Magic Kingdom takes control of seating

[btuftee]

Yes, it's an inconvenience for the big family, they can no longer send one person to order, while the rest of the family sits down and waits, but it really is a maddening experience to have your food and noplace to sit and eat it. This ensures that during the peak crowding times, restaurant tables are only used by folks who are actually eating. I wonder if it's possible for dad to just wait in line alone, while mom and the kids are waiting somewhere else (outside, not in the restaurant), and then they can come inside and rejoin dad once he has his food. That would be better than forcing the entire family to stand in line - of course, if it's hot out, perhaps the whole family would rather stand in line, than have mom and the kids waiting outside somewhere.

 

[captainkidd]

Pretty simple bottom line for this:

No kids - Awesome idea.
Little kids - Sucky idea.

 

[Fe Maiden]

I guess I'm the only one who thinks this sucks. What we always do is have my wife get a table with our 3 kids, 2 of whom are toddlers, while I get the food. So, now they'll have to either stand in line with me or stand around waiting to get a table?

Why not have them stand in line with you? They stand in line with you for everything else. The only reason we seperate for counter service now is to make sure we get a table. This new system eliminates that.

We have a 7yo, 4yo, and a 6 month old and the thing I like about it is that with having my wife and older son in line, you don't have to worry about how you're going to carry multiple trays back to the table.

 

[jakeman]

Pretty simple bottom line for this:

No kids - Awesome idea.
Little kids - Sucky idea.

No more like:

Little kids - Inconvienent idea
Everyone else - Awesome idea

 

[RiversideBunny]

They need to start serving hamburgesas at the El Pirate y El Perico restaurant to help take the load off Pecos Bill's.

People seem to want hamburgers.

 

[lazyboy97o]

As Fe Maiden pointed out, little kids are already going to be waiting in line with you for everything else. You were still waiting around with your little kids, just not in a designated line.

 

[SunsetGrill7]

jakeman - I like your wit.

Have the posters here who dislike this dining adjustment had a chance to experience it? If not, how can you truly complain? Magicfan has first hand experience in day to day operations and seems to feel it's working. I'm sure an employee would be the first to welcome something that was.

If you "fear the day when Disney will dictate every little nuance of our vacation from when we arrive to when we sleep, buy, eat, play, ride, etc"(Moonwalker), you may want to vacation at your own personally designed & sponsored resort. If they didn't take care of all these things for us, what would be the point of the vacation?

Personally, I look forward to the additional control WDW is implementing at their parks. Crowds at specific areas can get very big, with everyone individually wanting what they want on their vacation. Multiply this by the thousands and you definitely need order. I still remember with longing the days when characters roamed the parks freely, allowing people to greet & take pictures at will. Now, specific meet & greet sites are a must, with timed breaks taking place to the complaints of some guests not understanding the process of human need. Since the "I'm here so I'm first" mentality can be witnessed occasionally at the parks(see:line jumpers, stroller ankle-bashers, etc.) there was bound to be changes.

Go Disney!

 

[trr1]

If WDW implements this new program will it be seasonal or year round?

 

[Syntho_Magnetic]

Sounds like a decent idea, but I fourth the notion to open up the vacant CS's.

Especially the Noodle Station. Soooo much room, and the best food in MK, I'd say. Last trip on the last day, ex-girlfriend and I specifically ate lunch early there on the way out to Epcot when we saw it was open - finally!

 

[bugsbunny]

Just what I want to do, have to take my 4 yr old in line with me while ordering food and going to the condiment bar thingy after I get served. And then have them sit on a stool? :ROFLOL:

And to add to that, a "self service ordering kiosk"? Sorry, but most human beings are simply too stupid to utilize this efficiently. Even with pictures, most cashiers at McDonalds can't order correctly...and they are trained! Now complicate it with a bunch of yokels who probably don't even OWN a computer and will be mezmerized by the kiosk! They will screw up their order and people like me will stuck behind them while they argue with the server that this isn't what they ordered. And if they are on the meal plan....WOW!!!! There's 20 minutes right there while they try to figure out if they got their 13 desserts or not!

These are the same reasons you can only use self-checkout at places like Home Depot and Lowes when NOBODY is there. You get one old person in there trying to pay for a $.99 roll of masking tape and its a 10 minute operation. Having flown all over the country about 50 times a year for my job, it never ceases to amaze me how "difficult" an airline kiosk is to most people. And the more of a rush YOU are to catch your plane, it always seems the kiosk line would be longer than just getting a human being to help you.

And you could say, "then don't get in that line!". The whole idea is that if you are pc-literate, you can use a self service kiosk and save some time, so you get in it. But if you get behind just one person who has no idea what to do, they will get to the kiosk, realize they are out of their league, and just fumble their way through it rather than switch lines.

Thanks God that I go during the slow season!

 

[vonpluto]

If WDW implements this new program will it be seasonal or year round?

According to the OS article:
"The controlled access is used only when that day's park attendance warrants."

So probably year round on an as needed basis.

 

[pixiedust629]

A greeter hands menus and steers the entire group to cash registers to place their orders. After they get their food, they are guided by another employee to an empty table.

do you tip these people?

Tipping is not required or expected at any quick-service locations. In fact, we would have to refuse it even if you offered. But thanks for the thought!

 

[vonpluto]

Just what I want to do, have to take my 4 yr old in line with me while ordering food and going to the condiment bar thingy after I get served. And then have them sit on a stool? :ROFLOL:

And to add to that, a "self service ordering kiosk"? Sorry, but most human beings are simply too stupid to utilize this efficiently. Even with pictures, most cashiers at McDonalds can't order correctly...and they are trained! Now complicate it with a bunch of yokels who probably don't even OWN a computer and will be mezmerized by the kiosk! They will screw up their order and people like me will stuck behind them while they argue with the server that this isn't what they ordered. And if they are on the meal plan....WOW!!!! There's 20 minutes right there while they try to figure out if they got their 13 desserts or not!

These are the same reasons you can only use self-checkout at places like Home Depot and Lowes when NOBODY is there. You get one old person in there trying to pay for a $.99 roll of masking tape and its a 10 minute operation. Having flown all over the country about 50 times a year for my job, it never ceases to amaze me how "difficult" an airline kiosk is to most people. And the more of a rush YOU are to catch your plane, it always seems the kiosk line would be longer than just getting a human being to help you.

And you could say, "then don't get in that line!". The whole idea is that if you are pc-literate, you can use a self service kiosk and save some time, so you get in it. But if you get behind just one person who has no idea what to do, they will get to the kiosk, realize they are out of their league, and just fumble their way through it rather than switch lines.

Thanks God that I go during the slow season!

Love your post!:ROFLOL:

Spot on about self checkout. The only time I use it at my supermarket is during dead times, like 3AM.(I live in a resort, so I don't go food shopping when the store is full of clueless shoobies:lol

You left out one group though. The parent and kid who stand on line looking at the menu the whole time they wait. When it's their turn, the look at the cashier, then back at the menu and say, "What shall we have?"

Now, when the whole McCuleless clan is on line, they can engage in a Disney food selection discussion group!

 

[sublimesting]

That's why we eat upstairs at Columbia Harbor House. You're all alone.

 

[magic2me]

Eating food from home is one thing. Holding a table because you've got 3 little kids who need to be sitting down, while waiting for your food to be brought over is another.

So you feel it is OK for your family to sit at a table without food while my family had food and is standing holding our trays? Maybe your DW could stay outside with the kids for a little while and then when you have the food join you and you all sit down.

 

[wdwmomof3]

So you feel it is OK for your family to sit at a table without food while my family had food and is standing holding our trays? Maybe your DW could stay outside with the kids for a little while and then when you have the food join you and you all sit down.

I agree. Normally we eat right at 11:00 to avoid the crowds and that helps a lot but by 11:30 they start filling up. When we were at Cosmic Rays recently, there was a boy sitting at the table next to me. A copule and their two children were walking with the trays in hand toward the table next to him. They placed the trays down only to be told by that child that he is holding that table too. I couldn't believe it. They picked the trays up and moved on. When I read about this new thing that they are trying, I thought of that day and I have to say that I hope this helps.

 

[captainkidd]

So you feel it is OK for your family to sit at a table without food while my family had food and is standing holding our trays? Maybe your DW could stay outside with the kids for a little while and then when you have the food join you and you all sit down.

In a word, yes. I don't see any problem with it at all. When you get to the restaurant, have your family get a table. Why do 4 people need to stand in line to place an order?

 

[jakeman]

In a word, yes. I don't see any problem with it at all. When you get to the restaurant, have your family get a table. Why do 4 people need to stand in line to place an order?

Why do 3 of those people have to occupy a table that could be used for people that already have food?

 

[trr1]

That's why we eat upstairs at Columbia Harbor House. You're all alone.

not after that tip

 

[monkeysammich]

This is no different than waiting a table service restaurant in the lobby for the host/hostess to call you. You just don't get "Called" until you've got your tray of food.

Its not he end of the world. There is other seating for those with small children that need to sit down.