Preferred solution for (sometimes) long waits at ADR restaurants

[OttawaWendy]

Originally Posted by DVC92

While waiting to be seated at Le Cellier recently, I was informed by the staff that the restaurant always overbooks by 20%. Further, there are always walk-ins at the top restaurants to make up for no-shows. This new charge for no-shows is just another scam to increase profits and will certainly decrease my bookings for the signature restaurants which aren't that signature anymore anyway.

My understanding is that Disney does not overbook by any consistent percentage, whether 5% or 20% or anything else - rather, they vary the overbooking percentage based on the time of year and the expected number of no shows. In low season, a much higher percentage of no shows will occur (people know they can just drop in somewhere else), whereas in summer or Christmas people treat their ADRs more seriously (knowing they have no other option) and they use a lower no show expectation rate.

I think Disney is worse with character meals than others, and needs to seriously think about increasing the expected time each party will take at character meals. But otherwise, I haven't noticed the problem being that extreme.

[Pumpkinboy]

Originally Posted by playtime123

...Disney is the master of queue management so I know they can do much better IF they want to. When you are spending $100+ per person at a signature restaurant, you are paying for a dining experience, and that really should begin with properly managing the reservation...

My experience here in the Boston area is that we get seated within 20 mins of our reservation time. So if ornery M@ss-holes can do it, friendly Disney types should be able to manage it. OK, small children do throw a wrench into the works. I frankly don't have any problem with them charging for no-shows. I know I have cancelled ressies within a half hour of the due time, when we discover we're not going to be able to make it in time; that sort of thing opens up the system for walk-ins, and they really do need to have capacity to take walk-ins.

As for the hated DDP, I just don't like the meal-maximization ethic it engenders. Plus it has dumbed-down the menus in many of my fav' places, and made ADRs harder to get. But that's a discussion for another thread.

[inkmahm]

I have been trying to think of ADR wait problems I've had while I was reading this thread. We almost always eat at a Signature restaurant for dinner and sometimes for lunch, too. The only consistently late restaurant I can think of is Yachtsmen steakhouse. We know to be flexible there because it will likely be half an hour after our reservation time before we are seating. Luckily there is a bar nextdoor so we traditionally check in and then go have a drink while we wait.

I really can't say that I've had bad experiences at Disney waiting for my ADRs. At Cali Grill, many times my pager is flashing before I even get out of the elevator on the 15th floor!

[Neemr]

Delays in being seat with advanced reservations are caused by the free DDP when staying at a Disney resort. This free plan does nothing for me as a DVC member who pays full price for the DDP while staying at our DVC home. It does change the dinnig habits of those who get it for free. I wonder how many families with kids would choose signature or Disney expensive resteraunts if the food wasn't free and they had to pay the going rate. I know when our kids were much smaller we didn't purchase the DDP and made other less expensive dining arrangements, be it on and offsite. I must admit I quite enjoy dinnig out now with my 23 and 28 year old and thier significant other while on vacation with the DDP. I still wait but that is something that I can do without.

[Tracy G]

Originally Posted by minniekissedme

I'll wait as long as you want if you keep filling my cup!

Here I was going to say I would just leave if I had to wait too long but I like your idea better!

[bakerworld]

The worst wait we had 3 times in a row was at the Coral Reef in Epcot's land of the seas. After the 3rd time we never went back. I think that was 2008. Since then we've discovered bars!! Never were big drinkers until we started visiting Disney without any kids. It's amazing how fast the wait is while at the bar. Shamefully the Coral Reef doesn't have a bar - they just have a small lobby filled with disgruntled adults and cranky kids.