WDW restaurants taking orders using PDA

[Leese]

I have searched the forums and I haven't been able to find the answer to this question so I am asking everyone to help answer it for me.

In 1995 when I took our first trip to WDW all of the restaurants were using something like a PDA or Pocket PC to take your orders, which would then wirelessly transmit your order to the kitchen. When I returned about 6 years later they went to just writing it out on a paper ticket or remembering your order by memory. When I go in November I will like to see if their technology is still the same.

Does anyone know the history of them? Was it just being used on a trial basis at the time? Were they just a normal Pocket PC with a wireless connection?

Thanks all for the help.

[supernova]

Have we as a society gotten to the point where we can't even sit down and wait to order our food, and to have it cooked and served to us? Egad.

Maybe it would be faster if, when we placed our food order via PDA, we give them permission to eat it for us, too. That should save some time.

[HauntedGabe]

I have searched the forums and I haven't been able to find the answer to this question so I am asking everyone to help answer it for me.

In 1995 when I took our first trip to WDW all of the restaurants were using something like a PDA or Pocket PC to take your orders, which would then wirelessly transmit your order to the kitchen. When I returned about 6 years later they went to just writing it out on a paper ticket or remembering your order by memory. When I go in November I will like to see if their technology is still the same.

Does anyone know the history of them? Was it just being used on a trial basis at the time? Were they just a normal Pocket PC with a wireless connection?

Thanks all for the help.

Welcome to the boards.

I cannot say I am recalling seeing the PDA type devices at sit down restaurants, table side, not to say some establishments might actually do so. What I have seen all over WDW dining locations including quick service restaurants is a Kiosk that uses the same type of tech.
At QS when you place your order and at sit down dining the wait staff entering into a mounted tablet type device.

[eeyore79]

dont remember seeing anything like that this past aug when i was at wdw!

many of the table service resturants did check you in for your adr on a tablet type device, which seemed to keep track of what tables were full, any special requests/occasions for a specific table...but as far as ordering...we had great waiters/waitress!

[Flrancho]

I don't recall ever seeing anything like this in any of the sit-down restaurants either.

[Leese]

It may have been a short experiment for just a few months just to see how they worked. I would think that if a waiter/waitress dropped it or it just wore out it would be quite an expense compared to just replacing a regular ticket book.

Yea you are right eeyore79 all the wait staff were great each time we went there. When we went to the 50's prime time cafe I remember the waiter scaring the daylights out of my wife when he squirted her with the mustard bottle that had a string in it instead of mustard.

[NC_WDW_Daddy]

I kind of remember that at an Epcot restaurant in the early 90s and being impressed with the technology... and welcome!

[N.J.boy@N.C.St.]

I really don't remember anything of the sort at all. I've eaten at the Contempo Cafe a couple times and they have the computers where you place your order and pick it up when it's done, then bring it to a register to pay. I'm sure there are a few other QSs' that use this, just can't come up with them right now.

I kind of remember that at an Epcot restaurant in the early 90s and being impressed with the technology... and welcome!

I wouldn't doubt it, especially if it was in Epcot.

[Leese]

Thanks everyone for all your help. If you know of a cast member that worked in WDW restaurants back in October 1995 please ask them about the pocket pc/PDA. If you hear of anything please let me know.

[supernova]

I kind of remember that at an Epcot restaurant in the early 90s and being impressed with the technology... and welcome!

I wouldn't doubt it, especially if it was in Epcot.

The biggest restaurant technology I recall at Epcot from the late 80s/early 90s was walking up to a kiosk and having a video chat with an agent to book a reservation.

[Leese]

Thanks Supernova I believe I remember that also, if I remember right weren't there about 4 tv screens in a circle?

[HauntedGabe]

Yes they were and you could also go into guest services at Epcot and book a meal too. All back in the day before Dining Plan and even more so the Free Dining Plan.

[Leese]

When it comes to making a reservation now days how does it work? Do you still have a kiosk or do you just use your cell phone?

[HauntedGabe]

That is rapidly changing. Now you can book online, 180 days in advance for guests of WDW. It leaves little wiggle room for being in the mood to spontaneously want a steak instead of quick service.

When free dining is being offered a good chunk of guests eat a meal a day at a sit down. The resorts were just not designed to handle that many meals being served per day so everything is booked way in advance. Results in seating times being off, rushed meals, more buffets, food that takes less time to prepare and serve.

[cindymouse6]

honestly, I am tired of no ADR's available... so I love the new rules... even tho I plan ahead for the room, I seem to be deficit in making ADR's. trying to coordinate early entry, etc. seems to be a hassly when seeing numerous tables empty when wanting a table. there should be some accountability for ADR's.... will make a difference.