New ADR sytem rolling out: 90-day ADR's for a while starting late summer.

[nikjd68]

http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=1876776

I posted originally on the Dining Board but thought this was a newsworthy item.

[calypso*a*go-go]

I think it's great that ADRs will go back to 90 days for awhile. :thumbsup2

[WaltD4Me]

I agree, I like 90 days out better...but I wonder what the thinking is? I thought 180 days out was silly to begin with, but now they are going back to 90 and then supposedly back to 180 in Fall of 2009? Sort of weird. Why go back? I wonder if this is "officially" announced by Disney.

[Aliceacc]

Wow, I can only imagine the phones at 7 am at the 90 day mark!!!

[nikjd68]

The change, apparently, is to implement a new software system. the 90-days is probably to roll it out incrementally.

John did IT for Disney (although I think he has mentioned that Disney now outsources IT). Maybe he has some insight on what is going on.

[Minnie Lor]

I'd be interested to know what's up as well. I've always thought 90 days was more reasonable. Too hard to plan your days 6 months in advance.

[Renysmom]

Too bad they won't stay at 90 days. It would be so much easier for everyone if they would.

Wonder if the new software will indicate if you have ADR's at more than one place at the same time. Wouldn't that screw up lots of plans :lmao: :lmao: for those who book all over the place.

[andrewilley]

I'm wondering if they're putting in a system which will be able to integrate online bookings too - maybe not immediately, but to have the option for later. If I was putting in a new system now, I'd certainly be allowing for that facility.

I agree that sticking to the 90 days would be a lot better than going back to 180, six months to far too long for people to be forced to plan meal times.

Andre

[calypso*a*go-go]

They said something to me about having a system that will allow them to look at an entire week vs day-by-day. I think it will also allow them to just enter the guest's info just once instead of having to enter it for each ADR. I don't think any of it involved guests being able to do their own bookings online.

[drakethib]

I don't understand why people think this is a big deal.

Too me if doesn't matter if the make it at 30 days or 300 days, the phones will be ringing at whatever time period they make it.

Maybe I am looking at this wrong.

[nikjd68]

I don't understand why people think this is a big deal.

Too me if doesn't matter if the make it at 30 days or 300 days, the phones will be ringing at whatever time period they make it.

Maybe I am looking at this wrong.

Well, to put it in your terms above, at 300 days, you wouldn't know the park schedules so you wouldn't know things like extra magic hours or when things like parades, fireworks, fantasmic, etc. are scheduled to occur. So you will be making your ADR's blind.

At 30 days, you probably know which park(s) you will visit which day and can plan your ADR's accordingly. However, if the ADR window is set at 300 days and you call 30 days before your trip...

[Jubilee]

I have mixed emotions about it. On one hand, 90 days seems ample time....on the other, I'm so used to 180 that it would seem like not enough time!

[Mozart]

I'm wondering if they're putting in a system which will be able to integrate online bookings too - maybe not immediately, but to have the option for later. If I was putting in a new system now, I'd certainly be allowing for that facility.
Andre

DING! DING! DING! We HAVE A WINNER!

That's exactly what they're doing.

[WaltD4Me]

DING! DING! DING! We HAVE A WINNER!

That's exactly what they're doing.

Ummmmmmm, reservations barely works now on Disney's site and they are going to add doing ADR's to it? :scared:

[DisneyKevin]

Please keep in that this is currently must be considered a rumor.

After numerous calls Disney has not confirmed this information.

This doesnt mean it's not true. It means it's currently unconfirmed.

[calypso*a*go-go]

They didn't say one work to me about online ADRs -- just that the new system would make it easier for CMs to make the reservations without putting the same info in over and over again.

[ADP]

Could you imagine an online ADR system. I wonder if a server could handle it. The number of hits to the web server...YIKES! The middleware, the back-end database...OUCH! I'm sure it could be done, but is Disney really ready for that type of financial commitment? I'd be surprised.

[calypso*a*go-go]

That's exactly what I'm thinking...you would have people changing their ADRs on a daily basis -- some would do it several times a day. That poor system would be toast in no time!

[WaltD4Me]

That's exactly what I'm thinking...you would have people changing their ADRs on a daily basis -- some would do it several times a day. That poor system would be toast in no time!

::yes::

[Mozart]

Could you imagine an online ADR system. I wonder if a server could handle it. The number of hits to the web server...YIKES! The middleware, the back-end database...OUCH! I'm sure it could be done, but is Disney really ready for that type of financial commitment? I'd be surprised.

I'll have to say that I did error in being quite so certain about it. I feel comfortable with where I heard it from, but we've all been wrong before. (DCL in Alaska, anyone :))

The story I got at the time was that IT does not feel as though it's going to work for the exact reasons mentioned in the quote above. They don't think they have a server that can handle it. Execs are pushing for it, though.

Take it for what it's worth. This information came from an IT CM who had a few too many drinks and started talking about stuff one night. They were not working directly on the project, but had many conversations with people who were.

Edited to add: My conversation with this particular CM took place back in September.

[TheTXTaylors5]

we've all been wrong before. (DCL in Alaska, anyone :))
:goodvibes Personally, I'm still hopeful one of the new ships will go to Alaska when not in Mexico/with special cruises to Hawaii (Of course all rumors. But, wishful thinking.;)).

Too hard to plan your days 6 months in advance.


:rolleyes: Not me. I'm the "overplanner" in our family. I have our ADRs and park itinerary into a spreadsheet at least nine months before our trip. Example: As soon as DH got off the phone in January with Member Services regarding our DVC Member cruise for September, :surfweb: I was on the computer figuring out our plans for WDW before and after the cruise. Planning is half the fun to me.:rolleyes1

:wizard: However, I am not too worried about calling 90 days prior to make our ADRs for future trips. It will be the same people calling at 90 days that were calling at 180 days. ;) I read on another website this is only for a short time while the computers were changed over and then it would go back to 180 days.

One things to note, you can still call at 180 days for Chef Mickey's, Cinderella's Royal Table, and Victoria and Albert's.

"Happy Planning" :goodvibes

- Jennifer

[DisneyKevin]

DCL going to Alaska was always listed as a rumor and not fact.

[andrewilley]

I know how hard Disney in general is pushing for interactivity and online connectivty for its services, but a major issue is that there are a whole load of backend systems which have to be made to talk to each other first - never mind talking to guests via the web.

The WDW online reservations system is a case in point. I think there are at least six different systems interacting with each other for making bookings, and making them compatible was (and still is!) a major task. For example, for international guests who don't have phone numbers which fit into the standardised US pattern, at least one of the systems couldn't cope with their login details as it only stored numbers in a restricted 3-3-4 pattern, although the others would accept the full number.

I guess the only way to even hope to get on online ADR system working properly would be to start pretty much from the ground up, which may well be what they're trying? And capacity planning would be a major headache too, as I'd be willing to bet the system would be swapmed almost as soon as it went live. I suspect that only time (and quite a lot of it) will tell.

Andre

[disneyholic family]

Please keep in that this is currently must be considered a rumor.

After numerous calls Disney has not confirmed this information.

This doesnt mean it's not true. It means it's currently unconfirmed.

what's a rumor?
that they're going to 90 days or moving ADRs online?

90's days would be great....

i called at about 75 days out for my daughter's ADRs (for september)...
they were already very heavily booked...
the CM said that she had made lots of ADRs for people who had called in at 180 days not even knowing whether there would be free dining, not knowing really where they wanted to eat....just making a million reservations to have them...
she told me to keep calling back since for sure ADRs would free up..
and indeed they have...and Disney has added new availability (like adding lunch where they don't usually offer lunch, etc).

anyway....all those insane 180 people probably increased their workload (all those reservations followed by cancellations, followed by more reservations)....

[MJ6987]

If this is true they'll need to confirm it pretty soon. The rumour is that it will apply from 1 August so if they haven't confirmed it and implemented it by then, a load of people will be calling on 1st August expecting to be able to make 180 days reservations for 1st Feb 09!

[MJ6987]

If this is true they'll need to confirm it pretty soon. The rumour is that it will apply from 1 August so if they haven't confirmed it and implemented it by then, a load of people will be calling on 1st August expecting to be able to make 180 days reservations for 1st Feb 09!

Sorry, I just checked and the date is actually meant to be 16th July not 1st August, so that is even less time for this to be confirmed and communicated.

[Minnie Lor]

:rolleyes: Not me. I'm the "overplanner" in our family. I have our ADRs and park itinerary into a spreadsheet at least nine months before our trip. Example: As soon as DH got off the phone in January with Member Services regarding our DVC Member cruise for September, :surfweb: I was on the computer figuring out our plans for WDW before and after the cruise. Planning is half the fun to me.:rolleyes1

- Jennifer

I agree with you that planning is half the fun. But it's hard to plan several trips in the span of one year. I know. Get out the violins, here. I was making ADR's for trip #2 before I left on trip #1 and ADR's for trip #3 before leaving on trip #2. Made me :faint:

[TheTXTaylors5]

anyway....all those insane 180 people probably increased their workload (all those reservations followed by cancellations, followed by more reservations)....

:thumbsup2 One of those " insane 180 people" checking in. ;)

:rolleyes1 I'll admit, it is fun calling at the 180 (+ 10) mark and rolling the dice to see if we can get all the ADRs we have on our list. We don't doublebook. Personally, I find that annoying. Disney DOES cross-reference ADRs. If you have two ADRs for the same time at two different restaurants, they may cancel one of them. So for those that doublebook, be careful. :goodvibes

- Jennifer

[kimberh]

90 days suits me just fine! I always thought 180 days was crazy. How many people (besides me) really plan 180 days in advance? 180 days made all the good reservations booked before the 90 day people had a chance to book. I remember when you could book that day!:goodvibes

[LastLookAtTheCastle]

Overall, I think it's a great idea.

BUT I've been staring at July 28 on my calendar for FIVE MONTHS already for my January 24 arrival date. If it starts BEFORE August 1, I'm going to have a coronary and go nuts on my spreadsheet.

:eek: :worried: :crazy2: :scared:

[lugnut33]

Personally, with how expensive the restaurants are now and how crazy people go over making reservations 180 days out, we only scheduled 3 dinners inside the parks/hotels during our 7 day stay. Otherwise we are doing quick service and eating outside the World, eventhough we are staying in the World.