PDA

View Full Version : Limitations to restaurant seating...



Pages : [1] 2

olegc
12-04-2003, 04:10 PM
I did not see a formal announcement on this (nor did I really expect to) but I read the following on "another board" today (ok, ok, so it was MiceAge).

". First off was a sudden and unannounced change in policy at three Disneyland Resort restaurants: Goofy’s Kitchen, Storyteller’s Café, and Blue Bayou. All three typically sport long lines during peak hours, and Disney’s new policy will surely prove controversial: none of these restaurants now allow for walk-up seating. You heard right: no more standing in line. If you don’t have priority seating (PS) reservations, you can’t eat at any of these establishments. They take reservations up to 30 days in advance; just call (714) 781-3463. Walk-up patrons will only be seated in the event of a PS reservation cancellation or no-show (in other words, pretty much never). Apparently management plans to widen this pilot program to all sit-down restaurants at the Resort, but no word on the planned timeline."

He has commentary on it as well...

I would not think this would fly in a SoCal park. Talk about complaint lines at City Hall!!!

Cadaverous Pallor
12-04-2003, 04:28 PM
OMG, the Blue Bayou? That totally blows.

Looks like I better make a decision NOW whether my non-AP friends will eat there or not. :(

cstephens
12-04-2003, 04:30 PM
The topic was brought up in a thread (http://www.laughingplace.com/default.asp?WCI=MsgBoard&WCE=T-43700-P-1&Refresh=1204174138) at LaughingPlace.com, and Rebekah posted that she checked and was told no such change is taking place.

Kevin posted a response on another thread that when he checked, he had been told the information he posted, but the person who told him must have been wrong.

Morrigoon
12-04-2003, 07:23 PM
Food quality there isn't so hot anyway. Let em just TRY to do that to the winery though! Grrr..... (I mean, c'mon, it's mostly sandwiches anyway)

mousey_girl
12-07-2003, 03:39 PM
We ran into this twice trying to eat at Goofy's for breakfast. First thing in the morning, the place is over 1/2 empty and they did not want to seat us. The first time the girl who checked us in gave me a 10 min lecture that they don't offer standbys anymore. I didn't believe her (and she had a really snotty attitude). I looked for some signage stating this and nothing was posted to let the public know. We have been eating breakfast there for 3 years without reservations and without a problem getting seated.

This morning the check-in person said that they no longer take standbys (no attitude and she explained that their policy had changed this week). Her lead told her to go ahead and seat us.

Not Afraid
12-07-2003, 03:48 PM
Originally posted by cstephens
The topic was brought up in a thread (http://www.laughingplace.com/default.asp?WCI=MsgBoard&WCE=T-43700-P-1&Refresh=1204174138) at LaughingPlace.com, and Rebekah posted that she checked and was told no such change is taking place.

Kevin posted a response on another thread that when he checked, he had been told the information he posted, but the person who told him must have been wrong.

I, however, called Disney Dining after reading a thread on MI and confirmed that Storytellers, BB and Goofy's were 100% reservation only. (this was about 3 weeks ago). I was also told that the other reservation restaurants would follow.

Elly
12-07-2003, 03:49 PM
I guess I can understand not allowing a stand-by line if the restaurant is fully booked, but turning away customers from a 1/2 empty restaurant seems silly. I suppose this allows them to trim back staff who might not otherwise be needed, but it seems strange. No other restaurants in the "real" world do this.:(

Not Afraid
12-07-2003, 03:54 PM
Program Disney Dining into your cell phone and call from there. You can usually get a ressie in 15 mins.

ae's mom
12-07-2003, 05:45 PM
What if you haven't reservations yet, but are staying at Disneyland Hotel? Would that make a difference?:confused:

Not Afraid
12-07-2003, 05:59 PM
Originally posted by ae's mom
What if you haven't reservations yet, but are staying at Disneyland Hotel? Would that make a difference?:confused:

No. Not from what I was told.

DL is adopting th same policies and proceedures that WDW and DLP use. It's fine if you know what you want to do and when.

hazlnut
12-07-2003, 06:06 PM
Originally posted by Not Afraid
Program Disney Dining into your cell phone and call from there. You can usually get a ressie in 15 mins.

That's a really good idea.

Also, when our family splits up so the little one can get to sleep, if I ever need to check in with the wife, I just pickup any payphone on the property and hit the dining reservation button just to get an operator then I ask to be connected to my hotel.

sleepyjeff
12-07-2003, 06:12 PM
This just confirms a belief I have spouted about in a number of threads............Disney wants the park crowded. That's why we have fast pass, less ride capacity, etc. If people are waiting in a line( even a restuarants standby line ) than they are not shopping$$$$.

mousey_girl
12-07-2003, 09:27 PM
Originally posted by ae's mom
What if you haven't reservations yet, but are staying at Disneyland Hotel? Would that make a difference?:confused:

Nope, we were staying in a suite at the DL Hotel, concierge level and it didn't matter one iota. I did get my way, first by not backing down from the CM Friday morning (I didn't like her attitude and since she wasn't explaining why, just that we could not do it, I kept smiling and refused to back down) and this morning a Lead sat us in less than 3 mins. Friday it was about 1/2 full @ 7:20ish, this morning it was maybe 1/3 full at 7:40ish.

I decided the next time I know we will be there in time for breakfast I will call ahead and book a reservation at each and every place we may possible want to eat and then figure it out when we get there. This is not the right approach to take, but since they are trying forcing us to plan each and every meal time, I see no other option.

sneekin-in
12-07-2003, 10:41 PM
Originally posted by sleepyjeff
This just confirms a belief I have spouted about in a number of threads............Disney wants the park crowded. That's why we have fast pass, less ride capacity, etc. If people are waiting in a line( even a restuarants standby line ) than they are not shopping$$$$. sleepyjeff im in are you with me ( ha ha ha ).

Aimz
12-08-2003, 04:38 AM
Are priority reservations taken 60 days in advance or 30? I've read both, so I'm wondering if I could call for reservations today for Jan. 26.

hazlnut
12-08-2003, 07:55 AM
Originally posted by mousey_girl
I decided the next time I know we will be there in time for breakfast I will call ahead and book a reservation at each and every place we may possible want to eat and then figure it out when we get there.

As long as it's not held on a credit card, you don't have to show up at all.

danyoung
12-08-2003, 09:38 AM
Originally posted by Not Afraid
No. Not from what I was told.

DL is adopting th same policies and proceedures that WDW and DLP use. It's fine if you know what you want to do and when.

Not exactly. WDW restaurants have always made allowances for walk-up guests. True, you may have to wait an hour or more, but most of the nicer restaurants give you a pager and let you wander a bit. I don't mind doing a bit of advance planning, but I'm not so sure about ZERO walk-ups. Kinda kills the spontaneity, don't it?

Morrigoon
12-08-2003, 09:41 AM
and fastpass didn't?

The pencil-pushers don't seem to understand how fun spontanaeity is.

Not Afraid
12-08-2003, 09:46 AM
Originally posted by danyoung
Not exactly. WDW restaurants have always made allowances for walk-up guests. True, you may have to wait an hour or more, but most of the nicer restaurants give you a pager and let you wander a bit. I don't mind doing a bit of advance planning, but I'm not so sure about ZERO walk-ups. Kinda kills the spontaneity, don't it?

Yes. I HATE this proceedure. I never had to deal with it at WDW, but, at DLP, the first thing we did each morning is get our reservations - first for breakfast the next day and then for dinner that evening.

They wanted us to plan our breakfasts for the whote stay, but I couldn't commite to that. It's a VACATION for heaven's sake. :rolleyes:

olegc
12-08-2003, 10:00 AM
You know what's interesting - this "pre-planned dining" is exactly what occurs on a cruise ship. You have to select which "seating" you want and then attend this all the time, or if you miss your meal you then need to find alternative food (buffets, snacks, etc.)

I wonder how much influence Matt Ouimet had on this or was it simply something Jay liked coming from WDW and DLP and wanted to implement here. Seems like it would take a little planning to make this happen - but the speed at which Matt has been implementing change at the Park I would not be surprised that it was part of the plan.

At outset it sounds like a cost cutting move but what it also does is regulate the guest flow at peak season time. So you don't get angry folks who have waited 2 hours for a table (which has happened to me at Goofy's before).

I see both sides and I don't necessarily like to have to plan my dining that far in advance but it seems like for these places where it is sit down and "popular" I can understand why they may feel they need to implement this program.

DrIndianaJones
12-08-2003, 10:01 AM
Darn, I planed on doing BB on my next trip, but only if we could. (our visit to DLR is going to be short).

Brian Noble
12-08-2003, 10:21 AM
I haven't been to WDW in a while, and during offseason (October) besides, so I can't recall whether we had to deal with this or not. My last visit to DLP was just over a year ago, and I remember thinking that requiring reservations is to be expected because, after all, it is France. ;)

cstephens
12-08-2003, 10:33 AM
Originally posted by Not Afraid
I, however, called Disney Dining after reading a thread on MI and confirmed that Storytellers, BB and Goofy's were 100% reservation only. (this was about 3 weeks ago). I was also told that the other reservation restaurants would follow.

Hmmm, guess that just goes to show that Disney wasn't disseminating the same information to the same people. In the thread on LP that I linked to, someone else responded that within the last week, they'd seen people in stand-by for Blue Bayou or Storyteller (I forget which) and gotten seated.

In this week's MousePlanet DL update (http://www.mouseplanet.com/parkupdates/dlr/dlr031208.htm), it's mentioned that Blue Bayou and Goofy's are included in this new program, but Storyteller is not.

It would be nice if Disney had all their information together before actually starting to disseminate the information...

olegc
12-08-2003, 10:38 AM
Originally posted by cstephens


It would be nice if Disney had all their information together before actually starting to disseminate the information... [/B]

Well, yes, but if they are trying to do test runs to gauge reaction then they would not have any formal announcements until they felt it was ready. Soft openings are a part of the DLR way of life...

hazlnut
12-08-2003, 11:00 AM
I still don't get the No Walk-ups policy. How does that do anything except anger people and turn away money?

We checked into the GC around 8pn once and walked by Storytellers, found it empty, so popped in for a bite.

So, now, without a PS reservation, they're going to turn away a hotel guest paying upwards of $150+ a night??!! I don't think so.

This won't last, or they'll be doing serious modifications when hotel guests start checking out and staying off property.