The "Minnie's Holiday dine" / Fantasmic Issue

[tinkerhon]

Sorry if this was already answered on the other thread--- ( it's been locked)

We are one of those that fall into the "timing problem" category---- when I made my ADR , booked a 5:30 dinner---- F! Was at 8:30 --- now there is one at 7pm, and our ADR says "1st show" ----

Like the others, I really don't want to rush thru the experience, (don't enjoy rushing thru any dinner) , and there is no way we are going to make the 7pm F! ---

Just wondering --- has anyone contacted disney about this issue ----? We called disney dining, and the cm told us that we could ask for a 2nd show ticket , but it's strictly up to the restaurant if they accommodate

Anyone ? TIA !!

 

[TheRustyScupper]

We called disney dining, and the cm told us that we could ask for a 2nd show ticket , but it's strictly up to the restaurant if they accommodate

.
1) Usually, they will not shift the seating to the 2nd show.
2) This is NOT a restaurant issue, but a show/production issue.
. . . keeping a reserved section requires more manpower
. . . WDW does not staff or schedule for that extra manpower
. . . folks from the earlier show go home
. . . there might be anyone around to "rope-off" the seating area or keep others out
. . . thus, no reserved seating for the dinner package
3) If you want to make show, get an earlier ADR
4) WDW expects you to bend to their guidelines, and not expect the reverse.
. . . the guidelines are well stated
. . . folks should plan their day based upon the guidelines

 

[minnie mum]

4) WDW expects you to bend to their guidelines, and not expect the reverse.
. . . the guidelines are well stated
. . . folks should plan their day based upon the guidelines

All well and good, but in this case Disney royally screwed up. Folks have booked their ADRs in good faith up to 180 days in advance, according to the guidelines and the published available F! Dining package ADR times. This is Disney's problem- they caused it, so they should be providing a fix. And also providing some mandatory retraining for whoever caused this snafu so this problem doesn't happen again.

 

[Groverg3]

In this case, they only added the "first show" verbiage after the fact. The only F! dinners offered are 4:30-6:30. In my opinion none of these would work for a 7:00 show (which was not scheduled during the time of booking).

 

[tinkerhon]

.
1) Usually, they will not shift the seating to the 2nd show.
2) This is NOT a restaurant issue, but a show/production issue.
. . . keeping a reserved section requires more manpower
. . . WDW does not staff or schedule for that extra manpower
. . . folks from the earlier show go home
. . . there might be anyone around to "rope-off" the seating area or keep others out
. . . thus, no reserved seating for the dinner package
3) If you want to make show, get an earlier ADR
4) WDW expects you to bend to their guidelines, and not expect the reverse.
. . . the guidelines are well stated
. . . folks should plan their day based upon the guidelines

Rusty,

I always appreciate your knowledge and replies, but you are off on this one (sorry) --- as the PP stated--- I booked the earliest possible ADR available at that time ---- a 5:30 ADR -- which would allow plenty of time for us to make the scheduled F! ( which was at 8:30 at the time of booking )

Disney then decided to add a 7:00pm F! ---- which basically makes it impossible to make the show in time ( unless we check in early, and get seated no later than 5PM --- again, as the PP stated--- this was a disney error, and they should really try to accommodate people if they can to rectify their error.

 

[tinkerhon]

In this case, they only added the "first show" verbiage after the fact. The only F! dinners offered are 4:30-6:30. In my opinion none of these would work for a 7:00 show.

Yep--- totally agree--- they only added the 7PM F! Show after the fact as well ---- there are people with a 6-6:30 ADR that states "first show" now---- those people wouldn't be able to finish a bowl of soup and make it to the show now !!

 

[tinkerhon]

All well and good, but in this case Disney royally screwed up. Folks have booked their ADRs in good faith up to 180 days in advance, according to the guidelines and the published available F! Dining package ADR times. This is Disney's problem- they caused it, so they should be providing a fix. And also providing some mandatory retraining for whoever caused this snafu so this problem doesn't happen again.

Exactly --- as far as following the guidelines ---- most people did --- same with planning based on the guidelines ---
I think planning a 5:30 dinner with an 8:30 F! Works

 

[MinnieMSue]

I called the dining number and they told me I had plenty of time with my 5:30 reservation to make the 7pm show. They told me I can get great seats at the last minute. All of that is untrue but they don't seem to be planning to resolve this problem at least from the restaurant's point of view.

 

[KateP85]

Ours is even better, we have 6.30pm reservations for the 7pm show! I doubt we'll even be seated by 7pm! I know they won't add reserved seating to the second show, so I have no idea what to do. I think I'll call the dining number and ask, but I don't have high hopes that it will be resolved. There must be hundreds of people with this problem though.

 

[TheRustyScupper]

this was a disney error

1) No "error".
2) All shows are "Subject to Change Without Notice".
. . . there is no arrangement at WDW that is guaranteed
. . . no room, no resort, no ADR, no show time
3) Adding another performance is not wrong, in fact a favor for other guests desiring to view the show on busy days.
4) No dinner package is listed as anything but "Fantasmic! 1st Show".


Per Disney . . .
Know Before You Go
Fantasmic! is performed on select nights only. Be sure to check the Times Guide at Disney’s Hollywood Studios for the schedule and show times. Since this is an outdoor show, it is also subject to cancellation due to inclement weather. Show times are subject to change.

 

[kittyab]

Is it possible to get a earlier ADR?

 

[tinkerhon]

I called the dining number and they told me I had plenty of time with my 5:30 reservation to make the 7pm show. They told me I can get great seats at the last minute. All of that is untrue but they don't seem to be planning to resolve this problem at least from the restaurant's point of view.

Yep--- that's nonsense--- so, they are basically saying --- "so, you spent the extra money for the F! Package-- now, rush thru your meal-- don't worry about taking in the holiday atmosphere, and/or seeing the characters. Then run over to F! At the last minute, and hope that you get a good seat"

Wtg, Disney---- do they truly think their guests are that gullible ?

 

[TheRustyScupper]

I booked the earliest possible ADR available at that time ---- a 5:30 ADR --

The dining times for the Fantasmic! package are
. . . 11:00am-2:55pm
. . . 4:15pm-

 

[KateP85]

I assume the two different departments (entertainment and food & beverage) just had no communication here. I wonder if they even realize the conflict is occurring? I'm tempted to call just to see if they try to give me the same BS about still getting great seats at the last minute!

 

[Groverg3]

For the Minnie's Holiday and Dine it is only dinner times - when they first released it you could only book F! and the earliest time was around 4:30. There was zero mention of which show it would go with (unlike the other F! Packages that were already in place)

 

[tinkerhon]

1) No "error".
2) All shows are "Subject to Change Without Notice".
. . . there is no arrangement at WDW that is guaranteed
. . . no room, no resort, no ADR, no show time
3) Adding another performance is not wrong, in fact a favor for other guests desiring to view the show on busy days.
4) No dinner package is listed as anything but "Fantasmic! 1st Show".


Per Disney . . .
Know Before You Go
Fantasmic! is performed on select nights only. Be sure to check the Times Guide at Disney’s Hollywood Studios for the schedule and show times. Since this is an outdoor show, it is also subject to cancellation due to inclement weather. Show times are subject to change.

Rusty,

Call it whatever you like --- you don't want to use the term , "Error" fine --- the fact of the matter is that the 7pm F! Show was added AFTER people had booked their ADRs at 180--- I don't think that adding another show is the issue -- the problem is that people booked their dinners assuming that they would get seating for the 8:30 PM show. At the time of booking , why would you think otherwise- ? And now they are telling people that have an ADR for 5:30 that they will easily make the 7PM show? As a parent with two children, I can tell you that will be very difficult.

As far as quoting the "know before you go" --- that's exactly what most people did (I don't want to be presumptuous , but it seems like you are assuming that most people that booked this dinner didn't do their homework. )
In our case, we did check the times guide/schedule --- the only F! Was at 7Pm at 180.

 

[tinkerhon]

The dining times for the Fantasmic! package are
. . . 11:00am-2:55pm
. . . 4:15pm-

I should have clarified and said the earliest possible dining time FOR US was 5:30, given that it's our arrival day--- that being said--- a 5:30 ADR for the 8:30 PM F! Would have worked, hence why I booked it ---

 

[tinkerhon]

The dining times for the Fantasmic! package are
. . . 11:00am-2:55pm
. . . 4:15pm-

The dining times for the Holiday Dinner with Minnie ( and friends) is from 4:30-6:30PM, I believe.

 

[Groverg3]

I think the issue is you're paying more for the F! package, and then Disney adds an additional show after the fact that makes it literally impossible to use it (especially in the situation of a 6:30 res for a 7:00 show that was added later). Isn't this a definition of a bait and switch? How can they offer something and then you can't use it due to no fault of your own? If you're going to add a 7:00 show and force people to go to the first showing, you can't offer a 6:30 res with the F! package. Right??

 

[Groverg3]

And what about newcomers to Disney who have no idea you must normally use it at the first showing when there is no verbiage about it on the original reservation?