Rumor on Restaurant board: ADR priority for DVC members?

[JimMIA]

Color me skeptical...the two people who said they were trained on the system have different stories about the tiers (one says DVC, VIP, concierge and CM; the other includes level of resort and free dining). A third person with "access to the system" says there are only selection boxes for DVC and AP holder and that TIW was there but removed and indicated this was to show appropriate dining discounts.

I wouldn't put too much emphasis on those minor differences. The person with "access to the system" was talking about the travel agent system, which is different from the WDW system. Those capabilities mentioned have been around quite a while -- we've had CMs pull something up on their computer and say "Oh, you're DVC and already AP holders!"

I'd think the most likely tiering would be DVC and all Deluxe resorts, concierge or not, then other onsite resorts, then offsite, and finally "free" dining. I can't see Disney Dining turning away loyal local customers who will pay cash for their meals to accommodate "free" diners.

This would be a tough break for "free" diners, but they are eating FREE...at least theoretically.

I also share Debbie's opinion about the CM's motivation, and DVC is a convenient lightning rod to stir up the free dining folks.

 

[Steamboat Girlie]

This seems like a bogus rumor to me. I called at 9O days, which was about last week, and I was certainly not given any preferential treatment. Was unable to get several of the "hard to get" reservations. In fact, the CM gave me a lot of trouble and I had to speak to 2 supervisors.
If anything, they treat DVC members worse!

 

[allshookup]

When I called a couple of weeks ago for our trip in August, they did take my reservation number, but there was nothing available at some of the places & I ended up with a 3:30 dinner at Mama Melrose. It certainly didn't seem as if I got preference over anybody & they never asked if I had a TIW card, which I do. Personally I think their computer system stinks with the way they have to search & they don't make accomodations for different table sizes. For example, if you're a party of 2 & they only have tables for 4 they won't show anything available, so I doubt it's now so sophisticated that it shows availability for some & not others.

 

[Starr W.]

I also share Debbie's opinion about the CM's motivation, and DVC is a convenient lightning rod to stir up the free dining folks.

Well the few times I've read any sort of thread that the FD folks post on, they'll get wound up about DVC, Deluxe resort guests or any other group they figure is out to get their ADR's. The more I read, the less likely I would go during that period.

 

[DVC Tina]

Rumor or not I hope it's true.

To me it seems very logical that people who pay for the dining program in addition to paying for their rooms (DVC or not) get a preference over those that just get the dining plan freely added to their room reservation.

 

[gkrykewy]

My guess would be that this is not yet operational, but is in the system for future operation.

I hope it happens though - having to fight tooth and nail against free diners for ADRs is ridiculous.

 

[DebbieB]

Nowhere in the information that the cm posted did she say that there was a differentiation for free dining or for type of resort (value, moderate, deluxe). She even said there was nothing said about type of resort but people still are freaking about that.

 

[gkrykewy]

Wow, confirmed by RustyScupper: http://www.disboards.com/showpost.php?p=32150225&postcount=74

I have to say... I'd be pretty happy about this , but I still have my doubts.

 

[dizzneebabe]

I find this hard to believe, too. HOWEVER...with little hope DH just called to change an ADR for July 9th. The CM not only asked for our reservation # (which they have before) but then asked if we were DVC. After he responded with "yes" she asked for our member ID #. Now why would they need that???? Surprisingly, we were able to get Sci-Fi for 5 of us in a car at 5:15. Now I realize Sci-Fi might not be a hard to get ADR, but nevertheless, it was exactly the time and date we wanted.

 

[Brian Noble]

I'm guessing (guessing, mind you) that the number of tables held back for upper tiers is relatively small. I'm also guessing that the tiers are not very fine-grained, and that people are reading a lot into this.

But, I'm also not surprised one little bit that Disney is working harder to monetize their pricey resorts in tough economic times, and this makes sense for several reasons. The obvious reason is revenue. A less-obvious, but still important reason: how often do you hear complaints from "Disney newbies" who arrive for check in at, say, the Poly, only to find out that if they want to sit down and eat something, they need to leave the resort?

As someone who often stays offsite (and so is presumably on the bottom rung), I can tell you that I'll care as soon as Disney starts developing more restaurants that are better than mediocre in terms of quality and value.

 

[gkrykewy]

value.

Value is in the eye of the beholder, and relates to much more than the price/quality ratio of the food. Let's not make this into one of those threads.

 

[Brian Noble]

I think it can be generally agreed that if you took any of Disney's "better" restaurants, and put them most anywhere in the "outside world" at the same price points, they'd mostly fail miserably. Even here in my little college town, I have better places in many categories than the best Disney alternatives.

I get the captive audience thing---especially at the theme parks---and I do value the 'experience' meals highly. But, those aren't about the food so much as they are the view (California Grill), the setting (50s Prime Time) or the characters. Overall, the quality of Disney's restaurants as restaurants has fallen every year I've gone. If I can't get a table at Le Cellier, I'm not going to be heartbroken. I'd rather eat at my local alternative (which, I will grant you, is about the same in terms of price.)

 

[bjakmom]

Here's what I experienced back in March when making my June ADRs, but thought the CM comment was just 'a crazy CM comment' - now it makes sense (at least a bit).
Here's the way it happened. Gave my ADRs to CL - Called the next AM to check and somehow I fell through the cracks, they did not call on my 90+ day, so called right then (one day late). They were unable to book any lunch time on my first day at Chefs de France (they thought that was very unusual, too). The only time avail the next night for Teppan Edo was 4:50 (I wanted around 7).
So of course I start calling each day myself. Within a few days I am able to get 8:10 for TepE (and a few days later I got my 6:50). On that call the CM still has no times for CdeF for lunch and he makes the comment "perhaps there are no times left for TIW tables" I say "Whaaaat!!!? does that mean?" and he tells me that there are only a certain # of tables available for TIW card holders at any given time - like I said, I immediately write him off as a crazy, doesn't know what he's talking about CM (sorry, I really do love CMs), but this is just a completely foreign language he is talking to me - I mean I PAID for this card, get free valet parking, frequent the $$ restaurants with it, and usually get great tables and service, etc - I always thought that WDW LOVED the TIW people
Anyway, within a few days (don't remember exactly), I call again about CdeF and don't mention TIW (just in case), but mention instead that we are staying DVC CL, that they were unable to book my ADR, and I get the noon ADR I was hoping for.
Crazy stuff, but remember, the CL staff could not get this ADR at first either, so who knows! Still doesn't make sense that CL was not able to get the ADRs either, though- this was back when the system was a bit crazy. I, for one, will not be mentioning my TIW card again!!

 

[PatMcDuck]

This thread made me smile a little. Sometimes when I had trouble getitng a PS or waited a LONG time for a table at WDW, with a PS, during free food, it made me a little nuts. I felt like I should be treated better, as I was PAYING for MY meal, for goodness sake. (which is irrational, and defeats the "free" in free food of course).

I felt the same way at the emergency room with my daughter, she was quite ill, and of course we had to wait. Around us, kids were running here and there, not really very sick, but had sore throats and the like, but use the ER for their primary medical care......... At one point I felt like standing on a chair, demanding to be seen ASAP, as I HAVE INSURANCE and would be paying for the service..........

I have read a little about this new system, but nothing too much yet, we will have to wait and see. I think onsite should have preference over offsite though. Just my opinion, haha. And I try and just avoid WDW during free food. Too frustrating.

 

[Chellymouse]

Hmmm...I called 90 days out and was not able to get some of the places that I wanted. I also got stuck with some crummy times. Even after calling back several times, I didn't get anything different.

Same here. We were able to get all of the places we had wanted but not on the times and days we wanted. We wound up with some really crummy times. I guess it's better than not getting what we wanted, but hopefully this rumor will prove true at some point!

 

[gk90]

I question this cm's motivation. CM's sign a confidentiality agreement and here she comes posting all these details that she had to know would cause an uproar.

I was wondering about that myself--aren't CMs supposed to be close-mouthed about this kind of thing?

Rumor or not I hope it's true.
To me it seems very logical that people who pay for the dining program in addition to paying for their rooms (DVC or not) get a preference over those that just get the dining plan freely added to their room reservation.

I hope it's true myself--but if it is why don't they tell us about it? It's the kind of program that would ensure more customer loyalty, longer & more expensive trips, more $$ spent in the parks, more point add-ons.

My guess would be that this is not yet operational, but is in the system for future operation.

I hope it happens though - having to fight tooth and nail against free diners for ADRs is ridiculous.

Yes, one reason I hope it's true is the nightmare experience of having to make ADRs on the 1st day of free dining--it's gotten to the point that I get annoyed whenever I see one of the Free Dining ads that are everywhere.

Wow, confirmed by RustyScupper: http://www.disboards.com/showpost.php?p=32150225&postcount=74
I have to say... I'd be pretty happy about this , but I still have my doubts.

I saw RustyScupper hinting at a changed system earlier in the post, and now he's come out and confirmed it...it looks like he's a CM in reservations? And again aren't CMs not supposed to talk about this?

 

[gk90]

I think it can be generally agreed that if you took any of Disney's "better" restaurants, and put them most anywhere in the "outside world" at the same price points, they'd mostly fail miserably. Even here in my little college town, I have better places in many categories than the best Disney alternatives.

Yes, but if you're in Ann Arbor that's hardly your typical "little college town"--I would call it a cosmopolitan small city. After living in Manhattan for years I spent a summer in Ann Arbor and was very impressed by the quality, diversity and pricing of its dining opportunities. There were several restaurants that had me thinking "Why isn't there one like this in Manhattan?"

Of course, Disney could do better in terms of its dining offerings and pricing but in real-world terms it's not too shabby either. Take a look at this review from one of the NY Times restaurant critics who expected to be underwhelmed and found the food much better than she expected:

"But the biggest surprise was the quality of the food, even without marquee chefs. There were fine, well-chosen wines, and also graciously professional service.
I had heard that Epcot had good places for dining, but we were not going there. Where we were headed was the Magic Kingdom and the Animal Kingdom, and we assumed dinner there would challenge our standards.
Happily, we did not have to compromise."

http://travel.nytimes.com/2008/06/27/travel/escapes/27disney.html

 

[TDC Nala]

Does anyone actually say when they make ADRs that they are a TIW member? I don't recall being asked. I am asked about the dining plan, but TIW is not a dining plan.

 

[culli]

People love conspiracy theories

 

[d-r]

I think it can be generally agreed that if you took any of Disney's "better" restaurants, and put them most anywhere in the "outside world" at the same price points, they'd mostly fail miserably. Even here in my little college town, I have better places in many categories than the best Disney alternatives.

I get the captive audience thing---especially at the theme parks---and I do value the 'experience' meals highly. But, those aren't about the food so much as they are the view (California Grill), the setting (50s Prime Time) or the characters. Overall, the quality of Disney's restaurants as restaurants has fallen every year I've gone. If I can't get a table at Le Cellier, I'm not going to be heartbroken. I'd rather eat at my local alternative (which, I will grant you, is about the same in terms of price.)

Ann Arbor has some pretty decent restaurants for a "little college town" though, so to be honest that isn't really that fair, but in general I agree with you (there are absolutely several disney world places that could beat anywhere in "little college towns" like Auburn, AL, say, or Oxford, MS, or Clemson SC). But for most of the wdw places, you can get as good or better in your home town. Some of it is more for nostalgia or disney-ness, some I like for what they are, and some are probably a *little bit* better than home town (I'm thinking Tokyo Dining, not much better than your a local Japanese restaurant, but a little bit). Some are absolutely horrible. Le Cellier is OK, I've been there three times over the years and it was pretty good 2/3, but you can get better steaks a lot of places. People go crazy for it because you can get a decent steak for 1 credit, and if you look at the price just think about how much you are saving! I agree 100% that the quality of disney dining has went down dramatically in the last several years across the board - from counter service on up - and the price has went up all along.