Holding Tables During FD

[PolyndianPrincessJes]

I thought I read somewhere that they hold tables back for those who are not using free dining, therefore making less tables available to those who are using the free dining plan. Did I imagine this? Or does it happen? Definitely seems like something Disney would do.

 

[notaclue]

Sounds logical to me. That could explain why so many people are having trouble getting ADRs. We're staying at the Poly in late Sept and if we can't get any of our dining choices I'm going to have a hissy fit.

Boomer Sooner!

 

[PolyndianPrincessJes]

Sounds logical to me. That could explain why so many people are having trouble getting ADRs. We're staying at the Poly in late Sept and if we can't get any of our dining choices I'm going to have a hissy fit.

Boomer Sooner!

Hey!! Boomer Sooner to you, too!! When are you going? We'll be there in late September, too. September 27-October 2 at the Treehouse Villas.

 

[notaclue]

Hey!! Boomer Sooner to you, too!! When are you going? We'll be there in late September, too. September 27-October 2 at the Treehouse Villas.

Sept 22 - Sept 29 at the Poly. Maybe we'll see ya there. Are you flying or driving? Which ADRs are you going to try for?

 

[DonaldTDuck]

Then why have there been signs at both MK and Ep saying there were no tables available at any table service restaurant in the park, and at MK, once, none at any MK resort either? They don't hold back anything. Some places are just so popular that they book very quickly.

 

[sohappy]

I'm not saying that it isn't true, it very well could be. But I think that there are other things that are making it much worse this year.

1. 90 day window instead of 180. Lots of people wouldn't book at 180 days unless they were serious or dissers. 90 days is much more within reason of those non-disser types.
2. Free dining is more publicized than it ever has been. I knew about it last year because I was on the boards. Other than on the boards and something left in my room, I didn't hear about it anywhere else. I have seen commercials and advertisments in lots of places this year. I think that more people know about it this year.

 

[PolyndianPrincessJes]

Sept 22 - Sept 29 at the Poly. Maybe we'll see ya there. Are you flying or driving? Which ADRs are you going to try for?

We usually fly, but we decided to road trip it this year since it's such a short trip for us. Pretend to elongate the vaca.

We're not trying for too much. My mom wants the coveted Le Cellier for her bday lunch, but she's never tried it, so she won't be devastated if we don't get it. I want to try for the 1900 PF dinner for the kiddos, and maybe another character meal. The rest of the fam would be completely content to make use of the full kitchen and grill at the Treehouse.

I'm not saying that it isn't true, it very well could be. But I think that there are other things that are making it much worse this year.

1. 90 day window instead of 180. Lots of people wouldn't book at 180 days unless they were serious or dissers. 90 days is much more within reason of those non-disser types.
2. Free dining is more publicized than it ever has been. I knew about it last year because I was on the boards. Other than on the boards and something left in my room, I didn't hear about it anywhere else. I have seen commercials and advertisments in lots of places this year. I think that more people know about it this year.

We're not on free dining (we're USMC and using the Salute tickets and 40% off room), so it doesn't really matter to me either way. I've just never seen so much trouble with FD ADRs. Of course, your reasons would definitely contribute to the issue.

IIRC, the logic was that Disney holds some tables so they can make money off those (like us) not using free dining. It was similar to the logic about having no openings for a two-top, but several four-tops (four people spend more than two, generally, so they hold them for larger parties). Like I said, definitely seems like a business move they'd implement.

 

[tami82]

I really believe this to be true more than anything else. It really had me thinking alot lately this must be the reason why ADRs are so hard to get. It just seems kind of strange that either you cant get a reservation until later at night or it is fully booked. Also did you ever notice when you are on the phone that the reservationist will ask "are you on the free dining plan" before she checks (i have called numerous times to try to change on or two of my reservations to earlier times with no luck and always got asked this question). I think most definitely they leave spaces open for the paying out of pocket customers so they make their money. Sure they may leave some spaces open but they are all the crappy hours late night hours for the free dining people. The paying customers get their pick of the better times, the later hours left for the FD.
This is the only logical explanation for all of this.

 

[scjo68]

I have no idea if it is true or not. I will say that we are not doing free dining (40% off the Poly instead) and could not get the ADR's we wanted for late Aug.

I can't say we didn't get anything, but the times were way off what we wanted. Such as Chef Mickey's only had very late dinner times open (too late for the kids), and I checked for each night of the trip, calling on the 90- day mark, etc. So we are doing a breakfast on our departure day, which is OK, but we really wanted to do dinner.

I have never had this difficulty getting the ADR's I wanted in the past, but since we've always gone in Jan., I figured this time would be different. I expected ADR's would be harder to get during FD, even though we are paying Out of pocket. I did not get the impression that I got better availablity of ADR's than someone on Free dining.

 

[DisneyWisher]

Don't leave out the people that make multiple reservations for the same night because "they are not sure what parks they are going to be at on those days". We typically go for 5 nights and its a miracle if I make 3 ADRs. I am just not a planner. 4 nights this year and I need 3 ADRs. Hoping for Chef Mickey's, Ohana, and WCC. DD25 and her hubby going with us and they have only been to Chef Mickey.

 

[ParrotBill]

I don't think so... we don't have free dining and can't get ADRs at popular places at all in the evening at this point for late August.

In past years, it was the same story and we could not even get in walking up early, right at opening. They would tell us we could wait but it might be an hour or more before that we'd really be waiting on a no show.

 

[disnut8]

I can recall the sequence of questions they ask when making a dining reservation but I know one of them is if you are on a dining plan. When do they ask that? Before or after they check availability? In other words, do they know before they look for tables that you have a plan or not?

Just my opinion but it seems the conspiracy theorists have been very active on the boards lately.

 

[PolyndianPrincessJes]

I can recall the sequence of questions they ask when making a dining reservation but I know one of them is if you are on a dining plan. When do they ask that? Before or after they check availability? In other words, do they know before they look for tables that you have a plan or not?

Just my opinion but it seems the conspiracy theorists have been very active on the boards lately.

They ask before they check availability. I remember reading this last year, though, so it's not a new theory.

 

[TheRustyScupper]

In other words, do they know before they look for tables that you have a plan or not?

1) Yes.
2) Also,
. . . where you are staying
. . . how much you are spending on rooms
. . . whether or not you are on DDP
. . . if you are DVC staying on points
. . . if you are a CM using the CM discount
3) And, with the new system, your answers really do count !

 

[jparc]

The only trouble we had with getting our ADR's for late August was the computer going down and losing all of our first attemp at ADr's. But when the system was up and running again we got everything we wanted at or within a half hour of the times we wanted on the exact days we wanted
(except for Chef de France which we changed to another day so we would be early enough to see Remy). Including Rose & Crowne for Illuminations and Chef mickey's for breakfast. We are on free dining at a moderate resort. I don't know why so many are having problems. Maybe Disney is trying to push the difficult time slots/ restaurants to fill first.

 

[PolyndianPrincessJes]

The only trouble we had with getting our ADR's for late August was the computer going down and losing all of our first attemp at ADr's. But when the system was up and running again we got everything we wanted at or within a half hour of the times we wanted on the exact days we wanted
(except for Chef de France which we changed to another day so we would be early enough to see Remy). Including Rose & Crowne for Illuminations and Chef mickey's for breakfast. We are on free dining at a moderate resort. I don't know why so many are having problems. Maybe Disney is trying to push the difficult time slots/ restaurants to fill first.

Yeah, I don't remember seeing this many issues last year during FD. Our window doesn't open until the end of June, so I can't say anything first hand about this fall's ADRs but have never had trouble getting what I wanted. Hope that particular trend continues.

 

[disneylove69]

I really believe this to be true more than anything else. It really had me thinking alot lately this must be the reason why ADRs are so hard to get. It just seems kind of strange that either you cant get a reservation until later at night or it is fully booked. Also did you ever notice when you are on the phone that the reservationist will ask "are you on the free dining plan" before she checks (i have called numerous times to try to change on or two of my reservations to earlier times with no luck and always got asked this question). I think most definitely they leave spaces open for the paying out of pocket customers so they make their money. Sure they may leave some spaces open but they are all the crappy hours late night hours for the free dining people. The paying customers get their pick of the better times, the later hours left for the FD.
This is the only logical explanation for all of this.

Walked up to Ohana one night and asked if we could get it. There were a lot of people waiting. Asked if we were DDP and told them paying cash. We got in 30 minutes later. Other on the plan asked and turned away. So it could be true.

 

[BarleyJack]

1) Yes.
2) Also,
. . . where you are staying
. . . how much you are spending on rooms
. . . whether or not you are on DDP
. . . if you are DVC staying on points
. . . if you are a CM using the CM discount
3) And, with the new system, your answers really do count !

Interesting. So riddle me this: I'm making MORE ADRs than the DDP will cover, will it matter if I tell the CM which are OOP or not?

 

[CapJack]

IMO it is a combo of popular restaurants fill up fast & like PP said people make multiple ADR's for same night at different places. I think Disney should require CC for ALL ADR's & charge when not cancelled. The rude people who double & triple book most likely do not have courtesy to cancel. Best advice is to keep trying for those ADR's you were unable to get & if all else fails just walk up & see if they are able to accomadate you. This happened last year at Biergarten to me, DW & DD. We walked up during F&W festival on a Sat. night & were seated within 15 minutes. Good luck on the ADR's to every one sending pixie dust your way.

 

[Tricia1972]

There are quite a few threads going about this right now, and understandably so. If it's true, it's a big deal!

I am going to close this thread, and ask that we try to keep all holding tables, tiered ADR's, discussion in this one thread. http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=2193916

It'll be easier for everyone if we keep the discussion in one place, so we all are on the same page with what's true and what's rumor.

Thanks for understanding!