Disappointed and a bit frustrated too!!! NOT ANYMORE!!!

[SunnieRN]

We are going to wdw from Sept. 20-29. On the 20-22 we are staying at Jambo house in a savannah studio and then switching to a 1-bedroom at Kidani village when two members of our family join us. When we made our reservations there were no studios available for our first two days at Kidani.

I was excited to call for dining reservations today, only to be disappointed after talking with member services.

To make a very long story short, if we were staying at any other resort and switching rooms at some point in the stay, our reservations would be linked and we could have made reservations today for our entire trip.

But...isn't there always a but?! Since we are switching from Jambo to Kidani our reservation is not linked. Me in all my getting home from work after a 13 hour shift "wisdom" says "When we bought into animal kingdom we were told it is all one resort."

The CM agreed, told me I was right (such a smart man) and said that he would see what he could do. Now honestly I didn't get upset, yell, cry or swear, but the next thing I know there is a supervisor on the phone, telling me I'm right, but there was nothing they could do. I don't think I would be disappointed or worried at all if it wasn't free dining.

The one reservation I did make was for Tusker House for breakfast. There was NOTHING available for 9/21 and only one spot on 9/22..... what will be available in two more days?? The CM and supervisor told me "this is one more kink we will have to let them know they need to iron out with ala-carte. Sometimes it sucks to be right when you can't change the outcome!:

 

[DiznyDi]

Sorry!

Sending your way!

 

[Chuck S]

I thought whenever you changed resorts or room types the reservations were not linked, that is what enables you to get the DDP for only a portion of your sstay. After all, you have to go through anouther check-in process and room keys...so how is it that they could be linked for the purposes of 90+10 ADRs?

 

[dgaston]

Our trip begins on the 20th as well, and I did not fare well with CRO on dining times. We have a large party, and I couldn't get California Grill for the time I wanted (to see Wishes of course), or the Rose and Crown (for Illuminations of course). They did take my $ for Hoop Dee Doo, and we got ok times for Boma and Ohana. I was on hold for over 30 minutes and it took roughly another 20 minutes to book the ADRs. The CM kept apologizing for how slowly things were running.

I did feel the Free Dining Effect.

 

[BEASLYBOO]

We plot and plan to make everything perfect, but it seems that each and every time there has to be a fly in the ointment! This whole ADR thing with the free dining debaucle really makes it hard to cheerfull when you hold for 30 minutes only to find out that you can't get your 1st , 2nd etc. etc. choices.


In June, we couldn't make reservations for Le Cellier either, but luckily we walked up and they seated us withing 15 minutes without reservations. I won't/don't vacation during free dining.

You have a right to be irritated!

 

[SunnieRN]

Sorry!

Sending your way!

(((((((((thank you!!!!!)))))))))))))

 

[SunnieRN]

I thought whenever you changed resorts or room types the reservations were not linked, that is what enables you to get the DDP for only a portion of your sstay. After all, you have to go through anouther check-in process and room keys...so how is it that they could be linked for the purposes of 90+10 ADRs?

Not quite. Pre ala-carte as long as you were on site you had the 10 day dining window, no matter how many on site changes you made, your dining was linked. Now it has to be within the same resort to get that advantage. But....oh no another but... I am going to call in a minute and see if there is a studio available at Kidani now for our first two nights!!

 

[SunnieRN]

Our trip begins on the 20th as well, and I did not fare well with CRO on dining times. We have a large party, and I couldn't get California Grill for the time I wanted (to see Wishes of course), or the Rose and Crown (for Illuminations of course). They did take my $ for Hoop Dee Doo, and we got ok times for Boma and Ohana. I was on hold for over 30 minutes and it took roughly another 20 minutes to book the ADRs. The CM kept apologizing for how slowly things were running.

I did feel the Free Dining Effect.

I feel your pain! We are a larger party also and they had our CRT reservation available for the time we wanted, day we wanted etc. Unfortunately we couldn't get it. Frustrating to say the least.

Thank you!!

We plot and plan to make everything perfect, but it seems that each and every time there has to be a fly in the ointment! This whole ADR thing with the free dining debaucle really makes it hard to cheerfull when you hold for 30 minutes only to find out that you can't get your 1st , 2nd etc. etc. choices.


In June, we couldn't make reservations for Le Cellier either, but luckily we walked up and they seated us withing 15 minutes without reservations. I won't/don't vacation during free dining.

You have a right to be irritated!

Thank you!! Talk about some good luck mojo!!! You rock! Walk up to LeCellier, how cool is that!!

I'm off to call and try to finagle!!!

 

[akghutton]

I had the same issue this morning when I called for dining ressies. We are splitting our stay between BWV and AKV. I could only make ressies for the first four days of our stay, but even those days were pretty booked up at many of the restaurants we wanted.

However, I remember the same thing happening when planning our Sept 2007 trip. Keep trying back as your trip nears. In 2007 they opened up more availablility as the dates became closer. I don't know of they are holding back some availability this year again or not, but it can't hurt to give them a call back in August and see if anything has opened up. I know I will be calling again at that time.
Good luck.

 

[Deb & Bill]

Not quite. Pre ala-carte as long as you were on site you had the 10 day dining window, no matter how many on site changes you made, your dining was linked. Now it has to be within the same resort to get that advantage. But....oh no another but... I am going to call in a minute and see if there is a studio available at Kidani now for our first two nights!!

Nope, you got incorrect information. Chuck is right. You can only book for the first two nights of your reservation. Then you have a totally new reservation starting two days later and you can book the 90+10 for those.

Even if you could get Kidani Village for the studio, you will still have to check out and check into a new villa on a different reservation.

 

[RweTHEREyet]

If you don't mind calling CRO, you might be able to go ahead and book the rest of your trip. That is what I did when I encountered this problem a couple of weeks ago. I was then able to book almost everything I wanted.

And, now that ADR's are available on-line, I was able to fill in the missing spots with my second choices and/or times, once I was at the 90-daymark, not the 90 + 10.

 

[KAT4DISNEY]

Even a year and a half ago before I learned on the DIS that you needed to book dining ressies 6 months in advance I used to call at 3-4 weeks out and most often was able to get what I wanted - including CRT so anything is possible.

But - I read a couple of reports yesterday from people who were switching rooms and resorts and found a CM that could do that whole 90+10 booking for them. It was only reported by a couple of people but I really dislike the inconsistency - and the fact that apparently some CM's know how to do it but even the supervisors don't.

 

[winnapooh]

Nope, you got incorrect information. Chuck is right. You can only book for the first two nights of your reservation. Then you have a totally new reservation starting two days later and you can book the 90+10 for those.

Even if you could get Kidani Village for the studio, you will still have to check out and check into a new villa on a different reservation.

This might be true now (I hope it's not), but it wasn't in November, or it wasn't uniformly enforced. We were at SSR for two days before going to AKL, and we made our reservations for our entire stay 90 days from the first day at SSR.

And if it is true, it doesn't make any sense, since you are still on site the entire time!!!

 

[KAT4DISNEY]

This might be true now (I hope it's not), but it wasn't in November, or it wasn't uniformly enforced. We were at SSR for two days before going to AKL, and we made our reservations for our entire stay 90 days from the first day at SSR.

And if it is true, it doesn't make any sense, since you are still on site the entire time!!!

I don't think it's a rule change but it seems to be a system limitation now that very few CM's know how to work around.

 

[SunnieRN]

Sorry!

Sending your way!

Your pixie dust mojo is the most awesome I have encountered thus far!!!! I'm very pleased you sent it my way and I thank you!!!

I had the same issue this morning when I called for dining ressies. We are splitting our stay between BWV and AKV. I could only make ressies for the first four days of our stay, but even those days were pretty booked up at many of the restaurants we wanted.

However, I remember the same thing happening when planning our Sept 2007 trip. Keep trying back as your trip nears. In 2007 they opened up more availablility as the dates became closer. I don't know of they are holding back some availability this year again or not, but it can't hurt to give them a call back in August and see if anything has opened up. I know I will be calling again at that time.
Good luck.

Call back!!! I just made reservations for my entire 9 day trip!!! Good luck!!!

Nope, you got incorrect information. Chuck is right. You can only book for the first two nights of your reservation. Then you have a totally new reservation starting two days later and you can book the 90+10 for those.

Even if you could get Kidani Village for the studio, you will still have to check out and check into a new villa on a different reservation.

Actually there was only one reservation I was unable to get today for Sept. 20-29. I could have booked CRT today, but I would have had to pay for it in full. I decided not to do that as we can try to book it Wednesday morning, and I can't see giving Disney over $200 when I will be on DxDDP and they will not reimburse me until after we eat there and use our credits, so we came up with an alternate plan in case we don't get the reservation Wednesday. I did book Yachtsman and Jiko without a credit card hold.

If you don't mind calling CRO, you might be able to go ahead and book the rest of your trip. That is what I did when I encountered this problem a couple of weeks ago. I was then able to book almost everything I wanted.

And, now that ADR's are available on-line, I was able to fill in the missing spots with my second choices and/or times, once I was at the 90-daymark, not the 90 + 10.

Thank you!! I will be calling the dining line at 7 a.m. Wednesday, if I can't book CRT online!! I am so happy you got your reservations!!

Even a year and a half ago before I learned on the DIS that you needed to book dining ressies 6 months in advance I used to call at 3-4 weeks out and most often was able to get what I wanted - including CRT so anything is possible.

But - I read a couple of reports yesterday from people who were switching rooms and resorts and found a CM that could do that whole 90+10 booking for them. It was only reported by a couple of people but I really dislike the inconsistency - and the fact that apparently some CM's know how to do it but even the supervisors don't.

So true!!! I even got lunch at Le Cellier for a party of 6!! We were going to go somewhere else and the CM talked me into trying to get it. We not only got it, we had a choice of two times! Two supervisors said two different things, then their supervisor told them what could and could not be done. With being within 90 + 10 days of our arrival date I could make all reservations, even signatures, except dinner shows and CRT, unless I was willing to pay out of pocket for them. At the 90 day date for my second reservation, when DxDDP kicks in, this would just become a credit card hold also.. And that supervisor was correct as the CM made the reservations!

This might be true now (I hope it's not), but it wasn't in November, or it wasn't uniformly enforced. We were at SSR for two days before going to AKL, and we made our reservations for our entire stay 90 days from the first day at SSR.

And if it is true, it doesn't make any sense, since you are still on site the entire time!!!

My argument exactly. The supervisor again gave me the spiel about trying to work all the kinks out!!

Good luck to all of you trying to get reservations. Unfortunately they don't seem to be having these issues with non dvc reservations?

 

[DebbieB]

To make a very long story short, if we were staying at any other resort and switching rooms at some point in the stay, our reservations would be linked and we could have made reservations today for our entire trip.

But...isn't there always a but?! Since we are switching from Jambo to Kidani our reservation is not linked. Me in all my getting home from work after a 13 hour shift "wisdom" says "When we bought into animal kingdom we were told it is all one resort."

That isn't true. DVC cannot link room reservations for different room sizes at any resort. If you were moving from a studio to 1 bedroom both at Kidani, they still could not be linked. The room has to be the same type, when they are linked you will get one set of keys covering both reservations. That can't be done with a room change.

 

[SunnieRN]

That isn't true. DVC cannot link room reservations for different room sizes at any resort. If you were moving from a studio to 1 bedroom both at Kidani, they still could not be linked. The room has to be the same type, when they are linked you will get one set of keys covering both reservations. That can't be done with a room change.

Well I am very confused, yet thankful I was able to make reservations. I did have the supervisor tell me that it is the length of stay on property, and that if you are in 1 property it automatically becomes a total length of stay and the reservations are linked for dining at 90 + 10. She then told me that going from Jambo to Kidani was a property change and they are aware it shouldn't be. Not saying she was right, but I was pleased I was able to make reservations. I guess I just believe in
DiznyDi's pixie dust.

 

[kristenrice]

Our story is even sillier...

We started our stay in a studio for one night at Jambo. We planned on adding the DxDDP for just that night. The next day, we were switching to a 1BR. So, I called at the 90-day window from our studio check in date. I made a dinner reservation for our arrival night. Then, when I tried to make a breakfast reservation for the next day, they said I'd have to call back tomorrow! WTH!? I could not make my breakfast or dinner reservation for my checkout day. I am pretty sure this was wrong, but I just called back the next day and got breakfast at Boma and dinner at LeCellier without a problem.

I just thought it was funny that they said I could make a reservation only for the night I arrive, but not the next day. The CM said it was because I have a new reservation that day and therefore a new checkin. Apparently, the "90+10" rule for my first day meant "90 days + 10 minutes after check in""

 

[SunnieRN]

Our story is even sillier...

We started our stay in a studio for one night at Jambo. We planned on adding the DxDDP for just that night. The next day, we were switching to a 1BR. So, I called at the 90-day window from our studio check in date. I made a dinner reservation for our arrival night. Then, when I tried to make a breakfast reservation for the next day, they said I'd have to call back tomorrow! WTH!? I could not make my breakfast or dinner reservation for my checkout day. I am pretty sure this was wrong, but I just called back the next day and got breakfast at Boma and dinner at LeCellier without a problem.

I just thought it was funny that they said I could make a reservation only for the night I arrive, but not the next day. The CM said it was because I have a new reservation that day and therefore a new checkin. Apparently, the "90+10" rule for my first day meant "90 days + 10 minutes after check in""

That's wild and it doesn't even make sense!!! Hope you got the reservations you wanted!!


I think some people are misunderstanding what I am saying. I am NOT saying that if you change rooms your room reservation will be linked. I am saying that your dining will be linked to reflect your ability to book at 90 + 10. You will have to be on property the entire stay to do this. There is now an additional stipulation and that is that you get the advantage only if you are staying at the same property the entire time. (this is per the supervisor, not me!) I have stated this twice and I have actually done this when the ala carte system started and I was the first person to make a reservation under that system. We started in a studio at SSR and later switched to a 1 bedroom. Our dining reservations were linked, I made 10 days of reservations at one time. My point today was that Jambo and Kidani are ONE property. Everyone agreed with me, but this morning did not know how to make the ala carte system understand that. How it got fixed, I have no idea of. I am just glad it did and that I could make reservations. For those of you having problems I hope this information has helped!

 

[gkrykewy]

It seems that on this issue, you get a different answer from every CM. I called the main WDW-DINE number last month, and was able to book reservations for my entire 10-day SPLIT stay (two resorts) at 90+10. Critical, since the second stay overlaps the first 4 days of free dining.

My advice would be to try, try again until you get a receptive CM.