Reservation etiquitte--showing up with an extra person

[Skeetz Edinger]

I apologize if this is a repeat question.
We had a surprise addition to our new years trip.
We were able to adjust all of our reservations to
accomodate our additional person except one--California Grill.
This sounds jerky, but what would they do if your party
shows up for your reservation with an extra person and
plays stupid, like we accidentally booked for 4 when we actually have 5?
I hate missing this meal as it is during wishes.
I hate leaving out one of our party.
I hate doing something dishonest.
Any tips on getting this worked out?
We keep checking back, hoping something will open between
now and the first week of January.
Thoughts?

 

[Pumbaa_]

Many folks will hop on and share their POLITE thoughts

Keep checking for an ADR for 5, look for 6 too, sometimes even numbers work better
Cancel day before
Show up and beg for mercy but be prepared to have someone walk away

If a restaurant is fully booked, and Disney restaurants often are, there is not a bigger table available nor head count capacity for one more

Disney is also quite familiar with the one more added on, aka we could only get a ressie for X when we know we have y but we don't care, make it work for us

Sometimes it can but sometimes it can't. Keep checking and make a plan b

 

[HarleenQ]

There's no definite answer here. They can either turn away the additional person or you may have a bit of an extra wait and they can accommodate. No one will know until you go there and ask, but you need to be prepared with a backup plan for that extra person should they not accommodate them.

If you all walk away, you'll be charged a no show fee. Keep checking, but if you're not prepared to send off 1 person I'd cancel the whole thing. CG is super popular, especially for Wishes viewing.

 

[TheDisneyNurse]

Keep on checking! You may still find it, New Years is a long way away

My family used to add on a lot. We were infamous for bringing additions at the last minute (my cousin, my sister's boyfriend, friends, etc.) and we've always been accomodated with absolutely no common.

(Please no one argue with me. I was a young teenager at a time, I had no control over it lol)

 

[_auroraborealis_]

@TheRustyScupper has an FAQ about this, but the long and short of it is that they can't just stuff a 5th person at a 4-top, so a shift from 4 to 5 is major and the restaurant may turn you away. If your whole party bails, you will be charged the no-show fee.

When they can accommodate, they will. But Cali Grill during Wishes is going to have a very hard time accommodating, as table size is not in your favor, and diners camp their tables for Wishes anyway.

 

[Skeetz Edinger]

Thanks everyone... we'll keep watching for reservation.
Still new to the dis boards, trying to figure it all out.
We booked as 2... then turned into 4... now 5.
99.9% certain our party won't grow again, but CG wishes is
one of the big highlights for us... don't want to miss it.

 

[Skeetz Edinger]

We found a perfect solution... we were able to split the party into 2 and 3 and get two tables 5 minutes apart.

 

[Nancyg56]

We found a perfect solution... we were able to split the party into 2 and 3 and get two tables 5 minutes apart.

I'm glad! We had our party grow by ine and the CG was the only meal that the IPO at AKL was not able to adjust for us. This is not a restaurant known for wiggle room.