I hate Disney's dining website! AHHH!

[JimmyBean42]

I did get every restaurant I want - numerous character breakfasts, brunch, numerous lunches and dinners, however, I did not get them on the day or time I had hoped for. Trip is not canceled but seriously!?!?!?!

Completely understand your frustration and headaches, but this is the key sentence that you wrote. Sure it was (unneeded and overly) stressful but you did get every restaurant you wanted. So that's a huge plus right? There a ton of people who don't get the places they want, but look at this way - even though you have to change the days / times you planned you'll still have a great trip.

 

[Dean Marino]

....."I'm actually not convinced that any amount of the best IT people on the planet could do anything better. #IJS

Jackie? They can - when the resources become important to a business. Consider Amazon - an INCREDIBLE hit rate, both on the Web Front end, and on their product database. But Amazon just hums . You see, they have invested in both people, and infrastructure. You are dead right about good people not being enough: A GOOD business website needs good people, but it also needs bandwidth, good web servers, a real "operating discipline" and a REALLY GOOD back end Database.

These things, costing a good deal of money, only materialize when a business gets serious about doing business on the internet.

 

[Jen731]

@dnw25 I am so sorry for your trouble this morning. I can imagine how ready you were to throw your computer through the wall!! I know you didn't get everything just as you wanted, but there is still a lot of time. Keep checking, hopefully you will find just what you need before December.

 

[goofy4prez]

They've been doing "maintenance" for almost a month now. Seems odd. But calling always works and CM's are always great & helpful on the phone.

I swear they have been doing maintenance for over three years now instead of almost a month. IMO, there is not a website with Disney's name on it that runs efficiently and properly.

 

[Dean Marino]

I swear they have been doing maintenance for over three years now instead of almost a month. IMO, there is not a website with Disney's name on it that runs efficiently and properly.

Probably more like five years . And it's a real shame, because it doesn't need to LOOK that way to the public, if an IT Organization establishes an "Operating Discipline". Every indication I've seen? Disney's IT group, or groups, doesn't have one.

Here is how an Operating Discipline works (just the major points):

1) NOTHING gets changed until it is run through a test system - and is signed off on. You don't "play" with your production system.
2) Change control mandates that production system "upgrades" are done at off hours, with NOTICE (ever see your bank or CC Company do this?).
3) The immediate answer to a system "upgrade" that results in failure is: ROLL BACK (Restore the previous working system).

There is a lot more - but the BASIC idea is to not treat a Production Business System as a Geek Toy, and to TEST YOUR CHANGES. Don't take offense if you are a Computer Geek - I AM. 27 years in IT RESEARCH, and the Production guys taught me a lot, while trying to control me .

By the way - there isn't a REAL CIO (Chief Information Officer) out there who doesn't know what an Operating Discipline is. GOOD CIO's enforce this RUTHLESSLY, and often fire people that violate it. They aren't mean and nasty.... they just know that ecommerce is total warfare, with the goal of running an efficient WORKING business.

 

[pooh4evr]

I was trying today, got all the way to inputting the cc info, and I could't select the country or state.. so I cancelled, and now it is having trouble searching. Very frustrating!

 

[BlueStarryHat]

I just completed making my reservations for December, and didn't have a lick of trouble. I was in and out of the site in 20 minutes and got everything I wanted at the times I preferred, including BOG for an early lunch on our last day. Everything seems to be working well this morning, so jump in there!

 

[pangyal]

I honestly don't understand why it works for some and not others. Same as yesterday, I can't get the app to recognize past 180+8 for me, or the website to recognize 180+9, even though I am entitled to +10 for our ten day stay. The website is telling me again that it can't search. And I had exactly the same thing as a PP yesterday morning when the CM disconnected the call and kicked me to the survey in the middle of booking our BOG dinner.

So I wouldn't say it is working today by any means. Or any other day for that matter.

 

[pangyal]

Oh, I forgot to add, the system appears to be able to search perfectly up to my 180+6 day, so maybe people who are having success are within that timeframe and not closer to +10?

 

[Disneylover99]

I swear they have been doing maintenance for over three years now instead of almost a month. IMO, there is not a website with Disney's name on it that runs efficiently and properly.

"Maintenance" is their code word for, "we have no idea what the problem is and we can't help you."

 

[Madame]

I am so dreading making our ADRs in 2 weeks. My + 10 wasn't recognized last time I booked & I'm not expecting it to be different this time around.

My students have their last exam the day my window opens. Normally I'm at school at 7:10am for an 8:15 start. I figure if I jump online at 6:00 & find it not working I can drive directly to work & get there & on my cell for 7:00. Hopefully I'll be finished by 8:00 or I'm stuck until at least 10:30 .

 

[Aerinha]

My best advice after my experience yesterday is to try at 6, but be prepared to call right at 7. I mean have the number dialed in at 6:59 and the second it says 7 hit call. I got right in and got what I wanted. Totally ticked I got up at 5:55 on a Saturday for nothing, but at least I knew before 7 that I had to call so I missed the queue of those calling at 7:01.

It seemed like it was going to work for me late last night, but then ultimately wouldn't take me to the cc page.

 

[caisland]

Going in August for the first time with SIL
We each have MDE accounts and when we were booking ADRs noticed very weird things.
She was trying to find Ohana breakfast early on a day and I found it for 8am. When she looked at same time it wasn't available
I ended up booking it for her since I could see it.
She asked if we wanted to change another one later in the evening but I couldn't see availability for 6 but she could.
Why would the system show availability as different to different people?

 

[Dean Marino]

Going in August for the first time with SIL
We each have MDE accounts and when we were booking ADRs noticed very weird things.
She was trying to find Ohana breakfast early on a day and I found it for 8am. When she looked at same time it wasn't available
I ended up booking it for her since I could see it.
She asked if we wanted to change another one later in the evening but I couldn't see availability for 6 but she could.
Why would the system show availability as different to different people?

Yes - why would it? Poor coding. VERY good that you got what you wanted, but very SAD that you had to CALL to get around the broken Disney Website .

Your experience is a classic example of why a company SERIOUS about doing Internet ecommerce needs to invest the money in people and systems to support their business. You got a GREAT CM, on the phone. The CM must be paid... the telecom system must be paid for.... the CM will get some kind of benefit package.... people, while very wonderful, cost a LOT more than well installed machines.

The problem? Disney, sadly, hasn't realized yet that the Internet is a fundamental business channel. They aren't alone - Microsoft still hasn't really figured this out .

I actually feel sorry for Disney - they will end up spending BOATLOADS of cash, "playing" with the Internet, and, in the end? A lot of frustrated customers will just end up CALLING - just like they did before that pathetic MDE ever got launched . I hate seeing a good company burning money on a failed effort .

Why this happened: Disney doesn't have a real CIO (Chief Information Officer). They have a person that seems to fetch coffee at meetings. Disney COULD get a real, functioning, solid CIO with a vision... and a good one. Perhaps one day, they will do so.

 

[ThistleMae]

My experience this am was so horrific that honestly, I almost canceled the trip. After having to figure out which days to visit which park to line up dining so it can be booked at 180 +10 and then not being able to do so....Ridiculous. Especially for what anyone staying on property pays. Even with our airfare booked, almost canceled. Does anyone have the address/phone to get through for complaints? Not just a general complaint number.

Was up at 4:45, logged in ready to go exactly at 5:00 (6 est) For 36 min I tried everything - different browsers, logged in and out, searched from the restaurant page, searched from the park dining pages. Absolutely no luck. It would routinely time the available options, but when I clicked would just take me back to beginning.

Around the 44 min mark, I saw availability begin to change with times disappearing or no longer availability. This is when I almost canceled the trip.

I kept trying and still no luck. Woke up the hubby at 5:54. Told him to get on the phone at 6:00, which he did. He also got on his computer. Now 6:00 am, I was lucky enough to get through immediately on the phone (hubby called a min or two later and was told he had a 30 min wait). Explained the problem online to the agent, who said was unaware of any problems online this am. He then proceeded to get me almost all my hard to get reservations. Wonderful, right?

I was DISCONNECTED by DISNEY. I was talking to the agent for over 30 min, I was about to give him my credit card number, and all of a sudden the "Tell us how we are doing" survey at the end of every Disney call was playing!!!! What in the world!!!!

Meanwhile, the website miraculous opened up/woke up at 6:00 am too. My hubby was booking ressies while I was on the phone with the agent (not the same ones, I promise). I jumped on and tried to book the same ones I had made with the agent.

Several minutes later, my husband's 6:02 phone call to Disney dining went through. Now it's around 6:35 and the agent couldn't really help me. My early BOG selections were all gone. Ohana gone. She tried to search for any of my old ressies since she said the system "holds" them for a few minutes before they are released again, even without a credit card hold, but couldn't find them. She was explaining how nothing could be done when guess what? DISCONNECTED by DISNEY a second time!!! The survey started playing again.

I finally made all my reservations online, finishing at 7:46. I did get every restaurant I want - numerous character breakfasts, brunch, numerous lunches and dinners, however, I did not get them on the day or time I had hoped for. Trip is not canceled but seriously!?!?!?!

Disney forces you to do all this detailed planning, only to not let you implement it. I cannot clearly express how frustrated I am by this experience. Disney left a very negative impression this am.

Yeah....my 180 day + was equally terrible. Up early. Couldn't book anything. Called twice..both times they said the system was down and they couldn't help me. That was after waiting over half hour each time. Never could book anything all day. Called one last time in the afternoon. The CM could get on and we did manage to book everything except for two restaurants. We booked two alternatives but I'm still looking everyday for those two. It is an insane system. Even now, when I go on the website will say, it can't check reservations right now. Or in Bold Red letters at the top...the system is down. It is just a very bad system. I was told they need to have more servers to handle the numbers of people trying to get through. I guess they don't care. It just makes planning so much more difficult. I wouldn't not go because of it....and I guess that's why they don't fix it. They don't need to....people keep going no matter what.

 

[TwoCortWort]

I had issues for December ADR's and MAGICALLY at my 180+10 mark I was able to without a problem. I even called about the issue too, they said they reported it to IT, it's like get it TOGETHER Disney!

 

[Dean Marino]

I had issues for December ADR's and MAGICALLY at my 180+10 mark I was able to without a problem. I even called about the issue too, they said they reported it to IT, it's like get it TOGETHER Disney!

"Reported it to IT" . WHAT IT? Disney does not even have a competent CIO (Chief Information Officer) . VERY happy you got what you needed - but there are local Donut Shops with a better IT organization than WDW has .

Dear Disney - if reading? It's wrong to complain, and not offer a positive alternative. EMAIL me - I would be happy to give you contact info for a minimum of 5 very GOOD CIO candidates that could clean up you fake "IT" in three months. MY name will not appear on that list, it's FREE, and I am not a headhunter.

 

[dnw25]

Here's the latest. I posted a longer version on another thread but here is the pertinent part for this thread. Definitely email Disney so they know about issues. As the CM said, they can only test to a certain degree and without user feedback are not aware or do not know the extent of issues.


Other than my initial emails to Disney - the same one sent to two different email addresses - the only other contact was with a CM from Disney Communications. After playing phone tag for a week, we spoke yesterday for 29 minutes.

The conversation had an apologetic tone. He forwarded my email to numerous departments, IT, dining, reservations, and the phone line supervisor (don't' remember the name of the department). Additionally, after our conversation he said he was going to send follow ups to each department/division again. He apologized numerous times for my difficulties. He said magical enhancements have been made and without feedback from users, they would be unaware of problems. He thanked me numerous times for emailing Disney and calling him back. This is what the CM told me:

The two disconnected calls were either an issue with the phone lines/servers or errors by the Cast Members.

the dining agents CANNOT call people back. Which is why the 1st agent did not call me back after lining up all of my dining for the week. Disney has very strict procedures on call backs to customers. The CM told me Disney does not want to be an outgoing call center and therefore, any possible callbacks must be escalated through supervisors and meet strict guidelines. He thought, after my email, that my situation was cause for a callback and put that in his first emails to the departments. I affirmed that I would have been fine with a callback in that situation also.

The online booking system - letting you selected date and time, shows you options, you select an option and then it recycles back to the beginning selection page. This is a know problem. Been happening for at least a year. His only explanation is that Disney has done magical enhancements to the website with the magic bands and now the system can be problematic. As discussed on this thread, they can only test the website to a degree and then they need the users to report back problems.

It is possible they were doing maintenance that am, which is why online possibly didn't work the first hour and why online "opened at 7:00" with the dining call center.

I used safari, chrome and firefox on my mac that am (all are up to date with upgrades), and kept logging in and out of the Disney site on each. He said while all browsers should work, chrome and IE work best.

I asked if Fastpass + has any known problems and he said we should be fine unless going for elsa and Anna and 7DMT.

He said tons of dining ressies open 60 days, 30 days and the week before trip dates. Same for Fast pass+

This was a pleasant, informative conversation

 

[Dean Marino]

All of this bothers me on a daily basis - you folks, planning vacations, absolutely deserve to get dinner.

Be aware of an option: virtually ANY non-Disney owned restaurant may be booked DIRECTLY. This would include virtually ANY DTD restaurant, any restaurant at the SWAN, or DOLPHIN, restaurants at Golden Oaks, and V&A.

I too would like to see WDW get a legitimate system for dining reservations, that works. In the meantime? You have options. When the "system" becomes a failure? Consider abandoning it, until it works.

 

[lauraaott]

Can I call the restaurant directly to try and book a reservation? Or do I have to go through the dining website or calling the wdw number?