FYI - Dining PS for Honeymoon

[Tink_Kel]

I just thought I'd share info I just saw on the Restaurant section of the Disboards. I know I've been dying to make reservations for dining for our upcoming wedding breakfast and Honeymoon....so I'm sure there are plenty of you awaiting the same. Anyway, here is what is posted regarding priority seating reservations:

Everyone calling in today (since noon eastern) has said that they can book 90 days out right now. So today the window is open through 3/23. To determine your date you can click here http://www.wdwinfo.com/wdwinfo/dinin...dispscalc.html

This is a permanent change to the Dining System. Reported information from Disney's intranet confirms this for us.

According to Disney due to the growing pattern of guests finalizing their itineraries closer to their vacation experience they are permanently adjusting their reservation windows to 90 days. This includes Dining Reservations, Dining Package Reservations (Fantasmic! and Candlelight Processional), Recreation Reservations and Tour Reservations.

Grand Gathering Experiences and La Nouba can be reserved up to 180 days in advance.

Hotels can be reserved up to 500 in advance, however I am not aware of any changes to the DVC resort reservations.

Disney allowed that though 'permanent', they are always evaluating and may increase or decrease the window in the future if they deem it necessary.

All existing dining, recreation and tour reservations will be honored as booked, so reservations for 2009 (beyond the 90 day window) are safe.

The +10 still applies for resort guests. Meaning resort guests can call in 90 days prior to check in and book for up to 10 days of their vacation.

Hopefully, they aren't waiting 90 days before posting the park hours too!

 

[MegKate]

So instead of being able to make reservations 180 days out, now it's 90?

 

[lurkyloo]

Whoa - great info to know! Thanks for posting!

 

[meryll83]

Urgh, that means I have to wait an additional 3 months to see if we can actually get a reception meal booked

 

[Beep]

Great, thanks for posting that. I can adjust my calling date now

 

[lpizzuro123]

Yeah - this has been around for awhile on the dining boards. We have a trip the end of March for my DH's birthday and I was only able to make dining reservation up until March 21. I have called a few time and asked when the window should open and they are saying mid January. I keep trying though.

You can make reservation for Chef Mickey and I believe Cinderella castle - and maybe one other at the 180 mark. I even tried for the Luau or the Hoop DeDo and its a no go.

Linda

 

[disprincessatheart]

The window used to be 90 days and a few years back they made it 180. With the exception of large groups I think the 90 day window is better. They probably noticed how many people would book at 180 days and then change tons of their reservations as they got closer. Making it closer to the travel times means less chance of the average family calling in a bunch of times to keep changing things - saves Disney money in staffing their call centers.

For all the brides to be on here - I wonder if the group dining people or your planners can book for you further out. I'm pretty sure for our wedding I booked things directly with the restaurants a few days before my 180 day window and I know Tanis offered to book things for me (but I'd already done them).

 

[Lorelei528]

Group Dining cannot as it was them I spoke to yesterday and got the good news (about 5 seconds after she did!)
And I don't think Tanis can either as I've already discussed with her...I guess I can ask her again and she what she says, it woulldn't be for wedding days stuff, but day after stuff where eveyone is coming and I will have to go through Group Dining...

All the other meals have to be booked as well of course, but I don't think she would be able to do just regular meals etc...

I can call on Jan. 26th now and I'm sooo happy that I have an actual date, the not knowing thing was KILLING ME!!!!

 

[disprincessatheart]

that really is frustrating - but glad you at least have some info now! I know last year waiting until the 90 day mark for my WIshes cruise was hard, and then when we got to 90 days there were no fireworks scheduled for that night. It wasn't until 60 days or less from the wedding that we finally had everything sorted out - it was making me a nervous wreck! Good luck to everyone getting all the ressies you need!

 

[disprincessatheart]

I was just on another thread and found some info from a Disney CM that posts a lot

I have just checked the official Disney Intranet, The Hub. This is, effective today, official WDW Policy
Effective today all reservations for dining, tours and recreation will be made up to 90 days out.

La Nouba and Grand Gatherings may be made 180 days out.

Room reservations may be made 500 days out.

For people staying at a Disney owned and operated resort there is a 90+10 rule in effect, so 90 days from arrival date ytou may make your rerservations for up to ten days at one time.

All current reservations which are more than 90 days from today will still remain valid, but will not be able to be modified until within the 90 (+10) window.

If you have more than 8people you can qualify for a grand gathering - it's free - and then they can book group ressies for you. This could be a really good option for brides to book 6 months out! Hope this helps someone!

Found this in another thread:
I just booked my first GG yesterday, when a friend of ours said they wanted to go too. I asked the person at GG what advantage does this give us. She gave me this web site: http://disneyworld.disney.go.com/w...s/ggLandingPage?id=GrandGatheringsLandingPage

Basically, there are 4 main advantages are:
1. Resort rooms near each other
2. Planning (Dinner reservations ,Access to tours, ect.)
3. Special products
4. Merchandise

 

[lurkyloo]

Booking a Grand Gathering is a great idea - and you only need 8 people to do it!

 

[bridetobe789]

So doesn't this mean it will go back to the 180??

"Disney will begin implementing a new reservation system that combines dining, recreation and tour bookings.

The conversion will start on July 21, 2008 and is expected to be functioning early December. While this is taking place, the latest dining reservation date which can be booked in advance is March 22, 2009**. Once the new system is operating, it will revert to the 180 day Advance Dining Reservation window.

The exceptions to the shortened ADR booking window are Cinderella's Royal Table, Chef Mickey's and Victoria & Albert's."

 

[lurkyloo]

That was the info Disney originally released earlier this year, but they apparently decided not to go back to 180. Ever since that announcement was made, there have been rumors that Disney would use the transition as an excuse to go back to 90-day ADRs, and it appears they have.

 

[Nicsnick]

THANK YOU op for posting this!!! I was able to make all of my dining reservations for our wedding trip March 23-28!!!

 

[Nicsnick]

Yeah - this has been around for awhile on the dining boards. We have a trip the end of March for my DH's birthday and I was only able to make dining reservation up until March 21. I have called a few time and asked when the window should open and they are saying mid January. I keep trying though.

You can make reservation for Chef Mickey and I believe Cinderella castle - and maybe one other at the 180 mark. I even tried for the Luau or the Hoop DeDo and its a no go.

Linda

They have opened the new window. I called this morning and have all my reservations for March 23-28. They are taking reservations for March 24 +10days if you are staying on property!!!! Try again!!!

 

[Lorelei528]

I just wanted to pipe in on the GG thing...

We have our wedding booked as a GG...originally I thought it would be better than it is, but really so far the only things I see that are helpful are the facts that for group dining if you need more than one table, they will more likely sit you together if you're a GG. They don't do regular dining reservations for you. However, you can book a GG experience, which is what we're doing as out meet and greet dinner. The thing with that it we have a total of 20 people and I spent like over 3 hours on the phone with GG 3 different times to book it!

We want to pay for it, but since it has to be prepaid, they have to add it on to everyone's reservation and now my mom and I are working on making payments on everyone's reservation for the GG experience...it's a bit of a PITA, but I think it will be worth it in the long run..also, the only merchandise they have as of now, is a T-shirt....

You do get to get hotel rooms close by and together though too which could be a good thing....the thing is, our 20 people are staying at like 4 different places, so it doesn't really matter to us!

All in all, I guess I'm just not as excited about doing the GG as I originally was, but I think the Safari Celebration Dinner will be an excellent way for everyone to meet/ice breaker etc...

We'll see how it goes....

 

[RachaelA]

Everyone on the dining boards is saying that it is for the special Grand Gathering experiences not just regular meals at restaurants.

I'm sad to wait until March 2 to book for our Disneymoon Our IPO at least booked Chef Mickey's for us before the change.

 

[RangerPooh]

Having to wait until 90 days out might not be a bad thing. Remember those staying on property ahve the 10 day window that they can make ressies for that those staying off property don't have. True it might be frustrating to ahve to wait, this use to be standard.

 

[adisneygal]

I think 90 days is better. Planning 180 days out is just too far in advance IMO. I hated trying to plan meals when Disney didn't even have the park hours that far in advanced.

 

[Tink_Kel]

Personally, I can live with the 90 days, it was the uncertainty and waiting that was driving me nuts...just not knowing when they were going to open the new PS window, and worrying I'd miss the ressie I needed for our celebration breakfast after our ceremony. At least now I know the exact day I can call in.