Well this really bites and I'm more than a bit upset with WDW!

[RMulieri]

Fwiw, I've been using that number since I saw it posted in February.

There have been at least 10 or more numbers since I joined the boards in 2001.All of them now have been disconnected.It may take awhile but if enough people keep using it it too will be gone.Disney Cms have told me they don't have an 1800 # because they don't need to, people still call.It does stink, but they can do anything they want and they have.It doesn't make it right or fair, but it is what it is.I have an excellent long distance carrier, but I still hate being on hold 1hr and 35 mins to conduct my buisness.If disney provided an exclusive 1800# and did away with the 407 toll call, it would be free,but you still would be on hold for a long time.

 

[kaytieeldr]

Sorry but I don't buy the increase this would cost across the board for WDW. The cost for an 800 trunk line is not that large in the greater scheme for WDW

I disagree. While there is likely a better price for the bulk usage Disney would incur, 2.9¢* per minute, times the number of minutes each call takes, times the number of Guests and potential Guests who call every day, plus the base cost of the lines.... "not that large in the greater scheme"? Maybe. A relatively large expense which the merchant - Disney - does not have to incur because people will call anyway? Yes.

*typical rate I found in a very brief search

Disney can afford to get an 800 number and they should

Okay. How much more would you be willing to pay for your vacation - your food, your room, your tickets, souvenirs - to offset the cost of toll-free lines?

 

[ratty 987]

hi -called from uk to booked my adrs i booked 21 it took 30 mins-the cost was only 30p about 60 cents-i can not belive your call rates in the states

 

[5DisneyNuts]

I understand the point of the 800# being abused by people calling to speak to Mickey or whatever, but it is frustrating to have to incur long distance charges when inquiring about a vacation.

I called the 407# to switch my August resv to another date in November. I had the good fortune of speaking with a wonderful CM. I was on the phone for one HOUR because the computer system was so slow. I wasn't asking to look up different resorts or check other dates - I had my new date availability confirmed immediately. It was just crazy how she had to wait for the system - I felt bad for her (and me).

Disney has to do something about their technology - it is one of the most convoluted systems I have ever seen, and adds to the problem of long wait times.

Aside from that, every other hotel chain, airline, etc has an 800#, in my opinion, Disney should too.

 

[maxiesmom]

Aside from that, every other hotel chain, airline, etc has an 800#, in my opinion, Disney should too.

I don't agree. Why should Disney have to foot the bill for people who call constantly to change their ADRs around? I know not everyone does that, but a large enough number of people DO. It would cost a fortune, not only for the lines, but for the addtional CMS to man the phones. It is pretty smart really for Disney not to advertise the 1-800 numbers. Face it, people make way more phone calls to Disney planning their vacations that would ever call a Mariott or Hilton.

 

[my3sons77]

I disagree. While there is likely a better price for the bulk usage Disney would incur, 2.9¢* per minute, times the number of minutes each call takes, times the number of Guests and potential Guests who call every day, plus the base cost of the lines.... "not that large in the greater scheme"? Maybe. A relatively large expense which the merchant - Disney - does not have to incur because people will call anyway? Yes.

*typical rate I found in a very brief search

Okay. How much more would you be willing to pay for your vacation - your food, your room, your tickets, souvenirs - to offset the cost of toll-free lines?

The food, room, tickets, souvenirs go up in price every year anyway so them throwing in the extra cost of an 800 number wouldn't be much of a difference now would it? I'm not going to argue about this. It's just plain silly. If they had one now the extra cost would be thrown into our packages and we would never even know the difference.

We would all still go to Disney, we would just save a little more until we got there.

 

[MrSplashMountain #1!]

Doesnt cost me anywhere near that much to do my ADR's and thats calling from the UK

But then I do have everything planned in advance and phone at bang on 2pm UK time (7am Florida time) at 180 + 10 so not much time is wasted checking for availability and time slots. And it's just the one call needed.

 

[maxiesmom]

We would all still go to Disney, we would just save a little more until we got there.

I wouldn't. I use Dreams Unlimited, and my TA makes all my ADRs for me!

Why should I have to pay for a phone line I won't use? I already pay enough for people saying their kids are 2 when they are 3, and for the people who think all Coke is free at the resorts.

 

[Northern_Julie]

Planning long distance calles is part of the process. You plan by having a long disntance plan for the planning months instead of getting rid of it.
If you don't plan this own you own mistakes rather than looking to blame or having disney foot the bill.

You can pay that money to the phone company or to Disney when they hike up food prices for a widely used 1-800 #. or make people pay a reservation fee because they are calling each day.

If you are going to grumble about it make minimal calls at low peak times. If it is taking an hour you end the call or ask them call you back when it is fixed.

 

[mskayjay]

Planning long distance calles is part of the process. You plan by having a long disntance plan for the planning months instead of getting rid of it.
If you don't plan this own you own mistakes rather than looking to blame or having disney foot the bill.

You can pay that money to the phone company or to Disney when they hike up food prices for a widely used 1-800 #. or make people pay a reservation fee because they are calling each day.

If you are going to grumble about it make minimal calls at low peak times. If it is taking an hour you end the call or ask them call you back when it is fixed.

Whooooo! That was more than a bit harsh and way over board considering my posts. Holy smokes! I can't imagine how you would respond if I was "really" upset about an issue with WDW. This was a grumble, not a huge tado! And for the record, they don't call back while searching for different ressies for you. If you notice one of my earlier posts where the calls were listed, I did call back after waiting a bit on a few of the days but also knew that I was going to have to wait no matter what. And no, I should NOT nor should any other person have to "plan by having a long disntance plan for the planning months instead of getting rid of it." That is just absurd. I did take the hit on this and took the blame several posts back for not using my cell so ease it up a bit, huh?

 

[Freyja]

I wish it would "only" cost me $80 to make my Disney calls. Believe me, my Disney phone bill can easily become so high that I really should factor it into my budget (although I never have).

 

[MickeyNicki]

Use your cell phone, if you have a plan with free long distance

 

[mskayjay]

Use your cell phone, if you have a plan with free long distance

Thats the plan looking forward Nikki. I just never stopped to consider the cost with no longer having the calling plan. Its been crazy here (kitchen remodeling, surgery coming up, 50th anniversary party, and life in general! lol) It was my fauly ultimately, but I still think they should have an 800.

BTW thanks for the newest dining thread! Love it and can't wait to try that Chai at AK. That is right up my alley and I bet it will be perfect for a hot Aug/Sept afternoon!

K

 

[MickeyNicki]

Thats the plan looking forward Nikki. I just never stopped to consider the cost with no longer having the calling plan. Its been crazy here (kitchen remodeling, surgery coming up, 50th anniversary party, and life in general! lol) It was my fauly ultimately, but I still think they should have an 800.

BTW thanks for the newest dining thread! Love it and can't wait to try that Chai at AK. That is right up my alley and I bet it will be perfect for a hot Aug/Sept afternoon!

K

I agree, it totally stinks because I cannot call from work anymore!

Glad you like the new reviews, that frozen chai was so delish! I am going to see if Starbucks has a similar one

 

[mskayjay]

Where did that photo come from? lol

I don't like your reviews. I love them. It has been so helpful to show DH food options at different places for our anny trip. BTW, my brother used to live at Victoria Lakes in Naples and ran the Jacobsen's store down there! Gorgeous area.

 

[MickeyNicki]

Where did that photo come from? lol

I don't like your reviews. I love them. It has been so helpful to show DH food options at different places for our anny trip. BTW, my brother used to live at Victoria Lakes in Naples and ran the Jacobsen's store down there! Gorgeous area.

How the heck did I do that??? Ok I am a weirdo!

My Mom used to live at the Jacobson's...now it is a Niemen Marcus or something like that...oh well, too rich for my blood!

 

[emmabemmainc]

I still don't get why people don't get unlimited phone service--well, if they can. There are a few cable companies around me that offer unlimited phone service for a very cheap price. There is also vonage which is pretty inexpensive. For cell phones--if you are in the right area, you can get metropcs, which costs me around 50.00/month for unlimited cell phone use. It's a great deal.

Sorry if these options had been mentioned already--just jumping in at the end.

 

[4EverFigment]

The first time I was trusted with making The Call to Disney (at 407-W-DISNEY, no less, I still remember the number!) I was told in no uncertain terms to have all my questions lined up, everything I wanted to reserve, all ready to go, because it wasn't an 800 number. That was in 2000. Even with having made all kinds of plans in advance, it was still a $40 phone bill.

I was pretty cheesed off at the time, and I wondered the same thing about the cost of a toll-free number.

No one has yet suggested the most (to me) obvious reason. It's entirely possible, even probable, with the diversification of Disney, that Disney also owns the phone company there, or at least a significant portion of its stock. Therefore, charging the guest money to make the reservation is just a source of revenue. Having a toll-free number could cost the company twice! Once for the call, once for the loss of phone revenue.

They have their own power company.
They have their own deputized police force.
They have a closed sanitation system (completely independent of Orlando's or any other municipality).
They are an incorporated "city" that can set laws and taxes within its borders.
Why wouldn't they also have their own telephone company?

It still blows though. That is why I use a travel agent...also because I want travel agents to keep their jobs!

 

[eeyoregon]

well since we have a cell phone we don't usually use the land line and have no package on it but yeah....thats what it cost!

What cell plan do you have that doesn't have free night/weekend minutes? I didn't know that was possible??

Disney will likely never have 800 #'s for the public. Some folks don't realize that each time someone dials an 800 # the owner of that number is being charged a fee.

Disney potentially takes hundreds of thousands of calls per day. Most are relevant because the caller is footing the bill.

But when the call no longer costs the caller, you get ridiculous calls like, "Hi, how is Mickey Mouse today?" or "What kind of dog food does Pluto eat?"

 

[mskayjay]

No no....I have no plan on the land line eeyore! I do have a plan on the cell but because our reception is much clearer on the land line I used that, not thinking about the fact that we didn't have the plan anymore. I blew it but again, I still think WDW should have 800 lines. mho.....