Why Does the DIS Allow Members to Promote Reservation Sites?

[5DisneyNuts]

With all the rules regarding posting other websites etc., I am at a loss why the moderators allow all the postings promoting the various reservations searching sites. Does WDW condone these sites?

At best, these sites are causing overhead on the WDW reservation system causing the 'non-paying' population problems finding reservations they want. At worst, they are asking people to pay money with the promise they will notify them when a requested reservation becomes available, without really knowing if the notification is factual.

Mods, can you please shed some light?

 

[5DisneyNuts]

Copied from another thread regarding using for profit dining sites...

"Sorry, but I don't see how this is going to work going forward. Is this leading to people that don't pay not finding anything and the site crashes; people that pay one price maybe gets one or 2 notifications or reservations; people that pay more get higher access?

How is this good? Please someone answer that absent of securing your own reservations."

 

[supersnoop]

An important part of any forum is sharing information about new products and services. It's only when the company comes on and tries to promote their own wares that it gets filtered.

Personally, I'm disappoints about some other very useful, free, websites that are filtered. And the moderators have never responded to my question as to why they're not allowed.

 

[Jadyreen1282]

Here's another shameless plug for Garden Grocer. Glad I don't have to walk to Hess anymore. I love you GG!

Some people just need extra attention finding ADR's. It's a good service and I'm all for plugging it for people that have a difficult time with Disney's site.

 

[jtowntoflorida]

The DIS has always allowed discussion of vendors amongst the community members provided that the vendors in question haven't violated the DIS advertising rules. If no discussion of vendors was allowed on here, there would be no more recommendations allowed for companies that rent strollers or ECVs, grocery delivery, car rental...heck, even discussion of different airlines wouldn't be allowed.

 

[5DisneyNuts]

I respect your opinion and have gotten great tips on the vendors I've discovered here. The vendors mentioned above don't cause a problem for other vacationers.

My concern has more to do with these sites making it more difficult for the average non-paying person to get the reservations they want, especially as they become more popular. When vendors popped up that would call WDW for a fee to get CRT reservations, Disney changed policies so that you couldn't transfer names on the dining reservation, credit cards were required, and the DIS didn't allow discussions promoting them. Phone lines were clogged and the average person couldn't get through.

If the reservation searching sites are using 'bots' to search the WDW system, they are causing system stress and we all know the site doesn't need any more problems. That is why places like ticketmaster use captcha technology to make sure a human is on the other end.

I fully realize how bad the reservation site can be and have been frustrated many times so I get it, but I have concerns that these services will only cause more problems down the road.

 

[Pumbaa_]

All,it will take is disney adding a human verification step

 

[steves100]

5DisneyNuts why the complaint? So if the reservation system sucks, which it does. Why not promote a pay alternative. I am going the week before Christmas.

Was able to get all my reservations at the 180 time frame, including BoG. But, Biergarten and Mama Melrose were not available, dur to DISNEY issues. Biergarten finally opened up, but Mama Melrose till hasn't.

Why should I constanyly need to check the reservation site for obvious Disney issues?????

I think $8 is worth not constantly keep checking.

 

[vrajewski10513]

Not to mention, there are people who have jobs that imepede them from stalking Disney's website all day long to try and get those reservations. I'd gladly pay the money to have someone let me know when a reservation I desperately want becomes available. Time is money, and I think the people developing those systems are very smart for identifying the need for it. There are more than enough people willing to pay for their services to make it worth it to them.

 

[22Tink]

Agreed! If you don't like the service, don't use it. If Disney doesn't want the search sites out there, it will find a way to shut them down or add a captcha. Until then, if it helps me give my kids a more magical Disney vacation, I'll use the search sites!

 

[ldauksch]

A captcha would obviously stop it but I would be SUPER annoyed if I had to put in a captcha before I could even search for a table every single time.

 

[22Tink]

A captcha would obviously stop it but I would be SUPER annoyed if I had to put in a captcha before I could even search for a table every single time.

Me, too! Let's hope that never happens!!

 

[5DisneyNuts]

I can't disagree with anything written above about how annoying a captcha would be, how bad the reservation site is, how inventive the reservation searching sites are, or how some of us have jobs and can't stalk the WDW site.

Based on WDW history though, I don't see this ending well as the use of reservation searching services gain popularity (through sites like the DIS) and whatever they do about it will be an inconvenience for everyone. Just my opinion.

 

[Disneyliscious]

So what happens if you pay $8 and get a notification there is a res available? Do you still have to log in to MDE and reserve it manually? Wouldn't a popular res stand a good chance of already being taken by the time you log in to reserve it?

 

[22Tink]

So what happens if you pay $8 and get a notification there is a res available? Do you still have to log in to MDE and reserve it manually? Wouldn't a popular res stand a good chance of already being taken by the time you log in to reserve it?

You do have to log in and reserve yourself. I was able to get the ADRs for all of the notifications I've gotten for the times I wanted. (3 ADRs in total so far) I'm sure that doesn't always happen and it's a chance you have to be willing to take I guess.

Also, if you don't get the reservation, your search subscription is still good and will continue searching for you until you deactivate it.

 

[IceSkatingPrincess]

One of those things got me a 4th of July dessert party on the drive down. I used to be against them, but I now see the value. Plus, the dining site has been glitchy since way before these caught on.

 

[threeboysmom]

Disney's website has ALWAYS been glitchy. It's AMAZES me that a company as big & successful as Disney would have such a crappy IT department.

And it's not just their reservations page. I wanted to watch the Disney live fireworks on the 4th. Their site was up and running until 5 minutes before the fireworks were about to start, then CRASH. Their webcam/site went down - most likely because the site couldn't handle everyone being on at once.

I just don't understand why they don't resolve these issues.

 

[CodeGoddess]

If the reservation searching sites are using 'bots' to search the WDW system, they are causing system stress and we all know the site doesn't need any more problems.

I think you may have a bit of misinformation. I am an applications engineer so I write systems like these (web apps, web services, etc) for a living. Been at it almost 15 years now. The system you use and the system the "bots" use are two different systems. While yes they are accessing the same data they are delivered two different ways and more than likey from two different locations where one does not effect the other. The "bots" are actually able to pull a much larger chunk of data that is more efficent and easier on the system than individuals using the website. They are not effecting the web interface you are trying to use.

 

[decker96]

I guess if these services were extremely expensive I could understand the argument about those willing to pay more getting a better chance of getting what they want. But they're really not. I signed up for Disney Dining Scout a few days ago and it was $4. Considering how expensive the actual trip itself is, $4 is nothing. I got a text today that BOG times had become available and I was able to get a reservation at the one restaurant my youngest daughter requested for our upcoming trip. I consider that well worth the money.

 

[5DisneyNuts]

What you are saying is true in some instances and not completely accurate in others. I am familiar with these systems too.

If what you were saying was true 100% of the time there would be no need for captcha technology or systems being affected when a number of users hit at the same time (DDOS). Depends on the receiving infrastructure.

Anyway, I've voiced my opinion enough times. If others want to use the services while they can, I completely understand.

I think you may have a bit of misinformation. I am an applications engineer so I write systems like these (web apps, web services, etc) for a living. Been at it almost 15 years now. The system you use and the system the "bots" use are two different systems. While yes they are accessing the same data they are delivered two different ways and more than likey from two different locations where one does not effect the other. The "bots" are actually able to pull a much larger chunk of data that is more efficent and easier on the system than individuals using the website. They are not effecting the web interface you are trying to use.