Any advice on how to pick up cancelled ADRS?

[magentarhps93]

Hey, first of all sorry if this breaks any rules but I don't think it does.


I was wondering if any of you seasoned DISBoarders had any advice on how to pick up a canceled ADR. Do you recommend calling or going online? Or both? I had tried to coordinate a canceled BOG a week or so ago and I kept checking online a couple minutes before that person said they'ed cancel until a bout a half hour later and nothing. It was too late to call the Dining Line.

So for next time, what would you recommend?

Also, what's the fastest way to get to a person on the Disney Dining Line? Or will the automated system be able to detect a newly canceled reservation?

Thanks for all of your help! I am DETERMINED to get BOG, and want to be prepared!

 

[ktlm]

Online is definitely better. If you call, by the time you get off hold, someone else could have snagged it. I coordinated with a poster on a CRT ADR I was cancelling a few weeks ago. We were both online and pm'd each other that she was standing by, and I was cancelling right then. I pm'd her again right after I cancelled to be sure she knew I had done it. She was actually able to snag the ADR. It is all a matter of timing.

 

[magentarhps93]

Online is definitely better. If you call, by the time you get off hold, someone else could have snagged it. I coordinated with a poster on a CRT ADR I was cancelling a few weeks ago. We were both online and pm'd each other that she was standing by, and I was cancelling right then. I pm'd her again right after I cancelled to be sure she knew I had done it. She was actually able to snag the ADR. It is all a matter of timing.

See that's what I did last time and it never showed up.

 

[Disney Dreams]

See that's what I did last time and it never showed up.

That's interesting. I wonder if it got picked up instantly by someone who got lucky.

I cancelled a CRT ADR on a night that I know was booked completely. Immediately after canceling it, I went and checked if it was available. It was.

- Dreams

 

[purple figment]

I wonder if it got picked up instantly by someone who got lucky.

This! Because there are so many people looking for BOG reservations. Someone was searching and it showed up and they took it moments before you checked.

Keep checking online multiple times a day to see if something shows up. I always think that the number of times you check is relative to how badly you want the res. If you check once a day, you only have one chance...if you check 10 times, you have 10 chances... You just don't know when you'll get lucky.

If you are an odd numbered party (e.g. 3 or 5 people) go up one. The Disney system has a glitch that often overlooks odd numbered groups because it wants to fill every seat. Thus a party of 3 will usually be seated at a 4 top, but the system will say nothing is available because it's waiting for a group of 4 to book. BOG is a credit card guarantee, but as long as part of your group shows up, you won't be charged for the "missing" person.

 

[magentarhps93]

UUGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHHHH THE WORLD DOES NOT WANT ME EATING AT THIS RESTAURANT.

I tried to coordinate a different BOG ressie, *again* and we did the whole standby thing and I called at the same time and it just wasn't there.


Yes, I know there's a quick service... but I'm being stubborn.

Here's what I'm doing, I'm logged into the Disney website, on the BOG reservation page with the selected date, the amount of people the canceled ressie is for, and have "Dinner" selected. (Though I think the first time I had the time closest to the ressie selected.) When the Disboarder has told me they are going to cancel I hit "search for new table" or whatever the green button is. And then nothing shows up. So I hit it again, and again, and again, until 20-30 minutes later I'm like "yeah, nope." Am I doing something wrong?

 

[LiloH]

UUGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHHHH THE WORLD DOES NOT WANT ME EATING AT THIS RESTAURANT.

I tried to coordinate a different BOG ressie, *again* and we did the whole standby thing and I called at the same time and it just wasn't there.


Yes, I know there's a quick service... but I'm being stubborn.

Here's what I'm doing, I'm logged into the Disney website, on the BOG reservation page with the selected date, the amount of people the canceled ressie is for, and have "Dinner" selected. (Though I think the first time I had the time closest to the ressie selected.) When the Disboarder has told me they are going to cancel I hit "search for new table" or whatever the green button is. And then nothing shows up. So I hit it again, and again, and again, until 20-30 minutes later I'm like "yeah, nope." Am I doing something wrong?

I'm not sure what month you are looking for, but I have tried twice with people to coordinate a cancelation and it hasn't worked either time. We were trying for December. I literally got on the phone with a reservations agents 30 seconds after the other person had her cancelation processed and I was checking on line at the same time. It never showed up in either place.

I am wondering if they overbooked BoG for certain times of the year or are holding tables back, but from what I can tell they are not releasing ADRs for this location as they become available. I am just going to keep checking periodically in case something changes and otherwise plan to try and walk up or do CS.

 

[Tricia1972]

It's very challenging to pick up those cancelled ADRs, and why coordinating is never a guarantee.

I agree with both possible scenarios above. It's entirely possible that someone else was quicker than you to snag it. The DIS is a tiny percentage of the total guests at Disney, and BOG is the hottest ticket in town for everyone.

It's also possible that they are holding a few back, and those aren't hitting the system.

Things changed when Disney stopped allowing transferring ADRs.

 

[mom2rtk]

I do agree that BOG is an entirely different beast.

I just recently coordinated a cancellation with someone for a great early dinner time at Ohana in early December. It went like clockwork. We checked in with each other by email and got the go-ahead.

I suggest doing it online so you can coordinate the timing almost down to the moment. And here's my second thought. Has anyone considered that if you do it by phone, the CM taking the cancellation could be taking it themselves or to transfer later to someone they know looking for one?

I also suggest that when you coordinate a time you try to do it at an off hour when you think fewer people would be online searching, maybe really early or really late.

 

[Hej2222]

I had similar concerns about BOG cancellations. I have been trying to get cancelled ADR for Thanksgiving week since it became available online on August 22 (everything was already booked when I finally got through on the phone on August 20 at noon after 2 dropped calls and 2 automated system failures). I check many times during the day - each date of my stay multiple times per hour all day long. There are no cancellations at all. When someone post they will cancel BOG on certain date I also check that date immediately and I have never seen anything coming up online as available. I have seen other people posting that they could not get that cancelled ADR either, although they checked immediately multiple times. Except one post early September when someone got a cancelled ADR December 5 and ADRs that people got when December 7 opened up, I have not seen any posts indicating that others scored November or December BOG ADRs. So in my opinion possibilities are that either there are thousands of people checking everyday hundred times per day and snatching ADR the second it is posted (and our chances of snatching it in that scenario are close to none) or Disney is not releasing ADRs and not planning on releasing them because they were overbooked on August 20 or Disney is not releasing ADRs, but planning on releasing them at some point (optimistic scenario) or there are other more "questionable" reasons like mentioned in the post above.
I also noticed couple glitches in the reservation system. "System down" problem is easily solved with simple browser switch or even switching computers - when I get that screen in Firefox on my desktop, sometimes I can just switch to my laptop or netbok and reservation system is fine in Firefox on laptop or netbook. Sometimes it is not and then I just switch to a different browser. Few days ago I cancelled CP reservation at 7:25 PM for 6 people - checked immediately if it was in the system searching for "Dinner" and it was not available. I then searched for 7 PM and it was available. Changed back to "Dinner" - not available. Changed to 7 PM and 4 people (thinking should be available for lesser number of people) - not available. So number of clicks needed to check availability of BOG had to go up....

 

[Fantasmic303]

If you are an odd numbered party (e.g. 3 or 5 people) go up one. The Disney system has a glitch that often overlooks odd numbered groups because it wants to fill every seat. Thus a party of 3 will usually be seated at a 4 top, but the system will say nothing is available because it's waiting for a group of 4 to book.

I'd be careful with this method, or maybe try both. I've been searching for 'Ohana for a party of 3 for a couple months at a particular time and have tried it with both 4 and 3 people. As of this moment, if I search for a party of 3, I'm offered a 9:15....if I search for 4, nothing comes up. Doesn't hurt to give both a shot though!

 

[purple figment]

I'd be careful with this method, or maybe try both. I've been searching for 'Ohana for a party of 3 for a couple months at a particular time and have tried it with both 4 and 3 people. As of this moment, if I search for a party of 3, I'm offered a 9:15....if I search for 4, nothing comes up. Doesn't hurt to give both a shot though!

There are far more 2, 4, 6, etc top tables, but there are probably some odd numbered tops against walls or windows at various restaurants. It means that 'Ohana had at least one table for 3 that was available when you were searching. I've found that often I'll search for 3 and nothing comes up, but when I put in 4 something will show up. Since in most cases parties of 3 are seated at a 4 top I'll take the res for the 4 top.

 

[Fantasmic303]

There are far more 2, 4, 6, etc top tables, but there are probably some odd numbered tops against walls or windows at various restaurants. It means that 'Ohana had at least one table for 3 that was available when you were searching. I've found that often I'll search for 3 and nothing comes up, but when I put in 4 something will show up. Since in most cases parties of 3 are seated at a 4 top I'll take the res for the 4 top.

I understand your thought process, I'm just cautioning the OP against using your "one up" method exclusively in the search for an ADR. While it would make sense to search for both party sizes, my warning is just that if they need a party of 3 and only search for 4, they may never know there was space for 3 available.

 

[purple figment]

my warning is just that if they need a party of 3 and only search for 4, they may never know there was space for 3 available.

Got it. I always start with 3 and if nothing shows up try for 4.