Disney Dining assistance services hit with Cease and Desist

[doconeill]

Looks like Pete was right about the lawyers being at the ready - from the Disney Dining Buddy site:

Dear Loyal Customers,

Disney has requested that we discontinue our services as currently provided, and we have honored that request. We understand this may be disappointing to those of you who have found through us a solution to the stresses of dining planning. We share your disappointment.

We appreciate the grateful and positive comments we have received from you. Please know that we have truly enjoyed serving you.

If you have an active request for services from us, you will be receiving an email within the next week that contains information and instructions concerning refunds.

Nothing from DIS Dining Agent or WDW Table Finder yet...

 

[Pally]

This place and WDW Table Finder are really not the problem. DiS Dining Agent is the one they need to get.

 

[mcd2745]

This place and WDW Table Finder are really not the problem. DiS Dining Agent is the one they need to get.

While the notification service those sites provide is a little more innocuous than DIS Dining Agent...they have to be using bots to constantly search the site for availability. That puts a lot of strain on Disney's servers/IT infrastructure (which we know isn't the greatest to begin with), causing lots of legitimate users to have trouble searching - regularly timing out and getting error messages.

 

[doconeill]

While the notification service those sites provide is a little more innocuous than DIS Dining Agent...they have to be using bots to constantly search the site for availability. That puts a lot of strain on Disney's servers/IT infrastructure (which we know isn't the greatest to begin with), causing lots of legitimate users to have trouble searching - regularly timing out and getting error messages.

That's pretty much what I said when these services started...I'm surprised they didn't just block them...

 

[mousehockey37]

While the notification service those sites provide is a little more innocuous than DIS Dining Agent...they have to be using bots to constantly search the site for availability. That puts a lot of strain on Disney's servers/IT infrastructure (which we know isn't the greatest to begin with), causing lots of legitimate users to have trouble searching - regularly timing out and getting error messages.

The operator of Table Finder also had a site for ride times where he gave Disney's posted time and then what the real wait time was. He said it was purely legit and legal, yet, he got hit and had to take down the "real" wait times and just leave the posted one by Disney.

 

[dkrauss]

I appreciate technology and the entrepreneur spirit.........but these apps were really making things difficult for folks.........not sad to see them go...........

Doug

 

[dkrauss]

The operator of Table Finder also had a site for ride times where he gave Disney's posted time and then what the real wait time was. He said it was purely legit and legal, yet, he got hit and had to take down the "real" wait times and just leave the posted one by Disney.

That's curious...........I know other apps from very legitimate places that do the very same thing? Hmmmmmmmm

Doug

 

[Pally]

While the notification service those sites provide is a little more innocuous than DIS Dining Agent...they have to be using bots to constantly search the site for availability. That puts a lot of strain on Disney's servers/IT infrastructure (which we know isn't the greatest to begin with), causing lots of legitimate users to have trouble searching - regularly timing out and getting error messages.

True to a point. They are looking for ADRs for people who are legitimate. Once notified you get on and book yourself.
Where Dis Dining Agent as far as I know is the only one who gobbles up ADRs falsely and holds them hostage for a price. They are hoping they have customers.

Also, Disney has computer problems across the board with the site not just dining reservations. Another thing they have let languish for years.

 

[mousehockey37]

That's curious...........I know other apps from very legitimate places that do the very same thing? Hmmmmmmmm

Doug

There's a pretty good trail that I've found with that person/site... It starts on a board, then goes to twitter then branches off to the dining site and a "booster" twitter account that came along with the dining site twitter... so it's not hard to track this all down.

 

[dkrauss]

True to a point. They are looking for ADRs for people who are legitimate. Once notified you get on and book yourself.

True.......but you pay for that.............and are you guaranteed to get the ADR? What happens if someone gets there before the customer? Seems to have holes in that process too.

Doug

 

[doconeill]

True.......but you pay for that.............and are you guaranteed to get the ADR? What happens if someone gets there before the customer? Seems to have holes in that process too.

Doug

They do explain the process. They simply notify you immediately if they see the availability. They cannot guarantee it and don't. You are paying for the notification service, not the reservation.

Doesn't really matter any longer anyways.

 

[G.Goof]

Possible solution: Disney could add a 'Stand-By ADR' option to their website. Much like FP+ 'holds' your place in line for attractions, ADR+ could 'hold' your place in line for a dining reservation. If an opening occurs, Disney simply fills it with the next ADR+ that requested it.

 

[mousehockey37]

Possible solution: Disney could add a 'Stand-By ADR' option to their website. Much like FP+ 'holds' your place in line for attractions, ADR+ could 'hold' your place in line for a dining reservation. If an opening occurs, Disney simply fills it with the next ADR+ that requested it.

Then how is the CC charge done to hold it? If they were to submit the charge should it come to "your turn", technically that can be CC fraud because they could hit you at any time and you'd know AFTER they did it and got your confirmation email.

 

[G.Goof]

Then how is the CC charge done to hold it? If they were to submit the charge should it come to "your turn", technically that can be CC fraud because they could hit you at any time and you'd know AFTER they did it and got your confirmation email.

When I place an order with Amazon for something that is out of stock, they don't charge me until they ship it. How would this be any different?

 

[mousehockey37]

When I place an order with Amazon for something that is out of stock, they don't charge me until they ship it. How would this be any different?

Well, for one, Amazon you're getting the product you want when it comes back in stock. With this, from your example, it would throw you into the next available reservation. You don't have the time to analyze what time slot you're being given, it just locks you into whatever is next... Again, going off your example.

 

[G.Goof]

Well, for one, Amazon you're getting the product you want when it comes back in stock. With this, from your example, it would throw you into the next available reservation. You don't have the time to analyze what time slot you're being given, it just locks you into whatever is next... Again, going off your example.

I wasn't suggesting that I just get thrown into any available time slot. I would 'get in line' for the time slot I was hoping for. Just like I currently do with FP+.

 

[mousehockey37]

I wasn't suggesting that I just get thrown into any available time slot. I would 'get in line' for the time slot I was hoping for. Just like I currently do with FP+.

It's an idea, but not one that would work well I'm afraid. Otherwise, you'd have to put limits in place as to how many ADR's you can "wait" for.

 

[G.Goof]

It's an idea, but not one that would work well I'm afraid. Otherwise, you'd have to put limits in place as to how many ADR's you can "wait" for.

Like I originally said, just a possible solution. Or as you put it, an idea or a starting point. Feel free to add to it and make it a truly workable solution.

 

[Princess Jes]

The operator of Table Finder also had a site for ride times where he gave Disney's posted time and then what the real wait time was. He said it was purely legit and legal, yet, he got hit and had to take down the "real" wait times and just leave the posted one by Disney.

So how does Touring Plans get around that issue? or have they changed in the last few months?

That's curious...........I know other apps from very legitimate places that do the very same thing? Hmmmmmmmm

Doug

Touring Plans?

What I want to know regarding the DiS dingin agent site is that they have their notification system which is much like the rest, but they also have the "Guaranteed ADR" which is the one where they create a MDE and book the ADR then sell it to you and pass over the MDE.
When booking, you need a CC on the account... so are people willingly giving them the CC details to add to a MDE account prior to receiving any service?
Silly if you ask me.

 

[mousehockey37]

So how does Touring Plans get around that issue? or have they changed in the last few months?

I have no experience with Touring Plans and their ride times. I just know of what I saw from the creator of the other program and what he went through as he got blasted on that board (being asked where he was pulling his info, how he was monitoring times).

So Touring Plans will give you the Disney posted wait time then the actual wait time or is it their estimate based on the Disney posted time? Like I said, apparently this guy had tapped into some Disney code that gave him everything and they caught him and he was made to take out the "real" part but keep everything else as is.

ETA: This guy had nothing to do with Disney. He doesn't work for them, not affiliated at all, so that didn't help his cause when dealing with some Disney insiders on the other board. Going onto touring plans and looking at it quick, it looks like they have some sort of algorithm in place as well as feedback from others in line to give you an "actual" wait. As I said earlier, this guy had no one in line and was using all of Disney's tools against them... so Touring plans has something that sounds like it comes close, but isn't actually pulling Disney data other than the posted wait times.