Blown Away By Some of the ADR Cancellations

[tomlinson]

I understand the OP's frustration, but at the end of the day... they're just dining reservations. As long as my dad and my sister are with me and having fun? I couldn't care less where I end up eating or don't. For me, part of the fun is just straight up planning the trip. Although, truth be told, I was really bummed I didn't get ADR for BOG this trip. Periodically I still try for it but I'm not going to let that momentary disappointment ruin my trip, when I got every other reservation at the exact time I wanted. I also get that the amount of reservations during MNSSHP aren't as many as say during non major MK events. It's just how the cookie crumbles, ya know? And I think it's great that members of the board even THINK to post what they are cancelling so someone else can scoop it up.

 

[notrub98]

I also agree with the OP. I plan my meals at 180 days out and then plan my days around the dining times. I already have rooms/flights etc so my plan is in place. I am going in Dec and see people cancelling their times already. People will cancel due to fastpass etc but that is only 60 days out that they can be made. Do people make reservations without having rooms or flights or a plan in place?

Yes. I fly 25 times per year. Flight prices are often cheapest at less than 60 days. I almost never have flights booked when I am planning.

 

[peg2001]

I can understand the desire to book multiples when Disney makes changes to the park hours much closer than 180 days prior. Say a family wants to do BOG for breakfast and lunch. They reserve a PPO breakfast as early as they can get, and a lunch 4 hours later. However, knowing that Disney could decide to open the park an hour earlier or add EMH that day, they also reserve a breakfast for as late as possible (to better take advantage of early touring) and then a second lunch reservation as late as possible.

Now they have 4 reservations for the same restaurant for the same day. They intend to use two of them. They'd be THRILLED to finalize their plans and release the unneeded ADRs but can't until they know what Disney is going to do.

 

[Nancyg56]

Disclaimer...
I have never booked multiple days etc.
However, I can see how "the system" makes it difficult to secure a hard to get ADR.
So, I'm a "no judgement" kind of person. I refuse to be flamed for pointing out the up side to a sticky problem.
Thanks for the fire @mom2rtk

I was one of those who never understood the need for multiple ADR's until I planned the last trip! Holy planning nightmare for us. I normally plan park days, book ADRs that are convenient for us, and the only extras in place would be a PPO breakfast in MK, DAK and Epcot. As soon as we decided which one or ones we wanted, I would drop the extra.

The last trip updated hours were almost nonexistent, and so it was very hard to know what to do, and a back up plan was a must. I no longer judge that others feel that it is easier to secure the ADR's they may need earlier and then drop them later. If someone genuinely wants BOG several times throughout their trip, I also don't care. I don't understand it, but most people don't understand that my family likes Chef Mickey! LOL!

I also agree with the OP. I plan my meals at 180 days out and then plan my days around the dining times. I already have rooms/flights etc so my plan is in place. I am going in Dec and see people cancelling their times already. People will cancel due to fastpass etc but that is only 60 days out that they can be made. Do people make reservations without having rooms or flights or a plan in place?

I never book airfare early in my planning, and have been known to book my ADR's before my room is in place. Lately I make changes in my dining depending on how my family dynamic changes on our trip, so you would see me cancel ADR's just after I book the new ones. We have friends and family who may join us and if I have an ADR in place that does not allow for adding them, I drop it and add a new one.

 

[SaintsManiac]

I think some of it can be pretty wild. I've seen people canceling 5 ADRs at the same place for the same day, etc. However, I had a backup ADR for Bon Voyage that I really wish I had kept, because our plans have changed so much. We will roll with it and keep looking, but I now understand people have a couple of backups.

 

[jcjen519]

I wont even comment on people doing this. It's going to happen and really it's disney's doing. Regardless....posts like this just make it less likely people will share on the cancellation threads. It won't change the booking practices so please stop.

 

[lorileahb]

Everyone has their own way of planning - I'm just glad that, with the system as it is, people post their cancellations here and are willing to coordinate.

 

[Ken G]

I wont even comment on people doing this. It's going to happen and really it's disney's doing. Regardless....posts like this just make it less likely people will share on the cancellation threads. It won't change the booking practices so please stop.

Appreciate your opinion. Please do not discount mine because you do not like it. If I feel the need to post something that you do not agree with, you can a) voice your opinion or b) you can move along. Please do not expect me to not post my feelings on "message boards". That is the point of them.

Shine on!

 

[Sparkly]

Oh, so it's yet again Disney's fault and that justifies it, just like with the extra fastpasses. Guess what just got clamped down on? You can't go around doing what you want because sooner or later, it'll be gone. Just remember that.

 

[Colleen27]

I also agree with the OP. I plan my meals at 180 days out and then plan my days around the dining times. I already have rooms/flights etc so my plan is in place. I am going in Dec and see people cancelling their times already. People will cancel due to fastpass etc but that is only 60 days out that they can be made. Do people make reservations without having rooms or flights or a plan in place?

Absolutely. I'm not one to book my room and count on applying a discount later; I'll wait for the discounts and then book the room that is available. So right now, this week, I'm making ADRs for a March trip. The discount for that time of year is released end of the month, historically, but I know if I wait until I have my room booked several of my desired ADRs will be all but impossible to get without stalking the site. And the best airfares from our area to Orlando tend to pop up 6-8 weeks before travel, so I may even have FPs before plane tickets for some trips. That does sometimes mean rearranging a few things, but it is better to have the bones of the trip in place and build around them than to start from scratch when the room and air are settled.

Also, with Disney not releasing nighttime show schedules and therefore dessert party reservations until so close to the travel dates, you're bound to see cancellations as people plug those into their schedule.

But none of that demands booking multiple ADRs for each day/meal. Even without the +10 access to hours, a change that frankly stinks from a planning perspective, I was able to project the hours and EMH schedules with enough accuracy that my ADR plan fit the days I thought it would, and unless it turns out that our dates shift, those are the plans I'll be keeping for those days (unless a FoP FP gets in the way - I think that's the only one I'd reschedule a meal for).

 

[DisneyParkLover]

I am not a hoarder, but I do frequently get a couple different days for a few of my reservations. As many have said, I am at the mercy of Disney releasing things at different times. So I booked my ADRs at 180. But I had to tweak when they released Candlelight Processional packages a month later. Now they've released Rivers of Light packages, so I will have to tweak again based on if I can get one of those. Then I will tweak yet again when my FP+ booking opens depending on when I can get fast passes. And I may have to tweak even more if they change park hours last minute like they are known to do. So while I don't hold 5 of the same thing, I do make our must dos on a couple days for the reasons I listed above. If Disney wouldn't constantly change hours and release things at random unknown dates, it would make it a lot easier.

ETA: I never get multiple for the same day and usually do this with only a couple favorite restaurants. So I may do one Ohana reservation on two different days of the trip. And I will release whichever one doesn't fit into the schedule.

 

[Pumbaa_]

When BOG first came out, it was even harder to get. We had a person, once plans finalized, look to cancel 4-5 of the coveted adrs per day for like a week

I may have lost it a tad

That was the most I have ever seen. So I realize sometimes it seems a little hoarderish, but it has been worse!

I really haven't seen anything outrageous, and I pretty much see every post on every cancel thread. Our folks are good about sharing their cancels and helping others. Disers rock

 

[SaintsManiac]

There are people booking ADRs for Facebook groups lately. Not sure if this is a new thing or not. I've noticed it a bunch in the November ADR group. It doesn't seem like a ton and at least they are trying to help others out, right?

 

[Pumbaa_]

once upon a time, there was an internet group that booked CRT. in mass quantities. then would dole them out to the 'worthy'

which is one of the reasons CRT is now a pre-pay experience
i would like to think people have better things to do than corner the market on a disney adr.

 

[mom2rtk]

There are people booking ADRs for Facebook groups lately. Not sure if this is a new thing or not. I've noticed it a bunch in the November ADR group. It doesn't seem like a ton and at least they are trying to help others out, right?

No, it just ruins it for everyone else.

 

[SaintsManiac]

once upon a time, there was an internet group that booked CRT. in mass quantities. then would dole them out to the 'worthy'

which is one of the reasons CRT is nw a pre-pay experience
i would like to think people have better things to do than corner the market on a disney adr.

Wow. I was trying to decide how I feel about it, but I'll save my energy and just keep stalking for myself

 

[SaintsManiac]

No, it just ruins it for everyone else.

Yeah I kind of agree. I was trying to be a little sarcastic

 

[mom2rtk]

once upon a time, there was an internet group that booked CRT. in mass quantities. then would dole them out to the 'worthy'

which is one of the reasons CRT is nw a pre-pay experience
i would like to think people have better things to do than corner the market on a disney adr.

Exactly that.

 

[monique5]

I am not a hoarder, but I do frequently get a couple different days for a few of my reservations. As many have said, I am at the mercy of Disney releasing things at different times. So I booked my ADRs at 180. But I had to tweak when they released Candlelight Processional packages a month later. Now they've released Rivers of Light packages, so I will have to tweak again based on if I can get one of those. Then I will tweak yet again when my FP+ booking opens depending on when I can get fast passes. And I may have to tweak even more if they change park hours last minute like they are known to do. So while I don't hold 5 of the same thing, I do make our must dos on a couple days for the reasons I listed above. If Disney wouldn't constantly change hours and release things at random unknown dates, it would make it a lot easier.

ETA: I never get multiple for the same day and usually do this with only a couple favorite restaurants. So I may do one Ohana reservation on two different days of the trip. And I will release whichever one doesn't fit into the schedule.

This. So true. I made/make ADRs @ 180D, then Disney changes things, which I have come to expect, so I book ADRs accordingly. F! Dining Package @ MM was released almost 1 month after HBD & H&V which was after my 180D. Then CP Dining Packages were released in July but not all @ once, and the narrator list was incomplete (as always), so had to plan around releasing ADRs in increments and then checking on narrators. Then ROL just released in the last 5D. Still waiting on EMM for December. I have canceled (if needed) as I have made changes, but keeping a few based on park hours changing, narrators changing, etc.

 

[Spencer Wright]

I am borrowing a phrase from Pete and referring to the people who book multiple ADR's for the same time period (i.e. same evening) as a bag of dicks.

If you have the knowledge of Disney to know that multiple ADR's can help accommodate changing entertainment schedules, than you also know how in demand ADR's are for the vast majority of restaurants on property.

Booking multiplies all within an hour of each other to accommodate possible changes in your schedule is rude and entitled.