need help from current campers .. about hoop de doo

[muffyn]

for those of you currently there ( or recent , or upcoming.)
there are many (including me) who are trying to get reservations at hoop de doo after sept 16th ( mine is wanted for feb 2017. there is some problem that the website will not take reservations & when trying to call, cast members say nothing available, it has to be fully booked for 6 months ( well that is not right).

so rumor was that the place is in renovation, i finally talked to someone with some info, that it IS in renovation, but still open, & doing much smaller audience while that is going on.

could one you fine folks go there & check this out & let us know if that is what is going on?
seems real strange they would have shows going on if half the room is in demolishment mode. & if they are not even taking reservations, looks like only a handful of people would be in attendance.

plus WHY don't the CM's in dining know anything about this? dozens of phone calls have been made & each CM tell us nothing is going on at hoop de doo, it is just full.

 

[bjschil]

I called yesterday after, like you, trying multiple dates for our vacation the first several weeks in January. The CM I spoke with told me to continue trying, she could not comment, but continue to keep trying on a daily basis. Times and dates will open, but it might be a bit yet. So, I try online daily, and call about twice a week. I started this on our 6 month out date, so I know something must be in the works. Good luck to you.

 

[peg110]

I have reservations on next Tuesday August 16th (actually our Anniversary. ) If no one has responded, I will certainly try to find out.

I sure hope it's not under any major renovations while we are there. I have never done the HDMR and I don't want our first to be tainted by renovations that might diminish the show or not show it in it's full "Splendor".

 

[bama_ed]

Yeah there is a thread about this almost every other day on the Restaurants board.

To recap, shows have in the past been scheduled for 4pm, 615pm, and 830pm. The middle show was most popular because it is closest to mealtime. The show/meal also runs 2 hrs. Folks have reported not being able to get the 615pm show at all after August.

One thing I've noticed is that up through mid-September there is availability for a 4pm show and after mid-September onward into October it shows a 430pm show available (note the time is a half hour later). Given it's a 2 hour show and allow 15 minutes to prep for the next one, I wonder if they are going to move to only 2 shows a night? If the shows become 430pm, 645pm, 9pm (same spacing as before) how many folks would go to a 9pm dinner/show?

I was there at the Fort a few years ago when they had an open house cast viewing of the show and the public was invited (new actors had been signed as back-ups/fill-ins for the show) and they had rehearsed their roles but this was their first time on the stage of Pioneer Hall. So it sounds like first of the year is around the time for changes (I was told at the event that the actors have 1-year commitments which can be renewed).

So maybe any work to be done is timed to coincide with the 1-year renewal/contract windows?

Bama Ed

 

[muffyn]

Yeah there is a thread about this almost every other day on the Restaurants board.

To recap, shows have in the past been scheduled for 4pm, 615pm, and 830pm. The middle show was most popular because it is closest to mealtime. The show/meal also runs 2 hrs. Folks have reported not being able to get the 615pm show at all after August.

One thing I've noticed is that up through mid-September there is availability for a 4pm show and after mid-September onward into October it shows a 430pm show available (note the time is a half hour later). Given it's a 2 hour show and allow 15 minutes to prep for the next one, I wonder if they are going to move to only 2 shows a night? If the shows become 430pm, 645pm, 9pm (same spacing as before) how many folks would go to a 9pm dinner/show?

I was there at the Fort a few years ago when they had an open house cast viewing of the show and the public was invited (new actors had been signed as back-ups/fill-ins for the show) and they had rehearsed their roles but this was their first time on the stage of Pioneer Hall. So it sounds like first of the year is around the time for changes (I was told at the event that the actors have 1-year commitments which can be renewed).

So maybe any work to be done is timed to coincide with the 1-year renewal/contract windows?

Bama Ed

I have been watching those threads on restaurants board for months.

still, as of today on "my" connection to web reservations it has the shows listed as 4:00, 6:15, & 8:30. even called again to disney dining was told same times for the next 180 days. I asked again to make a reservation, they looked at several dates & was told no availability, i asked what that means since 4pm is rarely full & she said it is fully booked..... no matter how i tried to explain the situation, she said it is fully booked.....

bama_ed, (or anyone else) can you please walk over to Pioneer hall & see if you can get some answers?

 

[parrothead64]

They may just not be releasing those days yet to make reservations, they do this every year. So it says they are booked. Best suggestion is to keep trying, they will eventually open up.

 

[Hopefully]

I SO appreciate it. At this point I am primarily perplexed. I have been trying since April at my 180 + 6 to book the 6:15 for October. CM's were able to see my dilemma. They stated it was NOT FULL, but NOT book able. I'm booked for the 4PM show & I think now settled with that. It is not perfect, but OK.
Thanks.

 

[muffyn]

just called diz dining about another reservation i was trying to fix & asked "by the way do ou know anything about hoop dee doo? & she replied, yes, they are undergoing renovations & will not be taking reservations until the middle of November, but you can keep checking back. but shoot, i didn't ask if it was totally closed until then, i wouldn't think so if many of the other posters here do have reservations between now & then.

 

[peg110]

bama_ed, (or anyone else) can you please walk over to Pioneer hall & see if you can get some answers?

I am sure Ed would LOVE to take a stroll over there, but it's quite a bit of a walk from Alabama. (His trip to the fort was a little bit ago!)

 

[bama_ed]

I am sure Ed would LOVE to take a stroll over there, but it's quite a bit of a walk from Alabama. (His trip to the fort was a little bit ago!)

Paul, you are SO right.

I would love to just saunter over (I watched Scupper saunter once and try to imitate him) to Pioneer Hall and ask but it is 550+ miles from home. So Paul, you have your assignment when you get to the Fort. During your visit, saunter over and report back.

Bama Ed

 

[wethegrl]

I SO appreciate it. At this point I am primarily perplexed. I have been trying since April at my 180 + 6 to book the 6:15 for October. CM's were able to see my dilemma. They stated it was NOT FULL, but NOT book able. I'm booked for the 4PM show & I think now settled with that. It is not perfect, but OK.
Thanks.

When are you looking in October? We are going in late October and just got the show for 6:15 on October 23. It was about a week and a half ago that it finally opened up for us to book.

 

[Hopefully]

I looked yesterday for October 26th and it still wasn't available. I will check again now.

ETA: Not available for the first 4 nights of my trip still. Then It said "Unable to search at this time" I don't know why that occurs.

 

[peg110]

During your visit, saunter over and report back.

I'll have to find The Scupper to have him teach me the "Saunter" Don't want to do it an injustice.

 

[FtW Mike]

I'll have to find The Scupper to have him teach me the "Saunter" Don't want to do it an injustice.

Paul think BeBopping only at quarter speed

 

[tiggerdad]

Paul think BeBopping only at quarter speed

No no! Much too fast.

More like a lurch, but with a little more style.

 

[peg110]

No no! Much too fast.

More like a lurch, but with a little more style.

How do you "Lurch" with style?

I think I need a video of that.

 

[FtW Mike]

How do you "Lurch" with style?

I think I need a video of that.

Rumor has it Michael used Nathan Lane in the movie THE BIRDCAGE trying to walk Like JOHN WAYNE as his training aid still waiting on confirmation on that one

 

[peg110]

Rumor has it Michael used Nathan Lane in the movie THE BIRDCAGE trying to walk Like JOHN WAYNE as his training aid still waiting on confirmation on that one

That's hilarious.

 

[peg110]

So let me get this straight. I have to act like a gay guy who is trying to act like a straight guy walking like one of the straightest guys in history?

This could be a challenge.

 

[peg110]

Okay, so I asked around as best I could. Explaining how it's not able to be booked by anyone online or by CM's. The CM I spoke with said, while it could be renovations, she had not heard of any plans for it. That doesn't mean it's not happening though. She did indicate it might be that the management is considering another "Promotion" during that time frame (or portions thereof) but no decision has been made yet. So when they do this, they block out certain Reservations, so that when they announce the promotion, there are places available to eat and for entertainment. It is possible that they decide NO promotion will occur at which time they would release the blocks.

It's not the best answer and really doesn't help that much. My suggestion, is to keep trying and be diligent.