How does Disney expect people to make reservations when they are always down

[MagicKingdom05]

Hi,

Ok I have been a trooper and supportive of the new system and all, but it only seems to work, when no one wants to use it like between the hours of 10-11 pm and right before they open. At my place of work, the summer is the big time for people to take off especially around holidays and those times fill up fast. Without knowing when I am going, it makes it hard to take that time off. I don't want to put it in to find out later that Disney is filled up for that time.

I am about to say the heck with Disney all together. All you get from them is that the system is currently down please try back later, which is the same think they have been saying since Sunday. At some point people are going to say lets go elsewhere this year.

 

[2Disneybuggs]

I'm still waiting to get a quote too.

 

[my3kids]

Yep. Seems like a company as large as Disney could have invested enough time and planning into the new software.

 

[MagicKingdom05]

If they wanted to take the system down all last week to get it set up, I would have been supportive of that. This not knowing in the end is really going to hurt them, because like I said, people aren't going to wait to make there vacation plans. They will just go else where.

 

[my3kids]

I don't necessarily think they would go elsewhere, but I could definately see people forgetting the package and just booking a room and buying tickets someplace else. There still are park hoppers out there if anyone is really fed up with the package fiasco.

I feel sure they would like people to be on the package, this reducing the likelyhood a family would go off site for meals or activities, or anything else. This snafu isn't helping.

 

[Luv2trav]

I am sure someone's butt is on the line for this one.

I do agree they should have been more prepared or had a back up plan. I know a lot people make their vacation plans right after the holiday because works schedules, weather up north, lack of something to look forward too and let's not forget it's almost income tax time!!

 

[johnsonet]

It's sooo frustrating!! I've been calling and calling...right now the website says its booking engine is down for maintenance and when I call I'm just on interminable HOLD, unlike yesterday when CMs answered but said the computers were down...
I'm going nuts, hoping I can get the room type I want for the dates I want - preferably at the AP rate
Of course, no matter how long it takes I'll wait...not going anywhere else for Spring Break

 

[MagicKingdom05]

Luv2trav,

Good point about the income tax thing. I usually have them take to much out of my check each month, that way I will get a nice chunk back. It is basically my vacation savings account.

 

[my3kids]

The website actually came up with an available package for me yesterday, then it just disappeared...gone....poof! No more package for me.

 

[MagicKingdom05]

Liz,

I feel for you. Can you imagine all the people who are trying to make reservations for Feb and March that can't.

 

[disneybride96]

Yes...computers are perfect. I have never had a problem with the computers where I work. I am sure Disney must have done this on purpose just to drive all the high season and 9-5ers crazy. I am thankful that I am neither.

 

[MagicKingdom05]

disneybride96,

Very funny. We all know that computers aren't perfect and will go down once in awhile. However, this has been 2 days in a row now, plus the couple days that they took it offline to put the new information in it. I am just frustrated that something that should only take 1 hour at the maxto do, is now taking atleast 2 days to do an still counting.

 

[addicted_to_WDW]

Yes...computers are perfect. I have never had a problem with the computers where I work. I am sure Disney must have done this on purpose just to drive all the high season and 9-5ers crazy. I am thankful that I am neither.

It's clear that Disney's system is flawed. I've never had this problem with Expedia, Travelocity, Orbitz, or any of the other major reservations systems. What people will do is give up trying to reserve through Disney and reserve in pieces instead...Disney will lose money in the long run for their failure to prepare for this new offer.

Another thing that irritates me (slightly) is that it's one thing to go online and not be able to get a quote. It's another thing to call long distance (c'mon Disney, spring for a toll free line), sit on hold for a long time, and then be told that they can't do anything for you.

 

[my3kids]

Of course it wasn't intentional, but a company with Disney's resources could, and should have been prepared for the huge number of requests in the first few days. They chose to keep everything under wraps and go "BIG" on a certain day. They could have had a 'soft' debut of the packages for several weeks to test the system.

Yes...computers are perfect. I have never had a problem with the computers where I work. I am sure Disney must have done this on purpose just to drive all the high season and 9-5ers crazy. I am thankful that I am neither.

 

[MagicKingdom05]

addicted_to_WDW,

I just PM'd you with the 800#. I would have posted it, but I believe that is not allowed.

 

[MagicKingdom05]

my3kids,

I bet Disney doesn't do this again

 

[WDWBetsy]

While I am equally as frustrated about not being able to get a quote or book, it's not like Disney wanted this to happen, AND I have to put this into perspective.

There are far worse things to be upset about and I'm not going to waste my efforts being mad about this.

One of my co-workers was rear-ended on the way to work this morning. Then after that, a truck in front of her on the highway had ladders fly out of the back onto the road. Several cars hit the ladders (including hers) and now she has extensive damage to the bottom of her car - and a flat tire.

Luckily, no one was hurt (including her 6 month old baby in the back of her car). The guy with the ladders got out, picked up the ladders and took off. What a jerk! She wrote down his license plate though. What a horrible thing to go through in one day!

It's this type of thing that makes me remember that there are far worse things going on this world - like the tsunami disaster and those poor people - and minimizes the importance of me making a reservation for November.

Again, I fully empathize with those feeling the frustration. But this is just my 2 cents.

 

[madalex]

Good point about the income tax thing. I usually have them take to much out of my check each month, that way I will get a nice chunk back. It is basically my vacation savings account.

Not to turn this thread into a tax planning seminar, but by withholding too much and then getting a big income tax refund, you are letting the government use your money on an interest free basis. A better idea would be to have less withheld and then invest the extra money in some sort of interest bearing account. That way, you will have even more money available for your vacation!

 

[my3kids]

Of course there are far worse things in the world....tsunamis, war, etc....but this is a forum for discussing planning Disney vacations. I can't imagine anyone here thinks Disney's computer failure is in anyway comparable to world troubles or even local traffic wrecks, but it is a source of irritation to vacation planners when Disney made such a big deal about a single date roll out.

On a forum discussing world relief organizations, there would be very little (i.e. none!)sympathy for someone complaining about not being able to book a vacation package. It is all in where the message is being shared.......

 

[disneybride96]

While I am equally as frustrated about not being able to get a quote or book, it's not like Disney wanted this to happen, AND I have to put this into perspective.

Please see the rest of Betsy's post above. Betsy-Thank you for putting this more eloquently than I. Sarcasm always get the best of me, but we are thinking along the same lines.
There are worse things that could happen and in the whole sceme of things, this is just a glich. If no one can make reservations, then none of us are getting the short stick. It will work out.

~~~~Hakuna Matata~~~~