Wait your turn!! New seating rules for CS restaurants at WDW...

[Laugh O. Grams]

I'll be as clear as I can be about this.

If a CM tells my wife and children they can't find a table and sit down while I order the food, I will be angry and I will complain to a manager. There's no way that I could possibly be "pleasantly surprised" if the policy is in effect when I'm there. Two of my three children have non-obvious (i.e., not visible at first glance) special needs. They will be allowed to enter the seating area and get situated or the manager will get an earful.

David

O.K....

I'm not sure I'm following your apparent anger with a policy that you haven't experienced, but so be it. I'm sure Disney will take in your opinion, along with all other guests, and adjust, or maintain, their policy as best suits the majority of their visitors. I for one, don't know of any instance where Disney didn't bend over backwards for special needs guests. I'm sure they will in this matter as well, if the situation warrants it.

 

[Tine731]

Wow, is this ironic. A couple of years ago I was on the losing end of a thread and poll about the issue of saving tables. I attempted to argue that the practice of "saving seats" at CS restaurants wasn't fair to people with trays of food looking for a place to sit and that it was counter-productive as it lowered the number of times a table could be "turned" during a busy meal period and thus only made table shortages worse. I was told I was crazy, compared to the "mug police", people had never heard of such a notion, etc. etc. Someone started an opinion poll on the matter any my views were trounced 4 to 1 against. I eventually gave up and we started to save tables too... I decided why should my family be the ones to suffer since I'm so far in the minority and so few people seem to give a rip?

I am with you. I remember a poll not long ago that addressed this very thing. Do you think it is okay to save seats v's people with trays looking for seats. I was in the minority with you. Most people voted that it was okay to occupy a table.

 

[Geoff_M]

This isn't going to benefit them monetarily. During very busy times, the "revenue bottleneck" is the line in front of the registers, not the people wandering around looking for tables.

Not true... Case in point: We don't eat at Pinocchio's in Fantasyland because in our experience it's not an easy place to eat at. Most of that is due to the crowds we've experience and along with that, finding a table. Instead we go to Columbia Harbor House because we like the food and it's easier to find a table. When we ate there two weeks ago, I overheard the family at the table next to us comment on the fact that they liked this new place they'd stumbled onto because seating was easy and it was quieter. I interjected that he was right and we liked it for that same reason too. They said it was a lot better than the last place they'd tried... Pinocchio's.

Let me ask you this question... Obviously WDW is making this move because they feel it is beneficial. They aren't stupid, they know there will be some incremental labor costs associated with the move. So what do you think is the benefit they are shooting for???

Right, which is why I said the additional cost of CMs to implement the plan must be offset by a reduction in guest complaints for the policy to remain in effect. I believe they'll see no reduction in complaints at all -- possibly even an increase.

Well, unless the PB manager was lying, the early feedback seems to be pretty lopsided in the affirmative. And people are more likely to seek out a manager to complain than to praise.

 

[Hannathy]

I'll be as clear as I can be about this.

If a CM tells my wife and children they can't find a table and sit down while I order the food, I will be angry and I will complain to a manager. There's no way that I could possibly be "pleasantly surprised" if the policy is in effect when I'm there. Two of my three children have non-obvious (i.e., not visible at first glance) special needs. They will be allowed to enter the seating area and get situated or the manager will get an earful.

David

So in the time it take for them to find and the manager to get out to you what will your family be doing-standing and waiting. Why is this any different than just getting in line and ordering and having them wait with you? Disney has to look at what is good for the vast majority of people not just one family and this way the majority of people will get seated quicker.

 

[jodifla]

So, where do all the excess people go, exactly, with the four kids and strollers and backpacks and packages? They just stand around clogging the front entranceway?

And what if you have the audacity to actually want to get up and get more food out of a line?

 

[dqpowell]

I'm not sure I'm following your apparent anger with a policy that you haven't experienced, but so be it.

It's quite simple, really. I don't have to "experience" this particular policy to know it will not work well for my family. In just the same way that I don't have to "experience" a hurricane or car accident to know they're unpleasant. Finding a table is never a problem for me -- so this policy doesn't do anything good in that regard for me. However, telling my wife and children that they have to stand in a "waiting area" like penned-in cattle until I show up with a tray of food before they can sit down at a table will be a problem.

David

 

[jodifla]

So in the time it take for them to find and the manager to get out to you what will your family be doing-standing and waiting. Why is this any different than just getting in line and ordering and having them wait with you? Disney has to look at what is good for the vast majority of people not just one family and this way the majority of people will get seated quicker.

Most of the counter service venues are not made for big long lines, which the lines immediately become once EVERY ORDER now has four to seven people standing in the stupid line.

And when you come in with hot and tired kids, it's good to be able to sit down with them and cool off, instead of standing in yet ANOTHER WDW line.

 

[Simba's Mom]

I just have one question about this. We're used to eating at off-times, when there are usually several tables available. Will CMs at those time prevent one person in the party from sitting down until the food comes? Lots of times, when DH and I are together, we enter a resturaunt and I go sit while he gets the food. I'm not saving a table because there are lots available. It's just that my tootsies want the rest asap. Then, I'd be really upset if the CMs prevented me from sitting until DH arrives with the food, and meanwhile my tootsies are screaming.

However, I really love hearing about this policy for my solo trips, when I don't have anyone who can save a table. Then, it seems no matter when I eat, I've been to CS places where I get my tray of food, only to then face a resturaunt with all the tables full, many of one person saving the table while I stand holding my tray. That's one reason I got used to TS dining solo-there's always a table for me!

 

[stagemomx3]

In order to sit down at a table, you need to 1) have your entire party together, and 2) have your food in hand.

I don't really get this part, what if we sent a FPV to get fastpasses and they haven't returned yet, or some of our party has gone to the restroom, the rest of us have to stand food in hand and wait before any of us can sit down?

 

[panthergirl]

It's quite simple, really. I don't have to "experience" this particular policy to know it will not work well for my family. In just the same way I that I don't have to "experience" a hurricane or car accident to know they're unpleasant. Finding a table is never a problem for me -- so this policy doesn't do anything good in that regard for me. However, telling my wife and children that they have to stand in a "waiting area" like penned-in cattle until I show up with a tray of food before they can sit down at a table will be a problem.

David

Do you ever use ADRs for table service restaurants? If so, this new policy is not much different than waiting for the next available table.

 

[jodifla]

I don't really get this part, what if we sent a FPV to get fastpasses and they haven't returned yet, or some of our party has gone to the restroom, the rest of us have to stand food in hand and wait before any of us can sit down?

Exactly! HOW DUMB IS THIS?

 

[dqpowell]

So in the time it take for them to find and the manager to get out to you what will your family be doing-standing and waiting.

No, you misunderstand. My family will be seated and eating when I go to give the manager an earful.

Why is this any different than just getting in line and ordering and having them wait with you?

Are you trying to imply that having five people in line in front of the registers is better than having one person in line? Long experience tells me otherwise.

Disney has to look at what is good for the vast majority of people not just one family and this way the majority of people will get seated quicker.

No, the majority of people were seated just fine before -- 83%, by the previous thread's poll.

David

 

[dqpowell]

Do you ever use ADRs for table service restaurants? If so, this new policy is not much different than waiting for the next available table.

It's quite different. I use ADRs to avoid long waits for tables. The short wait can be handled easily... my wife and kids find something to do in the rough vicinity of the restaurant while I wait for the table. No problem. But put my wife and children in line or in a 'holding pen' at a CS restaurant, and surely you can understand the difference?

David

 

[Princess Stitch]

YIPPEE!! I'm so happy to hear about this! I was also in the majority on the other poll. I'm sure WDW will accomodate guests with a GAC at the restaurants just like they do on rides. This is just to get the people who are perfectly capable of standing to wait their turn for a table ... and if you can manage to stand in a 40 minute line to ride Dumbo, you can stand for 10 mintues to wait for your food!

 

[Snow_White]

It's quite different. I use ADRs to avoid long waits for tables. The short wait can be handled easily... my wife and kids find something to do in the rough vicinity of the restaurant while I wait for the table. No problem. But put my wife and children in line or in a 'holding pen' at a CS restaurant, and surely you can understand the difference?

David

Since you have 2 disabled children, I'm sure CMs would be more than happy to help them and your wife find a safe place to sit and wait for you. Disney obviously thought this through before implementing it and I'm sure has no plan to screw the disabled.

 

[Snow_White]

YIPPEE!! I'm so happy to hear about this! I was also in the majority on the other poll. I'm sure WDW will accomodate guests with a GAC at the restaurants just like they do on rides. This is just to get the people who are perfectly capable of standing to wait their turn for a table ... and if you can manage to stand in a 40 minute line to ride Dumbo, you can stand for 10 mintues to wait for your food!

Exactly I, for one, am excited about this positive change.

 

[panthergirl]

I guess it all depends on where you have had ADRs. I have waited 20 -30 minutes in very tight quarters with no seating for ADRs at LeCellier and Mama Melrose. SciFi is tight as well. Not trying to argue here, just drawing a parallel that might make you feel a bit better about the new CS policy

 

[jodifla]

Since you have 2 disabled children, I'm sure CMs would be more than happy to help them and your wife find a safe place to sit and wait for you. Disney obviously thought this through before implementing it and I'm sure has no plan to screw the disabled.

The "safe places" at most of the eateries are at the tables and chairs for eating.

 

[dqpowell]

Since you have 2 disabled children, I'm sure CMs would be more than happy to help them and your wife find a safe place to sit and wait for you. Disney obviously thought this through before implementing it and I'm sure has no plan to screw the disabled.

The problem is that my children look just like anybody else. The CM isn't going to allow them to sit at a table unless we make a point of calling out their disabilities. Previously this was handled rather easily by my wife and kids finding a table while I waited in line for the food.

Even ignoring my children's special needs... I can't understand why anybody, special needs or not, would be in favor of being treated like cattle.

David

 

[graygables]

Do you ever use ADRs for table service restaurants? If so, this new policy is not much different than waiting for the next available table.

Because I'm not standing there holding my family's food that is getting cold, trying to find a place to sit that is suitable for my children (they have special needs) while at the same time trying to keep the cups from spilling (oh, and pushing a stroller/wheelchair while another one pulls on my arm trying to get my attention to whisper that she doesn't want to sit THERE). With an ADR, we generally have a place to SIT where I can focus my attention on the children, not on balancing a tray or 2 of food.