Under 100 Days - A Vent About WDW

[*NikkiBell*]

Well, it's official. I am under 100 days until my next trip. Since my first trip in the early 90s, I have gone to WDW over 20 times. I am a DVC member and an Annual Passholder. I also belong to D23 and spend a lot of my spare money on Disney collectibles like Precious Moments figurines, paintings, jewelry, etc. I'm constantly online looking for news about the parks.

But I am very frustrated.

I have been waiting for November's park hours to come out for a very long time. I am absolutely 100% aggravated about this 90 day ADR policy and the fact that the EMH schedule/park hours are not being released like they used to be. How am I supposed to plan dining reservations without this information? I am one of those people who uses the EMH schedule religiously because we typically go to Disney during the peak seasons (November isn't peak, I realize this...it's a new strategy I'm using to get time off of work...aka Jersey Week). How can I pick a restaurant if I do not know what park I am going to? How do I know what park I am going to without knowing the EMH schedule?

I am thoroughly annoyed about this situation. I make my ADRs on Wednesday and they still are not up today. I really find this inexcusable. I'm tired of it. Why was this change made? I keep hearing rumblings that things are going to go back 180 days and I sure hope they do. Even more so, I hope Disney gets its act together and releases park hours like they used to.

I'm done now.

 

[georgemoe]

Sorry about this Nikki but how about packing a lunch?

 

[stitchlover]

Nikki...I am so sorry you are frustrated. I can only imagine what a pain this must be. When I switched my room only to a package this morning the agent gave me my 90 day ADR date and I asked her if there is any truth to the rumor that they are going to go back to 180 days. She said "From your lips to God's ears." She said all the Disney employees would like that but she hasn't heard anything definite. She said it is really a pain in the butt for them the way it is currently set up.

 

[cslittle999]

Much more worrying than the parks hours not being up at 90 days is that Disney keeps changing them after they post them. We arrive in 13 days and Disney is still changing the park hours. Sometimes shorter, sometimes longer. Add a Specto here, take a Spectro away there. They've added late Fantasmic shows but the park hours don't match. I've resigned myself that we'll have to check again when we get there. Not that we'll be able to do much about our ADRs with free dining on although as Kevin and John have shown you never know.

 

[Minnie Lor]

I'm very frustrated as well. I'm waiting for December hours. Usually the schedule for the week before Thanksgiving reflects what the first few weeks of December will look like.

I sent WDW a scathing email today. (there went any pinc odes in my future) I feel that it's irresponsible to not release park hours at least a week before the 90 day mark for ADR's. Most business's in this troubled economy are bending over backwards to in good customer relations. Disney is failing miserably.

 

[Minnie Lor]

I went back and read your post again. I don't think that they need to go back to 180 days for making adr's. It's too hard to plan 6 months out. BUT they should release and STICK with their schedule preferably 120 days out.

 

[JenniBugInPink]

I understand and share your frustration. We're going October 4th, and WDW cut it so close when they posted hours for October I was pulling my hair out! And of course they've already changed things, and will do it again between now and then.

If they do go back to 180 days for ADR's but don't change the crappy way they're posting park hours, how in the world will we make ADR's? And don't get me started on the online/offline ADR system...

Sending you positive park hour energy...

 

[WaltD4Me]

I went back and read your post again. I don't think that they need to go back to 180 days for making adr's. It's too hard to plan 6 months out. BUT they should release and STICK with their schedule preferably 120 days out.

I think the problem is that Disney just doesn't know. I don't think their usual models and predictors are working right now, so they are having a hard time coming up with the schedules. When I was there is May the park hours changed while I was there, IN the park...it changed from what was printed on the Times Guide for the day.

I TOTALLY understand the ADR fustration though, for our October 2008 trip I had all my ADR's all set and then 2 weeks before we went they changed all the park hours around...I hate that more than the schedule not being out at the 90 day mark.

 

[Disneybridein2k3]

Sorry about this Nikki but how about packing a lunch?

You'd better watch yourself. Nikki is going to kick your tail.

 

[CAJUNWDWFAN]

The park hours for November should be coming out any day now. they should come out before your 90 day mark.

Like me it's difficult to plan your ADRs I'm going to WDw Nov. 29th and leaving Dec. 6th. So when I make my ADR's they probably will not have the park hours for December out. I'll just have to wing it based on last year's park hours.

 

[disneytink29]

We are going for our honeymoon Oct 27 - Nov 8, and we have been waiting impatiently for the hours to come out, with no avail. B/c of free dining and the 90 + 10, we had to go ahead and book our dining. We're with you in your frustration. My fiance can't even talk about it any more. We work hard all year to plan our trip, and now we can't even get the info we need to plan it!!!

 

[insoin]

I am with you all the way Nikki. The issue is really that they are not posting hours early enough to meet the ADR mark. It wouldn't do any good if they went back to 180 days out if they are still not posting park hours early enough for ADR's (say only posting them 165 days out).

If they did go back to 180 days imagine how fustrated people would be watching them change park hours on them for 179 days instead of the 89 you have to worry about now.

I agree with everyone who says that Disney just can't forecast what the crowds are gonna be like, and that is giving them fits and has thrown all of the models they use out the window.

I also have my vacation split between the end of Nov. and the start of Dec. I'm just gonna guess what happens from looking at last year, and hope for the best. If not, well then those park hoppers are gonna get used a lot.

 

[BriarRosie]

I don't think it would be any better for park hours if you had the 180 day ADRs. I think the park hours should come out soon.

But do the EMH days change from month to month? I never really investigated. If you check September and October, that might be a good indicator for November. At least that should give you a guideline.

I actually don't tour the parks based on park hours anymore, so I never really gave it much thought. I tend to book the ADRs first and then match the park to the ADR (if applicable). Most of my dining tends to be at resorts, anyway.

I am really surprised you're still in "Commando Tourist" mode being an AP holder and DVC member. My attitude/touring style totally changed once I started getting annual passes and joined DVC. To each his/her own.

 

[FireDancer]

I have to admit that my stress level dropped immensely when I stopped making ADRs. I never go during peak season which makes it easier but on my last three trips the only ADR I made was for Boma. I was able to make either same day or walk up ADRs at all the places I want.

I do admit that other than Boma the restaurants aren't a very big part of my trip. If they are a big part for you than my laissez-faire approach may not work.

 

[Minnie Lor]

We are going for our honeymoon Oct 27 - Nov 8, and we have been waiting impatiently for the hours to come out, with no avail. B/c of free dining and the 90 + 10, we had to go ahead and book our dining. We're with you in your frustration. My fiance can't even talk about it any more. We work hard all year to plan our trip, and now we can't even get the info we need to plan it!!!

Welcome to the boards. Sorry it was this thread that drew you in and that you are having such a headache with it all.

 

[ragtopday]

I totally relate to this!

My next trip is December, and while I don't consider myself a Commando tourer, I do like to be prepared. Also, planning is part of the enjoyment of a trip for me, so knowing the park hours and deciding which park to be in on a given day and which restaurants might fit in are key to that. Since I will be going during free dining, I feel like there will be extra competition for ADR's so having a Plan A, B and C in place before I log in and/or call is especially critical this year.

Here's hoping Disney gets their act together and releases park hours soon!

 

[GAN]

I went back and read your post again. I don't think that they need to go back to 180 days for making adr's. It's too hard to plan 6 months out. BUT they should release and STICK with their schedule preferably 120 days out.

I totally agree -it's way too frustrating planning that far out. We too have cut back on our ADR's as well, generally the kids(and us) prefer to eat dinner early and spend the rest of the night in the Parks. We've had a lot of luck walking up at 4:45 with no ressie and getting in within 30 minutes -if we totally strike out, we go to Plan 'B'.

 

[MelissaFromRI]

In my opinion , I think they should only take ADRs 60 days in advance.
180 days was wayyy too far ahead and 90 days doesn't seem to be enough time for Disney to get their park hours out.

I also think 60 days in advance would eliminate some people making ADRs , then cancelling their vacations and not cancelling their ADRs. Usually , by 60 days , you know whether you're going or not.

 

[exwdwcm]

Nikki, so there with you. I am a huge planner. With 14 of us going in December for 10 days, it is pretty essential we make ADRs, we can't just fly by the seat of our pants with a group that big.

it is VERY frustrating to not have our schedule in place or know park hours/EMH, and therefore plan our dining accordingly. We have a schedule ready now, based on Dec historical hours, but we will adapt it once Dec hours are released. I can only hope they are released Sept 1. We make our ADRs on Sept 11th. At least we know when MVMCPs are to plan around those nights.

We are going Dec 10-20th.

i'll keep my fingers crossed that Nov hours are released quickly for you.

i wish they would at least release the hours earlier---180 days, 120 days, even if ADRs are at 90 days. .....but not at the same time as ADRs are. For us planners, that is very frustrating.

 

[Bornteach]

Nikki- I had this EXACT same problem for our trip in July. I had a countdown clock and the hours did not come out until the 91st day before.
I am sorry, I can feel your pain.