My ADR Success Story - and some tips for you!

[middlesista]

Same experience as the few previous posters. The old site did NOT work to recognize the +10 days. It looks like the time has come to depend on the new site. It was user friendly and quick. By the time I goofed around between the sites and different browsers and re-opened the internet, I didn't actually start reservations until close to 6:30 am, but got everything I wanted for January within 30 minutes. I will consider that success!

So happy to hear your positive experience! We are booking for late January-early February and are hoping our experience goes as well as yours. Congratulations!!

 

[PaGaLaGirl]

Just wondering how long you were on hold for if at all? Thanks!

I was on hold for less than 5 minutes. Fingers crossed it goes as smoothly for everyone else.

 

[Niewoe]

So it seems that the consensus is to use the new site. Going to give it a try on Wed for our Jan trip. I'll let you know how it goes... Fingers crossed!!

 

[eckero]

New site did not allow me to do 180 "+" anything this morning, but did give me the 6pm BOMA ressie on our first day there that we wanted.

Not to fear though; called WDW-DINE at 9am and got a reservation at all the resaturants we wanted for every night of our stay (1/18-25); all within 5 minutes of our desired time, including Ohana, Kouzzina, and a coveted "just prior to Illuminations" table at Rose & Crown

Since it was so easy to get what we wanted. I'm guessing that January isn't filling up that fast yet.......maybe some discounts coming???

 

[middlesista]

I was on hold for less than 5 minutes. Fingers crossed it goes as smoothly for everyone else.

Wow - much better than I would have thought

 

[Niewoe]

Since it was so easy to get what we wanted. I'm guessing that January isn't filling up that fast yet.......maybe some discounts coming???

Shhhhh... Let's not tell anyone and have the parks to ourselves!!

 

[Niewoe]

On now - trying since 6, but the site gives me an error message after selecting my party.

Trying the old site, but that isn't working either...

Guess I'll keep playing around until 7... just so frustrating to see the ADR I want and not be able to book it!

Edit: I've tried Safari, Firefox, and Chrome... so, I'm definitely thinking it's on their end. I love Donald, but that slap in the face pose is really pissing me off right now.

 

[tarak]

On now - trying since 6, but the site gives me an error message after selecting my party.

Trying the old site, but that isn't working either...

Guess I'll keep playing around until 7... just so frustrating to see the ADR I want and not be able to book it!

Edit: I've tried Safari, Firefox, and Chrome... so, I'm definitely thinking it's on their end. I love Donald, but that slap in the face pose is really pissing me off right now.

Same here. I even tried Internet Explorer. And the site's ability to find my reservation seems to come and go. One second it's there, the next, the system can't find it. Really annoying.

And when I called, they said they couldn't find my reservation. I'm looking at it in MDE on the ipad app, but disney dining couldn't find it. He said they're updating the system and said I should try again in half an hour. I think "updating the system" is code for "system has crashed and we have no clue what the problem is."

 

[Niewoe]

Same here. I even tried Internet Explorer. And the site's ability to find my reservation seems to come and go. One second it's there, the next, the system can't find it. Really annoying.

And when I called, they said they couldn't find my reservation. I'm looking at it in MDE on the ipad app, but disney dining couldn't find it. He said they're updating the system and said I should try again in half an hour. I think "updating the system" is code for "system has crashed and we have no clue what the problem is."

Agreed!! That's what they told me too... then told me to have a magical day. It's not so magical when the site doesn't work and I'm tired and cranky, but whatever. Doesn't seem like anyone can make ADRs, so at least we're all in the same boat.

Good luck! Post if/when you get on or are able to make ADRs via phone, and I'll do the same!

 

[tarak]

Agreed!! That's what they told me too... then told me to have a magical day. It's not so magical when the site doesn't work and I'm tired and cranky, but whatever. Doesn't seem like anyone can make ADRs, so at least we're all in the same boat.

Good luck! Post if/when you get on or are able to make ADRs via phone, and I'll do the same!

I spoke with someone else who said the site should be up by eight. It sounded like the site and the reservation line should be up by then. Niewoe, I had the same thought. At least we're all in the same boat. At the end of the day, not getting an ADR here or there won't break our vacation. Just a little annoying.

I work for the state and when we have enhancements to our system go out, we do it on the weekends so it doesn't disrupt business during the work week. Seems like common sense to me, and maybe something Disney should consider. Unless the "enhancements" line really is just that.

 

[Niewoe]

I spoke with someone else who said the site should be up by eight. It sounded like the site and the reservation line should be up by then. Niewoe, I had the same thought. At least we're all in the same boat. At the end of the day, not getting an ADR here or there won't break our vacation. Just a little annoying.

I work for the state and when we have enhancements to our system go out, we do it on the weekends so it doesn't disrupt business during the work week. Seems like common sense to me, and maybe something Disney should consider. Unless the "enhancements" line really is just that.

Thanks for the info!! Let's hope it's up by 8... It won't even check for reservation times at this point, so I'm hoping that's IT fixing the problem.

I'm convinced it's a line - who would do enhancements when they know they would get so many complaints. Unless it's something they started in the middle of the night and is taking longer than expected.

It's nice to not be alone in my frustration! lol

 

[tarak]

Thanks for the info!! Let's hope it's up by 8... It won't even check for reservation times at this point, so I'm hoping that's IT fixing the problem.

I'm convinced it's a line - who would do enhancements when they know they would get so many complaints. Unless it's something they started in the middle of the night and is taking longer than expected.

It's nice to not be alone in my frustration! lol

Still down, so maybe it will be up and running when I get to work. I tried to book an Illuminations cruise and was told they didn't have dates for January yet. I asked how early they can be booked, thinking maybe that changed. She said 180 days. But they don't have the dates for January yet. Okaaay.

 

[Niewoe]

Still down, so maybe it will be up and running when I get to work. I tried to book an Illuminations cruise and was told they didn't have dates for January yet. I asked how early they can be booked, thinking maybe that changed. She said 180 days. But they don't have the dates for January yet. Okaaay.

It's up!!

Hope it's working for you!!!!

 

[tarak]

It's up!!

Hope it's working for you!!!!

Got in. And got everything I wanted. I was hoping for an earlier Tusker House reservation, so I'll keep trying on that one. Got 9:10 and wanted closer to 8. Got BOG, too, which really shocked me. DD10 really, really wants to eat there, so she'll be over-the-moon excited.

ETA: Got the earlier Tusker House reservation. I went back and checked. I guess the site only gives you three options? It said the search was from 6:30 to 11, or something like that. But it only showed times starting at 9. When I went back and specifically selected 8, the earlier times popped up. I don't know that I'll ever really understand the hows and whys of their website. But it worked, at least. And all my ADRs are now showing in MDE.

 

[Niewoe]

Got in. And got everything I wanted. I was hoping for an earlier Tusker House reservation, so I'll keep trying on that one. Got 9:10 and wanted closer to 8. Got BOG, too, which really shocked me. DD10 really, really wants to eat there, so she'll be over-the-moon excited.

ETA: Got the earlier Tusker House reservation. I went back and checked. I guess the site only gives you three options? It said the search was from 6:30 to 11, or something like that. But it only showed times starting at 9. When I went back and specifically selected 8, the earlier times popped up. I don't know that I'll ever really understand the hows and whys of their website. But it worked, at least. And all my ADRs are now showing in MDE.

Wonderful!! I got all my ADRs, too. I was shocked to get a 6ish ADR for BOG, but I did! So excited. We ate there this past May and it was wonderful... your DD is going to love it! (And you feel extra special being able to be on the bridge after you check in because it's roped off to everyone else!)

Site works pretty well... once it starts working! HA!

 

[tarak]

Wonderful!! I got all my ADRs, too. I was shocked to get a 6ish ADR for BOG, but I did! So excited. We ate there this past May and it was wonderful... your DD is going to love it! (And you feel extra special being able to be on the bridge after you check in because it's roped off to everyone else!)

Site works pretty well... once it starts working! HA!

You're so right - it was a piece of cake once it functioned!

I'm so glad I got the ADR for her. She's only ten, but tends to have adult tastes in food (she really wants to have the mussel dish at BOG). I was shooting for around 4 - if we're going to stay late at the park at all, I'd prefer to eat an early dinner, then go on rides during the dinner hour and the parade. We got 4:40. I think there was a 9 something left, too. I was honestly so surprised there was anything. I'd have taken the later one - my husband would probably plan to go back to the resort with the younger kids. But with an earlier dinner and Chimay as one of the beers they serve, he'll be sticking around, I think.

The only other ADRs I made were the Tusker House breakfast and a lunch at Sanaa (we're staying at Kidani Village, so that's an easy one). Last trip, we didn't have any ADRs. I was tempted to make one for the Biergarten, because my kids loved it when we went a few years ago, but I don't want to have the whole week scheduled out six months in advance. We tend to be more seat-of-the-pants at Disney.

 

[StewHouTx]

We were ready at 5am CST(6am EST) this morning try to get all of our ADR's online since it was our 180+10, but it was not without issues.

10 minutes into using the website(new one) we had BOG at 6:05 for dinner, and our next 3 ADR's(Ohana, Tusker House, and Akershus) were right when we wanted as well. Then of course I had to say to my wife "wow, this sure has been easy", and on my next ADR attempt the site crashes and starts giving error messages. Awesome!

I tried logging back in and out, refreshing, anything...no luck. As soon as the phone reservations line was open, I quickly called, went through the automated garbage, and it told me that we could not book reservations unless it was prior to 1/24/2014...since we are arriving on 1/25, that would be a bit of an issue! Luckily, I was able to get a real person on the line and within 5 minutes she had my other two reservations(Hollywood & Vine and Biergarten) booked right at the times we had wanted.

Overall, not a bad experience...but DEFINITELY be ready and prepared to call the dining reservations line as a backup in case online reservations crashes! Thanks again for all the great tips in this thread!

 

[Gamegrl1]

Read those instructions, print 'em and try 'em...that's what I did, but they did not work for me. As soon as I tried to sign in on the UK site (w. a valid conf. # & everything) it gave me this message:
"Please continue to search and book available dining locations online without associating your dining plan. We were unable to link your Resort reservation to dining reservations."

You have GOT to be kidding me. I got up at 2:52 in the morning for this? So I tried the new site and after a couple false starts with the +10 dates I wanted grayed out, it worked fine and I got exactly what I wanted including...drum roll please!...an 8:05 CP!!!!!! That alone made getting up this early worthwhile!!!! (Just about died when I clicked on "breakfast" and it came up with 8:45am. I took it and then a few minutes later decided to try again, typing in a specific time of 8:00. Durrrr...it happily coughed up the 8:05 time. Man, that was close!)

The only weird thing is that I want to go to the San Angel Inn for dinner and it's not showing dinner times...only times through 4:00 and after 9:00pm. I guess I'll just be calling the dining hotline later on to try and get a decent dinner time...I never expected to be thwarted at the Mexico Pavilion.
(Edit: I phoned them on 7/31 and it took 1/2 hour for the CM to get me a SAI res...and all I could get was noon. Now the website is showing "No tables from 5-8pm. I feel confident it's a glitch because not only was the CM having difficulty but a WDW vet I know says they have no trouble booking there, even last minute. So I'll check back later.)

Anyway, aside from some moderately severe initial panic that lasted a whole 8 minutes until the new site decided to behave itself and give me my dates (!!!), it went fine. Took a long time...thank goodness I was only making 6 res's. I was so excited about CP I just about wanted to wake up my mom and tell her where we were going (I didn't tell her ahead of time, for fear that I wouldn't get it and she'd be disappointed. Now I just hope she likes this surprise! First I needed convincing about why a pre-RD res was a good idea and now I'm thoroughly sold...now I need to convince her!

So bottom line is - follow the OP's directions and see if it works for you, but if it doesn't, try the new site and BE PERSISTENT! My +10 dates were grayed out at first even after logging in but I tried again and it all worked out. Now...back to bed! - Gamegrl1 signing off at 3:54am PST