Just want to vent about needing reservations for everything

[connorlevismom]

Yup, basically. You could make a breakfast, lunch and dinner ADR for each day of your trip and just show up to the one you decide to go to. There is no penalty.

I have been making a lot of ADR's in trying to decide what I want but I always make sure I never have double ADR's for more than a few hours. It's tempting to try to hog up the ADRs to make sure you have something at the time you want to eat. But unless they have a credit card attached to your ressie, they won't penalize you. They just open the table up to walkups.

I sometimes wonder if those ADRs are often just people overbooking. Or people who *think* they might take a trip so they make ADRs, then never book the trip (or cancel the one they booked) and then never bother to cancel their ADRs.

I have to say, I am amazed that Disney cannot come up with a better way to do it. That seems just really wrong.

Kristine

 

[thunderbird1]

I wonder if they over-book to take the no-shows into consideration ?

Yes, they do. When we heard Le Cellier CM's telling people they weren't taking any walk ups, we asked how they filled the seats of no-shows. The reply was that they overbook by about 30% to cover cancellations.

The only problem is that we want to try and do MNSSHP while we are there. Since the dates don't come out until May/June for the event, I can see us having some conflicting dinner ADR's. Oh well, the only thing I can do is play their way, so I can get the TS my family wants.

True, but they do release park hours 6 months in advance. You can pretty much guess that any night the MK closes at 7 will be a MNSSHP night. They do tweak the schedule and change things around a little bit, but you'll be able to guess fairly accurately when the parties will likely be.

 

[Tinkerspell]

I don't mind needing to make reservations in general, but I hate the 180 day change. Even 90 days felt much more reasonable! We often don't plan our travel 6 months ahead of time, and the 180 thing has really discouraged us from taking short-notice Disney trips because we do like nice meals while we travel and wouldn't enjoy a trip where we were shut out of most of the good/convenient table service locations.

I wouldn't let the timeframe bother you too much. Aside from maybe CRT and possibly Le Cellier, I think you could still get an ADR. This year, we decided rather spur of the moment we wanted to go to Disney... in 7 weeks! We got all the ADR's we wanted except Le Cellier. We even got into the Norwegian Storybook Princess Dinner. It's totally possible, so don't let it deter you!

 

[lustergirl]

I absolutley agree. I do like to plan by making a customized planning book for our family. Having to plan where you want to eat 180 days out is just ridiculous. I don't know what I want to eat for dinner today, much less what I want to eat for dinner in 180 days. In the past we have only made ADR's for character breakfasts. Other than the one character breakfast per trip, the only TS we eat at every trip is Biergarten. However, on our next trip, we will be at WDW for 8 days, so we are doing to do the Deluxe DDP. That way we can eat at all of the TS's that we have been wanting to. I figured out on a calendar the exact 180 day out mark from our trip, so that I can call first thing in the morning to get the ADR's we want. I have it in my planner in my purse, and a reminder set up with my yahoo calendar and myspace calendar. Even though we are not going to WDW until Sept 28 - October 5, 2008, we have most of the places we want to eat at picked out. Now we just have to decide if we want to eat at them at lunch or dinner. The only problem is that we want to try and do MNSSHP while we are there. Since the dates don't come out until May/June for the event, I can see us having some conflicting dinner ADR's. Oh well, the only thing I can do is play their way, so I can get the TS my family wants.

Great planning!!

 

[lustergirl]

I am leaving in 10 days for WDW and am so excited! We own DVC so we are lucky enough to be able to go often. We are at the point now where we just go and wander around the parks, go what we want to go on, and just kind of do WDW in a relaxing style. My problem with that is that I am sick of not being able to eat anywhere! I don't know 7 months ahead of time where I want to eat! I want to be able to decide the day of that I am in the mood for a certain restaurant. I don't do DDP because we have a full kitchen and have food at our place but we still like to eat out. It is just so frustrating to not be able to just go and have a nice lunch or dinner because everything has been booked up for 7 months! It just really sucks for the people who are not on the dining plan. Ok, I am done venting, thanks for listening.

Kristine

For once and all it doesn't matter if you are using the dining plan or not- if you want dinner reservations for somewhere special you have to call in advance!! Disney doesn't set aside the ressie times slots just for the dining plan users.

 

[RACHELSMOM1]

Well, I have so much fun planning ahead 6 months in advance. I just like the planning part of it all - so it works out great for me!! The calendar now comes out 6 months ahead of time, and I just plan our days out, along with our meals.

 

[davinakb]

I feel your pain, not wild about having to make ADRs so early. In years past it was just the more popular places (i.e. Le Cellier, character meals) and times (lunch, dinner) that always filled up early, and we could still sort of work around that a little for a few day-of decisions. Now almost everything is booked, the best places have no stand-by seating. Like others, we've had to break out the calendars, decide what we're doing, where we want to go and plan accordingly. A pain but it is what it is.

The reply was that they overbook by about 30% to cover cancellations.

Agree they need a better way to handle this, or people will continue to overbook ADRs to get something/anything, and then they'll have more no shows, cycle continues. This really annoys because often when we book dinners, we always have to juggle times and what not, and when we arrive, we see empty tables just sitting there. Last month I called to add one to our group (making a party of five) at Narcoosee's and was given a run around (told it would be 9 pm). We kept our original seating, showed up with 5 and were sat immediately. Lots of empty tables, and the place was never over-crowded all night, so whatever. (Had a great time BTW.) FWIW.

 

[mickeysgirl17]

I also love the planning in advance and I love the dining plan. In order to continue to use the DP and to not eat in the places that are left over or isn't a good experience, I think it is necessary to make your ADR's early.

The dining plan is very popular and therefore, if you didn't make your ADR's early, you would be left with a bunch of people fighting over getting a table at the last minute at their favorite place.

To me, its understandable why disney opens up reservations early.

I also plan on doing the deluxe plan next year and we will be able to eat everywhere we want to if of course, I make my ADR's early before the restaurants are booked up.

Regarding those people who book more than 1 ADR for the same time and date, it is wrong. That is not fair to other guests who are hoping for a ADR in one of those restaurants. I have noticed disney is starting to get strict about this though because if they see you making double ADR's, they will ask you to cancel one of them.

 

[shellybaxter]

I'm wondering what everyone thinks the right solution would be for the OPs concerns. If Disney just did away with reservations I think it would be horrible. There would be wait times for everyone. It would be like our local TGIF on a Friday night; people standing around everywhere, proped up against the walls, all waiting for a table. Not my idea of relaxing.

I supose that they could shorten the reservation window up again but I think they did that to try and spread out how people call. If they made the window at 60 days most likely everyone would call at 60 days, now some people plan way ahead and call at 180 days while others wait until 30 days.

I think that a carefree, non planned meal is a thing of the past at WDW because of the size of the crowds and the way Disney had made their restaurants popular with their customers.

 

[cinjoe22]

If you think back to post 9/11 you could get a table at any place on the property with very minimal wait if any. I am happy to see the parks, hotels and restaurants bursting with people. I know the reservations can be a damper on some spur of the moment travelers but the alternative of slower parks is something I hope to never see again.

 

[LilGMom]

If you think back to post 9/11 you could get a table at any place on the property with very minimal wait if any. I am happy to see the parks, hotels and restaurants bursting with people. I know the reservations can be a damper on some spur of the moment travelers but the alternative of slower parks is something I hope to never see again.

Now I'm sorta the opposite. We live close enough to drive and this past May was the first trip in about twenty since 1999 that we felt like we needed to make ADRs. I'm glad we did but while I love planning for our WDW trips I don't like being so tied down to ADRs. We used to make many spur of the moment trips and we used to not have trouble getting into restaurants (including Chef Mickey's). I wish they'd shorten the up the ADR window to something more like three months and have some sort of penalty for people that don't call to cancel their ADRs.

 

[Pakey]

We are DVC/AP holders and have reluctantly gone the way of the masses and now plan our trips/dinners 2 years in advance so that we can get a room and seat for dinner. We compromise by no longer doing sit down type reakfasts/lunches because I cannot deal with planning where every minute of every day is going to be spent. I make late ADR dinners and just "plan" on being done for the day by that time. At least this way I feel I still have a little flexibility.

The people I feel sorry for are first time visitors who have no idea that they need to do this. I remember my first trip fondly and part of those memories are the great meals we had. I would hate to think that for my first trip, I had the choice between Pecos Bill's and San Angel.

I think WDW needs to go to the way of Las Vegas where dining and reservations have become so popular. Some you can get at 60 days and some you can get at 30 days but I haven't run across any of the nice places there that require you to book 6 months before you know you are even going to be there.

I think WDW should go to 60 days and not 60 + 10 for resort guests. 60 days period. If you want to make all of your ADR's at once, wait until the last day of your reservation and make them all. Otherwise, call every day.

 

[shellybaxter]

I think WDW needs to go to the way of Las Vegas where dining and reservations have become so popular. Some you can get at 60 days and some you can get at 30 days but I haven't run across any of the nice places there that require you to book 6 months before you know you are even going to be there.

I just looked at Open Table and six months from now Delmonico's Steakhouse in Las Vegas is only available for 5:00PM or 10:00PM - nothing in between. There are restaurants in Vegas that require some advanced planning.

I was very disappointed my first trip to Vegas when I couldn't get any same day ressies for the popular restaurants. It taught me to plan ahead so I could get what I d wanted. Granted its not as hard to get ressies in Vegas as Disney, but its the same concept - plan ahead or get whats left

 

[Pakey]

I just looked at Open Table and six months from now Delmonico's Steakhouse in Las Vegas is only available for 5:00PM or 10:00PM - nothing in between. There are restaurants in Vegas that require some advanced planning.

I was very disappointed my first trip to Vegas when I couldn't get any same day ressies for the popular restaurants. It taught me to plan ahead so I could get what I d wanted. Granted its not as hard to get ressies in Vegas as Disney, but its the same concept - plan ahead or get whats left

Sorry for first post. We are eating at different places in Las Vegas obviously. Our favorite must do each trip, Picasso's, will only let you book within 30 days. Our other fav's, Le Cirque, Auerole's, Guy Savoy, only go out max 90 days. I just called today for Mesa Grill and was able to get a table for 2 weeks from now.

 

[Karnak]

As far as I'm concerned it's very sad to be hungry and not have a ADR, and not be able to be seated without one, and have to watch others being admitted to the restaurant of my choice while I have to settle for a hamburger at some counter service spot. Planning ahead is fun, and making ADRs in advance (yes, even 180 days in advance), is not a problem at all. If I knew for sure in advance that I would not want to eat on some given date in the future, then it might be a problem, but since I have always wanted something to eat every day, it makes perfect sense to me to make reservations.

Enjoy.

 

[daisyduck123]

I know that it's frustrating sometimes, needing an ADR for everything.
But you have to remember that WDW is the most popular vacation destination on the planet...and our planet is quite FULL!! Of course reservations are a must.

 

[Nancyg56]

I don't mind making plans 180 days out. I just look where I think I am going to be ans make a dinner ADR that is convenient for my family. I make changes as we get closer and really have had no problems. I keep trying if the TS I want is booked and had not been disappointed. I have been able to get last minute ADR's once we arrived when our plans changed or we wanted to add an additional TS meal. Our choices were at the resorts but the times were in the area we wanted and they were the TS of choice for us.

I know that many like to wing it but I am not comfortable with that so this works for my family. I also think that if are flexible you can also find a good meal on the fly.

 

[Macysmom32]

I disagree that it doesn't have anything to do with the DDP. Quite the contrary. This will be my 10th trip over a 13 year period - always staying within the parks. I love it at the World, and every year we would call in advance and make our one SPECIAL character breakfast that we just HAD to go to - you know what I mean. Then, during our trip, we would wing it and eat when we wanted wherever we ended up (downtown disney, epcot, etc.)Sometimes CS, Sometimes TS, and if we didn't have ressies, we would have to wait just a little, no problem. I remember in the "olden days" at EPCOT, when they had the monitor screens with the CM's face on them and you would go up to the kiosk and speak to the person (very advanced technology, remember? I loved this part) and tell them where you wanted to eat THAT NIGHT!!! I would say - can I eat in Germany around 7:30.......But as of late, I noticed that you cannot just roam around World Showcase hand in hand with your hubby and bop into Italy for some creme brulee. Oh, no friend. I had to decide in Sept. what I want to eat in Feb. It's ridiculous. And it absolutely, at least for me, has to do with the DDP. How can it not? Before, we would NEVER eat TS every day. We couldn't afford it, sometimes didn't feel like it, and had kids that wouldn't tolerate it. Now you've paid for it. People are eating like crazy. I am going in Feb and have 5 character dinings lined up. I never in a million trillion years could have afforded that before. And a CS for the day and a snack. That's a lot. I absolutely think there are A LOT of guests eating at nice sit down restaurants every single day they are there who otherwise would not have without DDP. That's very nice, though because people are experiencing things they may not have otherwise been able to do. It just means that now ressies are hard to come by.

shelley

Girls only trip - Feb 2008 WL

 

[connorlevismom]

For once and all it doesn't matter if you are using the dining plan or not- if you want dinner reservations for somewhere special you have to call in advance!! Disney doesn't set aside the ressie times slots just for the dining plan users.

I am not saying that you HAVE to be on a dining plan to make reservations. I am saying that because of the fact that I am not on the dining plan, I don't really plan my meals out because most of them are going to be in. But there are times where I do want to eat out, and it would be nice to be able to do so. I have a 3 year old so it is not so easy to decide 180 in advance where I want to eat on a particular day. Not to mention try and figure out what kind of mood he is going to be in that day at that very time. I am not going to drag a crabby child to eat just because I made an ADR somewhere. That would not be polite to everyone else in the restaurant and would not be a nice meal for us. That is why we did not buy advance tickets to MVMCP. We will just pay the extra price and take DS on a day where he is in a good mood and we will all enjoy ourselves.

As for a resolution (as a PP asked), I guess it would be nice if they took a CC with every reservation so that if you did not show, you got charged for it. I mean, how hard is it to just call and cancel a reservation? And I also agree with a PP that said it is wrong to make double ADR's. There are other people that would like to eat too. And if your going to do that, at least have the courtesy to call and cancel the one you are not eating at so that someone calling on that day might be able to get in.

Kristine

 

[chickenskin]

Wow, lucky us, we know where we want to eat well in advance.