Any DVCers annoyed by the "non-90 day" PS booking

[Johnnie Fedora]

We have been calling and calling and calling and calling Disney Dining to make a priority seating for our upcoming trip. We are unable to book our desired time as this MGM restaurant is not open past 6:00pm. The park hours have posted for a while now. The evening we want to go, there is a late Fantasmic show, so somehow I doubt Prime Time will be closing at 6:00pm. We have tried booking through MS with no success. MS even realizes the "no seating after 6" is bogus.

Everytime my wife calls, Disney Dining asks if we are part of a package. I told her next time to say YES we are part of the "38 MAGICAL YEARS PLAN"...called DVC. Looks like the best dinner time slots are being saved for Disney's most special guests....the ones who book a package through the Disney Travel Company.

Oh well, looks like Disney will lose out on this trip, but hey they need to cater to their best customers. After all, I'm just a DVCer they know I'll be back and I'll be just as willing to throw my money in Disney's direction on my next trip(s)...NOT.

[DiznEeyore]

Originally posted by Johnnie Fedora
Everytime my wife calls, Disney Dining asks if we are part of a package. I told her next time to say YES we are part of the "38 MAGICAL YEARS PLAN"...called DVC. Looks like the best dinner time slots are being saved for Disney's most special guests....the ones who book a package through the Disney Travel Company.

I'm confused ... we can't book dining at the same window package-purchasers can? If so, when did that happen?? I think I missed something ....:confused:

[Chuck S]

There is a certain window where some seating times are open for the "Grand Gatherings" and concierge guests to reserve first. Grand Gathering involve LARGE groups, so it would be difficult to book them when the regular booking window opens. DVCers CAN take advantage of this if they have a large group. Otherwise, they are treating us the same as all other WDW resort guests, so what is the problem?

[jctwizzer]

To answer your question--

No. its a non event for us:smooth:

[Patty3]

How many have to be in your party to be able to take advantage of the Grand Gathering, there will be eight of us in August, 2005 is that a sufficient number? Is there an extra cost for this? Thanks.

[BCV23]

I don't think concierge guests can book any earlier. We sometimes combine a DVC stay with a concierge stay and don't believe there is any difference. Don't know about Magical Gatherings. Patty3, I think 8 is the minimum for MG so you have it. There is an extra cost for some of the events but I don't believe that there is for the planning aspects of it.

Johnny, for MK and MGM evening PSs, it seems for about a year now that later PS times aren't released until the park hours are set in stone. I'd try again starting about 3 weeks out.

[Patty3]

Great, thanks for the quick response, BCV23. Can I still go through MS for whatever it is you get with this? I am sorry for being so uninformed.

[Mickmse2002]

We're experiencing the same problem at Mamma Melroses for the Fantasmic dinner package. The latest we can get, as of now, is a 4:30 seating.

[MinnieFan4ever]

Originally posted by BCV23


Johnny, for MK and MGM evening PSs, it seems for about a year now that later PS times aren't released until the park hours are set in stone. I'd try again starting about 3 weeks out.



We have found the same thing. For some reason, it is always with MGM. I found that if you call back w/in 30 days, you can get the later PS.

[BCV23]

Patty3, WDW is really promoting this program. If you go to the front page of wdw.com, there is a link under Discover Your Group.

Someone did post a while back about having difficulties linking their ressies...it may have been DVC and non-DVC that was the problem? You might try a search on this forum or maybe someone will remember.

[Johnnie Fedora]

Originally posted by Chuck S
Otherwise, they are treating us the same as all other WDW resort guests, so what is the problem?

IMO, DVCers have purchased the ultimate Disney package and it would be nice not to be shut out in this manner. You are correct this policy doesn't necessarily treat DVCers any different than other non-package guests. However, it's not that Disney just set aside a bulk of seating times for the packages, they set aside ALL the after 6 pm seating times. We're less than 30 days out, and Disney dining has no idea if/when after 6 pm will open. DVCers and other guests can book their dinner seatings at 3:00pm. Is it going to ruin my trip?..hardly. Just seeing if anyone else is having a similar experience.

[Mickmse2002]

******UPDATE******

I just got off the phone with WDW Dining and was now able to get a later seating at mama Melrose's for the Fantasmic dinner package. We were able to now get a 7:00 PM. I was also able to get a later breakfast seating at the Crystal Palace which wasn't open before. Sounds like it is opening up.

[BCV23]

Johnnie, are you sure that if you were on a package you could book any earlier? I really don't think so.

They've asked for years "are you on any package that includes dining." We often used to do such packages and could never book any earlier than others. I think it is just for the restaurants info. Perhaps they spread the "package" patrons amongst the servers as the bills are probably usually higher.

[BCV23]

Oh, and BTW almost all restaurants are 90 days now....just a few exceptions.

Congratulations, micksmouse. How far out were you able to book?

[Chuck S]

I agree, I don;t think we're being treated any differently than any "package" guests, only those guests that may be part of large groups that are difficult to book...for instance, Tony's at MK serves breakfast ONLY for those groups that reserve through Grand Gatherings, but regular dining package people can not book it either. I doubt if you would have simply had a dining package you could have booked either.

And, as you can see, it doesn't bother most people, as long as we're treated the same as other resort guests. It was made very clear to us what we were buying when we took the sales tour...pre-paid vacation accomodations, not "special" access to perks over any other resort guest.

[PhilUK]

Eat at Hollywood & Vine instead !!
You still get seats for Fantasmic and you save the price of Breakfast & probably Lunch the next day!! :)

Phil, Julia & Kyle

[Johnnie Fedora]

Originally posted by BCV23
Johnnie, are you sure that if you were on a package you could book any earlier? I really don't think so.

They've asked for years "are you on any package that includes dining." We often used to do such packages and could never book any earlier than others. I think it is just for the restaurants info. Perhaps they spread the "package" patrons amongst the servers as the bills are probably usually higher.

I don't know if they (packages) can book, but everytime we called we were asked if we were part of a package implying that the timeframe was not open to us yet. If they are going to hold back accepting PS's like that then there really is no 90 (not 120) day advanced booking for resort guests. CMs at MS thought it was strange too, and they are more familiar with the dining reservations system than I am.

[Chuck S]

As pointed out by some previous posters, the window is 90 days not 120.

[goofy4wdw59]

I see DH posted this and wanted to update too!
I called WDW Dining today and was able to get a later priority seating...hooray! I called a day or two ago and it was still "6:00pm".
Yes, some restaurants must not open up later hours until around the 30-day window--I will make note of this for future ressies.
I started calling for this one at 90 days prior, and, the last seating was 6:00pm. When I called back to check if the restaurant hours had changed, I was asked if I was part of a WDW package. Maybe this was just for the restaurants info.
I don't think we /DVCers are treated any different than other WDW guests. I'm sure there's good Disney reasoning for setting up priority seatings this way.
It is slightly annoying that early planners that call for dining ressies aren't able to reserve later seatings. But, a good planner is persistent, and that pays off!:D

[Johnnie Fedora]

Originally posted by Chuck S
As pointed out by some previous posters, the window is 90 days not 120.

I edited my mistake, It only seems like we've been calling for the past 120 days.:p ;)

[crisi]

Hang on the restaurant board. This is a problem for ALL guests and has nothing to do with package dining. It has everything to do with the PS window opening at 90 days and park hours and special events not being set until much later (and even then "subject to change"). They can't give you a 7:30 PS if they close the park at 6:00. For Fantasmic, they need to make sure you see the show, so if there is only going to be one show fairly early (not uncommon in the fall to have a single 7:00 show), the PS times for the package are all very early (like 4:30). A lot of people prefer to make their own non-package PS - or have their big meal at lunch and have a burger while waiting for the show to start.

Its most noticable at MGM where there are several popular restaurants and hours tend to fluctuate more. Its not noticable at Epcot, which always closes at 9:00, or at AK, where RFC will stay open past park hours. Its also noticable at the MK - particularly when there are some questions about things like E Nights and MVMCP or MNSSHP.

[bigbabyblues]

We're on a package this time, and our PS window is also 90-days.

[jennymouse]

Johnny keep trying. I wasn't able to get a late PS at Sci Fi for a long time and then about 2 or 3 weeks before we left I tried again and was able to get a late PS. Of course we never made it to that PS.....

[Disneyhappy]

We're booked on a package and concierge handled our PS. The latest they could get 50's Prime Time was 5:45 PM. I called back 27 days out and I virtually had my choice of times after 6 PM. I heard somewhere else that certain restaurant PS's don't open up past 6 PM until 30 days out. Curious as to why.

[beattyfamily]

I booked 4:30p Fantasmic package at 90 days for August 23 because there was nothing later. But I've been reading that when you get to around 30 days, magically later times open up so that is what I'm going to do; call every few days till the later times open up.

The beginning of August has already opened up later times. There is another thread on this right on the Restaurant Board.