rumor Disney Dining to go back to 180 ADR time frame

[DisneyBabies]

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

Yes, I can make a call 3 months ahead. And I did for my DS's trip in February. And I will do so for my DD's February 2011 trip if the policy stays the same. I haven't complained about the change to 90 days. That is was Disney chose to do, so what choice is there but to go along with it (although I did complain about the chaos when they were"switching over" the system and never giving out the same information twice). All I said was that my preference for planning is 180 days for ADR's.

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?

There have been many people who say they don't know what they will want to eat at 180 or even 90 days and I guess I can understand that. For my family, we know in advance that we are going to Chef Mickey's and that is what we prep ourselves for. Or we are going to Narcoossee's and that is what we prep ourselves for. We end up "wanting" whatever we have a reservation for. That works for us, but I can understand that not everyone is the same way.

I don't understand what the issue is...everyone is on a level playing field if the reservations are 180 or 90 days.

Yes, we are all on a level playing field at first. But when ressies were at 180 days, those people who weren't sure what ADR's they wanted waited to make their ADR's until closer to their trip which left more ADR's for those of us who knew what we wanted to book at 180 days. So that actually gives some of us a little jump on others who choose to wait to make their ADR's

And I just have to say that even if ressies weren't "required", I'd still be making them. We like knowing exactly where and when we are going to be eating. We use our breakfasts and dinners not just to eat, but to talk and relax with each other. I understand that not everyone vacations that way, and that may change for us as our children get older, but for right now, I like that I can arrange in advance where we will eat, and the earlier I am allowed to do that, the better for me.

 

[burberryplaid]

I hope they go back to 180!

We didn't have a trip planned this year but the horror stories I heard on the boards about how difficult it's been to get certain ADR's has me very worried for next year's trip if the current policy stands.

My hope is changing to 180 will force Disney to put their calendar out six months in advance as well, as they used to. I like to have my plan in place so 180 out is no big deal I know not everyone can or will plan that far in advance and while they snooze I can get a leg up on them. That sounds mean, but I feel my advanced planning should be rewarded. If I were going last minute, I wouldn't expect to eat at many TS places if any. I would be prepared for that.

Lastly, I think Free Dining gets too much blame for the ADR systems whoas. We did free dining 2 years ago and had to switch days on our reservation after the 180 window had passed. We were still able to get everything we wanted, including Le Cellier. Everything seems to indicate that this year's free dining promotion has not been as successful as past years, and still people are having trouble getting the ADRs they want. To me this is an indication that something else is causing issues with ADRs beyond free dining.

 

[mickeysbestfriend]

but I'd like to see DVC owners have 180 days and all other on property guests 90. Off propertyshould be 30 days. Since we never get the free dining with our stays, the 180 days would at least give us a shot at eating where we would like to. We were trying to book for September and only got one ressie when and where we wanted it

 

[m_kasch]

When I heard that they were going from 180 days to 90, I was happy. I thought it would give us more time to plan what we wanted, and have a better idea of where we would be, etc. However, after my experience trying to make my ADRs at 5am CT on my 90th day...I wish they would go back to 180 days!! I think that, for people that like to plan ahead, this works better. Less people know that they are going then, so there are less people trying to take advantage of the reservations. We have never before had trouble getting the ressies taht we wanted, even with a group of 6...and this time, we even had trouble getting a ressie at the Turf Club!! I dont' have a problem with the 180 days, as long as they can put out the park hours by then...but since they can't even seem to get those out at 90 days, it's not looking good!

 

[rt2dz]

Well, we are going during free dining (but not with free dining because that costs more than paying for meals oop and a discounted room for our family) and had no problem getting our ADRs. I might have gotten 5:30 instead of 5 PM, but nothing was too off. Except Chef Mickey's. We always eat at Chef Mickey's on arrival day. Usually around 7 PM (which is our usual 6 PM). The only thing I could get was 9 PM. Not that big of a deal, and I'll keep trying for an earlier time. I know a few people who've canceled their September free dining after receiving a December free dining pin.

I would like to see the reservation system changed. I'd like to see it down to 45 days for onsite guests. That is when payment is due, and I know some of those ADRs aren't cancelled after a trip is cancelled. THAT is the bigger problem with 180 days out, 6 months is still a long time for something to change a trip. Besides, who knows what they want to eat that far out. I'm pregnant right now and just the word "chicken" makes me ill; in a few months when we go, that might not be the case--it might be exactly what I'm craving. 30 days seems pretty reasonable for those staying offsite. Heck, at one time, weren't people staying offsite unable to even make ADRs? Maybe DVC owners could get 60 days.

I also don't think free dining should have much of anything to do with the ADR system. 1) It's a promo. At any time they could decide to end that promo. Although when I run the numbers, I'm pretty sure they're banking on it. 2) It's only a few weeks out of the year.

 

[tgropp]

but I'd like to see DVC owners have 180 days and all other on property guests 90. Off propertyshould be 30 days. Since we never get the free dining with our stays, the 180 days would at least give us a shot at eating where we would like to. We were trying to book for September and only got one ressie when and where we wanted it

In my case 180 days is the best for me as I always go at Christmas time and I know in advance where I want to eat. As far as I am concerned, if you have hotel reservations that are paid for, why should you not be able to make reservations, whether it be golf, dining or whatever.

 

[speedyf]

I guess add me to the 180 day list. I was really happy about the change to 90 days because I don't like to try to figure out where and what I'm going to eat 6 months ahead of time, but I also had problems getting some restaurants in Mid-October this year.

I think many of the changes listed in this thread are valid. I think people are having problems getting ADRs because of a few reasons. Disney sent out a bunch of pin codes for free dining between October (when the regular promotion ends) and December. I never, ever, never, ever receive a PIN and I received on for this promotion.

The other issue no one has brought up is the +10 rule. If I'm arriving for a 7 night stay on 10/10....then people arriving from 10/1 through 10/9 basically have access to all my days to book before I even have access to them.

I'm also wondering how many people are booking extra days at the beginning of their trip to try to get a jump on ADR's. I mean, it would have been nothing for me to book a room only reservation for 10/1 to 10/17 instead of a package from 10/10 to 10/17. I could have made my ADRs on 10/1. I could have later changed my reservation to the correct dates of 10/10 to 10/17 and switched it to a package.

I understand that they implemented this +10 rule so that you would not have to call back every day to make reservations. I would think that with the website now set up, this shouldn't be as big of a problem any more.

Speed

 

[MickeyEars]

I hope the rumor is true. I loved being able to book at 180 days because we always know where we want to eat so it's very easy for us.

Carla

 

[dpuck1998]

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)

There is a good reason the Disboards (and lots of other) people don't like it. Because it is selfish and wrong.

 

[FigNewton]

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

Hah! My parents recently did the early morning call the day their 90 day window opened. They couldn't get Le Cellier for any of the 7 days they were there. When it was 180 days we never had that problem.

 

[KYMickey]

I'm going to be one of the dissenters on this issue, I certainly don't want it want it to go to 180 days, don't like 90 days and wish it would go back to the old system where you could only make reservations the day you wanted them for (that was onsite only). We don't like having to plan anything that far in advance, especially dining. Things are much more enjoyable when they're spur of the moment! This is something that is truly not possible anymore at WDW, and I don't think things are any better now than they were then. Actually back then you had a lot less people complaining and whining about not being able to eat where they wanted to.

There obviously are many opinions on this issue and everybody can't be happy with the solution but fairness needs to be considered no matter what solution it chosen. They also need to very rapidly refined any system so that people cannot make multiple ADR's for a given day without paying a severe penalty for it.

 

[epcot.girl]

I'm going to be one of the dissenters on this issue, I certainly don't want it want it to go to 180 days, don't like 90 days and wish it would go back to the old system where you could only make reservations the day you wanted them for (that was onsite only). We don't like having to plan anything that far in advance, especially dining. Things are much more enjoyable when they're spur of the moment! This is something that is truly not possible anymore at WDW, and I don't think things are any better now than they were then. Actually back then you had a lot less people complaining and whining about not being able to eat where they wanted to.

There obviously are many opinions on this issue and everybody can't be happy with the solution but fairness needs to be considered no matter what solution it chosen. They also need to very rapidly refined any system so that people cannot make multiple ADR's for a given day without paying a severe penalty for it.

I didn't know about the older on-the-day only system, but I like the sound of it! Totally agree with your post - especially the penalties for multiple ADRs. I really think they need to implement something like this.

 

[Mommy2Jameson]

But when ressies were at 180 days, those people who weren't sure what ADR's they wanted waited to make their ADR's until closer to their trip which left more ADR's for those of us who knew what we wanted to book at 180 days. So that actually gives some of us a little jump on others who choose to wait to make their ADR's

I totally agree! I think for people who don't do Disney all the time, they don't think about it that far in advance, and it gives us more of an advantage. We know we need to have a plan by 180 days, but others may not have their vacation plans set in stone that far out.

But by 90 days out, most people have their vacation plans set. It is that much closer to the 45 day payoff deadline, and people have more of the details of their trip planned.

And honestly, I think there needs to be some kind of penalty for no-shows or multiple bookings. I just think that it is not fair. I would have no problem securing all my reservations w/a credit card.

 

[yitbos96bb]

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?

For me its purely selfish. Less people plan at 180 days than 90 days. Getting certain places got harder when switched to 90 days and got REALLY bad during free dining. Plus, with the limited fantasmic viewings, the Fantasmic Dinner package is REALLY hard to get... maybe harder than CRT, Le Cellier and Chef Mickey's

 

[epcot.girl]

For me its purely selfish. Less people plan at 180 days than 90 days. Getting certain places got harder when switched to 90 days and got REALLY bad during free dining. Plus, with the limited fantasmic viewings, the Fantasmic Dinner package is REALLY hard to get... maybe harder than CRT, Le Cellier and Chef Mickey's

I agree with the first part of your post.

But we had our pick of Fantasmic! DPs for our chosen restaurant, HBD. It was Le Cellier that's sold out for the entire duration of our trip (zero availability!). We even bagged a CRT lunch - which we soon cancelled for something else - and were offered a couple of times for Chef Mickey's (we went with CP instead). We didn't make any ADRs until 8 weeks out either.

Maybe it sometimes comes down to how flexible people are willing to be with their times?

 

[Inkmahm]

For me its purely selfish. Less people plan at 180 days than 90 days. Getting certain places got harder when switched to 90 days and got REALLY bad during free dining. Plus, with the limited fantasmic viewings, the Fantasmic Dinner package is REALLY hard to get... maybe harder than CRT, Le Cellier and Chef Mickey's

Me, too. I easily know at 180 days where we will be each day as long as the park schedules are also available at 180 days. I have my DVC villa booked at 11 months so booking ADRs that early wouldn't be a problem for me, either! I'd settle for the 180 days though.

 

[Colleen27]

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 think it is some of both. The longer window means ADRs open before discounts are announced, and particularly with free dining, this means fewer people booking ADRs at the first possible moment. That gave a slight advantage to DVC members and other guests who plan their dates independent of any special offers that might come along (and those dedicated DISers who plan based on predictions of discounts). A 90 day ADR window meant that all of the people who post on those hundred-plus page threads waiting for free dining had already booked their packages well before the ADR booking started.

 

[Kickapoo Joie Juice]

I'm going to be one of the dissenters on this issue, I certainly don't want it want it to go to 180 days, don't like 90 days and wish it would go back to the old system where you could only make reservations the day you wanted them for (that was onsite only). We don't like having to plan anything that far in advance, especially dining. Things are much more enjoyable when they're spur of the moment! This is something that is truly not possible anymore at WDW, and I don't think things are any better now than they were then. Actually back then you had a lot less people complaining and whining about not being able to eat where they wanted to.

There obviously are many opinions on this issue and everybody can't be happy with the solution but fairness needs to be considered no matter what solution it chosen. They also need to very rapidly refined any system so that people cannot make multiple ADR's for a given day without paying a severe penalty for it.

I always plan our vacations very far in advance. It would literally be impossible for me to create an itinerary if I didn't know where I was going to be able to eat until the day before. Yes, we've done no-planning, spur of the moment trips, and we hated them, they just weren't for us. The 180 day allowed me to plan.

I didn't know about the older on-the-day only system, but I like the sound of it! Totally agree with your post - especially the penalties for multiple ADRs. I really think they need to implement something like this.

Yes, I agree also that multiple ADR's at the same time should not be allowed. What idiot built that functionality into the online adr system?

Me, too. I easily know at 180 days where we will be each day as long as the park schedules are also available at 180 days. I have my DVC villa booked at 11 months so booking ADRs that early wouldn't be a problem for me, either! I'd settle for the 180 days though.

We usually book ours 11 months out. If I had the opportunity to book the dining at the same time I booked my room, that would be absolutely fabulous. I know where I'm going to eat, I rarely change or miss an adr,

Disney should know when I book a restaurant, my butt will be in the chair on that day, usually with 10 of my friends and family.

Why not reward me for that by letting me book dining when I book the room, instead of punishing me by not letting me book until all the other newbie idiots who make 4 reservations on the same day, at the same time, and *maybe* show up for 1 of them?

It bugs me; I'm a loyal, consistent Disney patron, why are people like me getting the fuzzy end of Disney's lollypop lately?

 

[jlewisinsyr]

I don't really care much about the timeline to make reservations, but I wish ALL reservations required a credit card guarantee and had a penalty for cancellations within 48 hours and for no-shows.

 

[mom2rtk]

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.

Now THAT'S funny!!!!!