What if Disney went to a no-ADR policy?

Peter Pirate said:
The degree to which this has escalated is ridiculous and I don't feel that just because someone is so anal that they know where they're going to want to eat breakfast, lunch and dinner 180 days out should warrant reward. Does spontenaity count for nothing?

Awfully brave of you to throw around a word like "anal" to the people on these boards! Most of us are compulsive planners and yes, do feel that if we took the time to call in and plan as soon as we are able deserve to have a guaranteed spot & time to eat. That's all we are talking about here. You can still have spontinaity at Disney. I just don't want it when it comes to feeding hungry children. Are you telling me you pull up on Disney property without first procuring a hotel room? I doubt it. A place like WDW requires some forethought in order to make the actual trip more relaxing. Bottom line: if you don't want to plan ahead, don't! Just don't blame those of us who thought to plan ahead while you're standing out front waiting for your beeper to go off.
 
I'm one of those people who hates to plan my trips out in minute detail; I don't like being locked into a specific schedule, especially as regards my dining arrangements.

But I acknowledge that WDW is a place that attracts hundreds of thousands of diners every evening of the year, and each of WDW's many restaurants sells out in advance mighty quick, so an advance reservation system is an absolute nessecity.

When I'm on my trips, I rarely make ADRs. But if I show up at 'Ohana or Boma and the wait for walk-ups is 60 minutes, I see no difference between that and my local Outbacks, which routinely have waits of 90-120 minutes on Friday and Saturday nights, and 60 minutes the rest of the week.

Advance planning of which park to go to on what day of your trip is not anal, it's expected, just like when planning which shore excursions you want on what day of a cruise, what casino you want to pay off on what day of a Vegas trip, or what museums or shows you want to see on what day of a New York trip. And making reservations at specific restaurants that fit with those plans also makes sense.

I like the current ADR system. I like that all ADRs are now uniformly 90-days (with certain limited exceptions), and I like extending on-site Guests' booking window beyond the general window (like the current 90+10 system).

I think the only major improvement left for the system is the addition of a long-overdue on-line booking system. And I would be in favor of a system that prevents double-booking; the idea of booking more than one restaurant seems a little duplicitous to me, as well as inconsiderate to others who might be trying to book into those same restaurants.

So I say, NO, I don't think the ADR system should be eliminated, and I thin kit needs only a few minor tweaks to be nearly perfect.
 
Bringing a somewhat different perspective...

This March will be the first time I have been to Disney since 1988, when I stayed off-site and visited for 2 days. The last time I spent a real vacation there was 1976.

I am completely impressed that there are really good restaurants in Disney World! I am used to the more typical theme park experience, where you wait on long lines to buy overpriced and mediocre food. (For instance, much as I love to take my toddler to Sesame Place in PA, the food options and the efficiency of the cafeteria style restaurants there leave something to be desired.) Did Disney always have good restaurants? I certainly don't remember this from back in my childhood! (Then again, I was 9, so it's quite possible I didn't know what "good restaurant" meant back then.)

I do think 180 days in advance is long...but on the flip side to that, I now KNOW that I will be able to take my child to CRT for breakfast, Crystal Palace for breakfast, Princess Storybook for dinner, and 1900 Park Fare for one dinner and one breakfast with over 90 days to go before my vacation. Since we're really going to see the characters, this lets me know ahead of time that my vacation will be "worth it" even if we only do two rides the whole time we're there!

I can hardly imagine the chaos and stress of everyone trying to show up at CRT and get a beeper, or only being able to make a reservation 3 days out at most. I don't want to spend my vacation on the phone, and I certainly don't want to run around Disney seeing every adult frantically talking on a cell phone!

The only thing that surprises me is that Disney doesn't have a few more TS restaurants, since it seems like demand is outstripping supply by a sizable amount, and every time a diner chooses TS over CS, Disney profits.

In every other way, though, Disney seems to have capitalism down to a fine art. If they can charge my credit card for CRT now without me complaining, of course they are going to do it. Brilliant, in a way.
 
Awefully brave? No, more like stupid. Also, I'm a big fan of bad humor... :teeth:

I don't begudge all of those planners out there but it's just overdone and IMO (IMO) I prefer room for sponteniety in my life including vacation.

I seldom went to WDW without a hotel reservation, although I have done it on 2 or 3 occasions and no it wasn't joyus looking for a room. But dining is different and we have raised our kids at WDW (now 12 & 16). Thankfully we were seldom shut out of restaurants although 'Ohana and CG were always difficult.
pirate:
 

Peter Pirate said:
I don't begudge all of those planners out there but it's just overdone and IMO (IMO) I prefer room for sponteniety in my life including vacation.
Hmmm... I heard a lot of "begruding" in your earlier post. Go ahead and be as spontaneous as you want. It's not hurting us planners at all. :teeth:
 
No, no, no, you mistook rightous indignation for begrudging. :cool1:

Personally speaking, I have no problems with any of this. I am friends with the chef's at two of the problematic restaurants (which makes problems magically go away, somehow) and am known by sight at at least 2 more of the nice places, which has always gotten me through the door...

I just think the preplanning inhibits so much, not to say than one should have no plan as visiting WDW by the seat of your pants is truly foolhearty.

Further, I know the chef's and creative staff aren't thrilled with the new arrangement (particularily the recent success of the dining plans) as they've noticied the 'middling' of tastes of the guests and have, in fact, been told in so many words, to be less creative with their menu's...Is this a step foreward? I know this doesn't relate directly to the new reservation policy at the CG but it is all part of a trend that I think is going to end up poorly.
pirate:
 
Peter Pirate said:
I just think the preplanning inhibits so much, not to say than one should have no plan as visiting WDW by the seat of your pants is truly foolhearty.
I don't see having a plan as inhibiting, as long as you are free to deviate from it whenever you feel like it. For example, I made more ADRs for TS meals than we actually have credits for, because I know once or twice we just won't feel like going to that restaurant at that time. So I can call and cancel, and there's more room for a non-planner.

But really, referring to us as "anal" people who are "pretending to enjoy our vacations" is neither kind nor humorous. Sounds like sour grapes to me.
 
You guys and gals are a hoot. :rotfl:

I didn't know about ADR's until I found these boards a couple of months ago. I remember reading about reservations on the Disneyworld.com site but I didn't really understand it until I started reading these boards. And unfortunately there's not a link to these boards which explains to really understand what we're talking about go to this site. I'm pretty sure there are a lot of people who do not know about ADR's because of this I think they should keep a percentage of the tables open for walkups. This would reward those who plan and also accomodate for those who just didn't know. IMHO
 
Don't like my sense of humor...Sorrrrrrrrry.

Sour grapes? How? It doesn't affect me personally. I'm having this conversation for fun and because I happen to like Disney and wish them continued success.:banana:

Further, I don't see anything wrong with a plan either (see I actually agree). I do find it amusing that so many people can know what they are going to feel like eating for breakfast, lunch and dinner for 7 days or more in a row 180 days out though. You don't find this funny? How about odd? A little strange? Maybe unnerving? A bit freakish? a tad unusual? ... NO? Then maybe I'm wrong. :earseek:
pirate:
 
Peter Pirate said:
I do find it amusing that so many people can know what they are going to feel like eating for breakfast, lunch and dinner for 7 days or more in a row 180 days out though. You don't find this funny? How about odd? A little strange? Maybe unnerving? A bit freakish? a tad unusual? ... NO? Then maybe I'm wrong. :earseek:
pirate:
And I find it amusing that someone could be such a slave to every passing whim that they can't even make the most tentative commitment to "a buffet" or "a place that serves eggs and waffles" at some point in the future, because they might just not feeeel like a buffet that night! :rotfl:
 
Hey, I'm a free spirit man...Like take a chill pill and pass the brownies...Oh nevermind. :rolleyes1

Can't we just get along? :grouphug:

I'm a slave to nothing kind gentleperson and it'll do you well to know that I have made ADR's for 180 days from now for 8:00 at the California Grill and will do so everyday for the rest of the year. Further, I won't show up for any of them and I won't pay my credit card bill when it comes, but it wasn't my credit card anyway ... Sorry about those charges uncleromulus... :love2:

Can we please get back on topic? Geez.

pirate:
 
WillCAD said:
I like the current ADR system. I like that all ADRs are now uniformly 90-days (with certain limited exceptions), and I like extending on-site Guests' booking window beyond the general window (like the current 90+10 system).


Actually, it's now 180 days or 180+10
 
Just a little warning...this is an interesting topic and friendly discussion is welcome. But name-calling is against DIS guidelines and will cause this thread to be closed. Please express your opinions without resorting to personal attacks against those who are on the other side of the issue from you.
 
If you are going to be on the dining plan then I think you must make adr's. When we were there this past nov(jersey week) we had three adr's out of 5 nites. we ate counter svc one nite and at kona cafe at 5pm-which is earlier than we would have liked. Anyway without adrs you may end up eating more counter service or very early or very late. :wizard:
 
Peter Pirate said:
Don't like my sense of humor...Sorrrrrrrrry.

Sour grapes? How? It doesn't affect me personally. I'm having this conversation for fun and because I happen to like Disney and wish them continued success.:banana:

Further, I don't see anything wrong with a plan either (see I actually agree). I do find it amusing that so many people can know what they are going to feel like eating for breakfast, lunch and dinner for 7 days or more in a row 180 days out though. You don't find this funny? How about odd? A little strange? Maybe unnerving? A bit freakish? a tad unusual? ... NO? Then maybe I'm wrong. :earseek:
pirate:

Not that it means anything, but I personally am finding your posts about all of this completely funny and amusing. I mean, come on- there is an aspect of hilarity to all of this- people getting worked up over ADRs, planning meals half a year in advance, etc. If you can't laugh at yourself, then who CAN you laugh at? (Don't answer that ;) )

As an aside, I lived in New Orleans for several years, working in the french quarter in the tourism industry, so I have definitely seen my fair share of vacationers. People making meal reservations 180 days in advance was DEFINITELY a rarity- I think this is strictly a Disney thing :teeth:
 
I love the 180 +10 plan. 90 days worked fine for me, but the 180 is even better. I was able to get every ADR I wanted. I am a planner and like having all my meals planned out ahead of time. I'm the same way at home. I won't wait for a table at a restaurant. If I can make a reservation - great. If not, I either won't eat at a crowded place or I'll go at an off time. I'd hate to waste precious vacation time waiting around for a table at a restaurant. For people who don't want to plan and make ADR's they can either wait or eat counter service.
 
I didn't know about ADR's until I found these boards a couple of months ago. I remember reading about reservations on the Disneyworld.com site but I didn't really understand it until I started reading these boards. And unfortunately there's not a link to these boards which explains to really understand what we're talking about go to this site. I'm pretty sure there are a lot of people who do not know about ADR's because of this I think they should keep a percentage of the tables open for walkups. This would reward those who plan and also accomodate for those who just didn't know. IMHO

Except it doesn't. There simply are not enough seats at Disney's restaurants to seat all the guests during many times of the year. There are far too few seats at a few popular spots. What you are suggesting lets a few people who didn't plan take seats from the people who do plan ahead, but leaves the same number of people disappointed. Just more up front on the phone and a few less disappointed in the parks. It also creates the problem of hour or two hour wait times for a table instead of the ability to say "no walk ups tonight." Its bad enough to wait in an hour long standby line for Test Track, guests don't want to do it for dinner.

As they say in the project management business - "Your lack of preplanning should not consistute an emergency on my part"

Every confirmation I got from Disney this year included a reminder that Disney restaurants were popular and I should make reservations to ensure that I got a chance to experience the restaurants I wanted.
 
Peter Pirate's attitude is a lot like mine at home. But in Disney World, the sheer volume of tourists precludes one from "winging it" - unless you want to eat chicken tenders and fries every night.

A lot of Disney's policies are absurd, but Disney has no relation to the real world (other than an obsession with the bottom line, of course). Beyond Disney's borders one doens't fuss about towel animals, window tables, fireworks, and princesses who, for reasons alone, frequent Norwegian castles, yet these issues become matters of great consequence on these boards. It's amusing, which is why I visit Disney as often as I do (although not as often as I visit these boards).
 
I'm a local. Sometimes out of the blue we decide to go to WDW for dinner. I call and make a ADR--usually we can get in to at least our second or third choice. But if I couldn't get an ADR in advance, there's no way I'd make the 30-45 minute trip each way to find out when I got there that they couldn't seat me for two hours. I'm sure there are a lot of locals like us.

For special occasions I book well in advance.

Anne
 
I have been to WDW about 10 times and have never planned much more than 3 months out, most of the time it was around 2 - the new 180 day policy will certainly be a disadvantage for my type of planning. I think the ADR system is better than what I remember, back in the early days of Epcot you had to get over to the park early to make reservations via a TV screen for each day. When I stayed onsite in 1986, you could make reservations via the concierge but I don't remember how many days in advance you could go.
 





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