ADRs- selling?

[HashberryOTG]

Will Disney ever go after the Dining Fairy site? Could they actually succeed if they did?

I believe they have, to other sites in the past, no?

 

[SL6827]

I believe they have, to other sites in the past, no?

Not sure. Maybe someone will know.

 

[js]

Where are you seeing this happening? There was a website that existed a few years ago that sold hard-to-get ADRs (this is when BOG was impossible to get), but it was dismantled pretty quickly - it's my understanding they received a pretty curt letter from Disney lawyers.

There are FB groups dedicated to giving out ADRs. There are MANY people that just hoard the ressies and they aren't even going to the parks!
They say they hoard them to help others...not my words.
I have used the groups and gotten a few ressies by coordinating drops from people that just booked the ressies to organize drops for other people, although
I haven't paid anyone.

 

[MrWreckless]

I’m sure they can legally but more importantly they have to update their tech to block the bots. That they most certainly can do.

IMO that would be a mistake. The bots, both paid and free, are one of the few ways the average guest can grab in demand dining reservations.

When I say average guest im not talking the room reservation +10 days people. The average person is not staying on site for 10+ days. Can’t afford it financially or even just time off wise. Nothing frustrated me more than seeing people brag about how easy it is to get in demand dining reservations and saying they don’t understand the problem. Then they post their itinerary and I see all the high demand reservations were made for days 8-10. As a multiple vacation +4-5 person I was LUCKY if I saw an Ohana, Toppolinos, or Chef Mickey during my trip. I always had to depend on a reservation finder service. So I know the quick trip guests aren’t seeing squat when they log in at their 60 day mark.

Some of you will remember what it was like with fast pass and FoP. Those passes were so rare for anyone under 8 days that people stopped believing they actually existed. Haaaa.

Without bots it would be pure luck on if you were able to grab a dining reservation once the hoarders dropped them.

 

[HashberryOTG]

I'd prefer they find a way to stop both the bots AND the hoarders. I certainly don't have the magic answer of how that could be done!

 

[Jerseyprincess317]

IMO that would be a mistake. The bots, both paid and free, are one of the few ways the average guest can grab in demand dining reservations.

When I say average guest im not talking the room reservation +10 days people. The average person is not staying on site for 10+ days. Can’t afford it financially or even just time off wise. Nothing frustrated me more than seeing people brag about how easy it is to get in demand dining reservations and saying they don’t understand the problem. Then they post their itinerary and I see all the high demand reservations were made for days 7-10. As a multiple vacation +4-5 person I was LUCKY if I saw an Ohana, Toppolinos, or Chef Mickey during my trip. I always had to depend on a reservation finder service. So I know the quick trip guests aren’t seeing squat when they log in at their 60 day mark.

Without bots it would be pure luck on if you were able to grab a dining reservation once the hoarders dropped them.

I'm staying 7 days next month and couldn't get Space 220, Toppolino's breakfast, Artist Point or Akershus. I only saw 1 'Ohana breakfast at 11:40 am! on day 4 and 1 Chef Mickey at 1220 pm! on Day 7. It was shocking how few reservations were available.

 

[Mrs.AMC]

Thing is, there is absolutely no need at all to book at 60+10
Just don't bother.
Wait.
I've yet to not find pretty much every single restaurant on property pop up at some point MUCH closer to the trip
Is this because of hoarding ADR? Pretty much yes
People book more than they intend to use and drop them or people book and cancel entire trips closer to cut off date.
60 days out there is nothing
24-48 hours out almost every single restaurant will appear. I do this for groups of up to 4 and it works 100% of the time and we are frequent travelers, at high volume times too, like Christmas and Spring Break.
So just stop trying at 60 days.
Save yourself the headache
If you are truly desperate for a specific place use a reservation finder. Not one that books it for you but one that alerts you. I used one for a Candlelight processional meal. Eventually with enough alerts you will snag one.
Otherwise, just wait.

 

[js]

I'm staying 7 days next month and couldn't get Space 220, Toppolino's breakfast, Artist Point or Akershus. I only saw 1 'Ohana breakfast at 11:40 am! on day 4 and 1 Chef Mickey at 1220 pm! on Day 7. It was shocking how few reservations were available.

I went in October with my grandson for the first time and my two must haves were Toppolinos Breakfast and Chef Mickey dinner, both of which I could not get at 60 days out or
weeks leading up to the trip. We were staying at GFVs.

I went on the FB groups and was able to coordinate two drops for each of above. I had some paid subscription services that I used to look as well as free but the only time I got
what I wanted was on the FB groups where we coordinated drops.

 

[Jerseyprincess317]

I went in October with my grandson for the first time and my two must haves were Toppolinos Breakfast and Chef Mickey dinner, both of which I could not get at 60 days out or
weeks leading up to the trip. We were staying at GFVs.

I went on the FB groups and was able to coordinate two drops for each of above. I had some paid subscription services that I used to look as well as free but the only time I got
what I wanted was on the FB groups where we coordinated drops.

I've been able to get Akershus and Artist Point since booking. I got Cape May as a back up in case I can't get Toppolinos and I'm still looking for Space. I'm not holding my breath though.

 

[SL6827]

Disney might at some point monitize the time frame for booking ADRs. Pay and get to book at 120 days out.

 

[nw6675]

Thing is, there is absolutely no need at all to book at 60+10
Just don't bother.
Wait.
I've yet to not find pretty much every single restaurant on property pop up at some point MUCH closer to the trip
Is this because of hoarding ADR? Pretty much yes
People book more than they intend to use and drop them or people book and cancel entire trips closer to cut off date.
60 days out there is nothing
24-48 hours out almost every single restaurant will appear. I do this for groups of up to 4 and it works 100% of the time and we are frequent travelers, at high volume times too, like Christmas and Spring Break.
So just stop trying at 60 days.
Save yourself the headache
If you are truly desperate for a specific place use a reservation finder. Not one that books it for you but one that alerts you. I used one for a Candlelight processional meal. Eventually with enough alerts you will snag one.
Otherwise, just wait.

This has been our experience as well.

We had no issues getting popular restaurants within a few days so I cancelled our backups as soon as something better became available. Not hoarding- we had every intention of keeping the originals if nothing else had opened.

 

[mckennarose]

My opinion only.....
We've gone a few times this year and for sure, it's a lot harder to get ADR's compared to years past. Yes, I think it's party due to hoarders....and if the new "dropping dining ADR's without penalty up to 2 hours before" is true, it will make things a lot worse.

But I have noticed that many, many restaurants are now offering walk up list on the app. That was not something I've noticed prior to covid. However, to get on the list you have to be near the restaurant. If you're already in the parks and looking for a restaurant in the park, that part is not difficult. BUT... if you are looking for a restaurant at a resort (Topolinos, Ohana, California Grill, Steakhouse 71, Yachtsman Steakhouse, Beaches & Cream, etc.) there are either no reservations today, or they are at very inconvenient times (10 pm for Beaches & Cream!). I just looked all these up on the app. BUT... they ALL have walk up list availability. That means Disney is holding reservations.

My personal opinion, and going by the recent announcement on the resorts holding reservations for people staying at that resort, is that Disney is moving more toward prime ADR's as a perk for their resort guests. Whether it's an "official" thing they announce eventually or just in the results of them holding reservations like they are now. The walk up list thing was/is heading toward ADR's as a perk for onsite stays.

Also considering that Disney is making it much harder for off-site people to even visit a resort without a dining reservation. They started that back when reopening from covid, where only people staying at the resort could enter. Now they are telling people that you can't enter a resort without an ADR OR if you are taking Disney transportation into the resort. (bus, boat, monorail, skyliner) That is more convenient for a resort guest to start hopping buses, boats and skyliner early enough to get to resorts (via parks) and way more difficult for an off site person. Example: if you wanted to get on the walk up list for Topolinos you have to physically be near it to even have the option come up on the app. Your options as an offsite guest is to drive to a park and pay to park, then wait for the bus for that resort. Or to park in DS for free, but the garages don't open until 10 AM, so forget about an early start to Topolino's to try to get on the walk up list. There had been reports of resorts even turning away ride-share too. I haven't been following it lately, but I was told by a CM on chat that I cannot enter a Disney resort without an ADR or taking Disney transportation in.

I don't think the 60+ ADR's for onsite guests is accomplishing what Disney wants, whatever that is, but their bottom line is always to make more money. So they're doing this. Disney is certainly not holding those walk up reservations for guests who didn't make reservations prior to their stay as a kind gesture for people. But they are doing it to make it more exclusive and for more people to stay onsite, IMO. Disney's MO for a while now seems to be to see how far they push their customers with prices and what we're willing to pay.

 

[Lilsia]

But back to the topic at hand. Yes reservations are being sold. There are Facebook groups that coordinate this. What they usually do is agree to a time where one party will drop the reservation and the other is logged in to grab it. These drops happen from 1am to 4am eastern usually to increase the odds of a successful transfer.

Dang, if I was a person with less scruples, this would be a nice side hustle. But I think this is actually pretty darn horrible to do.

 

[nevergrowup826]

I'm sorry everyone else is having issues, but it's nice to know I'm not alone.

My 60 days opened on November 23 and it was slim pickins for my entire stay (1/22-1/29). The one that was most important to me was Ohana breakfast for 1/29. There was NOTHING. I then expanded to the entire day, NOTHING. In fact, for the entirety of my trip, all I found was a 1/27 11:45AM breakfast at Ohana, which I panicked reserved. But when I realized that there was ZERO way for this to fit into our schedule, I let it go. So then I tried Kona Cafe for 1/29- NOTHING all day. We are really not interested in leaving our resort on 1/29- we're staying at the Poly, since we have to catch a flight that evening. So, I'll stalk the reservations to try to pick up an Ohana or a Kona. And if one never comes up, I guess we'll do mobile order for Kona (if that's still available) and eat in our room.

so i had an issue today with Citricos. Absolutely no reservations available my whole week except day 60 and 60+1. Yet the week before has almost every available time slot open. i think they are holding back (whether a glitch or purposeful) some resort reservations and releasing them every 60+1. I will be checking tomorrow, and continually, because i wanted 60+4 but would settle for what i got if i am wrong.

 

[Flagondry]

I believe that people hoard reservations, but they are not "selling" them. As another poster said, you can't transfer reservations to another person. And who in their right mind would pay a complete stranger for a reservation that the stranger can just cancel anytime and keep their money? This sounds like one of those "what is wrong with Disney" lies that some people put out to keep the negative agenda up.
Now for those who horde reservations because they "don't know what they will fell like eating", those people are just rude and selfish. That thought would not even pop into my head to do. I know what kind of food that I like and it's not like we can't just eat what we have picked out for the day. I truly don't understand that mentality.

People are very much selling them. It’s becoming a major issues for TA’s.

 

[lowlight]

Disney might at some point monitize the time frame for booking ADRs. Pay and get to book at 120 days out.

Didn’t Disney just do a trial where they book all your ADRs and experiences in advance of your trip? That’s likely going to end up being a paid concierge type service.

 

[AmyMac1109]

My personal opinion, and going by the recent announcement on the resorts holding reservations for people staying at that resort, is that Disney is moving more toward prime ADR's as a perk for their resort guests. Whether it's an "official" thing they announce eventually or just in the results of them holding reservations like they are now. The walk up list thing was/is heading toward ADR's as a perk for onsite stays.

I missed this annoucement, but you're the second person (that I noticed) reference it. When/where was it? Also, what is meant by holding reservations for people staying at the resort? Like, for people who are physically there and trying to get a reservation (like "walk up")? Or, something else? Because it is within the 60 day window of my Poly stay and I had a heck of a time getting an 'Ohana reservation. Not a specific day/time, but literally any reservation at 'Ohana during my stay. I was finally able to get one today for my last morning (which, granted, was my prefered day/time, but I feel like I lucked out).

 

[SL6827]

Didn’t Disney just do a trial where they book all your ADRs and experiences in advance of your trip? That’s likely going to end up being a paid concierge type service.

Good point. Pay for your meal and pay to be able to get the ADR.

 

[Mrs.AMC]

Didn’t Disney just do a trial where they book all your ADRs and experiences in advance of your trip? That’s likely going to end up being a paid concierge type service.

Link? I stay CL every trip and I've never heard of it. Not saying it doesn't exist but I've never heard of it. Would love a link to the announcement/trial.

 

[lockets]

IMO that would be a mistake. The bots, both paid and free, are one of the few ways the average guest can grab in demand dining reservations.

When I say average guest im not talking the room reservation +10 days people. The average person is not staying on site for 10+ days. Can’t afford it financially or even just time off wise. Nothing frustrated me more than seeing people brag about how easy it is to get in demand dining reservations and saying they don’t understand the problem. Then they post their itinerary and I see all the high demand reservations were made for days 8-10. As a multiple vacation +4-5 person I was LUCKY if I saw an Ohana, Toppolinos, or Chef Mickey during my trip. I always had to depend on a reservation finder service. So I know the quick trip guests aren’t seeing squat when they log in at their 60 day mark.

Some of you will remember what it was like with fast pass and FoP. Those passes were so rare for anyone under 8 days that people stopped believing they actually existed. Haaaa.

Without bots it would be pure luck on if you were able to grab a dining reservation once the hoarders dropped them.

I went in October with my grandson for the first time and my two must haves were Toppolinos Breakfast and Chef Mickey dinner, both of which I could not get at 60 days out or
weeks leading up to the trip. We were staying at GFVs.

I went on the FB groups and was able to coordinate two drops for each of above. I had some paid subscription services that I used to look as well as free but the only time I got
what I wanted was on the FB groups where we coordinated drops.

But did u pay for the Facebook coordination? There’s a place on the disboards where we coordinate too, but we don’t pay. I don’t see anything wrong with that. Helping each other out.