of everyone else with the same time and then tell them you would like to wait for a prefered table.

 

[Tara922c]

When you check in, just say, "I would prefer to sit, yada yada, and don't mind waiting". They will either say yay or nay. As a long time high school hostest,(well when I was in high school) it made it much easier if someone said, "we would like something by the window" when they put their name on the list, then when we went to go seat them. I remember being on hour long waits, I would go to seat a guest, and they would say, "don't you have something by the window?" I would always allow them to wait, but if I had just sat all the tables by the window, it may be a long time. If a guest requested a window seat up front, I would wait until it was their turn on the list, and seat them at the next available window table. The thing is, if I had two open tables, one by the window, one not, I would put the party that requested the table by the window, by the window.

Being said, this is disney. I have seen a party of two ask to sit at a bigger table, and they were told "no, that table is reserved for larger parties" It never hurts to ask.

 

[TDC Nala]

If you are OK with having a longer wait, you can ask. Some restaurants, like Rose & Crown around Illuminations, may tell you that you must take whatever's available, but most will probably allow you to wait for a table you prefer. There's no guarantees regarding how long your wait will be.