Very annoyed: no late PSs available at MGM

[Aisling]

I wish Disney would open their later PS times for Hollywood & Vine and Mama melrose. I've been calling everyday, and still nothing available the week of July 5-12 after 4:30! I'm looking for the FDP, but I asked about regular seating, and there STILL wasn't anything. If Disney is holding out in order to fill the early spots, I think it stinks. Let us have the times we want!

 

[CamColt]

I agree! I know the other theory is they wait until the park hours are out, but Julys hours have been out for over a month now and Im pretty sure even before that they knew MGM would be open later than 4:30 in July.
We too have been trying back to make our Mama Melrose PS for July 19th later than 4:30 with no luck.
Keep trying! It should be worth it in the end.

 

[n2mm]

This seems to be common practice for them now. This has occurred on my last 3 trips this year. I called last week about dinner at the 50s PT and the latest was 5:45 PM. I told the CM I would call back 2 weeks prior and she seemed confused. I told her there will be late seatings then. I was just there 3 weeks ago and ate at the 50s PT at 8:30 PM on 2 different occassions.

 

[wendyl]

Just experienced the same thing for my PS's for lunch AND dinner at MGM for the end of JUne. I couldn't get a lunch time before 1:30 or a dinner time after 4:45. I kept calling back and finally 2 weeks ago, they opened up more times. Now we are eating lunch at 11:30 at Sci Fi and dinner at 8:00 at Prime Time.

It's funny, the CM's seem to act like they have no idea what I was talking about when I kept telling them I would continue to call back until the new times opened up. They must be told not to "let on" that MGM was trying to book their early times first before they opened up new times.

Oh well, we got what we wanted, and I am thrilled.

 

[Drcell01]

One of the reasons that you may not be able to book PS at those places is that they are used for the Fantasmic dining packages. Disney would use the later PS slots to use for the guests that want the dinner package before regular dining guests.

Aisling, send me an email. I might know someone with some Disney Magic that might be able to help you.

 

[LglBlonde]

I think you'll have more luck when you are a little closer to your trip. We just got back 6/5. About a week (around 5/24 or so) before we left (arrived on 5/31), I was able to get a 7:30 FDP at H&V on 6/3.

Edited to Add:

I had also tried a few months out and was told 4:30 was the latest available.

 

[beattyfamily]

I'm in a similar situation with the Fantasmic package for the end of August.

They only had 4:00 and 4:30 for the 8:30p show. That seems so early!

I will call back about a month before and then probably once a week till my trip to see if they release a later time.

They are NOT holding the later times for the Fantasmic folks!

 

[Cinderella37]

They definitely aren't holding them for the Fantasmic packages because BWI concierge has been trying to get us a later PS for the Brown Derby package. Thank goodness that I don't have to take time to fight for a PS at a normal time - but I feel for the rest of you. I have no idea why WDW is doing this; it makes zero sense, especially once the hours are out. All it does is make people waste their time and money calling, as well as wasting the CMs time at Disney Dining having to take these calls. If WDW doesn't want to take later PS for restaurants because hours aren't out 90 days in advance, they should either release hours earlier (like practically every other park in the Western Hemisphere) or adjust their policy accordingly (PS 30 days out).

 

[Southern4sure]

We have 3:50 ps for Brown Derby.....Cant get anything later as of yet.......But Im going to keep calling till the day I leave. Once there, if I dont feel like eating dinner at 3:50.....Im going to cancell and go elsewhere. later.

Southern4sure

 

[StuartMI]

Yup - My friends have a 3:40pm for the Brown Derby. I'm hoping I can get them a 6pm or something.

Did I read somewhere that like 60 days, or 30 days out they open up more times? Can anyone confirm?

 

[angel659]

I also think they are trying to save the times for guests for when they are on holiday. Otherwise, people could complain when they are there and can not book a time because they have been taking popular times before people are away. Also they have a fantasmic package now. People who are eating have seats reserved for them. I kinda agree with CM's booking earlier seatings otherwise it would not be fair for us brit's who arrive there and find out no seats are available. Sorry you guy's. I am just looking at from the foriegn tourists point of view.

Michelle

 

[renessa]

If any of you are signed up to tourguidemike.com he just recently wrote an article about this same topic. He has some very interesting things to say and some suggestions...

 

[CamColt]

Stuart, last year when we were in that situation we tried back 3 weeks in advance and got our choice of times. Im not sure if there is any set time when the later times open up, but they usually do.

 

[Kaycee]

We just had the same problem with our plans for next week, but luckily the hours finally opened up. We had a 4:30 PS for the FDP at H&V, and I tried calling back 30 days prior and again a couple of weeks ago - still nothing. Finally, this past weekend (just 2 weeks before the night we're eating there) I called and had my pick of times. It's very frustating, and I don't know why they're doing this, but if you keep trying you'll get later times.

 

[K and K's Mommy]

I think they do this so their restaurants are more full in the early evening. I am betting they had a lot of empty seats during the 4 o'clock hour. What I am not sure they get is that most people who make their PS's so far in advance are probably the people who research and know they can call back closer to the time.

Anyway, this happened to us in May. I think I changed it to 6:40 about 15 or 20 days before our actual PS date.

 

[wendyl]

Originally posted by angel659
. I kinda agree with CM's booking earlier seatings otherwise it would not be fair for us brit's who arrive there and find out no seats are available. Sorry you guy's. I am just looking at from the foriegn tourists point of view.

But, I don't get it --- everyone has the same capability to plan ahead and call and make PS's. Brits (and other foreign tourists) can make the same plans and arrangements ahead of time just like the Americans. All the information you need is on Disney's website.

 

[Cinderella37]

Originally posted by angel659
I kinda agree with CM's booking earlier seatings otherwise it would not be fair for us brit's who arrive there and find out no seats are available. Sorry you guy's. I am just looking at from the foriegn tourists point of view.

I was confused at this, as well. Everyone has the same opportunity to book PS whether you're American or from another country. I don't believe WDW is doing this to save seats for walk-ins; there are many restaurants that don't take walk-ins during busy times becuse there isn't any room. Guests who take the time to plan ahead should not be penalized to make room for someone who hasn't thought ahead. Unless you live in Orlando, everyone has to make a toll call to reach Disney, not only foreign guests.

 

[angel659]

The reason I wrote this is because its not exactly cheap to call WDW. Especially those who live in Spain etc...... We are lucky enough that our rates are not unreasonable. Wouldnt you be dissapointed if you arrived at your hotel, phone the WDW dine and you could not get in any late times, because of people have booked a dinner weeks before departure. Maybe it doesnt cause any probs. I am looking at it from everyones point of view.

 

[StuartMI]

Right, but just imagine if Disney flipped the bill for a worldwide 800 number. That'd be impossible. I mean I don't know about over there but if we want to call overseas for cheap, we can buy calling cards that are usually very reasonable. You might want to try that.

 

[OaksPAC]

We will be at the WL 7/18-7/25 and booked our PS's 60 days out like good mousketeers should. Our time at MM in MGM is 4:50 and I refuse to keep calling back because this happens every year and it's very annoying. I mean, seriously,what are the chances that MGM or any of the parks will not have extended hours during the summer? How silly not to be able to make a later PS! Anyway, in the past we have always asked the desk at the resort for help in changing our time and we have always been able to switch without any problem and I'm hoping that this year will be the same. If not, well as my younger DS says....."don't sweat the small stuff!" We'll just eat early and snack late