Along with the addition of outdoor, overflow seating, Disney is attempting to create more opportunities for guests to find seating during busy dining times at Connections Eatery. The new quick-service restaurant at EPCOT is providing to be immensely popular with guests as not only a dining space but also as a lounging space. The problem is that it is so popular as a lounging space that guests with food in hand are having difficulty finding a spot to eat. Guests are either lounging or securing a table in advance of receiving their food, creating a lack of seating for guests who already have food.
To combat this, Disney Cast Members have been restricting access to one section of Connections Eatery to only allow guests with food in hand to enter. Other sections of the restaurant remain open, including the outdoor seating, but the layout of the section closest to the eastern windows provides the best ability to control access.
Here’s a look at the section in question before Connections Eatery opens for the day.
Once Connections Eatery begins serving guests, Cast Members are positioned at three entry points to the dining area and only allow guests with food in hand.
This is making it easier for guests who have food to find seating and enjoy their meal. In the past few days, we’ve observed little to no wait for guests with food to find a table.
That said, there are still massive lines during peak dining hours at Connections Eatery. Our advice is to place a mobile order an hour or more ahead of when you plan on eating to secure a dining window for your party. This will ensure that you receive your food in a timely manner and avoid the long standby line for placing an order at a register.
As always, keep checking back with us here at BlogMickey.com as we continue to bring you the latest news, photos, and info from around the Disney Parks!
We were at connections today at 3pm and the seating area that cast members have started restricting access to was amazing. It was the easiest time I’ve ever had trying to find a table at connections (during lunch time).