Disney Testing new restaurant seating

[tiggerguy]

Seems like Disney is trying to resolve "table saving"

Disney dining: Magic Kingdom eateries test seating program -- OrlandoSentinel.com

[Disneygirl212]

I like the idea. Seems like we spend more time looking for a table than eating our food!

[disneymaniac87]

That is very interesting! I sort of hope it works. When I was there in June.. we had 8 people in our party. So we always had to save two tables and I always felt bad for doing that. What about the groups who have like 10 people. They have to save three.

I guess the only problem I can see with this is parties staying together. It will be harder to do that now!

[tizzo]

I wonder if they've considered the unintended consequences in terms of traffic at the actual counter. It's normally just my wife and I, so there's no real need to "save" a table, but my wife usually goes and sits down anyway because the counter area is so crowded. It seems like with this new scheme, the number of people milling about in the counter area will at least double. As it is, it can be difficult to get away from the counter with your food because people are standing around in the exit lane, even when it's not all that busy.

I wouldn't mind seeing them pair this with some changes to the counter area. Maybe a switchback getting people into the cash registers, and rerouting traffic leaving the counter out to the sides maybe instead of back out through the waiting crowd. Although the way most of the counter service places are laid out this would require some physical changes.

In any case, it certainly would be nice not to have to worry about finding enough seating to all sit together when you're with a big group.

[disneydreamer98]

I personally do not like this idea at all. Being a mom of two young boys I prefer to have my husband take the boys along with the stroller and go find a table and get them situated while I go and order our food. I cannot imagine having to stand in the lines with both the boys to order and get our food. While this process may clear out the seating area....it is easily going to double if not triple, quadruple... (you get my point....) the amount of people up front trying to order and pick up their food. IMHO....they are only shifting the problem to a different location of the restaurant.

[NC_WDW_Daddy]

We experienced this at Cosmic Ray's last June. We waited in line at the door until we were cleared to get in line at the registers. I still did not have the rest of the family with me at the registers because this really causes a bottleneck. They went off in search of a table once I started ordering. The timing wroked out pretty good. There was noone to help us find a table, so that part was the same, but my wife did find one as I started bringing the tray down to the seating area.

[tizzo]

I personally do not like this idea at all. Being a mom of two young boys I prefer to have my husband take the boys along with the stroller and go find a table and get them situated while I go and order our food. I cannot imagine having to stand in the lines with both the boys to order and get our food. While this process may clear out the seating area....it is easily going to double if not triple, quadruple... (you get my point....) the amount of people up front trying to order and pick up their food. IMHO....they are only shifting the problem to a different location of the restaurant.

That was my initial reaction as well. I've learned lately to take a wait and see approach when it comes to Disney implementing changes I don't like on first hearing about them. As often as not it turns out that they already took my concerns into account and addressed them.

That's not always the case, of course. I've written before about how poorly they manage guests leaving the parks at the end of general operating hours on nights during which hard-ticket events are scheduled. And since this is still just a trial, there may be kinks here as well. But I'm hopeful that they will eventually figure out a way to solve this particular problem if they haven't already.

I guess I'll find out soon enough. We usually don't eat in the parks when it's just the two of us, but my sister is coming down with her family next month and we'll all be spending several full days, including mealtimes, in the parks together.

[tizzo]

We experienced this at Cosmic Ray's last June. We waited in line at the door until we were cleared to get in line at the registers. I still did not have the rest of the family with me at the registers because this really causes a bottleneck. They went off in search of a table once I started ordering. The timing wroked out pretty good. There was noone to help us find a table, so that part was the same, but my wife did find one as I started bringing the tray down to the seating area.

It doesn't sound like you got the full treatment. According to the article, you are not allowed to enter the seating area (while the scheme is in effect, which they said would only occur when crowd levels warrant it, like at peak meal times on busy days) without food. If this had been in full effect as written, your family would not have been able to enter the seating area while you were in line, meaning that they probably would have been with you, leading to the aforementioned bottleneck.

[Lou Mongello]

I think this will be an interesting experiment to watch, especially during some of the peak times of year. Wondering how many seaters will be available at a time, and if people will now have to hold their trays (and possibly children) while waiting to be seated.

Thinking out loud: Will the mom with fidgety kids be allowed to sit while waiting for dad who is on line? Will Guests in ECVs, wheelchairs, etc. be permitted to go to a table early?

Sounds like I need another "research trip"

[NC_WDW_Daddy]

At Cosmic Ray's in June, we experienced only part of the plan. We waited at the door until there was an opening at the register line, then were allowed to enter and order. It seemed to help with the congestion around the registers and the fixings bar. Overall, I think this new plan is going to help cycle crowds through the QS restaurants.

[TrendyMagic]

Sounds like a good plan and they are working towards a good improvement. Yes Lou, research trip!

[firewife]

Boy I hope this doesn't happen. I use a manual wheelchair that Dh pushes. Our procedure is We all go find a table, he gets me situated and then he and one of my three kids goes to do the ordering. This works well for us. It would be awful if had to push me through the line.

[TrendyMagic]

It actually went very well during the testing. While many (myself included) usually have one go order and the rest get a place to eat, this seemed to keep more tables open and ready overall. Small issues here and there but done well.

[HauntedGabe]

Boy I hope this doesn't happen. I use a manual wheelchair that Dh pushes. Our procedure is We all go find a table, he gets me situated and then he and one of my three kids goes to do the ordering. This works well for us. It would be awful if had to push me through the line.

My guess is that Disney would accommodate your wishes to be pre-seated.

[firewife]

My guess is that Disney would accommodate your wishes to be pre-seated.

I really hope so