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

[Colleen27]

Since my family and I have never purchased the DDP, I need to ask is that a thing you're really not allowed to do?

Personally I don't see it as the reason for this test run at Peco Bills, because what about the guests who share the DDP at Table Service locations?

Yeah. The credits are supposed to be used for the age group that was paid for - child or adult - but counter service credits aren't seperated in the computer system. The only check to ensure people follow the plan is a notation on the KTTW that indicates the number of adults and children in the party, and some people circumvent that restriction by getting the meals seperately. So, for example, if a family of 4 orders all at once, they'd be limited to the 2 adults and 2 kids indicated on their cards, but if each parent goes seperately, they'd each be able to order 2 adult meals.

I don't think Disney is expecting the CMs to check receipts, nor do I think this is the primary motivation behind the policy. I just think that the increased interaction and observation is likely to instill a little paranoia that will make people who are inclined to use their credits this way more likely to follow the rules, thus saving Disney some money by ensuring better compliance with the kids dining plan policies.

 

[CR Resort Fan 4 Life]

Yeah. The credits are supposed to be used for the age group that was paid for - child or adult - but counter service credits aren't seperated in the computer system. The only check to ensure people follow the plan is a notation on the KTTW that indicates the number of adults and children in the party, and some people circumvent that restriction by getting the meals seperately. So, for example, if a family of 4 orders all at once, they'd be limited to the 2 adults and 2 kids indicated on their cards, but if each parent goes seperately, they'd each be able to order 2 adult meals.

I don't think Disney is expecting the CMs to check receipts, nor do I think this is the primary motivation behind the policy. I just think that the increased interaction and observation is likely to instill a little paranoia that will make people who are inclined to use their credits this way more likely to follow the rules, thus saving Disney some money by ensuring better compliance with the kids dining plan policies.

Thanks for answering my question.

 

[RedRuby]

And for the person who said to get the baby on a different eating schedule must have never had a nursing child before because mine always want to nurse when we are eating no matter if they just nursed 30 mins before.

Uh, that person must never have had an infant, period ;-)
I can't think of any baby (nursed, bottlefed, or combo) who can be put on a schedule. (With twins, sometimes it felt like it was *always* feeding time! )
So, no, I don't think that's gonna fly!

 

[leonger]

Great analogy Geoff_M!!!

There's a difference between what you are describing and the situation here. Here the concerned predictions expressed by the people that have not experienced the procedure in action have been roundly contradicted by those that have actually experienced it. It sort of like this:

Person A: "I just got back from a trip to the store. It's pretty nice outside."
Person B: "I'm not so sure... They predicted rain for today and I think I just heard thunder."
Person A: "No, really. I was just outside and the sun is shining."
Person B: "Well, it sounds like it's really windy outside too."
Person A: "It's calm. You can trust me. I didn't see any rain or wind. It's fine out! Check it out for yourself and see!"
Person B: "Look, I read the weather report last night and I heard something. I don't need to go outside myself to know it's raining and windy! I can just tell that I'll get wet and have my hat blown away if I step outside."

 

[PennieGirl]

While the poster has no access to Disney's actual figures, it makes sense that a 20% increase in capacity would translate to a 20% increase in sales. Think about this - in that other thread, a number of posters said if the restaurant was too busy they'd go somewhere else. Keep in mind that a number of those tables at any given time were occupied by people waiting for their food, and then remained occupied by those same people eating the food when it arrived. With the procedure noted by the OP, there appears to be a regular turnover of tables, and available tables. Now, you look into a restaurant and see that you WILL be able to sit - and eat - as soon as you get your food. So, now, 20% more diners can patronize a given CS location. No bottleneck, physical or revenue.

Okay - I know I'm joining the thread late and I am actually in favor of this policy in theory with reasonable exceptions- but I have a question. How is this going to increase Disney's revenue? If we assume we're talking about people in the parks, isn't it pretty safe to say that if people don't eat at Pecos Bill's (or whatever restaurant this is effect in) because it's too crowded, that they will eat at another Disney owned restaurant? I mean, maybe I'm completely off base here, but if I can't eat at PB's because it's too crowded, and Harbour House is fairly empty - Disney is still making money off of me, right? And probably pretty close to the same money - so I just don't understand how the policy will help their revenue.

Yes, people who need to bring their own food into the parks might purchase a token item so they can get a seat in the air conditioning (and most of those who bring their own food in, in my experience, have dietary concerns that aren't met by Disney or financial concerns that just don't allow them to spend $50 on a counter service meal), but beyond that - what money is really going to be added? People who are going to buy food in the parks are going to buy it, and those who aren't, aren't - I simply don't see much of a financial gain for Disney. Maybe people will buy more food at the air-conditioned CS location with guaranteed seating, but those who walk away might buy a snack to hold them over and then hit a CS a little later - which might really bring in more revenue for Disney.

 

[Princess Stitch]

Am I really the only one who does this in the real world too? We usually split up so that one adult orders while the other gets the kids settled at the table, even at an empty McDs. It is more habit than anything now, but when the kids were little it served a purpose - if I had the kids at the table for 10 minutes before the food arrived, I could nurse or feed some baby food and still be able to eat my food when it was hot. If we all sat down together with the food, my meal would sit and get cold while I got the littles set up and fed. I really would have hated having to stand around doing nothing with my time until the food was ready, knowing that from the time we hit the table until I was able to eat would be 10-15 minutes. Counter service type foods just aren't good once the grease starts to congeal.

The difference is I've never seen a McDonalds where there were NO available tables. Alot of people get their food to go so even when it appears busy, there are usually always tables open. This means that you're not really taking a table away from someone who already has food and is ready to eat.

Oh, and you said you would have hated having to wait 10-15 minutes to eat after you got your food because the grease would congeal and it woudln' taste good? Well now you know how the rest of us feel when we're searching endlessly for a table to eat our meal out while all the savers are relaxing and enjoying their rest. At least you can see the other side of the story...

 

[RACHELSMOM1]

The difference is I've never seen a McDonalds where there were NO available tables. Alot of people get their food to go so even when it appears busy, there are usually always tables open. This means that you're not really taking a table away from someone who already has food and is ready to eat.

Oh, and you said you would have hated having to wait 10-15 minutes to eat after you got your food because the grease would congeal and it woudln' taste good? Well now you know how the rest of us feel when we're searching endlessly for a table to eat our meal out while all the savers are relaxing and enjoying their rest. At least you can see the other side of the story...

This thread is getting so ridiculous, and I hope everyone is able to control their BP and not have a stroke over something so silly! We should all go to WDW and experience the magic, and I am still not convinced that this is a real policy compared to a made up one. I think I would like to see the smile on the face of the originator of this thread - boy did he/she stir up feelings! If that was the intent, it worked. Whether this really happened or not, many people seem to be very emotional - I would rather just go to WDW and go with whatever is happening at the present time. If they are policing the tables, then so be it. Just let me get on with my vacation - I really don't care one way or the other.

 

[Erin1700]

*Sigh* You're still not getting it. I shouldn't have to tell the CM anything about my kids. Do you have any idea what it makes a 9 year old girl feel like when you repeatedly have to say, "Pssst... give us special treatment, because she's different." My kids understand that if they want to ride some of the most popular attractions at certain times of day, that revealing their disabilities might be necessary. That's their decision. But we shouldn't have to do that just to eat lunch, especially when the old method worked so well. They avoided the situations that made them uncomfortable and edgy by finding a table with Mom. I brought the food five or ten minutes later to a relaxed, happy table.

What do you think will happen when we use the GAC to get a table before the food arrives? However discreetly we present the card to the CM, they're still going to be sitting there in plain view of others without food, who can't get tables. Do you honestly think that hot, tired and hungry patrons who aren't sitting down yet aren't going to notice, or ask why my kids get special treatment? You wouldn't believe some of the rude comments people have made when we used the GAC to bypass a super-long line on a few occasions before. At least in those situations, we're out of sight and on the ride before long. That won't happen at the tables in a CS location.

David

Havent read thru this whole thread yet, but I get ya Dave! Lunch was a time when your kids could be like anyone else and should still be. Now your kids will have to overhear others "Well why do they get to sit down?"
I understand your concern!

 

[kaytieeldr]

Guest: (again to spouse): "Are they kidding? Come one kids, we'll eat someplace else...who wants ice cream?"

Okay, that seems a bit drastic - but admittedly, not impossible. However, again, this procedure was/is being TESTED at ONE counter service location during PEAK vacation periods at this time. IF it's deemed successful, then apparently Disney will institute (wah - I miss the Disney Institute! ) where was I; right - it throughout the parks. Then, it appears, Guests thinking it's ridiculous without ever actually experiencing it will be stuck eating yeah, ice cream, turkey legs, or whatever else you can get at a kiosk or cart.

Am I correct that only one person reported that they experienced it and yet we've had 16 pages of reaction to this "change"? And several people have posted that they were there recently and didn't experience this "change".

Two people - the original poster, and Mom2Evie (who had the same experience earlier this year). Once again, based on the reports from these two posters, including Laugh's conversation with a PB manager, it is being tried at PEAK travel times.

You make some very good points. I think in total on this whole thread only 2 people have experienced this new system, so I find it hard to believe that no one else posted about it before.

I'm not sure why.
The DISBoards has 'only' 135,627 registered members - an average of 372 DIS visitors per day visiting The World*.
Walt Disney World has about sixteen million visitors a year.
This procedure is being TESTED at ONE Disney Counter Service location at PEAK travel times.
It's not at every CS location.
It's not being done every day.
Rough count, there appear to be about 20 counter service restaurants in the parks. That breaks down to an average of nineteen DISers per day.
If a park is open even nine hours (AK), the average DISer count is slightly under two per hour.
Yes, it's extremely likely that only these two DISers were at (a) the right restaurant at (b) the right time on (c) the right days.
*I'm aware that we don't evenly-space our visits, and that some DISers don't even visit every year. I'm also aware that 372 DISers per day would tend to represent closer to a thousand, given the unlikelihood that a family of four, traveling together, would eat at four different CS locations at one meal.

One needs to wonder if this is a Disney Food and Beverage initiative or the PB Manager's way of dealing with the problem. It is surprising to see them adding staff with no real return.

While none of us have access to Disney's individual location figures, both Geoff M and RustyScupper have posted examples of how it CAN provide a real return.
http://disboards.com/showpost.php?p=19608116&postcount=211 http://disboards.com/showpost.php?p=19592027&postcount=44

I don't think that happens at counter service locations because I have never read or heard of people pushing others away from tables, they got fair and square before anyone else did.

I look at that analogy and all I can honestly think is "Wow...." I don't even know where to begin. You truly lost me.

Forgetting that parades are entertainment, not revenue-producing businesses - getting to a CS table 'fair and square' to hold it for X number of minutes in anticipation of one's food arriving is, effectively, 'pushing away' from that same table, diners WITH food expecting and entitled to a table at which to eat it. (See, Geoff? You're just not thinking creatively enough )

Okay - I know I'm joining the thread late and I am actually in favor of this policy in theory with reasonable exceptions- but I have a question. How is this going to increase Disney's revenue?

See these http://disboards.com/showpost.php?p=19608116&postcount=211 http://disboards.com/showpost.php?p=19592027&postcount=44 two posts for examples of possible increased revenue. It appears from Laugh's, Mom2's, and kim's, experiences that Pecos Bill's is NOT "too crowded" when this procedure is utilized, but instead that there is a regular flow of traffic, diners, and tables.

and I am still not convinced that this is a real policy compared to a made up one.

I'm not sure why you think it's a made-up policy, given the experiences and descriptions now provided by three different DISers, all of whom visited Pecos Bill's at peak travel times, plus the several posters who ate there at slower times and did not experience it (because it's a test and apparently the park/venue wasn't busy enough to warrant it).

 

[kaytieeldr]

There was LOTS of people there, but there were tables available too. It all worked out fine.

Yes!!! Another ACTUAL experience, with a positive reaction! Thanks, kim!

 

[Princess Stitch]

This thread is getting so ridiculous, and I hope everyone is able to control their BP and not have a stroke over something so silly! We should all go to WDW and experience the magic, and I am still not convinced that this is a real policy compared to a made up one. I think I would like to see the smile on the face of the originator of this thread - boy did he/she stir up feelings! If that was the intent, it worked. Whether this really happened or not, many people seem to be very emotional - I would rather just go to WDW and go with whatever is happening at the present time. If they are policing the tables, then so be it. Just let me get on with my vacation - I really don't care one way or the other.

LOL.. ok sorry.. just had to respond.. not sure why you picked my post to quote. I've only seen one or two peope on this whole thread that were REALLY angry, and they're the ones who want to be able to save tables. I'm not going to "have a stroke" and my blood pressure is just fine, but thanks for being so concerned! People are emotional because they have an opinion on what's going on. That's why they're on a discussion board...to discuss things.. I'm happy that you don't mind what happens either way, but some poeple do have an opinon and as long as they're not attacking anyone personally they're allowed to express it

 

[deedeetoo]

I haven't read this whole thread, but just wanted to report that we also just returned from a week at WDW, ate a CS lunch every day, and never saw anything like the policy the OP described. My mom and kids always got a table while DH and I picked up the food.

 

[disneyfav4ever]

You know I've never had a problem finding a table, since I vacation in the off-season, and I eat at off-times, but as a solo, this is good news for me. Though I never minded people saving tables either. I'm pretty happy to please.

 

[Geoff_M]

Okay - I know I'm joining the thread late and I am actually in favor of this policy in theory with reasonable exceptions- but I have a question. How is this going to increase Disney's revenue? If we assume we're talking about people in the parks, isn't it pretty safe to say that if people don't eat at Pecos Bill's (or whatever restaurant this is effect in) because it's too crowded, that they will eat at another Disney owned restaurant?

That's certainly a good question. I doubt that Disney's primary aim in doing something like this is to increase revenue. I think it's primarily to add some efficiency to a very chaotic situation and bring with it some clear benefits: more effective handling of the crowds, reduced guest frustration, and... probably add some sales too. The reason I mentioned the financial angle was to point out that the process is by no means a certain financial drain due to the add CM resources.

You are right that to a large degree the hungry masses at WDW are a captive audience. However, a lot of people do have non-Disney alternatives. During hotter times of the year early afternoon is common time for families to bolt the parks for a mid-day break. For those staying in villas, they have full kitchens available to them. The folks at FW also have their own means to prepare meals. When we stayed in regular resort rooms at Disney we always had PB&J/chips that we would periodically use for lunches when necessary.

 

[SlightlyGoofy]

kaytieeldr, it is just fine by me if you disagree with me. Even I disagree with myself from time to time.

I am a mystery shopper and am often amazed at what a resource this forum is for free info for Disney. I sincerely believe that sometimes Disney gets ideas they might not have had otherwise just from reading some of these threads. Some ideas are pretty darned goods, others - not.

I have my doubts about this being a real change. Maybe something they are trying out just to see but sincerely doubt it will float. If I am wrong and it works out well for everyone concerned then fine by me.

If it does not work for me I will do something different. I seldom follow the crowd any way. I avoid EMH parks, eat at off times and pick places that others might not to avoid crowds and such already. Thanks to this forum I have learned many ways around things and potential problems.

I march to my own drummer and that is why I am - - -

Slightly Goofy

 

[RACHELSMOM1]

I haven't read this whole thread, but just wanted to report that we also just returned from a week at WDW, ate a CS lunch every day, and never saw anything like the policy the OP described. My mom and kids always got a table while DH and I picked up the food.

hmmm...I suspect this is probably the case all over WDW...just saying, even though this discussion has been wonderful, I always take discussions that start out as this one did, with a grain of salt...Maybe true, maybe not, I don't know, but it has been interesting to say the least...

 

[CampbellScot]

I think it's really hard for people when their "Disney Routines" are threatened. I'm not too fond of the idea of being told I can't have a seat with my over tired, probably over hungry and impatient step children. At the same time I know how completely frustrating it is to have a tray full of food, wandering around a packed seating area filled with people who aren't eating (probably waiting with THEIR over tired, over hungry impatient familes!) I suppose people's opinions on this rule will change depending on if they are tired and want to sit or if they have their food and can't find a table! I do think Disney is trying to optimize and streamline the Disney dining experience during times when the parks are very crowded and people pay a lot to be there.

It seems like rules are often made at Disneyworld in attempt to address safety or comfort issues...but the "satisfaction" of the individual guest usually wins out over rules saying "You can do this, you can't do that". There is an odd CM who will say something to the offending Heely wearer or the smoker in the non smoking section or the family looking to have a seat while one person gets the food, but I don't see it happening very often.

Who knows...maybe this will work and the CS dining experience will be a teensy bit more pleasant!

 

[kim]

We did experience this at Pecos Bills this past Friday around the 1:00pm - 2:00pm time slot (I posted on page 17, I think.) Who knows if they will change it permanently or not---But last Friday during lunch, this was happening.

We ate CS a lot during our 7 days at WDW. Pecos Bills was the only place we experienced this.


kim

 

[NMW]

*Sigh* You're still not getting it. I shouldn't have to tell the CM anything about my kids. Do you have any idea what it makes a 9 year old girl feel like when you repeatedly have to say, "Pssst... give us special treatment, because she's different." My kids understand that if they want to ride some of the most popular attractions at certain times of day, that revealing their disabilities might be necessary. That's their decision. But we shouldn't have to do that just to eat lunch, especially when the old method worked so well. They avoided the situations that made them uncomfortable and edgy by finding a table with Mom. I brought the food five or ten minutes later to a relaxed, happy table.

What do you think will happen when we use the GAC to get a table before the food arrives? However discreetly we present the card to the CM, they're still going to be sitting there in plain view of others without food, who can't get tables. Do you honestly think that hot, tired and hungry patrons who aren't sitting down yet aren't going to notice, or ask why my kids get special treatment? You wouldn't believe some of the rude comments people have made when we used the GAC to bypass a super-long line on a few occasions before. At least in those situations, we're out of sight and on the ride before long. That won't happen at the tables in a CS location.

David

I understand what you are saying and, I agree with you. I know that we have done the table saving thing for years-the kids and I sit while DH gets the food. Last year, my oldest son, age 10 helped DH while I sat with the 2 younger ones and it was even better. DH carried the drinks while our son carried food. Worked like a charm.

My youngest was 4 1/2 on our last trip, but during previous years (we started taking her when she was an infant) she was in an umbrella stroller and sometimes asleep when I found us a table, or she may have been crying to be fed. I could stick the stroller under the table and sit with the boys while waiting peacefully for our food, or whiping out the Gerber food. I really wouldn't understand a CM not letting a mother and young children sit down. Is it really better for the mother with a stroller, diaper bag, and 2 other small children to standing in front of the bathroom, or all in line together? I don't get it.

I understand what you are saying too. A CM MIGHT make an exception for a family like mine (hungry baby in a stroller, 3 year old, 5 year old-that's what we were in 2002 ). Or the CM might let a mother with a crying infant sit down to feed the baby. Or a CM might let an elderly person sit. These reasons are obvious to all. In your case, not so obvious. Hopefully you won't have to deal with it during your next trip.

 

[NMW]

I'm still trying to figure out how having table available means less time in the food order line.

I mean, I was in line several minutes while the girls in front of me changed her mind several times while ordering.

I agree.