Le Cellier: Cancel your unused ADRs, please!

[my3disneygirls]

When you take into account service, that may be arguable even with the DDP. In our experience, waits to be seated at lunch are shorter than at dinner and service is definitely prompter. So if one isn't on the dining plan, lunch is clearly a better value (no, the filet portion then is not smaller!!!)

The menu online states that the lunch filet is 5 oz and the dinner one is 7 oz.

 

[Mermaid_Ariel]

A situation I'm going to encounter- I really want to eat at Beaches and Cream. DBF really wants to eat at Cape May. I made an ADR for Cape May but we are going to try to get into Beaches and Cream first. If we aren't going to have to wait long for a table, we will stay, otherwise we'll go to our Cape May ADR and call Cape May to let them know we aren't coming. Is my plan unfair? Am I "taking" someone else's spot at Cape May by being unsure?

See, that's not fair for someone who will be sure that they want to eat at Cape May.

I think that everyone who says, "We ate a big lunch" or "We got stuck on a ride" are poor planners. If you know that you have a dinner reservation, it's a commitment! Emergencies come up but there's no excuse for double-booking when everyone knows that reservations are hard to come by. Just remember there's some other family just like yours who would like to have dinner, too!!

I think if "what ifs" are a problem for some people, only make one or two TS reservations and eat CS! CS allows for more flexibility.

 

[nuttylawprofessor]

I hope that they fix this problem for the sake of the new visitors and cast members as well. It's not a new problem, but one that has been exacerbated by the dining plan, the advent of the internet, and global warming. Ok, I'm exaggerating. But still, as more people get caught up in the ADR frenzy that we create on these boards and others, it becomes more and more difficult for the new Disney visitors to really enjoy their trip. It's almost like you show up to school, and you notice that the "cool kids" have already established their territory and you're on the outside looking in.

As for the cast members, they've been lamenting this system for quite a while. Hosts feel compelled to turn away walk-ups because the ADRs suggest they're booked. Meanwhile, the number of no-shows is substantial and the waiters are left with empty tables and no tips. It doesn't just happen at places like LeCellier. I saw it at the GF Cafe and quite a few other locations.

I fully support reducing the number of ADRs for a location to allow for walk ups. I would also like to have a CC guarantee for many other restaurants.

 

[Dafnaf]

--

 

[dodukes]

See, that's not fair for someone who will be sure that they want to eat at Cape May.

I think that everyone who says, "We ate a big lunch" or "We got stuck on a ride" are poor planners. If you know that you have a dinner reservation, it's a commitment! Emergencies come up but there's no excuse for double-booking when everyone knows that reservations are hard to come by. Just remember there's some other family just like yours who would like to have dinner, too!!

I think if "what ifs" are a problem for some people, only make one or two TS reservations and eat CS! CS allows for more flexibility.

well said

 

[spiceycat]

okay I though they were still doing what they use. if you don't show up within 15 minutes of your ADR it is cancelled and walk up can go in?

they don't this anymore?

when I call to cancel a reservation the CM are always surprised. Now I know why.

 

[ILuvDVC2]

Quite the conversation we've got going, huh? I appreciate all the responses, and I am glad to know that I'm not alone in my experience.

The comment about being able to go up to a podium at any restaurant and check on or cancel ADRs at another restaurant is a great tip. We were made aware of this option when we were there last week, and the cancelation updates in the system immediately. I think this option could make the cancellation process much easier for everyone.

Thanks again for all the comments thus far!

 

[tinkerbell60]

I'm going to play devil's advocate for a min. While I agree with you regarding canceling ADRs, there is another side:

You have to call the ACTUAL restaurant to let them know you aren't coming if it's just a short time before your ADR. You can't just call disney dining (people all over the country) or do it through central reservations- the message doesn't get to the restaurant.

A situation I'm going to encounter- I really want to eat at Beaches and Cream. DBF really wants to eat at Cape May. I made an ADR for Cape May but we are going to try to get into Beaches and Cream first. If we aren't going to have to wait long for a table, we will stay, otherwise we'll go to our Cape May ADR and call Cape May to let them know we aren't coming. Is my plan unfair? Am I "taking" someone else's spot at Cape May by being unsure?

And by placing a CC on my reservation, would I lose money calling Cape May 30min prior to my ADR? How far in advance would a cancellation call be needed to not be charged? Actually I think that if a CC was required for ADRs, I wouldn't make any and eat offsite or CS. And if Disney has 6-9 open tables during typical meal hours, they need a new statistician. They aren't booking enough ADRs for that restaurant to account for cancellations!

PS You went during Free Dining- I consider dining to be atypical of what you find during the rest of the year

If you really want to eat at Beaches and Cream - be there when it opens, which I believe is 11:30am (might be 11:00am so double check!). We did this in August, got right in for lunch!

 

[tarheelmjfan]

I agree with you that Having a CC to hold your reservation would def deter people from not showing up for their adrs and make it more accessible to walk ups... But when people are making adrs 6 mths before their trip they have no idea what may actually arise the day of their adr. In a perfect world when a person books their adrs they say i will be at "X" restaurant at such and such a time. The actual day rolls around and maybe they ate a big lunch, are exhausted or a million other reasons why they cant make what they thought they could 6 mths ago I dont think it would be fair to be charged for if at least they are considerate and they call up to cancel it. Disney just keeps raising the price and charging guests for everything!!!! I hope holding reservations dont get added to the list!

This really has an easy solution. If people think things may come up preventing them from making it to their ADR, they should wait to book them when they're more sure of their plans. I really don't get all the rationalization for double booking &/or not cancelling. Noone is forced to book ADRs at any time, much less 180+10 days in advance. Those who don't want to be tied to ADRs, don't have to book them. IMHO, securing an ADR with a CC, would assure those who intend to keep them would be the people booking the restaurant, rather than those who may want to eat there, if nothing else comes along.

 

[TheRustyScupper]

1) Is there a double-booking problem? Yes.
2) Is that the main problem? No.
3) The main problem is
. . . lots of folks who want to eat at WDW restaurants
. . . not enough seats for those who want to eat
. . . especially at popular eateries
4) The DDP, and some double bookings, have merely intensified the problem.
5) With so many more eating requests, the eateries are swamped.
6) And, WDW is not building more eateries for the increased crowds.
7) It was explained that that is one reason for the changes to DDP.
8) WDW needs to reduce the amount of DDP's sold, as
9) They could theoretically be in court for fraud. *
10) So, you can out some blame on double-booking, but most is WDW incurred.

* NOTE: When you sell more space than is available, it is illegal. That is why Jim Bakker went to prison. It was getting close for DDP, because there are physically not enough seats for people staying at the resorts. Although there two eateries being built, for the most part, WDW does not build new eateries.

 

[beachblanket]

I dunno. This is a picture of the filet mignon from the lunch menu (posted by MargJ on the food pics thread):

It looks sooo tiny.
Also I'm looking at the menus on allearsnet and it does look like its 2 oz smaller on the lunch menu.

That steak must have been incinerated prior to being accidently run through a trash compressor.

Here's standard photos (courtesy of Omaha Steaks) of properly prepared five ounce and seven ounce filets:

Five:

Seven:

Size difference between the two? Yes. Massively substantive, life-changing difference? No, and one that might almost disappear depending upon how a given steak is prepared.

Again, if people are looking for Fred Flintstone portions, go to Shula's:

 

[fla4fun]

I think the problem with the empty tables is that the hosts are told the restaurant is fully booked and to not take any walk ins. So when some of the ADR's are no shows, and the other ADR's haven't checked in yet, there are tables just sitting there with no one to fill them. It's a real shame that they can't work around that some way.

It's too bad that there's not some sort of automated paging via cell phone, where you could put your name on a waiting list, if there are empty tables, they start going down the waiting list and paging interested people, and if you reply to the page, you're in. That way, people who had gone about their business and may not even be in the park anymore just wouldn't reply, but if you really wanted the chance to get in, you'd have one. Then the servers would be happy because they would have full tables and the guests who couldn't get ADR's ahead of time would be happy because they'd have a chance to get in.

 

[grimley1968]

I think ALL restaurant reservations should be a credit card hold, it will stop people who aren't 100% sure where they are going to eat from making reservations they are only half inclined to take and if they do decide to take them they will be much quicker on the mark in cancelling them if money is involved.

I also think this might cut back on the number of reservations and allow more people to just walk up to the restaurant or concierge that day and make a booking.

I can't see of any other way around this problem of double booking or people just not bothering to cancel.

I've been screaming this for a couple of years on here. I've been saying it to every person I talk to at 407-wdw-dine as well when I make my ADR's.

IMO, this would solve the problem, and quickly.

But in return, WDW needs to guarantee a table with a credit card hold, not just a place in line for a table, which is what ADR's are now. It's really not much skin off Disney's nose if someone doesn't show up for an ADR as it is for most restaurants, because Disney does not have to block tables off for ADR's until they show up in line.

With CC holds and actual reservations, the customer side would be made honest, through CC holds and penalties for non-cancellation, AND WDW would be made honest (by having to set aside an actual reserved table with a reservation).

This is essentially what happens when you book Hoop De Doo Revue. It works quite well, IMO, and there never seem to be any problems with guests having to give CC numbers to book HDDR, since there never seems to be an empty seat in the place when we go. Yet we know that there will be a table for us at the exact time we booked for, because we have a CC hold on it. The only reason to stand in line at HDDR is to get one of the better tables, instead of, say in the very back where it's hard to see the show. But you know you will be seated.

I see no reason why even the least popular table service restaurants couldn't have ADR's that work as actual reservations like they do with HDDR. In most cases, the lines would be reduced dramatically because there is no show where you'd want to get as close a table as possible.

 

[sjaakie]

I'll be booking this one at 180+10 for our 08 trip and crossing my fingers!

Could anyone explain to me what 180 +10 means?
Its the firs time we would like to use the DDP and I have so much to learn about it.

Thank you.

 

[beachblanket]

Could anyone explain to me what 180 +10 means?
Its the firs time we would like to use the DDP and I have so much to learn about it.

Thank you.

180+10 simply means that as a someone with a confirmed reservation at a Disney resort, you have the ability to call exactly 180 days out from your arrival and book dining not only for that day, but also for up to ten additional days of a stay.

Now, for LeCellier (and a few other dining spots in very high demand), that helps...somewhat. Let's say you are checking in on a Monday, and call exactly 180 days exactly at 7am (when Disney Dining opens) out from that date. If you do that and request a LeCellier ressie for your arrival day, you are likely to get it (not necessarily for your preferred time, but likely sometime around it).

However, if you state you want a LeCellier seating for Wednesday (the third day of your visit), the CM will likely tell you nothing is available. That's not because everything that day has already been booked.

Instead, it's because Disney intentionally "holds back" most of these high demand ressies beyond 180 days, to prevent them from all being grabbed up by "ADR abusers" (e.g., people who call up and reserve 4-5 meals at the same restaurant, intending to wait until they are at WDW to decide which ones they really want).

Bottom line: you have the highest likelihood of getting a Cellier ressie if you request it for a seating on your arrival day - and make that request the moment Dining services exactly 180 days out.

 

[sjaakie]

180+10 simply means that as a someone with a confirmed reservation at a Disney resort, you have the ability to call exactly 180 days out from your arrival and book dining not only for that day, but also for up to ten additional days of a stay.

Now, for LeCellier (and a few other dining spots in very high demand), that helps...somewhat. Let's say you are checking in on a Monday, and call exactly 180 days exactly at 7am (when Disney Dining opens) out from that date. If you do that and request a LeCellier ressie for your arrival day, you are likely to get it (not necessarily for your preferred time, but likely sometime around it).

However, if you state you want a LeCellier seating for Wednesday (the third day of your visit), the CM will likely tell you nothing is available. That's not because everything that day has already been booked.

Instead, it's because Disney intentionally "holds back" most of these high demand ressies beyond 180 days, to prevent them from all being grabbed up by "ADR abusers" (e.g., people who call up and reserve 4-5 meals at the same restaurant, intending to wait until they are at WDW to decide which ones they really want).

Bottom line: you have the highest likelihood of getting a Cellier ressie if you request it for a seating on your arrival day - and make that request the moment Dining services exactly 180 days out.

Thank you for your quick answer.
It seems I’m caught between two problems. Last year we could not get any sit down restaurant for the whole time we stayed at WDW. Everywhere we got as an answer first free reservation in two weeks.

Never thought that someone could make two reservations and not use them.
(sorry guys but all the excuses are lame) It would be the best if there was a fee taken of your CC and a now-show means your lost your fee.

I worked in a gift shop were customers could make a reservation on there Christmas gifts.
We stored them until 24 December and the end we ended up with a lot of unpaid gifts ,witch other costumers would have died for.
After we let all the customers pay just 20 dollar EVERYONE showed up.


I already made my ADR list.
Citroco`s, Artist point, Narcoossees, California Grill, Christal Palace and Ohana`s.
We would be very dissapointed if we could not dine there, but reading this topic I will need a lot of Pixie Dust to make our dreams come true

 

[Forevryoung]

You guys convinced me- We will go to Cape May and won't even try to go to Beaches and Cream. I'll let someone else wait for their spot at Beaches and Cream

I don't want to be unfair to anyone else.

 

[dodukes]

You guys convinced me- We will go to Cape May and won't even try to go to Beaches and Cream. I'll let someone else wait for their spot at Beaches and Cream

I don't want to be unfair to anyone else.

Cape may is rally good. We have eaten there twice and enjoyed it both times!! Of the two, i would pick cape may.

 

[dioxide45]

I saw someone mention having the ADR system available online. I think that this would only make the problem bigger as people could open multiple accounts and make plenty of bookings further abusing the system. Making the system easier to use is not necessarily a good thing. Now just allowing cancelations online may be helpfull.

 

[snowdrift7]

I dunno. This is a picture of the filet mignon from the lunch menu (posted by MargJ on the food pics thread):

It looks sooo tiny.
Also I'm looking at the menus on allearsnet and it does look like its 2 oz smaller on the lunch menu.

Ha! I was there on Saturday and it struck me as so tiny too - but believe me, with the soup and dessert, this was the perfect amount of food for lunch. I was happy that it wasn't a larger cut because then I would have been sleepy all afternoon. BTW, it was delicious!!