Disney Adults have tons of preferences when it comes to how they do the parks — myself included.
Cosmic Ray’s at Magic Kingdom
And, there’s a certain pet peeve that seems to ring true for quite a few Disney Adults, and I can’t say that I disagree with them about it. You might be making this mistake without realizing it, but I’m pretty sure this is what the stink eye was invented for.
Disney World counter-service restaurants can be like the Wild West at times — and this restaurant trend certainly doesn’t help. Have you ever been searching for a table at a quick service spot — tray in hand — only to find that there are no tables, but plenty of people with no food sitting at them? Yeah, we’ve noticed it too. It sounds like a good idea — split up your party so one person orders while the other grabs a table. But, there’s a major problem with this.
Les Halles
It’s especially true during peak busy times in the parks, but this can really have an impact on other people in the restaurant and can mess up the overall flow of the restaurant.
Pecos Bills
During the 15 to 20 minutes it might take for your family member to get through the line to place their order or pick up their Mobile Order, the person holding the table will just be sitting there and not using it to eat. But during that same amount of time, another group likely could have sat at that table, eaten their food, and possibly even finished their meal and been on their way.
Instead, because the table was being held, this hypothetical family is still wandering around the restaurant with trays full of food, just trying to find a seat.
Seating at Connections Eatery
If everyone did that, it would significantly impact the number of tables available for people who have received their food and want to sit and eat.
Disney has taken action on this in the past, especially during really busy times, when they won’t allow you to sit until you have your food, or they may even hold people in line and assign tables to help with the flow of things. Still, doing your best to try to keep things moving for everyone. This also goes for when you’re done eating — we know you want a break, but other people are probably waiting for the table, so keep that in mind!
Satu’li Canteen
Don’t want to go through all of the stress of booking your Disney World trip alone? Reach out to our friends at Small World Vacations! Their experienced agents monitor your reservation for possible future savings, compare discounts and figure out which one works best for your travel party, dates, resort, and touring plans. And, they share expert tips and first-hand advice with you about your magical vacation.
We’ll be on the lookout for more updates from Disney World. In the meantime, make sure you stay tuned to the Disney Food Blog for the latest Disney news and more!
The Best Restaurants in Disney World in 2025
Need Disney Restaurant Advice? We’ve Got EVERYTHING You Need to Know
The ONLY Disney Dining Planning Tool You’ll Need Is Here – Get the DFB Guide to Walt Disney World Dining!
See Our Complete Disney World Restaurants Guide
The Best Magic Kingdom Restaurants
The Best EPCOT Restaurant Restaurants
The Best Hollywood Studios Restaurants
The Best Animal Kingdom Restaurants
The Best Disney Springs Restaurants
Check Out Dozens of Disney Dining Tips and Tools
Learn All About Tipping at Disney Restaurants
How to Use Mobile Order in Disney World
Join the DFB Newsletter to get all the latest Disney food news right in your inbox! Click here to Subscribe!
Has this ever happened to you at Disney World? Tell us in the comments.
Our handy (and portable!) ebook guides make sure you get the best deals and can plan a vacation of a lifetime.
This is a huge problem imo — especially if you are by yourself or just one companion. The last few times I’ve been to Columbia Harbor House at the MK, I’ve been unable to find ANY open table anywhere in the whole place (upstairs or downstairs) while having my food in hand getting colder by the minute as I scurry around trying to find some table that might open up — and with a tray of food, you still cannot move fast enough to grab a table that is just opening up because the big parties/families have all been split up BEFORE ordering their food, each one at different spots in the restaurant, and each one ready to dash over to any table they see opening up to grab it for their party. Then they’re holding that table for a 30-60+ minutes while they wait for their food. Disney NEEDS to control seating at these places so your whole party has their food before you can get a table. I’ve basically given up trying to eat at sit-down places in the parks (that don’t take reservations) except at very off hour times because of this.
Disney could fix this by putting mobile order QR codes on the tables and then busing the meals out. That way, only people ordering/about to eat/eating are taking up the tables and Disney can control the flow better.
This is going to be an unpopular opinion but… Yes this can be frustrating however when traveling with someone in a wheelchair there are fewer accessible areas to maneuver said wheelchair into so we have to watch closely and not eat at peak times. Columbia Harbor house has a separate section however even that is small and difficult to maneuver. We can’t use upstairs dining areas at any of these restaurants.
THIS!! Definitely one of my biggest pet peeves at Disney. We do a lot of quick service meals and trying to fight for a table during a busy day is a nightmare! My husband has mobility issues, which makes it even more difficult (although I will say there have been a handful of times where people see my husband struggling and offer us their table which is super sweet. Not that I would ever expect anyone to give up their spot for us)
But like was mentioned, I think Disney should put more protocols in place, like cast members assigning tables. Things would run so much smoother that way
Disney having inadequate seating is their problem. They can find some new elaborate system to keep hassling their dining patrons, or just build bigger seating areas! I’m not gonna order food till I have a place to sit.
In the real world, if you walk into a restaurant and there’s no seating, you turn around & walk out.
You might find it rude that people are saving a seating space for their family, but Disney is being much more rude by cramming people in lines & places like cattle. Anything more than a short wait is a waste of life! Corporations may think its cool to wait, but real people find it intolerable. Disney has lots of room & money…Build more seating! Everywhere! WDW is supposed to be enjoyable. Everyone deserves a seat! You All deserve better treatment from Disney!
Also, seating children keeps them from wandering off.
Was in epcot before night show. Got fish & chips in Englad, found some hidden tables, in the dark. No place to sit. Watch a couple at table that could hold 6, asked are you using these chairs. They said no. Said thank you and sat down. Haha. Really works. Do it all the time. No one has said anything. And if they do, I’ll don’t know what I’ll say. These same people you been standing in line for an hour hearing all conversations,smelling all body odors. And I have medical esophagus problem, so very slow eater so try live on snacks .
People tell me they’re saving seats. I tell them we’ll use them until they show up. I should buy a lottery ticket, because they never show up.
I feel like people not having respect for others and getting up when finished is more of the problem. We always struggle in summer, walking around with 2 small children and trays, while people are sitting at table with finished food, while face buried in their phones! I have more of a problem with this, than someone who sits down thats gonna be eating and getting their food in 10min!! If those lingering would get up it wouldn’t matter about the people sitting down 10 min early!!!
Sorry, but you have to grab a table, especially with young children, otherwise you are running around with your tray, spilling, and your food getting cold.
I see more table being taken up with 2 people at a 4-6 person table and instead of sharing they dump all their stuff on the empty part of the table. Then sit there nibbling on fries and a drink when there are people with little kids and handicap looking for a table. i have never seen anyone eat in 15 min at Disney. Those of you that can walk with out extra baggage IE kids – stroller – Handicap equipment look for the table in the center that seat just your party. Then eat and leave. That would free up table more than the few us that have to look for table while other pick up food. Come on Jimo 60 minutes in line where? I want to hear how you would feel standing in line to get you food while the family of 6 with 4 kids and a stroller are in line in front of you. Or how about trying to turn a ECV around in the line. No thank you, think of other, share your table. We do and we have met lot of new friend that way. Remember your not the only one trying to eat.
It shouldn’t have to be a Hunger Games meal, Disney clearly needs to add more seating to their quick service locations.
While I understand point of view presented when I go to Disney i e pect every moment to be magical. Hence after a long amount of trudging around the parks when I decide to eat i want to relax and enjoy my meal as well as rest up a bit. I do NOT want to feel rushed through the one point where I can relax and reenergize. Disney need to provide more seating spaces whereby Adults can have a moment of relaxation and actually enjoy their meals without feeling rushed out. Making eating a grab and go doesn’t add any magic to my experience.
The only time I split up and grab a table is if I’m feeling dizzy/winded (I have some medical issues), and I need to sit because I fall. Or if we are next in line to pickup our food. I’ll go grab condiments and clean a table. When I was a kid I remember my parents rushing out of the Pinocchio restaurant because there was a fist fight over a table.
More seating would help the problem. There is so little seating of any kind in the parks because they want to keep people on their feet and moving. When I am ready to sit, I am going to take a table and send my husband for food. I don’t want to stand in line with him when my feet hurt. I know it’s a pet peeve for people, but they need more seating especially at counter service locations.
Since it appears my opinion is not as unpopular as I thought. Let me give you some examples… Trying to push a wheelchair and carry food is a disaster waiting to happen, we tried (soda and food all over the floor) at Sattuli they sometimes have cast members not let you in if you don’t have a mobile order ready for pickup. As someone else mentioned I would find another restaurant if there are no seats available. Yes trying to maneuver a wheelchair or scooter through the maze of tables, not to mention fitting your foot pedals on your wheelchair under some tables is impossible so we need to be sure there is appropriate seating.
I get this in concept, but as someone with a chronic back and knee problems, by the time we get to a place with seating, I need to rest or my whole trip will be over by 2. And parents carrying children deserve the break as well (not to mention children wrangling while waiting in line can be a nightmare). So as much as the idea of this being an issue makes sense at first glance, maybe a general condemnation of something that allows many of us to manage more time at the parks is not the move.
Hey Holly G, how did I get to be the bad guy here? Whenever we have managed to get a table at one of these places, I always used to offer the open spots at our table to other people I saw looking for a spot. That almost never happened in reverse. And BTW, I used to bring my Mom, who was in a wheelchair (the manual kind, that I pushed) to the parks because she loved it, and yes, that made the situation of eating at one of the places a LOT harder. Part of the reason I gave up trying to go to these places. You seem to agree that there IS a problem with seating at these places, which is the point of this article — so why are you so defensive, and attacking me.
I disagree with the writer and don’t see this as a problem. I will not order a meal at a Quick Serve restaurant unless I know that I have a place to eat it. We routinely use Mobile Order and have our food within 5 minutes after sitting. Consequently, the point that we’re holding an unneeded table for 15-20 minutes is inaccurate in our case.
Additionally, if we see someone struggling in need of a table, we will invite them to join us. I’ve met some of the nicest people this way.
Disney has the room and the money!!!
It’s on them. Build larger spaces with air conditioning to eat and be able to enjoy it.
They can do better
I don’t know if this is just me being salty, but poor planning on someone else’s part is not my problem. My mom uses a scooter, so I usually scout and find a table while, if its busy, my sister is in line, get my mom situated at the table, then go help my sister. I understand it may be harder to coordinate with kids or a big group, but it really is not that hard. Also ? If it’s super busy, just be nice to people ! You see someone is getting ready to leave, ask if it’s okay if you take their table. 9 times out of 10 they’ll be like yeah sure, just give us a minute. I’ve taken peoples trays just to be nice after they agreed. I think the issue people have is not being able to communicate and treat others with respect and kindness. There is a “me me me and my vacation” mentality at Disney. But you have to be patient, you have to be kind, and you have to be smart / plan ahead. Like, I don’t know, if you’re expecting other people to prioritize your needs why are you upset when people prioritize their own ? I’m sorry it’s inconvenient and difficult and frustrating, but that HAPPENS at Disney. Get mad at Disney, not at other people who are trying to make the best of the system at work just like you. For real, THIS is why people call Disney Adults cringe ! The sense of entitlement ! Just be empathetic and patient and talk to people.
This is a Disney doing a bad job providing enough seating issued.
Omg grow up. Sorry I found a significant other and had kids. If we all sat in line the lines would be around the block and you disney adults would complain about that. If you all had your way kids wouldn’t be allowed.
Crowded parks, crowded rides, crowded stores. Why shouldn’t the eateries be crowded also? After all, this is Disney!
Sorry I couldn’t disagree more. Respectfully not enough available seating to meet demand is a DISNEY problem not a social in need of an adult side eye problem. Have more benches and more indoor seating. Having everyone standing around waiting for there food would be an awful experience and not what we pay 1000s for. It would be unacceptable in any other venue except for theme parks where it’s apparently ok to treat your customers like cattle. I am sorry I generally love your takes but this is simply wrong. We have payed for more respect than military barracks style stand sit eat then out. If you can’t accommodate seating you have to many people in the park!
I am a parent of two small children, you better believe I’m going to send the other adult with the kids and wait at a table while I grab the food ? Navigating the chaos of quick service restaurants with small, tired, hangry little people who don’t know how to navigate heavy traffic, whilst holding onto trays of food that can spill? No thanks. We eat, rest for a bit, then leave. When we leave, we’ve flagged down other people looking for tables to let them know one is about to open. Other times, we’ve let folks take “extra” chairs from our table if not in use, or shared space when it was available. Yes, Disney absolutely needs to have more seating available, and yes a better system can be put in place as well. But in the meantime, a little kindness and understanding goes a long way!