Disney Dining Stinks!!!!

[MaryKatesMom]

Update on DDP. We got into Boma, Whispiring Canyon Cafe, Hoop dee doo, Hollywood n Vine, Planet Hollywood(only place to take walk ins) we have one more day and will use our last TS at Planet Hollywood. Thanks for all the advice. We had to stay on the phone checking at different times hoping someone canceled. While at Hollywood n Vine tonight I saw them turn walkins away. During our meal (7:40pm) there were numerous tables that were empty. I just didn't understand that. If I were to call for resses next year can I make more than one a day? The reason I ask is this. I think there are lots of people who make resses and don't bother to cancel. I feel most of you on this board would cancel but from the empty tables I saw tonight and about 4 on the bottom floor during the Hoop Dee it makes me wander about others. I think they should set penalties for those that don't cancel like the Hoop Dee and I think they do it at the Spirit thing. DO NOT USE THE DDP IF YOU ARE NOT A PLANNER! YOU WILL BE FRUSTRAITED! No attack on Disney just a warning.

I wish WDW would make cancellations easier. Just use another branch on the phone tree and make it possible to leave a message. If you've tried to get through to Dining during meal-time or right before, you can end up with a wait (hard to be on hold in the theme parks) and using minutes on your phone.

It isn't a problem to cancel in the morning using the hotel phone while the kids get ready.

 

[kcrew]

Boma's is also a place that you can usually get into at the last minute too.
Again - amazing place to eat.

.

I am trying to get Boma during the 1st week of free dining and it is impossible, along with most of the other places I really want. And its still 3 months out.!

 

[Ishy]

I am trying to get Boma during the 1st week of free dining and it is impossible, along with most of the other places I really want. And its still 3 months out.!

Also try when you are there, every morning, call. ps. - a little secret (shush, dont tell anyone)... There are AMAZING cast members working the front desks of the hotels. Some with special powers, I swear!

Also - if you want to cancel, and you dont want to get stuck on the phone, and your in a park, or hotel, just pop into any 'guest services' let them know your cancelling your ressie - they will be happy to do it for you so you can continue on your way and not be on hold forever.

I went to Boma during the first free dining, called at 4pm - got 8.30pm ressies - went there an hour early so I could enjoy the animals and the story telling... I LOVED Boma - but I am also happy eating at the food court I love the Animal Kingdom Lodge - I just can't afford to stay there.

 

[eeyoregon]

I am not sure what the dining plan had to do with your problems. You failed to plan and therefore planned to fail. It doesn't seem like it was a lack of knowledge on your part that you should make ADRs. You just chose not to. Had you been on the dining plan or not, you would have still faced the same issues without reservations.

Uh, not to mention the OP was there during PEAK season with Memorial Day Weekend, first weekend that most schools are out for the summer plus graduation gatherings!! Still confused with how any of the OP's problems had to do with the dining plan ??

ADR's are there for a reason otherwise count on counterservice.

 

[islandmum]

we booked at 180 days out on the DDP - its our first time to WDW so we organized the days first in terms of where we wold be and then picked TS's based on the days activities.

With being the first time we know that we definately want to eat in certain places, and with 2 littlies we've made all our ressies incorporating where we are on that day so we're not travelling specifically for the meal - we're already there for the park or in the hotel etc..

I know the ADR means we'll get what we want so I book it.

I sympathise with those who want to be more flexible and not have to decide where to eat 6 months in advance but thats the reality now with disney spreading the diners over all their restaurants instead of some being mega busy, others empty and thereby forcing many people off property to eat. This way they are maximising their table coverage.

It works well for us.

 

[tohono2000]

This is a common complaint. The Dining Plan is just that, a plan. YOU need to plan to use it. We have even booked two reservations on the same day near the same time because we were not sure where we would be...and yes, once we knew, we cancelled the extra one so that others could enjoy it. If you do not plan, it is like trying to get a reservation on a Friday night in a great eating town...only in this case everyone in WDW is eating out.

 

[kimberh]

I was there May 20-24th, I saw numerious families ,day after day get turned away. It didn't matter if they were on the DDP or not. I have not read all 8 pages of this, but PLAN. The days of dropping into a restaurant are over! It didn't matter what size family they were, small or large. There was not any room, and this is the week before the OP went. We never waited very long for our ADR.

 

[CR Resort Fan 4 Life]

I was there May 20-24th, I saw numerious families ,day after day get turned away. It didn't matter if they were on the DDP or not. I have not read all 8 pages of this, but PLAN. The days of dropping into a restaurant are over! It didn't matter what size family they were, small or large. There was not any room, and this is the week before the OP went. We never waited very long for our ADR.

While it is now harder to walk-in to a WDW restaurant without an ADR, you can't say those days are over. If that were a true fact every restaurant would have to be 100% full for 365 days a year, which is not possible.

 

[Nancyg56]

While it is now harder to walk-in to a WDW restaurant without an ADR, you can't say those days are over. If that were a true fact every restaurant would have to be 100% full for 365 days a year, which is not possible.

An acquaintance of my DD was there over Memorial weekend and was able to get into WCC and Artist Point. They did not mention anywhere else, but it can be done. I am not one to leave things to chance so it would not work for me, but if you are not fussy why not?

 

[CR Resort Fan 4 Life]

An acquaintance of my DD was there over Memorial weekend and was able to get into WCC and Artist Point. They did not mention anywhere else, but it can be done. I am not one to leave things to chance so it would not work for me, but if you are not fussy why not?

That's a great example to what I was referring to. During a busy holiday in WDW someone was able to walk into some very popular restaurants and it proves that it can be done. I am not saying it will work everytime but if you don't try you won't know. Just because others here say it can never be done, well in my opinion that's just an easy way to scare people into not taking the chance to try going as a walk-in.

 

[DCDisney]

BINGO!!!
Its a messed up system, and disney is to scared to charge people for not showing up, because people would probably complain. When someone makes a ressie and doesn't show, they have to hold that table for 15 minutes in case they are running late.

With the ADR system you don't have a table reserved for you specifically you just get the next available table so they don't have to hold tables. Disney "knows" what percentage of people will be no shows and plans accordingly. Even in really busy places there are often empty tables for short periods and apparently they have to space things out a bit so the kitchen doesn't get too many orders at the same time.

No one has ever really clarified at what point cancelled ADRs do or don't go back to being available. So even if you cancel that morning I wonder if the ADR is actually being opened up for someone else. With rooms I think they re-do overnight so I wonder if dining is the same way in which case it doesn't even matter if you cancel same day because no one else can get the ADR anyway?

Yvonne

 

[Dizneydaz]

I'm so sorry things went bad for you on DDP. Last year I made an ADR for every night (we use ours mostly for dinners and a few lunches, and was able to get everything we wanted. That being said, we didn't keep all of them (i.e. had a park restaurant ADR for a non-park day) Since we went for 10 nights, and I travel with my DM who insists we leave Disney property (I know, I know ) and see other parts of FL as well as her uncle, I know going in that some of our ADRs won't stick. Or we'll change our minds.

Last year's ADRS were
Day 2 Kona 6:25 Kept
Day 3 50's PT-Cancelled-made same day ADR for RR 8:00
Day 4 1900 PF 8:00 Kept
Day 5 Le Cellier 7:30 Kept
Day 6 Calif. Grill 7:30 Kept
Day 7 LTT, MNSSHP 5:55 Kept
Day 8 Sci Fi 1:00 snack and Rose & Crown 7:30 dinner and Illuminations-cancelled both, made same day ADR for Kona 8:40
Day 9 Kona 6:25-cancelled-made same day ADR for HBD 7:30
Day 10 Coral Reef 1:00 and HBD dinner-cancelled both and ate at Narcoossee's 7:30 ADR made a few days before.
Day 11 1900 PF 10:20-Kept DD 7'th birthday breakfast

Finally tally-kept 6 of 12 ADRs made from home. Made 4 ADRs while there. Lesson learned-don't make lunch ADRs-just doesn't work for us.

As you can see we kept most of our meals towards the beginning of the trip, but the ones towards the end changed while there-numerous reason-change in plan for the day, recommendation from fellow diner; ate there the night before.

This year I've only made a few ADRs so far but I'm not worried. I've made the hardest ones to get-PSB for dinner; Calif. Grill; & LTT for MNSSHP. We won't be eating at LC this year and PF won't be open. I'll make the rest of my ADRs before we leave in Sept. but, if I remember correctly, I made our last ones, last year, in June/July and still had no problem. We'll most likely eat at Kona twice again this year.

I'm pointing out how we did it last year for those who are reading this thread and are worried that if they don't have ADRs they won't get in. You can make ADRs while there, though you will have to be flexible. We like to dine late, so eating at 7:30-8:00 works out well for us. I recommend that you make an ADR for each night, if possible, before you go. If you notice on my ADRs for last year, I made about 1/2 (5 of 12) of our ADRs for non-park restaurants. Since we have a rental vehicle, getting to resort restaurants is easy for us. This frees us up on our non-parks days including the days we do BB and TL. On those days when we had to change our plans I made a new ADR as soon as I knew of the change. I was able to book Raglan Road, Kona, and HBD on the same day. Narcoossee's I had to book a few days in advance-nothing available for Sat. or Sun, but we got Monday-dinner our last night

We also didn't have a problem using our credits for CS. We tend to eat lunch late (after 1) and we didn't run into much of a crowd, anywhere to speak of. We had CS at Cantina de San Angel; Leaning Palms (TL); Tuskers and Restaurantosaurus; Lottawatta Lodge (BB); Everything POP ; Tangierine Cafe and Refreshment Port; Port Orleans Food Court; Tusker's House-breakfast; Tamu Tamu, Flametree BBQ and Restaurantosaurus,

Happy Dining everyone!

 

[Alltiggeredout]

We are going for 21nights at xmas,so i'm planning on making about 13 adr's and leaving the rest so that we have some flexible days(go to Earl of Sandwich for example).We've never gone at that time of year before but being on this site has made me realise that if you want to eat you plan.I like being more spur of the moment,but it won't be possible at xmas so i'm just getting into the swing of things and enjoying planning.(although it's starting to do DWs head in)

 

[Ishy]

We are going for 21nights at xmas,so i'm planning on making about 13 adr's and leaving the rest so that we have some flexible days(go to Earl of Sandwich for example).We've never gone at that time of year before but being on this site has made me realise that if you want to eat you plan.I like being more spur of the moment,but it won't be possible at xmas so i'm just getting into the swing of things and enjoying planning.(although it's starting to do DWs head in)

21 days! and they say I am a disney FREAK well this FREAK is envious of you! I would make one a day - cancel if you need to - but make one a day. -- Make a few breakfast?

Again - our OP may not be happy - but SHE DID get into some nice places without the 180 ADRS and used her TS's. If she had only planned a couple of ADRs at places she wanted to try... she would have been HAPPY.

I think she did well and proved that you can go down without

 

[Alltiggeredout]

21 days! and they say I am a disney FREAK well this FREAK is envious of you!

Without wanting to sound awful,we've never been for less than 3wks(and we still haven't done everything )But back to the subject,we aren't on any dining plan so i think 12/13 adrs will be fine as like i said we may want to go offsit some days and pigout at Taco Bell

 

[kimberh]

That's a great example to what I was referring to. During a busy holiday in WDW someone was able to walk into some very popular restaurants and it proves that it can be done. I am not saying it will work everytime but if you don't try you won't know. Just because others here say it can never be done, well in my opinion that's just an easy way to scare people into not taking the chance to try going as a walk-in.

I was not trying to scare anyone. I attend Disney at least 3 times a year. I see this on Every trip. So, if you want to gamble, then go ahead and gamble! If you want to spend needless hours, of your day trying to get a reservation, that you could have easily gotten at home, then by all means try and do so. We were late, for a ADR on our last trip,due to a very slow bus,(she would not drive over 25mph) we had witnesses, they were on the same bus, I tried to call the dining line for over 20 minutes, I saw the other party doing the same thing, using a cell phone, of course. We never got through, the line stayed busy. When we arrived at Boma's, the CM said," we were beyond the reservation time", I explained the situation, he said, that we were still beyond the time, I said, " you are kidding, right"? The other party, that we did not know, spoke up and verified my story, we were allowed in. We were just a party of 2. I would think that is not a hard table to get, such as a 5 top or 8 top.

Artist Point is a expensive restauant, I would think that would be available. WCC has been said to have not been available, for days, on anothers persons's trip. Someone may have become lucky. I know that for us, planning is not hard to do, I plan, if you are not a planner, then take what is left over and be happy with it, don't come on the Dis and complain about it!

The restaurants I have really noticed the capacity filled,are at Themed parks, Families are being turned away by the dozens, while I am waiting for my table, mutilpy that by the rest of the hours. I don't go at Peak times, so what is happening at Peak times?

Anyway, I am not going to get into a huge debate about this, if you don't want to plan, then don't! Just see how many hours of your day you will spend trying to find a place to eat.

 

[CR Resort Fan 4 Life]

I was not trying to scare anyone. I attend Disney at least 3 times a year. I see this on Every trip. So, if you want to gamble, then go ahead and gamble! If you want to spend needless hours, of your day trying to get a reservation, that you could have easily gotten at home, then by all means try and do so. We were late, for a ADR on our last trip,due to a very slow bus,(she would not drive over 25mph) we had witnesses, they were on the same bus, I tried to call the dining line for over 20 minutes, I saw the other party doing the same thing, using a cell phone, of course. We never got through, the line stayed busy. When we arrived at Boma's, the CM said," we were beyond the reservation time", I explained the situation, he said, that we were still beyond the time, I said, " you are kidding, right"? The other party, that we did not know, spoke up and verified my story, we were allowed in. We were just a party of 2. I would think that is not a hard table to get, such as a 5 top or 8 top.

Artist Point is a expensive restauant, I would think that would be available. WCC has been said to have not been available, for days, on anothers persons's trip. Someone may have become lucky. I know that for us, planning is not hard to do, I plan, if you are not a planner, then take what is left over and be happy with it, don't come on the Dis and complain about it!

The restaurants I have really noticed the capacity filled,are at Themed parks, Families are being turned away by the dozens, while I am waiting for my table, mutilpy that by the rest of the hours. I don't go at Peak times, so what is happening at Peak times?

Anyway, I am not going to get into a huge debate about this, if you don't want to plan, then don't! Just see how many hours of your day you will spend trying to find a place to eat.

Actually if my family and I ever make ADR's we have had no problems making them at the last minute while in WDW, with the Cast Members from the Atrium Club floor at the Contemporary. No matter the location weather it was for lunch or dinner they have always got us the ADR, so that is why we never like to call at 180 days out since we don't know at the time where and what days we want to eat at certin locations.

Before I was just making a general statement that out of the 365 days a year, none of the WDW restaurants are 100% booked where they can't allow walk-ins.

Last week my family and I went to a popular restaurant in Toronto and when we arrived we were told the restaurant is full, however there would be tables opening up in 15 minutes and eventually we got seated within that time. So they never said sorry were full tonight so you got to leave, the way it is at WDW restaurants.

 

[keishashadow]

I assume that the comparatively few guests staying concierge enjoy the proverbial pulled strings which allow them to get dining @ arrival ; the rest of us NEED to plan ahead.

That said, I was able to switch some dining ressies today once i found out that in order to obtain autographs during SW weekends you must get FPs early in the day.

21 days out before our trip I was able to get CP @ 7; Fantasmic Pkg @ 3:55 & Captain Jacks @ 6:45 pm...was pleasantly surprised.

FYI from the weekend before Columbus Day to the weekend after last year, every restaurant we dined at had a sign saying no walkups available @ the checkin podium.

 

[Wingedheart]

I didn't read all 8 pages of this thread...but I just booked a spontaneous trip this past week. We found $68/round trip airfare and couldn't pass it up! We go July 26-31. I was shocked to get all my first choices in ADRs! The only one I didn't get was at 1900 Park Fare because it will be closed.

 

[kimberh]

Actually if my family and I ever make ADR's we have had no problems making them at the last minute while in WDW, with the Cast Members from the Atrium Club floor at the Contemporary. No matter the location weather it was for lunch or dinner they have always got us the ADR, so that is why we never like to call at 180 days out since we don't know at the time where and what days we want to eat at certin locations.

Before I was just making a general statement that out of the 365 days a year, none of the WDW restaurants are 100% booked where they can't allow walk-ins.

Last week my family and I went to a popular restaurant in Toronto and when we arrived we were told the restaurant is full, however there would be tables opening up in 15 minutes and eventually we got seated within that time. So they never said sorry were full tonight so you got to leave, the way it is at WDW restaurants.

So using Concierge, I would think that Disney Restaurants save bookings for Concierge. It would be interesting to see, if you would gamble with your family trip... walk in at Disney restaurants and see if you could get a table. I doubt it. The majority of the world does not use Concierge! I have read posts, where Concierge CM's will call the renter and see what all they can pre- book for them, is that true?