overbooking concerns

[MizMissy]

Anyone trying to book reservations during free dining knows that they have been very difficult to get this year. When I heard of the Teppan Edo delays, I called to find other reservations but there weren't any available (except maybe a late lunch reservation or two).
When I called again, I was given to a special desk handling Teppan Edo cancellations and all of a sudden, I have a table for four at 6:00 for Le Cellier!
Are they overbooking to try to make up for the cancellation? Or, were there some walk-up spots that they are using? I'm now concerned about longer waits to be seated, even with reservations - and this concern is for all my Epcot reservations, not just Le Cellier.
Thoughts?

[moe513]

What is the date you got Le Cellier. That is so hard to get. Is it lunch ore dinner?

[disneyfan328]

I had the same question as when I lost the 2 teppan edo ressies that I have they got our party of 5 into Coral Reef and Lecellier for Dinner 5:30 and 6:30 seating times. I was asking the same thing - are the wait times for everyone going to be worse becuase they are doing this or what is the deal - I got varying answers from yes the waits will be longer to no they shouldn't be as we (other posters) were told that the Epcot restaurants are adding more table to accomodate??? I haven't been to disney in 10 years, and we didn't really eat TS when I was there, but I wonder how they can add more tables to these small restaurants with limited space?

anyone out there have an answer for this???

I don't want to see the wait times for my family or anyone else's be longer becuase of this as from what I hear during free dining the waits sometimes are already bad even with your ADR's but I don't want to loose out on TS credits and we had to eat somewhere!! Most of the places in Epcot are not places that have anything that my family will eat so that's why we settled on these 2 places and are hoping for the best.

[MizMissy]

What is the date you got Le Cellier. That is so hard to get. Is it lunch ore dinner?

I was given the Le Cellier reservation two days ago - one month out.

[offwego]

Given the large number of guests who will be elgible for free dining (vs guests who may pay for the plan other wise) I think it's wise to expect a longer then normal wait time (normal ranging of course on time of year but lets call it 15-20 minutes from time of check in which should in any case be 15-20 minutes prior). It will impact larger groups more then say your standard family of 4 (as that's by far the most common table size). It's always better to say to ones' self I'll be waiting 25-30 minutes and find yourself seated in 15 then expect 15 and wait 25...

Enjoy your trip and your dining.

[disneyfan328]

Offwego ~ I agree with what you stated and figured that would be the case - What we are trying to figure out is that since Teppan Edo is not going to be done and they have had to cancel all of the ressie's and they are putting people like myself and the OP into places that have been impossible to get ( LeCellier and Coral Reef for instance) how are they doing it? Are the wait times for everyone going to be even longer than lets say 20 -30 minutes that we were pretty much expecting or were they really able to put extra tables into the restaurants to accomodate the extra adr's that they are making????

[r4kids]

I am wondering if they expected this delay and maybe held back ressies for those who would need to change.

[nicster]

I had the same thoughts, as I tried to get a table for any dinner during our stay at Le Cellier and was told there were none available. :( When CM called to change my Teppan Edo ressie, all of the sudden I had a choice of 5:30or 7:00! :blush: Will the first persons to encounter the 'reality' of our conserns about the dinning, post ASAP when they return home? Oh, wait... that could be me... arriving on Sunday the 26 of Aug - Sept 3... :joy:I'll let you know how it goes.

[LauraF]

I asked just that question a trip or two ago and the CM on the phone told me that they hold tables and only release them a few at a time a certain number of days out. A restaurant with all it's ADRs booked may not be truly full until a day or two before the actual meal. That way they have the flexiblity to react to changes like the Teppan Edo delay.

It's one of the ways they maintain the magic - contingency planning.

[offwego]

Offwego ~ I agree with what you stated and figured that would be the case - What we are trying to figure out is that since Teppan Edo is not going to be done and they have had to cancel all of the ressie's and they are putting people like myself and the OP into places that have been impossible to get ( LeCellier and Coral Reef for instance) how are they doing it? Are the wait times for everyone going to be even longer than lets say 20 -30 minutes that we were pretty much expecting or were they really able to put extra tables into the restaurants to accomodate the extra adr's that they are making???? Well one factor to consider is also that with the free dining many people book and then have to cancel when the final payment is due..also WDW is getting far more diligent about canceling "double bookings" when they can find the same phone used. They won't be able to put in extra tables as they are already farily packed..however they will be able to put in extra staff (and I assume they will have) for bussing, etc that can speed up the turnover. Also the park restaurants generally turn over more quickly then the resort ones as people are eager to get back out and play vs lingering for an extended time (and with the exception of Garden Grill the epcot rest. do not offer charc. meals which might also delay guests). Hope you enjoy your trip!