ADR's are wide open??

[BABY_EINSTEIN'S_MOM]

So I'm guessing this might have something to do with the new policy? I'm not even staying onsite and I can get anything I want even without the 180+10. O'hana is also wide open for my dates, even on Saturdays, just like it was last week when I was looking? I don't remember it ever being like this before? I'm not complaining though since I just called and got a 5pm F! pkg. and usually get stuck eating dinner at 3pm with that pkg.!

 

[jreed1920]

I have found the same thing for my upcoming trips. Ohana, Garden Grill, CRT all available multiple days and times. I was thinking it had to do with the credit card guarantee policy as well. I am definitely interested to see how things are when we are there. May do try for some last minute ADRs and walk ups.

 

[iluvpluto27]

I've noticed a lot more availability than usual and think it may be to do with the new policy. I know on our previous trips we dined in a signature restaurant each night and did 3-4 character meals per trip. We've rarely cancelled ADRs but we have once or twice due to illness, and I'm simply not willing to risk losing $50 (we're a party of five) a day because we don't feel up to dinner or show up late (getting my sister anywhere on time is a nightmare and I don't want to be stressing about it while on holiday)

Therefore for our next trip we're only going to do 1 character meal and 2 signature restaurants in our fourteen night trip. I'm still going to do some meals oop but I'm going to try some of the Swan and Dolphin restaurants instead (I've been wanted to try Blue Zoo for years so it gives me a good excuse to finally get there!). The rest of our dining plan reservations will be at restaurants which don't impose the cancellation fee.

 

[mom2rtk]

Well, for starters, CRT has nothing to do with the policy. It has always been pre-paid or CC guaranteed.

And while it's great the ADR's are wide open, it is still possible that this is the way a miserable failure of this new policy looks. It all comes down to whether they still fill the restaurants in time to staff them properly or not. Most of us would love to have wide open access. Disney wants the tables filled with CC guaranteed diners.

The verdict is still out.

BTW...... we dined at Akershus last week. It has always been a CC guaranteed location. It was a free dining week. The back room we sat in had 2 tables filled and about 4 empty. There were a number of empty tables in the main dining hall too. If a CC guarantee fixes that problem, then why the problem (during free dining) at this location?

 

[TDC Nala]

BTW...... we dined at Akershus last week. It has always been a CC guaranteed location. It was a free dining week. The back room we sat in had 2 tables filled and about 4 empty. There were a number of empty tables in the main dining hall too. If a CC guarantee fixes that problem, then why the problem (during free dining) at this location?

Is it positive the tables were empty because of no-shows? It's been said that Disney may be not fully filling the restaurants due to staffing issues.

 

[mom2rtk]

Is it positive the tables were empty because of no-shows? It's been said that Disney may be not fully filling the restaurants due to staffing issues.

No, it isn't positive at all. In fact that's pretty much my point. I highly doubt that many people would no-show in a place where we know every table was already cc guaranteed. So maybe it WAS staffing issues.

So how do we then know that all the other empty tables people have been seeing before the new policy were no-shows and not staffing issue? And if they were staffing issues, this new policy doesn't address the underlying issue at all.

 

[MsRem]

I certainly didnt have a problem this time last year at this time booking for 2-4 weeks out and not having one this year either. Booking for last September was another story though.

 

[nuttylawprofessor]

We just made reservations for our spring break trip, 78 days out. I was able to get everything I wanted at prime times, including the hard-to-gets. While I think they need to do lots of work on their IT and charging people who actually show up, I am thrilled that this policy may bring some sanity back to WDW trips.

On our honeymoon some 14 years ago, the furthest in advance we made a reservation was 1 day ahead. We walked up to the castle for lunch, Liberty Tree for dinner, and all the other popular places. It was wonderful. I would love to be able to return to that time. It would be nice if they brought the food quality back, too.

 

[beachclub]

its got to be the new policy. Every year we go the same week at the end of april and the usual attempts at reservations that failed are easy for us to get this coming april...and its well within the 180 day./...
THANK YOU NEW POLICY!!!!!

 

[ML_LovesDisney]

I am going during a very busy week in February and was also able to book some extra reservations i wanted last week. I booked most 6 mths out, but my trip in August I couldn't get much last minute at all.

 

[mom2rtk]

I am going during a very busy week in February and was also able to book some extra reservations i wanted last week. I booked most 6 mths out, but my trip in August I couldn't get much last minute at all.

If you go in late August it will always be tough becuase of free dining.

 

[tarheelmjfan]

We just decided to go in mid-Feb. We also decided it was time to give LC dinner another try, but I can't get an ADR. I wish someone would decide they don't want to risk losing $10 each, so I can snag their ADR.

 

[chainkid]

Well I'm sure the policy is great for some but when you go with a big group like I do (28 people) invariably someone gets sick at the last minute and may not show even though the majority do , then the $10 fee still gets added. This will be the first time my group will not eat at Disney restaurants. We don't have cars but we will frequent the restaurants at the Swan and Dolphin whenever possible. We are also not going to get the dining plan this year as Disney make it outrageously expensive. The empty restaurants could come back and bite them as now they have to rely on walk ups to fill them up. In the past we always made our reservations or we cancelled them but often showed up with one person missing from the group. We will no longer plan to go as a group as no one wants to get hit with that charge in addition to such high food prices. I never minded having difficulty getting ressies as I planned for those things far in advance. It did take the spontaneity out of our trips which was a downer but at least you had a place to go. Time will tell but I bet they will rethink this if they have empty tables.