Restaurant Question - Any cramped ones?

[maroo]

Hi guys!

I was hanging out on the restaurant board and someone said something about LeCellier being "cramped"...

We are planning to try for a ressie there in December, but we will have someone in a power chair with us and I personally don't like to try to fit in cramped places...having to move tables around and worry about blocking the walkway...

So I am just wondering, for you guys that use ECV's or power chairs...which restaurants in WDW do you find to be a little too cramped?

Also, which ones are you positive have plenty of room for a wheelchair?

I have only eaten in Chef Mickeys (plenty of room), The Wave (plenty of room, because no one was in there!) and 50's Prime Time Cafe (little cramped, but manageable)...

 

[Chuck S]

Unless they've remodeled from the time it was Alfredo's, the Italian restaurant at EPCOT, Tutto Italia is very, very crowded, worse than Le Cellier. But like I said, I haven't dined there since the new ownership has taken over, so it may be "roomier" now.

Chef's de France is cramped, but do-able. A power chair would likely fit better than a scooter/ECV. Mom's standard manual wheelchair works fine there, and actually fit into Le Cellier, tight, but OK.

At the MK, Liberty Tree Tavern will bring you in a side entrance because the main entrance has steps. Folks seated next to that entrance may need to moved while you wheel through, other than that, we haven't had problems there.

At a Animal Kingdom, all the Table Service places seem pretty tight, but we recently tried the Picnic in the Park, and really enjoyed that. If the weather isn't too hot or rainy that may be a good option for you.

Brown Derby at the Studios is one of our regular places, they seem to have more room for chairs than most other locations. You may be brought in through an alternate entrance, depending upon what level of the restaurant they seat you.

 

[Mary976]

My DD uses a manual chair. We thought Le Cellier was fine. Chefs de France was a little tight, but I think that was because we were there at peak dinner rush. San Angel (Mexico) was tight. We were okay at Yak and Yeti (AK), and Tusker House was fine too, although I wouldn't try it at peak times because of going to and from the buffet. Also, TRex (Downtown Disney) was REALLY cramped, plus it was dark and hard to see where we were going. DD enjoyed it, but I wish we had been seated near the front. Getting to the restroom at TRex was tough too.

Mary

 

[maroo]

Thank you all for your responses! These are helping us!

We are planning Le Cellier, CRT, 1900 Park Fare and Crystal Palace for our December trip...

Le Cellier - seems we think it is cramped, but doable

My guess is 1900 and CP are going to be fine....

But what about CRT? That one may be interesting? We do have a party of 7 with us.

 

[Mary976]

You might want to book Crystal Palace during an off dining time. It depends on how the person using the wheelchair feels about buffets. If he or she is happy to say, "just bring me some of everything" then you'll be fine. DD insists on going through the whole line herself, and I find it can be hard to maneuver during the lunch and dinner rushes.

 

[OneLittleSpark]

I've not had any problems at any of the restaurants we've been to, in my manual chair. We tend to go more for CS than TS, but we have done a few TS places in our many trips. I've never been to a place in WDW (in or out of the chair), where I've felt uncomfortably cramped.

If you're booking TS places in advance, I suggest you let them know that you will have a wheelchair user in your party. Though, obviously, this isn't essential, it will allow the restaurant to plan in advance, and make it quicker and easier for everyone involved. That said, I've never had a problem yet, when I've just turned up!

One thing that might be more of an issue, is the tables themselves. Most of them are fairly good for wheelchairs, but there are some that might be too low to get the chair under (well, the chair itself won't be a problem, but the joystick might not fit so easily), or have an arrangement of legs that makes it trickier. Again, letting TS restaurants know in advance can help get around this problem, and CS places shouldn't be too much of an issue, as you can choose your own table.

If you're still unsure about any restaurants, you can always do a Google image search in advance, and discuss things with the wheelchair user in your party.

Hope this helps!

 

[scojos]

an interesting thread, not because we are in a chair, but asd ds doesnt like to be crowded. LeC was borderline for us, tables are very close together, at other restaurants when i originally did the adrs, our requests for a quiet table were respected...
tracy xx

 

[maroo]

You might want to book Crystal Palace during an off dining time. It depends on how the person using the wheelchair feels about buffets. If he or she is happy to say, "just bring me some of everything" then you'll be fine. DD insists on going through the whole line herself, and I find it can be hard to maneuver during the lunch and dinner rushes.

This is a very good point...

Unfortunately, Rachel can't carry a tray or plate, so we will be getting food for her anyway...and I think we will probably just grab her some and come back for more for her as she needs it. We pretty much know what she likes.

an interesting thread, not because we are in a chair, but asd ds doesnt like to be crowded. LeC was borderline for us, tables are very close together, at other restaurants when i originally did the adrs, our requests for a quiet table were respected...
tracy xx

I did not even think about it being beneficial for ASD kids. I am glad it will help you guys, too!

I've not had any problems at any of the restaurants we've been to, in my manual chair. We tend to go more for CS than TS, but we have done a few TS places in our many trips. I've never been to a place in WDW (in or out of the chair), where I've felt uncomfortably cramped.

If you're booking TS places in advance, I suggest you let them know that you will have a wheelchair user in your party. Though, obviously, this isn't essential, it will allow the restaurant to plan in advance, and make it quicker and easier for everyone involved. That said, I've never had a problem yet, when I've just turned up!

One thing that might be more of an issue, is the tables themselves. Most of them are fairly good for wheelchairs, but there are some that might be too low to get the chair under (well, the chair itself won't be a problem, but the joystick might not fit so easily), or have an arrangement of legs that makes it trickier. Again, letting TS restaurants know in advance can help get around this problem, and CS places shouldn't be too much of an issue, as you can choose your own table.

If you're still unsure about any restaurants, you can always do a Google image search in advance, and discuss things with the wheelchair user in your party.

Hope this helps!

I will definitely let them know! Hopefully they will be able to accomodate us easily!

 

[OneLittleSpark]

I will definitely let them know! Hopefully they will be able to accomodate us easily!

They should be able to sort you out easily, especially if you give them a heads-up first! The only time I've ever made an ADR (yup, I said we tend to stick to CS!) was at Liberty Tree Tavern, and they had an easily accesible table saved especially for us!