Disney World Restaurant Denies Seating to Guests After Extensive Wait
When you visit a Disney park, you expect seamless experiences filled with wonder, excitement, and exceptional service. Disney World, in particular, is a place where families plan their entire vacations around the magic they hope to experience, from the rides to the dining options. But what happens when the “magic” takes an unexpected turn?
A recent incident at the Plaza Restaurant in Magic Kingdom has left a family frustrated and confused, calling into question Disney’s commitment to customer service when things don’t go as planned.
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Dining at Disney World can be one of the most anticipated aspects of a trip, with guests carefully selecting reservations months in advance to ensure they get a seat at their favorite spots. However, the experience doesn’t always go smoothly.
A Reddit user’s post about a frustrating situation at the Plaza Restaurant shows how even the best-laid plans can go awry, leaving families questioning Disney’s ability to deliver on its promises of a flawless experience.
The situation started with a family arriving on time for their 7:00 p.m. reservation at the Plaza Restaurant, one of the more popular spots in the Magic Kingdom. Like many Disney guests, this family had planned their day around the meal, having skipped snacks in anticipation of their dinner.
However, upon arrival, they learned that their table wasn’t ready. While delays are not uncommon at busy Disney restaurants, the frustration began to mount as the wait time stretched on.
Here is the Reddit post from the frustrated father, detailing his experience:
I waited a while to share this because I was sure I would get downvoted to hell but I’ll post it anyway.
A few weeks ago we were at Magic Kingdom. We had reservations at 7:00 at the Plaza. We had waited to eat and denied all snack requests from our younger kids because we knew we were going to eat soon.
We showed up and the table wasn’t ready…okay. I get it, they were busy. So we waited…..we waited 45 mins.
My son really wanted something from Memento Mori and I told him we would go back for it later in the day. I was worried it would close early and we wouldn’t be able to go back and get it, so I basically jogged to go get it leaving my wife and 3 kids to wait for the table.
I get back, huffing and puffing, hungry as hell.
Here’s the kicker. They wouldn’t seat my wife because my whole party wasn’t there. ARE YOU FREAKING KIDDING ME?!?
It’s one thing if you got a part of 20 and only half the people are there. But I can’t believe they made my wife wait longer and juggle all 3 kids after already making us wait 45 minutes.
I was upset. I ended up speaking firmly to the manager…I know, I know. I didn’t outright yell. But I was upset. I just wanted them to understand my frustration. It was an active choice she was making to not seat us. Whether it was her policy or not…it needs to change to allow some flexibility because good God. Walking around all day, exhausted at Magic Kingdom, ready to finally sit down and eat only to be denied for some arbitrary reason is ridiculous.
Frustrated with Disney's reservation policies
byu/Atheist_Redditor inWaltDisneyWorld
Disney does have a policy of not seating guests until their entire party is present, which makes sense for logistical reasons. This policy ensures that tables aren’t held up longer than necessary, allowing restaurants to turn over quickly and maximize seating.
However, in this instance, the family had already been waiting for nearly an hour, and the father’s brief absence to grab a toy shouldn’t have prevented the seating of his family. The father felt that Disney could have been more understanding, especially given the long wait time and the circumstances surrounding it.
I understand not seating the party until everyone is there, at least as a policy… buuuuut, I would say that, in this instance, they probably should’ve just given them a table, considering the 45 minute wait past the reservation time. Heck, at that point, they probably should’ve gotten the table, some drinks AND a couple of apps as a “we’re sorry”.
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One commenter, who claimed to be a restaurant owner, also supported the father’s stance, acknowledging the importance of flexibility in such situations.
“If I’m delivering the table 45 minutes late, I’m going to be very flexible because the guest is already frustrated and it’s my job to provide a pleasant dining experience. If someone told me they had to run to a store before it closed because WE the restaurant made them wait more than 15 minutes, I would sit the incomplete party with my apologies.”
Despite the understandable backlash, this experience doesn’t appear to be an isolated incident. Other commenters shared similar frustrations, not just with the Plaza Restaurant but with other Disney dining experiences as well.
The issue of delayed seating and unyielding policies has been a point of contention for many guests. Some suggested that Disney could help alleviate the situation by reinstating services such as hotel package delivery, which was discontinued after the pandemic.
Have you had an experience where Disney’s policies or restaurant service frustrated you? Share your thoughts and experiences with us in the comments below!
