Priority Seating: It has to change.

[civileng68]

I've posted this is my trip update but I'm going to pinpoint it.

The priority seating situation at Disney is really bad and needs changing to allow others of us to enjoy our trips.

Right now, other than the Fantasmic! dinner package, you can reserve as many open PS's at the same time as you like with no financial penalty.

If they were available, you could reserve a PS at every restaurant in World Showcase even though you only show up to one of them, keeping someone else from enjoying that seat.

Example: During this busy time at WDW over the week of the 4th of July we had a horrible time trying to get PS's at restaurants for ANY time. We had 2 of them made ahead which was nice but as with anything you may want to add another one while there. We finally got in a Mama Melrose, and were told that it was one of the last 2 seating slots available and then it was booked for the day. Once there, we noticed that at NO POINT during our meal did the restaurant reach more than 50% capacity. It was very frustrating as Mama Melrose isn't exactly a prime popular spot and it was obvious people just got a PS to ensure a meal if they didn't find anything else.

I think they either need to start requiring a PS to have a CC reserved for it and inplement a financial penalty to cancel or not show up. Also they need to remove "SOME" restaurants from the PS list so that they are walk in only.

 

[KittyKitty]

I don't think most ppl would go for ccard guarantee.

PS is only like a "Fastpass" in dining. Ppl can wait in line to eat.

If your restaurant was only 1/2 full, and there were ppl waiting to eat, then that sounds like they weren't staffed to cover the other tables.

I do agree tho that Disney could limit how many PS's at the same time a guest can have.

 

[Fast Pass]

I agree with allowing some restaurants to become walk in only. Not everyone has access to a computer and knows ahead of time to make PS/ADRs and the current system is not fair to those few.

 

[civileng68]

I don't think most ppl would go for ccard guarantee.

PS is only like a "Fastpass" in dining. Ppl can wait in line to eat.

If your restaurant was only 1/2 full, and there were ppl waiting to eat, then that sounds like they weren't staffed to cover the over tables. I could be wrong.

I do agree tho that Disney could limit how many PS's at the same time a guest can have.

It wasnt due to staffing because the PS's were taken, and I seriously doubt those are allotted due to staffing as the restaurant likely isn't to know how they'll be staffed 90 days out.

I think they COULD stop it by only allowing NO MORE than 2 PS's per day (3 max) and not allowing 2 within 2 hours of one another.

The system is being HEAVILY abused.

 

[Magickndm]

No way would I want to guarantee it with a CC...it's not even a real "reservation".
I'm afraid with Disney expanding the DDE things will just get worse.

 

[Magickndm]

I think they COULD stop it by only allowing NO MORE than 2 PS's per day (3 max) and not allowing 2 within 2 hours of one another.

The system is being HEAVILY abused.

Yeah, sounds good in theory, but people could just make up names.

 

[civileng68]

Yeah, sounds good in theory, but people could just make up names.

That's true, but they could require ID to be shown upon check in, but even then you can just use different names within your group and use different ID's if needed.

I think they could do the CC but I know alot of people wouldnt like that.

however weigh the options.............................

1) you put a CC down and have to give up $10.00 if you don't show,

or

2) Things continue and you and I are likely to not get a seat when it's busy and forced to eat fast food when restaurants are sitting half empty (at least the less popular ones).

One MAJOR solution would be to remove some restaurants from the PS list. The more popular restaurants dont have this problem nearly as bad. Most people show.

The problem is with the less popular places. People are using the less popular places as a fall-back in case they dont make it to the restaurant in time, or if the other PS is full.

Example: If I'm spending most of my day in MGM but want to to go Epcot for dinner. I may make a PS at Garden Grill, but then make one as well at Mama Melrose. If at the time to leave the park I realize I'm too late to make the Garden Grill, I can go to Mama Melrose. If I am on time, I go to Garden Grill and forget my PS at Mama Melrose.

Something has to be done though.

 

[grimley1968]

I'd like to scrap the PS system entirely, and go with actual reservations. PS's don't do much good when you have to wait 30 minutes at R&C for a seat when you have a PS (this happened to us last September). I think Disney ought to a) make PS's actual table reservations and b) impose that penalty if people don't show up within a certain amount of time, without calling a reasonable amount of time ahead and cancelling. A credit card number, or room number, is a great way to do this. If some people won't make reservations with this stipulation, that doesn't bother me. People who are afraid of a little financial slap on the wrist for abusing the system should be discouraged, IMHO.

I agree that the PS system is VERY heavily abused.

 

[Mickeyistheman]

I don't feel that we should have to put a CC down especially because it isn't a real reservation. You arrive 15 minutes beforehand and they seat you as soon as they can. I have waited almost a half hour at one time at the Crystal Palace.

My only question is why did you wait to make your priority seating when you were traveling during a holiday weekend? That might have been why it was more difficult for you?

I do agree that they shouldn't have so many PS restaurants and I also would hope that people wouldn't make reservations for more than one restaurant at the same time. I would hope that the system would pick it up as a double booking.

 

[grimley1968]

My only question is why did you wait to make your priority seating when you were traveling during a holiday weekend? That might have been why it was more difficult for you?

I don't think the OP was complaining so much that it was busy over the 4th weekend, but that the system is being abused. This was made clear when he mentioned Mama Melrose's being only half-filled, when he was told there were only 2 ps spots left. That's a clear indication of abuse of the ps system.

 

[beattyfamily]

I thought that Disney has been cracking down on double PS and calling guests and asking them which one they want to keep...I've read posts about this happening. Maybe it could be only at the more popular restaurants?

I agree that something should be done if they are allowing more then one PS at the same time in many different locations. It's also quite selfish, IMHO.

 

[jerbroni]

This is a real pet peeve of mine, and I have seen it recommended on this board a number of times that people make 'backup' PS reservations, so they might have 2 PS at 2 different parks, one for 12:00 and one for 12:30! I think this is terribly greedy and short-sighted. If you're not willing to commit to a certain park on a certain day at a certain time, then don't make a PS, there are other people that would like a PS in that time slot!

 

[civileng68]

I don't think the OP was complaining so much that it was busy over the 4th weekend, but that the system is being abused. This was made clear when he mentioned Mama Melrose's being only half-filled, when he was told there were only 2 ps spots left. That's a clear indication of abuse of the ps system.

Correct. Firstly, I made several PS's in advance just fine. However, do you always know where you will be every single moment? I called a couple of mornings just to see if Ps's were available any time that day as we just figured what we would be doing that day. It wasnt a big deal that we got them or not. In fact, I predicted I wouldnt get ANY. I just wanted to test my luck.

What bothered me was when I DID get one that I saw how heavily it was abused.

 

[civileng68]

I thought that Disney has been cracking down on double PS and calling guests and asking them which one they want to keep...I've read posts about this happening. Maybe it could be only at the more popular restaurants?

I agree that something should be done if they are allowing more then one PS at the same time in many different locations. It's also quite selfish, IMHO.

Nope nothing this past week. I made a PS about 3 weeks ago for July 4th for Garden Grill. However, I called back several days later to change it to San Angel Inn at the same time. I was never asked anything. In fact I was given a confirmation number and I WAS THE ONE who told them to cancel the other one.

 

[civileng68]

This is a real pet peeve of mine, and I have seen it recommended on this board a number of times that people make 'backup' PS reservations, so they might have 2 PS at 2 different parks, one for 12:00 and one for 12:30! I think this is terribly greedy and short-sighted. If you're not willing to commit to a certain park on a certain day at a certain time, then don't make a PS, there are other people that would like a PS in that time slot!

You are EXACTLY right. In fact, that's why I didnt make about 20 PS's for our trip. The problem is you give people an inch and they take a mile. Disney is responsible for keeping this from happening though. If they allow it, then basically they are encouraging it.

I will say that it can ruin a trip for a family who is honest and doesn't want to overbook PS's and then is told they cannot eat at sit down restaurants during their vacation during a very busy time.

 

[pjpoohbear]

I agree with allowing some restaurants to become walk in only. Not everyone has access to a computer and knows ahead of time to make PS/ADRs and the current system is not fair to those few.

The Dinning reservation system is mentioned in every WDW guide book. So one only needs to head to a library or buy a guide book to know about Ps/ADR's. A computer is not a needed planning tool for Disney, yes it is very helpful, but you can get most of the information on the web in paper guide books. I just can't see that having a computer puts a planner at such an advantage that the system needs to change.

On my first, in charge of planning, trip to WDW in 2000, I never knew of internet communities for WDW planning. I had only read the official Brimbaum's Guide and I ate at CRT, for breakfast and dinner that first trip, on the dates and times I wanted. I also booked several other PS's for that trip.

Penny

 

[Goofy4WDW1964]

I would like to see them require a credit card or a resort room number. If you don't want to leave a credit card number for priority seating, then don't make a priority seating. It's that simple. There is far too much abuse of the current system. When we go, we do make some arrangements before we go. But, I don't make all of them because our park days can change, especially with the new ticket pricing and EMH and trying to adjust park days to avoid crowds.

Under the current system, there is no motivation for people to call and cancel PS when they know they are not going to make it. It isn't that difficult to do. All you have to do is call 407-wdw-dine. You don't even have to call the restaurant.

Priority seating isn't much different than having a reservation at a restaurant. We have had to wait up to 20 minutes after a reservation time at a busy restaurant before. The busier the restaurant, the more apt you are to have to wait some time for your reservation.

 

[~Czarina~]

I can only speak for my family but nobody would use any PS at all if it required as CC number as about 99% of my family has no credit cards. Were one of those really weird cash-only kinda groups. It would also be entirely vile if they had a "slap on the wrist" as the one time we broke a PS was when my brother with being taken to the ER after popping not one but both of his eardrums. (Later on the same trip he broke out with chicken pocks. Oh what a lovely trip!!) I am sure mom would have just loved coming back to the hotel after getting two sets of meds plus paying for the doctor to discover there was also a fee on her credit card because in the hurry she hadn't cancled her PS.

I would also like to point out that with my family having dinners at Disney with anywhere from 5-13 people, not having a PS would make life very difficult. Even when we are there in the off season it can get very crazy with a group that big.

That being said I would also like to comment on the fact that even though we do not make many PS we have never had a problem with waiting forever to be seated or sitting in a half empty resturant. As far as I am concerned the program is fine by me.

 

[bubba's mom]

Okay, take it or leave it, here's my 2 cents............ We went to Chef Mickey's for dinner last Saturday of June and to MGM the next day (Sunday). I had made 2 PS's....Sat.'s @ CM's and SciFi on Sunday. We were early for CM's (didn't realize they opened at 5:00--our PS time) and wondered why they were giving "beepers" to everyone with all the empty tables. (Turns out, you get a pic taken and they "beep" you while doing that & all the empty tables were because they just opened! ) The next day at SciFi, we were about 10 minutes early and checked in. While waiting, I saw numerous people come in (w/o PS) and were turned away. They said their "walk-in" tables were full and it was an hour wait to get one.
Fast forward to later that nite...... while sitting in the baby care area (recharging our video camera battery), from where I was sitting, I could see out into the Guest Service area. This lady came in a ripped a poor CM dude up and down. She had a map and pointed out every sit-down place in MGM. She said, "I tried to eat here and here and here....... I was told there was nothing available or there was at least an hour wait. There is absolutely no way anyone should have to wait an hour to eat!" (Um, does she not eat out at home?? ) Anyway, I really couldn't hear the CM, but she really laid into him. Guess nobody told her of PS?? So, whatever he said, she rebuted, "Well, I am going to try to get a reservation for "this place" tomorrow. So, now that I've told you all this, where's it going to go??" I looked at DH and said, "Guess her complaint is going straight to Eisner!"
I guess something needs to be done about PS....maybe not enough people know about it or they need to limit.....altho, if you're off-site, not sure how they are gonna do that???..... but, a good post, and I agree.....

 

[civileng68]

The Dinning reservation system is mentioned in every WDW guide book. So one only needs to head to a library or buy a guide book to know about Ps/ADR's. A computer is not a needed planning tool for Disney, yes it is very helpful, but you can get most of the information on the web in paper guide books. I just can't see that having a computer puts a planner at such an advantage that the system needs to change.

On my first, in charge of planning, trip to WDW in 2000, I never knew of internet communities for WDW planning. I had only read the official Brimbaum's Guide and I ate at CRT, for breakfast and dinner that first trip, on the dates and times I wanted. I also booked several other PS's for that trip.

Penny

You are right that computers don't really help in PS's.

However, the problem still exists. Not everyone knows 30-90 days out where they will eat for every meal. However if you dont get a PS it's understandable and one shouldn't be upset that they dont get one, but when those PS's are not being used, that is upsetting.