Another article about trying to book ADR's

[LetsTalkWDW]

It appears they will give you all the information you'd need to check in when you purchase their reservation

Why not require an ID to prove you are the person on the reservation?

 

[mom2rtk]

Why not require an ID to prove you are the person on the reservation?

I know they did that at CRT for some time after they closed the loopholes there. You were required to present the CC it was guaranteed under. I think this would slow things down just a bit at first, but could do the trick.

 

[LetsTalkWDW]

I know they did that at CRT for some time after they closed the loopholes there. You were required to present the CC it was guaranteed under. I think this would slow things down just a bit at first, but could do the trick.

Even better. But may be a problem if you needed to cancel that credit card for some reason.

 

[Missyrose]

So being the curious sort, I find myself wondering just how they do this. Do they make up a new name every day to book under? Or does Disney have hundreds of reservations under the same name each day? It seems like that would be a red flag to Disney.

I'm still going with prepayment of some sort as the best deterrent. It's been tested and worked before. But for everything except the highest demand options, it could suppress demand overall more than Disney likes. But then I suppose if these companies have dummy reservations, they probably also have dummy dining plans (which would negate the prepayment requirement).

I just can't imagine someone sitting down and making a dummy resort reservation every few days (I suppose as needed once BOG becomes less available).

The cynic in me thinks that Disney won't care much, ultimately. The butts are in the chairs at all these restaurants and I don't think Disney cares who fills them as long as they're filled. The CRT issue was a much more localized problem. This is a much broader scope (Be Our Guest, Crystal Palace, 'Ohana, holiday meals) and I'm not sure Disney has the IT capabilities or the motivation to come up with the new infrastructure to fix this problem. The IT they have in place is barely adequate as it is now, changing it for certain restaurants will only make it worse. On my May 2014 trip nearly every ADR I'd made wasn't showing up on the computers when I arrived, but I was on the physical printouts of the ADRs they had at the host stand.

Showing ID or CC is one thing that could work, but it would slow down the check-in process tremendously. And it's fraught with issues (the people wh assume having a Magic Band means they don't need to carry IDs, the person who made the ADR gets a bug and stays at the resort while the rest of the party goes to dinner, CC number changes because of a data breach so you no longer have the CC you reserved the meal with).

 

[to be tink]

Why can't Disney just ask to see an ID when you check in for your reservation? If the name doesn't match you get turned away. I realized this doesn't help everyone trying to make reservations ahead of time but would help those just walking up. And over time it would stop this kind of practice.

 

[GreatLakes]

A plan like this would bulldoze the plans of legitimate guests if they have to change their trips. Have a money issue and need to downgrade your stay from a deluxe to a mod? That means canceling a reservation and booking another, that person shouldn't lose all their ADRs.

It wouldn't be hard to build in the ability to link ADRs to a new reservation if it is booked under the same name and/or to the same address. I can think of a number of ways to implement it systematically just typing this without putting much thought into it.

But make no mistake, when loopholes are closed because of abuse legitimate customers are quite often also affected negatively. That is why you have to determine if closing the loophole is worth the unintended consequences first. I would suspect in this case it is but we will see.

 

[LetsTalkWDW]

And it's fraught with issues (the people wh assume having a Magic Band means they don't need to carry IDs, the person who made the ADR gets a bug and stays at the resort while the rest of the party goes to dinner

If it were made clear ahead of time that you MUST present a photo ID, that would not only encourage people to bring their ID (IMO - An adult should always carry ID anyway) but it would also serve notice to the "unscrupulous" companies that their scheme is no longer valid. As far as the ADR owner getting sick and not attending, that might be a little harder to accommodate but I would hope that it is a much less common case.

 

[mom2rtk]

I'm not sure how they made it work with CRT. But I imagine Disney could be fairly generous with making exceptions and still dry up the 3rd party companies. Would you be willing to pay for an ADR in someone else's name if you knew Disney might argue and let you in because it's in a different name.

 

[MermaidMommy]

So being the curious sort, I find myself wondering just how they do this. Do they make up a new name every day to book under? Or does Disney have hundreds of reservations under the same name each day? It seems like that would be a red flag to Disney.

I was curious about that, too, so I looked at the FAQ's on their website:

"We actually go in and set up a MDE account in your name (and address) and then email you that account information and you will be given the name the ADR is under to use at check in."

So, asking for ID wouldn't be a deterrent. Seems like it would have to be presenting the credit card you reserved under, but that brings up problems that PP's have already noted.

 

[Accident]

I see some other key issues that lead to this being an issue in the first place. I think if they solve these 2 problems, it'll make it a little better.

I need the discounts for our trips and they aren't out in 180 days before. The new fees if you change the dates your staying or resort your at means we can't book 180 days in advance and alter for a discount that fits us when they come out. To put everyone on a level playing field, ADRs need to start within a reasonable timeframe from how quarterly discounts come out. Basically it needs to drop to 90 days in advance at the maximum. Personally, I would make it 1 week more than fp+ and put it at 70 days. This way you can get your ADRs lined up and then go into getting fast passes that match where you will be at 60 days.

People horde ADRS and cancel them right at the last second. Nobody needs 10 ADRS in 1 day, you couldn't possibly eat that often. The way you need to plan because things are hard to get has created a situation where the paranoid make sure their family have 3 choices every meal. This is compounded by the meal plan where everyone wants their money worth so they make sure they can alter their plans and still get the most out of it. This needs something to happen.

Harder issues to solve here:

- 14 is considered old enough to be in a park on their own. It needs to be friendly for someone as young as 14, solo going to a meal the rest the of party isn't attending.
- Things happen. Injuries, illness, change of plans, weather, etc... the person who booked it may not attend when the rest of the party is there.

I can think of a few solutions but not really sure what would work best here. I do agree things need to change and it's become a pain to plan a disney vacation.

 

[mom2rtk]

I was curious about that, too, so I looked at the FAQ's on their website:

"We actually go in and set up a MDE account in your name (and address) and then email you that account information and you will be given the name the ADR is under to use at check in."

So, asking for ID wouldn't be a deterrent. Seems like it would have to be presenting the credit card you reserved under, but that brings up problems that PP's have already noted.

Thanks for that. It's interesting. They must not be grabbing these at 180+10 then. I'm still a little confused how it's all happening. Maybe they really are just relying on the computer to snap up whatever gets released. I still have a hunch there are companies somehow grabbing things at 180+10 and sitting on them.

 

[Accident]

Thanks for that. It's interesting. They must not be grabbing these at 180+10 then. I'm still a little confused how it's all happening. Maybe they really are just relying on the computer to snap up whatever gets released. I still have a hunch there are companies somehow grabbing things at 180+10 and sitting on them.

The article was a little wrong in some places. Disney Dining scout doesn't snap up anything (and it's free depending on how many things you want it to look for at the same time and how it should alert you). That just checks the website for you and lets you know when it seems an ADR available for your size party at +-2 hours from the time you want. It's still up to you to be fast enough to get onto mde and book it yourself.

The other services, I hate they are actually taking reservations and selling them to people to use a fake name. I don't mind dining scout, it's really helpful especially at the park when your mood changes or a horder releases something that fits your park schedule. You can't really keep checking and enjoy the park at the same time.

 

[Kathryn777]

I love the search services that notify you. It makes it possible (but expensive) to get last minute and hard to get adr's. The ones that actually make reservations is like those ticket sites that get tickets and then jack up the prices.

The problem with tying it to anything disney is that they are ultimately just restaurants. We have done a couple Orlando trips (no park ticket or onsite hotel) and did a character meal to entertain the kids , and an Easter brunch (because where else can I get a guaranteed, reasonably price Easter buffet for 15 180 days in advance). Tying to the credit card, Id something like that may help.
Adding one of those letter/number verifiers to the search would be the best option , although it is breakable too

 

[ArwenMarie]

I think Disney is feeding these stories to the media so they can crack down on it or change the ADR process in some way and it won't be a shock. I also suspect they did this when those GAC stories came out right before they changed it to the DAS.

 

[sharonped]

This is disgusting; and in MY OPINION - the same as people who walk into the park with 15 MBs on each arm. One of the many reasons we're taking a long, long break from the World. Take away the loopholes, bring back the streetmosphere (PUSH we miss you); let the Imagineers do what they do best. YMMV, and yes, that leaves 4 more spaces for you. Here's hoping Star Wars, Pixar and Avatar live up to the hype.

 

[ArwenMarie]

If it's needed, I can see them adding a flat cover charge to be charged up front.

I agree, I think this is the way to stop it and I think if they do something this is the route they will take. Instead of the $10 pp no-show fee, make it a $10 pp booking fee that is refunded if you cancel before a certain date or is applied to the cost of your meal (or refunded if you are doing the dining plan). For the high-demand ADRs.

 

[Missyrose]

Thanks for that. It's interesting. They must not be grabbing these at 180+10 then. I'm still a little confused how it's all happening. Maybe they really are just relying on the computer to snap up whatever gets released. I still have a hunch there are companies somehow grabbing things at 180+10 and sitting on them.

No, they book them and add your name as one of the guests so you can log in and see the reservation.

 

[MermaidMommy]

Thanks for that. It's interesting. They must not be grabbing these at 180+10 then. I'm still a little confused how it's all happening. Maybe they really are just relying on the computer to snap up whatever gets released. I still have a hunch there are companies somehow grabbing things at 180+10 and sitting on them.

Yeah, it doesn't make sense that they can guarantee reservations if they're not booking them when they're first released. Could they be snapping them up at 180+10, then setting up a new MDE account whenever they get a customer, and then dropping their reservation and grabbing it back up under the new name? Like the cancellation ADR threads, where you're gambling that you can pick up a canceled ADR?

 

[MermaidMommy]

No, they book them and add your name as one of the guests so you can log in and see the reservation.

Oh, so they set up a new MDE for you just so you're able to view the ADR, but the reservation isn't in your name? That makes more sense. That's pretty slick. Wrong, but slick.

 

[pmaurer74]

Room only isn't due until 5 days out.

really? I will have to check on this because our 45 day mark is Monday and Iw as planning on removing the dining plan making it room only