I'm going to get flamed....

[raidermatt]

I agree with you about people making multiple bookings on the same day if they can't decide where to eat. However I still stand by my earlier comment. The Cast Members from WDW-Dinning do not care if your on the DDP or not on the DDP, because it has 100% no effect of getting the ADR's you want. So no matter how you try to spin your words around you are still wrong with some of your other comments about the DDP, when it comes to actually making ADR's.

If I may, the reason the DDP affects the ability to make reservations is not due to any type of bias.

Its simply a matter of supply and demand. The DDP increases demand for TS restaurants, yet the supply has not been increased. Therefore ADRs are tougher to get, which is the issue (along with quality and menu variety).

Like I said, its not a bias, but it will impact locals more since they, on average, do not plan as far ahead. Still, it will also impact vacationers who don't plan as far out, or simply don't realize the importance of making dinner reservations weeks or months in advance.

It also impacts those vacationers who prefer to keep their schedules more flexible. You can make a case that they will just have to adapt, but the point is it's a negative change for them, and that impacts WDW as a whole. A restaurant in NYC who makes that kind of change couldn't care less because their only concern is whether their particular tables are filled.

 

[maxiesmom]

I don't understand what the issue is here.

More people want to eat in restaurants + limited number of seats per restaurant = fuller restaurants

What is the magic solution you're looking for?
No ADRs? Mass chaos and people unable to plan their time
Expand every restaurant? Unlikely
Build more restaurants? At least one in progess at AK
Time limits for dinners? Weird
Save some for walkups? Great, 8 people without an ADR get in an hour - everyone still pissed

There's a limited commodity and an overflow of people who want that commodity. Saying you're local or anything else doesn't matter. You don't have a right to eat on property without preparing like anyone else. You say it isn't Paris or New York and you shouldn't have to plan, but guess what? You do! Or just eat off property. There are plenty of good places to eat. I lived there for 12 years and made sure I planned ahead for special occasions, or settled for whatever I could get.

Again, what's the magic solution anyone is looking for?

I agree with you. Why on earth would Disney turn away people who want to plan their meals far in advance, leave tables empty, in the hope that a local might want to eat in that particular restaurant? Turn away money that is practically in their hand? I can't see it happening.

I'm not really thrilled to have to plan my meals 6 months out. I am struggling right now to plan my ADRs for October. But I know that if I want a sit down meal, I have to do it. Why should a local get priority?

 

[Mr Brit]

hurray, thankyou raidermatt. Someone it seems understood what i obviously very inarticulatly tried to say...lol

 

[raidermatt]

As to saying it isn't fair to those guests that don't know about the 180 day policy. It's perfectly fair. Everyone has to follow the same rules. How is that NOT fair? DO I empathize with those that don't know about the 180+ policy? Yes. However everyone should live and learn. Also WDW should do more to educate people about this policy.

It's not about being fair. Disney is a business and we all have a choice about with whom we do business.

However, it does diminish the experience for some by locking them out of ADRs moreso than in the past, or forcing them to change the way they handle this portion of their vacation. And a diminished experience should be a concern for Disney, as I'm sure it is, even if they choose to not do anything about it.

The early planners always got most of what they wanted, and that's still the case. Its the others that are getting less opportunity to do what they want, and simply saying they "should" change their ways is a questionable way for a business to approach the problem.

 

[Mr Brit]

hi maxiesmom, this is where this thread has been twisted and turned. we are not saying locals should get priority, but it is unfair to people who cant get adr's like locals and others who try but they are fully booked because of the dpp program. I did put it extremely inarticulatly before but i would suggest reading a message left by someone on this page i think that makes it clearer

 

[ExPirateShopGirl]

I'm still waiting for the "I'm rubber and you're glue" part of the thread...

 

[mking624]

hi maxiesmom, this is where this thread has been twisted and turned. we are not saying locals should get priority, but it is unfair to people who cant get adr's like locals and others who try but they are fully booked because of the dpp program. I did put it extremely inarticulatly before but i would suggest reading a message left by someone on this page i think that makes it clearer

I personally don't feel it is unfair. I've gone to WDW without any dining plan and have been able to get in because I planned accordingly. And if I couldn't, well, such is life. There are a ton of people who visit and sometimes that means I might not get what I want. I move on. And when I have gone with the DDP, I haven't been able to get into some places because others booked it ahead of me...and some aren't always on the DDP. Again, such is life. That comes with the territory when talking about a highly visited location.

 

[MaeDaisy]

hi maxiesmom, this is where this thread has been twisted and turned. we are not saying locals should get priority, but it is unfair to people who cant get adr's like locals and others who try but they are fully booked because of the dpp program. I did put it extremely inarticulatly before but i would suggest reading a message left by someone on this page i think that makes it clearer

But you CAN get ADRs. You just have to call in earlier than you are. And regarding your other post about how do people know where they're going to be and what they're going to feel like eating, here is how that works: You decide what restaurants you don't want to miss, you see when that restaurant is available, and then you plan around it. If your Coral Reef day comes and you're more in the mood for Asian than seafood, you can see if one of the Asian restaurants has a table. If they do, you're in luck! But you shouldn't count on it, and if they don't, you go to Coral Reef and enjoy yourself. If you don't care where or when you eat, then you can wing it and there really is no right to complain, because if it was important to you, you would have planned in advance.

To say that they should hold some tables for locals or people who don't know enough to make ADRs IS saying they should get priority. Nobody WANTS to figure out their 180-day mark and set their alarm early just to get a particular seating, but if it's important, then they do it. That really is the only fair way to do it, and it's the most profitable to Disney.

 

[PlutoLuvr]

I think a very simple solution to this would be to offer ADRs to everyone somewhere between the 30- or 90-day point. It's the six months (180) that seems to be a problem for some folks. And it's not just the lazy folks or local folks or people who didn't adhere to their "responsibility" to book 180 days out. First-timers I take with me to World honestly don't believe they're going to have a hard time with a sit-down meal if they wait, say, two months before their trip to make ressies. Self-employed individuals (like me) simply can't book vacations six months in advance. Then you've got the locals, too.

I can't tell you how many posts I read on these boards alone that talk about, "I was originally going with a party of four, booked my ADRs 180 days out, all was well, but then MIL and FIL are joining us, it's two or three months out, and I'm having trouble getting ADRs."

We're talking about dining reservations here. Not hotel reservations or airfare. I think two months in advance is pretty fair to everyone, WDW and a broad spectrum of guests.

Heck, I plan on eating at Mythos in a few weeks (the week of 4/28 - 5/5), which is voted the best theme park restaurant. They won't even take ressies until a couple weeks before you want to come. And that place is packed every time I've been.

And I really hope the folks that think those of us having problems rethink the terms "spoiled" or "having our cake and eating it, too." That's just rude and obnoxious. Yes, we all have an even playing field in that we can all book 180 days out. But the fact is a lot of folks simply can't book 180 days out. Not "are too lazy to" or "choose not to." Can't. Our jobs don't permit us to or we visit the world when we're traveling for business on short notice (by short, I mean a few months, not a few hours).

I think a shorter window for ADRs would be a win-win situation for WDW and its guests. Is anyone's vacation going to be any less magical if they book a dining ressie two months before their trip as opposed to six? Assuming, of course, WDW shortened its window from six months to two?

 

[Mr Brit]

i think you make a good point plutolvr and it is a good idea, i think your right. But Daisy Mae i dont think you quite grasp the point of what we are saying. Yes your right but why should we have to plan 180 days in advance because we decide i know lets make a booking for such a restaurent in a months time or if thats full another one. From what you said you are one of these people that makes a reservation 180 days in advance, then when you get here and your plans change or u just dont feel like what you booked you decide to make another adr. Ok thats fine, but i wonder, do you actually take the time to cancel the one you made 180 days before or not, because it sounds like not and that is what annoys people. People making bookings so far in advance, changing their plans and not calnelling their original booking.

Just an observation

 

[maxiesmom]

I could be wrong, but didn't they just expand the reservation window to 180 days? Seems to me that it used to be 90??? If I'm right, then it seems obvious that Disney has found it to be beneficial to them to have a longer window of opportunity for its guests.

 

[Mr Brit]

or to correct my self daisy mae, if you go to another restaurent and find they have a table do you bother to cancel your original ADR.

That is one of the things which annoys people and that is why this whole 180 day thing is ridiculous

im not saying your are wrong or right. I guess you have to book that far in advance but then when you decide to change your plans which you invariably will, it has a knock on effect

 

[PlutoLuvr]

I could be wrong, but didn't they just expand the reservation window to 180 days? Seems to me that it used to be 90??? If I'm right, then it seems obvious that Disney has found it to be beneficial to them to have a longer window of opportunity for its guests.

Could very well be, Maxiesmom. I've been in my particular line of work since '95, have always been limited to deciding when I'm able to take a vacation at about the three-month point, and it's just been the last couple years ADRs have become really difficult to get when you call three months out -- for me, anyway, at the popular places.

 

[Mr Brit]

to be honest i see no reason why it cant be 30 days. That way everyone has a chance, even local people then you really can have a fair first come first serve policy, if you know you have booked a trip in advance you know to make your bookings then, and if your local then a month is a fair amount of time as it is if your not on dpp and travelling to Disney

 

[ufgator]

I can see why you're frustrated, jezebella and Mr Brit. I live a couple of hours south of WDW and we usually like to plan last minute trips to WDW a lot. Even when I plan a trip somewhere (besides Disney too), I don't want to make meal reservations months in advance. I'm not a local, but I'm a native Floridian and have been my whole life. I don't think it should be that hard to get a reservation. I agree that they do depend on FL residents and you shouldn't be punished for being one. I like Mr. Brit's idea of 30 days; it's better than 180 days.

 

[Mr Brit]

thankyou UFGATOR, its nice to know there is someone else here on the same pages as us and understands what we mean. Its amazing because not only for fl residents but even the as far as the UK people find great deals on a vacation package that leaves in 3 weeks time so they book it. Now should these people be discriminated against because they booked a last minute trip.

Of course not

 

[ufgator]

DH and I don't have kids yet so we can take a later reservation. But I can only imagine what it's going to be like when we have kids and we can't wait til late to eat. BTW, I've enjoyed your 2 year dining review and challenge of eating everywhere.

 

[islandmum]

i wished you a nice first trip to Disney and all i get is rudeness back. If your way of life is so great then stay there. Everyone else on here is civilised and exchanging views without being rude.

I just had to come back! this is your best quote yet today .....

you have a VERY short memory - please read your first post when you insulted people by calling them "idiots" - your words.

I would consider that rude and it was your first post!!

and for the record read my first post in response to both your wifes and yours - infact please quote it - I was nothing but polite ...

now I really have to go - real people need talking to and dinner.
ciaociao

 

[Mr Brit]

hey guys islandmum is hillarious. My previous post b4 she entered into it wasnt directed at her but directd to someone else, and then after her first post she decides to then take on someone elses battle after they were rude to my wife.

I would suggest to you that had you not decided to be rude and all of a sudden accuse us of being spoiled or something to that effect then you wouldnt need talking to the way i have done. You are an adult and i would suggest using some decorum. Instead of saying rude and vulgar things such as take that pole out of your ****.

To be honest people are passing interesting information and opinions about the topic at hand and you have decided to instead only write on this thread if it includes vulgarity and rudeness. For the other people on here who are interested in civil conversation i would suggest that you go eand embaress yourself elsewhere and not do it here.

 

[Mulan82]

IMO


if you choose to live in the orlando area, then you choose to have to deal with everything that goes with it. if you don't like it, then i don't know what to tell you. if you can't get into Ohana, Teppenyaki, or Rose and Crown today, you have 364 days left that you attempt to eat there. people that do not live in that area don't have that advantage. they come down here for a week or two to enjoy themselves. maybe these restaurants are treats for them. i don't know.

next, my manager's sister live in the orlando area. she eats at the WDW all the time. she never has a problem.