rumor Disney Dining to go back to 180 ADR time frame

[Sandy321]

I follow Touring Plan on Twitter and got the tweet!

Yet Another Rumor: Disney Dining Moving Back To 180 Day Booking Window
by Len Testa
We hear from a source inside Disney that they’ll be moving back to a 180-day booking window, possibly around October, due to guest demand. We could be completely wrong.

 

[mwehttam]

If they do then I hope they publish park hours at 6 months like they used to do. Can't figure out where to eat unless I know what park I will be in

 

[DisneyBabies]

Although I have no idea how reliable this rumor may be, can I just say . I reeaallly do not like the 90 day window. Think it has anything to do with all the complaining from everyone trying to make ADR's during free dining and not being able to get what they want ?

 

[CharacterFan]

Although I have no idea how reliable this rumor may be, can I just say . I reeaallly do not like the 90 day window. Think it has anything to do with all the complaining from everyone trying to make ADR's during free dining and not being able to get what they want ?

People complained last year when it was 180 and they didn't get the ADRs they wanted it was 180 days out.

I'm wondering what do you not like about the 90 day system?

 

[DisneyBabies]

People complained last year when it was 180 and they didn't get the ADRs they wanted it was 180 days out.

I'm wondering what do you not like about the 90 day system?

I love to plan everything in advance, so for me the 90 days is too close to when I leave on my trip. At 90 days, I am shopping for new clothes and making my packing and reminder lists. I would just prefer to have my ADR's in place before then.

It seemed to me that the people who complained about the 180 days are the ones who love the 90 days and vice versa. From what I read, most of the people who complained about the 180 days were ones who didn't want to plan that far ahead, not complaining because they couldn't get what they wanted.

I just think that most people have a better chance of getting what they want at 180 days since a lot of people don't know what their plans are at that point, so they don't plan for anything.

 

[vorpalswrd]

I heard this from a CM on the phone back in January so it is possible I suppose. I could care less which number of days it is. If everyone is on the same number of days wait for ADRs I don't really see how that affects how easily people are able to get reservations. Maybe it's just me.

 

[Uncleromulus]

I believe that more folks have a better idea where they want to eat at 90 days than they do at 6 months. At 6 months many would insist there is "plenty of time" to make dinner reservations. At 90 days everyone seems to be calling at the crack of dawn on the 90th day.

I hope this rumor is true!! This coming trip is the first we've been forced to wait until 90 days and it's the first time EVER that I was unable to get the times I wanted.

 

[Mouseaholic!!!]

I love to plan everything in advance, so for me the 90 days is too close to when I leave on my trip. At 90 days, I am shopping for new clothes and making my packing and reminder lists. I would just prefer to have my ADR's in place before then.

It seemed to me that the people who complained about the 180 days are the ones who love the 90 days and vice versa. From what I read, most of the people who complained about the 180 days were ones who didn't want to plan that far ahead, not complaining because they couldn't get what they wanted.

I just think that most people have a better chance of getting what they want at 180 days since a lot of people don't know what their plans are at that point, so they don't plan for anything.

It's 3 months ahead!

I don't see what all the fuss is about. 90 days is 3 months ahead. If park hours aren't published - what's the point for many.

I realize people like to plan.....but I think you can squeeze in a telephone call 3 months ahead of your vacation.

Now I WILL admit, my DH and I prefer to be far more flexible when we travel to WDW and DL. I can't IMAGINE having breakfast-lunch and dinner restrictions on our day.

We will make only one reservation p/day....and not every day of our trip.....hit some favorites....miss others. We HAVE noticed that we always able to make ADR's while we are at WDW without any problems at all.

Of course we have been known to do up to 3 or 4 Disney trips a year so perhaps OUR demand for ADR's is not as urgent as those who travel every couple of years. We don't stress too much if we cannot make an ADR because we know.....we will try again next time.

 

[Cheshire Figment]

Actually I would like to go back to what they had eyars ago. If you were at a Disney Resort you could reserve 60 days out and if you were not you could reserve 30 days out. I would love to see them go back to this. And anything more than 30 days out would require a reservation number and if that reservation were canclled all the tied in meal reservations would vanish.

 

[alexsdc2]

I don't like the 90 days or 180 days. How am I supposed to know what I want to eat and what time I want to eat 3 months in advance? I know there should be some reservation system but I think going back to 180 is definately pushing it.

What I think they should do is reserve some tables for people to book on property during there trip. Like they become available 3 days in advance. That way you cover the people that want to plan so far in advance and you cover the people that want to wait until they are on vacation to pick a place to eat.

 

[Bob Price]

It's 3 months ahead!

I don't see what all the fuss is about. 90 days is 3 months ahead. If park hours aren't published - what's the point for many.

I realize people like to plan.....but I think you can squeeze in a telephone call 3 months ahead of your vacation.

Now I WILL admit, my DH and I prefer to be far more flexible when we travel to WDW and DL. I can't IMAGINE having breakfast-lunch and dinner restrictions on our day.

We will make only one reservation p/day....and not every day of our trip.....hit some favorites....miss others. We HAVE noticed that we always able to make ADR's while we are at WDW without any problems at all.

Of course we have been known to do up to 3 or 4 Disney trips a year so perhaps OUR demand for ADR's is not as urgent as those who travel every couple of years. We don't stress too much if we cannot make an ADR because we know.....we will try again next time.

If Disney changes it back to 180 days I think YOU (and the others who like 90 days) will still be able to call at 90 days.

 

[CharacterFan]

If Disney changes it back to 180 days I think YOU (and the others who like 90 days) will still be able to call at 90 days.

Yes I could call at 90 days, but places like Le Cellier and Chef Mickey's will be gone.

I'm planning on holding my rehearsal dinner at Chef Mickey's, but I don't think I have an accurate count at 6 months but it's going to be at least a party of 10. I had planned on sending out invitations at 4 months so I could start getting a rough count when I made the ADR at 3 months. Sending an invitation out before 6 months just seems way too early to me. I don't want to make the ADR for 18 (the max that it would be) and end up with fewer and not being able to get an adr for fewer people.

When I told DFi about this last night, he thinks we might end up becoming those people that people on Disboards don't like (making multiple adrs a day and canceling them closer to the date)

 

[DisDreaminMom]

Actually I would like to go back to what they had eyars ago. If you were at a Disney Resort you could reserve 60 days out and if you were not you could reserve 30 days out. I would love to see them go back to this. And anything more than 30 days out would require a reservation number and if that reservation were canclled all the tied in meal reservations would vanish.

I like this idea. Solves a ton of issues. So smart that they'll never do it...

 

[owensamo]

I'm planning on holding my rehearsal dinner at Chef Mickey's, but I don't think I have an accurate count at 6 months but it's going to be at least a party of 10. I had planned on sending out invitations at 4 months so I could start getting a rough count when I made the ADR at 3 months. Sending an invitation out before 6 months just seems way too early to me. I don't want to make the ADR for 18 (the max that it would be) and end up with fewer and not being able to get an adr for fewer people.

For a party that big you'll have to call Group Dining anyway - not the regular ADR number. I'd recommend just going with the group of 18 - it's easier to remove people from a reservation than try to add them later. And working with Group Dining may be easier than trying to do it through the normal dining number as I'm sure they're used to group sizes changing over the course of 6 months! I have made reservations for a group of 14 in the past, and the regular dining number transferred me to the group dining people with no problem.

Amanda

 

[Mouseaholic!!!]

Actually I would like to go back to what they had eyars ago. If you were at a Disney Resort you could reserve 60 days out and if you were not you could reserve 30 days out. I would love to see them go back to this. And anything more than 30 days out would require a reservation number and if that reservation were canclled all the tied in meal reservations would vanish.

Here Here!

GREAT suggestions!

 

[Bouncin-Tigger]

We are hoping and praying for the return of the 180 day mark, going in October and we only got 3 of the 7 reservations we wanted for dinners. Never happened before with 180 day window so keep your fingers crossed.

 

[MaryKatesMom]

We are hoping and praying for the return of the 180 day mark, going in October and we only got 3 of the 7 reservations we wanted for dinners. Never happened before with 180 day window so keep your fingers crossed.

I keep hearing the 180 ADR window being blamed for the lack of ADR's but I think it is the "free dining" coupled with the reservationists telling new bookings they need to make reservations and the date they can start.

I booked a vacation through DT because I got a pin code for free dining in December. I've never seen or heard free dining in Dec. The very nice CM warned me to make reservations or I may not be able to use the TS credits. She also gave me the exact date to start calling.

I imagine they must have gotten some serious complaints by people that bought the dining plan but couldn't use the TS credits because all the restaurants were booked.

180 or 90 isn't going to matter if they've oversold or given away more seats then they can service.

 

[GoodFairies]

I don't understand what the issue is...everyone is on a level playing field if the reservations are 180 or 90 days. The issue people have had this year was during the switchover period from when Disney went from 180 to 90, so that people who booked later had to wait 90 more days to compete with those who had already made their reservations 3 months prior. Once that period is over there is no advantage to whether dining becomes 180 vs. 90.

 

[redrosesix]

I heard this from a CM on the phone back in January so it is possible I suppose. I could care less which number of days it is. If everyone is on the same number of days wait for ADRs I don't really see how that affects how easily people are able to get reservations. Maybe it's just me.

ITA! It's the DDP, and especially free dining, that made it hard to get ADR's -- it's just that more and more people started using DDP around the same time they changed the ADR window. Personally, I don't want to make ADR's until I see a park schedule.

Actually I would like to go back to what they had eyars ago. If you were at a Disney Resort you could reserve 60 days out and if you were not you could reserve 30 days out. I would love to see them go back to this. And anything more than 30 days out would require a reservation number and if that reservation were canclled all the tied in meal reservations would vanish.

Perfect -- I think there needs to be a bigger advantage for people staying on property. I would even give people staying at the resort or DVC owners where the TS is located an extra advantage -- imagine paying all that money and having to compete with off-site or other resort guests to eat at your TS?

 

[wezee]

Not sure if the change to 90 days is to blame....but I definantly had a harder time getting my ADRs this year, for the first week in Oct. ( I was online at 6am on my 90th day!)

One reason I would like to see the 180 back.....In the past when we booked a year in advance, with the FD bounceback, We had a few weeks, at 180 days, to book our ADRs before the gen. public FD was released in April.

I also think that DVC owners, (which we are not) and on site guests should be allowed to book their ADRs 10-30 days earlier than off-site guests. I also think that guest who book more than two trips a year should receive special consideration.

Booking at 90 or 180 days, we seldom change our dining plans, once they are set......are have only canceled an ADR once. I would not have a problem with a cancellation charge for no-shows.

And while I did utilize the on-line ADR reservation site, I have a feeling it has promoted multiple ADR double bookings which has jammed up the ADR availability in the last few weeks. I have read that WDW is working to solve this problem...hopefully soon. Shame on the double booking offenders.