Le Cellier impossible to get in?

[Mustangdi]

I know what you are going through with a LeCellier res.
I had the same problem last year. I was not able to get
one, even tried for a walk up, and quite a few calls while there.
No luck. This year is better, I did get one for Sept. I do hope
one will open for you, keep trying.

 

[v_misses_epcot]

I look every other day online for Le Cellier reservations. You can't get discouraged, if you do, don't bother.


Trotsky, I hope it goes Signature as well...

The place really has been ruined by the DDP, and I hope it does go signature. You can't blame CM's for favoring non-DDPers. I'm guessing over half DDPers don't realize YOU have to pay for the tip, its not included. So I'm sure....uhm.... some don't tip the BARE minimum... which to me is 20%. If I was a CM, i'd turn the DDPers away too! Of course it could go either way, a bad tipper is a bad tipper regardless of whether or not they're on the DDP.... blah

Our waitress asked us once we were seated if we were on the DDP, other than that, I was never asked by the host... only person I interacted with other than the waitress... cause I booked online.... so I think they're impartial... they just like to know if you'll be running up a huge bill....like we did.....lol..... 3 digits later for two people.....ugh.... but it was worth it!



Yachtsman is signature btw, so if you're looking at it for an alternative on the DDP, it'll cost you 2 meals and a collar on your shirt!


so, yes... Le Cellier is nearly impossible to get in!

First of all Congrats for getting in!! I have yet to go there and will one day and someone might kill me for saying this, but I once tried the cheddar cheese soup from there and was not impressed at all. They had it once back in 06 during food and wine and asked if it's the same one they serve in the restaurant and they said yes. But do take pictures and share what you'll be eating.

As for the quote, I use DDP because sometimes we just can't pay out of pocket and find it very convenient to use this system. As Master Yoda mention, that is extremely rude and uncalled for when a CM at the podium decides who is seated or not just because someone is paying out of their pocket or because they have DDP. But you're also right, a bad tipper is a bad tipper regardless

As for tipping, EXACTLY! I've seen people tip in change, literally for 1.50 and that's not right and they would have the same exact waitress or waiter who was just being amazing with us. Now, obviously they'll get the tip if they deserve it. Now if it's just horrible service, they're not getting one cent from me.

 

[castlecake2.0]

Just to clear some things up...

The host or hostess will sometimes ask at the podium if you will be using a Disney Dining Plan. This is just for statisitcs and for the reservation system. Disney uses TMS at its TS restaurants, a Table Managment System. This keeps track of who is waiting to be sat, what parties are seated at what tables, and tonnes of reservation information like party sizes, check in and ADR times, and whether or not the party will be using the DDP.

For a restaurant like Le Cellier, this is a full time job every day taking care of this system. When you are greeted, the cast member will use TMS to book you in, this is linked to an 'assigner'. Take a look next time you're there, you will see a cast member lurking through the restraunt holding a computer tablet that is linked to the podium. That CM is the one assigning tables to parties based on many factors, none of which is whether the guest is using DDP or not, but on party size, reservation time, check in time, tables available etc etc.

Anyways... when you are seated, the seater will leave a ticket at youre table for the server that has all your information on it from the TMS, including if youre on the DDP, therefore the server is able to spiel the menu correctly in order for you to take the most advantage of it using your plan. This ticket also has part name, size, wait time etc on it.

So, the point of all this is, basically they ask if your on the DDP so the server knows what to tell you about the menu.

I hope that made sense.

Also, sometimes 1 party may be turned away and the next party is told yes there is a spot is because of what table size is available for the party.

 

[entcal]

As a former cast member (both podium and server) at Le Cellier, I'd like say a few things.

The notion that cast members turn away guests who are on the DDP is absolutely absurd. As the above poster mentioned the only reason a table would be turned away, is simply because the restaurant does not have room.

As a matter of fact, as a server I would much prefer a guest on the DDP (or better yet, DLX). Simply put the more sales, the more tips. As someone mentioned a bad tipper is a bad tipper, regardless of if they're on the DDP or not. With DDP you have an almost guaranteed beverage, entree, and dessert. Maybe a bill of around $90-100 for a table of two. The same table of two not on DDP might rack up a bill of around $40-50. Believe me, DDP is preferred, if anything.

On another point it is much more preferable for a cast member to be able to say yes when someone asks if we can seat them. As a greeter up at the podium, you turn away hundreds of people per day and it's not fun. You hear every excuse in the world as to why we should seat them, but the truth is, we have no room to do it. Or rather, we have reservations booked... whether the guests show up or not is beyond our control.

The assignors, cast members, and management there do as much as possible to accommodate as many guests as possible, but with the tiny size of the restaurant, there is only so much that can be done.

 

[meganw1985]

I'm glad you got an ADR! It's sp strange though. I have NEVER had trouble getting into Le Cellier. A little over 2 years ago (before I learned the ins and outs of Disney-etiquitte), we were still under the assumption you could wait until you got there (or a week or so before vacation) to make reservations. So I did 1 week before vaca, and got us a table. (also at Ohana, which I know is pretty popular). The past 3 trips, my BFF and I have made our 180 ADR (or 90 day the last time due to system switch) and gotten out dates that we wanted, and at least 1 hour within our times we wanted. As a matter of fact, we just recently wanted to change an ADR for the first night of our trip, but weren't sure where we wanted to eat, just somewhere in Epcot, Magic Kingdom, or their resrot areas, so online I searched "dinner" and Epcot, Magic Kingdom, and all of their respective resorts, and noticed that there were STILL Le Cellier ADRs available. We already had onefor a different day, but I still couldn't believe it! This was a couple of weeks ago, so around 80 days out...

 

[Dwarful]

I'd tell anyone who really wants that ADR to just keep trying. I called about 40 days before our trip and had no problems getting any of our selections. I had three choices for Le Cellier. This is for our upcoming trip in just a few weeks. Perhaps more people aren't doing the DDP or if they are they are opting for the cheaper counter service??

 

[scoobygirl39541]

I've been going to Disney for years and have not been able to get into Le Cellier once. :shrug:

 

[bsmartin2000]

Le Cellier

Keep trying!! I just scored a 7:35PM adr for September 12 this morning!
I have been checking at random for the last month and Surprise I got one!:sohappy:

 

[PoohsGang]

Ok. I've been to Disney World 15 times over the last 20 years. Our very favorite restuarant is Le Cellier Steakhouse in Epcot and every time we go there it just makes the magic for me for the enitre trip. Our next trip is Dec 5th and I have tried to get a reservation there for ANYTIME during our stay and I think that takes the vacation freedom out of it by having to reserve 180 days away but I am still willing to do that but when there is NOTHING left for a week it has gotten out of control. What backflips and magic tricks does one have to do just to eat at a favorite place anymore?!?!?!

My wife just recent called the exact time we could 180 out, asked for reservations, nothing for the whole week, also tryed online put the date range for whole week, no luck, something stinks if you ask me.

 

[FireChiefGoofy]

We have NEVER had a problem getting ADRs there. Booked for the first week of December (on-line) with ease!

 

[wm49rs]

My wife just recent called the exact time we could 180 out, asked for reservations, nothing for the whole week, also tryed online put the date range for whole week, no luck, something stinks if you ask me.

The week after Christmas?

 

[David Roberts]

48 days out and we finally got in

 

[Dwarful]

My wife just recent called the exact time we could 180 out, asked for reservations, nothing for the whole week, also tryed online put the date range for whole week, no luck, something stinks if you ask me.

Just keep trying. Check online daily, different times of the day, or give them a call. I only called once and had 3 options for the exact day we wanted in July. We didn't even know 180 days in advance that we would be going to WDW. I called about 40 - 45 days in advance to see what dining options would be available. Le Cellier was the first I had the CM look into and had 3 choices, so don't give up. People change plans, others (not me)book multiple choices per day and then once they know their schedule (with EMH's, etc) some of them call back and cancel. Others don't cancel, they just don't show up, so if you don't get an ADR before your trip, stop by as early as possible and see if theres any chance for you to get a table. Good luc

 

[SoupBone]

No one has ever actually eaten at Le Cellier. It's a fake restaurant that was put there to add depth to the Canadian pavillion.

:lol:

Exaclty what i came here to say. I've been trying to book for 180 days out for a week now and I can't get them. Does anyone know exactly what time the system flips allowing ADR's? I was up until 1am and it never changed over....weird.

 

[wizards8507]

Somebody who works the phones for Disney offered me this tip: When calling different times for ADRs, change the size of your party around a bit. For example, if dining for 2 people yields no results, try making a reservation for 3 or 4. They're not going to reject you when you get to the restaurant because your party doesn't match the propper size. The computer system will automatically reject a request for a table for 2 unless there is a table available that seats EXACTLY 2, even if there are tons of other 4-person tables still open.

 

[Magical Dreamer]

ADR day change for online reservations is 6am (est)

Good Luck

 

[mp2bill]

I didn't have a problem getting reservations to La Cellier. I say, just book them ASAP and then cancel if it no longer works for you.

 

[mp2bill]

I can vouch for that advice - did it once when there were no "2 person" spots left at Whispering Canyon And no, no one on staff was disturbed that only two of us showed up.

Before anyone gets angry? The smallest table at Whispering Canyon seats four people

Wow, this is a really great idea!

 

[chwilson88]

If you ever see this happen get the name of the cast member who tells you this and the manager on duty at the time and give the information to guest services. I am sure that Disney will not be very happy to find out that restaurants are turning away guests who have already paid for the DDP to seat a cash paying guest especially considering that DDP guest will more than likely end up giving the CM at guest service an earful because he/she can not use their TS credits.

Are you a beneficiary of Disney profits? Then why act like that. You're like one of those kids in school who always had to make sure everyone wsa playing by the rules to the 't'. Like a referee. Pathetic.

I've benefited as a cash-paying guest numerous times, getting walk-up tables at popular places, after ensuring to them I wasn't on the DDP. They are a privately owned business and can turn away anyone they please...this is how a free country works...at least for now...we'll see what happens with certain folks in office.

 

[devoy1701]

Are you a beneficiary of Disney profits? Then why act like that. You're like one of those kids in school who always had to make sure everyone wsa playing by the rules to the 't'. Like a referee. Pathetic.

I've benefited as a cash-paying guest numerous times, getting walk-up tables at popular places, after ensuring to them I wasn't on the DDP. They are a privately owned business and can turn away anyone they please...this is how a free country works...at least for now...we'll see what happens with certain folks in office.

No need for you to act like an or anything on these boards. Yoda (and the rest of the Kingdom Konsultants) know there stuff pretty well about policies at WDW.

If a restaurant or Disney had a preference of cash-paying patrons over DDP guests at a certain location, then they should not allow DDP at that restaurant. Otherwise, they should shouldn't turnaway a guest because they are on a meal plan that Disney used to entice them to come visit the resort during that time period.

It's also against the rules of these boards to bring politics into these forums....just sayin....