Book Dining When You Book Your Room?

[Kickapoo Joie Juice]

Another thread on the rumors board about dining going back to 180 days had me thinking, what if when you book your DVC, they let you book dining as well?

How many of you have your dining plans in mind when you're booking your room?

I book 11 mo out for vwl, and I already know where I want to eat by then. Does anyone else think this would be a nice perk?

I was also thinking that Disney might like it because they'd know farther out what the levels would be at restaurants?

 

[CarolMN]

I can see it now. Disney lets DVC members book ADRs 11 months in advance and then a restaurant closes, changes menus or themes, needs rehab, etc. so Disney cancesl all the ADRs for that restaurant. Some DVC members get all upset, rant and rave and demand free meals at V&A as compensation.

 

[Kickapoo Joie Juice]

I can see it now. Disney lets DVC members book ADRs 11 months in advance and then a restaurant closes, changes menus or themes, needs rehab, etc. so Disney cancesl all the ADRs for that restaurant. Some DVC members get all upset, rant and rave and demand free meals at V&A as compensation.

It wasn't meant to be a sarcastic poll, I didn't think restaurants changed all that often....

 

[Starr W.]

I can see it now. Disney lets DVC members book ADRs 11 months in advance and then a restaurant closes, changes menus or themes, needs rehab, etc. so Disney cancesl all the ADRs for that restaurant. Some DVC members get all upset, rant and rave and demand free meals at V&A as compensation.

Yep, I can see the threads now!

 

[Alexander]

I'm going to stay on topic!

We have a handful of restaurants in WDW that we know we like and pretty much hit each time we are there. We tend to focus on resort restaurants and not theme park because we don't like having to be in a specific park on a specific day at a specific time and be hungry.

I would book my reservations knowing that things will likely change (either with our plans or by WDW) but reservations are very easy to cancel--but not always easy to get. So I voted, I would make my reservations way in advance just to know I have then secured if I want them.

 

[Figment2]

Friends and I were recently discussing where to eat during our end of October trip. We hate having to make reservations 90 days out so 11 months would be even worse! We rarely know which park we'll be in on any day. We decide where to go (or not go) when someone says something like "we thought we'd go to AK tomorrow moring." Then the rest of the group either goes or catches up with everyone later. The only "for sure" reservation is when we decide what MNSSHP or MVMCP we're attending.

Here's a possible issue - there are 3-4 of us and we stay in a 2 BR (BWV or OKW). When we make dining reservations it's always for at least 20 people. We have friends who are DVC members who often will arrive during the trip. We've made friends who live in the area and meet up with them on a regular basis. If we find out there will be less than 20, we call and down size but that rarely happens. Usually it's the other way around. I can't imagine that DVC would let us make a reservation for 20 when we are only booking a room for 4.

On another thread, someone mentioned they long for the old days when you could call while you were on vacation and make reservations. We are in that group!

Cyn

 

[DenLo]

I voted to make ADR's when making our DVC reservation. We realized that unless we make ADR's we may not get in our favorite restaurants (Le Cellier Steakhouse and Artist Point to mention a couple) when we want too.

We often use the Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy method--whatever bus come first was meant to be that we go to that park. However, later in the day if we have a lunch or dinner ADR we just change parks. It gives us some time off our feet and in air conditioning while we ride the bus.

I thought the purpose of a vacation was to relax and enjoy, not plan every minute of everyday. Of course, our method just makes my SIL shutter when she hears it, since she takes the commando approach. BTW, because of her commando approach, she and her family were not in many of the family PhotoPass photos taken at our last family gathering in June. As they had to be at a certain place at a certain time and was always running ahead. She swears next time will be different.

 

[Inkmahm]

I'm going to stay on topic!

We have a handful of restaurants in WDW that we know we like and pretty much hit each time we are there. We tend to focus on resort restaurants and not theme park because we don't like having to be in a specific park on a specific day at a specific time and be hungry.

I would book my reservations knowing that things will likely change (either with our plans or by WDW) but reservations are very easy to cancel--but not always easy to get. So I voted, I would make my reservations way in advance just to know I have then secured if I want them.

What he said.

 

[Chuck S]

I really don't see Disney ever giving DVCers ADR priority over cash guests. Whether they change the policy to 180 days or as soon as you have a confirmed room reservation (it actually used to be that way) they will treat cash guests the same as DVCers.

 

[quirty30]

We often use the Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy method--whatever bus come first was meant to be that we go to that park. However, later in the day if we have a lunch or dinner ADR we just change parks. It gives us some time off our feet and in air conditioning while we ride the bus.

A little off topic, but I like that idea - would be fun to try sometime when no one can seem to agree on a park for the day : )

 

[DebbieB]

I really don't see Disney ever giving DVCers ADR priority over cash guests. Whether they change the policy to 180 days or as soon as you have a confirmed room reservation (it actually used to be that way) they will treat cash guests the same as DVCers.

I agree. Look at the blowup on the restaurants board when a cm posted that they were looking at a new system that gave priority to certain groups. A bunch of people threatened to cancel their reservations.

 

[rentayenta]

I would love to be able to make ADRs when we make our DVC reservations.

 

[mikron]

With the dining plans getting larger and larger you need to book as far ahead as you can.

 

[BriarRose59]

The only reason I voted "No, I don't know where I'm eating that far in advance." is because I book my ADR's around avoiding most EMH days so I like to wait until the park hours are posted. I also try to book at MK on what time and whether they have the parade and/or fireworks. Plus, I wouldn't have to have worked out what days I want to dine where at the time of making the reservation. I enjoy the planning part and making decisions on ADR's is part of the planning process. The process gets drawn out longer if I wait until park hours are posted to make the ADR's.

 

[Anal Annie]

I hope they don't do that. What a pain to have to think about it that far out again. That means they'd need to start publishing the park hours earlier again too... We're the opposite of BriarRose59 as we DO go to the EMH's so we plan around those hours too, but for a diff. reason!! We always go to the morning hours at AK and stay thru lunch then we go to the pool... We also hit Epcot for the evening EMH's... Oh, and then there's the dates for the Fantasmic shows now that they don't do them every day anymore...

Makes my head hurt just thinking about it...

 

[DopeyDave]

I may not know my dining plans 11 months out, but at least if I had that ability, I would book my ADR's at 7-8 months once I narrow down our plans.

 

[Kickapoo Joie Juice]

I was thinking it didn't have to be just dvc people, what if anybody who stayed onsite had the ability to book their food when they booked their rooms?

And you had to hold it with a credit card, could not do overlapping bookings, and had to give a 1 hour cancellation notice to avoid charges. I'd think that would be mighty cool, myself.

A 1 hour cancellation window would allow all the footloose-fancy free vacationers the opportunity to get their meals, too...