Making ADR Thread - hold times, IT vents, and general whine!

[RachaelA]

Animal Kingdom Lodge IPO made ours this morning.

We got everything we wanted within a half an hour of when we wanted.

Our ADRs are:

5/31- Tutto Italia 6pm

6/1- Crystal Palace 7:25pm

6/2- Mama Melrose 5:35pm (We didn't book the Fatasmic package because I can't imagine eating dinner at 3:30. We're planning on just waiting in line for an hour and a half for Fantasmic)

6/3- 1900 Park Fare at 5:35

6/4- Chef Mickey's 7:50pm

6/6- Le Cellier 6:50pm

6/7- Narcossee's 8:30pm

 

[IMACM]

THANK YOU all for being understanding!!!!!!!!!!! The CM's are just as frustrated as you all are!!! The system is AWESOME and it will work properly with a little tweeking! There is nothing fun about arriving at work to see 175 guests on hold!!!! It's scary!!!

Oh, another issue is probably 1/4 of the guests on hold are calling prior to their 90 day mark.....this is backing it up as well!! The new system will NOT let a reservation be made past 31 May today without an actual resort reservation and reservation number......LOVE the system!!!! And, calling and lying about your arrival date will not get you a reservation either....this should make the rest of you honest ones feel better!!

AND.....F! is available for the 1st week of June as of last night!

 

[luke6417]

I thought the wait would never end. I meant to get up yesterday morning and make my adr's at 6:00 am (central time), but I forgot. I went grocery shopping yesterday morning and didn't remember until we were on our way home at 8:00 am. I went in and got on the phone. My wife and I took turns on hold until it was time to leave for Sunday school, then we hung up. We called back at about 2:00 pm and finally got our adr's after over an hour on hold that time. So, yesterday I spent a grand total of three hours on hold to make my adr's. I hope the kinks get ironed out soon. Three different times I was connected to a cm only to be transferred to a different cm.

 

[w-family]

I must say that I had a very different experience today, but I am unsure if two factors came into play, first I belong to DVC, so I make reservations through Member Services (but we can't start calling until 9:AM, so you all have a leg up on us! ) and second, the reservation was for a grand gathering safari & dinner. I got through in 5 minutes. But the MS did have problems with the computer and in total it took about a hour to get everything squared away. She couldn't stop thanking me for being so understanding and not getting upset at her. I got the definite feeling that they are used to be being yelled at by irrate guests of late.

I am happy I got my first grand gathering! Now I I just hope it is worth the two meal credits!

 

[Justsyd2]

I called this morning at 7:04, and was put on hold for one hour and ten minutes, in which point I got a real person, who asked for my name and resort confirmation, then hung up on me.

I called back, held for 30 minutes, then had to hang up so that I could go to class.

I'm still trying to call back...

 

[derrickmom]

Why are people getting hung up on???

 

[MushyMushy]

Why are people getting hung up on???

I doubt anybody is getting truly hung up on. It could be that the system is overwhelmed and they lose the connection.

 

[Sandy321]

I called at 6:15 Central yesterday. I recommend setting aside a couple of hours...get a book to read, watch a movie, take up a new hobby...I made half of a baby sweater yesterday! My CM was amazing, though, and was totally apologetic about my wait time. She told me that the system still has some kinks, and that's the reason for the wait.

I also feel sorry for the CM's - its so not their fault!

What I do NOT understand is that TPTB (ie The Powers That Be) would trot out this system with this many kinks in it - to make GUESTS be put on hold for hours - is WRONG - esp the guests that are calling long distance - or overseas, or out of the country -

Disney is in this bad economy and is trying to lure in paying guests - this isnt a way to get repeat customers - - I know the Dis'ers are a different breed of fanatics (myself included) Just think of all those that wont stay on hold, that wont be coming back - that will be complaining and giving bad word of mouth -

Something has got to change from the TOP at Disney - its definately a bumby ride! F! pkgs - with only 1 - 2 F! showings? So it saves money - or does it? so sad! I know what the crowds were when they had 1 show each night, there is no way I'd subject my family to the crowds if its just one or two nights a week -

The F! pkg seating will not be working - those irate guests that have waited hours will just swamp those empty seats - disaster in the making!

 

[Lizzy Lemon]

THANK YOU all for being understanding!!!!!!!!!!! The CM's are just as frustrated as you all are!!! The system is AWESOME and it will work properly with a little tweeking! There is nothing fun about arriving at work to see 175 guests on hold!!!! It's scary!!!

Oh, another issue is probably 1/4 of the guests on hold are calling prior to their 90 day mark.....this is backing it up as well!! The new system will NOT let a reservation be made past 31 May today without an actual resort reservation and reservation number......LOVE the system!!!! And, calling and lying about your arrival date will not get you a reservation either....this should make the rest of you honest ones feel better!!

AND.....F! is available for the 1st week of June as of last night!

Hope you don't mind me butting in but I haven't read through all the posts but seeing this one I take it you are a CM. We are a family from the UK who will be coming over to see you in July and planning on making our ADR's in mid April, we have booked through a UK travel company so my question (eventually) is what reservation number would you accept because we only have a reservation number for the booking with the agent!

 

[WeLoveLilo05]

I made my ADRs on Feb 15th (for May 14-21st) and had no problem getting through. I called in @ 6:50 and got thru w/o a problem and got everything I wanted, had to change some times though.

So I am wondering why everyone is having a problem?

I was a little disappointing with the CMs though. I actually hung up once and called again to make my other 5 ADRs b/c the CM was a little rude and the next CM I got wasn't much better.

Last year I called so many times, canceling and rescheduling and I didn't encounter that before.

 

[Justsyd2]

I am proud to announce that I called back, waited about 15 minutes, and was able to get the ADRs I wanted at the times I wanted. Hang in there, it's doable!!!

 

[hildarumpole]

I made my ADRs on Feb 15th (for May 14-21st) and had no problem getting through. I called in @ 6:50 and got thru w/o a problem and got everything I wanted, had to change some times though.

So I am wondering why everyone is having a problem?

I was a little disappointing with the CMs though. I actually hung up once and called again to make my other 5 ADRs b/c the CM was a little rude and the next CM I got wasn't much better.

Last year I called so many times, canceling and rescheduling and I didn't encounter that before.

When you called, they might not have been transitioning to the new system. When I called last week Wed. and Thursday, I got a CM within 5 min., but it took FOREVER to make the ADRs. Apparently some restaurants are still on the old system and some are on the new, so the CM had to go back and forth. Some CMs are still trying to learn the ropes on the new system, which slows down the process. Then, as a PP noted, 1/4 of the people calling aren't even eligible to make their ADRs yet, but try anyway. This creates a huge clog up of waiting calls. Guests shouldn't have to waste their time being guinea pigs for the new system trials and errors process. Disney should have waited until the system was fully functional before subjecting CMs and guests to it.

 

[WeLoveLilo05]

Can I ask why they changed the system? Like what is so different now?

Also, my ADRs are ok right since I did it with the old system?

 

[griergirl2]

I too called on Feb. 15 and didn't have a single problem..got right through, done in under half an hour..great experience! However, the new system is for reservations being made for May 26-....so all of those people are the one's having problems. Those of us still on the old system should just deem ourselves lucky.

 

[rluey29]

I did notice that the actual booking of the ADRs took an extremely long time for each one also. I got this woman who was very nice but a little too relaxed. She talked slowly and said the exact same "dialogue" every time I said another restaurant. I was thinking "well, this is part of the reason it takes forever to get through". They should shorten what they say after each reservation and it would go quicker.

 

[NateNLogansDad]

I had 2 phones calling every 3 seconds or so. Within the first 5 sec after the clock stuck 7 I got past the "we are closed" message. I got someone right away and they transferred me. Than I went into the black hole of people on hold. Not fun. Than after I was done, I remembered I missed one Called back and repeated. Only took 3 hrs start to finish but I got everything we wanted. 90 DAYS


Side note to the higher ups, if we weren't fanatics about the World, I would have given up 1/2 way into it and just told the wifey we will be eating offsite all week. People don't eat in the parks because it's cheaper, it because it's convienent. The harder it is for the customer, the more they will start looking elsewhere. Basic business I'd say. (And don't get me started on the cutting of F! shows!)

 

[suebenjamin]

Sunday on hold 25 minutes and gave up...then read these forums and saw the long wait times. Monday (today) started at 7:30 AM...someone picked up within 10 minutes only to say that they could not help me (even though I'd picked all of the correct prompts) and I would have to be transferred. 45 minutes later I gave up. I don't have long-distance and have a pre-paid cell phone package so the minutes were really racking up...

Next went to the travel agent's office (ours will make your ADR's) thinking maybe it would go better...we were on hold for an hour - still Monday morning. FINALLY a live body picked up and we got Chef Mickey's...then went to make the next reservation... only to be told that we were calling ONE DAY EARLY (arrival date June 1).

So why did the recording on the telephone state "making reservations for May 26-June 9"? Maybe a Disney veteran would completely understand this convoluted new system but I just assumed it was a "window" and since my trip dates of June 1-9 fell into the dates they mentioned that I was OK to start reserving. Even travel agent was not 100% sure...Thanks to one of the earlier postings for the Customer Service email. I fired one off earlier today. I have a Master's Degree and I can't figure this stuff out...

So now the poor travel agent is going to try again tomorrow. On a positive note, agent was told that online ADR will be available March 22. Not sure if that is for everyone (ie general public) or just travel agents. My sister is going in September and hopefully will be able to take advantage of this!

We had NO TROUBLE in 2007 making reservations...

 

[IndyClown]

Was only on hold for 45 minutes tonight before somebody picked up. Then 3 minutes into the call, we were disconnected. Noooooooooooo!!!!!

Now another 45 minutes and still holding.

 

[MillerTribeMum]

I queued up at 9:10pm-- it now is 10:11pm (11 minutes after closing time). I am still listening to the ADR music loop. What should I do? Why would they allow me to queue up if they had no intention of taking my call?

I made my 90+10 for May 31 this morning; I have decided against a reservation and want to release it so that it is available for tomorrow morning's callers! Ah, the price of courtesy!

Jeni

 

[ilandrazdsw]

I called one night and they finally came on the line like 20 minutes after, but didn't rush me either (I was cancelling too).