SciFi dine in????

Chenthorne

Earning My Ears
Joined
Aug 7, 2020
Haven't seen any reservations available for SciFi for September. Is the restaurant open right now??
 
Haven't seen any reservations available for SciFi for September. Is the restaurant open right now??
How many people are in your party? Since reopening, Disney has been severely limiting reservations for parties of 1 or 2 at Sci Fi, probably because they can't put separate pairs in the same car anymore due to distancing, which means less revenue for them if they book parties of 1 or 2. If you've got that small a party, try booking for 3 or 4 and see if you can get a reservation that way.
 
How many people are in your party? Since reopening, Disney has been severely limiting reservations for parties of 1 or 2 at Sci Fi, probably because they can't put separate pairs in the same car anymore due to distancing, which means less revenue for them if they book parties of 1 or 2. If you've got that small a party, try booking for 3 or 4 and see if you can get a reservation that way.
I have been trying to book for 2. I just tried your suggestion of 3 or 4 and still not seeing anything. All the other table service restaurants are easy to get a reservation for. Because of everything else being available it made me wonder if it was open.
 
I have been trying to book for 2. I just tried your suggestion of 3 or 4 and still not seeing anything. All the other table service restaurants are easy to get a reservation for. Because of everything else being available it made me wonder if it was open.
It has been open, yes. If you're past the 60 day mark, I'm not surprised that it's booked as it's the most popular restaurant in Hollywood Studios, and Hollywood Studios is a very popular park right now.

Get Touring Plans to do a Reservation Finder request on your behalf. A free, basic account with Touring Plans is all it takes to do that. It works. They'll search for 2 reservations for you at any one time. I suggest requesting Sci Fi for 2 people as one request, and for 4 people as another request. They'll text you if they find something has become available. Then you follow the link in the message to reserve it. (It helps to have the My Disney Experience log-in info saved on your phone, as the link will take you directly through MDE to your desired dining reservation.)

We've gotten a lot of hard-to-get dining reservations via Touring Plans. Just make a habit of keeping your phone on & turned up so you'll promptly get the message when it comes.
 
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Sci Fi is so, so popular. It was the hardest reservation to get for my (cancelled) March and June trips. I could get almost anything else-BOG, CRT- but there were no times for Sci Fi. I can’t imagine how much harder it is with social distancing and all the regulations. I think it’s just full.
 
Sci-Fi is packed right now. This is the first time the reservation finder has failed me. I’m thinking the smaller covid capacity of the restaurant has it completely full.
 
It has been open, yes. If you're past the 60 day mark, I'm not surprised that it's booked as it's the most popular restaurant in Hollywood Studios, and Hollywood Studios is a very popular park right now.

Get Touring Plans to do a Reservation Finder request on your behalf. A free, basic account with Touring Plans is all it takes to do that. It works. They'll search for 2 reservations for you at any one time. I suggest requesting Sci Fi for 2 people as one request, and for 4 people as another request. They'll text you if they find something has become available. Then you follow the link in the message to reserve it. (It helps to have the My Disney Experience log-in info saved on your phone, as the link will take you directly through MDE to your desired dining reservation.)

We've gotten a lot of hard-to-get dining reservations via Touring Plans. Just make a habit of keeping your phone on & turned up so you'll promptly get yhe message when it comes.
I'm within 30 days so I'm not surprised that it's not available, just never know with Covid changes being fluid. My wife and I were at Animal Kingdom on July 11th. We didn't think we be going back so soon. We just miss Hollywood studios that much and haven't had the chance to ride Runaway Railway yet.

I completely forgot about using the reservation finder from touring plans. Thank you for the suggestion!
 


I'm within 30 days so I'm not surprised that it's not available, just never know with Covid changes being fluid. My wife and I were at Animal Kingdom on July 11th. We didn't think we be going back so soon. We just miss Hollywood studios that much and haven't had the chance to ride Runaway Railway yet.

I completely forgot about using the reservation finder from touring plans. Thank you for the suggestion!
I would keep checking as I was starting to wonder if the restaurant was even open - checked it 20 minutes ago and found one time slot for the day we're there so I snagged it quick. Someone must have just canceled.
 
We got a last minute reservation at Sci Fi the other day by booking a party of six. There were only two of us, but it doesn't seem like they are booking for less than four. Food was great! It seemed like the restaurant was 1/4 full. They are really limiting their capacity. Very well spaced out.
 
We got a last minute reservation at Sci Fi the other day by booking a party of six. There were only two of us, but it doesn't seem like they are booking for less than four. Food was great! It seemed like the restaurant was 1/4 full. They are really limiting their capacity. Very well spaced out.
I was just able to make a reservation by saying we were a group of 5. I get they want bang for their buck but come on. Two people coming into a restaurant is better than zero.
 
I was just able to make a reservation by saying we were a group of 5. I get they want bang for their buck but come on. Two people coming into a restaurant is better than zero.
I agree and felt not great about getting a reservation that way. If they made it clear that their policy was only serving groups of four or more, I could live with that. But to leave small groups struggling to get unachievable ADRs is unfair. Like any good disboarder, I used the work around! At check in, I made it clear there were only two of us. We did leave a good tip, but not enough to make up for a party of six.
 
I agree and felt not great about getting a reservation that way. If they made it clear that their policy was only serving groups of four or more, I could live with that. But to leave small groups struggling to get unachievable ADRs is unfair. Like any good disboarder, I used the work around! At check in, I made it clear there were only two of us. We did leave a good tip, but not enough to make up for a party of six.
Agree 100%. I will do my best to help the wait staff on tipping but it wont be close to a tip for a party of 5.
 
I am wondering if I do get a reservation for like four but we only have 2 people do we change the reservation to two at some point? If so when? Or do we just show up with just 2. If we do change it to two does that mean they may end up cancelling it on us?
 
I am wondering if I do get a reservation for like four but we only have 2 people do we change the reservation to two at some point? If so when? Or do we just show up with just 2. If we do change it to two does that mean they may end up cancelling it on us?
I would just leave your reservation as is. Just tell them you only have 2 in your party at check in.
 
If they made it clear that their policy was only serving groups of four or more, I could live with that.
I couldn't. It's unfair for them to try to keep certain people out of their restaurants, just because they're not part of a large group.

This is one low point of Disney customer service (which otherwise has many high points): treating small parties poorly at some of their restaurants. It's not new and it's not an issue confined to Sci-Fi.

At Beaches & Cream a few years ago, we (party of 2) arrived early for our reservation, yet weren't seated until about 20 minutes late, despite multiple later arrivals being seated first, because they were waiting for a tiny table for 2 to open up, and refused to give any of the available booths to a party of 2.

That kind of thing has happened to us at a few other Disney restaurants, too. Not everywhere, but enough for it to be a real annoyance. I've paid big bucks to stay at deluxe resorts, we have annual passes, etc., and then when it comes time to dine at a restaurant, I'm a second class citizen because I'm in a party of 2.

That is neither fair nor good customer service.
 
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no as long as someone shows up there will be no charge

Exactly. Solo travelers have been having to make ADRs for 2 (at least for some restaurants they would never show up for 1 person - so I just automatically search for 2) for a while now. Because there are some systems (looking at you 'Ohana) that will not recognize 1, they would never get away with charging the $10 for a ghost - especially when unless it is a restaurant with a counter at which you can eat, you'd be at a 2-top anyway.
 

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