
Disneyland and Walt Disney World are known for their top-tier dining experiences, from high-end spots like Napa Rose and Victoria & Albert’s to immersive themed locations such as Be Our Guest. But as competition for reservations grows, guests have reported a frustrating phenomenon: fellow visitors snatching their dining spots.
Securing a reservation at Disney’s most coveted restaurants requires planning. At Disney World, guests can book 60 days in advance, while Disneyland’s popular locations like Blue Bayou and Carthay Circle fill up quickly. Despite careful planning, some guests arrive at their reservation only to find it already taken.
Disney’s Dining Scam
A Reddit user recently shared their troubling experience at Disneyland’s Café Orleans. After arriving early and waiting for 30-40 minutes, they checked in with the hostess, only to learn their table had already been claimed.
“I was right next to the hostess check-in spot, and I didn’t hear my name called,” they explained. The hostess confirmed that a different party had taken their reservation, despite having a different name. Fortunately, the issue was resolved, and the guest was seated immediately.
This isn’t an isolated incident. Another guest recalled a mix-up at Disneyland’s Blue Bayou, where a reservation with the same name was mistakenly seated instead. After waiting 20 minutes, the guest inquired about their table and was met with a rude response from a manager. “They couldn’t find our ‘ticket’ in the queue,” they wrote. Eventually, the issue was corrected, but the guest noted that the manager never apologized.
Similar stories have emerged from Walt Disney World as well (including to us). One guest shared that someone attempted to steal their reservation by stepping forward when their name was called, but the guest quickly responded, preventing the situation. Others weren’t so lucky and had to wait while the mix-up was sorted out.
In our personal experience at Crystal Palace – Magic Kingdom Park’s Winnie the Pooh-inspired character dining – the issue was resolved quickly, but not without a lot of confusion on both ends.
While Disney cast members often work to resolve these incidents, a fully booked restaurant might leave a guest without a table. The growing number of reports suggests that some parkgoers are deliberately taking advantage of the system.
Have you ever had your Disney dining reservation stolen?