Is it OK to do this at CS locations?

[Rodders]

You are the one pulling it off topic. It was totally unfair and completely immoral to twist CanadianWDWfan's words around the way you did.

Finding a table for your family is good common sense. I have two kids. They are now preteen and teenage. I can honestly say that I don't know which would be worse. Standing in a much too congested line with them when they were 2 and 5 or standing in line with them now. I can tell you that though they may not realize it, those around me are much happier that my kids are at a table somewhere. I love my kids and they are better behaved than some I have met, but they are kids. They bicker and fight and whine even at Disney and especially in line. I am sure that many a tray of food has been saved by parents taking their kids to a table.

I cannot believe that this has become such a heated topic and morality is in question over a table. Moderator, maybe this one needs to close. With DisneyRox and Rodders attacking people with different views, it isn't a happy discussion.

I didn't attack anyone with different views. I offered my point of view and welcomed other points of view to increase my own knowledge and understanding. I did however take offence to the implication that I don't have common sense because I try to be courteous.

If you could point out to me where I have attacked someone because of a different view then I will gladly hold my hand up and apologise personally to that person. I don't wish to offend anyone and If I have then I would like to make amens for my transgression.

I can now see many points of view on the matter so the thread has achieved it's objectives. Some people need to take a table early which is fine. Some people feel that they have paid for it so they should be able to chill and take their time, previously this would have irritated me but now that I have discussed the matter I can understand why they think that this is fine. I now have greater empathy and greater knowledge which to me proves that the thread has been valuable.

[CanadianWDWFan]

I saw where DizneyRox twisted my words. I am going to let this one drop. I have bigger worries than this small one.

Thanks Mickey91 for putting a good word in for me.

[princessM0m]

I usually visit WDW as a single mom with my DD7 and no other adults, so I don't usually have the luxury of leaving DD7 at a table while I gather the food. I simply avoid the situation by eating at off-peak times or taking our food outside and eating on a bench or other quiet, out of the way area.

[Seasonscraps]

I think it's ok to sit there while you wait for your food order. They are available to all paying customers of the CS establishment on a first come first served basis without knocking people over to get the table.

[DizNee143]

we have always done just that..a person or two go get the food..and the others sit..never saw anything right or wrong with it..its just what we do...i personally think its the most common sense thing to do but...obviously everyone thinks differently...
to each his own!!!!!!!!

[princessjojo]

Our family, too follows this practice when at the world. But we decide as a family what we want to eat, DH gets in line to order the food while the boys and I go to find a table. I put our things down there, the boys sit (hopefully quietly) while I return to get the drinks and bring them back to the table. All the while, DH is still waiting for our food and I now go to fetch any condiments, straws, and napkins that may be necessary. By this time, DH is there and we can all begin eating.

This way the boys aren't running around under the feet of those with trays full of food and drinks, and all of the extra thing are being taken care of and no real time is wasted. Kinda like family multi-tasking is how I look at it. We've never thought twice about it since most of my family consumes food like vaccuums. We'll do it again on our next trip. Believe me, it works best for us and for those around us.

[disneynarula]

I had no idea this was such an issue and to be perfectly honest I never even thought about it. In general I think I am a pretty unselfish person. I always "let people in" when I am driving and would always give up a seat to someone holding a child on a WDW resort bus.

That being said....

I am not sure how I feel about this issue. I can see both sides of the story here. I have never been to WDW with kids (we are taking our DSs for the first time in two weeks ) usually it is just me with another adult friend so we never felt the need to split up.

It would only make sense for me to go and sit down with the boys while DH orders the food. I think the line moves quicker when only one person is doing the ordering.

I guess we are using a table that someone else could be eating at. I can't imagine what else we would do. It just doesn't make sense to clog up the line to order all together. I think this would also make for unessecary waitng. I also can't see myself standing around watching everyone else grabbing tables when I stand to the side waiting for the food.

Maybe they need a bigger queue where you order your food. Or a queue where you wait for a seat. Maybe next year you will be able to get a Fastpass to sit down at a CS with "little or no wait."

Now I am stressed about even the counter service meals. I thought I was done with meal stress now that our ADRs were in order. I am so tired of the DDP.

[Marilyn Michetti]

I see both sides of this coin, and don't really think it's an established "rule" either way. What makes it totally, absolutely, wrong is when it's getting on towards Illuminations in Epcot, for a group to sit at a table in Mexico without purchasing food, and just sit there until Illuminations is over - a good hour.

I say, if you're going to sit and eat, it's not really an issue to let a spouse or older child hold the table.

[kaytieeldr]

That is not necessarily true. What if I got there first but get in the slow line and someone comes in after me but gets in a quicker moving line. I always pick the wrong line! What does it say in the rules about that?

Um, well, let's forget the word "rules" and just use "common sense". Okay, now - common sense says, the person who has and is ready to eat their food first is the one who should get the available table. Common sense. If the other person gets in a faster line than you, but then goes to the condiment bar, while you get your food and head directly for that table, common sense dictates that you should be the person to sit and eat at that table (although if your party and their party total less than the number of seats, common sense would also indicate that you offer to share the table)

[kaytieeldr]

I think it's ok to sit there while you wait for your food order. They are available to all paying customers of the CS establishment on a first come first served basis without knocking people over to get the table.

Conversely, despite being in line, you're not actually a paying customer until you order and, well, pay.

[Samtastic]

I honestly think it has to do with party size. No one wants to wait in line behind a family of 6 with small kids waiting anxiously, weaving in between legs and running in front of those with food (Not that all parents can't control their kids--it just seems that way sometimes ), However, when you're the one searching for a table and you see one occupied by a lone child, no parents in sight, it's frustrating. I like the suggestions of one person ordering or two if your party is small--which IS efficient, and then those not ordering wash up and then get a table and condiments. Now I personally wouldn't want to leave my child guarding a table, so unless they are old enough, I'd take them with me or I'd stay seated with them.

Also this seems to be an issue of which side you're on--on line, you want shorter lines and less indecisiveness, and less endangering of the food. After you get food, you want empty tables. It's a catch-22.

Of course if you need to strength and space to carry trays, maybe they could either stand in line with you, or nearby.

[timbeccaf]

Um, well, let's forget the word "rules" and just use "common sense". Okay, now - common sense says, the person who has and is ready to eat their food first is the one who should get the available table. Common sense. If the other person gets in a faster line than you, but then goes to the condiment bar, while you get your food and head directly for that table, common sense dictates that you should be the person to sit and eat at that table (although if your party and their party total less than the number of seats, common sense would also indicate that you offer to share the table)

Um.. Ok, I guess I need to say I was kidding about the mention of "rules" in DizneyRox's post, but thanks for the lesson on common sense.

[PirateLover]

I guess my bf and I are really selfish. We have always done this at fast food places, whether in WDW or not, and whether the restraunt is crowded or not. Sometimes we will wait together but after we both decide what we want and get close to the front of the line, my bf often tells me "Why don't you go get the condiments and sit down, we both don't need to stand here anymore." I will go off and get our condiments and find a table. The max that I have waited for him is probably 10 minutes because the person right in front of him was arguing with the CM about what he could order on the DDP.

Now that he has a bad back (degenerative disc disease) and can't stand for very long, I am the one telling him to sit and rest. The thing is, you never know WHY people are saving a table. This thread was started because of an assumption that was wrong for the most part. I can see how at first sight it might be considered a selfish activity but honestly the only place where I've seen overcrowding as a big problem is Cosmic Rays, and maybe once at Columbia Harbour House. Generally the CS places have plenty of tables in my experience.

I'm sorry that you've had such bad experiences with people cutting you off (which is never appropriate) and I can understand the other point of view that seems to be the minority in this thread, but I think it is wrong for anyone to lump a group of people together and label them as immoral, selfish, me-first, whatever. I didn't realize there was such a fine line between "common sense" and "selfishness".

[Figment!]

Moderator Note

Okay folks, it appears this thread has run its due course.

INTERCOT at is first and foremost a Vacation Planning Community. While it can be useful to share opinions on various aspects of of a typical Disney vacation, the ethical/common sense practices of finding seats at a Counter Service Dining location is not a core issue in planning.

As has been stated in the thread, there are no rules or practices described by Disney as to how Guests should obtain seats. Therefore, only individual's points of view and circumstances can dictate to them how they should proceed in selecting a seat(s).

While this thread has served as a medium to share these personal views, it has repeatedly verged onto and crossed-over the line into argumentative responses and personal attacks.

As the argumentative comments and personal attacks appear to be continuing with no resolution to the original topic of the thread, this thread is closed for discussion.

Thank you to everyone who shared their personal opinion, but it is time to move on.

The INTERCOT Dining Staff