Disney Parks

Warning to All Disney Guests: Fellow Parkgoers Snatching Restaurant Reservations

Disney guests have warned of a strange phenomenon in the paks: fellow parkgoers snatching dining reservations.

Both Disneyland and Disney World are known for their diverse and high-quality dining options. At Disneyland, guests can enjoy upscale experiences like Napa Rose at Disney’s Grand Californian Hotel & Spa, or opt for character dining at the likes of Plaza Inn. Disney World also offers great options, such as Victoria & Albert’s for Disney’s only Michelin-starred eatery or Be Our Guest for a themed meal in the Beast’s castle.

Cinderella's Royal Table interior at Magic Kingdom Park
Credit: Disney

However, getting reservations at top restaurants can be challenging. Popular spots like Cinderella’s Royal Table in Disney World often book up months in advance. At Disney World, guests have a 60-day window to reserve, making it essential to plan ahead. Even Disneyland’s Blue Bayou or Carthay Circle can be tough to book, especially during peak times.

That’s what makes one guest’s recent experience so frustrating.

Blue Bayou restaurant interior at Disneyland
Credit: Disney

A Reddit user shared their experience at Disneyland’s Cafe Orleans, which didn’t go as planned. After booking dinner, they arrived early and waited 30-40 minutes. When they checked in with the hostess, they were informed that their spot was gone – and had been snatched by someone else.

The user mentioned, “I was right next to the hostess check-in spot, and I didn’t hear my name called.” The hostess confirmed that the people who took their spot didn’t have the same name but couldn’t find the user’s name until typing it in, revealing it was already checked in and seated.

This isn’t the first time we’ve heard of an incident of this kind. In fact, it happened to us on a visit to Walt Disney World Resort, where other guests somehow claimed our reservation at Crystal Palace.

Guests meet Winnie the Pooh and Tigger at Magic Kingdom Park's Crystal Palace restaurant
Credit: Disney

In that instance, Disney cast members made space for us regardless. The same was true of this Reddit user, who claimed that “they did seat me immediately once they found out! It was just still upsetting that someone would do this.”

For the most part, we’d expect Disney cast members to do their best to resolve any issues in situations like this. However, if a restaurant is completely full, there’s always the chance that another guest grabbing your table could leave you without one altogether.

Other guests have shared similar experiences on Reddit.

A Reddit user shared an experience at Disneyland’s Blue Bayou, where they encountered a reservation mix-up. “Another reservation with the same name checked in 5 min after us,” they explained. Despite waiting at the Pirates of the Caribbean restaurant for 20 minutes without being called, the user inquired and was met with rudeness from a manager who implied they were being impatient.

Young girl meets Stitch at 'Ohana
Credit: Disney

“They couldn’t find our ‘ticket’ in the queue,” the user said, but after another 15 minutes, the staff apologized and seated them at a water table. Despite the resolution, they remained upset, noting, “The rude manager never apologized.”

Yet another guest experienced the same thing, also at Blue Bayou. “Someone came up when they called our reservation and after speaking with the hosts it took an additional 20 minutes to be seated because some rude party took ours,” they wrote. “But you’ve got to let the host know it happened.”

Some have even witnessed their would-be-table thieves in action. “I had someone try to do that to me at WDW years ago!” one Reddit user said. “The person totally raised their arm and started to walk to the hostess when my name was called. I have a pretty boisterous ‘right here!’ and they slunk off into the crowd.”

Has anybody ever tried to steal your reservation at Disney?

Chloe James

Chloë is a theme park addict and self-proclaimed novelty hunter. She's obsessed with all things Star Wars, loves roller coasters (but hates Pixar Pal-A-Round), and lives for Disney's next Muppets project.

Related Articles

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Close

Adblock Detected

Please consider supporting us by disabling your ad blocker