30+ days out and my party decided to add another person!

[disfanpjay]

So I am in charge of setting all the ADRs for my trip coming up here in 30+ days. I woke up at 5 am every morning to get character ADRs because that's what people wanted. Now everyone in my party is pretty much letting me do it because they don't understand the need to set up ADRs and FPs because they think it's just walk up and go. Well I set all my ADRs for my party of 10! And now my brother who didn't have a fiancé at the time now does and she is coming. So of course to add another person to the ADR is impossible, and even called the dining help line to see if I could add. Now my one daughter is 14 months and looks like 9 months and could easily sit in a lap, but they still count the heads towards the fore code.

So my questions to you all is, who has had luck, if any, walking up to a reservation with one extra and actually been seated. My plan is to continue to try and add to the reservation as it gets closer since I know plans change but don't want to be out all the work I have put into planning because of this.

Thanks in advance.

 

[Deb & Bill]

Good luck. Getting a table for ten is a trick, but getting it for eleven is even harder. Your daughter will be counted in the reservation.

 

[DisneyFansInNYC]

I just had to do this. We were a party of 10 and then we were going to add 2 more after I had made all the reservations. I eventually got a party of 2 separately under another MDE for most reservations - some I was able to change and when we checked in we were always sat together. It is going to be work but you should get it - we also did it once for an additional party of 1 and it worked.

 

[sharonabe]

So my questions to you all is, who has had luck, if any, walking up to a reservation with one extra and actually been seated. My plan is to continue to try and add to the reservation as it gets closer since I know plans change but don't want to be out all the work I have put into planning because of this.

My suggestion is to see if you can get ADRs for 2 around the same time as the ones you have for 10. That way, even if they can't seat you all together, the two of them could sit together. Just keep your 10 at 10. You won't be charged if there are only 9.

 

[Minsc]

My suggestion is to see if you can get ADRs for 2 around the same time as the ones you have for 10. That way, even if they can't seat you all together, the two of them could sit together. Just keep your 10 at 10. You won't be charged if there are only 9.

This is what we have had to do a few times when we've had large parties. Two reservations near the same time with two tables. Once, at Tutto Italia, they realized ahead of time what we were doing and actually gave us two tables next to each other and pulled them together as we were seated. Sci-Fi also gave us two cars next to each other (one for kids and one for adults) without having to ask.

 

[marcyleecorgan]

My suggestion is to see if you can get ADRs for 2 around the same time as the ones you have for 10. That way, even if they can't seat you all together, the two of them could sit together. Just keep your 10 at 10. You won't be charged if there are only 9.

I agree! Keep checking for reservations in any combination that you could split your party up. It's not ideal but it's MUCH more ideal than people being told, "No, but you can sit outside and go find some Counter Service while you wait for your party to finish."

And yeah, the restaurant staff will probably figure out what you are trying to do, and they might help you out.

 

[1GoldenSun]

Haha. This is how my family ended up eating Thanksgiving dinner at the End Zone food court a couple years ago. Try adding two more onto a Thanksgiving day Liberty Tree Tavern ADR.

Good luck to you! (And that was meant sincerely, not sarcastically.)

 

[TheRustyScupper]

Keep trying to add the extra person on the ADR:

THE QUESTION OF AN EXTRA PERSON or EXTRA PEOPLE (the "411"):
1) Disney is getting wise to the "but, they decided to join us" or "I miscounted".
2) People can't always get the ADR they want.
3) So, they under-count to get a table.
4) Then, they show up with "unexpected" additional people.
5) In a team meeting, CM's have been told to warn guests against this.
6) If there is room, WDW will not turn away revenue.
7) But, if busy, they will turn away the additions.
8) Go ahead and arrive with the extras, if you like.
9) Just be prepared to have someone stand around while you eat.
10) I have heard explanations such as . . .
. . . "but, Aunt Suzy decided to join us and we need an extra seat"
. . . "but, two friends from off-site decided to join us and we need two extra seats"
. . . "but, brother-in-law decided to join us and we need an extra seat"
. . . "but, the entire Boy Scout Troop decided to join us and we need 14 extra sets"
. . . "but, my baby is so small that I didn't count her in the number of eaters"
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NOTE1: It is far easier going from an odd-number to an even number, such as from 7-people to 8-people, adding a person to an even number of diners, such as going from 6-people to 7-people. Adding odd person can mean adding a table, and this might not be possible. Going from an odd-to-even might only mean adding a chair or using an empty seat. So, if going from even-to-odd, you might not get the extra person a seat. It is always better to get another ADR with the proper people-count.
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NOTE2: Frequently a party-of-two will try to add a third person at the podium. This can be risky, because many eateries do have tables-for-two. If the guest was slated for one of these, there simply might not be a table available to seat the third person - even if an infant. The extra chair location might extend into an aisle and block access for other guests or Servers.
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NOTE3: Sometimes it is a threesome adding a fourth. Unfortunately, there are many eateries that do have 3-top tables - usually against a wall or pillar. They can't add a fourth chair, since that would invade the aisle and be unsafe for SERVERS.
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NOTE4: The final question is that of how many people are in the eatery. There are Fire Codes which dictate the maximum amount of people. If the capacity is exceeded, there are some big fines possible. And, Disney will not violate the max-capacity of an eatery.