Just made 180 ADR's. The experience was well, odd!

[DeterminedOne]

The CM I spoke with was nice enough but to start, she didn't have the best communication skills. More on that in sec. The one ADR I wanted the most is Cindy's for breakfast. We have never, ever been able to get a breakfast ADR there in the past even, when we called right at 7:00 from three different phones. Well, this year was no different. Still can't get into Cindy's. Dang! I'll try later in the week, but I'm just so mad that once again we've been shut down on the first try. It has been said that one of the things we fear most is Rejection. That's certainly true in this case. And it's all the CM's fault. I told her I needed Cindys for Monday 9/25 at 8:00. She said they could fit us in at 8:15 and I was thinking, this is great! She took my CC#, I confirmed the card wouldn't be charged, and everything was peachy. But then ... she read the confirmation back to me. "I have your party of two confirmed for 8:15AM at Cinderella's Royal Table on Saturday, September 23." I couldn't believe what I was hearing so of course I was like, uh...no. I wanted Monday, September 24.
She said "Ohhh, I've gotta cancel this reservation then." It took a few seconds to do that. Precious seconds mind you when you're trying to get reservations at CRT. So she finished that up, but by the time she checked the date that I had ASKED for, I was out of luck. Dang it!

I was able to get HDDR at 180 days out. That's a shocker, but I'm happy. But get this. HDDR is another one that requires a CC guarantee and she asked me for the CC# again. Later on in the conversation I booked California Grill, another restaurant with guarantee required. Do you know she asked me for the card number again.? I felt like saying, are you serious?

Also wasn't able reserve Fulton's, RFC or Portobello because they are outside the 180 day window. The CM told me to call back later next month. Thanks to Dis I know better to call later this week. I was able to get everything else though. LeCellier(CM corrected my pronunciation), Concourse, Cape May, Coral Reef, Artist Point, YSH, Jiko, Chef Mickey, LTT and Cali Grill. Still have a couple more to plan and we're considering WCC, Brown Derby, Kona and Beaches & Cream.

 

[bicker]

We have never, ever been able to get a breakfast ADR there in the past even, when we called right at 7:00 from three different phones. Well, this year was no different. Still can't get into Cindy's.

Sorry about your difficulties. Y'know, when they upped the price $10 per person we all, myself included, were saying that they had gone too far. Evidently we were wrong. Demand is still high enough to fill the restaurant, an in very short-order. Hopefully it'll work out for you later in the week.

Do you know she asked me for the card number again.? I felt like saying, are you serious?

This is the way I want it to be. I do not want the operators to have the ability to look up or remember my credit card number. I surely don't want them writing it down on a note pad.

 

[MareQ]

I was able to get HDDR at 180 days out. That's a shocker, but I'm happy. But get this. HDDR is another one that requires a CC guarantee and she asked me for the CC# again. Later on in the conversation I booked California Grill, another restaurant with guarantee required. Do you know she asked me for the card number again.? I felt like saying, are you serious?

Why wouldn't she have asked you for yoru CC again? Were you expecting her to have had it memorized or would you have preferred that she wrote that information down on a piece of paper so she or anybody else would have had access to it later on???

 

[lillygator]

They have to ask for your credit card number each time. You wouldn't want them writing it down would you?

 

[beattyfamily]

Try calling again for CRT at exactly 180 from the day you want to eat there because they onlly release very few at the 180 days + 10 point. It sounds like you called 180 from your first day of arrival to book everything, which is what you should do, but CRT only releases very few for this new perk (180 +10). Call back at exactly 180 days from the date you want CRT and hopefully you'll still get your breakfast you want.

 

[KCMiller]

I think the OP probably thought that the person taking the ADR's was opening a file of some sort, on the computer, in their name, with all their info, then just filling in the spaces with ADR's. No need to get hostile or nasty, people - not knowing how telephone customer service works isn't a crime, or some lack of basic common sense .

OP, if it works the way the place I used to work works (great grammar, huh?), each ressie needs to be entered separately, and once a ressie is input, the screens clear and the rep is ready to input the next one. Usually, sensitive info like credit card isn't refilled, even if other info like your name and address are, both for your protection and the rep (believe me, they have safeguards in place to prevent them from seeing your cc number once they hit 'send').


KC

 

[DeterminedOne]

So I guess the reservation system isn't synched up to pull the cc# from the first time she put it in the system? I wasn't expecting her to write my card number down, I just assumed that since she entered it in the system once she could pull it back up. So if it's not her fault I apologize, but they really need to get that fixed. From a service perspective it's not very customer friendly. I'm glad I only had three reservations that needed the cc# because when she asked the third time I was a little irritated. I work in a call center where calls our monitored, granted our service standards are very high, but If I asked a customer for the same piece of information multiple times it would be an automatic audit error. Anywho, thanks for the suggestion to call for Cindy's again tomorrow.

 

[kaytieeldr]

Two things. First, by my (unsupported) calculations, 180 days before September 25 is March 29 - so the OP might want to try again tomorrow. Second, the OP should be aware that if an ADR is successfully processed for any meal at Cinderella's Royal Table, the credit (or debit) card will be charged in full. This is from http://allearsnet.com/din/cb.htm#mk "effect[ive] February 1, 2006, payment in full with a credit card will be required at the time of booking for all meals at Cinderella's Royal Table. If you do not have a credit card, the reservation cannot be made." I think it's the same policy for HDDR - that your card is charged at the time of your reservation (and HDDR is a reservation, not an ADR). California Grill requires a credit card hold; your card won't be charged UNLESS you cancel less than 24 hours in advance or don't show up at all.

 

[beattyfamily]

Second, the OP should be aware that if an ADR is successfully processed for any meal at Cinderella's Royal Table, the credit (or debit) card will be charged in full. This is from http://allearsnet.com/din/cb.htm#mk "effect[ive] February 1, 2006, payment in full with a credit card will be required at the time of booking for all meals at Cinderella's Royal Table. If you do not have a credit card, the reservation cannot be made." I think it's the same policy for HDDR - that your card is charged at the time of your reservation (and HDDR is a reservation, not an ADR). California Grill requires a credit card hold; your card won't be charged UNLESS you cancel less than 24 hours in advance or don't show up at all.

True, unless you are on the dining plan though. Then it is 'suppose' to be a CC hold for no shows.

 

[bicker]

I just assumed that since she entered it in the system once she could pull it back up. So if it's not her fault I apologize, but they really need to get that fixed.

They better not "fix" it. That's a definite invitation for fraud. I think many of the banks are now requiring that the credit card number be solicited for every purchase now, and PoS systems being reprogrammed so that they no longer allow what you're suggesting.

From a service perspective it's not very customer friendly.

Security of financial information is a much greater concern.

 

[littleladykaty]

Can anyone tell me why a credit card # is needed to make ADR's for California Grill? It's just a normal sit down place isn't it?

 

[KCMiller]

Oh, and I just thought of something else. I put the prepaid ADR's on one credit card, and the holds on a different card - and I can't be the only one - so that's another reason why, yes, it's time consuming to give your CC info again and again, but it's probably for the best.

KC

 

[beattyfamily]

Can anyone tell me why a credit card # is needed to make ADR's for California Grill? It's just a normal sit down place isn't it?

Don't know why but they changed it at the same time they announced the coming changes to CRT (implemented on Oct 21, 2005). I guess it's to disway no shows without canceling. Now you have to cancel at least 24 hrs before your ADR or you are charged $20 per person.

 

[k&a&c'smom]

OP, if it works the way the place I used to work works (great grammar, huh?), each ressie needs to be entered separately, and once a ressie is input, the screens clear and the rep is ready to input the next one. Usually, sensitive info like credit card isn't refilled, even if other info like your name and address are, both for your protection and the rep (believe me, they have safeguards in place to prevent them from seeing your cc number once they hit 'send').


KC

Whenever I've made a split-stay reservation for my resort, this is the way the cm explained it to me when I was surprised that she needed my cc # again. Except that it went one step further: she stated that as your cc number is typed in, it is x'ed out, so they never see the full number in their system. A safeguard for the customer, which I, for one, really appreciate!

 

[eeyore45]

I'll chime in with my experiences!!

1. Wanted CRT - called 180 days (and then +10) My 180 started on a Sat - the only thing available for my 9 day stay was a Thurs at 8:20am - I grabbed it, gave my CC# (and noted my CC online has a "pending charge" no biggie - like a previous poster says I have 2 cc with very low balances - under $500 for internet purchases)

2. made all my other Cali grill - hold w/ cc#, Le Cellier, 1900 Park Fair, H&V for Fantasmic CC#, Artist Point and also a Pirate Cruise CC#, and Cub Den child care CC#

3. Did more research on www.touringplans.com for Best Days, and noted that "typically" early emh at MK is on Thurs BUMMER - so I kept calling... and

4. TODAY at 9 am Florida time I got an 8:05AM CRT ressie for Sunday of our stay!! This time I did note my Dining Plan so she did take the CC# but said specifically it will not be charged unless I do a no show on that day without cancelling I believe 24hr in advance (we wont cancel so I zoned out, singing we got CRT we got CRT!! lol) THEN after the ressie, and CC# was taken I mentioned I needed to cancel our Thurs 8:20 ressie - that's when she said they did charge my CC# because the Dining Plan wasnt noted... no worries, its all good, I got 8AM CRT!!

So do keep trying!!!

(now if only the American Girl Place Dining Ressies would open up for THIS Thurs!! )

Not to confuse the issue even further... but I'm doing a split stay Pop the first night then DVC, then WL - so my 180 days began with my Pop stay, but the CM took my ressies for my entire stay - I did have ressie numbers for all 3 resorts, but she didnt ask for them, just for the Pop... but I put my ressies on my phone number so I'd have access to them with a phone number...

 

[eeyore45]

Can anyone tell me why a credit card # is needed to make ADR's for California Grill? It's just a normal sit down place isn't it?

I believe its to protect the ADR system... in other words if you've read posts here, there are some people that make more than one ADR and decide later which to keep (some will cancel some will forget) So like any restaurant, they overbook - I dont think Disney overbooks as much when they get a CC#, so the more "popular" or maybe even the more "abuse of system" places do ask for a secure resservation by asking for your CC#....

jmho...