Free Dining frustration <tiny vent>

[yrdlyprincess]

I didn't read this whole thread but even though I AM getting "free dining" I tihk that it is crazy!! I can understand making ADR's but 180 days!?!?!!?!?!?!? I tell there is only ONE thing that I need to schedule that far in advance (my OB/gyn) I also remember the call centers in Epcot, we called & got Mexico for 5:30 that same night. I know someone who is going down a few days b4 me & I asked her if she had got her adr's already...her response was no. I thought good luck to her. I understand your frustation about, as I can also understand the frustation of people who live down there.

 

[bzzymom]

I too remember the kiosk's behind spaceship earth. I remember going there and not getting what we wanted at the time we wanted. I went during free dining the first 2 years it was offered. It was a good marketing idea that first year. The year before that there were a couple hurricanes at that time of year, and it turned people off to travel during that time. It got people there and it got popular. I imagine that it is still going because there are making money. More hotel rooms are being booked and I am sure they make a healthy profit from souveniers and such. If it were a money looser, they would have axed it after the first year. I liked using the dining plan, and if we get to go to WDW in Jan 08, we will get it. I was nice to not have to take money for food.

 

[gogo65]

I am certainly no expert in Disney but I have read that there is 20 000 hotel rooms at disney, so that would average about 50 000 people staying at Disney every night, Where do they all eat?? This doesn't even include the people staying off site, or local residents coming for a day.

There just isn't enough restaurants to cater for the amount of people, that's why people can't get reservations for restaurants, it has nothing to do with whether guests get free dining or not.

Regardless of free dining people still have to eat

 

[kaytieeldr]

During our one and only stay there (never again!) while getting my shower one morning I thought someone had walked into my room I could hear them so clearly but it was just someone in the hall talking - the walls were paper thin.

No. That's impossible. Only the Value resorts (most notably Pop Century) have paper-thin walls... where IS that tongue-in-cheek smilie?

 

[dbriggsq]

You don't need a resort reservation to book dining on the possibility that you might go. If you think there's a possibility you might be able to go, call and make a few ADRs. If you can't go, cancel them. Simple.

Forgive me but I don't think this is the answer and it's perhaps because of people doing things like this - making reservations that they have little if any chance of completing on the off chance that they will need them - that the problem with getting ADRs exists.

 

[Tricia1972]

Maybe what Disney needs to do is release a percentage of the tables at 180 days, another percentage at 90 days, another percentage at 30 days, and the last small (tiny) percentage at 7 days out.

That way planners have a shot at the 180 day mark. If we don't get them, planners are all savvy enough to know to try again at 90 days, 30 days and finally 7 days.

Newbies to Disney and those not Savvy, may start planning at about 90 days out - they have a shot at tables because Disney held some to release. We're also calling at 90 days if we didn't get our 180 day reservation.

Those that can't plan until the last minute have a shot at those 30 day ressies.

Locals have a shot at the 7 day ressies.


This would probably be a lot of work for Dinsey to do, and for them there is not a lot of incentive to implement this solution. Regardless of how upset some of us get, Disney is still filling their restaurants.

Disney's main incentive would be to make a trip more magical for a first time guest who isn't aware of the current reservation system. I can imagine that many first timers aren't feeling too magical (and likely to return) after a vacation of being turned away from every restaurant on Disney Property.

 

[LizinSTL]

You don't need a resort reservation to book dining on the possibility that you might go. If you think there's a possibility you might be able to go, call and make a few ADRs. If you can't go, cancel them. Simple.

Forgive me but I don't think this is the answer and it's perhaps because of people doing things like this - making reservations that they have little if any chance of completing on the off chance that they will need them - that the problem with getting ADRs exists.

So you are saying you can't get any ADRs anywhere at all on property for your entire upcoming trip? At all? None? or just not your top choices?

If a guest is flexible and calls Disney and says I'll be there Sept x-y. We need late lunch or dinner ADRs for each day, could you help me.... you'll find SOMETHING. Heck, if you are super nice about it, you may even get great ADRs.

 

[LizinSTL]

Maybe what Disney needs to do is release a percentage of the tables at 180 days, another percentage at 90 days, another percentage at 30 days, and the last small (tiny) percentage at 7 days out.

That way planners have a shot at the 180 day mark. If we don't get them, planners are all savvy enough to know to try again at 90 days, 30 days and finally 7 days.

Newbies to Disney and those not Savvy, may start planning at about 90 days out - they have a shot at tables because Disney held some to release. We're also calling at 90 days if we didn't get our 180 day reservation.

Those that can't plan until the last minute have a shot at those 30 day ressies.

Locals have a shot at the 7 day ressies.


This would probably be a lot of work for Dinsey to do, and for them there is not a lot of incentive to implement this solution. Regardless of how upset some of us get, Disney is still filling their restaurants.

Disney's main incentive would be to make a trip more magical for a first time guest who isn't aware of the current reservation system. I can imagine that many first timers aren't feeling too magical (and likely to return) after a vacation of being turned away from every restaurant on Disney Property.

They may not say it, but I think this is what they do. Maybe not for some of the more popular places like CRT and le Cellier, but I know they add Fantasmic dining package times. I was told to call back 2 weeks before my trip to try to get a better time and I did. Folks with Teppanaki reservations in Sept are being accommodated at le Cellier and Coral Reef...did those places expand suddenly? Obviously there are some tables held back for emergency/last minute reservations. Just the lucky, kind guest who calls and says, with an open mind- what do you have available for dinner in Epcot on Sept 13th...may get lucky, you know?

When you call and say at 10 days out- I want CRT at 8am on Sept 11th. It's unlikely. But if you say- what's available for breakfast at the MK the week of Sept 10th, they may come back and say- Oh we have CRT on the 11th, are you interested?

I really think people who claim there are NO ADRs available aren't flexible enough. There are tons of restaurants on the property. I know people who are going in Sept who were recently offered lunch at Akershus. It's a great meal WITH princesses. They are turning it down because they want lunch at the castle but they'll say there are no ADRs available.

 

[Tricia1972]

I do know what you mean about being kind. Generally when I call for ADR's I end up feeling like the CM is my new BFF. They're people, just like anyone else, who are doing their job. Because of the nature of their jobe they end up dealing with everyone - nice to rude - on a daily basis.

We're making an impulsive trip to Disney at the end of October. A week or two ago I was calling for CRT anytime between October 26 and October 29. There was, of course, nothing. (I told her that I knew the impossibility of my request when I first asked her) She told me that the best time to call for CRT was at 180 days and then starting 10-14 days before you wanted to eat there. Because the reservation is held by a credit card they get a lot of cancellations the two week mark. I would think that Fantasmic would be similar to that.

I know that this doesn't apply to LeCellier or Coral Reef, maybe they do hold some reservations for them, or maybe some people are getting seated there because of last minute ADR cancellations.

I also agree with you that flexibility is key. Being flexible and nice takes you a LONG way at Disney.

I would like to think that they have my plan in place right now. That would make more reservations available for everyone.

 

[kaytieeldr]

Folks with Teppanaki reservations in Sept are being accommodated at le Cellier and Coral Reef...did those places expand suddenly?

Um, well, no - but you know all that space that used to be between the tables? Well, now they're going to be just long rows of tables, and the servers will stand at the ends and the Guests will have to pass food down

 

[dbriggsq]

So you are saying you can't get any ADRs anywhere at all on property for your entire upcoming trip? At all? None? or just not your top choices?

If a guest is flexible and calls Disney and says I'll be there Sept x-y. We need late lunch or dinner ADRs for each day, could you help me.... you'll find SOMETHING. Heck, if you are super nice about it, you may even get great ADRs.

Well first we tried for Boma - any night/any time for 6 days - nothing, then 1900 Park Fair - again nothing, then Crystal Palace lunch or dinner - nothing - then I lost the will to live and gave up!

 

[LizinSTL]

So you are saying you can't get any ADRs anywhere at all on property for your entire upcoming trip? At all? None? or just not your top choices?

If a guest is flexible and calls Disney and says I'll be there Sept x-y. We need late lunch or dinner ADRs for each day, could you help me.... you'll find SOMETHING. Heck, if you are super nice about it, you may even get great ADRs.

Well first we tried for Boma - any night/any time for 6 days - nothing, then 1900 Park Fair - again nothing, then Crystal Palace lunch or dinner - nothing - then I lost the will to live and gave up!

LOL Well, there are many more restaurants than those 3..... no need to starve or give up your will to live!

Boma has reduced availability due to construction, from what I understand...but you may try same day ADRs while you are there.
Park Fare is limited because of the renovation and it's current location in the GF cafe. CP is popular due to it's theme park location. Try some of the nearby resorts. Just call and ask what's available for lunch or dinner on the dates you'll be there. I know people who are visiting during free dining who are still changing things around and their trips begin in the next couple weeks. If you say MK or the MK resorts, your possibilities really open up. You may find a new favorite restaurant.

 

[kaytieeldr]

Good point, Liz. Trail's End at Fort Wilderness for dinner, followed by the campfire and movie. If Guests are flexible - as in Liz's example, instead of "CRT at 6 PM on 9/14", "Dinner at around 6 PM in the Magic Kingdom area" opens up tons more possibilities.

 

[corgi_monster]

Let's all just be glad that we're not the family that walks into Le Cellier at 7pm during free dining expecting to see a "Please Wait to Be Seated" sign.

At least we all KNOW what we are up against. We know about ADR's, we know how crowded the restaurants are, we know how impossible it would be to get breakfast at CRT next week, etc.

Imagine if you were looking forward to enjoying your free dining plan, only to learn that you would have to either spend several hours of your vacation lining up out-of-the-way, 9:45pm dinners, or not using any of your TS at all.

There's not much any of us can do to improve the lack of ADR availability, so why don't we make the best of a tough situation?

 

[DznyDreamz]

There are definately ADR's available. I called a week ago and got into Chefs de France, San Angel Inn and Rose & Crown. So while LeCellier, CRT and PSB may be booked there are other options. These restaurants fill up at the 180 day mark regardless of the DDP so I think people just need to be flexible as others have said.

 

[MissionMouse]

...even making my ADRS 180 days in advance, I didn't get everything I wanted...

If if you booked your ADRs at the 180 mark...this may still be true since ADRs are now made 180 +10. As we all know this allows other guest to book ADRs right into your vacation dates, before you are even qualified to book one.

It would appear everthing has it good side and bad side. The larger and more diverse the population you are dealing with the harder it is to please everyone. Finding the middle ground may or may not be accomplished.

This may be one example why we continually see example of Disney making changes based upon complaints. I could also see times when this could cause changes which are not truly wanted by the core of guest, but by very vocal niche groups of people perceived to reflect a greater interest of people.

We find makig ADRs easy when we are able to book most if not all of your ADRs in one call, unless you wanted to book a specific and popular restaurant in the earlier portion of your stay, when countless other vacations starting a few days prior to your may have already booked the times you desired.
I do not want to revert back to making calls everyday for the length of our stay to reserve restaurant times.

I beleive the issue here is Disney wants to book the restaurants to near capacity. Disney guest want flexability which appears may have opposing interest. One things is clear the dining plans are following the simple phyics rule. For every action there is a reaction. The dining plans will change. Restaurants will change. Menus will continue to change if their a good restaurant and I perceive so will the ADR process,. Though all of this Disney will make money and considering their current cost reduction initiative it will be more than the previous year.

 

[Aliceacc]

I've read a bit about some restaurants that fill up on the 180 day mark.

My 180 day mark is Valentine's Day... a full day of school for me followed by speech class for my daughter, home to feed the kids before I head to the faculty dinner before parent conferences. It's entirely possible that I won't get to the phone until 10 pm.

Can someone tell me which restaurants tend to book up early? That way I'll plan for some backups in case I can't get my first choice. Any suggested backups?

In case it matters, there are 5 of us: my husband and myself, our eat-anything 10 year old son,(counts as an adult on the meal plan), my I-eat-chicken-nuggets-and-not-much-else 8 year old daughter, and my somewhere-inbetween 5 year old.


Thanks so much for any help you can give to a confused newbie

Oops... sorry! I meant to start a new thread instead of hijacking this one!

 

[kaytieeldr]

If you didn't start a new thread - first, are you absolutely positive that your 180 days is February 14? If you're arriving August 14, 2008, that's not 180 days. 180 days before 8/14 next year is 8/17. Of course, if you're arriving August 11, then you're right, Valentine's Day is your 180 (disclaimer: no PS calculator used, dates may be off by ONE day, please check).

Now, what fills up right away: Cinderella's Royal Table, Le Cellier. To a lesser degree, California Grill, Princess Storybook at Restaurant Akershus, Crystal Palace, Liberty Inn.

 

[acourtwdw2]

My sister and I go to WDW 3-4 times per year. We never make ADR before we get to WDW (we will make them the day before, the day of or not at all) and always get to eat at whatever we want. I don't know if it because we are flexible or because of the time of year (Feb-March, June, Labor Day W/E(excpet this year) and October). Last October we took my cousins kids to Crystal Palace- we made the reservations the night before and because we were flexible our reservations were 1 hour before the park opened. The kids loved it because they got to go into MK before it opened. If we do ADR for breakfast we make them for as soon as they open so we dont miss any of the time in the park. We are DVC, AP and DDE we love the perks of all three.

 

[Aliceacc]

If you didn't start a new thread - first, are you absolutely positive that your 180 days is February 14? If you're arriving August 14, 2008, that's not 180 days. 180 days before 8/14 next year is 8/17. Of course, if you're arriving August 11, then you're right, Valentine's Day is your 180 (disclaimer: no PS calculator used, dates may be off by ONE day, please check).

Now, what fills up right away: Cinderella's Royal Table, Le Cellier. To a lesser degree, California Grill, Princess Storybook at Restaurant Akershus, Crystal Palace, Liberty Inn.

We're arriving on the 12th; the travel agent gave us Feb 14th as the 180 day mark. (Next year is Leap Year-- you may have missed that!)

Thanks for the info