Disney Dining NO help at all.

[willis37862]

I don't get it. (Guess I must be a bit slow on the uptake.) Why would anyone feel the need to call back and confirm dinner reservations?

I've made several trips to WDW in the past, and had many meal reservations at many locations in the world ... some at resorts, and some in the parks.

When I've made reservations, the CM has ALWAYS given me a conformation number over the phone, which I always write down and have on hand when I arrive at the resturant.

But my name has always been enough, they have ALWAYS had me in their computer screen readouts, and they have never asked for my conformation number. (Sometimes the CM asks me for the time of my reservation; I think that's just to make it faster to fine me on the list.)

WDW meal reservations have worked smoothly for me in the past, and I think they do a great job of keeping up with all the reservation information they have to deal with.

So, my question is, why do some folks feel the need to phone WDW about reservations that they have already made?

Thanks.

Because no one is perfect and they can make a mistake!!! You have obviously never had this happen, and that's good for you. But I have seen several people have this happen to them and I want to avoid the hassle.

 

[WDWCPAlumni]

OK, I know the expectations of WDW is very high, I expect it high too! But, please remember, or if you do not know......Disney has a College Program, they hire college kids to work in areas of the company and get college credits, an internship. I believe the end of May or the begining of June is when the students move out and the new students move in. This would help explain the CM reading scripts and seeming clueless............they are!!! Just think, the clueless CM you speak to today, might just be the know it all you love talking to in a few years!!! Try to be patient, I know it is hard!

 

[TheRustyScupper]

1) The IPO is at the Poly, not at the Contemporary.
2) They are very busy and seldom, if ever, actaully answer the phone.
3) They will answer your messages or email in good time.

 

[chelle102]

I don't get it. (Guess I must be a bit slow on the uptake.) Why would anyone feel the need to call back and confirm dinner reservations?

I've made several trips to WDW in the past, and had many meal reservations at many locations in the world ... some at resorts, and some in the parks.

When I've made reservations, the CM has ALWAYS given me a conformation number over the phone, which I always write down and have on hand when I arrive at the resturant.

But my name has always been enough, they have ALWAYS had me in their computer screen readouts, and they have never asked for my conformation number. (Sometimes the CM asks me for the time of my reservation; I think that's just to make it faster to fine me on the list.)

WDW meal reservations have worked smoothly for me in the past, and I think they do a great job of keeping up with all the reservation information they have to deal with.

So, my question is, why do some folks feel the need to phone WDW about reservations that they have already made?

Thanks.

OP post stated that we did not make our own ADR's, I had mine done by CR IPO and I could not get a hold of them so I just called Disney Dining for my confirmation numbers.

 

[chelle102]

OK, I know the expectations of WDW is very high, I expect it high too! But, please remember, or if you do not know......Disney has a College Program, they hire college kids to work in areas of the company and get college credits, an internship. I believe the end of May or the begining of June is when the students move out and the new students move in. This would help explain the CM reading scripts and seeming clueless............they are!!! Just think, the clueless CM you speak to today, might just be the know it all you love talking to in a few years!!! Try to be patient, I know it is hard!

Let me tell you that I agree with you 100%. Why, because I did the College Program in 1996. I actually worked in CRO. I don't have a problem with someone reading from a script or not sounding confident in what they are saying. I just expect kindness, I don't think I was ever rude to anyone.

 

[willis37862]

I don't have a problem with someone reading from a script or not sounding confident in what they are saying. I just expect kindness, I don't think I was ever rude to anyone.

ITA.I don't care if they don't know everything about all the restaurants, I just want them to be friendly. You know that Disney

 

[shellybaxter]

1) The IPO is at the Poly, not at the Contemporary.
2) They are very busy and seldom, if ever, actaully answer the phone.
3) They will answer your messages or email in good time.

1) It doesn't matter if the OP knows where the IPO is or not - all she needs to know is that they are not meeting her needs
2) That is very poor customer service. If you are in some way connected to this department please pass along that they are being rude and not meeting the needs of thier customers
3) Not good enough - "good time" is not good enough. If I am paying for a service the people darn well better be serving me. Its not like concierge is just a few dollars more - its alot of money - and it mostly for the increase in service.

 

[sassyredhead]

somewhere in Kansas (where many of the people at the call center have not been to WDW in over ten years).

Cheshire,

Unfortunately, Disney Direct in Overland Park, Kansas closed last year. From what I've been told, all of these call center calls (Disney Catalog, Disney Store website, and overflow dining calls) have been outsourced to a private company not affiliated with Disney beyond a contractual obligation. So, not only do you have customer service reps who haven't been to Disney in 10 years, you now have reps who may have fielded a catalogue order call for "Big Bob's Guns and Ammo" just prior to your dining call. I have heard rumors the new reps are NOT dedicated to the Disney accounts.

Disney's business decision to outsource makes me sad as I worked for Disney Direct in Overland Park for a number of years when I was a stay-at-home mom. It was a fabulous place to work when you only wanted a part-time, family-friendly gig.

 

[Ready to go in Ok]

Sorry you had a bad experience. I have been very fortunate in that I have always gotten very nice CM's when calling Disney Dining. Not true when I called to change my trip ressie however. I got one of those CM's who let me know that I was being a pain in the rear, and causing her many headaches. Of course because she was so put out, and I thought it was so rude, I stayed with her and made her do her job! That is just the stubborn streak in me, and quite honestly, if it hadn't become a battle of wills, I would have probably hung up and tried again. But anyway, totally different situation. Good luck with future attempts!

 

[Karnak]

Because no one is perfect and they can make a mistake!!! You have obviously never had this happen, and that's good for you. But I have seen several people have this happen to them and I want to avoid the hassle.

Karnak still slow on the uptake here. It seems to me that making additional calls about meal reservations would only increase the chances of a mistake.

I'd think it would be best to leave well enough alone, but be sure to bring your conformation number with you.

Enjoy.

 

[willis37862]

Karnak still slow on the uptake here. It seems to me that making additional calls about meal reservations would only increase the chances of a mistake.

I'd think it would be best to leave well enough alone, but be sure to bring your conformation number with you.

Enjoy.

To each his own. Whatever makes you comfortable and happy. I just don't think you should jump on people who feel better about checking theirs before they leave home. And I do agree always bring your conformation numbers with you.

 

[shellybaxter]

Karnak still slow on the uptake here. It seems to me that making additional calls about meal reservations would only increase the chances of a mistake.

I'd think it would be best to leave well enough alone, but be sure to bring your conformation number with you.

Enjoy.

Whatever works best for you is great - but I wonder if you would feel differently if you'd done it as your usually do, had your ADR # close at hand, and were turned away because the ADR wasn't in the computer. That happened to me at LeCellier. I checked in 10 mins prior at the outside podium. I had my number and when I gave it to them it didn't help. First they said it wasn't even my number, that it was under someone elses name. At that point I asked to speak to a manager. Instead they send me inside to the other podium. I explained that I had an ADR and it wasn't being honored. This person got on the phone. She said I was one night too late,that my ADR was for the night before. Now if this were any other night I might have accepted that I'd messed up, but this was our first night. I would never have made an ADR for a day we would not be at Disney. I explained this to the lady and that we had invited guests to dine with us and it was getting embaressing. She said she would work us in but we needed to come back in an hour.

When we came back they acted like they didn't remember us and I had to explain the whole problem again. They finally seated us 25 mins later.

I still don't call and check my ADRs but I do go to guest services and get a print out as soon as I check in. That way if there is any problem I can know what it is and try to make corrections before I'm standing at the podium.

 

[TheRustyScupper]

2) That is very poor customer service. If you are in some way connected to this department please pass along that they are being rude and not meeting the needs of thier customers
3) Not good enough - "good time" is not good enough. If I am paying for a service the people darn well better be serving me. Its not like concierge is just a few dollars more - its alot of money - and it mostly for the increase in service.

1) It might be hard to understand.
2) But no company or department has an infinite number of people.
3) Whether it is Disney or another company.
4) That would be a waste of manpower and increased costs.
5) You take the work as it comes along.
6) If everybody calls at the same time, everyone can't be handled at once.
7) One works through the backlog and gets to everyone in turn.

 

[shellybaxter]

1) It might be hard to understand.
2) But no company or department has an infinite number of people.
3) Whether it is Disney or another company.
4) That would be a waste of manpower and increased costs.
5) You take the work as it comes along.
6) If everybody calls at the same time, everyone can't be handled at once.
7) One works through the backlog and gets to everyone in turn.

1)Not hard to understand at all - I provide a service as my job as well
2)Agreed - but if you are selling "service" which is what concierge is, you have to have enough people to provide the service. It should be pretty easy to figure out how to staff. There are X amount of rooms who need service and Y amount of people are needed to provide the service
3)Agreed - any service company should be held to the same standard
4)Nope - not a waste of anything - the appropriate amount to meet the service needs the company "sold"
5)Nope - the manager is responsible for making sure everyone is served in a timely manner - not "as thier turn comes around" - especially if that turn is taking a week or more as has been discribed in some DIS threads
6)Agreed - but a week or longer is unacceptable. And not having a receptionest to handle calls, take messages, and give undates, is completely unacceptable
7)Again - not acceptable if the "backlog" is a regular occurance. If their is always a "backlog" then more employees are needed.

If Disney isn't charging enough to appropriately provide the service then they need to either raise the price or stop selling the service - easy at 1,2,3

 

[BibbidyBobbidyBoo]

Karnak still slow on the uptake here. It seems to me that making additional calls about meal reservations would only increase the chances of a mistake.

I'd think it would be best to leave well enough alone, but be sure to bring your conformation number with you.

Enjoy.

Karnak- if you read you'll see that she'd only contacted IPO to make her ADRs- she didn't have confirmation of GETTING those ADRs yet nor did she have the confirmation number.

I've never made additional calls just to check my reservations but if I've called back to add more or change something- I've had them check the others I'd made previously "just in case" while I'm on the phone. There was one time that an ADR mysteriously disappeared and had to be made again. Let me tell you- better be glad it wasn't a cindy dinner or I'd have been in bad shape and unable to make it again! Stuff happens.

TheRustyScupper- I've seen some posts of yours like this on another thread. Do you work for Disney IPO? If not, have you ever stayed concierge? And if so, did you make ADR's and wait weeks to find out if you got it- you know- when they "get around to you" and never worried if you got the ADRs you wanted during that time? Somehow I get the feeling you either work for IPO or you've never stayed concierge.. you're too much on their side about taking weeks to respond. People are paying a high price for concierge- and it's mostly for the service. They need to provide that service and honey- paying hundreds and hundreds more for concierge does NOT mean they are paying so that they can sit around for weeks wringing their hands worrying if they got the ADRs they want. That's more stress than just calling for the ADRs themselves! Which perhaps IPO is slow contacting people for that very reason- they want them to do that on their own and not do that service for them... so they take forever to respond and people end up making their own ADRs. If that is the case- they are neglecting to do the most important (to most people anyway) concierge service.

 

[Karnak]

To each his own. Whatever makes you comfortable and happy. I just don't think you should jump on people who feel better about checking theirs before they leave home. And I do agree always bring your conformation numbers with you.

I DID NOT "JUMP" ON ANYONE. I simply questioned the logic behind calling back after a reservation had already been made.

And the OP may not have been doing so, but plenty others on this thread had been recalling after the fact.

LOL

Enjoy.

 

[LWcalif]

I wish I had thought to call and confirm my ADR's last year even though I had conf. #'s. We were there last Sept. for 8 nights. At two different restaurants, we were told that we were an hour late and they were not sure if they could seat us. Fortunately, they did at both. I was surprised after the first one, and really shocked when it happened the 2nd time. We were a party of 5 adults, and I had very specific times I wanted to dine, based on what we were doing that day. So I know the earlier times were not what I had booked. Having my list of times & conf #'s with me didn't help because I was in the computer, just at a different time. I had called in my ADR's early (just after the 180 day mark), and was able to get everything I requested with no problem. For future trips, I will definitely stop at the concierge desk upon arrival and get a print-out. If any of the times are different for our trip in August, I will just adjust my day around them, as we really don't have anything specific planned each day for this trip.