Is this all getting too much?

[MarkinNM]

Lesson learned. When you visit the world's number one vacation destination, plan ahead and do your homework. Fool me once........

VERY well put.....

I'm really glad I got in on the great deal this year. And next year I'll probably choose to head West to D-land. I've been on the fence about it, missing D-land, but not wanting to give up the great restaurants in the World.........

I tried to book the original D-Land but it was just tooooooooo expensive!! Silly considering it is only a short 2 hour plane ride and out here on the westside! To stay onsite in DL was about ½ more and w/o the dining!!! Forget it, until DL gets real I don’t think we are going back to DL….

 

[mmmears]

I tried to book the original D-Land but it was just tooooooooo expensive!! Silly considering it is only a short 2 hour plane ride and out here on the westside! To stay onsite in DL was about ½ more and w/o the dining!!! Forget it, until DL gets real I don’t think we are going back to DL….

IMO it's because DLR has only 3 small hotels to fill, vs. the 30,000 or so rooms that WDW needs to fill. DLR seems to be able to fill their rooms quite nicely without discounting... Makes me sad, since we love to go there and it is SO much more convenient for us than WDW is. But then, the WDW discounts are letting us enjoy WDW this year!

 

[MarkinNM]

IMO it's because DLR has only 3 small hotels to fill, vs. the 30,000 or so rooms that WDW needs to fill. DLR seems to be able to fill their rooms quite nicely without discounting... Makes me sad, since we love to go there and it is SO much more convenient for us than WDW is. But then, the WDW discounts are letting us enjoy WDW this year!

I hear you as we are getting a WDW vacation WITH dining far alot cheaper then going to DL.....

 

[KAB1]

I really have no intention of upsetting anybody, or criticising the 6am 90 plus 10 day bookers, believe you me I've done the cinderella table reservation sychronising my watch with some global timing system that disney use! I also don't in any way blame disney. I'm a DVC member and love the place, but my point is that I think it has now gone too far. I don't expect to get in at the "best" restaurants at a moments notice but I don't think its too much to be able to have a choice of some restaurants. I am very flexible I don't mind if we do lunch or dinner, I don't mind if we eat at 5pm or 9pm, but I really do wonder what your "average" visitor would think of the situation at the polynesian ( where we will be for 4 days ) where you cannot it would seem eat at the hotel you are stopping at in its main restaurant at any time be that 6am 9am 6pm or 9pm for either breakfast or dinner? Surely part of the facilties that you are booking is the facility to eat at the hotel?
As I said having been to WDW several times I know about ADR's etc but the vast majority of people probably don't and with the system at present they are by and by denied the facilities and nobody would know that.
So honestly I have no truck with anyone I just think "its all a bit too much"
PS Bit sad really as every holiday we have had at WDW has started with breakfast at Ohanas on our first morning, alas not to be this year or for that matter on any day of our 14 day holiday!

Could not agree more. Stayed at GF for a week in June and tried 3 different nights to eat at GF TS Restaurants (GF Cafe, Citricos, narcossees and 1900 Park) and were told that they did not take walk-ins, even if you were a hotel guest. We were told to try Gasparilla or another hotel.

 

[walkerford]

And that is the point- if I was paying to stop at GF, i would expect to be able to eat there. I hope that by simply walking up when we are at the poly we will get somethng. I have read elsewhere that Disney have had a lot of complaints re this and are looking to make changes. 120 day window for guests at the resorts? Might help some but not those like me who were only able to book within a month of travelling.

 

[mom2rtk]

And that is the point- if I was paying to stop at GF, i would expect to be able to eat there. I hope that by simply walking up when we are at the poly we will get somethng. I have read elsewhere that Disney have had a lot of complaints re this and are looking to make changes. 120 day window for guests at the resorts? Might help some but not those like me who were only able to book within a month of travelling.

Well, I guess we can all kiss Chef Mickey's good bye if they do that. With Bay Lake Tower right there, it could easily become a Contemporary-only restaurant.

I would just stay there to get in, but the prices since we stayed there in 04 have just gotten insane..... By the way, we tried super hard to get into Chef Mickey's on that trip and could not. Instead of whining to management, I learned a lesson and just started planning ahead like everyone else.

Too bad for the rest of us..........

I kind of think maybe they just need to look at adding another character meal or too. Overall availability of these super popular locations is REALLY the problem.

 

[Mommytobree]

I don't know, I don't really mind it. I like planning, and I also think it is kind of exciting! Dining is a big part of our trip-I try to get the adr's I want, but I am flexible and don't get bummed if I miss out on one. I will be online at 6am 90 days before my next trip

I do, however, feel bad for those who don't know that they need to do that, or book last minute trips. I remember being at Crystal Palace in June and seeing people try to do walk ups and getting turned away-no openings for the entire night.

 

[Mommytobree]

Well, I guess we can all kiss Chef Mickey's good bye if they do that. With Bay Lake Tower right there, it could easily become a Contemporary-only restaurant.

I would just stay there to get in, but the prices since we stayed there in 04 have just gotten insane..... By the way, we tried super hard to get into Chef Mickey's on that trip and could not. Instead of whining to management, I learned a lesson and just started planning ahead like everyone else.

Too bad for the rest of us..........

I kind of think maybe they just need to look at adding another character meal or too. Overall availability of these super popular locations is REALLY the problem.

I totally agree!

 

[Donnainnj]

Saw this on one of the other boards yesterday, but feel it fits in well here...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jlfc8zZF7Wc
I could not stop laughing.
Donna

 

[KAB1]

And that is the point- if I was paying to stop at GF, i would expect to be able to eat there. I hope that by simply walking up when we are at the poly we will get somethng. I have read elsewhere that Disney have had a lot of complaints re this and are looking to make changes. 120 day window for guests at the resorts? Might help some but not those like me who were only able to book within a month of travelling.

Read my post on Disney Rumors. I spoke to a disney exec about the issues with ADR's and not being able to eat at your hotel and she told me that they receive many complaints on this issue. In 2010 they might possibly try something new. You can book ADR's 90 days out, but if you have a confirmed resort reservation than you will be able to book 120 days out for that resort only. I really hope that they implement this, but in another sense we always stay at GF and California Grill is my favorite restaurant, so It might be a problem getting an ADR for that

 

[mom2rtk]

Read my post on Disney Rumors. I spoke to a disney exec about the issues with ADR's and not being able to eat at your hotel and she told me that they receive many complaints on this issue. In 2010 they might possibly try something new. You can book ADR's 90 days out, but if you have a confirmed resort reservation than you will be able to book 120 days out for that resort only. I really hope that they implement this, but in another sense we always stay at GF and California Grill is my favorite restaurant, so It might be a problem getting an ADR for that

Yes, we should all be careful what we wish for....... I don't know how many people fit in Bay Lake Tower, but I can see anything popular at the Contemporary becoming very hard to get for those staying at a different resort.....

 

[cyclonewriter]

We booked 4 days ago for the end of August. Now be aware we are 2 adults that although have an itinerary, can be a bit flexible, but we did want DINNER and not lunch...and we wanted to be in the vicinity of the park we were at that day....Guess what?

I called the reservation # yesterday and got 8 nights worth of great places...You can see it in a post I just did....So, don't despair..be patient..somewhat flexible where possible....and have fun!!

 

[las3888]

We are behind the 8-ball on booking our ADRs. I am a planner and meant to get going at the 90 day mark, but I got off track about this with other issues in my life and now I find myself at the 70ish day mark and there is nothing, I mean NOTHING available. As a PP mentioned, a bunch of other offers come up online if you don't get what you want...well, all I get is Citrico's (which is a Signature restaurant). I am a DVC member, so I don't really scope the boards for free dining offers and I snoozed and loozed. We are going to stay at BLT and are so excited about it. I really would love to eat at my resort or even on the monorail (in a non-signature restaurant) and then scoop down to MK but EVERYTHING on the monorail is booked. I think this stinks!

 

[GraceLuvsWDW]

I'm getting sick of it too. I feel sorry for those like you with a last minute trip or those who don't know about the DIS. I think this is going to backfire on Disney if they don't address this problem. I for one have thought seriously about cancelling my ressie altogether because this is just a little over the top for a casual vacation. I don't need it. Be sure and make your dissatisfaction known if you end up not being able to eat anywhere decent. Perhaps they'll change something in the future.

Good luck.

 

[avahoneybee]

Not to sound like a food snob, but there is not one restaurant in Disney which can be compared to the higher end gourmet restaurants in NYC (apples to oranges comparison). We were also just able to purchase tickets to Wicked for a same day performance.

I also hate the disney dining plan. In my opinion, it's ruined the dining experience in Disney and as a result, my family goes off site to eat.

 

[mom2rtk]

Not to sound like a food snob, but there is not one restaurant in Disney which can be compared to the higher end gourmet restaurants in NYC (apples to oranges comparison). We were also just able to purchase tickets to Wicked for a same day performance.

I also hate the disney dining plan. In my opinion, it's ruined the dining experience in Disney and as a result, my family goes off site to eat.

I think Broadway has been hit really hard with the economy, so that's not surprising.

And I don't think ANYONE believes Chef Mickey serves gourmet food. It is appealing for an entirely different reason

 

[GraceLuvsWDW]

Not to sound like a food snob, but there is not one restaurant in Disney which can be compared to the higher end gourmet restaurants in NYC

Cali Grill is very, very good!

 

[avahoneybee]

I think Broadway has been hit really hard with the economy, so that's not surprising.

And I don't think ANYONE believes Chef Mickey serves gourmet food. It is appealing for an entirely different reason

Have you read some of the dining reviews here? I agree though, one of the reasons we loved dining in Disney was for the atmosphere. Sadly, with the dining plan, the quality of food and service isn't the same as it once was.

 

[mickey2000]

Not to sound like a food snob, but there is not one restaurant in Disney which can be compared to the higher end gourmet restaurants in NYC (apples to oranges comparison). We were also just able to purchase tickets to Wicked for a same day performance.

I also hate the disney dining plan. In my opinion, it's ruined the dining experience in Disney and as a result, my family goes off site to eat.

[/B]

Have you read some of the dining reviews here? I agree though, one of the reasons we loved dining in Disney was for the atmosphere. Sadly, with the dining plan, the quality of food and service isn't the same as it once was.

Di$ney is known for milking a good thing till it's ruined !
!. Pins
2. Beanie Babies
3. Animation Cells
AND THE LIST GOES ON !!!

Its all about

 

[maxsmom]

Totally out of hand. I hadn't had a chance to go to Disney since '06 and we did the free dining for the 1st time. I didn't have any problems getting what we wanted which included Ohana's and LeCeliar (SP?). We went in June and stayed at the Polynesian and could not get a dinner at Ohanas. We were very disappointed, we always eat here and order a cake to celebrate our anniversary. It was about as impossible to get a character meal also. Only if we could go at 8:00 in the morning (we do the late hours, so no thanks) or go to the Swan or Dolphin. We did end up at Hollywood and Vine which was awful this time. We were there almost an hour and saw 2 characters. In '06 we had a fantastic experience here. So, yeah it's a big pain and should not be so much work.