New credit card guarantees. Restaurant list, policy & common questions in 1st post

[Mkrop]

I'm sorry you feel that way, but as was said on another thread, it is what it is. People can continue to be upset, but that won't enhance their vacation or make this new policy suddenly go away. I also agree with Disney and think a days notice IS a reasonable amount of time to know if you want to keep an ADR or not. People don't play the dining reservation shuffle outside of the parks, I'm not sure why they think it is acceptable to do at WDW.

I have to say too when we were at the parks last month we somehow had dining credits that we needed to use up. We decided to try and get a last minute ADR in Epcot, and I was pleasantly surprised by the number of restaurants we had to choose from. Another plus for the new system, in my eyes.

I know it is what it is and I have adapted my vacation for it. But I dont have to like it and I can make that abundantly clear to WDW in the hopes that there are enough of us complaining or they see the plan not working they could change or modify it. They are not going to keep something in place that doesnt work or guests dont like, so we can see if it works out.

I have said in this thread before that I think cancelling for true no shows could have the same effect as this 24 hour/one day crap (drives me nuts that this is NOT defined exactly). If myself or my child wakes up at 8am feeling sick, I should be able to cancel a 7pm ADR without having to cough up $40 bucks.

I dont think people should be playing games with their ADRs, we never did, but to not be able to cancel is silly. I could make a reservation today at a local place for 7pm on a Friday night, I could cancel it Friday at 11 am when they open up and not be charged a thing.

 

[mom2rtk]

I know everyone here has declared the new policy a complete success. And that might very well be true.

But keep in mind that Disney's definition of a "complete success" is very different from how it's been defined here. I doubt that the availability of last minute walk-ups is their definition of a "complete success", as that implies that perhaps those tables never get filled. Their definition of a complete success is likely a 100% occupancy rate (or something very close to that).

 

[Mkrop]

I know everyone here has declared the new policy a complete success. And that might very well be true.

But keep in mind that Disney's definition of a "complete success" is very different from how it's been defined here. I doubt that the availability of last minute walk-ups is their definition of a "complete success", as that implies that perhaps those tables never get filled. Their definition of a complete success is likely a 100% occupancy rate (or something very close to that).

And how do they do staffing and do it well and efficiently if they have a good majority of walkups

 

[mickeyluv'r]

People don't play the dining reservation shuffle outside of the parks, I'm not sure why they think it is acceptable to do at WDW.

Um, I do.

I almost never make dining reservations outside of WDW.

When I do make them, I nearly always make them hours before I plan to eat, not SIX MONTHS.

However, if I don't feel well enough to attend a fancy dinner, I feel at liberty to cancel. The few places I make dining reservations at home ALSO take walk ups and ALWAYS have walk ups waiting for tables. So I don't ever feel like I'm leaving a place high and dry.

I don't eat at the kind of places that are 'reservation only'. I make reservations at the kind of places that have an hour wait for walk-ups every weekend, and where half the time we are among the folks waiting for a table. (although, at least one of the places we go every week knows us well enough that I think they quietly give us a table ahead of our real place in line- over the 'non-regulars.' )

At WDW, we usually get the DDP. We have prepaid for our meals. That's quite a commitment on my part to spend LOTS of money on food at WDW. Disney knows we will be eating somewhere on property. I truly think we should have the flexibilty to eayt what we feellike eating, when we feel like eating.

To me, being an adult means I get to choose what I want to eat, when I want to eat it. Being at WDW does not mean I forfeit that freedom.

 

[mickeyluv'r]

And how do they do staffing and do it well and efficiently if they have a good majority of walkups

How does my local McDonalds do it?

Denny's?

Any local restaurant that doesn't take reservations?

Disney has a huge advantage over any local place. They know how many guests are onsite, how many hace DDP, and even exactly how many guests DO NOT HAVE THEIR OWN CAR!!!!!!


That's far more info than most restaurants have.

and c'mon. Most of the dining at WDW is buffets. Much of the food they prep is frozen, or prepackaged (kid's applesauce), or something like pasta, popcorn, or soda.

Have you ever driven by the Disney warehouses?

Disney's food supply is much more like how McDonald's does it than how indvidual mom-and pop restaurants survive. Disney has HUGE warehouses right on property! If any place runs low on just about any food item- it's right there. The only 'local' suppliers I think are fish supplies.

 

[doris1976]

Thanks for the heads up! Sounds reasonable to me.

 

[MaryKatesMom]

This has always been a must do for us but we haven't always been able to get reservations. R&C and Les Chef's are also must do's but I've never had a problem getting a table.

March 2011 we had two meals at Le Cellier. I had limited availablity on both a very late lunch one day and very early dinner on another day.

The dinner: We waited forever while watching tables sit empty. When I asked the hostess she said they are always fully booked but not a lot of people show up.

The lunch: was during a rain storm and we walked in early and they seated us immediatly. Tons of open tables and so I was joking with hostess that I should always make my reservations when it rains and she said they get a lot of no-shows when it rains.

Dec 3-11 2011 only a late lunch no dinners available 6 months out. Couldn't believe it and called every day. - nothing. The CM said the 180 + 10 usually fill them up because LC is very popular.

Jan 2012 We came down for a trip we planned maybe 3 months out and I had great availability for dinner for 7. When the manager of Le Cellier stopped by our table I asked how the new policy was working and I explained how much easier it was to get reservations. She said her no-show rate went from 30% down to 5%.

April 2012 planned a last minute Easter Trip got a reasonable dinner time again.

June 2012 made some reservations for that upcoming trip before we left last month.

I'm still having trouble getting a good time for CG but getting into LC has been so much easier since the CC policy started. Via Napoli is also getting difficult to get into and I wouldn't be surprised to see them start a CC policy there.

 

[mom2rtk]

This has always been a must do for us but we haven't always been able to get reservations. R&C and Les Chef's are also must do's but I've never had a problem getting a table.

March 2011 we had two meals at Le Cellier. I had limited availablity on both a very late lunch one day and very early dinner on another day.

The dinner: We waited forever while watching tables sit empty. When I asked the hostess she said they are always fully booked but not a lot of people show up.

The lunch: was during a rain storm and we walked in early and they seated us immediatly. Tons of open tables and so I was joking with hostess that I should always make my reservations when it rains and she said they get a lot of no-shows when it rains.

Dec 3-11 2011 only a late lunch no dinners available 6 months out. Couldn't believe it and called every day. - nothing. The CM said the 180 + 10 usually fill them up because LC is very popular.

Jan 2012 We came down for a trip we planned maybe 3 months out and I had great availability for dinner for 7. When the manager of Le Cellier stopped by our table I asked how the new policy was working and I explained how much easier it was to get reservations. She said her no-show rate went from 30% down to 5%.

April 2012 planned a last minute Easter Trip got a reasonable dinner time again.

June 2012 made some reservations for that upcoming trip before we left last month.

I'm still having trouble getting a good time for CG but getting into LC has been so much easier since the CC policy started. Via Napoli is also getting difficult to get into and I wouldn't be surprised to see them start a CC policy there.

Keep in mind LC also changed to a 2TS dinner during that timeframe.

 

[MaryKatesMom]

Um, I do.

I almost never make dining reservations outside of WDW.

When I do make them, I nearly always make them hours before I plan to eat, not SIX MONTHS.

However, if I don't feel well enough to attend a fancy dinner, I feel at liberty to cancel. The few places I make dining reservations at home ALSO take walk ups and ALWAYS have walk ups waiting for tables. So I don't ever feel like I'm leaving a place high and dry.

I don't eat at the kind of places that are 'reservation only'. I make reservations at the kind of places that have an hour wait for walk-ups every weekend, and where half the time we are among the folks waiting for a table. (although, at least one of the places we go every week knows us well enough that I think they quietly give us a table ahead of our real place in line- over the 'non-regulars.' )

At WDW, we usually get the DDP. We have prepaid for our meals. That's quite a commitment on my part to spend LOTS of money on food at WDW. Disney knows we will be eating somewhere on property. I truly think we should have the flexibilty to eayt what we feellike eating, when we feel like eating.

To me, being an adult means I get to choose what I want to eat, when I want to eat it. Being at WDW does not mean I forfeit that freedom.

When I spoke to the Manager at Le Cellier she mentioned that it is quite common for people to make multiple reservations in different parks for the same day. I believe that is what the PP meant by "restaurant shuffle".

I much prefer a reservation over waiting at Olive Garden for 45 minutes on a Sat night or at lunch. Much like I don't like waiting in line at a QS counter and hustling for a table.

I'm not sure how it would be possible logistically to have the "freedom" to walk into whatever restaurant you'd like to whenever you'd like to. If you prefer not to make reservations you will end up at Biergarten, Teppan Do or Nine Dragon's at Epcot. Walk up and last minute reservations at Le Cellier are rare.

Although you do pay a lot you don't pay more than anyone else, in fact, I can argue that I spend more than you do since we pay OOP and go very frequently then I should have preference of where and when. (Actually Disney does give preference to its resort guests with the 180+10 policy)

I do feel bad for those guests that have no idea they need to make dining reservations at all. August 2010 we were at the BC Concierge and one "gentleman" was screaming at the concierge because he paid $3k for his honeymoon and he has DDP and should get whatever he wanted that day. Wow. We paid more than that and had DDPDxl and would never have assumed we could walk in but we knew in advance.

I wouldn't be happy either if we paid money to eat and all the TS restaurants at Epcot were full causing us to go to GFC. That is about an hour of travel through Epcot and on the monorail. Of course, things like that are the reason I preach you have to be prepared to go to WDW.

There isn't anywhere at the beach we need to make advance reservations for.

 

[Mkrop]

How does my local McDonalds do it?

Denny's?

Any local restaurant that doesn't take reservations?

Disney has a huge advantage over any local place. They know how many guests are onsite, how many hace DDP, and even exactly how many guests DO NOT HAVE THEIR OWN CAR!!!!!!


That's far more info than most restaurants have.

and c'mon. Most of the dining at WDW is buffets. Much of the food they prep is frozen, or prepackaged (kid's applesauce), or something like pasta, popcorn, or soda.

Have you ever driven by the Disney warehouses?

Disney's food supply is much more like how McDonald's does it than how indvidual mom-and pop restaurants survive. Disney has HUGE warehouses right on property! If any place runs low on just about any food item- it's right there. The only 'local' suppliers I think are fish supplies.

At those type places I would have to WAIT, if the place got slammed with customers and they were understaffed, that would make for a unhappy customer...or I would go elsewhere which makes for an unhappy customer. Both of which I dont think a dining establishment would prefer.

I would think WDW would prefer to get me to my table fed, and get me out of there so that the next guest is not kept waiting, and then for us to get out there and spend money elsewhere. From the few restaurant owners that I know, they would prefer to keep their supply and staff cost effcient, since the margins in this business can be tight. It is all about turning the tables over, they cant do that if they get slammed and dont have enough staff on hand. Does it happen on occasion, sure but I am sure they would prefer not to be shortstaffed on any given day.

And even McDs knows it's busiest times of the day and they staff accordingly, could they get slammed with a tour bus stopping by the local McDs and be overwhelmed, sure but even McDs would prefer to serve their customers in a timely manner.

 

[MaryKatesMom]

Keep in mind LC also changed to a 2TS dinner during that timeframe.

True!

But that shouldn't have much to do with the drop in no-shows.

When the manager mentioned they had a 30% no show rate before the policy I went "Wow"! And she said "People make multiple reservations at different parks so they can go where they want"

I'm guessing the policy was aimed at those people.

 

[mcd2745]

Jan 2012 We came down for a trip we planned maybe 3 months out and I had great availability for dinner for 7. When the manager of Le Cellier stopped by our table I asked how the new policy was working and I explained how much easier it was to get reservations. She said her no-show rate went from 30% down to 5%.

That's the key point right there as I always believed it was the #1 reason for the policy...redcuing no-shows. And getting them down to a managable rate such as 5% from an absurd 30% solves all your staffing/supply issues. Most importantly, you're not holding half the restaurant empty for people who may or may not show up.

 

[mom2rtk]

That's the key point right there as I always believed it was the #1 reason for the policy...redcuing no-shows. And getting them down to a managable rate such as 5% from an absurd 30% solves all your staffing/supply issues. Most importantly, you're not holding half the restaurant empty for people who may or may not show up.

But having no-shows reduced from 30% to 5% (which had to be addressed) still does not mean they went from 70% occupancy to 95% occupancy. We don't know how that changed. It only means that 95% of their ADR's showed up as opposed to 70% of their ADR's.

The problem had to be addressed. But I still think an 8 hour policy would have done the same thing.

 

[mcd2745]

But having no-shows reduced from 30% to 5% (which had to be addressed) still does not mean they went from 70% occupancy to 95% occupancy. We don't know how that changed. It only means that 95% of their ADR's showed up as opposed to 70% of their ADR's.

The problem had to be addressed. But I still think an 8 hour policy would have done the same thing.

I'm willing to bet they are regularly operating at much closer to capacity as well. With the high no-show rates, they really couldn't fill tables with walk-ups in case the people with ADRs (even if they are presumed no-shows) started showing up. Then it would result in a nightmarish backup. With low no-show rates, if they aren't fully booked with ADRs (which they ALWAYS were before), they can easily accept walk-ups because there isn't the mystery of how many people with ADRs are actually going to show up.

 

[Mkrop]

I'm willing to bet they are regularly operating at much closer to capacity as well. With the high no-show rates, they really couldn't fill tables with walk-ups in case the people with ADRs (even if they are presumed no-shows) started showing up. Then it would result in a nightmarish backup. With low no-show rates, if they aren't fully booked with ADRs (which they ALWAYS were before), they can easily accept walk-ups because there isn't the mystery of how many people with ADRs are actually going to show up.

Once again I think most of us on this thread are not opposed to the CC hold for true no shows, it is the ridiuculous timeframe that has not even been well defined. And sometimes there are legitmate excuses as to why a group cant make a meal, I dont want a kid throwing up at a meal bc they risked the being charged the $. If I call and say I am not coming no matter what time it is before my ADR they can fill that table with a walkup. Charge the true no shows, not people who need to cancel and go to the trounle to do so.

 

[MaryKatesMom]

Once again I think most of us on this thread are not opposed to the CC hold for true no shows, it is the ridiuculous timeframe that has not even been well defined. And sometimes there are legitmate excuses as to why a group cant make a meal, I dont want a kid throwing up at a meal bc they risked the being charged the $. If I call and say I am not coming no matter what time it is before my ADR they can fill that table with a walkup. Charge the true no shows, not people who need to cancel and go to the trounle to do so.

Is it 24 hours in advance?

My thought is that they need to get the cancellations into the system by 7AM so that those who decide upon awakening what park they are going to have the oportunity to call the morning and see what is available for dinner.

That is how my friend travels. She checks her iPad for availablity while her family is getting ready and decides then. If a 7pm slot doesn't open until 11AM most people are already up and out the door.

 

[mom2rtk]

Is it 24 hours in advance?

My thought is that they need to get the cancellations into the system by 7AM so that those who decide upon awakening what park they are going to have the oportunity to call the morning and see what is available for dinner.

That is how my friend travels. She checks her iPad for availablity while her family is getting ready and decides then. If a 7pm slot doesn't open until 11AM most people are already up and out the door.

That's the problem. There has been no consistent answer. Right now the best guess is the night before the 24 hour mark. So if your ADR is for dinner Tuesday, you'd have to cancel by the time the phone lines close on Sunday night. That's the only reason I have issue with this.

 

[Mkrop]

Is it 24 hours in advance?

My thought is that they need to get the cancellations into the system by 7AM so that those who decide upon awakening what park they are going to have the oportunity to call the morning and see what is available for dinner.

That is how my friend travels. She checks her iPad for availablity while her family is getting ready and decides then. If a 7pm slot doesn't open until 11AM most people are already up and out the door.

There is no clear definition if it is 24 hours or one full business day, that is the problem.

That is great that your friend likes to travel that way, I like to travel where if my child is sick that morning and we decide it is best to lay low and not head out to AK, that I can cancel and not get slammed with a $40 fee. I like to travel so whenit is pouring trenchal downpours that I dont have to schlep it all the way to MK and instead can cancel our ADR and order room service or a pizza in our villa. WDW still gets my money bc I dont rent a car but now the way I like to vaction has been changed.


I think if you cancel, up to an hour or maybe two hours they should be able to find a walkup to take your place. WDW could make use of technology and text people if something becomes available.

 

[jmv223]

The FAQ section of the Disney website says this regarding cancellations,

"According to the credit card guarantee policy, I must cancel my reservation at least one day in advance. What does this mean?

At restaurants with the credit card guarantee policy, all cancellations should be made at least 1 day in advance of your reservation. For example: if your reservation is on Thursday, you must cancel your reservation no later than Wednesday end of day. Cancellation fees will be assessed for cancellations made on the day of your reservation."

It still is no help if you wake up with a sick child though. I agree, an hour or 2 hours would be plenty of time to be able to fill the slot with a walk up.

 

[DJFan88]

I almost never make dining reservations outside of WDW.

When I do make them, I nearly always make them hours before I plan to eat, not SIX MONTHS.

However, if I don't feel well enough to attend a fancy dinner, I feel at liberty to cancel. The few places I make dining reservations at home ALSO take walk ups and ALWAYS have walk ups waiting for tables. So I don't ever feel like I'm leaving a place high and dry.

I don't eat at the kind of places that are 'reservation only'. I make reservations at the kind of places that have an hour wait for walk-ups every weekend, and where half the time we are among the folks waiting for a table. (although, at least one of the places we go every week knows us well enough that I think they quietly give us a table ahead of our real place in line- over the 'non-regulars.' )

At WDW, we usually get the DDP. We have prepaid for our meals. That's quite a commitment on my part to spend LOTS of money on food at WDW. Disney knows we will be eating somewhere on property. I truly think we should have the flexibilty to eayt what we feellike eating, when we feel like eating.

To me, being an adult means I get to choose what I want to eat, when I want to eat it. Being at WDW does not mean I forfeit that freedom.

No kidding, right -- It's amazing to me more people don't see it this way. They've dranken the Kool Aid. We play the game when we want to, but I'm not getting all rah! rah! about it.