Saving Tables....A Complaint

[Epcotgal]

I can't believe I'm actually still reading this thread. Couple things I want to say & then stick a fork in me I'm done.

1. No one has answered the question "If I give someone with food my table and mine comes before they are done eating, are they going to let me have my table back to eat my meal?; and

2. You cannot assume everyone's wait in line, 30 minutes for sake of argument, is the same, i.e. there are two families of four each in front of DH & I. They order a meal, hamburger, fries & drink each, DH & I order a hamburger & drink each. Even though there was two groups in front of us, DH & I get our order first, because it was smaller. This happens more often then not for us. Therefore, our wait in line is shorter than the people who ordered before us.

I totally agree.

 

[maxiesmom]

I would much rather a family with kids NOT have the whole group in line trying to order food. Kids fighting, bumping into other guests, generally geting in the way. And if that means they have to sit at a table and wait, then so be it.

Granted, I haven't read every reply, but am I the only one wondering why the ABC Comissary was packed? There food is the absolute worst at Disney. Honestly, you couldn't pay me enough to eat there again!!!

 

[LuluLovesDisney]

But where do you propose they PUT those tables?

And a reasonable one... BUT how do you propose to regulate who sits at that table? With all the table-savers, how do you prevent groups from grabbing that table? Can't use the honor system, you'd need a CM to pretty much stand guard over it and prevent anyone without food from sitting there, or any party consisting of more than one person. The table service restaurant at the old Disney Institute had a Community Table; seating was offered by the Host/ess to parties of one or two. What works at a sit-down restaurant probably won't at a counter service place.

What about a bar/counter off to the side somewhere? One with stools/chairs and one at an appropriate height for wheelchairs to pull up to. You could add a sign "Please offer solo patrons priority seating here".

 

[maxiesmom]

And here I thought I was being courteous by not subjecting people to my 4 year old swinging and dancing and generally having a good time in line. I thought I was doing people a favor by stepping out of line with her and getting her seated at a table. I really didn't want to be the subject of a disboard discussion about how people can't control their kids while waiting in a CS line .

I have found that no matter what you do or who you try to please, you will be upsetting someone on this board! So now my rule of thumb is to do what I believe to be courteous and kind and not worry about what anyone else thinks!

 

[Maggi May]

Granted, I haven't read every reply, but am I the only one wondering why the ABC Comissary was packed? There food is the absolute worst at Disney. Honestly, you couldn't pay me enough to eat there again!!!

Good question! My family and I were among the unwashed masses on the same day the OP was there. No good excuse, but it was Star Wars Weekend, and we had a hungry toddler to feed - it was the closest place. Don't think we'll be going back anytime soon.

 

[cmwade77]

I read a thread before my trip about saving seats at the counter service places. I had my first experience with this last week because we waited until 2:00 for lunch (against my advice). After waiting in line at the ABC Commissary for what seemed like over 1/2 hour (with 2 children), we finally got our food. During our search for an empty table we observed table after table occupied by folks without a crumb of food. Some by one person. Some by one parent and children. So when we finally saw some folks leaving a table we walked over only to find another couple standing there (WITHOUT food) waiting to grab it for themselves. My husband had a very unpleasant standoff with these folks who didn't speak English apparently. He let them have the table and we found another one across the room (cursing them the whole way). We watched these folks the entire time we were there. We settled in to eat, ate and cleaned up after ourselves and these folks were still waiting on their food (she sat at the table alone while he ordered). They weren't the only ones either. There were tons of people there that we passed with no food (when we were looking for a table) that were STILL waiting on their food after we had finished. Not one person offered to let us use their table until their food arrived. We would have been grateful had they done so and thanked them upon leaving once their food arrived. I don't mind taking my last few bites in the vertical position. I think CMs should patrol these areas during busy times and insist folks vacate a table if they don't have food so others WITH food can sit down to eat. Until that day comes, I'll continue to eat an early lunch...even if I'm not all that hungry yet.

We always send one or two people ahead to get a table, so while they don't have food yet they will shortly. How could you know which one is which? I have no problems with people saving seats for events, as long as those people show up by about 15 minutes prior, if they don't then the seats should be given up.

 

[TDC Nala]

I think it's probably counterproductive to have CMS on "seat patrol."

"How long have you been sitting there? Where's your food? You need to get up and let these people have that table. Aren't you done with your dinner yet, you've been at this table for a half hour."

On Star Wars weekend maybe they could borrow some Jedi Knights.

"You don't have to save that table while your family member gets the food."

"You're finished with your meal and you want to get back to the park."

"Move along now."

 

[tink_about_it]

I think it's probably counterproductive to have CMS on "seat patrol."

"How long have you been sitting there? Where's your food? You need to get up and let these people have that table. Aren't you done with your dinner yet, you've been at this table for a half hour."

On Star Wars weekend maybe they could borrow some Jedi Knights.

"You don't have to save that table while your family member gets the food."

"You're finished with your meal and you want to get back to the park."

"Move along now."

This thread needs to die...Nearly 83% of people said they will save a seat for their family....and they should. (you couldn't even get 10% on the other poll options!


If ya can't beat 'em, join 'em!

 

[kaytieeldr]

What about a bar/counter off to the side somewhere? One with stools/chairs and one at an appropriate height for wheelchairs to pull up to. You could add a sign "Please offer solo patrons priority seating here".

Good idea, but still probably insufficient. Now, "This seating RESERVED for solo diners" might work.

This thread needs to die...Nearly 83% of people said they will save a seat for their family....and they should. (you couldn't even get 10% on the other poll options!

Okay, then... figuring the DIS represents the total Disney 'population', how about 15% of the tables being reserved for diners WITH food trays? That way, 85% of the tables are available to be held by parties with the ability to split up, and the remaining tables are specifically for diners with food from that or another Disney counter service restaurant but who couldn't or wouldn't grab a table while another member of their party waits in line for the food.

 

[tink_about_it]

What the heck? When you go to Wendy's...have you or your family never sat down while someone ordered for you? I mean come on! THis is the way it's done...period!

 

[MissMichelle]

I am with the majority...I don't mind when people are saving seats...AS LONG as they are eating there and aren't doing it just to "relax". If they are patrons of the establishment then they can save the seat. There are circumstances (and having a family of 6 stand in line just makes things harder IMO) that it almost needs to be done. Makes the lines move quicker and also keeps the family members happy.

 

[TDC Nala]

Good idea, but still probably insufficient. Now, "This seating RESERVED for solo diners" might work.

Okay, then... figuring the DIS represents the total Disney 'population', how about 15% of the tables being reserved for diners WITH food trays? That way, 85% of the tables are available to be held by parties with the ability to split up, and the remaining tables are specifically for diners with food from that or another Disney counter service restaurant but who couldn't or wouldn't grab a table while another member of their party waits in line for the food.

It wasn't me who posted that quote. It was in response to my post. I don't ever say that threads need to die.

 

[kaytieeldr]

What the heck? When you go to Wendy's...have you or your family never sat down while someone ordered for you? I mean come on! THis is the way it's done...period!

Excuse me? Are you addressing me? See, if I had a family with which to go to Wendy's, that we'd all wait in line until we had our food notwithstanding, silly me.

SOME posters in this thread are offering reasonable, sensible suggestions for solo diners, and if it's a situation with which I'm already familiar, I'm MERELY presenting potential pitfalls with even those good ideas. I'm not saying they won't work. They may, they may not. Again, silly me. I thought my responses were clearly questions intended to evoke additional reasonable responses - not "this is the way it's done". THAT'S pretty clear from, oh, I dunno - about 83% of the replies.

 

[TDC Nala]

A lot of the time I am a solo diner at CS. The seat savers don't bother me much. Don't see why anything needs to be changed. If you have to wait, you have to wait.

The folks who push in front of you trying to rush to a table being cleared do bother me, but they come in all configurations and are just being rude.

I usually get a table anyway, I just have to wait a bit to get one. And if I can't get one, it's not so difficult for me, as one person, to walk my food somewhere else and eat it on a bench or wherever.

 

[kaytieeldr]

It wasn't me who posted that quote. It was in response to my post. I don't ever say that threads need to die.

My HUGE mistake!!!!!!!!!!!! I've fixed my quoting to show the ACTUAL poster to whom I was responding, and I am VERY sorry to have confused you with her!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Please accept my sincerest apology!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Mkrop]

The folks who push in front of you trying to rush to a table being cleared do bother me, but they come in all configurations and are just being rude.

.

I agree that is rude. I save tables but I am not going to roll over another patron to get to the table. We politely wait our turn!

 

[CoPirate]

plan ahead, plan ahead

I think its smart to split up your group, half order, half save. If you dont do this, and you cant get a table... well... you snooze you lose!

 

[thunderbird1]

We find a table, decide what to order, DH gets in line to order and usually calls us on his cell to offer up things he sees on the menu we might want.

Then once his order is in my oldest son goes up to help carry the food back.

OT, but this is genius! We use our cell phones constantly at WDW, but it would never have occurred to me to use it inside the restaurant, for confirming, clarifying or correcting the "table holder's" orders (I'm forever guessing whether they meant A or B, or if I should add item C), or to use it to summon assistance to carry the food back to the table. Thanks for the tip!

I just knew there was a good reason I hadn't been able to give up on this thread yet.

 

[OhioTony]

OK! So is THIS wrong? I had 6 Towels with the word "MINE" printed on them for our next trip to reserve tables, show seats & parade seating!...there are only 4 of us..but other people are uky! so we want a 1 towel buffer on either side!

 

[jcemom]

OK! So is THIS wrong? I had 6 Towels with the word "MINE" printed on them for our next trip to reserve tables, show seats & parade seating!...there are only 4 of us..but other people are uky! so we want a 1 towel buffer on either side!

LOL. Well, that's a creative idea. I think the 1 towel buffer on either side is unrealistic. Generally people are crammed in like sardines. Although I don't really enjoy being so close to total strangers I wouldn't think it polite to deprive two or four people a space just because they might be icky. Maybe they think I'm icky too? KWIM?