Now this is a terrific idea - Magic Kingdom eateries take control of seating

[BrerGnat]

What's next, going to get a FastPass to see when our Dole Whip return window will be?

Don't say that! Someone from Disney might be reading this, and they'll interpret that as "based on guest feedback...".

[magicofdisney]

Don't say that! Someone from Disney might be reading this, and they'll interpret that as "based on guest feedback...".

LOL

[rubato]

You chose to visit the parks either alone or with a child ... why should everyone else have to make accomodations to fit your decision?

This is exactly right, but I think it fits the other way too. YOU chose to bring kids, so why should I have to walk around trying to find a seat with a large tray of food while you rest? Children need rest, but at my expense? I have a child, and I would NEVER go find a seat while hubby stays in line. If people would just realize that I could be done eating and done with my table by the time they got their food, and actually need the table, it would all run smoothly.

[broadway315]

Originally posted by rubato
This is exactly right, but I think it fits the other way too. YOU chose to bring kids, so why should I have to walk around trying to find a seat with a large tray of food while you rest? Children need rest, but at my expense? I have a child, and I would NEVER go find a seat while hubby stays in line. If people would just realize that I could be done eating and done with my table by the time they got their food, and actually need the table, it would all run smoothly.

I don't think that everyone always has a choice in whether or not they take a child by themselves or with a group, but I do think the above logic is reaching. Of course you would choose to bring kids... it is a place for children, first and foremost. And yes, a child does need rest even at the expense of an adult since they are children who have less patience, stamina and understanding of the need to wait in lines than a grown adult does. You may choose to stand with your child in line, but if your child is hungry or tired or unhappy then it will be unpleasant for those around you, not mention overcrowded. This is why Fast Pass has been such a wonderful tool as parents can now try to plan around the worst of the lines so that their children only have to stand in a few lines a day - why would someone voluntarily choose to stand in line with a child who is hungry if they could instead send their partner ahead with the child so that they can distract/entertain until the food has arrived?

People the world over have been sorting out how to handle lines & tables at counter service locations for years - you don't see your local McDonalds or Subway or Chipotle implementing this rule during the lunch rush do you? Or the cafeteria at work or at the mall? Somehow we all figure out how to do it without needing to be guided through the process.

Disney normally has a great understanding of queue science. Sometimes the option that works best for Disney (getting people thru lines quickly to increase the number of people per hour) works out for the guest (Fastpass). This time, it doesn't seem the guest and their normal way of handling what is already a stressful situation was even taken into consideration.

[ERJDriver]

I guess the big question is, how big is the problem if seating is a free for all? Like I said before we typically go in January so since there are plenty of tables we send someone to order and the other folks hog a table So for those of you who are there during peak season is searching for a table a common problem or a rare occurance? This could be a good thing if it prevents people circling like sharks for tables, some with food, some without. I do agree with you that adding unneccasary people to the line creates a problem somewhere else. I have a feeling if there is alot of backlash from this it will go away. I would be curious to see this in action, but don't want to have to deal with the crowds that would warrant its implementation

[TinksPixieDust]

I actually like the idea. They dont FORCE people to wait in the actual ordering line. We went to Pinnchios. 7 adult szied people. Trying to find a spot that we can actually eat TOGETHER is hard. We had three people in line...2 food trays and 1 drink tray and the rest of the people stayed off to the side and waited. we were then allowed to go to the seating area and they let us chose the general vacinity we wanted to sit in and the open table that we wanted. I have done my fair share of walking around with a tray of food and nowhere to sit while the 7 year old is sitting at the table waving to her daddy at the end of the line. Is it going to be a little bit of a hassle for some people? yeah maybe but the lines at these particular places move relatively fast. i think some of these restaurants needed to do something and this seems like the most logical thing to do.

[MushuGrl]

I was ready to spit mad fire Maleficent-style..until TinksPixieDust's post.

Now I'm good. Carry on.

[joonyer]

Having formerly worked in the restaurant business, this idea makes absolutely perfect sense from an efficiency viewpoint, especially to a restaurant operator. Although perhaps not from a customer convenience perspective, as many on this thread having pointed out.

Remember, the limit on how many people the restaurant can serve at a given time, is essentially controlled by it's seating capacity (there's just not that many "to go" orders at Disney CS places). They can add more cashiers and servers at peak times but the number of tables and chairs is finite. Let's look at a typical example:

If you have a family of 4, with three of them waiting (I don't think "hogging" is the right word, but they are using the table for waiting) at a table for 20 minutes, while the 4th member orders and gets the food, and then they sit there for 20 more minutes while they eat, then one family has occupied one table for 40 minutes for their dining "experience". OK, fine.

BUT, if that family is not allowed to occupy a table until they have food in hand and are ready to eat, then they sit down, eat their meal and have only occupied the table for 20 minutes. In this scenario, two families could have their meal at that table in the 40 minutes that only one family occupied it for in the first example. This in effect DOUBLES the restaurant capacity during those peak times. Multiply this by hundreds of families and groups and you can put a serious dent in seating capacity. No matter what length of time you use in the above examples, capacity or throughput is substantially increased if you don't let people "use" tables while waiting. During peak times, tables are only used for eating.

Now I know that is not convenient to the many of us (me included) that would rather sit and wait than stand and wait. And it makes us feel even more like herded cattle, but if you don't like that feeling, you really shouldn't be visiting theme parks unless iit is a really slow season. But it makes perfect sense from the restaurant operators' perspective. Their motto is always "turn the tables over", whether its table service or counter service, at least at peak times. Like I said "hogging" is not the right term to use, but using the tables for waiting purposes greatly reduces the availability of tables for customers to use when the place is operating at peak capacity. That's why Disney is doing it. And yes, they will probably more money doing it. After all they have a "captive" audience. We have nowhere else to go to eat unless we are willing to leave the parks. But that's a different debate.

And remember this only applies to peak usage times. And even so, there is no reason for CM's to not let you have a choice of any empty table once you have your food, unless just two people want to "hog" a table for 8 or something.

[GoinGoofyPlanninThisTrip]

Stupid me. Here I thought I was being a good stockholder looking out for their bottom line by sending my wife and kids to a table while I allowed other people with wallets to stand around me in the food ordering line.


I'm surprised they're not making us order our counter service meals 180 days out...you know, to increase efficiency and revenue.

[1DisneyNut]

I actually like the idea as long as it is only used during peak times when the tables are needed. We have been in the position where we were still looking for a table after one of us had stood in line for 30 minutes to get the food during peak times. All the while seeing people just sitting there at numbers of tables waiting on someone in their party to bring food. I have also witnessed people eating food they brought with them sitting at tables inside the restaurants which is very irritating. They could always add outdoor table areas close to restaurants to help with some of this overcrowding. Now as for a CM not allowing some to sit at empty tables of their choosing, I am one of those more aggressive type personalities that would just smile and kind of chuckle at them a little as I just continued right over to the table of my choice. If they have a problem with it, they are more than welcome to call a manager and we can have a discussion about it while my wife and children enjoy their meal but I will either win or hit the gate and leave. I love WDW as much as anyone but I will never be treated as just a number anywhere and will take my business elsewhere and have done so in the past. There is always Hawaii, Alaska, the Caribbean cruises, the Grand Canyon, etc. The kids always enjoy it when we experience some of the different things the world has to offer. After having been to WDW so many times a little of the luster wears off and the annoying corporate things they do begin to rub you the wrong way. We almost bought DVC back several years ago and are really glad we did not because our vacationing has changed a lot in the past several years. Partly because of the economy but a lot also has to do with policies, changes and pricing increases at WDW. While it is still a good value per vacationing dollar, it isn't near the value it once was and we have been taking trips to other locations lately.

[mom2mickeyfan]

We only go to WDW during the peak time in question and we are some of those "table hogs" also. But never have we had a table for 15 to 20 minutes while my DH was in line because it always takes some time to get napkins and find a table. And I know that I am not like most but I have let a family that had trays and were looking for somewhere to sit have the table that just opened up since we didn't have food yet. So my point is that I don't think I am taking up that much more time at the table that I normally would. My concern would be that if people are seated by CMs then people take more time at their table. I will admit that when I have people hanging out near my table waiting for something to open up, I try to get finished up quicker....I don't linger. So I will also admit that if there aren't extra people hanging around, it will give me the feeling that I don't need to hurry. I know that are alot of selfish people out there but I have also found LOTS of nice people when we have been at WDW. People that have let us know that they were getting ready to leave and that we could have their table. People that have looked to be trying to finish up quicker to open a table for someone else. Will some of this be lost when we are being seated by CMs? Easier to forget how crowded it is? Easier to linger without feeling guilty? Will they start putting time limits on the tables for that reason?

Also...walking around searching for a table to maybe sit for a few minutes and wait for food won't make me leave a CS. But a line out the door and around the building full of kids, strollers, wheel chairs and worn out parents trying to get their kids to behave (or not caring if they aren't) in the hot summer heat sure will make me turn away.

[Wadeace]

i actually like this idea, this is a way to prevent people from take up more tables and chairs than they actually need. as well as keep people out of the restaurant that haven't purchased food. if you want to sit down and have some one bring the food to you than go to a sit down restaurant. there have been when i've had to sit at a bench outside the restaurant because families take up whole tables for there bags and the strollers and everything else and tables for the people, or the families that brought in there own food and haven't bought anything from the restaurant.

now i understand that some groups will need special assistance and I'm sure disney will accommodate them.

also disney has stated that it will not be used year round, but used during peak seasons, merely as an attempt to make the restaurants more efficient and allow them to service as many guests as possible.

also i dont think disney would have changed this unless they received a large amount of complaints about this issue. so unless anyone has a better idea, aside from the former satis quo, than i would suggest that you avoid the restaurants they have implemented this program for.

[WeLuvBuzz]

Personally I also really like this idea. We normally visit during peak demand periods and usually eat lunch right at 11:30 so we have a decent shot at finding an open table at which to eat. This change definitely takes away that stress as yes, there are times when you walk and walk with your food trays because all the table are taken up with families still waiting for someone in line and the lines can easily be 20-30 minutes long. I do think that you should be able to pick a different table than the one they assign unless you are a 2 top trying to sit at a 6 or 8 top or something along those lines. I also feel accommodations should be made for GAC type circumstances if necessary. I do understand about families not wanting to wait in line with young children. Perhaps they could be kept outside the restaurant playing, or taken to the restroom to wash their hands, or help obtain condiments and nakins, until the food buyer family member gets their tray. You could either have another family member be the runner to let people know when it is time to sit, or if only one parent is in line, perhaps they can call on a cell phone once the food is on the table. I do think the positives out weigh the negatives during busy times.

[Chrisx2]

Cosmic Ray's is the one where this is going to be a nightmare. Now, the whole family will have to wait in 3 lines before sitting down or can you sit once the first person gets their food? We don't usually go during peak times so hopefully, we won't have to experience this.

The part of the post that scares me is the switch to stools. My kids are older but I would sit a 3-4 year old in a chair with a back but a backless stool? No way. I'm seeing lots of falling kids and angry parents.

[mjaclyn]

We were just at Pecos Bills last week and saw this in action. I think it's a GREAT idea to stop people without food from grabbing a table before they need it. I hope they implement this at all the CS locations. I was SO frustrated last week at AK when DH and I saw a table in the shade outside of Yak & Yeti and went to grab it (WITH food and two kids under 3 in tow) when two people who had already taken the table next to it, threw their backpack on top of the table we were going for - as if to say 'that's mine!'. What irritated DH and I the MOST is that here were 2 adults holding TWO tables with no food at all while we had 2 young kids, a double stroller and a huge tray of food on one of the hottest days last week with nowhere to go. How RUDE!!! I sincerely hope this new concept works out to keep people like that from holding up tables they don't need.

I also love the idea of the self-serve kiosks. They need to be more sensitive though - I had to basically pound on the thing in order for it to recognize my meal choices.

[MississippiDisneyFreak]

Sounds like it could work well if done properly.....

[Disney Doll]

I actually like the idea. They dont FORCE people to wait in the actual ordering line. We went to Pinnchios. 7 adult szied people. Trying to find a spot that we can actually eat TOGETHER is hard. We had three people in line...2 food trays and 1 drink tray and the rest of the people stayed off to the side and waited. we were then allowed to go to the seating area and they let us chose the general vacinity we wanted to sit in and the open table that we wanted. I have done my fair share of walking around with a tray of food and nowhere to sit while the 7 year old is sitting at the table waving to her daddy at the end of the line. Is it going to be a little bit of a hassle for some people? yeah maybe but the lines at these particular places move relatively fast. i think some of these restaurants needed to do something and this seems like the most logical thing to do.

I still think it's a bad idea. Take my last trip, me, stroller, diaper bag, 2 yr old, oh and let's not forget mom in an ECV. Even if we were allowed to wait "off to the side" while the men purchased food, how much off to the side space is there? Trust me it is much easier to get the stroller and the ECV out of the congested area and at a table as soon as possible. We usually go during slower times when tables are not as hard to find, but even then there's plenty of congestion up front near the registers.

Even though we do grab a table ahead of time we probably spend less total time that we would if we waited. I am able to locate a high chair plus get DS bibbed and sanitized so that he is ready to eat as soon as the food arrives. DS is notoriously slow so when we sit early I can get him started with snacks from my diaper bag while he waits on his nuggets. DH and I are quick eaters so we are pretty much in and out.

[JennPooh]

I think it's a great idea especially for Cosmic Rays!!

Yes, it will be a pain to make the whole party wait until you have ordered/get the food to be seated, but it will all work out. At least then, we should be "guaranteed" to have a seat.

Usually, we send the grandparents and DD to get a seat while we order for the party. We will just have to rearrange our "system".

No big deal though. At least the efficiency should come on Disney's side now and not ours alone.

[MNNHFLTX]

A quirk of human nature is that we often decide ahead of time whether or not we will like something, even before we've tried it out. For those going during the busy time frames when this system will be utilized, why not keep an open mind and see how it goes? You still might end up disliking it, but there's also a chance you could be pleasantly surprised.

[JerseyDad]

....great idea!! Really....REALLY great idea! Part of the "stress" associated with the counter service eateries is..."am I going to get a table"? There is nothing more annoying than getting your food...and then not having a place to eat it. This makes perfect sense......