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

[kaytieeldr]

This does not necessarily mean that Disney agrees with the 15% - it is not necessarily true that it ever happened. You have 1 or 2 posters saying this, therefore it is still heresay, until Disney announces it is true or it is practiced all the time in every CS restaurant.

Three posters now. And, one more time: at this point, this appears to be a procedure being TESTED at ONE counter service restaurant at PEAK travel times. Period.

Prove it to me, that CMs are actually picking out the tables and telling you where to sit (CMs are hosts and hostesses now?) Prove it to me and I will believe it also, but nobody can - it is only the word of a few who claim to have experienced this first hand.

Does this help

The CMs direct you to a group of open tables and you take your pick. After you have your food, the CM will suggest "There are a number of open tables on the back right, or around the corner on the left", or something of that nature. This isn't a TS hostess-type situation where they seat you at a specific table. You are free to choose any of the many available tables in the restaurant.

As for "proving" it to anyone - it appears only those visiting Walt Disney World at PEAK travel times and (if the procedure is instituted at more locations) dining at IN-PARK Counter Service locations. In order for it to be proved to anyone who is unwilling to take the word of three posters who likely do not know each other, each of us will have to dine at a location where AND WHEN this procedure is being used. Several posters who have dined at Pecos Bill's in the weeks prior to July 4 did NOT encounter this process - most likely because they weren't there at what Disney consider a peak period, aka when it was necessary to control seating.

 

[RACHELSMOM1]

I really don't get your angle...

If you reread even just the last 2 pages, you can see that I have addressed the CM hostess misconception that you have raised. Of course, this is an open discussion board, and you are free to voice your opinions, even the ones that paint me, a long-time participant of these discussion boards and a DISboards sponsor, as a liar. No big deal here...no skin off my nose...that I can assure you.

Sorry you feel this way - I never called you a liar. I am always skeptical about posters on discussion boards - 3 posters out of thousands on DIS boards, and almost 300 posts on this thread - forgive my skepticism, but I do have a right to my beliefs, just as you have a right to post yours. I still say -until proven facts it remains heresay to me. But, I never called you a liar. I apologize if you felt that way.

 

[kparc]

Wouldn't most folks look for the shortest line, even without the CMs?

I got a laugh out of this! In my expereince this is not always the case- even though you would think common sense would prevail. I can't count the number of times I have been at WDW or some where else and everyone is blindly following the people in front of them through the same turnstile while there is another entrance that no one is using. It' s like a group of lemmings. LOL

 

[CR Resort Fan 4 Life]

No, no time limits.

I made mention earlier in this very thread that although the majority of guests are more interested in getting right back out into the park after eating, after my wife and I finished our meal and I took our trays to the garbage, we took about 10 minutes feeding our infant daughter before we left. As far as I could tell, there is absolutely no pressure at all to get out once you've purchased your meal...

That's good to know.

 

[kim]

Once again, my family did experience this on Friday, only at Pecos Bills. I never post anything that I'm unsure of because I don't want to mislead anyone in any way. I replied to the original poster because we were there obviously around the same time, which I think was cool! I don't know the other 2 posters who ate at PB.

Disney may or may not continue this during heavy attendance days, I don't know. But this was happening Friday, July 6, 2007 at lunch.

kim

 

[SlightlyGoofy]

Laugh O. Grams, you have my up\tmost apology. I should have checked how many posts you had before saying I was not sure about the information. There have been so many bogus threads lately that I just 'assumed' and you know what THAT means. Anybody who answers a rude comment with an offer of a hug is my kind of people.

I did not understand that this was only being tried at Pecos Bill's. As I have never eaten there I do not have enough information to make my mind up about how it would work there. Pinocchio's I know about.

As with many things, I make a sort of 'educated' guess about how I think something will be or not be and will usually try it once, if determined that it is not harmful to either me or someone else and then , after my own experience, will determine if it works for me or not.

Not being a big fan of eating hamburgers while on vacation I can easily bypass this place, once again, if I choose. I may have to make a note to look in now though, just to see for myself.

Slightly Goofy (who still thinks the fault, Horatio, lies with the restaurants practices and not the customers.

 

[kaytieeldr]

Here are my figures again, slightly modified (because there are several new DISBoarders since this morning):
135,657 DIS-ers.
Divide that by 365 days per year = 372 DIS-ers per day (average) at Walt Disney World.
Divide that by the approximately twenty counter service restaurants in the parks = about nineteen DIS-ers per day at each CS restaurant.
Divide that by the shortest number of hours a park is open (nine, at AK, on a normal day) = an average of 2.1 DIS-ers per hour at any given restaurant.
NOW, take into account this procedure is apparently in effect at ONE counter service location at PEAK travel times (e.g. July 4 - yes; January 23 - probably not). Add in that this sometime procedure is NOT Laugh's, or Mom2's, or kim's, belief, but rather each of the three's ACTUAL EXPERIENCE, and I see no reason to doubt.

Will most of us encounter it? No. If it works (and it appears to be working, based on both the posts from these three people and Laugh's report of his conversation with the PB Manager), those of us dining at in-park counter service locations at peak travel times likely WILL encounter it; the rest of us likely will not. Common sense. That doesn't mean it doesn't exist. I've never seen a snakebite. That doesn't mean they don't happen. I trust the report of people who've seen and/or experienced one.

 

[amykathleen2005]

Wow, things sure heat up around here fast!

I think that it is important that we all keep in mind that this was a test in one Disney restaurant, in one park. The reason that this is a test is that it is not a policy because they are seeing if it will actually work out well. Disney has moved past the hypothesis of the experiment and now is actually putting it into practice. No matter how many scenarios you may try to hypothetically think of, you need to experiment to be sure. Therefore, there is no need to think of elaborate scenarios that may happen yet, the time to be upset is when a set policy is established universally.

 

[kaytieeldr]

I did not understand that this was only being tried at Pecos Bill's. As I have never eaten there I do not have enough information to make my mind up about how it would work there. Pinocchio's I know about.

As another surmised (note avoidance of use of the 'a' word ) scenario, this likely would NEVER work at Sunshine Seasons, unless they seriously redesigned the first floor of The Land - because the way it's set up now, Guests using the stairs or the escalator end up in the middle of the seating area, and there are no walls, railings, etc., to control access.

 

[CR Resort Fan 4 Life]

Three posters now. And, one more time: at this point, this appears to be a procedure being TESTED at ONE counter service restaurant at PEAK travel times. Period.

If this only being done at peak times, then I guess WDW does not care if guests save tables during the other times of the day. So if that's true then what does this rule accomplish, because people will still save tables no matter what when the Cast Members are not there doing this job.

 

[kaytieeldr]

Sigh... not peak times of the day - peak TRAVEL times. The week of July 4; at some point during the busy Spring Break/Easter Vacation period; very likely Thanksgiving week and Christmas week... all the times of year when Disney World is busy, not the times of day when the restaurants are.

 

[DizzyKitten]

Ok, I have yet to step foot in WDW but I did read the thread about whether saving a table was good or bad and it scared me. Having never been there before and seeing the overwhelming number of people who held tables prior to getting their food, had me convinced that I'd have to do the same when I'd rather not. I do plan to eat at Pecos Bill's when I go but I'm going during "value season". Unfortunately that means that I may not get to see the "test" in action although I wish that I could.
It's amazing how quickly this thread turned ugly. And I have to be honest, it seems that some of the "complainers" are getting overworked over something they have yet to see firsthand anyway. Sort of reminds me of chicken little: The sky is falling, the sky is falling!
Anyway, thanks Laugh (and the other ppl who experienced this) for letting the rest of us know.

 

[CR Resort Fan 4 Life]

Sigh... not peak times of the day - peak TRAVEL times. The week of July 4; at some point during the busy Spring Break/Easter Vacation period; very likely Thanksgiving week and Christmas week... all the times of year when Disney World is busy, not the times of day when the restaurants are.

Well this just my opinion but I don't see WDW keeping a rule that they don't plan to use during the whole year. There would be to much confusion because what if guests go during a slow time and saves tables with no problems since the rule was not being enforced. Then they go during a busy time like July 4th and are told for the 1st time they can't save a table. So this is going to be my last reply in this thread.

 

[kaytieeldr]

Unfortunately that means that I may not get to see the "test" in action although I wish that I could.

On the other hand, you/we probably won't need to experience it. For the most part, there would likely be tables available during Value season. On the other hand, if this process works as well as it's been described, maybe we will get to see it in action, who knows?

 

[kaytieeldr]

So that is going to be my last reply in this thread.

Promise? IF Disney continues this process during PEAK TRAVEL periods, it will be because those are the times when 'table-saving' is at its worst - based simply on the numbers of people dining at any given time.
If a restaurant has seating for 200 people, and there are 150 people dining there mid-afternoon on a Tuesday in November, no problem. That same restaurant with 350 people at lunchtime on December 24 is going to have problems if most of them run right to tables and wait for their food to be ordered and brought. Apparently DISNEY feels it's enough of a problem AT CERTAIN TIMES OF THE YEAR, that they are addressing it. Successfully, it seems.

 

[bellecat22]

What's wrong with it is that you would taking a table out of commission that could be used by someone else who is line before you or already has their food. Who possibly could eat and free up the table before you ever got your food. It's happened to us! And it a viscious circle that can only be corrected by management stepping in. So I hope they are doing it when we go in August.
NO ONE wants to be walking around with their food unable to find a table!! And by saving a table to prevent that happening to you, you may be dooming someone else who is unable to save a table to that fate.

I don't know about any of you but when I'm on vacation, I like to sit for more than 10 minutes and shove the food down my throat and run back out into the 100 degree heat.

I also don't like to walk around with my tray of food, which is why we have always done the, one person order, one person get the napkins and table routine.

Sounds like some people have just eaten a few too many cold french fries for their liking.

Oh, for the people who have been to PB's, I still would like to know what has happened to those back doors in the seating area? Also, are the outdoor tables blocked off too? I wouldn't want to be one of the groups sent out there back into the summer heat.

 

[kaytieeldr]

I also don't like to walk around with my tray of food, which is why we have always done the, one person order, one person get the napkins and table routine.

So, now, IF you're at a Disney Counter Service restaurant when this procedure is in effect, one of you get the food, one of you get the napkins, and when the food is ready, BOTH/all of you approach the seating area and get directed to your choice of (apparently) a number of available tables.

 

[Linda Bell]

It is quite different standing waiting outside a line when you are STANDING than when you are in a wheelchair. People are not polite in the least. They don't watch what they are doing or where there backpacks and the like are hitting. You are below most people's eye level and can be fallen on or knocked in the head. It isn't pleasant. An within view of their ordering party. Not in a wheelchair. All you see is people's butts.

Totally agree Lisbeth. My daughter was even knocked out of her wheelchair once and the guy didn't even stop to apologize.

I push my daughter's chair and park her at a table while I get food. I cannot push her and carry a tray at the same time. She thus avoids the hassles and the stares (she does not need a GAC around her neck to see that she is disabled). If there was not a table then we simply did not eat there.

I have seen a lot of speculation, but no real experiences, on how those with special needs will be handled. I guess I have to wait and see.

Speaking of the view from a wheelchair...give a kid in a wheelchair a disposable camera for their trip.

If one of you actually experiences the handling of special needs please post to the Disabilities board. We would be ever so grateful.

Linda

 

[Talking Hands]

Yeah, I'm in the dark on that one. Although I did see a couple guests in wheelchairs eating in the dining room at PB's, I really don't have a clue as far as how the system works regarding wheelchair accessible tables. As we all know, Disney has a fairly impressive reputation as far as dealing with guests with special needs. I'm guessing that they have something set up to accommodate everyone. I can't imagine that Disney would put a plan into motion without considering the needs of all of their guests, or would force guests in wheelchairs to be treated like second class citizens. Hopefully someone with an actual experience similar to what you are suggesting can chime in an give us a report.

I can completely imagine this being set up with no regard to the needs of handicapped guests. It happens all the time at Disney. And it doesn't get changed until a handicapped guest comes along and needs access and it isn't available. And some CMs attitudes tend to be TOO BAD, TOUGH LUCK. THen you have to get a manager involved to get the access you need.
There are 2 examples in MGM. One the area where the parade is interpreted. The top area of the steps is now being used as a pathway for guests to walk. If you are in a wheelchair and also use interpreting where you sit is at the top of the steps which blocks the pathway for others. Conflicting needs. You have to get clearance from a manager to sit a wheelchair there. Not always easy.
2nd at Fantasmic, the area for captioning used to have an area behind it for wheelchairs but a bench has been placed there and there is only 1 space for a wheelchair at the very edge of the captioning area. If more than one person needs a wheelchair space and captioning, nothing is available. Been complaining about this one since the bench was placed there.
Problems are not normally faced until the crop up and then people get a bitter taste in their mouth about the lack of planning.
Happens all the time.

 

[CR Resort Fan 4 Life]

Oh, for the people who have been to PB's, I still would like to know what has happened to those back doors in the seating area? Also, are the outdoor tables blocked off too? I wouldn't want to be one of the groups sent out there back into the summer heat.

I know I said I would not reply again to this thread, but after reading this part of you're reply, I need to say you make a very good point. I have never been to Peco Bills before, however since they have an entrance in the back what is the Cast Members plan for guests who come in threw there? I don't think anyone has mentioned it, so thank you bellecat22 for brining that up.