problem getting seated when solo

Redbudlover

DIS Veteran
Joined
Jul 21, 2005
Messages
2,481
Has anyone else had a problem getting seated when they ate alone? During my last solo trip I had an ADR for 4:55 pm at the CP so I could have plenty of time for the P&PP. I arrived early about 4:45 and didn't get a table until 5:35 - after complaining twice! They said they didn't have many tables for singles - but the tables for singles are actually for couples... I thought they were not supposed to give you an ADR unless there was a table for you at about that time... I was so aggravated. I had planned to hurry through dinner to start riding and here I was 40 minutes later than my ADR just to be seated.:mad:
 
Wow! I've never heard that excuse and I've done several solo trips. As you've said, the tables are for two....I've never seen a table with seating only for 1! Sounds like maybe they took some walk-ups that bumped your ADR out. The ADR isn't a guarantee that you will be seated exactly at that time but more like a preferential seating. Still, 40 minutes is a long time to wait past your ADR time!
 
I would be very disappointed as well with an ADR. I wouldn't think you would have any more trouble getting seated solo as a couple would. Wouldn't it just be the same tables? The only problem we had getting seated as at CG. We were seated at least an hour after our ADR. I don't understand how their system fails either.
 
The only place I had a problem dining solo this trip was The Plaza. I waited a good half hour until they finally gave me a round table for 5, yes 5, all to myself. I felt like an idiot at that big of a table alone, but i was starving by that point!
 

Getting bumped was my thought as well - and why I complained twice. I watched people come up and get seated over and over again - and I was early for my ADR....

I was worried it was not an isolated incident and wondered if I should avoid TS ADRs when I had something I wanted to do afterwards.
 
I would be very disappointed as well with an ADR. I wouldn't think you would have any more trouble getting seated solo as a couple would. Wouldn't it just be the same tables? The only problem we had getting seated as at CG. We were seated at least an hour after our ADR. I don't understand how their system fails either.

You had to wait an hour? And I thought 40 minutes was a long time. Did they say why?
 
The only place I had a problem dining solo this trip was The Plaza. I waited a good half hour until they finally gave me a round table for 5, yes 5, all to myself. I felt like an idiot at that big of a table alone, but i was starving by that point!

Nothing like making you stick out and showing that you were by yourself! :rolleyes1
 
Any time I have dined solo and I usually take one solo trip a year I have never waited unusually long for a table. The restaurants do have less tables for 2 than the do for 4 so it can be more difficult to get an ADR in the first place.

I especially loved sitting at the Sushi bar at the Ca Grill and I wished I had opted for that at Jiko. It was a lot of fun watching the chefs work.
 
I hope you'll take the time to write to Disney about your experience. Be sure to mention the location, date, ADR time and actual seating time. Tell them yo expect better service than this from a company like Disney and suggest to them that some compensation for your inconvenience is in order, such as a partial refund of the price of your meal. It also helps to keep your tone positive and include some complements about what went right and the fact that you expect to return to Disney soon.
 
The food was good, esp the shake and my waitress was one of the best I had my whole trip. I just didn't like the table for 5 that was mine alone...lol

Thank goodness I didn't have to dine solo my whole trip! Just the nights my Orlando friends whom I was visiting were working.
 
I've never waited any longer than about 15 minutes. The 15 itself was allready 'exeptionally' long, which was for CM and I noticed different families and couples that came in with the same or even a bit earlier ADR having to wait a bit longer than me. Hopefully your experiences in the future will prove the experience you had to be a fluke!
 
The few times I've dined solo, I found that I was seated almost immediately (even when the restaurants were fairly busy). Not only that, but the service was always amazingly fast.

My assumption: they think a single diner won't linger and they can turn the table faster. Instead of filling the table twice in 2 hours, they can possible cram in a 3rd seating (of one person).

Never worked in restaurants, so I don't know if that's the truth, but it was my perception at the time.
 
You had to wait an hour? And I thought 40 minutes was a long time. Did they say why?

Well, we got there plenty early and we wouldn't have waited around except it was the last night of our trip and our 2 free dining TS credits would have gone to waste. So, we kept asking when we would be seated and they kept telling us it would be really soon.

We sat directly at the bar and the bartender had zero interest in serving us. We had to practically beg for some wine.

After our meal, when we had settled up, we asked to speak to the manager and told her very politely about the unacceptable experience that we had before we were seated. She was very apologetic. We didn't ask for compensation or anything but my DH is a chef and felt that the restaurant manager should know.

The next day when we checked out of our room, we noticed that a $50 credit had been put on our account from CG. So, it was dealt with exceptionally well but it was still disappointing that such a posh, reputable place seemed to be operating so poorly.

So, to answer your question, no, we never really did find out what took so long.
 
Three solo trips, no issues being seated when I've had an ADR as of yet. Only time that was at all akward was one time when I showed up for Tea at the GF and the person manning the desk seemed a little confused what to do with a solo diner. Lasted less than a minute and I had my table.
 

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