Called Disney to Complain

[skier_pete]

they could give up adr's all together. make it a first come first serve basis. lots of big chain restaurants do that.

People actually think this is the solution? Oh great, let's wait 60-90 minutes for a Table at our favorite Disney restaurant. Le Cellier wait time - 2 1/2 hours. (Has anyone been to Outback - our local one is typical 2 - 2 1/2 hours on a weekend night.) People get irritated now if they have to wait 20 minutes for a table.

Remember, back in the days of no ADRs, there was also no DDP, and there was (almost) always a Table available. Disney now fills their restaurants to capacity. If you made everyone wait for a Table, ugh what a mess.

 

[simba35217]

When I change a reservation I make the new one and cancel on the same phone call. Sometimes I have to keep calling to get the reservation I want and to me its not that much trouble. If I can't get the exact res I want their are more than a couple of places my family likes to eat. I must be blessed because I have never had that much trouble.

 

[DC7800]

Everyone should have access to a cc otherwise how did they make a reservation to stay at Disney?

A CC/debit card is not required to make a reservation at a Disney Resort (nor is it necessary for check-in, etc.).

Hence, it seems sort of odd to require a CC to make a ADR when you don't need one for a resort; Perhaps, for on-site guests, the dining ressie could just be linked to your resort reservation - don't show too many times, and be billed at check-out.

 

[disneybride2010]

When you call Disney to make a resort reservation you have 2 weeks to put the deposit down. Disney sends the paperwork to you then you can send a check to them. Also you can send a check for the balance or pay cash when you check in.

People get in to to much debt and trouble wit the magical credit and debit cards.

 

[CanadianGuy]

Can you use your debit card to buy things? If so then it would work with Disney.

Nope it won't.

Only at the ATM's to withdraw cash. Our debit cards do not have the Visa or MC logo on them and are NOT useable except as a debit card.

Disney (at last check) didn't process transactions at retail or over the phone that require giving the CM your PIN. And that's the only way we can purchase anything with our debit cards ... by entering a PIN. I have successfully used my Canadian Debit card (entering a PIN) at Walmarts in the US, at the Hess Stations at Disney and so forth. But at my last visit about 12 months ago, Disney had no such PIN pads and I have no idea how you'd ever do that securely and successfully over the phone.

Canada is way different than the states when it comes to debit. Nationwide retailers have swipe machines with a PIN entry pad. The network that does all this is called "Interac" and neither Visa nor Mastercard get a dime of the transaction fees from it.

It's borderline revolutionary.

Part of why we can do that is that Canada has really just 7 or 8 major banks and a few groups of credit unions. We don't have the fractionalized and regional banking nightmares that the U.S. "enjoyed" up til the recent banking crisis.

K

 

[monkeyknuckler]

Visa and MC will be coming out with their own versions of a debit card soon. I don't know if that will be any different than a regular debit card or not.

 

[EcbLovesMickey]

I think a major issue with having a CC to hold a reservation is Disney itself has been having some MAJOR transportation issues recently. So, if you have a 5 pm reservation at EPCOT and the monorail is closed and the line for the buses is 100+ people deep, how can they charge you?

People double book because things fill up so fast you don't have time to debate, you kind of have to book NOW and decide later. The dining plan has kind of screwed it all up. Before people would have maybe 2 or 3 sit down meals per trip, and now they have 2 or more per day! That is a HUGE crush on the already fully packed restaurants.

Disney needs to provide additional dining options, especially in the parks. They have been testing a few in MK, and there has been a rumor for a while about a Pirate character dining location.

I think in the next year or so we will see additional dining facilities open inside the parks.

 

[Ramsfan28]

What they are going to do is link a credit card to all reservations. It is going to happen. Then they can charge people who do not show up which will quickly solve this problem.

I could not agree more!! If Disney is smart they will make it very costly to no-show on a dining reservation. If you tell people it is $50 - $100 for a no-show I can bet people will be a tad more considerate when making reservations and making sure if they can't make it, they do the right thing and cancel.

I would be all for this!

 

[mickeysaver]

Have I double booked? Yes.

Have I cancelled everything that I knew that I wasn't going to use as soon as possible? Yes.

Is having to attach my reservations to a cc a problem that will prevent me from double booking in the future? No.

It's so not a big deal for any couple in the US to do this. Just attach the ADR to a cell phone for each member of the couple and put the ADR's on charge card in different names. It's not rocket science.

An option for those outside of the US might be to purchase a prepaid VISA card(s) to put on file as the credit card(s) to charge in case the ADR is not used. Disney may create some policy against this, but as of now we are speaking of ideas about what could happen and not actual policies.

Double booking is never going to completely go away. There is just no good way to keep those that want to double book from double booking.

 

[monkeyknuckler]

...An option for those outside of the US might be to purchase a prepaid VISA card(s) to put on file as the credit card(s) to charge in case the ADR is not used...

I dunno what the other Canadian was talking about...we have Visa, Mastercard and American Express just like you guys.

 

[ford family]

I dunno what the other Canadian was talking about...we have Visa, Mastercard and American Express just like you guys.

The "other Canadian" was talking about NOT having any credit cards but only having a debit card which cannot be used anywhere that doesn't have chip and pin which includes WDW.

ford family

 

[Eveningsong]

I just read on the board that starting 27 October 2009 when booking your dining ADR you will have to give the name of every person in dining party, and the ages of all children. Also, you may need a credit card.

This might slow down the double bookers.

 

[mickeysaver]

I just read on the board that starting 27 October 2009 when booking your dining ADR you will have to give the name of every person in dining party, and the ages of all children. Also, you may need a credit card.

This might slow down the double bookers.

Not really. Anyone with half a brain can intentionally give misspelled names or even use a middle name in place of a first name to create different party names. With a little preplanning on what info will be applied to what ADR groupings and which credit cards, this still doesn't do squat to stop double booking.

 

[manning]

I know that there are usually empty tables at every restaurant when we are there and walk ups are being turned away. The common answer that I get from every CAST Member is that they have ADR's for the empty tables that may or may not show up.

We got that answer at le cellier once and all the tables were empty. I suppose they were all in the bathroom washing their hands.

 

[Mr. & Mrs. Smith]

What if people are then reluctant to make reservations because they don't want to link it to a credit card? What if this causes people to eat offsite in restaurants that don't require a credit card? What if this runs off the people who don't have credit cards but are happy to plunk down cash at Disney restaurants?

I think you're on to something with the first question. If it cost, $50-$100 for a no-show as someone here suggested, who would be willing to risk that, even if they were only ingle-booking. I wouldn't. What if I got held up on a bus somewhere and they charged my credit card (if I actually had one)? What if I decided I didn't want to eat there but it was too late to cancel? I would just not book ADRs if this was their policy and I think there are many more like me. Disney would be shooting themselves in the foot.

I'd like to remind people that double booking seldom ever affects Disney's bottom line so why would they bother trying to stop it? The worst thing that happens to Disney from this practice is the occassionally complaint like the OP's, which Disney can easily appease by reassuring the guest that they are "doing something something about it." So, don't expect a crackdown any time soon.

People actually think this is the solution? Oh great, let's wait 60-90 minutes for a Table at our favorite Disney restaurant. Le Cellier wait time - 2 1/2 hours. (Has anyone been to Outback - our local one is typical 2 - 2 1/2 hours on a weekend night.) People get irritated now if they have to wait 20 minutes for a table.

Disney would never get rid of ADRs. That would mean they would have to start building queues for restaurants, worry about crowd control, and field housands of complaints. That suggestion wasn't even realistic!

Hence, it seems sort of odd to require a CC to make a ADR when you don't need one for a resort;

Agreed. That would be an odd thing to do.

I dunno what the other Canadian was talking about...we have Visa, Mastercard and American Express just like you guys.

Except those of us who choose not to, like us. See the problem?

I just read on the board that starting 27 October 2009 when booking your dining ADR you will have to give the name of every person in dining party, and the ages of all children. Also, you may need a credit card.

This might slow down the double bookers.

Can I ask where you read this? I hadn't heard anything like this.

 

[mitros]

They could run it like the doctors office you can make as many appts as you want, but if you don't cancel they charge you for the most expensive meal on the menu.

Sounds like a good idea to me.

 

[jimmytammy]

What it boils down to is are people willing to do the right thing? We never double book. I always feel rules are made for those who intend to keep them.

 

[Eveningsong]

I think you're on to something with the first question. If it cost, $50-$100 for a no-show as someone here suggested, who would be willing to risk that, even if they were only ingle-booking. I wouldn't. What if I got held up on a bus somewhere and they charged my credit card (if I actually had one)? What if I decided I didn't want to eat there but it was too late to cancel? I would just not book ADRs if this was their policy and I think there are many more like me. Disney would be shooting themselves in the foot.

I'd like to remind people that double booking seldom ever affects Disney's bottom line so why would they bother trying to stop it? The worst thing that happens to Disney from this practice is the occassionally complaint like the OP's, which Disney can easily appease by reassuring the guest that they are "doing something something about it." So, don't expect a crackdown any time soon.



Disney would never get rid of ADRs. That would mean they would have to start building queues for restaurants, worry about crowd control, and field housands of complaints. That suggestion wasn't even realistic!



Agreed. That would be an odd thing to do.



Except those of us who choose not to, like us. See the problem?



Can I ask where you read this? I hadn't heard anything like this.

Right here at the top under Disney Dining
Walt Disney World Dining
Disney World Dining Overview





Liberty Tree Tavern- Starting 1/3/2010 Liberty Tree Tavern will be a character dining location for breakfast, lunch, dinner. All meals will be served in an all you care to enjoy family style setting.
On 2/15/2010 Liberty Tree Tavern will resume normal operations as a non-character location serving lunch and dinner. This is being done while Crystal Palace is closed for a rehab.

Epcot's Food and Wine Festival - 09/25/09 - 11/08/09

This year's 14th annual International Food and Wine Festival will play host to seminars, tasting events and sumptuous dinners overseen by top Disney Chefs as well as renowned guest Chefs. Over the course of the Festival, there will be 1200 beer and wine seminars scheduled with complimentary samples.



The Festival Welcome Center features a Wine Shop where you can purchase your favorite selection as well as other event souvenirs. There are marketplaces featuring food, wine and beer. More Info.



Wolfgang Puck Cafe celebrates Oktoberfest

This special three – course menu is available at the Downtown Disney restaurant through the month of October and is $35.00 per person.

Featured recipes will be seared scallops with spaetzle and caper aioli and wienerschnitzel hormone free Berkshire pork with warm potato salad, baby mache and mustard sauce. Dessert offerings include an apple strudel and vanilla bean gelato.



Book your dining reservations 180 days in advance:
Starting 10/27/09 you will be able to book 180 days in advance. You will need to provide the names of everyone dining, also the ages of the children. Modifications will still need to be made by phone at 407-WDW-DINE. A credit card may be required to secure the reservation.

Magic Kingdom Fireworks Dessert Party
UPDATE: The Wishes Dessert Party has been extended through December 29, 2009.

 

[Mr. & Mrs. Smith]

Is that not the policy now? I thought they always said that they may ask for a credit card so that people aren't shocked when it's needed for places like CRT.

 

[starstruck93]

This has been a common complaint and strategy for years. Disney has been talking about fixing it for years. We don't double book and always cancel unused ADR's, but based upon how screwed up the system is, I get the feeling that we might be in the minority.

Yes, I agree, I cancel everything as soon as I book my prefered ressies. I'm still puzzled at why a company this size does not have a betterr IT team than this. Their web-site could be so much better and user freindly.