Official August 2009 thread!

[dopeyone]

We'll be there Aug. 18- 25th @ POR for free dining

 

[MelanieC]

I was able to make the first 11 days of Dining ADR's this morning. Darn it all it, the last ressie I could make was the day before my LeCellier ressie. And because my ressie's are split into two, I have to wait until May 18th to call - LMAO Oh the horrors. The two hardest to get are on my second ressie due to the free dining. Patience will be a virtue until the 18th. Uggh and that is on a Monday when I'll be leaving for work. I'll have to get up and get completely ready before 7am that day and pray I'm done before DS leaves for school at 8:20am. I'm done at 8am today, so there is a good chance.

 

[mickeystoontown]

I called Disney Dining Reservations yesterday at approximately 8:00 a.m. My hold time was less than a minute. Unfortunately, their systems were down and I was told to call back in about two hours.

I called again at 10:04 and my hold time was 12 minutes. I was at work by myself and the phone kept ringing and when, I had about 3 more minutes to hold, my boss called and I had to find some files for him so I had to hang up.

I called again around 10:35 and my hold time was approximately 7 minutes. I actually held for 9 minutes and 39 seconds. The castmember was able to book a few of my ADRs but the system was having so many troubles that she put me on hold and booked those few. She came back to the phone and then went back into the system to book the others. She said she did this as a precaution because if the system went down mid-booking, I would lose all of the ones she had "held" for me.

She started booking the others but the system was giving her such fits she put me on hold several times. I gave her the other restaurants I wanted and she put me on hold again.

After being on hold, I was given confirmation numbers for three more of my ADRs and then the castmember made my last ADR. Total call time? 52 min. 19 sec. I have NEVER stayed on a phone call with Disney dining that long.

The castmember was very apologetic and tried to keep me happy. I was very pleasant to her. It wasn't her fault that the computers were giving her problems. She said that the new dining computer system was supposed to take place on May 25, 2009. When I asked it that would include the program where guests could make online reservations, she said she didn't know but they have been told it's coming soon. (Can you tell we had plenty of time to make small talk?)

There are four of us on the dining plan. On the night of our 25th wedding anniversary, our son and daughter will be eating at Planet Hollywood and my husband and I will be eating at the Grand Floridian Cafe. The system would not allow her to book both. We had to choose just one even though the reservations were just for 2 people. She told me to call back on Tuesday (the 90 day mark for the Planet Hollywood reservation) and make an ADR for Planet Hollywood but tell them it's not on the dining plan. But, when our daughter and son get to Planet Hollywood, tell them they are using the dining plan. That's the only way the system will allow them to book the second booking for that day. She said that was the system's way of not allowing "overbooking".

I did take the survey at the end of the call and, out of the half dozen or so questions they asked, I had to, honestly, give the experience at 5 which is the worst on the list. I gave the castmember a 1 (excellent) because she was really nice and apologized numerous times for the delay.

I am soooo glad my boss was out of town today or I would have NEVER gotten my ADRs booked!

Sorry for the rant but disers are the only ones who truly understand.

 

[nan214]

Finally!!! I can do my ARD's tomorrow at 7am..... on mother's day. so much for sleeping in! I dont even care, I cant wait! Hopefully wont be on hold too long!

 

[BillyFeat]

Our family will be at the Wilderness Lodge August 18 - 24. We will be in Disney just in time for the monsoon's.......Anyone remember the rains last August?

 

[shera]

got the first part of my adr's this morning,no wait and 20 minutes later this is what I got
8/8 Ohana dinner
8/9 Rainforest Cafe @ AK dinner
8/10 Ohana breakfast,Planet Hollywood dinner
8/11 Mama Melrose Fantasmic
8/12 Chef Mickey dinner
8/13 Cape May breakfast
8/14 Coral Reef lunch ,Tutto Italy dinner
8/15 Le Cellier lunch,Chef's de France dinner
8/16 Sci-fi dinner
8/17 Teppan Edo dinner
8/18 1900 Parkfare breakfast,Wolfgang Puck Cafe dinner
8/19 Tony's dinner
8/20 Chef Mickey breakfast
also called and got La Nouba for August 18th at 6:00pm
and T-rex for August 13th for dinner

 

[Ms. Heimlich]

We got up at the butt-crack-of-stupid this morning and got all of ADR's booked (except one... keep reading).

I wanted Cali Grill at 7:00 pm and I got it at 7:30
I wanted Le Cellier at 8:00 pm and I got 7:15 pm
I wanted Crystal Palace at 8:00 and got 8:15 am
I wanted Chefs de France at 5:00 pm and got 5:20 pm
I wanted Tutto Italia at 5:00 pm and got 5:00 pm
I wanted Boma for 8:30 am and got 8:25 am
I wanted Afternoon Tea at 3:00 pm and got 3:40 pm
I wanted Kona Cafe at 6:30 pm and got 6:45 pm

Now the only drawback was I wanted Spoodles and we were told it would be open until Fall 2009. There was no availablity at ALL so we booked Wolfgang Puck Cafe instead. I assume it is closed by then.

So the good news is that we go everything we wanted and almost EXACTLY the times we wanted.

Hope you all have as much luck as we did!

 

[DisneyJen0504]

Just booked a girls trip during free dining. My mom and sister and I went in 2 years ago as a girls trip and decided to head back again during free dining. DH and I just went last summer for my 30th birthday and he is a little "disneyed" out! But we can't wait!Going down for 5 days from the 16th to the 20th!

 

[2littleprincesses]

I keep hearing how hot it will be!!! Can anyone reassure me? Will me dds be deflated all day?

 

[2littleprincesses]

I hope so too!

I'm so happy with the ADRs.

This way, I'm in both MK and Ep for morning EMH days, but not AK or HS--they're require a bus to hop from and I'm hoping for less crowded days. I got lunch ADRs there, and we can go back to the Poly for a swim whenever we're ready, then hit either MK or Ep as the mood strikes us those nights, then do counter Service for dinner.

We also miss Fantasmic (and hopefully the crowds it brings). It was a magnificent show, but scared the pants off both my daughters.

I'm hoping for the right mix of planning ahead and serendipity.

Can you tell me what scared your daughters? My ydd is often scared of loud sometimes scary theater productions. She has gotten better, but don't know if we should just skip this and just do spectro and wishes?

 

[Iluvpluto2]

We'll be there for our 10 year anniversary from July30th - August 7th. We'll be staying at Animal Kingdom Villas the first 3 nights and the Contemporary for the rest of our stay.

 

[nan214]

On hold for about 40 mins this am to get my ARD's but got them all and the times I wanted except for 1 (Ohana's, had to switch my date to get a better dinner time)

8/9 CP at 8:05a
8/9 Princess storytime at norway 5:25
8/11 BBB 11:30
8/11 CRT
8/12 Planet Hollywood (just to use 15 off coupon)
8/13 Hoop dee doo revue 5p
8/14 Ohanas 5:25p
8/15 WCC 9:35a

 

[anewmac]

On hold for about 40 mins this am to get my ARD's but got them all and the times I wanted except for 1 (Ohana's, had to switch my date to get a better dinner time)

8/9 CP at 8:05a
8/9 Princess storytime at norway 5:25
8/11 BBB 11:30
8/11 CRT
8/12 Planet Hollywood (just to use 15 off coupon)
8/13 Hoop dee doo revue 5p
8/14 Ohanas 5:25p
8/15 WCC 9:35a

OK glad you got your adrs, but im a lil made that when I called the cm told me I couldnt call to reserve for my 8/9 reservation till tmrw MONDAY.. UGGG.... oh well right LOL

 

[AnnaS]

We are not checking in until 8/23 - so I can make any ADRs on 6/23?

I never pay attention and then can't get any times I want. TIA.

 

[Aliceacc]

We are not checking in until 8/23 - so I can make any ADRs on 6/23?

I never pay attention and then can't get any times I want. TIA.

Nope; it's 90 days--- 5/25

http://www.wdwinfo.com/wdwinfo/dining/pscalc/dispscalc.html

 

[AnnaS]

Nope; it's 90 days--- 5/25

http://www.wdwinfo.com/wdwinfo/dining/pscalc/dispscalc.html

Oops - meant 5/23 not 6/23.

But why 5/25 and not 5/23 or 5/24? - sorry probably a really stupid question like the exact number of days, lol.

 

[loser1824]

Please add the Lavoie Family! We were supposed to go August 18-26 but I just saw that airfare is cheaper on the 17th, so I changed our ressie to August 17 - 26!!! YEAH!!!! We'll be at POP and enjoying free dining!!

 

[mickeystoontown]

We have a large Pop Century Countdown: What Will You Celebrate thread going. It includes a chronological list of disers and their travel dates. Hope some of you will join us. Here's the link. http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=2033980

 

[chloelovesdisney]

Hi. We can be added to the list!!!!!!!!!

August 15 - 23 at CSR.

Thank you!

 

[Aliceacc]

Oops - meant 5/23 not 6/23.

But why 5/25 and not 5/23 or 5/24? - sorry probably a really stupid question like the exact number of days, lol.

Because June has 30 days and July has 31.
So 12 weeks would be (12 x 7 or 84 days.) Add in 2 days for June and 3 for July, for those days beyond 28. That brings you up to 89 days. Add in one more day and it makes sense.

Guess what I do for a living?