Table Service for the average park visitor???

[Justin Jett]

Just wondering if the average visitor makes, or even knows about, ADRs.

This is a trip planning community, and ADRs are a MUST for the vast majority of people here. With that said, let's think about the average family who is visiting the parks.

What percentage of park visitors make ADRs instead of just walking up to table service?

Disney advertises the WDW-DINE number, but does the average family overlook ADRs?

There are people who have posted that ADRs are needed if you are on the dining plan. When the average visitor books the dining plan directly with Disney are actually told, by Disney, that ADRs are required for table service?

"Authorized Disney Travel Planner" travel agencies do inform their clients that ADRs are available for table service, but are other travel agencies aware of ADRs or the importance of ADRs?

Does Guest Services frequently get "I was not told that I needed reservations!" complaints?

Just wondering how the average tourist views ADRs and table service? Do they use WDW-DINE or do they just get the buzzer thingy and wait for a table?

 

[Greenfield1984]

I know for me after booking a trip or if ever I'm talking with a disney represantive I was routinely asked at the end of the call if I wanted help with booking some ADRs.

But i book a disney package with disney. I imagine those who are staying offsite and are new to the world would most likely be very surprised at the lack of seeting at the restaurants.

 

[mikelan6]

I think the vast majority of guests that visit WDW are Day Guests that stay off-site and also partly dine off-site.

Guests that are at the parks for a limited time want to get all the attractions in and don't want to waste time at a table service restaurant.

Repeat guests and Disney fans, are of course a different matter. We spend more time at WDW and part of the experience is the dining.

As for travel agencies, average agents don't get commission on ADR's and these can be time consuming, so I don't think the majority of them bother with them.

 

[Justin Jett]

I know for me after booking a trip or if ever I'm talking with a disney represantive I was routinely asked at the end of the call if I wanted help with booking some ADRs.

But i book a disney package with disney.

When you are offered help with ADRs, are you told that restaurants require reservations? Are reservations presented as an option or a need?

 

[k5jm]

ADR's rock!

 

[Justin Jett]

ADR's rock!

I roll

 

[lovethecastle]

My brother & his family went last Easter & they did not make a single adr. Consequently they didn't have any table service meals. They walked up to different restaurants every evening & of course being easter week there were no tables.
When they plan their next visit I'll have to give them a headsup about adr's & the wdwinfo website so they can have the complete list of restaurants & menus. They aren't planners so they may not heed my advice anyway.

We always make a couple of table service adr's. In general we like to eat quickly & get back to the park but it is fun to sit down once in awhile &
enjoy the atmosphere & theming of table service restaurants.
_______________
Sandy

 

[Justin Jett]

My brother & his family went last Easter & they did not make a single adr. Consequently they didn't have any table service meals. They walked up to different restaurants every evening & of course being easter week there were no tables.
When they plan their next visit I'll have to give them a headsup about adr's & the wdwinfo website so they can have the complete list of restaurants & menus. They aren't planners so they may not heed my advice anyway.

We always make a couple of table service adr's. In general we like to eat quickly & get back to the park but it is fun to sit down once in awhile &
enjoy the atmosphere & theming of table service restaurants.
_______________
Sandy

Were they given the option to wait for a table? Or, were they turned away completely?

 

[sayhello]

Were they given the option to wait for a table? Or, were they turned away completely?

When I went to WDW about 4 years ago (pre DISUnplugged for me) I had no idea that the dining plan even existed. I always do Room Only reservations. I was very excited about the whole EMH thing, staying late at DHS. Just about the time they were closing for those not staying on property, I went to have some dinner. All of the counter service places (besides the junk food QS stalls they had lining Sunset Blvd) were closed (no one told me they would be) so I tried to get into table service. All of the restaurants turned me away (no reservations at all) except for Hollywood & Vine, which had a minimum hour and a half wait. Granted, this was a few years ago, but I consider myself a pretty decent WDW planner, and no indication was given that I needed ADR's. Someone on the bus told me about the dining plan later, and that that was likely why I hadn't gotten in.

Sayhello

 

[kaligal]

I didn't know on my first trip. ADRs? Puhleeze. I didn't know anything.

I'd always wanted to go to WDW, but couldn't afford it. Got sent by work, but had no idea it required research.

Hell, I got in the cab (around 11:30 or noon - I slept in) and said I wanted to go to WDW and had a confusing conversation about which park...finally the cab driver gave up on my ability to understand him and said, "Do you want to go to the one with the castle?" Yes, that's where I wanted to go. That's Disney World. Duh.

The cab driver drove me all over God's creation and charged about double what I should have paid. He also hit on me and asked me out. Blech.

I got on the monorail to Epcot, rode through there and back to the TTC. Got off all confused. Talked to some staff person who assured me that if I got on the boat, I would land where the castle was. So I did.

I took half a roll of film that I thought would show the castle, but was really just blue sky with a white blob in it. Each picture cost money back then - so did the film itself. But I was confident that NO picture could be better than what I was seeing right then, so I snapped away during my ferry ride.

I stopped dead on Main Street and just stared at the castle. I actually thought, "This is what it's like to see the castle." I'll remember that moment until I die. Being a DISer, I now know that I probably pissed someone off when I stopped, lol. But I didn't know that then. I didn't even mean to stop. I just found myself standing still, in awe of the castle and my good fortune to finally see it.

I went to walk through the castle and was disappointed to find that you couldn't go up into it. Still, I was amazed by the thing.

I wandered around thinking, "My God, it's so hot." I skipped a ton of rides because the lines were too long. It was so crowded - hate crowds.

I got a blister.

I was dying of thirst but money was very tight then and I couldn't pay what they were charging for water. Looked for, but never saw any fountains. I had little bits of water from my cupped hands in the bathroom, but it wasn't nearly enough.

By the time I left, I was dizzy from dehydrating (which is why I left), very sunburned and in pain.

But I had seen Disney World. And I rode IASW and loved it. I also rode the TTA and those stupid silver things that circle in the air in Tomorrowland - I forget the name. I saw the parade - which I didn't know existed and held my attention like I was a two year old watching Barney - and watched a castle show (during which I finished off the rest of my film. I still have those pics.)

The girl at the exit even asked if I was okay. "Yeah...I'm fine. I'm just...hot." She offered to let me go lie down somewhere in air conditioning...which I should have, but didn't want to make a fuss. She was so nice. I was impressed.

I was also wildly impressed with how clean the place was - especially the bathrooms. Told everyone about those bathrooms and that only the military has cleaner bathrooms than that place.

Listening to other people IRL, my experience (other than the not drinking) is not all that far off the mark.

I didn't try eating there because I had to eat at the Marriott, where work would pay for it. I never would have bought a dining plan, because I was counting every dollar (and sometimes change from couch cushions!) back then. No way - NO FREAKING WAY - I'd have bought a dining plan. But even if I'd had one, I wouldn't have cared much where I ate. Wouldn't have been bummed about not eating at the Crystal Palace - didn't know I should be!

People don't research because they don't know they need to. Had there been internet then, I KNOW I would have. But not everyone does.

And if they don't get to eat at Chef Mickey's, it'll be okay.

I'm living proof that you can do zero planning, do EVERYTHING wrong...and still have the best time and fall in love with WDW.

 

[jenjifer]

Kaligal, your post kinda brings tears to my eyes. You get it. I know, I know, we all get it, that's why we're here, but wow, you completely nailed the beauty of WDW. Last year I brought my children to WDW: I didn't expect our first trip there to be such an emotional experience. Now we're just counting our pennies, and counting the days until we can go back... Thank you for bringing me back there, even if for a few minutes.

 

[lovethecastle]

Were they given the option to wait for a table? Or, were they turned away completely?

They were turned away. I was kinda sad for them - they told me they ate a lot of delivery pizza in their room.
--------------------
Sandy

 

[thefatmanrocks]

I roll

That was pretty funny!!

 

[dansyr2514]

ADR's rock!

You are such an instigator!

My take is ...I think you may not know about ADR's the first time you go, but you learn quickly. Especially if you are going during a more crowded time.

Also, I think when they are offering the free dining plan, ADR's are pushed more.

 

[Justin Jett]

They were turned away.

This is very interesting to me, because my personal experience is that my family has always been given the option to wait for a table. Granted, it can be a 90 minute or 2 hour wait sometimes, but some dining experiences are worth the wait. If I am willing to wait for an attraction, I should be willing to wait for a table at a restaurant that I want to experience.

Just my personal thing.

Disney fans always tell me that I "NEED" ADRs, but Disney themselves have never stressed a "NEED" for ADRs.

The whole ADR thing truly fascinates me. People are not wrong for wanting ADRs. The issue just fascinates me.

 

[Justin Jett]

That was pretty funny!!

Thank you! Thank you! Autographs in the lobby.

 

[Justin Jett]

You are such an instigator!

Yeah, Mike did not exactly explain why (in his words) "ADRs Rock." However, he may have been put up to it by someone who shall remain nameless.

All in good clean fun, of course.

 

[shellyminnie]

Yeah, Mike did not exactly explain why (in his words) "ADRs Rock." However, he may have been put up to it by someone who shall remain nameless.

All in good clean fun, of course.

 

[Justin Jett]

AHEM??????

Remember the train. I'm just sayin'. (inside joke)

 

[shellyminnie]

AHEM??????

Remember the train. I'm just sayin'. (inside joke)

The train can come all it wants, I'm still making an ADR!!