Thoughts on "holding" quick service tables?

[CLEtoWDW]

In the all about me era, some people are always going to do it.... It sucks...

So you would rather have a party of 4-6 people all waiting in line for food at the same time? Could you imagine the cluster that would create?
No I magange logistics professionally and I can tell you from experience the “table hold” method is much more efficient. Usually, if I notice all tables are filled at a counter service location I move on to another location until I find a table. And quite frankly that’s what Disney wants you to do if you are going to plan ahead with ADRs. Holding a table while a member of the party retrieves the food is ultimate efficiency.

 

[danyoung56]

I think less and less people are aware of society around them.

I just got back from a week at WDW, and this always amazed me. People who stop in a doorway to gather around a map, blocking everyone from entering or leaving. And when you say "excuse me" they'll always kinda flutter and move as if they didn't know they were in the wrong. Lack of spacial awareness is a HUGE rudeness in the parks!

 

[TongaToast21]

I just got back from a week at WDW, and this always amazed me. People who stop in a doorway to gather around a map, blocking everyone from entering or leaving. And when you say "excuse me" they'll always kinda flutter and move as if they didn't know they were in the wrong. Lack of spacial awareness is a HUGE rudeness in the parks!

dont you love the dirty looks you get from someone when you politely try and let them know you're trying to keep up with normal traffic pace?

 

[danyoung56]

I try not to show anger or disgust at all. I'm not looking for a fight - I just wanna move down the walkway!

 

[TongaToast21]

I try not to show anger or disgust at all. I'm not looking for a fight - I just wanna move down the walkway!

agreed. if I wasn't at Disney and letting nothing bothering me, would be a different story. Goes to show you the magic of WDW

 

[YankeeMouse]

Sometimes you just gotta sit!

 

[larryz]

I just got back from a week at WDW, and this always amazed me. People who stop in a doorway to gather around a map, blocking everyone from entering or leaving. And when you say "excuse me" they'll always kinda flutter and move as if they didn't know they were in the wrong. Lack of spacial awareness is a HUGE rudeness in the parks!

Knock, knock...
Who's there?
Woodjawahna.
Woodjawahna who?

Spoiler

Woodjawahna stop aside and let me through, please?

 

[unmitigated disaster]

My dad and I decided to get creme brulee in the French Pavilion last year in November. We got into line and I noticed some guy busy claiming a table and chairs. We got our desserts and went over to sit and he had moved to a larger table. He actually tried to block us from a table pointing to himself and saying seven! I pointed at us and said two! and kept going. We got a table, one HE decided was okay. Luckily for him it was fine by us.

We sat down and ate and watched him fend off people for about 25 minutes (my dad is elderly but ambulatory - he needed to rest). As we left, he was still there fending off people and getting into a fight with a woman over the chairs she wanted that he had filched from the table she claimed.

That's ridiculous. Les Halles is so small. I felt guilty for the extra time we spent there, but dad needed it.

On the other hand, sending dad to claim a table at Harambe Market when there were only about 6 tables occupied and three people ahead of me in line? Yeah, I'm okay with that.

 

[ninjaprincesst]

completely disagree! tables are there to be sat on! what rule says you have to get food then find a table? we always send one person up whilst the others sit. this time il have a toddler and baby with me too so will definitely get a table whilst the others are in line

You are the people I have issue with, yes, a disabled person who can not stand is one thing, but you are holding a table, which could make another party have to stand and eat while your family is hogging the table and chances are they can probably eat and be finished by the time you are out of line, children can stand and wait.

 

[Chi84]

completely disagree! tables are there to be sat on! what rule says you have to get food then find a table? we always send one person up whilst the others sit. this time il have a toddler and baby with me too so will definitely get a table whilst the others are in line

I don’t blame you at all! This is Disney’s issue to fix with some sort of rule or policy. Otherwise you will be standing with your baby, toddler and tray of food with nowhere to sit while others are saving tables. Doesn’t really matter what you think about the practice - people are doing it.

 

[Janir]

This thread is getting hilarious. Why doesn't Disney just sell feedbags that you can strap on so you don't take up any time at all!

YOU WIN!

 

[Bpmorley]

How about offering a family to share your table?

 

[jaklgreen]

You are the people I have issue with, yes, a disabled person who can not stand is one thing, but you are holding a table, which could make another party have to stand and eat while your family is hogging the table and chances are they can probably eat and be finished by the time you are out of line, children can stand and wait.

I don't think anyone has an issue with people saving tables at off times when there are plenty of tables to go around. It is the peak meal times that are the issue. I imagine that if these people where ones that could not send someone to save a table,(single, or single with small kids) and where walking around with their food trying to find a table that their tune would change pretty quick. Bottom line is that we should all be considerate of those around us. We have sat with others at a table and also offered others to share a table with us. We all know that it gets really busy at meal times. Taking up as little table time as possible should be something that everyone practices at those times. If a person wants to send their kids, elderly, etc to the table ahead of time or linger after, then they should do so at off times. Problem solved, everyone happy.

 

[Chi84]

I don't think anyone has an issue with people saving tables at off times when there are plenty of tables to go around. It is the peak meal times that are the issue. I imagine that if these people where ones that could not send someone to save a table,(single, or single with small kids) and where walking around with their food trying to find a table that their tune would change pretty quick. Bottom line is that we should all be considerate of those around us. We have sat with others at a table and also offered others to share a table with us. We all know that it gets really busy at meal times. Taking up as little table time as possible should be something that everyone practices at those times. If a person wants to send their kids, elderly, etc to the table ahead of time or linger after, then they should do so at off times. Problem solved, everyone happy.

Saying what "should" be done will not solve this problem. Unless everyone has to follow a policy or practice, it's unfair to expect people to take a chance on others being willing to forgo saving tables. If it's so busy that this is an actual problem (and it's usually not), then Disney should do something about it. I'm also all in favor of being considerate, but when it's time to eat, I expect to have enough time to be able to enjoy myself and not have to worry about taking up as little table time as is possible.

 

[Janir]

I just got back from a week at WDW, and this always amazed me. People who stop in a doorway to gather around a map, blocking everyone from entering or leaving. And when you say "excuse me" they'll always kinda flutter and move as if they didn't know they were in the wrong. Lack of spacial awareness is a HUGE rudeness in the parks!

My biggest grip too. I see it much more at DLR than WDW IMHO, but its a problem with crowds in general. All it takes is one group not paying attention to their surroundings and blockages ripples fast around them.

 

[Lensman]

To my embarrassment, my family are chronic table-reservers. They are also lingerers, though they'll give up a table to someone wandering around with their food looking for a table. I admit to taking some pleasure in not giving up the table to someone looking to reserve a table without food, unless they're elderly or have small children. Or maybe I only imagine doing this as part of some self-delusional fantasy?

I give my permission to all the anti-table-reservers to use this form of discrimination in table-freeing as a passive-aggressive protest. Lol

 

[ninjaprincesst]

I didn’t just mean with kids. If our whole extended family of 6 with 4 adults are all in line trying to figure out what everyone wants it backs the line up. 2 stay and order for everyone, we decide before we get in line and the rest gets items we need and gets a table. I wish more people did that. I also do agree that kids should be taught manners and learn patience whether in a line or at a sit down. I hate to see kids get up and run around at a restaurant. Mine knew better. Never too early to teach politeness. Thank you, excuse me and such. Always so proud to see my adult children say thank you every single time a waiter/waitress brings them anything. What I taught them as toddlers stuck with them.

Why can't the rest of your party wait out of the way for you to get the food then go get a table, sorry , but I have stood up eating at Casey's one too many times while people who were sitting there not eating were hogging a table, and I finished eating before their party showed up with food , so we could have eaten at the table and been finished before the table hog's party even showed up.

 

[ninjaprincesst]

One other aspect to this that I hate is the people who ask if they can have your table when you done, I don't mind that except for example the last time we were at Disney we were finishing up , a woman comes and ask if we are leaving and if she can have our table, we say yes, before we can even get our trash cleared another woman comes and plops her tray down, we point to the women's tray that we said could have the table, new women declares that she has small children so she is taking the table, we tell her we already told the other group they could have it, she goes into a rage on the other group because her kids are younger than the kids of the promised group. We leave as a cast member is coming over to try to break up the fight that has ensued over the table.

 

[Chi84]

One other aspect to this that I hate is the people who ask if they can have your table when you done, I don't mind that except for example the last time we were at Disney we were finishing up , a woman comes and ask if we are leaving and if she can have our table, we say yes, before we can even get our trash cleared another woman comes and plops her tray down, we point to the women's tray that we said could have the table, new women declares that she has small children so she is taking the table, we tell her we already told the other group they could have it, she goes into a rage on the other group because her kids are younger than the kids of the promised group. We leave as a cast member is coming over to try to break up the fight that has ensued over the table.

This is exactly why Disney should have some rule or policy in place concerning this issue. Guests should never be placed in that position. I agree 100% that not getting a table until you have food is a better system - but only if everyone else has to do it. Otherwise, I'm the one standing there holding a tray with no place to sit while others are saving tables, and that is not an acceptable solution to me. That's why I don't believe it matters what people think "should" be done. We go to Disney 2 or 3 times a year, usually at less popular times, and we always see people sitting at tables with no food. Disney obviously allows it. Even if everyone following this thread agreed that saving tables is bad and promised never to do it again, it would have no impact whatsoever on what goes on at Disney.

 

[hanwill]

I try to eat at non peak times.... and does Disney still do this.... in the last few years when I have been- they have a "stopper" that prevents people from wandering into the table areas without a tray. They have stopped me at Pecos Bill (I was headed to the restroom- not table camping)... but they said I normally could not go through without a tray. I saw them stop more than one person. I think it helped a little... but I did not see it in February when I was there.... might be a seasonal thing.