What should I do... can't get a decent ADR for a party of 2!

[marivaid]

Every time I call for Chef Mickey's I'm told the only availability for a party of 2 is 9pm. This happened when I was planning both our previous trips, and it's happening again for our October and December trips. I'm begining to think we're never going to get to try this place for dinner!

One CM on the phone hinted that there were tables available earlier for parties of 3 and 4. Then she caught herself and said that if I book a table for 3 and only 2 show up, they won't give us the table.
I find it a little hard to believe.
Has anyone been turned away because the party was smaller than expected?

 

[inloveindisney]

Never been turned away for that. I'd go ahead and book for three if it were me. they don't even have to know you don't have three. just check in as three and that third will just happen to not show! Probably not the best way to do it, but if you want it that bad, might be your only option.

 

[marivaid]

Never been turned away for that. I'd go ahead and book for three if it were me. they don't even have to know you don't have three. just check in as three and that third will just happen to not show! Probably not the best way to do it, but if you want it that bad, might be your only option.

Thanks I will think about it. I feel a little bad taking an ADR away from another party of 3 but on the other hand I'm sick of always getting that 9PM answer when I'm calling four months in advance - there are tables,but because we're 2 instead of 3 we have to choose between dinner or fireworks. That doesn't seem fair.
The silliest part is, we've always been seated at tables of 4 at CM anyway

 

[TDC Nala]

Every time I call for Chef Mickey's I'm told the only availability for a party of 2 is 9pm. This happened when I was planning both our previous trips, and it's happening again for our October and December trips. I'm begining to think we're never going to get to try this place for dinner!

One CM on the phone hinted that there were tables available earlier for parties of 3 and 4. Then she caught herself and said that if I book a table for 3 and only 2 show up, they won't give us the table.
I find it a little hard to believe.
Has anyone been turned away because the party was smaller than expected?

I hope not. That's going to happen to me in September. Some people decided not to come. It's free dining period and if they change the reservation they'd have to cancel the old one. I'd never get another reservation.

 

[Densgirl]

No, I've gone to two ADR's with one less person and was not turned away. My brother had two bad days with his asthma and was unable to eat. We were not turned away. I wonder why it's so hard to get a good ADR time with 2. My Husband and I and my brother and I have gone on trips of just 2 and even when calling at 180 days I had trouble getting early times for two.

 

[MickeyNicki]

I tried for 2 years to get in here for dinner, we do alot of last minute trips so I cant call six months in advance. This past Oct we went for my birthday and I have to tell you, we were so disappointed. The food was terrible and the place was super noisy but the characters made up for it...they were alot of fun.

 

[hoffman1]

We are also a party of two and sometimes have a hard time getting the
ADR that we want. Last year we made an ADR for 3 at LeCellier because there was no availability for a party of 2. When we arrived we just told them at the podium there were only 2 of us.

 

[HockeyChick]

We only just decided in July to go to Disney in December and I called for my ADRs right after I got my reservations. I got every ADR I wanted for 2...including Le Cellier, Ohana and Cali Grill...EXCEPT breakfast at Chef Mickey's on my last day. I had called about a dozen times with no luck when I finally read somewhere that a CM had told someone to try to get a seating for 3 because it can be easier. Low and behold, when I called for 3 they rattled off about 10 available times so, I made my ADR for 3. I don't see why someone planning this far ahead shouldn't be able to go to a restaurant they want to go to just because there are only 2 of us. I feel sort of guilty about it, but not that much. If they turn me away the day I check in, well, it won't be any different than not ever being able to get the ADR for 2 to begin with!

 

[Pumbaa_]

I just don't understand why Disney does this. It seems almost discriminating against couples. There are only so many 2 tops. If the restaurant has capacity, they should allow a 1 table size bump.

 

[scanmom]

taht they want to fit in as many paying customers as possible, so they really limit how many tables for 2 that they reserve. I think that's wrong.... I would reserve a table for 3, and when you show up tell them that the 3rd person will be late, and you want to be seated now. If you tell them that the 3rd person won't be there at all, they won't seat you until a table for 2 would have been open... I have had this happen to me.

 

[marivaid]

I have to say I'm pleasantly surprised, I expected to be flamed for "cheating the system" but it looks like this is a problem for a lot of other guests.
Looks like they try to book bigger parties first and then if they can't then they accept a few parties of 2.

After reading several reviews on CM dinner I decided not to bother and booked Crystal Palace instead. CP is one of the very few places were we were actually seated at a table for 2 and I never have any problem booking it. At CM I don't even remember SEEING a table for 2!

 

[want2bamommy]

I had no problems making my ADR for a party of 2 at Chef Mickey's or any other restaurant. We did however ask for the earliest available dinner seatings so we are mostly eating at 5pm or 5:30pm most nights.

I hope you get your ADR!!!

Missie