Now this is a terrific idea - Magic Kingdom eateries take control of seating

[buzz2001]

Magic Kingdom eateries take control of seating to boost efficiency and help diners relax

Walt Disney World is experimenting with new crowd-control methods in some of its busiest in-park restaurants, hoping to make the facilities more pleasant for guests and more profitable for the resort.

Inside four quick-service restaurants in the Magic Kingdom, Disney has begun restricting access — but guaranteeing seating — during particularly busy lunch rushes. Managers say the approach helps smooth out traffic in part by eliminating the need for groups to split up and send someone to order food while another person holds an open table — something that can clog up as much as one-third of a restaurant's capacity at any given time.

"This has been very helpful for us from an efficiency standpoint, because everything's so well-organized," said Liz Clark, general manager of food and beverage in the Magic Kingdom.

The tinkering illustrates one of the small ways theme parks have sought to squeeze more money out of existing operations — beyond top-level cost cuts — in the midst of a recession that has sapped attendance and guest spending.

Disney does not break out how much restaurant sales contribute to the revenue of individual theme parks. But experts say it is substantial.

"The food-and-beverage operations are very significant in the overall bottom line," said Mary Jo Ross, a former multi-unit restaurant manager at Universal Orlando and an assistant professor at the University of Central Florida's Rosen College of Hospitality Management.

Disney says the restaurant changes are part of an internal initiative called "The Basics," in which employees have been urged to re-emphasize customer service.

Busy, in-park restaurants are an obvious target for improvements; around noon on a busy day, they can rival the longest ride queues in terms of crowds, noise and stress levels.

"It wasn't really a good way to decompress or relax. So we've been really focusing on how we can enhance the whole dining experience," Clark said.

Under the controlled-access and -seating program, guests in certain Magic Kingdom counter-service restaurants are steered through a single entrance so workers can keep tabs on how many people are inside.

A greeter hands menus and steers the entire group to cash registers to place their orders. After they get their food, they are guided by another employee to an empty table.

Implementing the change is trickier than it may sound. For example, the restaurants have multiple entrances, so Disney restaurant managers have had to work with the resort's "Imagineers" to work out new ways of guiding traffic through a single point.

Clark said the program has already evolved based on feedback from guests. The menus that greeters hand out were initially only available in English and were done entirely in text; they have since been changed to include multiple languages, pictures of the menu selections, and information about using a pre-purchased dining plan that Disney sells to resort guests.

Disney began testing the concept in the Pecos Bill Tall Tale Inn and Café. But it has since been rolled out to three other busy counter-service restaurants: Columbia Harbour House, Pinocchio Village Haus and Cosmic Ray's Starlight Café. Those restaurants range in size from about 400 seats to more than 1,000 at Pecos Bill and Cosmic Ray's.

The controlled access is used only when that day's park attendance warrants.

Clark said the results have been overwhelmingly positive, both in terms of praise from guests who report a more-relaxed dining experience and in terms of reducing congestion inside the restaurants, where, like on a busy highway, small backups can cascade over the course of a day into lengthier delays.

Disney has also made other, subtler changes. At Pecos Bill, for instance, the resort has added self-service ordering kiosks, though guests can still opt to order from a human cashier.

Workers also recently replaced highly themed, high-backed chairs at Pecos Bill with smaller, less clunky stools. The switch, which Disney said was made on the suggestion of a restaurant worker, has allowed the restaurant to add an extra seat at many tables and improved the aisles between tables, helping alleviate further bottlenecks.

Orlando Sentinel Article

[Mousemates]

Well, seeing as how our next trip will be during the oober busy Christmas to New Years break...I guess we'll get to see (first hand) how well this works. I think it will be nice to not have to send a scout out to latch on to a table at Pecos Bill.

[MNNHFLTX]

Interesting.... I like the idea of self-service kiosks, but I wonder how/if they work with the dining plan? Anyway, the counter-service places seemed quicker when we were there in August than in the past, including Pecos Bill's (although they weren't using this system at that time).

[TheRustyScupper]

1) They did this seating deal last year.
2) It worked well.
3) Many people complained, but so what?
4) It stopped people from going in a grabbing a table.
5) THEN, going for food.
6) It really is a time saver.
7) It clears tables quicker, and stops table-hogs.

NOTE: People complained last year that they wanted to grab a table to seat themselves and their kids. I think it is a flabby excuse. Everyone could stay together. This system respects everyone and gives everyone a chance at a table, and not just those hogging tables and chairs with strollers, souvenir bags, etc.

[afowl1017]

I am a Mom with three kids and one on the way, and I must admit my family is a "table" hog. Standing in long lines with the kids to order food is too stressful, but I must say if this actually does speed up the entire process I am more than happy to go with the flow. I don't really like sitting at a table for over a half hour while my poor husband waits in line to order and pick our food, and then try and find his family in a sea of people. It gets very messy, stressful, and unpleasant at the " happiest place on earth". So I am totally behind them in trying to improve this "problem".

[potzie]

1) They did this seating deal last year.
2) It worked well.
3) Many people complained, but so what?
4) It stopped people from going in a grabbing a table.
5) THEN, going for food.
6) It really is a time saver.
7) It clears tables quicker, and stops table-hogs.

NOTE: People complained last year that they wanted to grab a table to seat themselves and their kids. I think it is a flabby excuse. Everyone could stay together. This system respects everyone and gives everyone a chance at a table, and not just those hogging tables and chairs with strollers, souvenir bags, etc.

This seems like a terrible idea to me. If you want my 4 & 2 year old kids who are hot, tired and likely cranky because they are hungry to stand in line with you while you wait all the power to you, but it seems like a bad idea to me. I'd rather they sit down and maybe have a drink of water while they wait for their meal.

I can appreciate that it might make things smoother for Disney, but it seems like that is the only party that it's better for. I really don't see how it works at Cosmic Rays with three different food bays with different food offerings. Currently I go get the kids food so that they can start eating then I go up and get the food for my wife and I at a different bay. I guess I can't do that anymore, oh well at least it's better for Disney.

[DVC2004]

I'm all for this, too. One of the reasons we usually stay away from quick service places most of the time is that we can seldom find a place to sit! We've had to eat outside on the curb by Pizzafari in AK. We've circled with our loaded trays and dodged running kids and other patrons to no avail. Also- I have seen people eating brown bag lunches they have brought in to the parks at the quick service tables. Now if it's not busy that's one thing, but when you have people who paid or are on dining plan they should be getting the priority to sit in the place and not have to go out and try to find a bench or curb. Just my two cents.

[tyandskyesmom]

Sorry! I'm a complainer on this!

The last time we were in The World the kids and I ate at Pinocchio's and were "seated". One of the draws of this restaurant is the seating over Small World...especially since the change of menu. We ordered and Tyler had drinks and Skye and I were still grabbing the food off of the counter. Tyler went ahead of us, but not by much. The man blocking the way to the table area was snippy and walked us to the table he chose for us. There was no asking us where we wanted to sit. And when we said we wanted one of the two open tables along the window he said we could not have one. We did not have a stroller. We did not pick a table and "hog" it. We never have!

If I want to be seated, I will eat at a Table Service venue. And even there, I am allowed a request...might not get it , but I am allowed and if it is open, I have yet to be told no as I was at Pinocchio's.

So this is once again a case of the abusers will still abuse and the people who do things the correct way are going to get screwed! Now I can explain to my kids why they cannot have the table by the window or the table on the floor or whatever it is but the people who come after them can...even though they did the right thing.

Boo to Disney on this one...I doubt I will stop anywhere in the future (after our last tryst with this horrible decision) that is seating patrons at a counter service venue. Self seating is part of the nature of a counter service restaurant.

[Ransom]

I liked everything mentioned in the article, except I wish they'd go back to regular chairs. I don't like sitting on stools.

[magicofdisney]

Also- I have seen people eating brown bag lunches they have brought in to the parks at the quick service tables. Now if it's not busy that's one thing, but when you have people who paid or are on dining plan they should be getting the priority to sit in the place and not have to go out and try to find a bench or curb. Just my two cents.

I completely agree with this.
----------------------------------------
I'm not excited about this change either. The queues for food pickup are extremely narrow. When it's just the kids and me, we're a party of 5 plus a stroller. I much prefer my oldest to take the youngest to a table. There's less traffic at the counters and more maneuverability.

I did see this in action at Pecos Bill last year. The line to get inside was out the door and wrapped around the building. It made me want to eat somewhere else. How does this generate more revenue?

[tyandskyesmom]

I'm all for this, too. One of the reasons we usually stay away from quick service places most of the time is that we can seldom find a place to sit! We've had to eat outside on the curb by Pizzafari in AK. We've circled with our loaded trays and dodged running kids and other patrons to no avail. Also- I have seen people eating brown bag lunches they have brought in to the parks at the quick service tables. Now if it's not busy that's one thing, but when you have people who paid or are on dining plan they should be getting the priority to sit in the place and not have to go out and try to find a bench or curb. Just my two cents.

Seems like maybe a different approach would be in order here though. I agree with you that people eating outside food or kids running around or people sitting at restaurant tables but not eating, etc...is a problem but maybe the way to fix that is for Disney to have more CMs on the floor making sure this is not happening. Telling people who did not purchase food there that they cannot take up a table from paying customers. Telling kids and parents that the kids cannot be running around. Not by seating people at their choise of table at the time someone else thinks it is appropriate.

[afowl1017]

WOW! Some good points are being argued! I am for this only if it actually makes everything smoother for patrons...doesn't sound too good right now though.

[DVC2004]

Seems like maybe a different approach would be in order here though. I agree with you that people eating outside food or kids running around or people sitting at restaurant tables but not eating, etc...is a problem but maybe the way to fix that is for Disney to have more CMs on the floor making sure this is not happening. Telling people who did not purchase food there that they cannot take up a table from paying customers. Telling kids and parents that the kids cannot be running around. Not by seating people at their choise of table at the time someone else thinks it is appropriate.

I hear you- I saw your post too and I agree on your part- why not let someone pick the table they want if it's available when they are being seated? Sounds like a case of a CM not using judgement and not putting the guest first, which sadly sounds like it is becoming the norm lately at WDW. But, with the economy the way it is and cutbacks I don't think they wil be hiring more staff right now. But good point.

[Ian]

This seems like a terrible idea to me. If you want my 4 & 2 year old kids who are hot, tired and likely cranky because they are hungry to stand in line with you while you wait all the power to you, but it seems like a bad idea to me. I'd rather they sit down and maybe have a drink of water while they wait for their meal.

I agree completely ... I'm not even sure what a "table hog" is??

How is it "hogging" a table if I send my wife and kids to hold a spot for us while I wait for food? That's not only common practice it's common sense. Why would I bring my entire family of four into a line, clog things up, have my kids running around knocking people over, etc. when I could just let them sit, rest, and recharge while Dad waits in line?

But anyway the change overall is interesting ... I'll have to see how it's implemented first before I can pass final judgement, though. If they really control access to the point where the lines don't get jammed up from having the entire family standing in them and they move faster because of the self-service kiosks, etc. then it's probably okay.

I'd still rather they offer the option of leading the rest of the family to a table first while Dad or Mom waits in line, though.

[kwhitt3202]

There are some issues with this one. DS(4) has a rare genitic disorder wich have given him many issues (senceory depervation, seasures, anxity,ADD, and the latest we found out a brain tumor) To make the lunch easier on him one of us goes an gets a seat,usually in a corner away from every thing(when he gets distractec he wont eat), with him and entertains him while the outher goes and orders the food. IF anyone wants to try to take a child with these issues throu these lines when he is having any of these issues go right ahead.
What also happends to those familys of children with autism or other issues that this will not work? Will they make an exception with them like the GAC pass?

[buzz2001]

I'd rather they sit down and maybe have a drink of water while they wait for their meal.

That's what table service locations are for.

[4myprincesses]

We have experienced this twice and I am not impressed. Is it worse? meh...

First time was with my mother (in wheelchair), myself, my older gals (7,8) and twins (2) in stroller. The poor CM was trying hard to get us to go into the line, but the girls had to potty and mom's chair won't fit through the line (neither will the stroller though they are both 2 narrower than the ADA requirements) Our usually plan in mom and the girls sit at the table, get plasticware/napkins/etc. and we eat and go. Finding a table for us isn't easy, and we always start in the quietest part of the restaurant seeing as we've had all the magic all day and need to decompress a bit. I ended up taking out the temporary line rails with the stroller while mom took the older two to the bathroom and when I got to the front of the temp line my oldest took the stroller and they found a table while I ordered. Perhaps that makes us a table hog (whatever that is.) We don't stay and take a nap, though the twins eat slow. We never use an extra table for stuff, but it does often take 2 of the smaller tables for us to sit (wheelchairs/strollers/booths...not a good mix)

The second time was just husband, the twins, and myself at CHH. Again, not impressed. Again, decompress a bit from all the noise and crowds. We politely tried to skip the lines, but this gal was a little more pushy. I was not going to make them wait in a food line that their stroller didn't fit in again. Husband pretty much just pushed on past and found a table. I hated to do it, felt rude, but honestly what are you supposed to do? We always try to eat at non-rush time (before noon or after 1:30) and we do not sit longer than necessary.

We do sometimes bring in applesauce to feed the kids while waiting on hot food. We could eat two large meals in the time it takes my twins to eat their little bits. We prefer to and will continue to get a table and then order. Does this make us rude or "table hogs"? If it really is that much of an issue, perhaps Disney should add more tables to accomodate peak crowds.

[DizNee143]

so thats why when i was at Pecos Bills about 2 weeks ago the door i went in said exit..LOL!!!!!!
there was a CM there..but didnt he didnt stop me..and my mom had no problem when i told her how to get in about 5 minutes later..obviously there system doesnt work that well..lol..this is one thing..i will continue to try to work around if they are gonna start something sooooo incredibly stupid!!!!!!
who the heck wants the whole freaking family in line while ordering..HELLO..major CHAOS!!
i swear some of the things Disney does..really makes you wonder!

[DizNee143]

That's what table service locations are for.

and thats also what quick services locations are for..
you shouldnt be assigned a seat in a quick service..
you dont see mcdonalds..burger king..taco bell..wendys..etc etc etc..trying to do anything this stupid!
its fast food..its the way its always worked! at least it has for most common sense people..

[potzie]

That's what table service locations are for.

Really? Thanks for explaining what a table service location is for. Apparently most people here disagree.