Trader Sam's Grog Grotto

[singh22p]

With the new hours of operation and the option to now join a virtual wait list via the My Disney Experience App, has anyone noticed a significant change with the wait times - is it still around 2 - 2.5 hours if you join the waitlist in the afternoon around 3PM? Does anyone know if the callback policy is the same with these newly implemented changes? Do I have to return within 15 minutes once notified in the app?

 

[emilyann704]

I was curious about this too! We usually plan our day around putting our name in and sticking close to get called.

 

[zackiedawg]

I haven't used it yet, however I wouldn't expect significant changes to the wait times. The digital queue still requires you to be on-property (or close by) so it won't get worse with people joining the list from all over Disney World, but that also means likely the same number of people that now walk up to the kiosk to drop their names will be using this system. The earlier hours may help relieve things a little, but logging in at 3pm, you're likely going to see the same times you would when you went to the kiosk - which will be dependent on when you are there and crowd levels and such.

It's the same system as the other digital waitlists - so it will give you a time to return, likely a short window like 10-15 minutes as it will assume you stayed nearby - you might be risking it to head off to a park and hope you get back in time. I hope to be using it in early February when I'm back there.

 

[CoachBeard]

I was not aware of this change. Is there a thread or more info about how it works now? I'll be there in a couple of weeks and would like to check it out since I've been to the DL location many times and heard it is a bit different.

 

[zackiedawg]

The simple description is: when you get to Poly, you can go on the MyDisneyExperience app to join the digital walk-up list rather than going up to the kiosk to drop your name and phone number. It's geo-triggered so I don't think you can access the function unless you are on Poly grounds (or very close). Then you'll get an estimated return time.

 

[HooperSnag]

It was so weird. They'll sit you down with other people. Not immediately adjacent (like at Oga's or B&B) but at the actual small table. Fortunately, the other couple was nice but it leads to sometimes awkward silence after introductions and small talk.
The receptionist didn't warn us so when they brought us over to the table, it was as if they were seating us with our party. We laughed and said that we're not part of their party, and then they finally mentioned the concept of table-sharing.
So the first couple left, and they seated another couple that weren't as friendly.
Ugh, I guess it's one way of getting people to come and go quickly. We're pretty easy-going but won't be going back.

 

[CoachBeard]

It was so weird. They'll sit you down with other people. Not immediately adjacent (like at Oga's or B&B) but at the actual small table. Fortunately, the other couple was nice but it leads to sometimes awkward silence after introductions and small talk.
The receptionist didn't warn us so when they brought us over to the table, it was as if they were seating us with our party. We laughed and said that we're not part of their party, and then they finally mentioned the concept of table-sharing.
So the first couple left, and they seated another couple that weren't as friendly.
Ugh, I guess it's one way of getting people to come and go quickly. We're pretty easy-going but won't be going back.

It's not a big place, and it seems like they're doing this at multiple popular spots now. I don't personally have a problem with it. In another thread, people really took issue with table sharing. We sit next to strangers on a plane or a bus, why not at a table? Maybe I am just weird?

 

[eandt]

It was so weird. They'll sit you down with other people. Not immediately adjacent (like at Oga's or B&B) but at the actual small table. Fortunately, the other couple was nice but it leads to sometimes awkward silence after introductions and small talk.
The receptionist didn't warn us so when they brought us over to the table, it was as if they were seating us with our party. We laughed and said that we're not part of their party, and then they finally mentioned the concept of table-sharing.
So the first couple left, and they seated another couple that weren't as friendly.
Ugh, I guess it's one way of getting people to come and go quickly. We're pretty easy-going but won't be going back.

Not a fan of this. We only do the bar at Oga’s these days and probably wouldn’t go back to beak and barrel either unless it was standing at the bar ….

 

[eandt]

It's not a big place, and it seems like they're doing this at multiple popular spots now. I don't personally have a problem with it. In another thread, people really took issue with table sharing. We sit next to strangers on a plane or a bus, why not at a table? Maybe I am just weird?

Table is a different mindset I think because it is a more social setting than a bus or plane…conversation seems implied which is what makes some uncomfortable …. I just want to have a drink with my kin and check out the atmosphere I am not looking to make new friends when I go to these places … haven’t done cruises in decades because of the same seating concerns

 

[CoachBeard]

Table is a different mindset I think because it is a more social setting than a bus or plane…conversation seems implied which is what makes some uncomfortable …. I just want to have a drink with my kin and check out the atmosphere I am not looking to make new friends when I go to these places … haven’t done cruises in decades because of the same seating concerns

Couldn't you just say, "Hey, no offense, but we are going to do our own thing," or similar? Just a thought. I mean, I understand what you're saying and your preference. I'm just a problem solver and I try not to let little things get in the way of an experience. I also don't min chatting with folks for a few min then heading out and never seeing them again.

 

[eandt]

Couldn't you just say, "Hey, no offense, but we are going to do our own thing," or similar? Just a thought. I mean, I understand what you're saying and your preference. I'm just a problem solver and I try not to let little things get in the way of an experience. I also don't min chatting with folks for a few min then heading out and never seeing

Idk I am not sure that coming out and saying that right to your table mates face is a whole lot better than just ignoring them … the ‘experience’ isn’t worth doing either imo so we choose to just stand at the bar or we don’t go … I guess that makes me a problem avoider, easy and painless for all

 

[CoachBeard]

Hey, you do you.

 

[HopperFan]

It was so weird. They'll sit you down with other people. Not immediately adjacent (like at Oga's or B&B) but at the actual small table. Fortunately, the other couple was nice but it leads to sometimes awkward silence after introductions and small talk.
The receptionist didn't warn us so when they brought us over to the table, it was as if they were seating us with our party. We laughed and said that we're not part of their party, and then they finally mentioned the concept of table-sharing.
So the first couple left, and they seated another couple that weren't as friendly.
Ugh, I guess it's one way of getting people to come and go quickly. We're pretty easy-going but won't be going back.

We go quite often and have never been sat at a small table with strangers, and I think we've sat at all the small tables. We have been sat with strangers at the surfboard but it is really like a bar.

It's not a big place, and it seems like they're doing this at multiple popular spots now. I don't personally have a problem with it. In another thread, people really took issue with table sharing. We sit next to strangers on a plane or a bus, why not at a table? Maybe I am just weird?

When I first started working in Manhattan I was taken back by complete strangers walking up to my table at McD and other fast food and plopping down. Quickly learned that no table is private in a crowded place and got over it. I am sure this is the norm for many people in many places. I'm anti-social and it doesn't bother me at Disney because at least we have that in common.

I avoided Biergarten for years because of it and once I went ... we've had mostly good table mates.

 

[zackiedawg]

It doesn't bother me either way - whether I'm solo or with one or more people in my party, if we're sat with other parties, I play off them. I'll say hello and laugh and be friendly when they sit - if they respond in kind, then we'll chat and laugh and interact the whole way through. If they don't, then I mind my own business and stick to myself or my party. Even when it's at a table, it's still like any other social environment with people thrown together - some like to interact, some don't. I'm not offended either way.

I've done 30+ cruises in my life with shared tables at dinner, done shared tables at bars and restaurants, sat next to hundreds of people at bars. A vast majority of the time, the others have been friendly and will chat at least a little, and then we go our own ways after. A few times at Disney I've even bumped into people I shared a table with somewhere else in the parks, and just give a friendly smile and little wave just to acknowledge. A few times, I've gotten very unsocial folks who just didn't want to interact with anyone else, so we just shared the table and stuck to our own groups, with no offense taken, and parted ways when done.

And a few times, I've shared tables with people and gotten along so well that we had a great time, even planned to meet up again, sometimes exchanged numbers, sometimes stayed in touch, visited each others' houses, and went on other trips together. A very good friend I met on a cruise 24 years ago lives near London, and we've stayed at each other's houses, done two Disney trips together, and gone on 6 other cruises together. I've had cruise mates from Philadelphia, Los Angeles, Germany, Australia, and Ireland stay at my house, planned Disney trips with, and stayed at their houses when traveling to those countries or places and still keep in touch 10-20 years later. A few folks I met at Disney I've made plans to meet up during subsequent trips and have become e-mail friends. Sure - probably 1% of all the people I've shared tables with have actually become friends, but probably 80% have been cordial and friendly and interacted well and 19% just didn't want to socialize and did their own thing. If I'm on a cruise, or at Disney, it doesn't bother me a bit either way - I'm going to enjoy my trip with my party or by myself!