Showing up with 1 more than your ADR is for

[SJSloan]

We planned our trip months ago and I booked a dinner reservations for a party of 6 at Ohana. Since then we had added my MIL to the trip and I have been checking multiple times a day to change the reservation to 7, or at the very least, make a new reservation for 1 and ask to squeeze in a 6 person table or sit next to each other. But our reservation is next Friday and I have yet to have any luck.

If I can't add her to our current reservation or make one for a party of 1 should I:
1) Show up and explain and beg that they allow her in?
2) Show up and play dumb that I didn't know my 20mo needed to be on the reservation since he doesn't have a park ticket, FastPasses, etc?
3) The night before change it to something else that is available for a party of 7?

This is my husband's favorite meal and I really hope to make it work but I know Ohana is usually packed and that I can be turned away.

 

[sponica]

Option 4: Look for a party of 8, for whatever reason the algorithm won't find a table for 7 but it might find a table for 8 (which is why you're having problems finding a table for one, the computer doesn't "see" the party for one sitting at a two top). Option 4A: Look for a party of 2

I will say the night before the odds of making modifications increase substantially as people change their minds.

 

[SJSloan]

Option 4: Look for a party of 8, for whatever reason the algorithm won't find a table for 7 but it might find a table for 8 (which is why you're having problems finding a table for one, the computer doesn't "see" the party for one sitting at a two top). Option 4A: Look for a party of 2

I will say the night before the odds of making modifications increase substantially as people change their minds.

Thanks! I actually have been looking to change it to both 8 and 7, and also looking for a separate reservation for both 2 and/or 1. I'm getting more nervous as the day approaches as I really thought I would have found something by now. I have a 14 hours drive coming up so I'll be able to search a lot then. Fingers crossed!

 

[JimmyBean42]

You'll be surprised at how many reservations appear day of or day before. I'd even call up and explain the situation. Indicate that you have a 20 month old (who I assume will be in a high chair) that can squeeze next to you and your husband. Most places will give tips, especially if you are only adding 1 person and not like 4.

 

[MickeyWaffles]

If you can’t get the correct ADR ahead of time, you can always ask at the podium when you arrive.

They will try to help you, but sometimes they cannot accommodate. They don’t squeeze parties in to smaller tables or add extra chairs. People have been told no. Others have been accommodated. You can’t know until you’re there.

Did you try the touring plans free ADR finder? We’ve had great luck securing tough last minute ADRS with that tool. And as others suggested, check the day before. I still highly recommend the ADR finder.

If you show up at the podium with 7 people and an ADR for 6, be prepared for the possibility that they can’t accommodate, but hope that they can.

Good luck!

 

[maxiesmom]

The problem is there is no way to know if they will be able to accommodate an extra guest until you ask at the restaurant, and they may say they can't. If you can't change your ADR to the proper number playing dumb won't help.

Keep checking until the day before. If you have not been successful in adding 1, that is when you will need to make a decision. Either change it to an ADR that will seat you all, or take a chance. What would your plan be if you are told 1 person can't be seated? Would 1 person go eat somewhere else? Would you walk away and pay the $10 a person no show fee?

 

[SJSloan]

If you can’t get the correct ADR ahead of time, you can always ask at the podium when you arrive.

They will try to help you, but sometimes they cannot accommodate. They don’t squeeze parties in to smaller tables or add extra chairs. People have been told no. Others have been accommodated. You can’t know until you’re there.

Did you try the touring plans free ADR finder? We’ve had great luck securing tough last minute ADRS with that tool. And as others suggested, check the day before. I still highly recommend the ADR finder.

If you show up at the podium with 7 people and an ADR for 6, be prepared for the possibility that they can’t accommodate, but hope that they can.

Good luck!

Yes, I currently have an active search for a reservation for 2 on that day. I think the chance of me finding one for 8 is slimmer so I went with 2. I've had great success with that tool in the past for many ADRs. But this one has yet to alert me of any availability and it's been months.

 

[SJSloan]

The problem is there is no way to know if they will be able to accommodate an extra guest until you ask at the restaurant, and they may say they can't. If you can't change your ADR to the proper number playing dumb won't help.

Keep checking until the day before. If you have not been successful in adding 1, that is when you will need to make a decision. Either change it to an ADR that will seat you all, or take a chance. What would your plan be if you are told 1 person can't be seated? Would 1 person go eat somewhere else? Would you walk away and pay the $10 a person no show fee?

I haven't decided exactly what we would do but I do know that 1 person wouldn't go eat somewhere else. I guess I was planning on going early enough that I would check-in before by actual reservation time and if they said there was nothing that could be done and they couldn't accommodate us all that I would modify it to avoid the cancellation fee.

 

[kaytieeldr]

1) You can try, but expect the result to be no. But it might work.
2) Please, no!
3) Keep this as your backup plan.

 

[maxiesmom]

I haven't decided exactly what we would do but I do know that 1 person wouldn't go eat somewhere else. I guess I was planning on going early enough that I would check-in before by actual reservation time and if they said there was nothing that could be done and they couldn't accommodate us all that I would modify it to avoid the cancellation fee.

By modify you mean move? What if you can't? You need to be prepared to pay the no show fee if it comes to that.

 

[mousestruck]

We had a similar situation last year when my son’s girlfriend unexpectedly joined us for two days. I had no luck modifying in advance so I went to Guest Services. They couldn’t change my reservations either but told me to simply ask upon arrival and they would most likely accommodate us. That was indeed the case - even at Be Our Guest. So I would keep trying to modify and ask at the podium if necessary. (Arrive a little early.) Worst case scenario, if they can’t help, you could always make a last minute reservation (on your phone) at a less popular monorail resort restaurant (like Tge Wave or Grand Floridian Cafe) and go there.

 

[DISNEYSQUIRRELS]

Definitely don’t stress about it.
So many times we have either had no ADRs or had more people with us than planned & we have been seated.
It’s funny, sometimes when we’ve had ADRs, we have had to wait quite a bit (Sci-Fi!).
Most recently I called Homecomin directly for an ADR because nothing was available online. I thought, “wow they are really doing me a favor”. Got there & they had tons of open tables.

 

[gharter]

Check the day before or day of. We had a similar problem with Flying Fish 2 years ago. No openings to increase the party size. Tried the app, the front desk, disney dining and calling the restaurant. The day of, we stopped at the restaurant and were able to modify our ADR.
Good luck!

 

[Lisa F]

Try it and report back. I see lots of people saying what they think Disney will and should do, but very few reports of what actually happens.

 

[PartOfYourWDWorld]

This has happened to us a few times, also with a baby in the party, and we've always been fine. If you're willing to keep the baby in your lap, it doesn't impact how many chairs the table needs. If you require a high chair, then you'll be testing your luck. In experience, they do their best. But with those round Ohana tables, it's much harder to squeeze an extra chair in.

 

[SJSloan]

This has happened to us a few times, also with a baby in the party, and we've always been fine. If you're willing to keep the baby in your lap, it doesn't impact how many chairs the table needs. If you require a high chair, then you'll be testing your luck. In experience, they do their best. But with those round Ohana tables, it's much harder to squeeze an extra chair in.

That is what I am holding out hope for. He can definitely sit in my lap, but will honestly probably not even sit as he has been a terror lately and my husband has to tag team eating out with one of us going outside to let him run around. So maybe if I explain that only 5 people will probably be actually sitting at the table at once

Try it and report back. I see lots of people saying what they think Disney will and should do, but very few reports of what actually happens.

Will do!

 

[nkereina]

I suspect most TS restaurants will try to accommodate this, but you may need to wait longer for your table. If it were me, I'd keep checking to try and modify the reservation but if I didn't have luck with that, I would keep the original and make the request at the podium. Good luck!

 

[goofyintoronto]

By modify you mean move? What if you can't? You need to be prepared to pay the no show fee if it comes to that.

@SJSloan @maxiesmom You're quite certain that they'll charge her the no show fee if she walks away due to the restaurant not being able to accommodate the extra person. I've had people in this exact same situation, and the fee was waived. Sure there's no guarantee that it'll be waived, but that doesnt mean that they wont either.

 

[rg35]

Please do not do the second option. This is just immature behavior and puts the cast members in a difficult spot. You know you are doing something wrong, why even consider it?

 

[SJSloan]

Please do not do the second option. This is just immature behavior and puts the cast members in a difficult spot. You know you are doing something wrong, why even consider it?

Personally, I honestly wouldn't consider actually doing it because I know better. I put it as an "option" because others (not here) have suggested it and I'm somewhat desperate. But again even if I would like to play dumb, I wouldn't actually be able to say it.

Although I will admit that it is rather confusing to any Disney newbie. Anyone under 2 isn't required to have a ticket and you can't make a FastPass for them. And if you make EMM reservations you are supposed to include them in the count when searching but then when you go to purchase the tickets you only select the number of tickets for people over 3. And yet you are required to include them in your ADR total even though they are free. But the Disney website doesn't exactly explain this so people end up VERY confused. I deal with this stuff everyday.