Disney Dining Stinks!!!!

[wirki]

We went last year during Free Dining and I felt the pressure. I did not like having to have everything planned, as I have little ones and needed to have some sort of freedom. We are going in Nov and I have made my 4 ADR's and will wing it the rest of the trip. I picked out what places I did not what to missed and called for those.
I agree that the dining plan is not for all of us. Even those of us who like to plan it can be a little much.

I am sorry about Pizzafari. That would have really been a downer. I hope you take it with a grain of pixie dust and enjoy the rest of your trip.

Debbie

 

[KKB]

We are here now. Arrived 5-24 leaving out 5-31. The weather is great people are nice but the dining plan is a drag. Everything is BOOKED! This is our 2nd trip. Went last October maybe we got spolied only missed The spirit meal thing. This time I think we are going to have a few sit down meals left. Maybe it's my fault for not making ADR's months in advance. I just can't do that. We do have a small stradegy to attack the parks but I can't plan my meals months in advance. It's a great deal money wise but having to plan your day around a meal doesn't make since to me. We even tried to go at odd times. It seems the other 200,000 people did the same. The counter service in the parks is a 2hr ordeal. Will come back becuase we like it here but will never use the plan again. Sorry to send so many negatives waves but I had to vent. Thanks, for letting me.

First of all, you are there on a holiday weekend...pretty much should have expected crowds, long CS lines (during peak meal times), and few ADRs left.

Second...I find it hard to believe that there are NO ADRs available ANYWHERE at ANYTIME...perhaps Le Cellier, character meals, and such.

I think if you are flexible about times (choose nonpeak meal times...a bit early or a bit late), and restaurants that aren't "hot", you should have some luck.

 

[MinnieM21]

I just got back and didn't make any ADRs before leaving. While I was there, I tried to make an ADR for the Crystal Palace for dinner for the next day and got it. Then I tried to make an ADR for breakfast at Boma for the following day and got it. I tried to get an ADR for breakfast at 1900 Park Fare but couldn't get it. I called back the next night and was able to get an ADR for 10:30am
I called to make an ADR for Boma for that night but was only offered an ADR for 9:40 so we turned that one down. We tried for Chef Mickey's, Crystal Palace again, 1900 Park Fare and couldn't get in. So we asked for an ADR for Cape May Cafe and got one for that night.

You just have to keep trying and be more flexible with your dining times and places to eat. I went by myself down to Orlando to visit someone and spend the week with him so I didn't make any ADRs because we wouldn't be visiting the parks really that much. My mom ended up flying down half way through my trip since I was alone after the first day (long story but I think you get it... ) and so we decided to make some ADRs for the remaining 3 days. I was happy to try some new restaurants that I wouldn't have tried if I had made ADRs before.

 

[Alltiggeredout]

This adr thing is doing my head in. When we have been before(FEB) we have never had a problem,but now that we are going at xmas it's taking so much planning to work out our adrs it's taking the fun and spontinaity out of our trip.I'm finding it a daily job to look at the menus and work out where to eat.

 

[Nancyg56]

I hope you are able to find some options for your TS.

I agree with the pp...personally, I would rather take the time at home before we leave to plan for a TS a day (if on the DDP, knowing that is what you will need to use the credits), then to try and scramble and find somewhere to eat during my precious park time and possibly wasting time and $. I've been telling my non-planning friends to book their ADRs - if their plans change while at WDW, then they could try to get in somewhere else and cancel their original ADR - but if that isn't possible, they have their original plan to fall back on.

I think that problem may be that Disney Dining has changed in the past few years. I was fortunate enough to find the DIS and made ADR's because of the information I got here, but it had been a very long time since I had visited WDW.

My DD found out on Wednesday evening that a family on her DD's T Ball team was leaving early the next morning and had made no ADR's. Not one. They had been 5 years ago and did not need them at that time, had no idea that things had changed. They are at WL, so my DD advised her to try to get some that night, but who knows how that turned out. It is Memorial weekend, tons of people in the parks and no ressies. We try to tell people that times have changed, but you can;t help if you don't know.

 

[Pixie_Dust]

Since DDP has forced many former CS people into TS the number of ADR's has risen but unfortunately so have the no-show's which is troublesome for those of us for whom the DDP does not make sense.

Would someone please PM me with the definitions of all these acronyms? I am guessing DDP means Disney Dining Plan. Does ADR mean Advance Dining Reservation?? I have no idea what CS and TS mean. It makes it harder to use these forums for planning when I can't interpret the posts, lol.

Thanks,
Pixie

 

[xyzabc33]

CS = Counter Service--the kind you walk up to, order then carry your own food to the table
TS= Table service-- you are seated and a member of wait staff takes your order and brings you your food.
Youare right on the others. Ppl(people), myself included..lol, tend to shorten things to save their fingers when typing. Plus it is soooo much easier to say the letters then the whole word. Exp. EMH=Extra Magic Hour.. See what I mean... :-D
I think there is a whole list of abbreviations somewhere on the site. Anyone?

 

[doconeill]

Discussion abbreviations

Always keep a bookmark to that page until you are used to it all...and even then, keep it...

 

[xyzabc33]

Discussion abbreviations
Always keep a bookmark to that page until you are used to it all...and even then, keep it...

how true!
thanks doc...I didnt know where to tell her to go. DARN search function..lol

 

[LuvsEpcot]

I don't plan my days around my reservations, I plan my reservations around my days. First you have to look at the calendar to see what days have extra magic hours, if you know you will be there that day, book a res for that day. If you want a free day, book it somewhere more Central (like a resort inbetween the parks) and make them for late so you know you will be tired and hungry from whatever park you chose to go to. The worse thing that can happen is you decide not to make your reservation. I hope you can go again and do it right

This is exactly what our family does. In September the extra magic hours for Epcot is our first day so we all managed to get ADR's for Coral Reef and MK magic hours are on our third day so we managed to book O'Hana's, so far it has worked our great.

 

[pavil]

If you are going I would recommend ADR's at the very least as your fallback position.

You aren't beholden to them unless they are package (fantasmic) or Dinner shows. You don't get docked a TS for missing one, though not canceling is poor etiquette and hurts all other diners in WDW as well. That way you have someplace to dine and if you want to find other options, all you have to do is cancel the ADR. You can still have flexibility and spontaneity and have ADR's in your back pocket.

Don't cancel your ADR's till you have firmed up your plans though.

 

[Minnie1156]

We got a few by calling and seeing if anyone canceled. I'm not getting the DDP next time and the problem is solved. We are spontanious and can't plan that far ahead. It takes the fun out of it for us. I can't be the only one who feels this way about the plan. Some comments have talked about who much things have changed with TS due to the plan. I know it's a good deal for Disney but not me. Give me a little slack. This is only my second trip and the 1st at peek time. I've read about the crowds but until you see them for the first time it's shocking. Still having a good time in the parks. Thanks for all the feedback.

I still do not understand what the plan has to do with this. You need to make reservations with or without the plan.

 

[akalittleeva]

I think that problem may be that Disney Dining has changed in the past few years. I was fortunate enough to find the DIS and made ADR's because of the information I got here, but it had been a very long time since I had visited WDW.

My DD found out on Wednesday evening that a family on her DD's T Ball team was leaving early the next morning and had made no ADR's. Not one. They had been 5 years ago and did not need them at that time, had no idea that things had changed. They are at WL, so my DD advised her to try to get some that night, but who knows how that turned out. It is Memorial weekend, tons of people in the parks and no ressies. We try to tell people that times have changed, but you can;t help if you don't know.

I do understand that the restaurants are much busier and it is unfortunate that people can't just wing it like they used to. What I was referring to was that some people know the importance of ADRs (especially with DDP) and still decide not to make them and then are frustrated with the end result. I would much rather have an ADR to fall back on. Even if it is not ideal - it is something and I have not wasted time at the parks looking. I do feel badly for people who have no idea that they need to make ADRs (I tell as many people as I can), or those who take spur of the moment trips and are disappointed with their choices. I just don't understand those who buy the DDP, know that ADRs are recommended, still choose not to make them and then get upset about the outcome.

 

[dzneelvr]

sorry you didn't get along with the dining well, but ADRs are a must for the places you want to get in no matter what time of year you go. for us, it's just a piece of the planning that is fun in it's own right and we decide on one new place to try each trip. we know which park we'll be in--then we schedule one sitdown in that park. that leaves us free to graze or do a CS for the other meals/snacks. I would never leave every meal to chance it's just way too stressful WDW here we come June 15

 

[Nancyg56]

I do understand that the restaurants are much busier and it is unfortunate that people can't just wing it like they used to. What I was referring to was that some people know the importance of ADRs (especially with DDP) and still decide not to make them and then are frustrated with the end result. I would much rather have an ADR to fall back on. Even if it is not ideal - it is something and I have not wasted time at the parks looking. I do feel badly for people who have no idea that they need to make ADRs (I tell as many people as I can), or those who take spur of the moment trips and are disappointed with their choices. I just don't understand those who buy the DDP, know that ADRs are recommended, still choose not to make them and then get upset about the outcome.

I know that there are some who refuse to plan, and that can be a shame. It must be an eye opener to arrive and find that dining is going to consist of CS for the most part. While I understand that there are some who try to do without for their own reasons, I do think that the majority who do not make their ADR's are those who simply don't know how the TS restaurants are these days. I also try to let friends know if they discuss an upcoming trip, because if you don;t know how bust it is now, your trip can be a let down.

 

[JimMIA]

Maybe it's my fault for not making ADR's months in advance. I just can't do that. We do have a small stradegy to attack the parks but I can't plan my meals months in advance.

I'm sorry you were disappointed, but you're right -- your problems are self-inflicted.

You knew about ADRs, and the Disney Dining folks remind us all to make ADRs when we add DDP. ADRs just don't fit your vacation style. There's nothing wrong with that, but you would have had difficulties eating no matter how you paid for the meals -- it has nothing to do with DDP.

If you don't care to make ADRs, most of the time you are going to have a choice of wasting DDP credits or hopping on a bus to some remote resort restaurant that happens to be the only place you can get into with an hour's notice. Personally, if I didn't want to make ADRs to eat at restaurants of my choice, I wouldn't get DDP.

I hope the rest of your trip was good enough to outweigh this disappointment.

 

[auntie]

We were there last week..at the WL. Just got back home Saturday night. As I mentioned earlier..I've been to Disney many times..but never on the Dining Plan..and it has been four years since our last visit. I always made a few ADR's..but no more. I too, didn't want to have to plan every meal. After reading how things have changed with the DDP and canceling our trip for the during the free dining promo..because there was nothing available. I mean NOTHING. We had Disney calling us, telling us they were offering dinner at 11:00 pm...that's NUTS. I'm flexible..but who wants to eat that late..just so we don't wind up using TS credits at CS restaurants. Not for us. I didn't want to risk wasting our money or dealing with the potentially crowded restaurants. We opted to go in May..not during a free dining promo. We waited and paid for the dining..as I thought the price was a good deal. For a family of 5 adult sized people. This time around..I figured I had to break down and do some planing. It was the BEST thing I could have done. I mean it's not really that hard. It's pretty much picking out 7 TS meals. I did that early on...and was even able to tweak it, and change things as the trip came closer, and we knew a bit more what our plans might be. We are five people..no little ones...so everyone has a say on where they want to go, and what they want to do. WE are pretty flexible. My entire family just loved the fact that the meals were paid for..and we had a destination each day..be it for lunch or dinner...and then the kids scheduled there individual plans around it. It wasn't as big a deal as I thought it might be. Believe me, I was one of those who didn't want to plan around a meal..or plan a meal 6 mos. out. Which I didn't. We made reservations in March...and with in the month I had some ADR's where I knew we would want to eat..and added a few..and even changed one once we were at the WL. I will tell you that as the week went on..and it came closer to the holiday (Memorial Day weekend) it was more crowded, and I was happy to have the reservations we did.
However, as a few have mentioned...whether you are on the plan or not..it does seem that if you do want at TS meal...you do have to plan for it. Especially during a busy time. We might consider a spur of the moment trip in August..and if we did..I likely wouldn't be using the dining plan..but I'd also be okay with counter service. Although..frankly I'd starve before I'd wait an hour and 40 minutes on a counter service line. I'd leave. I'm pretty sure you would be able to eat CS at your own resort and not have that kind of wait for fast food.

 

[just another guy]

maybe you are trying to eat during peak times..try waiting a little bit later

Yup, I know a couple disney servers. A few I know at more popular restaurants have told me that if I want in, to stop by towards open or close.

 

[LorilieMarie]

After reading how things have changed with the DDP and canceling our trip for the during the free dining promo..because there was nothing available. I mean NOTHING.

The trip you cancelled...was it in Sept for free dining? That's when I'm going, but I have reservations. I was thinking about changing some. It's usually not very crowded during that time, maybe it will be this time

 

[gina2000]

We will be hearing of this problem more and more as the parks get the summer rush. It's inevitable. People don't realize how busy WDW has become nor do they realize what effect the DDP has had on TS and CS restaurants.

We usually make ADRs but there are days when we change our park plans and park hop due to crowds. That can mangle a TS dinner easily. We tried to change a lunch over a crowded holiday weekend and couldn't do it. We had park hopped and missed our last ADR by a half hour or so. So we skipped it and ate offsite. If I had been on the DDP, however, I'm sure I would have been aggravated to lose the TS. Or I would have felt compelled to stay in an overcrowded park to spend my TS credit.

I have a friend going next year. She hasn't been in a few years and was shocked to hear about the restaurant occupancy rate. She would have never known otherwise because she's been several times, doesn't frequent a WDW bulletin board and will be staying offsite. If I hadn't told her, her grandson's first trip wouldn't be what she wanted. Is it really her fault? Technically yes but the situation has become difficult enough that even people like myself aren't too eager to change an ADR last minute or try to figure out a walkup situation.

The only solution to it all is to plan with the knowledge that there may be no flexibility to change the ADR on the DDP. There are times where you just have to do that. Difficult situation, to say the least.....