Sci-Fi... Currently no "hitchhikers"?

[Dug720]

I'm wondering with social distancing if they have (at least temporarily) eliminated the IMHO horribly named "hitchhiking" at Sci-Fi so that each party has their own car or picnic table?

I've wanted to try it, but as I'm usual solo or with one friend have not wanted to deal with being termed a "hitchhiker" and so have avoided it. Normally my race tradition (Marathon Weekend) is to spend the afternoon/evening in Epcot after my race, but now I'm thinking if measures are still in place and that means no sharing cars between parties, this might be my chance to try it (assuming I can get an ADR when my window opens).

Anyone know?

 

[Tink9721]

Okay I don't know the answer, but I have to ask...what's wrong with being called a hitchhiker?

 

[Alan1972]

Okay I don't know the answer, but I have to ask...what's wrong with being called a hitchhiker?

Nothing.
Some people just like to complain or get offended at everything

 

[MinnieMSue]

I am pretty sure they aren’t Putting hitchhikers in the cars.. We are a party of 2 and had to book for 4 to get in. I assume that is because they want to fill a car as much as possible with single families.

 

[rlk]

I've always wondered why parties of one or two people get relegated to the back seat. Why can't the smaller party be seated in the front of the car. We are a family of four, so always have another party in the last row.

 

[Disneylover99]

I've always wondered why parties of one or two people get relegated to the back seat. Why can't the smaller party be seated in the front of the car. We are a family of four, so always have another party in the last row.

They can be.
I‘ve eaten there twice with my family of four and we’ve been the hitchhikers both times.

 

[kaytieeldr]

I am pretty sure they aren’t Putting hitchhikers in the cars.. We are a party of 2 and had to book for 4 to get in. I assume that is because they want to fill a car as much as possible with single families.

I don't think that's why. It's because Disney's ADR system doesn't like parties of one of two or any odd number. Really, even with social distancing, they could put two small parties in each car and just leave the middle row empty.

 

[mu51c10rd]

I'm wondering with social distancing if they have (at least temporarily) eliminated the IMHO horribly named "hitchhiking" at Sci-Fi so that each party has their own car or picnic table?

I've wanted to try it, but as I'm usual solo or with one friend have not wanted to deal with being termed a "hitchhiker" and so have avoided it. Normally my race tradition (Marathon Weekend) is to spend the afternoon/evening in Epcot after my race, but now I'm thinking if measures are still in place and that means no sharing cars between parties, this might be my chance to try it (assuming I can get an ADR when my window opens).

Anyone know?

I just ate there on Sunday. Every other car is completely empty and only one party allowed per open car.

 

[LiteBrite]

Nothing.
Some people just like to complain or get offended at everything

That wasn't very nice.

 

[MinnieMSue]

I don't think that's why. It's because Disney's ADR system doesn't like parties of one of two or any odd number. Really, even with social distancing, they could put two small parties in each car and just leave the middle row empty.

i have always gotten a party of 2 at every restaurant including this for years with no issues. This time-period is the first I have ever heard of so many people not being able to get a party of 2 here. Some have been able to book for 4 then decrease the count to 2 but we have never had an issue with it on multiple trips.

 

[JM23457]

i have always gotten a party of 2 at every restaurant including this for years with no issues. This time-period is the first I have ever heard of so many people not being able to get a party of 2 here. Some have been able to book for 4 then decrease the count to 2 but we have never had an issue with it on multiple trips.

They're clearly trying to minimize parties of 2, since they don't bring in as much money.

We're usually a party of 2 and have had issues at a few Disney restaurants in the past in terms of having longer waits due to them not wanting to put a party of 2 at a 4-top table, even though we had a reservation & it meant an extra wait for us as later arrivals were seated ahead of us.

So Disney limiting parties of 2 at Sci-Fi is no surprise to me at all. We couldn't book it for our July trip when we tried, even though we got everything else including Topolino's, Be Our Guest, & Garden Grill.

Next time we'll just reserve as a party of 4.

 

[MinnieMSue]

They're clearly trying to minimize parties of 2, since they don't bring in as much money.

We're usually a party of 2 and have had issues at a few Disney restaurants in the past in terms of having long waits due to them not wanting to put a party of 2 at a 4-top table, even though we had a reservation & it meant an extra 20-30 minute wait for us as later arrivals were seated ahead of us.

So Disney limiting parties of 2 at Sci-Fi is no surprise to me at all. We couldn't book it for our July trip when we tried, even though we got everything else including Topolino's & Garden Grill.

Next time we'll just reserve as a party of 4.

we have never had an issue with being a party of 2 with waits or anything - super lucky I guess.I needed up booking sci fi for 4 - couldn’t reduce the number but I know they don’t do anything if only 2 show up. I do have a reservation finder looking for a reservation for 2 but it hasn’t texted me anything yet. I have never had the reservation finder take more than a few days to find a reservation for us but with less available that has to have some effect. Also of course the fact that they may not even have many if any available for 2 to begin with

 

[kaytieeldr]

I needed up booking sci fi for 4 - couldn’t reduce the number but I know they don’t do anything if only 2 show up.

i have always gotten a party of 2 at every restaurant including this for years with no issues

But do you see how these two statements contradict each other?

jmo, but normally Sci-Fi should be the absolute easiest place for a party of two to get an ADR. Imean, each actual table/seat only seats two people.

 

[unwritten01]

We ate there Friday night and it was as mu51c10rd stated above. I am only chiming in to say it was very quiet in there (we eat there every time). I mean like makes you want to whisper quiet . I asked why it was so quiet, and our server said they just turned it down because it is even louder with the empty room and the sounds bouncing everywhere. Could also be that we as a family are loud in general so the quiet is amplified.

 

[Jothmas]

On 6/30, booking for 7/29, I couldn’t get it for 2 but was able to get if for 3. I updated it later to change the reservation to 2. The website explicitly suggests to try changing the party size if no times are available, so it must be expected.

 

[MBTigger]

Would we prefer the term "Backseat Driver"?

 

[MrsBooch]

I had NO idea they put other family's in your car. We had a four seater and are a family of three so that's probably why but that would weird me out a little bit even pre-covid.

 

[JM23457]

Would we prefer the term "Backseat Driver"?

No! That's an actual insult term, which "hitchhiker" is not.

 

[MinnieMSue]

But do you see how these two statements contradict each other?

jmo, but normally Sci-Fi should be the absolute easiest place for a party of two to get an ADR. Imean, each actual table/seat only seats two people.

no this upcoming trip I could not get a table for. 2 but every other trip we easily got a table for 2. No contradiction at all. I was saying that now there are no parties of 2 at sci fi or at least very few. This trip I had to book for 4 because there was no availability for 2. I have used a reservation finder to get a table for 2 at BOG and at the Snow White meal when both were new and it found me Tables within a couple of days for both places. It has not alerted for any availability for 2 at sci fi since I have had it running. Other than those 2 instances I have never ever been unable to book 2 people at any restaurant exactly when I wanted it (And of course the upcoming trip to sci fi. ). I did get a reservation for 4 and plan to show up with 2

 

[kaytieeldr]

no this upcoming trip I could not get a table for. 2 but every other trip we easily got a table for 2.

I genuinely appreciate that you've got such a glass half full attitude! Based on what I've read here over many years, most people would be more likely to have the attitude that they, "really loved [restaurant] all the times they ate there (and it was always our favorite 'must-do' place to eat because X/Y/Z are always perfect, but the last time we went something negative happened and now we will never, ever, ever go back!"