Was he within his rights as a resort guest?

[CR Resort Fan 4 Life]

It is possible that the restaurants DO hold some tables....

by the time this guy showed up they could have been all gone....

If you show up when a restaurant 1st opens for dinner....
you will probably get a seat.....like the earlier example of chef mickeys.
Kerri

If that were true wouldn't someone have posted the information saying each Resort restaurant holds a very limited amount of tables for their guests once they open?

Tess'smom may have posted what happened when she and her family went to Chef Mickey's for breakfast and how guests staying at the Contemporary were being seated ahead of them. Well the few times my family and I have went their for dinner we were staying at the Contemporary we never said seat us ahead of everyone else, because we are staying here. In fact the Cast Members never asked us if we were staying there. Besides if we were eating at a restaurant where we happen to be staying at what would our rush be to wait, since we would have our ADR time? Obviously we would not want to wait a long time past our ADR time, but you know what I mean. Anyway it's not like we would need to catch a WDW bus back to another Resort and we were worried about the Magic Kingdom closing.

 

[ms.yt]

I understand character meals should be ADR and signature places but the "Denny's" type places should make allowances for resort guest.

Kona Cafe is comparable to Denny's or the Waffle House? Granted I've never been there, but the way it is described on here I never got that vibe. Wow!

 

[praline3001]

Kona Cafe is comparable to Denny's or the Waffle House? Granted I've never been there, but the way it is described on here I never got that vibe. Wow!

well there isn't an actual Denny's on property so I was just comparing it as such. There is always a denny's and a waffle house near any hotel in the USA
I guess I should have been a bit more clear ... its nicer than Denny's but when compared to other places to eat at WDW, it would be the casual laid back dining experience such as a Dennys or shoneys in OTHER locations.

 

[fortheloveofamouse]

This is not the first time I have heard of a story like this. People who are not familiar with Disney do find it absurd that these mediocre restaurants can book up to 6 months in advance.

My brother recently took his family on a last minute trip to the GF for a week in early Nov. and was shocked at the limited dining choices they had through concierge. As a world traveler he did find it more than a bit annoying that resort guest could not be seated at their resorts own restaurants even with advance notice. I guess I have to agree. I think this guys behavior was way of base, but can understand his frustration. This is all coming from someone who is on the phone at 6:45 a.m. 190 days out to make all my ADR's....

 

[Markstudy]

. he did find it more than a bit annoying that resort guest could not be seated at their resorts own restaurants .

Good post....hope you don't mind, I'd like to use a snip of it, to point out something I've been thinking about ......

... you CAN eat at your resort- you just can't eat at your resorts BEST restaurant!
Two completely different things

 

[snowbunny]

Kona Cafe is comparable to Denny's or the Waffle House? Granted I've never been there, but the way it is described on here I never got that vibe.

Well I've been to Kona Cafe and it's basically a nice coffee shop. I've never understood the raves it receives here.

 

[crisi]

Well I've been to Kona Cafe and it's basically a nice coffee shop. I've never understood the raves it receives here.

You get macadamia crusted mahi-mahi and eggs benedict at your local coffee shop? Mine has a few salads and some sandwiches - some scones and muffins in the morning. You go to a nice coffee shop.

 

[Nancyg56]

Well I've been to Kona Cafe and it's basically a nice coffee shop. I've never understood the raves it receives here.

My DD thought that it was a coffee shop when she went by at lunch time. We had dinner over her objections and she changed her tune . Casual? Yes. A coffee shop? Not like those where I come from

 

[praline3001]

You get macadamia crusted mahi-mahi and eggs benedict at your local coffee shop? Mine has a few salads and some sandwiches - some scones and muffins in the morning. You go to a nice coffee shop.

Well lets see at my local coffee shop I can get beignets, french pastries,
french market coffee, king cakes, and irish coffee etc etc...
oops I guess you weren't asking me as I live in New Orleans and have some of the best coffee houses in the world

 

[just another guy]

Making a scene unfortunately gets some people what they want.

Not always. If he went to a buffet and then yelled that he has never spent more than 7.99 a person, and refused to do so, he wouldn't get anywhere. Since disney still has yet to start charging people for making ADR and not showing up, I can promise you it wasn't hard to get him in. Thus it was easy to just give him a table to shut him up.

 

[praline3001]

Not always. If he went to a buffet and then yelled that he has never spent more than 7.99 a person, and refused to do so, he wouldn't get anywhere. Since disney still has yet to start charging people for making ADR and not showing up, I can promise you it wasn't hard to get him in. Thus it was easy to just give him a table to shut him up.

EXcellent Idea! I think we would find ADRs much easier to get if they made you put a % down on your ADR to go towards your meal! There are so many people who will make overlapping ressies in order to pick from once the date and time come its unreal!!! Of course I have THOUGHT (never did but thought) of doing this myself a time or two. I have a hard time knowing what I am going to eat/ be from week to week at a given time let a lone 6 months in advance

On our upcoming trip (in 23 days) we opted for room service breakfast each morning. This way we don't have to make ressies and can get ready for the parks while eating, saving us loads of time. For my family this was the best option but lets face it Room service can be pricey and some families can't afford it on top of all the other expenses that Disney brings. It would be really nice if there were opening for resort guest at certain locations at the resort so they can go and sit down to eat. I know there are many conventions that go on during the year. How do these people know when they will be released for lunch? They can't possibly know 6 months before hand.

 

[labattblue]

I'm sorry, as a manager, I would have just explained the process. I think throwing the noticeable temper tantrum....I would have told him to calm down, or I would have called Disney security. Believe me...those guys can move fast...LOL

 

[sandym718]

well there isn't an actual Denny's on property so I was just comparing it as such. There is always a denny's and a waffle house near any hotel in the USA
I guess I should have been a bit more clear ... its nicer than Denny's but when compared to other places to eat at WDW, it would be the casual laid back dining experience such as a Dennys or shoneys in OTHER locations.

I couldn't disagree more - my filet at Kona cost over $30 I believe (I was on the DDP, but that was the menu price). Filet is not on the menu at Shoney's or Denny's. I haven't been to many restaurants in WDW, but I can't think of any (TS) that are quite as casual as Denny's, especially for dinner. I'd be more likely to compare many of the CS places, basically there you're paying Denny's prices and getting the same sort of food - burgers, chicken, fries, even ribs. Only difference is that you carry it to your table yourself. There ARE plenty of options for people who choose not to make ADR's (room service, ALL CS choices, possible a last-minute ADR or walk-up at a few TS's) - just not necessarily the ones they want!

 

[apostolic4life]

I couldn't disagree more - my filet at Kona cost over $30 I believe (I was on the DDP, but that was the menu price). Filet is not on the menu at Shoney's or Denny's. I haven't been to many restaurants in WDW, but I can't think of any (TS) that are quite as casual as Denny's, especially for dinner. I'd be more likely to compare many of the CS places, basically there you're paying Denny's prices and getting the same sort of food - burgers, chicken, fries, even ribs. Only difference is that you carry it to your table yourself. There ARE plenty of options for people who choose not to make ADR's (room service, ALL CS choices, possible a last-minute ADR or walk-up at a few TS's) - just not necessarily the ones they want!

I would agree with you sandym718, the food prices are higher and food quality is far superior to Denny's type restaurants. Even if you compensated for the fact WDW restaurant prices are inflated due to location, the prices would still be higher than those of Denny's type establishments simply because the food is of higher quality than what is served at Denny's.

 

[alldiz]

If that were true wouldn't someone have posted the information saying each Resort restaurant holds a very limited amount of tables for their guests once they open?

Tess'smom may have posted what happened when she and her family went to Chef Mickey's for breakfast and how guests staying at the Contemporary were being seated ahead of them. Well the few times my family and I have went their for dinner we were staying at the Contemporary we never said seat us ahead of everyone else, because we are staying here. In fact the Cast Members never asked us if we were staying there. Besides if we were eating at a restaurant where we happen to be staying at what would our rush be to wait, since we would have our ADR time? Obviously we would not want to wait a long time past our ADR time, but you know what I mean. Anyway it's not like we would need to catch a WDW bus back to another Resort and we were worried about the Magic Kingdom closing.

Not everyone who dines at Disney posts on the Dis....
it is quite possible there were tables for guests....a few...and they
were gone....

well there isn't an actual Denny's on property so I was just comparing it as such. There is always a denny's and a waffle house near any hotel in the USA
I guess I should have been a bit more clear ... its nicer than Denny's but when compared to other places to eat at WDW, it would be the casual laid back dining experience such as a Dennys or shoneys in OTHER locations.

Kona compared to Denny's....I don't think so....maybe Capt cooks...
Kerri

 

[smjj]

Not having read this entire thread, forgive me if this has been mentioned. I have often wondered why each restaurant located at a resort does not hold back a few table each evening for guest staying at the resort. I kind of understand someone not familiar with ADR's and the such being somewhat irate if they can't eat at their resort after they pay several hundreds a night to stay there. Having said that, I do not condone going off the deep end either. If they can take 50 ADR's an hour, then take say 45 and leave the other five for guest on a first come/first serve basis or some such formula. We had a similar problem while staying at OKW several years ago during a peak time. Places like OKW don't give you many options for eating...smjj

 

[Aliceacc]

My best friend is just back from Christmas week at the World. Despite gentle nudging to make ADRs (and any other type of gameplan) on my part, she went down unprepared.... Her family was turned away as they were not taking walk-ins at that time. Her husband flipped out and demanded to see the manager. He insisted that since he was paying big money to stay at the Poly, he should have priority over all these other people (you know, the ones with ADRs).

So, management gave him a table. What do you think of that?

All the other arguments aside, he and his family KNEW about the ADRs, and chose to ignore the OP's advice.

Even if the policy were changed, and each restaurant set aside 10 tables for their restort guests, how long do you think those 10 tables would last?? Once word got out that you COULD get in without those ADR's, don't you think a lot more people would just assume that they would be among those first 10??? I see this causing waaay more problems than it solves.

What I think they need to do is to warn people, whenever they book through any source, that they're unlikely to get dinner at the restaurant of their choice without ADRs. If everyone was warned upon paying a deposit (online, by phone, whatever) there would be no excuse for any claim of ignorance.

For what it's worth, I was last in Disney in 1990. At noon we made 6 pm reservations for the Coral Reef and got great seats. Yet I've made it my business to do my homework before heading to WDW and was forewarned about the ADRs.

Ignorance is not bliss.

 

[apostolic4life]

Not having read this entire thread, forgive me if this has been mentioned. I have often wondered why each restaurant located at a resort does not hold back a few table each evening for guest staying at the resort. I kind of understand someone not familiar with ADR's and the such being somewhat irate if they can't eat at their resort after they pay several hundreds a night to stay there. Having said that, I do not condone going off the deep end either. If they can take 50 ADR's an hour, then take say 45 and leave the other five for guest on a first come/first serve basis or some such formula. We had a similar problem while staying at OKW several years ago during a peak time. Places like OKW don't give you many options for eating...smjj

Sure there are options for everyone who does not make an ADR (especially during peak seasons), it is known as counter service or room service. Like it was stated earlier, paying for a room at WDW does not give you guaranteed rights to the dining venues in the resort...........it makes sure you have a place to stay. The man spoken about in the OP was even warned about the animal that is Disney Dining, but he made a decision to ignore the voice of experience and was surprised to see the voice was correct.

Also addressed earlier was the idea of holding tables......WDW loves the idea of having completely booked restaurants 6 months in advance, so I would not hold my breath for them to hold a table for you. Think about it, if they hold 5 tables every hour solely for use by guests of that particular resort, they have the potential of losing revenue from possibly 50-70 tables on any given day. I am sure they would seat many of those tables, but my point is they would take bankable money over potential money any day. That is one reason the DDP has been pushed over the last 3 years.

 

[smjj]

All good points being made aboput the problem with holding tables for guest and having them not filled. However, my suggestion is a work in progress and just a thought. They couldl verify via a room key if you are a guest there. As to the empty tables, they could limit this arrangement to say 5 P.M. to 09:00 or something like that and them only during peak times of the year. I doubt they would have many empty tables at all. Again, just trying to explore different solutions..smjj

 

[snowbunny]

You get macadamia crusted mahi-mahi and eggs benedict at your local coffee shop? Mine has a few salads and some sandwiches - some scones and muffins in the morning. You go to a nice coffee shop.

Eggs benedict - yes. Okay you got me on the mahi mahi. I did say it's a *nice* coffee shop.