So, would you pay for an official Disney Dining Buddy?

[waffles77]

No, I wouldn't use it. If I couldn't get a ressie this trip, I could always try again on another.

As a matter of fact we just scored Ohana for the first time this upcoming trip. And if it's a good time that will make this trip more special, but our past trips certainly weren't unspecial because we didn't get to go there.

 

[Jennasis]

Also, their IT infrastructure can barely handle the load they currently have including the entire reservation system and MDE. No way they could successfully handle or manage doing anything remotely like what the search sites do.

 

[jimim]

Nope. Could care less. I always end up getting at least 90 percent of what we want at 180 days out and the other one spot I usually needs opens up eventually.

I think these new cites popping up are horse s&$t and making it harder for everyone which isn't fair. I also would never pay for a vip tour or fast passes. We have never missed what we wanted to see on any trip in over 15 years. Eventually you hit it throughout the week. Even when the mine train just opened we got on it 3 times with 30 min or less wait times with hitting it first thing or at night.

 

[ChallengerHK1]

No
And I find it interesting that most, not all of the yeses here are from DIS newbies. Is there a different mind set from new(er) planners?

I will point out that being a newbie to the site does not make one a newbie to WDW. The trip I'm planning now is my 30th. As I've said on other sites, and to Disney's customer service people, I used to enjoy planning trips before all the changes that are associated with MDE. MDE takes all of the control away from me and makes the planning process excruciatingly painful. Whether or not it's MDE that's making ADRs more difficult to get is up for debate, however.