Latest News for Dining from AllEars

[lustergirl]

Just was browsing throught the allearsnet website and came upon the following:

AUGUST 2006

More Dining Plan Options

August 15 - September 4 · Special menu items will be available at Disney's All Star Movies Resort and Disney's Pop Century Resort for dinner. Guests who use one Table Service entitlement per person for dinner will have a choice of prime rib, salmon, or turkey. These Guests will also receive a certificate for their choice of a pin and lanyard set, poster, or two (2) snacks.
Grab 'n Go sandwiches and salads will no longer be available in the Merchandise locations at Disney's Port Orleans Resort, Disney's All Star Resorts, and Disney's Caribbean Beach Resorts

Disney Dining Plan Snack or Merchandise Certificate from August 13 - October 7

As a special offer, Guests who choose to dine in Quick Service locations using their Table Service entitlements will receive a certificate at the Quick Service locations for their choice of one of the following items: two (2) snacks, a collectable Disney Trading Pin and lanyard (pin design may vary), or a "Where the Magic Lives" poster featuring Mickey and his friends. All items are subject to availability.

Guests who choose the two-snack option can redeem the certificate at any Quick Service or Outdoor Foods location or participating Merchandise locations (both snacks must be redeemed at the same time, in the same participating location).

Guests who choose either the pin and lanyard set or Disney poster may redeem the certificate at select Merchandise locations (listed on the certificate).

Thanks Deb!!!!!!


I imagine this is a plan to alleviate the heavy ADRS's trying to be made for the free dining plan- sounds pretty good for Disney- huh???

 

[bicker]

I wouldn't be inclined to make the swap, but I suspect folks who really are more inclined towards CS anyway might find it a reasonable trade, for maybe 1TS or 2TS.

 

[Mary Anne]

A friend there now told me there is no dinning anywhere this past week unless you have an ADR. I think they did this because people are having a fit about not having anywhere to eat. All very interesting.

 

[mickey2000]

A friend there now told me there is no dinning anywhere this past week unless you have an ADR. I think they did this because people are having a fit about not having anywhere to eat. All very interesting.

SO ???? Where do you eat if you have no ADSR's

 

[Dizneydaz]

I think it's a great option for those who don't like (or can't get into) enough TS to use them all up. It's better than having unused TS go to waste. I'm not planning on having unused TS but you never know. At least it gives us an option. I do have all our ADR booked (since June) for our upcoming 9/9 to 9/19 trip.

Happy Dining everyone!

 

[Mary Anne]

Very good question. Problem is a lot of people are "sold" on the free dinning with very little information about Disney; they think they can just show up and eat. Get there and there is NO WHERE TO EAT because they didn't do ADR's, and are stuck eating counter service all week. I think Disney has done this so that they don't *hear* it from the guests all week.

Then you have someone like me who does not do the *free* dinning becuase we are DVC and have the DDE card so we pay as we go and get the 20% off, but we can no longer just decide to eat somewhere that morning and have to make ADR's ahead of time. Not really the way we prefer to visit the world. I will say that as of this morning, I could make and revise any ADR plans for the week of the 26th with no problems at all.

 

[Pirate Dad]

I tried telling a neighbour who is going soon to book some ADR's but he refused. He says he wants to be more spontaneous. I warned him about not getting any TS (he has two young kids) but he thought I was being anal.

 

[Buzz2001]

According to allears.net, as of 8/17 most of the restaurants that were supposed to be off the 2007 plan are back on the list with the most notable change being that all the Coronado Springs eateries are back on the list too!!

 

[Mary Anne]

Pirate Dad, I can just hear your friend saying "What a rip off disney is -- offer free dining and no where to eat"

 

[emememem]

We were at MGM today, not on a dining plan and were able to book lunch for 8 at the Brown Derby 5 minutes before we actually ate!

 

[bicker]

I haven't read any messages indicating that, at 5PM of any night, that every single Dining Plan restaurant in every single park, resort and DTD, was full and not accepting reservations or walk-ins for the rest of the night. When guests say that they couldn't find a place to eat what they typically mean is that all the restaurants in a specific park were full, or all the restaurants they wanted to eat at were full -- not that literally "all" the Dining Plan restaurants at WDW were full.

 

[n2mm]

We just returned and while at Pop we noticed a sign telling of a special dining option at the food court with different choices to use your TS credits. I went with my ADRs and had no problems with service or wait anywhere. Everything went smoothly. We did notice people turned away from most places and the lines at resorts to make ADRs were longer than the checkin lines. We ate at Maya Grill on Sunday night and the place was almost empty. We got a call from some of our local CM friends on Friday who wanted to do lunch at the concourse on Saturday and had no problem getting a table for 4 exactly at noon. The concourse was also available for walkins that day. But at the Poly, the place was packed. We had an ADR for Kona Cafe at 7:40pm and the desk was taking walkins with an hour wait. When we left after 9:00 people were still being seated. People were not nice either. We saw lots of angry folks trying to get walkin reservations, and the CMs telling them no, were having to deal with lots of tempers, especially while waiting at LeCellier. Many folks where also shocked at Kona the night we ate there. Families were just showing up and trying to get in and being told yes if you want to wait an hour.

 

[HayGan]

I am so glad I made my ADRs for September when I did. I was even able to add CP on at a later time.

I do feel bad for people who have booked the dining plan (especially during free dining) and have no idea about ADRs or even the 180+10 day rule. I really think that Disney should have made (and should continue to make) more of an effort to educate those booking the dining plan about ADRs. I would have never known about them except for the internet/DIS. Disney is the only vacation we take where we have to make dining reservations. Most non-Disneyfied people have no idea that you can't just make reservations the day of a desired time.

Disney is like any company and they go thru trial and error periods with offers. Last year free dining worked so well that they offered it again this year. This year it was so popular (and advertised so well) that many uneducated (in terms of doing Disney) people will be taking advantage of the offer. It has done what Disney wanted - it filled rooms/parks. Unfortunately, it will also give many of those same visitors a negative impression of Disney because their trip will be filed with stress and anxiety over not being able to find places to sit down and eat. At least Disney is making an effort to have additional choice in terms of using those TS credits instead of them going to waste. I personally wouldn't take advantage of those offers unless I absolutely could not find a descent TS to use them at but that is just my preference.

 

[bicker]

I think the overwhelming reaction to the promotion this year indicates that Disney is really underselling itself, and so while I suspect we might see the promotion again next year, we might see some mediation of the benefit -- perhaps requiring park hoppers for the entire length of stay (instead of any admission passes, for as little as one day). That should help being the price back in line with the value, and thereby reduce the over-participation which is causing Disney to have to react in this ad hoc manner this year.

 

[taximomfor4]

We were at Pop beginning the day BEFORE free dining started. We checked out/back in on 8/13 for the Free DDP. They called us on 8/12, and told us NOT to check out/back in, that they would deliver our new card keys BEFORE 8:30am on 8/13. We were FUMING in our rooms on 8/13 at 9:45 with no keys in our hands!! We called the desk, and complained, and I called Guest Relations at the same time. Amazing how fast we got keys after that...but the damage was done, we missed ropedrop by almost 2 hours.

With the keys, they delivered a letter stating the OP. Since my 4yo dd pretty much lived on her brother's applesauce and a bite of her sister's chicken strips. Also, one night we couldn't stand the thought of more food soi we cancelled our table service meal. Therefore, we had MANY MANY counter service AND table service meals left on our last day. So at 10 pm our checkout day, we were in the Pop Century food court using the Table service credits for late dinners (18 hour drive home, ya know). Then we got the certificates for the 2 extra snacks per table service meal used. We used those for boxes of donuts for breakfast, bottles of water, and rice krispie treats. The cashier told us to use the counter service credits to get the cookies (which she bagged for us), bottled waters, and side dishes (small bags of chips)...and jsut skip the entrees since they would not travel well. S We took her advice, and stopped for only sandwiches on the way home the next day! Of course, I still have 1 large bag and 4 small bags of chips in my cupboard....they'll go in school lunches I guess!

I admire that WDW was proactive, and offered the table service for counter service incentive (weak as it was, lol) BEFORE there were problems.

 

[taximomfor4]

I haven't read any messages indicating that, at 5PM of any night, that every single Dining Plan restaurant in every single park, resort and DTD, was full and not accepting reservations or walk-ins for the rest of the night. When guests say that they couldn't find a place to eat what they typically mean is that all the restaurants in a specific park were full, or all the restaurants they wanted to eat at were full -- not that literally "all" the Dining Plan restaurants at WDW were full.

Quite true. We called at 1pm for dinner ressies at Marrakesh (didn't want to leave the park for our preplanned dinner, which we DID cancel). We were given, for party of 6, any time between 4pm-5:45pm, and then any time after 6:30. Pretty wide open, even for a large party! My biggest surprise was at our CP breakfast on our last day 8:10am ressie (tradition for us), the line to check in for ressies was HUGE!! Never experienced THAT before.

 

[robinb]

I also just came back from Pop. Unlike taximomfor4, I stood in line at 7:30 AM on 8/12 to change over to the dining plan. We were unaware of the changes to the use of TS credits until the very last day when there was a family in front of me using TS credits at the food court. We were a Grand Gathering, so we had 5 rooms and up to 14 dining credits per day to use. Some folks cancelled out of the dinners at the last minute and we ended up with some TS credits at the end of the trip. We had one-park passes and we had planned the MK on Sunday because that was the only day I could book CRT many months ago. My DH and I with our APs had reservations at Alfredos, so I had to find room for the rest of my family somewhere at the last minute. On Saturday, I tried to book my family of 8 *anywhere* in or near the MK because we were planning to see Wishes the next night. NOTHING was available. Then the CM suggested DTD and I got my family a great time of 6:45 PM at Raglan Road. From their description I think they had the better meal.

 

[bicker]

Some specific resort restaurants also typically have reservations available at the last minute: Boatwrights, Olivias, Shutters, Maya Grill, etc. Folks without reservations should be prepared to aim for those restaurants if things get tight.

 

[Brooknwdw]

I was about to say that I too feel bad for all those who booked free dining & didn't make ADR's. But then I remembered that EVERYtime I call DW for any reason, they ask me if I have made any ADR's & do I want to be transfered over.

I think thats the problem. Everyone HAS made their ADR's & now they aren't taking anymore. I don't think that was true of free dining last year.

I also think they should leave a few tables during every dining hour open for walk ins. That would help eliminate everyone being turned away.

 

[kmadams]

Wow, the same exact thing happened to us at POP! It took 3 phone calls before a very nice runner showed up with our keys at 9:00 am, only to discover she had keys for just one of our two rooms!! In the end, as you say, the damage was done, we missed the rope drop, but they did give us 25% off of one night's stay.

We were at Pop beginning the day BEFORE free dining started. We checked out/back in on 8/13 for the Free DDP. They called us on 8/12, and told us NOT to check out/back in, that they would deliver our new card keys BEFORE 8:30am on 8/13. We were FUMING in our rooms on 8/13 at 9:45 with no keys in our hands!! We called the desk, and complained, and I called Guest Relations at the same time. Amazing how fast we got keys after that...but the damage was done, we missed ropedrop by almost 2 hours.

With the keys, they delivered a letter stating the OP. Since my 4yo dd pretty much lived on her brother's applesauce and a bite of her sister's chicken strips. Also, one night we couldn't stand the thought of more food soi we cancelled our table service meal. Therefore, we had MANY MANY counter service AND table service meals left on our last day. So at 10 pm our checkout day, we were in the Pop Century food court using the Table service credits for late dinners (18 hour drive home, ya know). Then we got the certificates for the 2 extra snacks per table service meal used. We used those for boxes of donuts for breakfast, bottles of water, and rice krispie treats. The cashier told us to use the counter service credits to get the cookies (which she bagged for us), bottled waters, and side dishes (small bags of chips)...and jsut skip the entrees since they would not travel well. S We took her advice, and stopped for only sandwiches on the way home the next day! Of course, I still have 1 large bag and 4 small bags of chips in my cupboard....they'll go in school lunches I guess!

I admire that WDW was proactive, and offered the table service for counter service incentive (weak as it was, lol) BEFORE there were problems.