The "I lied to get an ADR" thread

[AuroraBeauty]

I'd lie if I had too in two years me and DH are going to disney and dine in all the 2 credit meals. I would cry if I couldn't get in to Victoria & Alberts or the castle at night.

Just an FYI, which you may already know, V&A is not on the dining plan. It will be totally out of pocket for you, so just keep that in mind in accounting for your TS credits.

You'll have a wonderful time no matter what, so just enjoy!

Best Wishes!

 

[malcontent]

If you have a party of 3, and and the CM tells you there are no tables for 3 available, what's wrong in asking for a table for 4?

Asking for a table for 4 when there is only 3 in your party is not lying. The flawed system was not designed to volunteer this information, and without asking the question the right way, you would have no way of knowing.

 

[kaytieeldr]

It's one thing to make an ADR if you think truly think there will be a higher number of people, but to knowingly lie when booking ADR's just doesn't seem right to me. I would feel really guilty knowing I had lied just to get a dining reservation.

I didn't, but - in the days (not all that long ago) before California Grill required a credit card hold, and I wanted to make a reservation but wasn't sure when Tampa-based friends would arrive... I ASKED ABOUT (not made) reservations for one and for three.

For three people, they had openings at 7:15 and 7:30.

For one person, the earliest available reservation for the same (a Monday) night was 9:45.

 

[hogwartsdropout]

Don't worry about it! We had trouble finding an ADR for 3 people, so the CM actually suggested to us that we take a 4 people table, and to tell the people at the desk that only 3 of us could make it. This was at the Coral Reef and they had no problem when we said only 3 could make it. Have fun!

 

[goofy4tink]

Pshhh... make a reservation for 3!!!! Why the heck not??

I can't believe that there were actually CM's that gave people crap about this - you'd think they'd have bigger problems on their plate!

I would totally do this - and if you think that you might get a hard time for it.... say that you're 3rd person came down with the flu!!

Problem is what happens to me when I call, looking for a table for three and they are all booked? Now, if I want to eat at that restuarant, I have to lie and say there are 4 of us in order to get a table. Sorry, that's just not right. Now, to be fair, most parties of three are seated at tables for four..that's always been the case with my family.
In fact, I had all my ADRs booked for my Sept trip. It was going to be my dd and myself...a girls only trip for NoJ. Then, dh decided he didn't want to miss the fun, so I had to call Disney Dining back and change all my ADRs. I got pretty much the same times but one I had to move up by 45 mins. But, at least I know we have the correct number of people listed.

I can almost understand why the servers would be miffed....they have a certain number of tables/booths that hold 'x' number of guests. If 2 people get a table/booth that is supposed to hold 4, well, that server is getting much less of a tip. If I have had really good service and have been seated at a larger than expected table/booth, then I ususally tip at a higher level than usual.

 

[magik]

I called yesterday to make ADRs for my upcoming December trip with some of the days being past the 180 mark already and some of the days not quite at the 180 mark yet, and the CM definitely asked me for my reservation confirmation number to make sure I was allowed to make my dining reservations for the days that aren't quite 180 days out yet. She even made me repeat it several times and was writing it down (I think it wasn't a normal number since I made my room reservation through group sales because I'm attending a wedding instead of the normal reservation path). I think that lying about your check-in date is not even going to be an option soon as more CM's get familiar with this rule.

As for the "lie" about having more people in your party than you do, I don't know how I feel about that one. In my past trips, we have many times made reservations for more people than actually show up, but it wasn't intentionally a lie. I have family who lives in Orlando, and when we visit, we never know what their schedules are and would rather have reservations for everyone and have them not show up than not include them and the restaurant not have a table big enough for everyone if they do show up. I also have a younger brother that we can never know for sure if he'll want to eat with the family or go off and eat counter service by himself so he can go to Disneyquest. I don't think people should get mad if a party shows up that isn't as large as the reservation is for because there's no good way to tell if the reservation was an intentional lie or if some of the party honestly couldn't make it.

 

[ShellyLynn3630]

Problem is what happens to me when I call, looking for a table for three and they are all booked? Now, if I want to eat at that restuarant, I have to lie and say there are 4 of us in order to get a table. Sorry, that's just not right. Now, to be fair, most parties of three are seated at tables for four..that's always been the case with my family.
In fact, I had all my ADRs booked for my Sept trip. It was going to be my dd and myself...a girls only trip for NoJ. Then, dh decided he didn't want to miss the fun, so I had to call Disney Dining back and change all my ADRs. I got pretty much the same times but one I had to move up by 45 mins. But, at least I know we have the correct number of people listed.

I can almost understand why the servers would be miffed....they have a certain number of tables/booths that hold 'x' number of guests. If 2 people get a table/booth that is supposed to hold 4, well, that server is getting much less of a tip. If I have had really good service and have been seated at a larger than expected table/booth, then I ususally tip at a higher level than usual.

That is nice of you to tip a little extra for that server, but I thought that I read an earlier post where someone was treated terrible by their server for having less people at their table than what they were scheduled for. If that had been my case, I would have sure enough left one penny for a tip! That is uncalled for!!!

 

[mirmartinez]

We had our first trip in feb. We did not even know about adrs. Parks and restaurants were not busy, so I never learned this could be an issue.
We booked bounceback for are september trip.

At the beginning of march , we were going through disney withdrawal, so dh and I made a rough itinerary. As we were planning, we started getting O so excited and wanted to make our plans concrete, so I called and made reservations for the restaurants we decided on.
Anyways, this was before any 180 or 190 days mark and I was succesful.

Was not until, I called a couple days later, to add on more, that I was refused and told to call back in 9 days. After this conversation with the CM, I looked this subject up on WDW website and learned about this policy.

Not sure how or why I was allowed to make the first five reservations, but I was.

To be honest, my ignorance allowed me to call that early, in the future I now know better, so i won't (strongly believe in karma ) However, the system is obviously flawed.

 

[RadioFanatic]

I have never done this BUT a CM did this for me (without me asking) so I could get into Cape May for breakfast. She said there was nothing open for 2 but she put us as a 3 ressie so we could get in.

A CM just did it for me this trip - her own decision, I didn't ask - honestly, hadn't thought of it. But I'm happy she did b/c it got me a reservation that was VERY tough to get and this is my 7 month at time of trip DS's first trip!

 

[maddiesdaddy]

I don't really know where I weigh in on this...I'm still trying to plan my stuff..but booking within 180 days of our trip in September, I can get a reservation almost nowhere.

Here's a perfect example of this issue that is being debated. I have called for 2 straight weeks for a party of 2 for Coral Reef..I said I would take any time, any meal..just get me in..2 straight weeks, nothing. I found this thread today and just inquired if someone were to join me and we became a party of 3..what were my options..she said I could have any time for lunch..she had 'tons' of tables available for anytime I wanted 11:30 - whenever.

I didn't book because I'm not really sure where I fall. I would never teach my daughter to lie..ever..but this is SO FRUSTRATING...they have all these open tables but because we're just 2, we can't book an ADR.

In a word, ugh.

 

[SWesterman92]

I began calling at our 180 day mark for CRT breakfast .. the only MUST HAVE ADR for our trip. No problem getting a table for 3 on the first day of our stay (not really the day we wanted). I continued to call the next several mornings right at 7:00 with no luck. Finally on the next to last day when the CM said "I'm sorry nothing for a party of 3" I asked about a table for 4 and he had every time in the morning available. That's wrong .. I'm sorry ... what difference does it make if we are 3 people or 4 ... how many tables for 3 people are there anyway? Probably very very few.

 

[malcontent]

Finally on the next to last day when the CM said "I'm sorry nothing for a party of 3" I asked about a table for 4 and he had every time in the morning available.

Again, if you ask for a table for 4 and they give you the table for 4, what's the problem, even if you only have a party of 3? I don't think that's lying!!!!

Am I wrong?

 

[asmit4]

I began calling at our 180 day mark for CRT breakfast .. the only MUST HAVE ADR for our trip. No problem getting a table for 3 on the first day of our stay (not really the day we wanted). I continued to call the next several mornings right at 7:00 with no luck. Finally on the next to last day when the CM said "I'm sorry nothing for a party of 3" I asked about a table for 4 and he had every time in the morning available. That's wrong .. I'm sorry ... what difference does it make if we are 3 people or 4 ... how many tables for 3 people are there anyway? Probably very very few.

My best guess? DW WANTS a FULL HOUSE....ideally 2 people sitting at tables of 2, 4 people at tables of 4 etc etc. It seems like they might be artificially bumping people that are odd numbers OUT b/c they hope someone calls that HAS 4 butts in the seats. Fuller house means MORE $$$ for DW.

 

[kelleigh1]

I began calling at our 180 day mark for CRT breakfast .. the only MUST HAVE ADR for our trip. No problem getting a table for 3 on the first day of our stay (not really the day we wanted). I continued to call the next several mornings right at 7:00 with no luck. Finally on the next to last day when the CM said "I'm sorry nothing for a party of 3" I asked about a table for 4 and he had every time in the morning available. That's wrong .. I'm sorry ... what difference does it make if we are 3 people or 4 ... how many tables for 3 people are there anyway? Probably very very few.

I'm assuming that you must have been staying offsite, because had you been staying onsite, you would have been able to check the entire length of your stay in that first phone call.

 

[thomas998]

I don't really know where I weigh in on this...I'm still trying to plan my stuff..but booking within 180 days of our trip in September, I can get a reservation almost nowhere.

Here's a perfect example of this issue that is being debated. I have called for 2 straight weeks for a party of 2 for Coral Reef..I said I would take any time, any meal..just get me in..2 straight weeks, nothing. I found this thread today and just inquired if someone were to join me and we became a party of 3..what were my options..she said I could have any time for lunch..she had 'tons' of tables available for anytime I wanted 11:30 - whenever.

I didn't book because I'm not really sure where I fall. I would never teach my daughter to lie..ever..but this is SO FRUSTRATING...they have all these open tables but because we're just 2, we can't book an ADR.

In a word, ugh.

Having played by the rules and gotten the shaft for it I whole heartedly say, you should tell them you are a party of 4.... I don't care if your only 3 or 2 just say 4. Why? well in a lot of the dining areas the tables for 2 and even 3 are sub-standard... go make the mistake of booking CRT for 2 and you'll end up so far to the side you'll wonder if you were even in the castle at all.

And don't let them rip you when you show up... sign in as the party of four and tell them you are all there. Then when they actually call up your name just tell them that the missing party members in your group got sick or had to leave for an emergency... that way you'll already be headed to your "prime" table and not get ripped off by the Disney Corporation that seems to see two or three diners as unworthy.

Don't feel bad about it. Do you think they feel bad about the fact that they charge the same amount for every diner regardless of how good or bad your seat is? Nope... they don't care so you shouldn't either.

 

[SunnieRN]

I find it hard to believe that if your party size changes you have to remake your reservation. We had our trip planned for Sept and our reservations made. Then my son in law found out he would either be on a training mission or back in Iraq. I had to call dining and instead of being able to change my reservation for 5 with 1 toddler and 1 infant and three adults to the children and two adults I had to cancel my orig. reservations and re make reservations for four.
I thouught this was strange as at any other restaurant locally if you have a table booked you can change your pary size and still keep your reservation! In fact they will usually just say "thank you for letting us know about the change."
Well now we had to cancel our trip due to my father needing surgery and him coming from CA to be taken care of for a couple of months...so I will be going through this once again as we are hoping to go in Feb. or April.
I think that fairly a reservation should be a reservation, despite the number in your party. Most restaurants will move tables to accomodate larger parties or break up tables for smaller parties....Maybe it's time for disneyworld to realize that parties of 2 or 3 or 5 are important also!!

 

[sherry8253]

We wanted to have dinner the evening we were attending MVMCP a few years ago. No tables for two . So I reserved a table for 4 and posted a notice on a board asking if there were any couples who wanted to dine at CRT that night. We ended up having dinner with a very nice couple and had a great time . So, just a thought for twosomes who need to book a table for 4.

 

[wezee]

We wanted to have dinner the evening we were attending MVMCP a few years ago. No tables for two . So I reserved a table for 4 and posted a notice on a board asking if there were any couples who wanted to dine at CRT that night. We ended up having dinner with a very nice couple and had a great time . So, just a thought for twosomes who need to book a table for 4.

DH and I have a table for 4 booked at LeCellier @ 7pm this Sept. We could not get a table for 2....do DH said book for 4 and we can go on the Dis and see if another couple would like to join us. I agree....that makes it a win-win solution for both couples!

 

[kaytieeldr]

I can almost understand why the servers would be miffed....they have a certain number of tables/booths that hold 'x' number of guests. If 2 people get a table/booth that is supposed to hold 4, well, that server is getting much less of a tip.

But I don't think they will. Remember, a Disney reservation isn't a true reservation. It's call-ahead seating, extreme edition. They're not holding a specific table for you. If you have a reservation for three people, and show up with two, and the restaurant has two-tops, they will seat your party at one of those instead. It may be as simple as separating two two-tops that had been arranged as one table - thus allowing another party of two to be seated, therefore filling four seats instead of three.

I find it hard to believe that if your party size changes you have to remake your reservation.

I was at Disney World the same time as my brother & nephew, and my brother's girlfriend and her two daughters. They had a reservation for five at Chef Mickey's at around 5:30. He called to add me to the reservation (five + one = six) and was told the earliest we could be accommodated was 9 PM - much too late for the then-young kids, so he kept the original reservation and I did something else. He called me the next day; they had been seated at - surprise! - a table for six. Go figure.

 

[kaytieeldr]

Oh, yeah. I almost forgot. When I was making dining reservations for my upcoming trip, the one I couldn't get was Le Cellier. No tables for one. One CM (and I was calling two or three times a day) found one reservation for three people for dinner one night. I didn't try to make/take that, but every time I called back, that same slot was available. When the fourth or so CM mentioned it, I asked if I could take that, then call back in the future and change it to one. She said she couldn't let me do that, that she could get in trouble.