Reservation for 4 but we may have 5

[ande2428]

Hello All! I have a 4 person reservation at Whispering Canyon Cafe for dinner our first night of the trip. My sister and her family are going to be joining us on the trip and they initially were going to watch our 1 year old for us while we ate. Now they are going to the parks that evening so we don't have a babysitter. I checked and there are no 5 person reservations available that day. Do you think they would let all 5 of us eat and our daughter could either get a high chair or sit on of our laps? I wasn't sure how strict the policy is for young children. Thanks!

 

[FCDub]

Unfortunately, there's no answer besides "maybe, maybe not"

Everyone – including children – needs to be counted on the reservation. Some people have reported being offered the opportunity to add one additional person when checking in via the app, but some have not gotten that option. You can also look for a reservation for 6 – you won't be penalized for showing up with fewer people, and the system often prefers even numbers to odd numbers. Short of that, you'll just have to ask at the greeter podium. But it might not be as simple as adding a high chair if the table arrangement doesn't allow it.

Personally? I would tell your sister that you made plans based on the responsibility she took on and she needs to follow through with that.

 

[NYCgrrl]

Put in a TP reservation finder for 6 ( to better fit the dining algorithm) and hope for the best. The further away you are from the trip date the easier to get an updated ADR.

 

[Bama Mom]

With her being that young you may be okay but I would continue to look for a reservation for 5 or 6 (because a reservation for 5 sometimes requires a 6 top table anyways depending on the restaurant). But I was one of those that was always given the option to add or take away from my reservation when checking in for ADRs back in March so maybe you will be too if you can't find a reservation for a bigger party.

 

[tofubeast]

My hunch tells me you'll be okay since you have a baby.

 

[gharter]

As its a baby, I would suspect you will be fine. If it was someone who would need a chair, it probably wouldn't work.

 

[DisneyFansInNYC]

This happened to friends of ours and the baby was a year old and they didn't have a problem but the restaurants weren't hard to get ADRs. I think you will be fine at Whispering Canyon Cafe but what I would do in this circumstance is use someone else's MDE account and make an additional reservation. So make a reservation for 1 or 2 (since sometimes it is easier to get it for 2) and then you will have the correct number entering. It might take a while to get but it is easier than getting 5. We have separate reservations all the time and always get to sit together. I hope that helps.

 

[focusondisney]

Unfortunately, there's no answer besides "maybe, maybe not"

Everyone – including children – needs to be counted on the reservation. Some people have reported being offered the opportunity to add one additional person when checking in via the app, but some have not gotten that option.

Absolutely true! Everyone is counted in ADRs, it even says that on the reservation page for each restaurant. Has to do with the capacity of the restaurant for fire codes is what I have heard, just like a restaurant anywhere else. I think a lot has to do with the time & popularity of the restaurant.


With online check in, we have gotten the “you can add up to one guest” message many times. However, we have also gotten the “add up to 0 guests” message too. That was for Beaches & Cream, Le Cellier, CRT & Sci Fi. I haven’t eaten at WC in at least 20 years, so can’t speak specifically to that restaurant. So OP, it’s possible you may be able to add one more when you check in. But it won’t be because it’s an infant & more to do with the restaurant’s capacity at the time of your ADR.

 

[catnik]

We were there last week. Had to make 2 separate reservations for a 4 top and a 2 top 5 minutes apart to accommodate our group of 5. Checked in and asked tables be combined, which they did. A 4 top will not accommodate a high chair + 4 adults so definitely recommend going the 2 reservation route if possible