Oh so THAT'S WHY I can't get a reservation at Be Our Guest (and every other restaurant in WDW)!!

[Cold71]

In order to make reservations now you do need to guarantee with a credit card, it is part of the reservation process.

Correct, but with zero verification. That's why these websites are able to exist. If you tie the card down to a specific account you solve the problem of being able to create multiple fake Disney accounts and make reservations on them. They would be forced to commit credit card fraud to keep their website up and running.

 

[steves100]

They actually are not serving the market, they are the ones who created the frustrated customers. It's no different then a ticket scalper buying a ton of tickets and selling them at a ridiculously high cost. Except if the ticket scalper didn't dump the tickets in time, they'd get stuck with the face value costs. These "entrepreneurs" don't get stuck with any costs if they cancel in time. It's lazy entrepreneurship if anything. If they were smart they'd think of a service that helps people while making money instead of creating additional problems and chaos.

I agree, it is way to hard to and need to plan too much to make reservations.

 

[SillyFamily]

I wonder if this makes disney think of adding a booking fee to some of the hot restaurants. If they charged say $5 a person non refundable that would stop people from double booking and the reselling sites. $5 is not much in comparison to the price we pay for the meal, but $20 over several ressies does add up quick.

 

[nugov2]

Disney just needs to add ADR/FP bundle options. They can allow so many packages per day. MK bundle Tomorrowland terrace and breakfast at BOG or CRT plus Anna and Elsa FP. These couldd be in addition to your other FP. Pick your option and when it is sold out no more left. Only $40 per bundle plus cost of meal for family of 4 each additional person add $10.

Booking a disney trip is unlike anything else I have experienced and Disney is to blame for some of the issues. I view these services like stub hub. If something is important enough for me to have for my family and it is htg, I'll gladly pay a fee to make it happen. Many will and why there are so many vip tours, private parties etc. Everyone wants to go on vacation, enjoy what is important to them with the least amount of hassle/wait. Disney is a place with a lot of hassle involved so the demand for sidestepping these hassles for a price is going to be popular.

Disney is just becoming more of a place for the haves vs the have not during peak times if you want to be able to do everything on your wish list. That will create people who will still go on a budget and accept doing less and those who will go less often but have a large budget to pay for the perks and Disney will happily count there extra money as the find more ways to exploit those who will gladly spend it. This is just an eye opener for disney and they will quickly see they can add more money to their pot from these websites.

 

[RogueKnits]

Disney is just becoming more of a place for the haves vs the have not during peak times if you want to be able to do everything on your wish list. That will create people who will still go on a budget and accept doing less and those who will go less often but have a large budget to pay for the perks and Disney will happily count there extra money as the find more ways to exploit those who will gladly spend it. This is just an eye opener for disney and they will quickly see they can add more money to their pot from these websites.

I will be very surprised if Disney doesn't find some way to capitalize on the demand for these services. I'm not sure what form it will take, but I'm willing to bet that in the future we will see some kind of additional fee for "priority booking" of popular ADRs.

 

[nugov2]

Oops wrong post

 

[yeheyprincex2]

I posted this in another thread last week. Have never used any of the booking sites myself but have read over each of them pretty extensively. Regarding the one in question, it feels fitting to share it here again:

I agree with the TA comment. How is it different? A person is being paid by you to book an ADR for you. If they TA doesn't charge you, they get paid from the venue (Disney) who in turn charges you, so you are still paying.

Im only aware of one site that actually books the ADRs for you. If you look at that site, there are maybe 100 ADRs listed over the next 4 months. Given that Disney seats THOUSANDS of patrons a day, I seriously doubt this site is a problem. How many ADRs do you think DIS'ers (and others) have booked right now that they will never use and only release the day/week before the ADR time?

And lets take it a step farther, if that one site sold every single ADR they had for the next 4 months it would prob average around $1000. Thats $250 a MONTH ( $62.50) a week for someone to sit there booking those ADRs and getting them to people who want them. They are not making any money on this venture nor are they the cause for the lack of ADRs. Granted they are new and business will prob pick up but as it stands, its prob some TA doing this on the side for a little extra (and well earned) income.

I would also keep in mind that every time some blog or newspaper writes about the atrocities of this place, they are actually only providing free advertising. Wouldn't surprise me if the newspapers/blogs weren't getting a kickback of some sort. All in it together.

I am GLAD these places are popping up. It will FINALLY force Disney to do something about their God awful ADR system which allows ANYONE to horde for FREEE.

I agree that the system is horrible and always find my self asking who and how did they come up with 180 days??????????" its so ridiculous.
Though I don't have much faith that the system will change and if it does I fear what Disney will come up with.

 

[CandiceF]

I am starting to think the biggest problem maybe ADR hoarders. That would explain why some people had no problems getting certain ADR's at 180 days and others could not.

 

[Plaid Princess]

Maybe tie it to your resort reservation? Off-site guests wouldn't be able to make an ADR then, but that's the price you pay in my opinion. (And we have stayed off-site in the past, I would accept the fact I couldn't make ADR.) Heck, Disney could even sell that as yet another advantage of staying within WDW. But yes, tying it to a park ticket would be a good start.

Neither of these options work due to AP holders and locals. A lot of people go to the resort restaurants even with no park ticket or hotel reservation, and the majority of the TS restaurants are at resorts.

Honestly, if people would think outside the box a little, they'd realize how many excellent restaurants they're missing out on. I've never had a problem getting a reservation, even same day. No, it's not Be Our Guest, but quite frankly... I don't understand the obsession with that (or any of the other "must do's").

Disney has tried a variety of different ways to do bookings. People complained that the booking window was too long, so they shortened it. Then others threw a fit and they extended it again. They've added fees to keep people from holding reservations at multiple restaurants during the same time frame. They've added online reservations so you can book at exactly 00:00 if you're that obsessed with where you eat. Short of taking a blood sample from everyone and cross referencing, there's not a lot else they can do without unnecessarily excluding people.

The only way for dining to be "fair" is to take away the ADR's completely and make every restaurant walk-in only.

 

[Plaid Princess]

Duplicate

 

[gopher101]

In all reality. Does Disney even need to do reservations? I am sure they would still be a full house with a no reservation policy, but what do I know. Nothing, nothing at all.

 

[acresse]

I remember when one of the perks of staying on property was " Priority Seating". You could not make a reservation, or " priority seating" as they called it without staying in a Disney resort hotel. If you were nòt in the hotels, you could go to guest services in the park entrance and they would find a table for you on the day of. Clearly this model didn't work for the expanding parks and hotels, or it would still be part of the Disney experience.

On a related side note, does anyone remember when you could book a table in epcot using a "video" phone? You would pick up the phone, and a person would appear on a tv screen, and assist you in making your reservations. This was cutting edge technology at the time! Who would have thought reservations would become so complicated.

 

[JimmyBean42]

The only way for dining to be "fair" is to take away the ADR's completely and make every restaurant walk-in only.

I completely understand your point on this one and it is a fair method, maybe the fairest of them all! But one word to sum up if this happened: Chaos.

 

[minidis]

Over 40 years a go I remember not having any issues eating at the park. We would walkup and either be seated or asked to wait for a table. My parents did not have to plan, make calculated decisions on when and where to eat.

Would you call and make reservations even one day in advanced for a party of 2 or 4 to Cracker Barrel or Olive Garden or Logans or any other chain.
They only time Normal People call and make reservations is when the party is larger or the event is on a possibly crowded day. However not ALL or most of the tables are assigned reservation status because they know a good majority of the customer walk in.

This Whole system is Disney MAXIMIZING their PROFIT. In the last 6 trips I have taken when I show up prior to my seating time I have had to wait on average 20 min or more. Really you call that reserved - Its more of reserved to wait.

The moment the people don't embrace it things would change. I understand that most of the people on this board are experienced and like the process of BUILDING their vacation. But many are no different than my parents they want to be on vacation and not a space shuttle mission. There is no count down you just enjoy it day by day.

The idea that if I did not make reservations weeks and months in advanced - I could not wait for a table is ridiculous. I really Walts dream of small town use (MK) was to jam it full of people where the lines to the bathroom and food and shops were so full that you spend more time waiting than actualy doing. I have not seen any British Period Drama where its all about waiting in line.

Build more parks or limit the number of people so the park is manageable. If the waits were under 20 min a person could do the park in one day and be done with it - true for rides and restaurants.

I have a trip with family thats never been and can't get a BOG or anything on New Years Eve Period. So I check often in the roulette Dinning Reservation - Disney sure makes Walt Disney sick with their direction I am glad he is not here to see it.

my 2c.


Disney has been on a pattern of maximizing profits yet providing less service. (Ask those pre 2000) when Resorts had their own themed drinking mugs and you would reuse them at that specific resort year after year. Or the bars of soap which had a Mickey carved in them. Or the envelope of wild flower seeds given out in 2000 at Wilderness Lodge.

Neither of these options work due to AP holders and locals. A lot of people go to the resort restaurants even with no park ticket or hotel reservation, and the majority of the TS restaurants are at resorts.

Honestly, if people would think outside the box a little, they'd realize how many excellent restaurants they're missing out on. I've never had a problem getting a reservation, even same day. No, it's not Be Our Guest, but quite frankly... I don't understand the obsession with that (or any of the other "must do's").

Disney has tried a variety of different ways to do bookings. People complained that the booking window was too long, so they shortened it. Then others threw a fit and they extended it again. They've added fees to keep people from holding reservations at multiple restaurants during the same time frame. They've added online reservations so you can book at exactly 00:00 if you're that obsessed with where you eat. Short of taking a blood sample from everyone and cross referencing, there's not a lot else they can do without unnecessarily excluding people.

The only way for dining to be "fair" is to take away the ADR's completely and make every restaurant walk-in only.

 

[alliecat523]

Agree with candiceF. How is this really any different from those booking multiple reservations at the same restaurants and then canceling at the last minute? It's just as bad. I'm sure Disney will close the loophole as well.

 

[Disneyliscious]

Disney has a lot of loopholes to close. Or do they?

We have the ADR bots and pre bookers as mentioned here in this thread.
We have people using old sets of MB's to gain extra FP+.
We have people booking throw-away rooms at camp sites to get the perks of booking ADRs and rides early.

At the end of the day, the monster that Disney has created is a Panic which drives people in DROVES to act out of fear that they won't be able to do something thats really important to their family. As long as people keep feeding into this craze, Disney will probably turn a blind eye to the monster thats creating its profits - at least until they are forced to make a change for PR reasons. How does this create profits for Disney?

Throw-away Rooms (camp sites) - thousands of people are paying for 1 night at a campsite so they can secure bookings as an onsite guest. They do not use the campsite so there is no clean up or use of amenities. NO wear and tear on the units/sites. Its 100% free money for Disney.

Using old Magic bands to get more FP+ - Allowing this is causing thousands of people to buy additional MB's so they can have spare ones to use and get extra FP+ as soon as they arrive in the parks that morning. All those MB's are increased sales to Disney which wouldn't be happening if they didn't "allow" this loophole.

ADR scalpers and bots - By allowing these services to run it creates a false panic or sense that "omg I'll never get my ADR's if I don't use one of these services!". While Disney does not directly get the money from these services, what they do get is increased food prices from you - the eater. If ADRs were plentiful, there would be less drive for people to "worry" about dining there. "Oh, we'll eat there on our next trip. No big deal." By allowing ADRs to appear scarce, and with social media being used to drive the thought process of "I have to get it now or I'll never get it!", Disney is profiting on the fears of the public demand. By letting you pay $8 to another service for an ADR, they will gain $10-$30 per person in your dining party because of the higher priced food at the TS restaurants versus you eating a sandwich at counter service.

*Insert The Apprentice theme song here - "Money money money money"

 

[JACKNAG]

How about two names on a reservation, if one can't make it and an ID at check in

 

[mom2rtk]

The only way for dining to be "fair" is to take away the ADR's completely and make every restaurant walk-in only.

Never going to happen. Disney has made it pretty clear they want people locked into their plans as early in the game as possible. Having reservations allows them to staff at the appropriate levels. And while I know certain restaurants will be full every hour they are open, there are plenty of others who have varying levels and need to staff appropriately.

 

[bjackowski]

It's insane how much time is being spent pre-vacation trying to get FP and ADRs.

 

[5DisneyNuts]

Agreed. As Mom2rtk says, everything in the Disney model with MDE is moving away from last minute decisions and towards pre-planning. Their whole mission is to get guests to have more free time (for shopping and eating) and better their experiences by getting away from spending time on the lines while maintaining efficient staffing levels.

I do think that Disney will move to a tiered dining reservation similar to FP+, possibly with ID required, or a non-refundable booking fee unless the entire vacation reservation (including dining) is cancelled. They tried the $10 pp 24 hour cancellation and that seems to have cut down on the no shows. On site, DVC, AP and Florida resident ticket holders get an advanced booking window. Disney has committed themselves to first timers too, so they may hold back some reservations for those booking later similar to the 30 day/same day FP+.

Agree too with Disneyliscious - attendance is up, supply and demand drives advanced planing - win/win for Disney until it becomes unbalanced and ticks people off to the point that business suffers.

Disney has been successful getting the word out through social media and their own marketing that guests must plan in advance. They invested tons in MDE and MBs which gives Logistics full insight into the movements of guests. Now the foundation is there, my guess is that you will see more ways Disney will leverage that technology.

MDE and MBs allow for Disney to crack down on loopholes mentioned if they chose to. For example, Disney likes advance check in and allowing guests to bypass the front desk altogether, but this leads to 'throw away room reservations'. MDE can cancel all reservations (room, dining, FP+) if the associated MBs have not actually been used at the room or campsite.

Will Disney do any of these things? Who knows? I'm sure they don't like others making a profit where they could be. Although free press is press and these services, threads, and articles certainly are creating a buzz.

Never going to happen. Disney has made it pretty clear they want people locked into their plans as early in the game as possible. Having reservations allows them to staff at the appropriate levels. And while I know certain restaurants will be full every hour they are open, there are plenty of others who have varying levels and need to staff appropriately.