Why is it so difficult to make an ADR, 180 days out for some??

[faindrops27]

So let me throw this out there for arguments sake. The ADR was 90 days, but now it is 180 days. If no one can make ADRs ahead of that time frame (ie 90, 180, etc...), why not make it 30 days? I mean, what is the difference between some one sitting on the phone at 7am EST 30, 90, or 180 days out? It's not like a Disney restuarant begins planning for that day 30, 90, or 180 days in advance. Why should we? People were jamming the phones 90 days out becaused they realized that DDP put more business in the restaurants for when they wanted to go. Now those people will eventually realize they can't get the ressie they want at 90 days, so now they must call 180 days out. I assume this will get some ruffle some feathers, but let's hear it.

I dont get the point you are trying to make. Whether disney says 30 days or 180. It would be no problem at all for me. Ruffled feathers, for what?

 

[faindrops27]

We do the same thing...and we're not chefs. 2 week menu plan, mostly because we only do a big shopping trip every 2 weeks....then a smaller one in the middle to pick up fresh produce and staples (bread, milk....Ben and Jerrys, ya know that kinda stuff).

Ahh Ben and Jerry's. Gotta love it! I absolutely love the twisted yogurts!! Yes, our family also does .The 2 week, grocery shopping trip. It works out pretty well for us!

 

[beth_cam]

WHy cant I set ADR's 180 days out...I dont even know I'll be vacationing 180 days out. for the last two year we were given money for christmas that allowed our trips one in feb one in may. We werent even considering it before that and had no expectation of the money. Then for the first year (may trip) it took a couple of months to decide if we were going to do it and then researching and even deciding that we wanted to eat at restaurants instead of scrimping (thank you ddp). so by the time I was able to make reservations I was about 45 days out. Same with the feb trip didnt have to decide about ddp but Christmas to the trip wasn't long. We are planning a trip sort of for spring/summer some time. we will go to dc then the beach in va. If finances go well and we dont spend too much on our spring trip we hope to take my son for a 7th birthday bash (as we did my dd this year) which will be in December. When will we actually decide if we are doing this trip? probably around October when we know where we stand financially, when he can have some input as to if there is something he'd rather do/have. We also dont know if we would go at thanksgiving (early birthday) to avoid taking the kids out of school. I plan obsessively I'm already thinking over all this for next year scoping out what kind of activities would be best to make it special for him (My dd did the Princess Tea, Cinderellas Castle, AAA Story time, And got 2 new costumes but it's different with a boy). I already have some thing planned as how we will handle stuff. But as far as dinner reservations that will kind of depend on park hours and EMH. SO I really do have to wait to have all the information. And we have skipped/reorganized ADR's because what I had chosen just wasnt what we wanted at the time.

 

[BillSears]

To everyone out there on both sides of this I just wanted to say that I'm enjoying the conversation and do not mean to belittle anyone involved. I'm just talking and not upset at anything. So please forgive me if I seem to be going overboard defending my thoughts because it's just conversation.

Do you ever have plans with a friend to try a restaurant in advance? For example, there is a great Japanese place with a two hour wait that doesn't take reservations. So, one day when we got out of work early, we got there at 4 pm when they opened. We had plans for three weeks to go on that day when we knew we could get there early. I had tickets to go see a play in NYC, so we made plans to eat in Little Italy at a really great Italian restaurant. My family and I planned this when we bought the tickets so we'd go somewhere everyone would like- about 4 months before the date. So, there are times, when we plan in advance in "real life", too.

Almost always when I go out with friends it's a "Let's go out for dinner." type of thing and we decide on where to go after we all meet up. Here is an example of how much I hate planning dinner plans. My daughter graduated from college in December and I wanted to take 28 family members out to dinner to celebrate. It was torture for me to actually make the arraingements. I tried and tried to get it done but just couldn't decide where and when. Finally I managed to get it all together and we had the dinner in June. It took me 6 months to do it and I hated that I couldn't bring myself to finalize the plans before that. ETA-Just thinking back on this now makes my heart race abit, I guess I really do have some sort of mental block about planning dinning.

Here's another good one. I've been to New York about 6 times. All but one of those times were spur of the moment trips. On Friday I'd ask my daughter what she was doing Saturday and if nothing was going on we'd hop in the car Saturday morning, drive to New York from Baltimore, park at any garage that was near Broadway, walk on Broadway till we saw a play that interested us, check and see if tickets were available and buy them if so(we've always found tickets to something we wanted to see), grab lunch in Times Square area, watch our show, do some shopping, stop someone and ask for them for a good spot to eat or just wander till we found what we wanted and then eat dinner, then head back to the car and drive home. I've seen Beauty and the Beast, Chicago, Miss Saigon, Cabaret and Les Mis all on days like this and had a great time. The Lion King was the only Broadway show I've had advanced tickets for and because we were traveling with others on thier "schedule" the trip just wasn't as fun but the show was great.

So, post your ADR's on here and we can cheer you on with hundreds of smilies. We'll get you so excited that you won't think of it as a restriction any more but something akin to a personal invitation to the palace. *One of us. One of us. One of us. One of us.*

Here they are for my September trip. I do make ADRs I just don't like having to do it. I'm happy with the places I'm dining I just wish I could move them around as I want during my trip.

Day 1: EPCOT/LeCellier
Day 2: MK/Chef Mickeys
Day 3: MGM/ 50s Prime Time Diner
Day 4: AK/Boma
Day 5: EPCOT/Spoodles
Day 6: Not sure what park/Raglan Road
Day 7: Not sure what park/Les Chefs de France ADR but not sure if we'll make it.

 

[dizfanz]

I dont get the point you are trying to make. Whether disney says 30 days or 180. It would be no problem at all for me. Ruffled feathers, for what?

Well, I think you made my point. For you, it is no big deal whether the time limit is 30 or 180 days. I am rather spontaneous when it comes to dining, but even I could look ahead 30 days, which I usually do, for a meal I want really bad.

OT, I have read within this and other posts that 2 big ADRs to get are CRT(I get this one) and Le Cellier. Really, LeCellier is that big of a draw for ADRs. I like it, but I just can't see it as a must have. Oh well.

 

[LoraJ]

Well, I think you made my point. For you, it is no big deal whether the time limit is 30 or 180 days. I am rather spontaneous when it comes to dining, but even I could look ahead 30 days, which I usually do, for a meal I want really bad.

OT, I have read within this and other posts that 2 big ADRs to get are CRT(I get this one) and Le Cellier. Really, LeCellier is that big of a draw for ADRs. I like it, but I just can't see it as a must have. Oh well.

I've been wondering the same thing about Le Cellier. I enjoyed it, but it's nothing to write home about.

I've been wondering what kind of affect the DDP has had on the DTD restaurants that don't take it. Are the spontaneous people who would normally be at Le Cellier or wherever now going to DTD in droves? Would it be harder to get an ADR at Fulton's now?

I would definitely be for 30 days out ADR reservations. 180 days is just ridiculous.

 

[pilferk]

Well, I think you made my point. For you, it is no big deal whether the time limit is 30 or 180 days. I am rather spontaneous when it comes to dining, but even I could look ahead 30 days, which I usually do, for a meal I want really bad.

30 days might be good for you, but....maybe not so good for Disney. I always thought the 90 day mark was a good compromise under the old system. It wasn't so far in advance that some might consider it inconvenient, it war far enough out so that we compulsive types wouldn't stress about wether or not we were gonna find a place to eat, and far enough out that Disney could use the ADR #s to project how full the place would be, how much food to order, and how to staff the place, etc, etc.

But, no matter which of the "deadlines" you propose was used (30 or 180), someone is going to be stressed out. Either the compulsive types are going to be practicing dialilng the WDW Dine number, chanting "LeCellier on June 10th for 4" in their sleep, and biting their nails over not knowing what's going to happen to them 30 days out OR the "wing it" types are going to be stressed out over availability, dreaming of starving to death in the MK, and pulling their hair out of their heads because they don't want to have to commit to steak when they think that paricular night they're going to want seafood. And therein lies the crux of the matter....

I would assume that the marketing gurus have done all their research and the bean counters have done all their research and come to the conclusion that 180 days is what's best for Disney and that most of their customers either like that date or are not so off put by it that they'll take their business elsewhere. So now those that are left out in the cold are left to adjust and/or adapt to the new date. Maybe, if there is enough dissatisfaction expressed, they'll go back to 90 days. But, with the added "stress" on TS eaterys put in place by the DDP, I rather doubt it.

 

[Anewman]

Well, with the countless, posts. I have seen about people, hating the DDP, or why is the DDP so hard.
Please, I want to understand. The statement. I hear over and over again. I don't want to make a ADR 180 days in advance. Because, i don't know what I will want to eat, on that day?? I really do not understand why it is such a big deal. I mean, you look up resteraunts on allearsnet.com. You look at what kind of food the resteraunts offer. You make a compiled list of those resteraunts/foods you want to try, and you make an ADR. Not because you feel like chinese, or steak on one perticular evening. But, because, the menu items, looked good, and you want to try that resteraunt. Please, for all of you that find it so difficult. Please help me understand, why is it so hard? To me, it is a piece of cake. I must be missing something

Without reading thing other than the OP, we cant even plan our trips 6 months out. Not because we are not capable but because we are not allowed due to other commitments.

Kids play High School sports(DD=Volleyball+Softball, DS=Football+Wrestling+Baseball) and attend Nerd Camp(Johns Hopkins University center for talented youth) during the summer. Both have had perfect attendance in school for about 6 years straight now, so pulling them out of school is not an option for us. Take 2005 for example, there was only one week out of the whole year that the ENTIRE family was available for a trip of any kind and we barely had 6weeks to decide and plan.

 

[jodifla]

I love planning, and I love Disney, but 180 days out is just nutso! Especially for DVC members. Sine we go all the time, we no longer map out big touring plans, etc. Then you throw kids in the mix...they need a spontaniety that can't be thought out six months in advance.

Another reason to hate the DDP and its effects on disney dining.

 

[sydprincess]

Yikes! I will be scheduling 16 ADR's for our 10 day June '07 trip! I would panic without them. Kudos to those of you who go without or schedule last minute. You are definitely risk takers!

 

[faindrops27]

Do, I feel tension. Among us? Well, let us all give each other, a . And remember, no matter, what different viewpoints, touring plans, etc. We will all be going to Disneyworld!!