I still don't get it!

[Franco56]

I still don't get it, don't get me wrong, by nature I am not a whiner but the reservation systemfor dinners and such on a Disney cruise bugs the heck out of me. We all know Disney is the master of making us feel good in all aspects, crowd control, CM's, restaurant and resort efficeny, food portions, everything, they are great at it. But when it comes to ressies on board for Palo and other things they want us to hustle around for them! This will be our first cruise and I find it hard to understand this system. I am not tight at all with a buck(the wife will tell you I spend to much all the time) but if I am spending what we ALL are spending for a seven day cruise I expect to get whatever ressies I ask for, without having to hustle around for them. Again Disney is a master at this stuff, they must have formulas for any given event that could and does happen on board. Here it is 480 days away and I am drawing plays on the board for my family to take out anybody that gets in our way for ressies! Am I wrong? We are not the Disney experts that lots of you are (seven trips to DWD and our first cruise coming along) but I find it hard to swallow. I know some think it is all part of the cruise, but I would just like to know I can do anything I want on board! Am I making to much of it or what? Thank you kindly!

 

[TheWog]

I think you are making too much of it (jmo). We went without even knowing there was an issue. (I didn't find these boards until we got back). We just knew that we wanted to go and try it. So we walked over shortly after they opened and we got our choice of several different times and several different days and we didn't have to wait in a line. We just walked up and they were there on a board. If you wait til real late you might be out of luck, but be there around the time they open and you should have no trouble. If for some reason you don't get the reservation, people will cancel and you can call the morning of the day you want and they will be able to get you a reservation. We ended up cancelling and you must do it 24 hours in advance so they will know that morning. Good luck.

 

[marylee15]

Hi Wog and Franco fellow New Englanders, I do have to say that I agree with Franco on this one. If the ressies are on a first come first served basis you should be able to either make them when you book your trip or be able to do it at the DCL site once you have a confirmation number. I do not want to be frazzled making ressies on the day when I am going to be so excited taking in the terminal and the ship. I just feel that it would be much more fair if it could be done that way. Not to be a whiner but my DH and I do not go out alone that much and we are really looking forward to some spa treatments and Palo. Either way when you put yourself in the position of EmmasGrammy anything would be great so its all relative the world will not stop spinning on its axis if any of us don't get our ressies. How lucky am I to be going at all. I think we just feel it would be nice.

 

[markey]

If money is no object why don't you book the res package a lot do on these boards and you can make your reservation in advance. I also think if you book a CAT3 and above you can get anything you want thru conciere (spelling). I for one have never rushed, in 5 cruises we have never used the spa, or went to Palo. There is no rush to sign the kids up, already guaranteed a spot in the clubs.

 

[Franco56]

Of course money is important to me, we are just everyday people looking to enjoy ourselves with what we are spending. It looks like I am making to much of it I hope you are all right in telling me to chill out, I guess I have to much time on my hands waiting on the cruise. Wait to you all hear my other questions! Aye Carumba!! : :

 

[ColeenD]

Going on my 6th Disney cruise Thursday, and I have never stressed about the Palo ressies. We didn't go on our 1st cruise, because we wanted to experience all of the dining rotation. Now I simply go make the ressies when I get on board, after lunch. However, if you want a prime time, like Nassau night so you can eat and watch the city lights, and you don't board until late, that time may be taken, and you have to settle for what's left. Not a big deal, really. Like any other restaurant sometimes the prime times are taken. It really is a wonderful place to have dinner, though, so if you haven't gone, I recommend the filet and the chocolate souffle, which I intend to have either Thurs., Fri. or Sat., whatever is available.

 

[ohMom]

franco -- i tend to agree with you. surely Disney can put into play some reservation systems based on when you book. Maybe when you book you get a time frame to call in and makey your Palo/spa ressies. Conceriege and REAS passengers first time frame than early booking, late booking, etc. i dunno

that is totally why I booked REAS. i know it's not as romantic and honestly the perks with REAS are worth it and the champagne breakfast and romantic turndown/basket just add all that much more. I knew I would book Palo and massage for me, now DH gets to enjoy one too. my reason was I did the ressie rush on our Dec cruise, no problem getting my reservations at all, but by the time I got back to PC my family was done eating and waiting on me and I had missed some very funny interaction between Captain Hook and my youngest DD! i was so disappointed. I rushed through my lunch (was starving of course too) and it was all a blur! i'd just prefer not to start my week that way next time

 

[Franco56]

I argree with Marylee15, I realize how lucky we are in going on a cruise, and I know that everyday people are going through many crisis. We were down WDW two days after Charlie and it was a bittersweet feeling knowing that we were living it up and just miles away people were lining up for water. Once again I am not whinning, I just thought they could have a better system. Thank You Kindly

 

[tap & dap]

Reservations for Palo's are never a problem we are on our 4th Disney Cruise in November. The first 7 day cruise we took we were not even aware that we wanted to eat there. We actually made the reservations on the day after boarding and still got a place.

Our dinner was early 6 or 6:30 and not a prime spot like 7:30, 8:00 8:30. But if you are flexible and do not mind eating early or late, you can wait awhile to make the reservations. That first time a day or so before we even changed the day and still were able to eat at Palo's

Point being that if you are flexible on the time, they always seem to find a way to accomodate everyone.

 

[westjones]

I wish we could made reservations 30 days out too. I want to go with my family to enjoy lunch and the pool when we first board, but I have to go get our Palo reservations. I don't want to pay for the REAS package, I just want to make reservations for brunch and high tea.

Oh well, I just think of it like the safety drill. Once all that 'stuff' is over, I can relax and enjoy my cruise.

DJ

 

[cmaasfamily]

I can only relate my experience - your mileage (and of many other posters, no doubt) may vary:

On our first cruise (and only so far - come on April 2005!), a sold out 7 day eastern at spring break, we hadn't found these boards before hand and never heard the phrase "ressie rush". We boarded, dined, checked out the room, read the navigator at our leasure and saw Palo mentioned. Strolled in no particular hurry to the desk and had no problem whatsoever getting a reasonable time. The "rush" had come and gone by the time I got there, apparently. Same for the spa. We called a couple of times during the week and asked if we could do treatment X at time Y and the worst we experienced was "could you do Y:30"?

It seems to me the rush would be more a factor on 3/4 night cruises (same number of people - half the number of time slots).

Is there a rush on the Magic? Sure. Do you have to participate in it? In my experience, no, not if you have even a modest amount of flexibility - which I do by definition on vacation. (I plan things for a living - the less structure and fewer deadlines on a vacation, the better.)

 

[DrCavin]

I thought we would be running around like crazy. NOT even close.... We boarded looked around the artrium with our mouths open...

We walked over to the bar & they had a board listing the days/times available for Palo. Every day/time was still available after about an hour of being on board.

So don't worry about not getting a meal at Palo, just relax & enjoy your cruise!!!

You can even call the day you want to go & see if anyone has cancelled.

 

[felixdacat]

Relax Franco,
If you do a search on these boards you will find that most problems with reservations occur on the Wonder (and even there its not that big a deal).
Just some simple rules.
The hardest days to get Spa reservations are the days at sea.
Days in port are the easiest days to get Spa reservations. The exception is the Castaway Cay day because the staff is doing the on the beach treatments which are the most difficult to get.
The first 3 nights of the cruise are the easiest to get Palo reservations because each night 1/3 of the ship is experiencing the show at Animators Pallete.
If you are concerned in any way, then prepare to be on board by 12:30. If possible have one person wait on line for the Spa, the other for Palos.
I researched this subject to death when I was planning my Land/Sea. Now that I've actually experienced the ressie non-rush (4 day sold out Wonder, no problems getting anything), I really feel the negative experiences expounded by many on these boards to be sour grapes because they did not get their first choice.
Disney is a good business but it is a business. If demand exceeds supply then the price will go up. They raised the reservation price for Palos from $5 to $10. The Spa raised their rates about 60%. The REAS packages for 05 will be $399.
You will not have any problems making your reservations.

 

[rae519]

Coming up to double digits on this cruise and I must say that it is incredibly stressful and ridiculous that I have to stand in line after boarding to get Palo and Spa reservations. This should be done when I make my last payment or at time of booking.

I have had many cruises where we couldn't get reservations for brunch or dinner at any time and never were called on the Wait List.

Yes, we have used the REAS before - but who wants to do it everytime? Not us!

So we will wait it out and gripe with others as leave one line (terminal) for the next lines (Palo and Spa).....

Rae

 

[allears]

Hey everyone,

I too used to stress out about the ressi rush. But after our first 7 night cruise and no problems, I wasn't as stressed last time. True, I did my research and came up with a couple of times to do Palo, but had no problem with my first choice for dinner and brunch. We did not get anything for High Tea, less slots on the western, but I also didn't know about checking for cancellations in person.

I have said it would be nice to make these ahead of time, like we can do with shore excursions. However, I think, and this is my guess only, the reason they chose this system is, and again only what I think, that if we could book say after the final payment, a vast majority of the guests would say sure, I'd like to have dinner there and book a spot. Since there are a limited number of seats and turn over time, the reservations would probably fill up very quickly, leaving many with out a shot. Once people got on board, they'd either forget they had reservations or change their mind. Now the nightmare of filling in cancellations.

This way people who are 99% sure they want to eat at Palo, make their reservations when they get on board.

It really isn't that big a hassle. I made spa reservations well after we sailed and had no problem

Don't stress too much, it really isn't a biggie.

 

[ksjayhawks]

Adding my two cents worth--think you are stressing about it too much!

We boarded, went to the bar to make our Palo ressies, and then up to lunch. Took no time at all. No rushing around, no fighting people off.

Also, as another poster said, if you don't get your preferred time slot, call that day--people do cancel. Plus you have three opportunities to get a taste of Palo--the brunch, dinner and high tea. You should be able to get at least one of these, probably two. Brunch was our favorite, then dinner. The tea was nice, but wouldn't do it again (just our opinion), would do another brunch if there was an opening.

 

[goingbacksoon]

It really matters how flexible you are. If you MUST eat at Palo at 8:30 PM on the 2nd sea day, well, you might have a problem. But if you say have a two-hour window where the times work for you, and are willing to miss something at rotation dinner, you'll probably do better.

Same with the spa, we had a time we REALLY wanted, but they gave us another time on a sea day that worked. Problem solved.

What can really solve all of this is getting there early. You don't have to rush like they are handing out $100 bills to the first 50 people in line, just casually walk over to Rockin' Bar D/Wavebands and do your thing, and the same for the spa. Then stroll over for lunch. It's a cruise, time to relax. In a lot of ways, the same works for DCL as it does for WDW - don't try to go to every seminar or do everything. It won't happen. Just do all you can... then plan another cruise to go on what you missed (See below)

goingbacksoon

 

[tvguy]

I think moving up when they take reservations only will move up the log jam. That is already the case with the excursions. You can book 60 days in advance, and some excursions, the Atlantis submarine for example in St. Thomas, are sold out the first day.
There are only so many spaces.
But, frankly, we were so busy doing things on the Magic that didn't require reservations that it wasn't an issue. We never did even find time to swim in any of the pools.
Palo was useless to us, we have kids, this was a FAMILY vacation, and it was nice to have 7 quiet nights when we could eat together as a family. The Spa was just as useless for the same reasons. Still amazed that on a FAMILY cruise, kids aren't allowed to use any of the spa or fitness center facilities. Okay, they do allow kids into the fitness club twice on the 7 day, for 30 minutes, but only if they are in the clubs, and only at 8:30 pm. That didn't work with 8:30 late seating.