Hidden Magic in Disney World

I have noticed a trend at empty restaurants in Walt Disney World.  They are increasingly willing to turn people away who do not have reservations.  After they enforced a credit card guarantee that only allows cancelling 24 hours in advance or you incur a $10.00 fee per person if you decide not to go to the restaurant, I stopped making reservations and rely on walking up.  This guarantee practice may be necessary for character meals or the popular venues in busy times, it is not good business for empty locations.  I don’t understand why they frown upon walk-ups in a resort? Here are two examples from our most recent trip.

Light Lunch Epcot

We were sitting in Old Key West waiting for our room at 9:30 am and Olivia’s was nearly empty.  So, I jumped up and walked inside to the host, and asked if we could have a table on the patio to enjoy some breakfast and bloody marys.  She asked if we had a reservation, (which we didn’t) then said “it will be at least a half hour.”  I discussed this with her, and asked her to give me a reason for this.  She had no answer other than it would be a half hour.  If I went on the app to make a reservation, I could get one in a half hour.  Strange.  My parting comment to the host, “So you are turning away four bloody marys and breakfast in an empty restaurant?”  And she said, “I can take care of you in a half hour or you can go to the bar when it opens at 11:00.”  The next morning I talked to the manager of the restaurant and explained our conversation, and he said he had no idea why she behaved that way, they do not have a policy for this.  Except it happened to me in 2017 also. Twice!  So there is some kind of training taking place.

As you can see in the photos above we walked up to Spice Road Table at 11:30 am and asked to sit on the terrace to enjoy a few small plates and cocktails.  Of course they asked if we had a reservation, (we did not of course) then suggested that we stand at the full service bar.  What the hell?  There was one couple inside and the terrace was completely empty (as it usually is).  I suggested that they let us sit on the terrace, and they acquiesced.  But why the antagonism?

Not quite the same situation, but at the new Geyser Point bar and restaurant at Wilderness lodge we walked up to vacant restaurant at about 2:00 pm.  We grabbed some comfortable chairs and starting looking for cocktails.  The host immediately came over and chastised us for skipping the hostess stand.  It’s an open air building with lots of entrances.  We didn’t notice the small “see host stand for seating” sign.  No problem, I just don’t understand the aggressiveness at nearly empty restaurants.

We do not have this problem at lounges like the Brown Derby Lounge and Tutto Gusto.  They love to see us walk up and stay awhile.  The Duck Sliders and Blood Orange Cocktails are delicious.  At Tutto Gusto we drink $14.00 Moretti’s and have overpriced cheese plates.  But they want our business, so we oblige.

And one place you do need a reservation is California Grill during fireworks.  You can have mine, because I am wore out by the experience.  Once again the hosts seem crabby. I can understand having to turn away so many people all the time from the fireworks, but it shouldn’t be transferred to those that have booked reservations.

Disney Dining is a tricky business, they seem to be making unnecessarily difficult to get a table.

Here are the places that I have found to be welcoming of walkups: Narcoossee’s, Tokyo Dining, Marrakesh, Nine Dragons, Skipper Canteen (sometimes), Tiffins, Yak n Yeti, Sanaa, The Wave (extremely welcoming), ESPN, Swan and Dolphin locations.

Those that I have found to be obstructionists during even slow times ranked from most infuriating to moderately rude: La Hacienda, Kona, Olivia’s, Grand Floridian Cafe, Tony’s, Jiko, and Spice Road Table.