to call or not to call member services

[TiszBear]

This is a fist for me: I was recently (yesterday - she's a coworker who bought this year) asked by another DVC member these questions and I didn't have an answer:
Is it better to call Member Services to make an ADR or should I just go online and make the reservation? Does being a DVC member help getting an ADR?

Those were the questions. So my fellow DVC members - can someone help me with these questions?

Thanks

Jennifer

 

[LisaS]

There used to be an advantage to booking through MS, back when we couldn't book online and calling MS was free while a call to Disney Dining incurred long distance charges. And there were times when you spent less time on hold calling MS vs Disney Dining.

Now that we can book dining online and given the long waits to reach MS by phone these days, I can't see any reason to call them for dining reservations. I always book online. Plus you can book online at almost any time of the day or night.

 

[disneynutz]

DVC is the middle man for ADR's and many other things and I have found to only involve them when you have to, especially if I can go online and do things myself.

They don't have any special ability to book hard to get reservations.

Bill

 

[KAT4DISNEY]

Just go online.

 

[mcconnellfam96]

I would also recommend booking ADRs online. The few times I have called MS as a DVC member, I have waited on hold for an average of 25-35 minutes. Maybe make your reservations online and if there is anything you are unable to get but really, really want - call MS at that point and see if they can help in any way.

 

[drusba]

You can go on line and make a reservation but if you want to make multiple reservations be prepared to spend 30 minutes to over an hour doing it. Each reservation requires wading through multiple request and reservation pages to complete it. Also, if reserving exactly 180 days out be prepared for the computer not to realize that you are supposed to be allowed to make reservations for your entire trip (up to ten days) 180 days from date of arrival. Instead it will only allow you to book your first day and you will have to call member servcies to get the issue fixed if you don't want to spend several days doing a reservation each day 180 days out from date of reservation. And calling MS leads to the next problem.

You can call member services and that used to be an easy way to get multiple reservations completed via an 800 number in no more than 5 minutes. However, apparently because someone believes computers supposedly provide much faster service, Disney seems to have cut staff and now you can expect long delays (some have reported 40 minutes or more) waiting for a human being to answer the phone.

The third way is just call Disney Dining at the 407 number and likely your wait there will be shorter than with MS and you may get your reservations done in five to ten minutes once a human being answers.

 

[DMKEDM]

MS hold times aside (and they are seriously obnoxious), there's one reason to call for an ADR: if what you want is not available, by calling you can do some "flex'ing" and that will sometimes get you what you want. For example, one year I couldn't get Le Cellier at a time I wanted it...but when I called MS, they noted that if I wanted to do so, I could get Le Cellier at the time I wanted if I combined it w/the Candlelight Processional package...for us, that was a great idea--we love the CP (altho usually we're just as happy to sit outside the bandshell to watch/listen) and didn't mind the extra cost.

Or, you can change your table size (and then adjust later after you get your reservation)...again, e.g., I got a reservation for four when one for two was not available...as it turns out, two friends joined us so we used the reservation for four--but could have changed it to a reservation for 2 later had we wanted to do so...MS can "see" these kinds of "flex'ing" opportunities whereas it's much harder to do online.

But for a simple reservation where the time/date you want is available, online works just fine...

And no, being a DVC member does not give any advantages when it comes to ADRs...at least none that I've ever experienced or heard of...

 

[kgsmith]

I always make my ADRs online.

My upcoming trip was originally just going to be my son and me (so all my ADRs were for 2), but my husband found out he'd be able to join us. When I called MS to add my husband to our BLT reservation, she was able to add him to all but one of our ADRs. She was terrific!