Why not text when table almost ready?

[sgrabin]

A recurring complaint that I always read about is how long the wait is to get in to an in-park restaurant like Crystal Palace or Liberty Tree Tavern. You have to check in at the podium and they hand you one of those limited-range ringers to tell you when your table is ready. That's all well and good if it's only a 5 minute wait, like a normal restaurant. With my last experience at Crystal Palace being about 45 minutes PAST our ADR time to get seated, there's got to be a better way. With the limited range ringers, you have to stay pretty close to the restaurant for it to work, so you're stuck hanging out nearby. Why not have diners give their cell numbers to the hostess, she puts into the computer, and when your within 10 or 15 minutes of being called, you are sent a text message? This way, you could walk to another area, or catch a quick ride/attraction/etc. and your not tethered to within 100 feet of the restaurant. I think something like this would make for a more "magical" experience. What do you think?

 

[Nadjalu]

Don't like it. It will inevitably happen that you are then on the other side of the park in line waiting for a ride and not be able to make it back to the restaurant for 20+ mins.........that would tick me off if I am behind you waiting for the next table.
There is too many chances for that system to be abused. If you want to eat then you have to stay and wait for it.

Another thing is, it is not a good business sense for the resataurant. It would hold up tables waiting on people to "return" therefore slowing down the seating process even more.

I can understand from a customer stand point it would be nice to ride while waiting, but it doesn't make good business sense at all.

 

[Pyrate_Pryncess]

Don't like it. It will inevitably happen that you are then on the other side of the park in line waiting for a ride and not be able to make it back to the restaurant for 20+ mins.........that would tick me off if I am behind you waiting for the next table.
There is too many chances for that system to be abused. If you want to eat then you have to stay and wait for it.

Another thing is, it is not a good business sense for the resataurant. It would hold up tables waiting on people to "return" therefore slowing down the seating process even more.

I can understand from a customer stand point it would be nice to ride while waiting, but it doesn't make good business sense at all.

IDK, while I agree that people might be on the other side of the park they could always say, we will text you and then give a time limit like 5 to 10 minutes for you to return....if you dont then you have to wait again. Some local restaurants here do that and there have never been any problems. I think if people realize they dont have to be within 100 ft of the place but that they have a little freedom it could work and I dont think that too many people would stray too far for fear that they would lose out!

 

[poohfriend]

CP to finally figure out how to manage the process. So many other Character meals go much more quickly than CP.

a 45 minute wait past ADR time is not acceptable. 25 maybe, 45 -- no! so many other things I could have done with my time. And even if they were kind enough to say "We're running 45 minutes behind...do you still want your table?"

OUr last wait there was LONG as well.

 

[Nadjalu]

Sorry to hear CP waits are long.....that has never happened to us and we eat there every trip and multiple times.
We are always sat within 5 mins of arriving even if we are early to our adr. Not sure why everyone else has a different experience, maybe I am just blessed.

That said, I have to say to the poster above, it is nice your local restaurants have never had a problem, but I can't see problems not occuring at WDW.
Even though it is the most magical place on earth I see adults fighting over places in lines, filthy language in front of children, adults knocking others including kids out of their way to get ahead of the "crowd"....so with all that still happening I can't imagine people just "giving up" there adr because they didn't get there in their "window" time.......yep again, not good business sense, not to mention I certainly don't want to be that hostess when "joe blow" comes calling 5 mins after I have given his table away.

 

[MYD714]

I can hear it now..."Well, I never got your text!"

While it would be nice to have easier waits, this doesn't seem like a reasonable solution. Texting isn't reliable and would cause countless problems.

I'm sorry you had to wait so long. We ate at Crystal Palace about 4 times on our last trip in July and never waited more than 15 minutes. We also walked right in without reservations one night. We loved it there. I guess it just depends on the day.

 

[goofy4tink]

Won't work simply because there is no way of knowing when you are within 10-15 mins for getting seated. CP is so huge and so many guests tend to hold up the characters, that the turnover time for tables is messed up. Parents want their kids to have time with each and every character..even if it means sitting there, for over an hour, waiting for Tigger to get back to you since you didn't feel that he spent enough time with little Janey. This is the only character meal that we have had to wait more than 15 mins for...past our seating time.
I can only imagine that if my ADR time was for 4:15, and I got there at 4:00, as recommended, then gave my cell phone number to the hostess since it was going to be a lengthy wait, and then headed off..it would be just my luck to be on PoC, when my cell phone went off...then it takes another 10 mins to get off the ride, and some time trekking back to the restaurant. Not a good idea.

Much better to just assume it's going to take awhile and relax for a bit.