White Lie? Or am I a BAD person?

[Todd C]

I just made an ADR for... well, let's say a very popular Disney restaurant in January. I could only get a table for the whole week if I made a reservation for 3 people even though there are only going to be 2 of us...

Is there a possibility when we show up that we will be turned away? I read somewhere on the boards that other people have done this too as this restaurant has a small number of 2 person tables.

I guess I'm just generally not in the habit of lying and I'm just worrying that we won't get seated now. Any comments?

 

[BostonRob]

I think you're fine. If they're going to tell you there's nothing available for your party of two, but a table miraculously appears for 3, I say take it. If the restaurant feels that strongly about it, let them turn you away. But I'm betting that doesn't happen. The only thing I'd add is that you should give your waitress a generous tip, because you're kind of depriving her personally if you take up a table for four with only two people.

 

[Lynn5700]

Well on a previous trip my SIL and her BF backed out of a ressie last minute (she had gotten a call that day that her dog died so she was not in the mood to eat) so we went from party of 4 to 2...it was fine and they still seated us.

 

[Jenvenza]

Expect for some people on here to disagree with what you did. This has been a debate before.

 

[debbs0723]

well I haven't been yet so I can't tell you any experiences but it sounds like you will be okay. However, I do not disagree with what you did. Why should you not get to eat where you want because you are short one person? As time gets closer and you still feel bad about it you can call and see if there are any tables for two open then change your reservation.

Debbie

 

[allisonswonderland]

My brother is a FL resident and never makes up his mind about going untio the last min...I have learned FINALLY to make ressies for 4 ppl sooner rather than for 2 and then trying to rearrange for he and his girlfriend closer to time. I did that on this trip and am not sure he will be coming at all. But I am not really sure that it is fair for me either to lose all of my ressies either. Not to mention, he may still show up. I will say that he was not able to make LTT once and there was no problem.

 

[kmk1180]

I just made an ADR for... well, let's say a very popular Disney restaurant in January. I could only get a table for the whole week if I made a reservation for 3 people even though there are only going to be 2 of us...

Is there a possibility when we show up that we will be turned away? I read somewhere on the boards that other people have done this too as this restaurant has a small number of 2 person tables.

I guess I'm just generally not in the habit of lying and I'm just worrying that we won't get seated now. Any comments?

Go ahead and do it...I think they will survive without that additional plate.
And ignore anyone who scolds you on the boards about it.

 

[ROEDISNEY]

Your not a bad person. It's a lil white lie. Come on . And whoever says they NEVER tell a lil white lie in my opinion is a liar. We all need to do it from time to time.

 

[puffkin]

It isn't like an ADR is a traditional reservation and they are holding a specific table for you.

It happens all the time for whatever reasons. Life changes and not everythign can be "planned". I would have done the same thing.

 

[bicker]

FWIW, a "white" lie is one made to make things better for the person (in this case, restaurant) the lie is being told to, rather than to make things better for the person telling the lie.

Having said that, it's not a horrible transgression. I wouldn't worry that much about it.

 

[shortchange1026]

My husband and I went to WDW 2 years ago without any dining reservations, not knowing that with the creation of the dining plan, it would be almost impossible to make last minute reservations. Obviously, before the creation of the dining plan, we never had a problem making reservations after we arrived. We stayed at the POFQ and when we went to our guest services counter, we tried to get reservations for 3 places and had to finagle to get them. We really wanted to eat in Le Cellier, and it was the other guest services person who was working who suggested we book it for 3 and then when we get there, tell them that a member of our party was sick and now it's only the 2 of us. When we checked in prior to our ADR time, they said, party of 3, and we said, no, now we are two and that was it, we didn't have to explain further, the people up front could actually care less why we were now only 2. My girlfriend and her husband were going a month after us and I told her it would probably be impossible for her to get reservations anywhere a month in advance. When she called, she asked if she could book Le Cellier for 3 and then say it was only 2 when she got there, and they told her no. Maybe she shouldn't have said anything, but..

 

[ROEDISNEY]

FWIW, a "white" lie is one made to make things better for the person (in this case, restaurant) the lie is being told to, rather than to make things better for the person telling the lie.

Having said that, it's not a horrible transgression. I wouldn't worry that much about it.

Nicely said

 

[Pumbaa_]

There has been LOTS and lots of discussion in this topic. I don't understand why Disney does this. There should be reasonable accomodations made for folks. I wouldn't reserve an 8 top for 2, but a 4 top? Why not?

I called, I am coming and I want to patronize your business. Their reservation system is too restrictive for me.

For our upcoming trip, I could not get a ressie until 9:05 pm for dinner for a party of 2 but for a party of 3, there was a plethora of times available.

I don't see anything wrong with working within the confines of Disney's system

 

[bicker]

It is all a matter of degree.

I seem to remember someone saying something related to this...

http://www.disboards.com/showpost.php?p=17999901&postcount=26
and
http://www.disboards.com/showpost.php?p=18030400&postcount=12

So clearly there are limits to what is "working with the confines of..." and, by contrast, what is "cheating" or "getting around" the system Disney has set up. Generally, if everyone in a thread (as is the case in this one) is saying, "Don't worry about it," then we can probably rest assured that this is an example of the former. However, let's switch the scenario around, and instead of making a reservation for 3 instead of 2, let's say we're making reservations that we don't intend to keep. Experience shows that that's "on the line", and making two reservations for the same meal, using "tactics" to get around any chance of Disney catching you, would clearly raise enough ire so as to clearly indicate that such an action is over the line, and therefore unacceptable.

I think it would be better for everyone if Disney was more definitive about what is and isn't acceptable. That's not going to happen, though, eh?

 

[simonkodousek]

I do not think there is any problem with doing what you did. Disney's dining reservation system is flawed in the way that if there are 2 guests, you are going to get a 2 person table, if there are 3 guests, you are going to get a 4 person table, if there are 5 guests you are going to get a 6 person table, and so on. As a guest, you have the right to eat at any restaurant of your choosing if a reservation is available. It should not matter how many people a table will seat in order to get an ADR.

However... I do think it is wrong when there are two guests and you make an ADR for 5+ guests or something of that nature.

 

[B-Ride]

Disney has a tendency to be very accomodating. When it comes to customer service they are usually the best.

However, when people take advantage of their flexiblity things can change. Witness earlier this year when they started cancelling ADRs for people that had two on the same night. Or the way they have gotten more strict about using child credits for adults at CS meals.

Reserving for 3 and having one of your party cancel later or having an extra person show up at the last minute is one thing and it is really great that Disney accomodates this. However, if people start gaming the system to get a reservation things will likely change. People will start calling multiple times with varying party sizes until they can get a reservation. If everyone starts doing this Disney may have to get strict and hold you to your reservation size. Then people who have a legitimate reason to change their party size will suffer.

 

[wdwnomad]

I think you will be fine. I can relate to your experience as well. I am traveling with one other person in early December. I called at my 180 day mark for all of my reservations. I was really suprised at how hard it was to get into some places at decent times. I wasn't given many choices and a couple of places I couldn't even get into. If I knew then what I know now....

 

[bekkiz]

Considering I have had cast members suggest this as an option on two occasions, I think you're probably in the clear. In one case, we were sat at a two top anyway. The other case, the restaurant was 1/2 empty the whole meal, so again, no harm no foul.

 

[BostonRob]

FWIW, a "white" lie is one made to make things better for the person (in this case, restaurant) the lie is being told to, rather than to make things better for the person telling the lie.

Having said that, it's not a horrible transgression. I wouldn't worry that much about it.

FWIW, that is merely one definition of a white lie. The first definition listed at dictionary.com is: a minor, polite, or harmless lie, which comes from Random House Unabridged, 2006. Other definitions talk about it being tactful, or well intentioned, but the first definition covers lies that are merely minor or harmless, so I think its safe to say that this qualifies as a white lie.

 

[missy2217]

You are not a bad person, you just want to enjoy a meal like everyone else. It would be a different story if you had to take a reservation for 10.