Originally Posted By vbdad55 That was the right thing to do (IMHO) and when that September date gets 30 days out and someone calls-- it will be a whole lot tougher to get what you want. And now-- you know on the days you booked, you have a plan. You may or may not stick to it, but you are covered...one less thing to be concerned about the days you are there...
Originally Posted By disneydad109 the whole idea of WDW is ,for us,to be removed from real life if only for a short time.anything that helps that along is a plus in my book .
Originally Posted By hopemax Last year they had to temporarily open El Pirata y Perico, as a buffet dinner served by WDW special events so that people on the dining package would have a place to use their credits. Moral: Make your ressies, just in case.
Originally Posted By Autopia Deb I would recommend calling in priority seatings for special meals, dinner shows and restaurants you don't want to miss. Then when you get there, call from your hotel for the day's sit-down dining and be willing to be flexible with restaraunts and dining times. I would not recommend this aproach during the high season, but it worked for me last winter.
Originally Posted By hiro I have another question,I read a user report of someone using this dining program and they ran into the problem of the restaurant in MK closing hours before the park does; so, is there a place I can find a listing of the restaurant hours inside parks so I could plan accordingly?
Originally Posted By junglejoy This is a total promotion for another website, so it may have to be delted, but I have gotten great help at www.tourguidemike.com. It's about $20 to join, but all the answers you are looking for and some that didn't even occur to you are there. I can't recommend it enough. I'll let you know how it works in reality when we get back from our trip in Oct. But I'd at least check it out. He shoudl have the dining hours there.
Originally Posted By pixiedust1 Hi.... Deb's Site is where you can go.. she lists all the menu's and closing times for all the restaurants, including their locations throughtout the parks.. I hope you have been reading the posts about PS... You really need to make them... there are many popular restaurants in WDW, and you may not be able to get PS at the last minute.. here is the site <a href="http://wdwig.com/" target="_blank">http://wdwig.com/</a>
Originally Posted By junglejoy I gotta agree with pixiedust here. I called yesterday for my ADR at the end of Sept, and several I wanted were sold out for the durationi of our trip. Ah well... it's my own fault. We did get lots of fun places to eat still, just not our first choices.
Originally Posted By ChiMike >>Ah well... it's my own fault. We did get lots of fun places to eat still, just not our first choices.<< In my eyes, it's really not your fault at all. After visiting WDW for the last 30+ years I think it is rediculous that one needs to figure out where and when they wish to dine 4 months or 6 months out or they will be shut out with long waits. Disney really has gone overboard with the amount of P.S. or ADRS (or whatever they are calling them now) they give out for each location. Someone dropping 6000 on a vacation shouldn't be made to eat cheesburgers all week because they weren't sitting on the internet planning while they should have been working to pay for the 6000. I really think this prediciment hurts the common visitor. I just am a little amazed that most people are booking a meal 180 days. Especially those who have been going for years. I guess I'm - once again - the odd duck.
Originally Posted By davewasbaloo I hear you ChiMike. I am one who books 180 days in advance as I know that is the only way to get in the places we want to try. And with the dining plan, it's particularly important so we can get the value out of it rather than lose money. There is no doubt it takes the spontineity out. I remember the old days of walking into City Hall or the restaurant in the morning to make reservations later that day. Shame it doesn't work like that anymore.
Originally Posted By junglejoy ChiMike, I agree. We've never been to WDW so to decide what park we wanted to visit each day, six months in advance, not knowing if some parks we wanted to visit more than once, was ridiculous! I put-off making a decision until some folks on another board told me to just do it or we would be screwed! I'm glad I have some ADR's, but don't know if we'll make it to all of them because we don't want to be forced to be in a place based on where our dinner reservations are. So the dining plan may not work for us, but it's "free" while we're there, so we're giving it a shot. I do feel bad for people who decide to go last minute (we do this all the time with DL and can still eat at nice places!) and won't be able to get a sit-down meal. You're correct, it just isn't right.
Originally Posted By pixiedust1 <<I just am a little amazed that most people are booking a meal 180 days. Especially those who have been going for years. I guess I'm - once again - the odd duck.>> I agree with you... we have been doing Disney for the past 25 yrs... and I can remember sitting in our room calling for resrvations two days before we wanted to go, for just about anything with no problem , I mean things like Breakfast With The Characters , as time went on and Disney added so many plans, and packages that give you BWTC choices, a large amount of people who may not have gone to or made reservations are now doing so... there are times we are waiting to check in at a Disney resort and listen to the cast members telling the guests that they have one Breakfast voucher , and one dinner voucher... you have guests here for conventions that get those in their packages.. there are so many reasons now that make it hard to get your reservation... If you are on your own , you are competing with many obstacles, I'm sure there are many other reasons why , that I did not think of...
Originally Posted By hiro Thanks for the help, guys. You've convinced me to reserve it all beforehand. Hope I can snag a Hoop-de-doo in there somewhere.
Originally Posted By Spirit of 74 <<In my eyes, it's really not your fault at all. After visiting WDW for the last 30+ years I think it is rediculous that one needs to figure out where and when they wish to dine 4 months or 6 months out or they will be shut out with long waits.>> It's crazy is what it is, Mike. And it's all because of the Disney Dining Plan. The Mouse wants all guests to dine on it. This way they can have a guaranteed revenue stream. It also allows them to further WalMart menus across property. Six entrees offerings on a sheet of paper, that's the menu at supposed fine dining locations. And quality? Well, I feel reasonably confident that the ingredients, side items, quality of cuts of beef etc ... are all being dropped too. <<Disney really has gone overboard with the amount of P.S. or ADRS (or whatever they are calling them now) they give out for each location.>> Yep. It's tough doo-doo for any locals, any last minute visitors or anyone who doesn't know what they're going to be in the mood for for dinner on Oct. 11. A good quarter to third of tables should be LEFT open for walk-ins or day-of ressies, but that's not what's happening. Instead, what Disney is doing is booking 100% of table serve locations ahead of time. So you may have no trouble getting a late lunch at Marrakesh ... or Grand Flo Cafe ... or a late dinner at Maya Grill. But just try and book Le Cellier or Chef Mickey's or Flying Fish. <<Someone dropping 6000 on a vacation shouldn't be made to eat cheesburgers all week because they weren't sitting on the internet planning while they should have been working to pay for the 6000. I really think this prediciment hurts the common visitor.>> It hurts far more visitors than it helps. <<I just am a little amazed that most people are booking a meal 180 days. Especially those who have been going for years. I guess I'm - once again - the odd duck.>> Quack. Quack. You aren't the only one!
Originally Posted By vbdad55 While I also believe some % of tables should be set aside, I also haveno problem with knowing 6 months out that I will be dining at a great restaurant like Cali Grill -- rather than traveling 1200 miles to get there and not being able to get in. I know on the last day I will be dining at 9:15 at Cali Grill --- I know that the days I am in MGM I will eat a lunch at Brown Derby and a Dinner at Prime time, and that at MK I will lunch at LT and maybe have a dinner @ Crystal Palace. I know in EPCOT I will eat at Biergarten / Le Cellier / Alfredo's for sure and toss in another each year. I know I want a breakfast at the Beach Club and depending on who I am traveling with - Chef Mickey's. I don;t see how this would be a problem if they have a percentage - maybe 20% for locals etc. Any business model is going to want a somewhat guranteed revenue flow-- that's how you budget and forecast -- so I have no problem with them doing this. On a rainy day how many locals run over to the parks for dinner compared to those already on the grounds ? Can they plan a rainy day or week 180 days ahead of time - no. Bt they can plan on a certain % of resies showing up. If theyreally are booking 100% of the tables- what % never shows for their PS anyway ? I am sure it is more than just a minute number. So while I do not think that the best restaurants whould be shut out for locals, I also do not believe that because i can guarantee that I will eat there the day I want by planning ahead, that this system is inherently bad. needing of a tweak maybe, but as a customer and viewing it from a business standpoint, I think the model works fairly well. Now with all the Dining Plans as well as DDE open to AP/DVC now-- maybe there is a need for more sit down places to eat. that I think is entirely possible. And I am on board with the 6 entrees per restaurant not being a good idea -- this has really lowered the eatability for me at Olivia's for instance.
Originally Posted By Spirit of 74 I don't know what the number should be -- 15% ... 25% ... 35% ... -- but I do know that a percentage needs to be left open for people who don't compulsively plan. I usually make a few PS for places I really want to go, but most I don't until I am there and then it depends on mood, weather, location, family, friends etc ... where I wind up. Nothing like getting to LeCellier at 5:30 and being told they are booked for the night. Walking to Rose and Crown and being told the same. Walking to Chefs de France etc ... and that's happened of late. More troubling is I've then been able to pick up a phone within walking distance of the podium of those places and was able to make a PS for the same night. So something is at play. Clearly, they want all guests to have PSs. That's ridiculous. I'm also taking advantage of the food plan for the first time ever late this summer and I'm anxious to see how dumbed down the menus are going to be.
Originally Posted By vbdad55 <Nothing like getting to LeCellier at 5:30 and being told they are booked for the night. Walking to Rose and Crown and being told the same. Walking to Chefs de France etc ... and that's happened of late. More troubling is I've then been able to pick up a phone within walking distance of the podium of those places and was able to make a PS for the same night. So something is at play. Clearly, they want all guests to have PSs. That's ridiculous. < I am not sure even setting aside 20% of the seats will fix the issue of getting into Le Cellier or Cali Grill for dinner unless you are there to try and book the minute they open--like the old kiosks of yore..... Now being able to call for a PS and yet not get one at the front podium-- I have not heard that one before but I trust you and that is a more serious issue.... The Dining package much too confusing, even for EXCEL update carrying me....that's why I do the DDE card -- 20% off everything, at all sit downs-- even I can figure that's pretty close to tax a tip
Originally Posted By Spirit of 74 <<I am not sure even setting aside 20% of the seats will fix the issue of getting into Le Cellier or Cali Grill for dinner unless you are there to try and book the minute they open--like the old kiosks of yore.....>> Likely you're right, but at least there is some fairness there. And they could always leave a few tables open for walk-ins only. I also miss the nostalgia of the old WorldKey kiosks. <<Now being able to call for a PS and yet not get one at the front podium-- I have not heard that one before but I trust you and that is a more serious issue....>> That's happened at least twice (at LeCellier and R&C) in the past 18 months. A 'we're all booked for tonight' hours before park closing, followed by a call to WDW-DINE and bingo! a table at said resturant on the same night. <<The Dining package much too confusing, even for EXCEL update carrying me....that's why I do the DDE card -- 20% off everything, at all sit downs-- even I can figure that's pretty close to tax a tip >> I did it only because it's free with the package in late Aug and Sept as they are desperate to fill rooms in prime hurricane season. Otherwise, it's always DDE for me. But I wasn't thrilled with the increase from $50 to $85 this year, that's some gouging if you ask me.
Originally Posted By ChiMike >><<Now being able to call for a PS and yet not get one at the front podium-- I have not heard that one before but I trust you and that is a more serious issue....>> In January I did this three times. I think it IS VERY common. At three different places I was told no availability. I called on my cell phone for reservations an hour later. '74 makes a VERY good point.
