Reservations are for 4 - Now we are 5

[formernyer]

We'll be leaving for WDW this Saturday. I made my ADRs immediately after the free dining was announced back in April. Our reservations are for 4, but now it looks like my mom will be joining us for several meals.

I called to add her to our reservations and WCC is the only restaurant they would make the change on. I told her we had no problem just adding an extra place setting to a table for 4 and just all squishing in. She told me they couldn't do it and we'd have to change our reservations to places which still have availability for 5. Obviously, I don't really want to give up my great ADRs at places like Crystal Palace, Le Cellier, Coral Reef, Chef Mickey's, and Boma.

I think I'm going to keep the existing reservations and try to talk to a manager at the restaurants early each day to see if they can accommodate us with an extra place setting at the table for 4. Has anyone done this before and did it work?

Please, no posts telling me the official Disney policies. I know what they are. I just want to know if they are willing to bend the rules. Oh, and this isn't the same as having a reservation for 3 (for example) and adding a 4th person, since a party of 3 is already taking up a table for 4...so it's no big deal for them to accommodate that request. I need to "overcrowd" a table.

 

[fakereadhed]

As a former party of 5(last trip) there were lots of places like Le Cellier that made me book 2 tables and said we wouldn't be seated together. But that never happened at all. I think what you get on the phone is the "official" stuff, but since it's not really reserved and you just get the next available table for your party size I think it will work out when you get there. Keep calling back though because there are different ADRs available all the time. But if you have no luck, I bet if you show up and say party of 5, they will seat you at a larger table when it's available without you making a fuss about it.

 

[Tricia1972]

We're faced with a similar situation on my DS's 2nd birthday.

My sister was originally flying in late on that day, so I didn't put her on our Chef Mickey's reservation (5:10). Well now she's flying in earlier and the only thing available is an 8:40, which won't work for us.

We're just going to arrive at 5:00, kindly explain the situation and if it's an issue DS 2 can sit on my lap for the meal. I know we'll be at a 6 topper for the night.

I think that often it's your attitude and how you present things to CM's that can help affect your outcome.

My advice would be to arrive a little early, smile, be kind, patiently explain and you'll probably be ok.

 

[Mickiethepooh]

I have seen people turned away when they showed up with less or more than the number on the ADR. I suggest you keep trying right up till you go and then go to your concierge at the hotel and ask them to try.

 

[Pirate-Jeff]

WHAT DO YOU MEAN 4, I MADE RESERVATIONS FOR 5.
I have seen that done several times and it worked every time

that being said.

We just asked at the restaurant when we checked in and it was not a problem adding a 5th to our table. This was the recommendation of a guest services castmember. May be a little wait on Sunday and Monday but after that it shouldn't be a big deal.

Jeff

 

[Pumbaa_]

The way alot of the restaurants are set up, it is not ppossible to add another chair without blocking an aisle. Lots of 4 tops right next to each other, for example. Adding another chair would put that chair up against the side of the table next to you.

They would need to seat you at a 6 top for a party of 5. Le Cellier will probably be your greatest challenge.

Good luck and let us know how it works out

 

[aubriee]

WHAT DO YOU MEAN 4, I MADE RESERVATIONS FOR 5.
I have seen that done several times and it worked every time

that being said.

We just asked at the restaurant when we checked in and it was not a problem adding a 5th to our table. This was the recommendation of a guest services castmember. May be a little wait on Sunday and Monday but after that it shouldn't be a big deal.

Jeff

We saw someone try that last Sept at Le Cellier and it did not work. They were turned away. If you show up there with more people than your table would originally hold they will turn you away. The family we saw apparently hadn't counted their toddler. Sept '05 we also saw a family turned away at Le Cellier when they showed up with two extra people. The funny thing about that family is that the four went on in, while the two went somewhere else. We've also seen a group at Crystal Palace turned away because they had one extra person (a grandma). That dad raised quite a ruckus, but it didn't do any good.

 

[Tricia1972]

I would agree with aubriee that in the case of LeCell asking to seat one more would not work as well as other restaurants. LeCellier is a beast of another color. Crystal Palace, in general, should be ok. She mentioned that the dad caused a rukus, here his attitude could have hurt him.

Like I said, all that you can do at this point is exactly what you suggested. Be nice and kind and hope for the best.

Good luck!! (Be sure to check back and let us know how it works for you when you get back!)

 

[Jaime]

This happened to us in 2005 during FREE dining...Grandma decided to come at the last minute...we were able to get her into all of our restaurants...they were Chef Mickey, Le Cellier, Crytsal Palce, CRT, Boma, Planet Hollywood and Teppkinaki...I kept calling everyday before we left...I was able to get a table for 2 and a table for 3 at Boma's and they just pushed the table together and a cancellation for Chef Mickey's...everything else we went earlier in the day...they seated her no problem...we were in vacation mode...relax and happyI think it is easier to get people to help me if I am pleasant

Have a great vacation...I hope everything works out to make your vacation extra magical!

 

[formernyer]

Thanks for all your stories. I think I'm going to just check in with a manager early in the day and hopefully get it worked out. I think that might work better than starting an argument claiming that I'd actually made reservations for 5 (although I could certainly make that *sound* real, since only four of us have DDP..."I told the lady at the reservations desk that we had 4 for the DDP plus one extra...she must have just heard me say 4.")

 

[natalielongstaff]

please come back and let us know how you get on !! good luck

 

[seashoreCM]

I don't like the idea of saying "four for the DDP and one extra". Too much room for errors to creep in.

Do you have to tell the reservation clerk you are on DDP?

It seems safer to say "five" or even "five with one not on DDP" instead (using this example).

Disney hints: http://members.aol.com/ajaynejr/disney.htm

 

[formernyer]

I don't like the idea of saying "four for the DDP and one extra". Too much room for errors to creep in.

Do you have to tell the reservation clerk you are on DDP?

It seems safer to say "five" or even "five with one not on DDP" instead (using this example).

Disney hints: http://members.aol.com/ajaynejr/disney.htm

I don't disagree with that, but if you read my first post, this isn't an instance where my reservations got messed up. I planned for four, then ended up with a last-minute fifth person. I was asking for advice on the best strategy to get my tables for 5 now.

 

[LuvAriel]

YIKES!!!

I am in the EXACT same situation!!!

My Mother just decided to join us, we leave in 11 days. As far as the rooms are concerned, it wasn't a big deal because, we already had 2 connecting rooms booked at the POP, so they just added her onto our reservation with Free Dining. All I had to do was get her park tickets.

I then asked to add her to my dining ressies & of course none of my existing ressie's could be changed to 5 people.

I have been stressing over this & calling everyday to see if she could be added.

I am booked at Chef Mickey's, LeCellier, Crystal palace, & Mama Melrose Fantasmic Package. I have had these ressies since Free Dining came out in April & really do not want to lose them.

I was hoping & tell me if I am crazy, that if they gave me a problem when I check-in, I could just sit my 3 year old on my lap during dinner???

Do you think that would work or are they going to turn us away???

 

[Tricia1972]

It may work, it's what I plan on doing when we go if we have a problem.

 

[LuvAriel]

It may work, it's what I plan on doing when we go if we have a problem.

I see my trip is before yours, I will post back to let you know how it works out.

keep your fingers crossed.......