Priority Seating Disappointment @ Citywalk

[BBB Family]

I have a little disappointing story about our first evening of dining at Citywalk.....

From what I read on the DIS boards and from what the rep told me as we checked in at HRH this past week, we were told that we merely needed to go to the restaurant of our choice and present our HRH room key and we would be seated at the next available table.

Um, not true.

We left HRH at 8:45pm and went to Nascar Cafe. Went to the front of the line and showed our room key and inquired about priority seating. We were told by two different employees that only Hard Rock Cafe honors PS seating.

So we left there and went to NBA City -- thinking it was fluke thing. SAME THING HAPPENED.

So we popped over to HR Cafe -- they directed us to the back of the PS line and we waited 20 minutes to be seated. By the time we sat at our table it was 9:20 (not too bad). However, that's as good as it gets. We didn't leave until 10:30 -- Service was poor and incredibly slow. It took a long time for the waiter to take our drink order and our food order and to process our check. We had planned on having dessert, but decided that we didn't want to draw out the experience any longer than the basic needs of dinner!

Of course I know we were cranky because we had just flown across the US (AZ to FL) and it was late and we were tired. But our food wasn't that great (I had the PIG sandwich and DH had another signature sandwich that was forgetable). We probably thought less of the food because of the service and the disappointment of the entire PS seating situation.

So, unfortunately, we were disappointed at our first dining experience. We even saw a sign that said "Nascar Cafe Priority Seating Accepted" and just shook our heads! We did run into a few other people at the HRC that told us the same story.

The rest of our trip, however, was AWESOME! We ate at Confisco's the next night and loved it. So we ended on a good note.

 

[kellymonaghan]

Next time, if it's just the two of you, try asking to sit at the bar at Hard Rock.

You usually get seated right away, they aerve the full menu there, the service has always been prompt when I've eaten there, and the bar is a great place to drink in the atmosphere.

 

[Radar]

Sorry for your problems, had one of their free cards with $10 but didn't get around to using it in Florida, but was in San Antonio the other day and pulled it out and we skipped a two hour line and got cheap lunch to boot. What is it with that pulled pork, here in Texas we call it chopped beef and its a lot cheaper. Would agree the food around city walk is lame, we ate at Margaritaville and the cheeseburger was not paradise to say the least...

 

[SherryfromOK]

I am really confused. I just called tonight to the City Walk people and they told me the same thing, that the room key would give us the first available table. I was told I could not make reservations to NBA or Nascar. Why is the infomation we are getting so wrong? I really want to try these places for my kids sake, but do not want to wait an hour for a table. Maybe eating dinner instead of supper would be a better option, what do you think??

 

[BBB Family]

The only thing I know for sure is that there is a sign that says "priority seating accepted at Nascar Cafe" but they didn't honor it. I'm not sure who is managing the place, but they need a little help getting on the same page!

My suggestion is to go to Nascar to eat on the "non-peak" hours. I certainly would avoid it between 8-9:30 as the parks close at 8:00 p.m. and all the hungry people come out to the Citywalk to eat!

My kids, too, were disappointed at not being able to eat at either Nascar or NBA City.

Good Luck!

 

[snickers]

We were not sure about the priority seating in City Walk. We got to Margaritaville about 9:30 and there were about 8 people in line to get their beepers. We were not sure if we were suppose to wait or just ask the girl. We waited to get to the girl and she told us the wait for a non-smoking table with priority seating would probably be approximately 20 minutes, and the people ahead of us without priority seating were told the wait was about an hour and 10 minutes. We walked in with our beeper and found a ledge with stools looking in on the restaurant with the band. It was a great view and the band, when they started was great. The guy who took our drink order, said we could order and eat there so we gave him our beeper and stayed there. The shrimp/crab/chesse appetizier was great. Our hamburger was okay. We wished we had ordered two of the appetizers though instead. It was pricey (9.00 for appetizer) but oh so good.

 

[sha_lyn]

first of all no you do not get the first available table. Also you do not get to just cut in front of everyone in line at the podium. I beleive the way you are seat is that you get placed about 1/2 down the list of those waiting for a table. Our wait at Margarittaville was about 1 1/2 hrs when the normal wait was almost 3. When I went to put our name on the list I was the next in line at the podium when a man slipped in front of me and said "I'm not cutting, I have a priority pass", and flashed his room key at me. I was standign there holding mine and held it up to him and siad I have a room key too. He then tried to tell me his must be different that he got to go to the front of any line and not have to wait at all. I told him her better get to the back of the line. He ended up geting in line a couple of people behind me using his line about having a VIP pass. We also used the priority seating at NBA city and Pastamore' with no problmes.

 

[SherryfromOK]

Sha_lyn

When did you try to eat there? What time of day? There is no way my husband will wait 1 and 1/2 to eat anywhere. I guess we won't be eating as much as I had hoped at City Walk. I think they should take reservations. Oh, well.

 

[sha_lyn]

it was the first week of April and we went straight over to CW as soon as IOA closed. We were there during spring break and although the parks did not seem crowded every time we went over to CW the places were packed. NBA city was the only place we did not have to wait but we went fairly early (5 or so)then headed back inot the parks. If you go to CW before the parks close I doubt there will be much of a wait.

 

[BBB Family]

When we went to CW with our room key (expecting priority seating), we never thought that we'd flash our room key and be given an immediate table. It was our understanding that if I told the employees that we were hotel guests that meant we didn't have to wait in line behind the 200 other people that were not hotel guests. We didn't mind the 20 minute wait at HRC - sort of expected to have some sort of wait.

However, the employee told me that they did not accept my room key as priority seating and that was really a shocker. I thought they'd put us on a list and we'd be seated simultaneously and alternately with the folks in the "non-guest" line. (Which is what they did at HRC)

I think the biggest lesson here is don't go eat right after the parks because you never know how long you'll end up waiting for dinner!

And they say vacations are suppose to be relaxing......HA!

 

[MIB999999]

with all the great places to eat in the park why would you want to wait at city walk???? i go to the park every weekend and i walk thru city walk to get to the turn styles and i walk thru city walk to get back to the parking garage. that is all i have to do with city walk.

 

[pathubia]

We never waited for a seat, walked into Mythos on tues around 1pm for lunch, had lunch one day at Nascar, went around 11:30, went to the HR Cafe one night around 9:30, told there was a wait, the hostess suggested that we sit at the bar, we had a great time, bartenders were very nice and attentive, the food was good, too.

patty

 

[WebmasterBarry]

Used my key for seating at Margritaville at around 9 pm or so and the wait was 1 1/2 hours. The regular wait was 3 hours. The place was pretty packed! Even with next available seating, the wait can get long, especially on busy Friday and Saturday nights.