Priority Seating: It has to change.

[grimley1968]

I went to Duke Univ.

YIKES! Maybe I shouldn't have been so quick to rush to your defense! See my profile on the left and you'll see why I say that. j/k

 

[civileng68]

YIKES! Maybe I shouldn't have been so quick to rush to your defense! See my profile on the left and you'll see why I say that. j/k

Grimely, lol, it's all cool from my side man.

What's funny is, as a former Cameron Crazy at Duke, I can tell you that more people think they are Duke's rivals than Duke thinks are rivals. It's because everyone dislikes Duke but Duke only really consideres 1 or 2 teams major rivals.

Really the only TRUE HARDCORE rivalry that Duke fans consider to be big time is Duke/North Carolina. However, Florida State, Maryland, NC State, Kentucky, UCLA, all think there's this major rivalry.

I've learned as a Duke fan you have to have a thick skin because everyone hates you

It's ok though. I have to tell you there's NOTHING on this earth like being at a Duke game at Duke and being a Cameron Crazy.

It's cool though. I can even co-exist with Carolina fans, so that tells you how understanding of a person that I am. Psssst, don't tell anyone, but I'm actually a big fan of former Tarheel Julius Peppers for the Panthers. Don't tell ANYONE though.

 

[grimley1968]

Grimely, lol, it's all cool from my side man.

What's funny is, as a former Cameron Crazy at Duke, I can tell you that more people think they are Duke's rivals than Duke thinks are rivals. It's because everyone dislikes Duke but Duke only really consideres 1 or 2 teams major rivals.

Really the only TRUE HARDCORE rivalry that Duke fans consider to be big time is Duke/North Carolina. However, Florida State, Maryland, NC State, Kentucky, UCLA, all think there's this major rivalry.

I've learned as a Duke fan you have to have a thick skin because everyone hates you

It's ok though. I have to tell you there's NOTHING on this earth like being at a Duke game at Duke and being a Cameron Crazy.

It's cool though. I can even co-exist with Carolina fans, so that tells you how understanding of a person that I am. Psssst, don't tell anyone, but I'm actually a big fan of former Tarheel Julius Peppers for the Panthers. Don't tell ANYONE though.

I don't hate Duke, or its fans, really, and I admire Coach K immensely. I'll never be able to stomach Christian Laettner, though, and it's not just because of "The Shot" in 1992. What was classy about Coach K after that game was this: he knew Kentucky's long time announcer, Cawood Ledford, was retiring after the game and paid homage to him, right in the middle of Duke's celebration. Extremely classy thing to do, IMHO.

Anyway, I'm way off topic.

Let the PS discussion resume.

 

[civileng68]

Im actually glad this thread was moved because well, quite frankly, YOU GUYS HAVE WORN ME OUT WITH THIS THREAD! I need a nap now!


LOL !

 

[Laugh O. Grams]

What's funny is, as a former Cameron Crazy at Duke, I can tell you that more people think they are Duke's rivals than Duke thinks are rivals. It's because everyone dislikes Duke but Duke only really consideres 1 or 2 teams major rivals.

Typical Duke elitist attitude!! "We're so great, we hardly think that most of the teams we play are worthy of calling rivals". And for the record...graduate University of Miami (Don't start, my friend!)!

 

[civileng68]

I don't hate Duke, or its fans, really, and I admire Coach K immensely. I'll never be able to stomach Christian Laettner, though, and it's not just because of "The Shot" in 1992. What was classy about Coach K after that game was this: he knew Kentucky's long time announcer, Cawood Ledford, was retiring after the game and paid homage to him, right in the middle of Duke's celebration. Extremely classy thing to do, IMHO.

Anyway, I'm way off topic.

Let the PS discussion resume.

I'll let you in on a Duke Secret. Most Duke fans hate Christian Laettner, Corey Maggette and Dahntay Jones. In fact there was a movement against these players in the school papers a few years back. One thing Duke thrives on is class and it's fans don't like a lack of it.

We even paid respect to opposing coaches and players who were very classy by not giving them the hard treatment when they came into our arena.

One coach bobby Cremmins was always treated like gold at Cameron. GREAT GUY! I got to meet him and get a pitcture with him. Just nice all around.

 

[civileng68]

Typical Duke elitist attitude!! "We're so great, we hardly think that most of the teams we play are worthy of calling rivals". And for the record...graduate University of Miami (Don't start, my friend!)!

Elitist attitude? It's just true my friend. Go to Maryland and mention Duke and you get bottles thrown at you. Maryland comes to Duke and it's another game. it's just true.

 

[Laugh O. Grams]

Elitist attitude? It's just true my friend. Go to Maryland and mention Duke and you get bottles thrown at you. Maryland comes to Duke and it's another game. it's just true.

O.K, O.K...I got it!

 

[freakylick]

I'll let you in on a Duke Secret. Most Duke fans hate Christian Laettner, Corey Maggette and Dahntay Jones.

But what about that thug...Jay Williams

(P.S. Maryland fan born and raised..and a BC alumni)

 

[escape]

First of all, the table is empty because the PS didn't show. So you'd think that they'd allow walk-in's right?

Well the problem is that the walk-ins that came up 20 minutes earlier were turned away BECAUSE the restaurant was BOOKED on PS's. Disney claims to not hold any tables for PS's, yet in reality they do. They claim they don't but if that's the case then why do they not allow walk-ins when they are booked with PS's?

So they turned away some walk-ins 20 minutes earlier. All of a sudden, many PS holder's don't show. Now there are empty tables.....and it's due to the PS holders. Am I reading you correctly?

I can't help but think there would be more walk-ins coming around. But, with your logic, Disney turns them away because they are holding the tables for the PS holders.

In an earlier post I suggested that perhaps a staffing problem existed. What I should have said was maybe a staffing problem or other problems with the restaurant, but holding tables for PS customers is HIGHLY unlikely when there are paying customers waiting to get in.

Taking cc or debit cards sounds like a good idea but I can see it being a public relations and administrative nightmare if not done correctly. Implementing and testing a new system can take some time and perhaps Disney is working on one now. I know they already do this for some specialty restaurants or dinner shows but there is a set price involved in those situations (I'm assuming here) thus perhaps making it a little easier to determine the loss of a no-show. As other posters have stated, what would be the fair price for a no-show and what would be a fair time to cancel for the other restaurants?

The one constant thing I can say about Disney and their systems for doing things is that they are always changing. I go to WDW every 3 or 4 years and there's always something new. Perhaps in the near future Disney will implement a new dining reservation system. Maybe the act of changing the PSs to ARs is a small step toward doing just that.

 

[civileng68]

But what about that thug...Jay Williams

(P.S. Maryland fan born and raised..and a BC alumni)

I have to tell you that if you dont like Jwill you dont have to, but "thug" is far from the term you can use for him. The guy is a genius. I had a class with the guy and can tell you that he NEVER slid through a class. he left after 3 years but he graduated. He spent every summer in school while other guys vacationed. He was very very smart and graduated easily and is going to try the NBA after his accident AND take medical classes. He never did any "thug" things. In fact, he was very preppy if anything.

If you dont like him, that's cool, but, thug isn't the word. Hey, then again, you may or may not know this, do you know who his best friend is? Do you know who he hung around outside of school when they had any spare time? Maryland guard Steve Blake. In fact they played on many teams together outside of college and were roommates everytime.

 

[gullyf]

Wow.. what a touchy subject, especially for a system that I perceive as actually working pretty well for everybody. It gives me the vacationer a great deal of flexibility. I don't make a dozen PS's (or whatever they are called now- usually just 1 or two max per day), and I have been unable to get them on short notice and have settled for glazed pecans . So what? I have decided on short notice that we needed to try to eat elsewhere because the twins were tired and we weren't going to make it to our reservations. Heck, I'll put on my flame-retardent suit and tin-foil hat and say that the selfish ones aren't those defending the current system and admitting that they might make multiple PS's, but rather those who are whining about not being able to get in PRESUMABLY because of this.

Is it perfect? No, and neither are ANY of the suggestions I have seen for "improving" it. They just happen to fit what that particular poster feels would be fairer, especially for them. Charge my credit card if I don't show up on time? Yeah, that'll make a lot of people happy when they get charged (and STILL can't get in anywhere because all seating is taken) because they couldn't get there due to not feeling well, or buses running late, or a huge thunderstorm (yep, I'd want my guests to brave all that lightening just to get to dinner on time), or any number of other reasons outside of your control. That would make for some interesting arguments for credit from the same people who are unhappy with the way things currently work.

And I would postulate that if it changes to something firmer than a PS you STILL won't be able to get in because, as another poster said, the number of available slots WILL DROP. Without more info, it is hard to know, but I would bet my bottom dollar that they don't determine what is available by saying, "lessee, there are 20 tables so we will take 15 PS's and can only admit 5 walk-ins in that period." You can bet it is more like "we have 20 tables and we know that statistically 50% of PS's are no-shows so we can take 40 PS's and if they all show up there'll be a short wait and if not we'll take walk-ins." I would also postualte that it is more sophisticated than that.

If you got charged for not showing up, what would happen? They would only take 20 PS's, there would be no allowance for walk-ins, and YOU STILL WOULD BE HUNGRY if you tried for a ressie a day in advance. You simply have to acknowledge that there are far more people looking for a seat than there are seats, and one way or another the slots are going to get filled. Does that mean people should overbook or not cancel? Of course not. But it doesn't mean that you shouldn't, either. It *probably* has little effect on actual availability because they already know statistically how many of those PS's aren't going to show up, and the system accomodates slight variations.

Would I eat differently if they charged my credit card? Yes. I currently have 2 yr old twins... what do you think the chance are of me making EVERY reservation I make? Practically nil. And the same for many who are travelling with families. And we aren't talking about New York or St. Louis or LA or anywhere in between. We are talking about Disney, where familes VACATION. A vacation isn't structured, or at least it shouldn't have to be. If I might be either at MK or Epcot, but don't know which, it is wonderful to be able to schedule seating at both places (realizing that we are talking maybe 3 months in advance here). No, I never have done that but it is wonderful to know I could AND that the system is DESIGNED to accomodate that. It was one of the touted points about the PS system when it was first introduced as I recall.

Limit to a certain number a day? What would you suggest? 2? What if I want three meals that day? Uh oh.. can't do that. 3? Within what time frame? No less than an hour apart? Two hours? I want to eat lunch twice today, and skip dinner. Or two dinners. I can't? Why not, because you don't or it isn't normal? Pretty presumptuous of you to try and tell me how and when I should eat.

Ultimately it is like any other system: it benefits those who know how to use it. And for those who compare it to fastpasses (and the limits imposed there), you might want to visit some of the threads where people feel that that needs to be changed to "no limits", "resort guests only", "pay for the priviledge", etc.There are always going to be people who are going to be unhappy because they don't get exactly what they want when they want it, and those who feel that they have money enough to buy their way in.

Change by complaining? Perhaps. But be careful what you ask for, 'cause you might just get it! Every post I have seen in this thread (including mine) is based on ASSUMPTIONS, not fact, and some of those assumptions are questionable to say the least.

 

[civileng68]

Actually I dont dislike the system. I think PS's are wonderful. I think the loopholes need to be closed though. I think the obvious aisles for abuse need to be sealed. that's all.

However, I'm sure it's not easy without becoming a public relations disaster. However, something nees to be done.

To the other poster, they do normally take walk-ins.

However when they COMPLETELY book on PS's they don't.

 

[HaleyB]

Well said gullyf! The OP did not plan ahead and make PS (or ADR) and then tried to point the finger at everyone else when they had trouble getting a last minute PS. That is like complaining that FP users slow down the stand by line. Duh, that is how it is suppossed to work, not a flaw in the system.

We have never had trouble getting PS for peak crowd times of year, but we make them 90 days out. It is a big effort to do so, I wake up early many days in a row to get the PS place and time I most want (including CRT) and have always been able to get most if not all of what I wanted.

The OP was assuming the tables were kept empty because of PS no shows. That is really not the case. Most of us know a PS is not a reservation. With a PS you get the next avaliable table but they do not hold tables open waiting for PS people to show up. If they took a cc or turned it into a 'real' reservation it would just make things worse for walk ins.

 

[tlbwriter]

Charge my credit card if I don't show up on time? Yeah, that'll make a lot of people happy when they get charged (and STILL can't get in anywhere because all seating is taken) because they couldn't get there due to not feeling well, or buses running late, or a huge thunderstorm (yep, I'd want my guests to brave all that lightening just to get to dinner on time), or any number of other reasons outside of your control.

I agree... Disney is too unpredictable to charge people for no-shows. I'd just like to see a way to minimize the impact of those no-shows. Allowing visitors to make only one PS per seating (B, L, D) wouldn't really hurt anybody except those who are unable to make it to their PS (due to the above circumstances) and are not able to get seated anywhere else. And yet those who insist they need more PSs than the rest of us would be able to get around it by making them in different names. So it might not help that much either. I don't know if there is a perfect solution other than using a little common courtesy, which is unfortunately all too uncommon these days.

 

[greenyskp]

Wow.. what a touchy subject, especially for a system that I perceive as actually working pretty well for everybody. It gives me the vacationer a great deal of flexibility. I don't make a dozen PS's (or whatever they are called now- usually just 1 or two max per day), and I have been unable to get them on short notice and have settled for glazed pecans . So what? I have decided on short notice that we needed to try to eat elsewhere because the twins were tired and we weren't going to make it to our reservations. Heck, I'll put on my flame-retardent suit and tin-foil hat and say that the selfish ones aren't those defending the current system and admitting that they might make multiple PS's, but rather those who are whining about not being able to get in PRESUMABLY because of this.

Is it perfect? No, and neither are ANY of the suggestions I have seen for "improving" it. They just happen to fit what that particular poster feels would be fairer, especially for them. Charge my credit card if I don't show up on time? Yeah, that'll make a lot of people happy when they get charged (and STILL can't get in anywhere because all seating is taken) because they couldn't get there due to not feeling well, or buses running late, or a huge thunderstorm (yep, I'd want my guests to brave all that lightening just to get to dinner on time), or any number of other reasons outside of your control. That would make for some interesting arguments for credit from the same people who are unhappy with the way things currently work.

And I would postulate that if it changes to something firmer than a PS you STILL won't be able to get in because, as another poster said, the number of available slots WILL DROP. Without more info, it is hard to know, but I would bet my bottom dollar that they don't determine what is available by saying, "lessee, there are 20 tables so we will take 15 PS's and can only admit 5 walk-ins in that period." You can bet it is more like "we have 20 tables and we know that statistically 50% of PS's are no-shows so we can take 40 PS's and if they all show up there'll be a short wait and if not we'll take walk-ins." I would also postualte that it is more sophisticated than that.

If you got charged for not showing up, what would happen? They would only take 20 PS's, there would be no allowance for walk-ins, and YOU STILL WOULD BE HUNGRY if you tried for a ressie a day in advance. You simply have to acknowledge that there are far more people looking for a seat than there are seats, and one way or another the slots are going to get filled. Does that mean people should overbook or not cancel? Of course not. But it doesn't mean that you shouldn't, either. It *probably* has little effect on actual availability because they already know statistically how many of those PS's aren't going to show up, and the system accomodates slight variations.

Would I eat differently if they charged my credit card? Yes. I currently have 2 yr old twins... what do you think the chance are of me making EVERY reservation I make? Practically nil. And the same for many who are travelling with families. And we aren't talking about New York or St. Louis or LA or anywhere in between. We are talking about Disney, where familes VACATION. A vacation isn't structured, or at least it shouldn't have to be. If I might be either at MK or Epcot, but don't know which, it is wonderful to be able to schedule seating at both places (realizing that we are talking maybe 3 months in advance here). No, I never have done that but it is wonderful to know I could AND that the system is DESIGNED to accomodate that. It was one of the touted points about the PS system when it was first introduced as I recall.

Limit to a certain number a day? What would you suggest? 2? What if I want three meals that day? Uh oh.. can't do that. 3? Within what time frame? No less than an hour apart? Two hours? I want to eat lunch twice today, and skip dinner. Or two dinners. I can't? Why not, because you don't or it isn't normal? Pretty presumptuous of you to try and tell me how and when I should eat.

Ultimately it is like any other system: it benefits those who know how to use it. And for those who compare it to fastpasses (and the limits imposed there), you might want to visit some of the threads where people feel that that needs to be changed to "no limits", "resort guests only", "pay for the priviledge", etc.There are always going to be people who are going to be unhappy because they don't get exactly what they want when they want it, and those who feel that they have money enough to buy their way in.

Change by complaining? Perhaps. But be careful what you ask for, 'cause you might just get it! Every post I have seen in this thread (including mine) is based on ASSUMPTIONS, not fact, and some of those assumptions are questionable to say the least.

This is exactly what i was trying to say. You just put it down better than I am able to. Agreed.

 

[tlbwriter]

Limit to a certain number a day? What would you suggest? 2? What if I want three meals that day? Uh oh.. can't do that. 3? Within what time frame? No less than an hour apart? Two hours? I want to eat lunch twice today, and skip dinner. Or two dinners. I can't? Why not, because you don't or it isn't normal? Pretty presumptuous of you to try and tell me how and when I should eat.

How do you come up with that? No one would be telling you how and when you should eat if they limited the number of PSs you made in a day. If you decided you wanted two lunches or two dinners, you'd still be free to eat at any CS restaurant, or to wait in line at a TS restaurant. Sorry, this argument doesn't hold water.

 

[greenyskp]

Im so sick of hearing everyone complain about 'common courtesy'

Common Courtesy is something you sit around and say.. wouldnt it be nice if...

Because all you have to do is go out in public to realize everyone has their own gain in mind.

And i honestly cant beleive that when anyone plans their Disney vacation theyre planning it according to all the families who are there, and how fair they are to them. If you plan your whole trip worrying about "common courtesy" you wouldnt even enter a park, because what if on my third day of MK, the park fills to capacity, and then thats many families that wont get in, and what if its their first trip to disney, and I just ruined it? Because we need to have 'common courtesy'

Thats far-fetched. I know. But its where this is leading. God forbid you inconvience somone else.

 

[leighe]

And i honestly cant beleive that when anyone plans their Disney vacation theyre planning it according to all the families who are there, and how fair they are to them. If you plan your whole trip worrying about "common courtesy" you wouldnt even enter a park, because what if on my third day of MK, the park fills to capacity, and then thats many families that wont get in, and what if its their first trip to disney, and I just ruined it? Because we need to have 'common courtesy'

Thats far-fetched. I know. But its where this is leading. God forbid you inconvience somone else.

That is silly and not at all the point. Making three PS when you are only going to use one of them is like taking three of something at a buffet when you know you plan to throw away two of what you took. It's selfish and wasteful. I think you can use "common courtsey" and still get to do what is most important to you while on vacation without making it more difficult for others to enjoy themsleves.

 

[tlbwriter]

Because all you have to do is go out in public to realize everyone has their own gain in mind.

Not in my world. How very sad for you.

If you plan your whole trip worrying about "common courtesy" you wouldnt even enter a park, because what if on my third day of MK, the park fills to capacity, and then thats many families that wont get in, and what if its their first trip to disney, and I just ruined it? Because we need to have 'common courtesy'

That's not a good analogy. A better one would be if one were able to reserve a spot in the park, and there were a limited number of spots available each day, and you reserved MK, AK, and MGM because you just couldn't decide ahead of time which one you would want to use. See, the problem is not that you're reserving something you want to use. No one has an issue with that. The problem is that you're reserving something without having any intention of using it yourself, and your reservation is keeping someone else from having it. And at the same time you're telling us it's unnecessary to worry about being able to get these reservations. While you have three of them in your pocket to make sure you get to use whatever happens to strike your fancy that day.