Complaint number for Disney Diningcom

[hsmamato2]

You kind of are. Sure, you can say it is voluntary, but the bottom line is that if you have certain venues you want to have a meal at, and you want certain times, you better not wait to book those precious ADR's. Now do you need to book every one? No, but I can tell you that even at 180 +8 I was not able to book every one I wanted.

Exactly.

 

[TheRustyScupper]

1) There are few things we need to understand about the Disney computer "systems".
. . . the base system is a 1960's program written for Vegas Casinos and Resorts
. . . it was originally written in COBOL, which few people even know how to write any longer
. . . I do not even know if computer schools even teach COBOL any more, since it is so old and out of favor
. . . when asked, the IT guys tell of the monster expense and time needed if the databases were modernized
2) Disney has built THREE different Front Pages and GUI's for the older database design
. . . the newer "Ala Carte" ADR dining system was a system was never intended to work off the archaic database systems that Disney uses
. . . the CM's involved (in ressies, at the eateries, etc) get just as angered as the guests

3) It must be noted that the Podium at eateries have use the new "Dine-Time" ressie system.
. . . this is an off-the-shelf program that MANY other non-Disney eateries use (across the country)
. . . according to IT, it was supposed to be loaded, and work smoothly and seemlessly
. . . Dine-Time could do ressies and seat assignments, but does not currently
. . . the program retrieves ressies from the database and helps SEATERS and SERVERS process the ressies-meals-bills
. . . this system goes down AT LEAST 1-2 times per week at any given eatery
. . . any time you see SEATERS and SERVERS writing guest slips on paper, you know the system is down
. . . and, yes, it interferes with "Ala Carte" for people trying to make ressies

4) Again, you want changes, Checkbook Economics usually works best.

 

[FunTimeMom]

I wouldn't fault Disney for an occasional website glitch. Heck, I might even forgive regular crashes if customer service seemed to care even a little. My issue is with the customer service I received after having issues with the website and long hold time on the phone that resulted in me getting 1 ADR out of the 7 I was looking for. I was told by one customer service representative that it is not possible to book ADRs online at 6:00am EST. The next customer service representative said my week is Jersey week. I may not be an expert on many things, but I am in a great position to know beyond any doubt my week is not Jersey week. My son has food allergies and Disney handles allergies so wonderfully. We are comfortable eating at Disney and it is a big part of the magic for us. We can have enough Marriott points to stay the week for free, but we are paying a premium to stay on site so we can use the 180+10 advantage to book the ADRs that mean so much to my family. It should not be asking too much for Disney to keep up their end of the bargain and if they can't, find a way to make it up to me. I know Disney wants my money because they send a PIN at least once a season yet they can't even provide decent customer service. Even a small gesture, or even a bit of honesty, would go a long way with me. Instead they lie and tell me stories of restaurants being booked solid only to have a large block of reservations at restaurants open up. Somehow I doubt a ton of people dumped Garden Grill and Coral Reef reservations all at the same time.

 

[TheRustyScupper]

It should not be asking too much for Disney to keep up their end of the bargain and if they can't, find a way to make it up to me.

1) What do you suggest to "make it up to me"?
2) You already get a discount PIN number.

 

[FunTimeMom]

1) What do you suggest to "make it up to me"?
2) You already get a discount PIN number.

1.) A small gesture, anything really, would have gone a long way in saying they care. I'm not talking about comping my trip or anything like that. I have spent a very large amount of money with the expectation Disney would provide a level service and their service didn't work. The product I paid for did not work as it was supposed to. When I spend the kind of money I do on Disney I do expect them to stand behind their products.
2.) I never said I used the PIN, I only said they send them to me.

You make it sound like I am expecting something extra or something for free. I simply expected Disney to provide what they said they would.

 

[elaine amj]

I would expect that in cases where a customer has "jumped through all the hoops" and everything has fallen apart, that they do some magic and make a reservation happen. Knowing the system has major systemic issues, they should keep back a few pixie dust reservations for guests with major issues. All I would expect is for Disney to make it right when the problem is theirs. It's severely disappointing to hear tales of customer service reps just shrugging and saying "too bad". I expect this at other businesses. But Disney has chosen to brand itself on "above and beyond customer service ". That is what we are not seeing enough of when it comes to their tech issues.

 

[Dean Marino]

1) There are few things we need to understand about the Disney computer "systems".
. . . the base system is a 1960's program written for Vegas Casinos and Resorts
. . . it was originally written in COBOL, which few people even know how to write any longer
. . . I do not even know if computer schools even teach COBOL any more, since it is so old and out of favor
. . . when asked, the IT guys tell of the monster expense and time needed if the databases were modernized
2) Disney has built THREE different Front Pages and GUI's for the older database design
. . . the newer "Ala Carte" ADR dining system was a system was never intended to work off the archaic database systems that Disney uses
. . . the CM's involved (in ressies, at the eateries, etc) get just as angered as the guests

3) It must be noted that the Podium at eateries have use the new "Dine-Time" ressie system.
. . . this is an off-the-shelf program that MANY other non-Disney eateries use (across the country)
. . . according to IT, it was supposed to be loaded, and work smoothly and seemlessly
. . . Dine-Time could do ressies and seat assignments, but does not currently
. . . the program retrieves ressies from the database and helps SEATERS and SERVERS process the ressies-meals-bills
. . . this system goes down AT LEAST 1-2 times per week at any given eatery
. . . any time you see SEATERS and SERVERS writing guest slips on paper, you know the system is down
. . . and, yes, it interferes with "Ala Carte" for people trying to make ressies

4) Again, you want changes, Checkbook Economics usually works best.

Now THAT is a wonderful post . "TheRustyScupper" - you've confirmed a number of my suspicions.... principal among them, that MDE is a slick Web front end hiding several ancient junk back end DBs, none of which have been properly integrated.

You are also dead right about Checkbook Economics. I've never come across a company that wanted to spend 10 cents on IT until the old farts on the board actually GOT the idea that they could make money from it. Including at Microsoft .

So what do WE do?

It's actually simple. TRY the Disney Web System - and the instant it fails? CALL CALL CALL CALL. Eventually, one of two things will happen: the broken Web System will die, or Disney will get really tired of hiring thousands of phone CMs with benefit packages, and get serious about a web based system worth of Disney .

 

[sharadoc]

I expect a lot more of this for the next month since we're in the period of Thanksgiving through New Year holidays. Busiest time of the year, free dining, and antiquated reservation system mean disaster and disappointment.

 

[maxiesmom]

I would expect that in cases where a customer has "jumped through all the hoops" and everything has fallen apart, that they do some magic and make a reservation happen. Knowing the system has major systemic issues, they should keep back a few pixie dust reservations for guests with major issues. All I would expect is for Disney to make it right when the problem is theirs. It's severely disappointing to hear tales of customer service reps just shrugging and saying "too bad". I expect this at other businesses. But Disney has chosen to brand itself on "above and beyond customer service ". That is what we are not seeing enough of when it comes to their tech issues.

You realize that if a restaurant is booked full, the only way to make a reservation happen is to somehow force them in, and make the wait time longer for those who already have ADRs? So making the experience worse for many is the solution?

I also have to wonder how many fake problems people would start having, just to get a normally hard to get ADR. No doubt about it, people would be calling with lists. Think the phone lines are bogged down now.....

 

[elaine amj]

You realize that if a restaurant is booked full, the only way to make a reservation happen is to somehow force them in, and make the wait time longer for those who already have ADRs? So making the experience worse for many is the solution?

Which is why I said they should keep a few back for pixie dust. They can release it back a few days before the day. They shouldn't have to do this normally...but given the widespread systemic issues and knowing that a percentage of people are going to have severe issues, it only makes sense from a customer service perspective. I am less likely to be mad if I jump through the hoops and I am too slow and the restaurant is full than if I jump through the hoops and there is availability but the system failed me and now the restaurant is full.

 

[maxiesmom]

Which is why I said they should keep a few back for pixie dust. They can release it back a few days before the day. They shouldn't have to do this normally...but given the widespread systemic issues and knowing that a percentage of people are going to have severe issues, it only makes sense from a customer service perspective. I am less likely to be mad if I jump through the hoops and I am too slow and the restaurant is full than if I jump through the hoops and there is availability but the system failed me and now the restaurant is full.

You would still have the problem of people claiming they had issues when they didn't, and taking those spot meant for people who truly had issues.

 

[peg110]

@peg110 is entitled to her opinion as are all of our posters!

HIS opinion.

And thanks.

As I catch up on this topic (as it has grown significantly since Friday when I last checked) I have SOOOO Wanted to make responding comments. I have even typed several of them out, but I have decided to not add more fuel to the fire. (Apparently, I have that ability)

 

[TheRustyScupper]

You realize that if a restaurant is booked full, the only way to make a reservation happen is to somehow force them in, and make the wait time longer for those who already have ADRs?

1) This is done all the time.
. . . and, yes it does back-up others who have ressies
. . . but, when the ADR's are overbooked, that is bound to happen
2) The ONLY exceptions are eateries that are truly capacity-limited (examples: HDR, Luau, V&A)
3) This is done through the Dining Override Code, which some managers and some Concierge have been granted.
4) We usually override the system and get people in who are
. . . Disney/ABC execs
. . . WDW General Manger and above execs
. . . guests of the Disney or WDW Marketing Department
. . . Level-1 or Level-2 VIP's (Level-3 VIP's are usually not given the override)

 

[undertheradar]

Disney could solve the overload easily. Require all ADRS to be paid in full at time of booking, even for those on the dining plan. As dining plan meals are redeemed, credit would be issued back to the card used for payment at time of booking. This would start freeing up many ADRS, as folks who feel the need to go to every "hot/newest" dining experience would be putting money on the line. Refunds for cancelation could then be limited to 50%, requiring 72 hours notice. This would stop the constant changes and lack of availability that continues to dog WDW. Time to free up space for walkups, local residents, and those who choose to enjoy the opportunity to visit WDW like it used to be, no ADRS.

 

[hsmamato2]

We're sorry, there is a problem searching for reservations at this time.

...Today's message on the dining site......same as yesterday,etc etc.

 

[peg110]

Disney could solve the overload easily. Require all ADRS to be paid in full at time of booking, even for those on the dining plan. As dining plan meals are redeemed, credit would be issued back to the card used for payment at time of booking. This would start freeing up many ADRS, as folks who feel the need to go to every "hot/newest" dining experience would be putting money on the line. Refunds for cancelation could then be limited to 50%, requiring 72 hours notice. This would stop the constant changes and lack of availability that continues to dog WDW. Time to free up space for walkups, local residents, and those who choose to enjoy the opportunity to visit WDW like it used to be, no ADRS.

That would certainly solve the ADRs being taken up when not really needed, however, I am afraid, it would also dramatically DROP ADRs in general and certainly would not maximize their profits.

I know when my DW makes reservations, she prioritizes them. What we "WANT" and what we will accept. If we don't get what we want, then we find what we will accept. Through the whole planning process things change. For us and others. So as our plans change so do our ADRs. Should we be penalized? When others drop their ADR and it opens up for us to take, we take it and drop our "Acceptable but not preferred" ADR. So should we again be penalized?

I get what you are saying. I think of it much like our Government. It's not the best, but it's the best we have. (For whatever that's worth).

 

[Mamapapa]

OP - I don't have much to offer, just wanted to say OMG, I would be livid if I was you. I had no problems making my ADR's and I can't believe the terror you went through to get yours. The system is finicky at best in the way it lets some poeple through with no issues and then just targets others for total anhiliation like you and your hubby! I'm glad most of your reservations worked out, I hope at some point you have luck scoring them all.

I am not saying that WDW is not without some fault and that some CM's couldn't spare to do with a little sensitivity training, but you have understand that You or I are not their ONLY customer.

I'm sorry, but comments like this totally bug me. Way to pass off Disney's errors and bogus IT Dept onto the OP. No one should have to go through what the OP did to get some stupid ADR's.

 

[peg110]

I'm sorry, but comments like this totally bug me. Way to pass off Disney's errors and bogus IT Dept onto the OP. No one should have to go through what the OP did to get some stupid ADR's.

I was not passing off Disney's Errors or Mistakes. I just know how some people also treat customer service folks. It's a thankless job. Add to the fact that CM's are PEOPLE too! They have good days and bad days too! They have to deal with the same garbage that you or I do too! EXCEPT, they also get to deal with the IRATE customers, the irate managers, stupid corporate policy and rules that they have no control over, etc and stuff we probably don't even understand.

There really is no reason for CMs to be rude, but we all have bad days. When the system is malfunctioning for you and I, I doubt that it's "Magically" working well for the CMs? So if it's not working for us and it's not working for THEM either, they (the CMs) are likely getting all of us calling (and complaining) making their day less "Magical" as well. So it's understandable if they may also get a bit upset as well.

No apologizing for them, just understanding how and why they can be that way. In that spirit, I apologize if I have offended you or anyone else.

 

[Lucius Best]

We're sorry, there is a problem searching for reservations at this time.

...Today's message on the dining site......same as yesterday,etc etc.

What exactly is your expectation? Remember that no one is forcing you to book dining reservations 180 days out, it's completely voluntary. Disney successfully handles millions of reservations every second, even though the software was written in the 1950s in Latvia, and it would be too expensive to replace it. If you consider the logistics and scheduling involved, it's quite phenomenal that Disney does as well as they do.
(tongue firmly in cheek)

 

[peg110]

Love the picture @Lucius Best

Probably a great summation