NOT using Mobile Order

[Tbiafore]

I haven't been to Disneyworld since they have introduced Mobile Ordering. Several people in our party are very spontaneous on where to eat and what to eat. Can we skip using Mobile Order and just stand in line like the days prior to this feature?

If we do just wait in line, are there any different expectations? Like, are the lines/wait much longer than pre-mobile ordering days? Or is it pretty much the same as its always been?

 

[Moliphino]

At places with mobile ordering, the CMs outside are really trying to push everyone to mobile order, so be prepared for them to tell you you can't go in to order without a good reason (allergies, app not working, no smart phone, things like that).

There are still some places that do not have mobile ordering, mostly non-Disney run places like La Cantina in Epcot.

 

[BebopBaloo]

Being spontaneous will still work with mobile ordering. Most of the time you can still mobile order right as you are wanting to get the food to eat. On crazy busy days, you may have a longer wait because the earliest pickup window could be a little bit past when you are deciding to order.

 

[mindeola]

You can still be spontaneous. Just stand outside and order when you chose a place. I love mobile order and used it before COVID times. ITs so easy!

 

[need2travel]

We don't have smartphones (I know we're behind the times) so are we able to tell the CM & then stand on line like we did before mobile order?

 

[CarolynFH]

We don't have smartphones (I know we're behind the times) so are we able to tell the CM & then stand on line like we did before mobile order?

Yes, that’s exactly what you’ll need to do.

 

[need2travel]

Thank you!

 

[LiteBrite]

You can be spontaneous with mobile ordering unless you suddenly decide you want a popular counter service spot, you want it right now, and you can't get a time slot until two hours from now. In those cases you have to either book your slot earlier in the day (I don't mean eat lunch at Woody's Lunchbox at 10:30, I mean get a 12:00 slot at Woody's the minute you walk in the gate that morning), or else you have to be willing to settle for whatever place is available last minute.

After you've got your mobile order time slot, the only difference is that you choose your food from the menu on your phone instead of standing in a queue looking up at the menu board in person.

 

[Music City Mama]

Do you have to show them proof of your order on your phone to pick it up or only give them certain info? Would a screenshot work? Like if I ordered/paid for someone else in my party who I wasn't with at that time, could they show a screenshot as proof of their order/payment or how does that work?

 

[ENJDisneyFan]

Do you have to show them proof of your order on your phone to pick it up or only give them certain info? Would a screenshot work? Like if I ordered/paid for someone else in my party who I wasn't with at that time, could they show a screenshot as proof of their order/payment or how does that work?

Yes a screenshot would work. There will be CMs stationed outside the restaurants and only those with an order that is ready will be allowed in. I usually just flashed them my phone with the "Order Ready" screen up. Once inside you will show the CM at the counter your order #/name and they give you your trays.

 

[gharter]

t places with mobile ordering, the CMs outside are really trying to push everyone to mobile order, so be prepared for them to tell you you can't go in to order without a good reason (allergies, app not working, no smart phone, things like that).

We had no issue using Mobile Ordering, but I would agree with this.
CMs really pushed people to use mobile ordering.
We loved it!

 

[Lilsia]

Mobile order is great. They limit the amount of orders they take in any given time so that everyone will have a seat and can be distanced. No more walking around a packed restaurant with your food getting cold looking for a seat. If you have smart phone and don't have allergies, just use the mobile order. But you will find that it is much more convenient to order a bit ahead of time to lock in your time slot during peak meal times. Your "spontaneity" can become a long wait if you try to order during a peak time. Expect to wait an hour or more during those times of the day if you wait until the last minute. There are really no more lines to order. They will only let you in to order if you have allergies or are having issues. They want to be able to keep the amount of people in the restaurants at a level that it can handle.

 

[Lilsia]

Do you have to show them proof of your order on your phone to pick it up or only give them certain info? Would a screenshot work? Like if I ordered/paid for someone else in my party who I wasn't with at that time, could they show a screenshot as proof of their order/payment or how does that work?

When you order and click "I'm here, prepare my order now", you will get a notification that your order is ready and to what pick up window to go to. The cast members at the entrance will not let you in until you show that that screen. I have had cast member go so far as to have me scroll down on the screen to make sure that my order was from that day and not a screenshot from another day. They are pretty strict about it. But if it is a legitimate order, you won't have any issues.

 

[HashberryOTG]

I have allergies, and while I can order in person, I usually don't. The wait is simply longer. I avoid it when I can, and use it where I'm unsure of the safety (for me) of the offerings. Love mobile order!

 

[luv2cheer92]

The only thing I don't like about mobile order is how popular it has/is going to become. Pre-Covid nobody used it, so I was always able to just walk up and grab my food. I can see a lot more people using it now even after it's not the main way to order food, so it may not be quite as fast or convenient as it used to be. It's already been taking longer and we've all seen the slots filling up at some of the more popular places. So I'll miss back before it was used so much.

 

[Meglen]

Saddly mobile order is the majority of how you order now. Disney is really depending on folks having smart phones. Which with them ranging from free-1k+ I don't really see the pulling this back much very soon.

 

[ENJDisneyFan]

Saddly mobile order is the majority of how you order now. Disney is really depending on folks having smart phones. Which with them ranging from free-1k+ I don't really see the pulling this back much very soon.

They were relying on that long before mobile order, so no it's not changing. ADRs, Fast Pass, wait times, bus schedules, etc. were all accessed by smart phone. Now they have introduced Magic Mobile which relies even more on smart phones. It's the nature of the time we're living in, kinda like WiFi it's not going to be convenient to live without a smart phone.

 

[Lilsia]

The only thing I don't like about mobile order is how popular it has/is going to become. Pre-Covid nobody used it, so I was always able to just walk up and grab my food. I can see a lot more people using it now even after it's not the main way to order food, so it may not be quite as fast or convenient as it used to be. It's already been taking longer and we've all seen the slots filling up at some of the more popular places. So I'll miss back before it was used so much.

I think a big part of the long wait times is that they are still limiting the amount of people in a restaurant because of distancing. Once that is done and they are allowing unlimited people, I don't think it will be as bad. I have just come back from my 3rd trip in the last 5 months and have grown to love mobile ordering. As primarily a solo traveler, I love knowing that I will always have a seat.

 

[luv2cheer92]

I think a big part of the long wait times is that they are still limiting the amount of people in a restaurant because of distancing. Once that is done and they are allowing unlimited people, I don't think it will be as bad. I have just come back from my 3rd trip in the last 5 months and have grown to love mobile ordering. As primarily a solo traveler, I love knowing that I will always have a seat.

Oh I agree. It was just really nice when pretty much nobody else was using mobile order and you could place your order walk up and have your food immediately. It was almost as if maybe people didn't know about it pre-Covid maybe? Idk, but I've loved it for a few years now.

 

[CaptainAmerica]

I haven't been to Disneyworld since they have introduced Mobile Ordering. Several people in our party are very spontaneous on where to eat and what to eat. Can we skip using Mobile Order and just stand in line like the days prior to this feature?

If we do just wait in line, are there any different expectations? Like, are the lines/wait much longer than pre-mobile ordering days? Or is it pretty much the same as its always been?

Mobile ordering is awesome and fast, and wanting to be spontaneous doesn't really have anything to do with it.

The only two restaurants where we found mobile ordering to have a wait longer than "right now" were Woody's Lunch Box and Satuli Canteen.

Oh I agree. It was just really nice when pretty much nobody else was using mobile order and you could place your order walk up and have your food immediately. It was almost as if maybe people didn't know about it pre-Covid maybe? Idk, but I've loved it for a few years now.

I found that to still be the case at the vast majority of restaurants.