New Be Our Guest lunch line procedure (Test?)

[Tuvalu]

I'm an Orlando local Passholder and it caught me by surprise as well since the last time I'd looked at that URL it still asked for resort reservation. When I went there this morning, I could only choose 7 days into the future which was fine. There were only a couple of times available but I chose one, and put together my full lunch order. I can now go back into the site and see the reservation and make changes to my food order (albeit really slow).

I never got a confirmation email of any kind and it doesn't show up in the MDX app so I had to put the details into my calendar to have them on my phone for Sunday. I still don't like the idea of having to make an ADR for lunch vs. the old model of waiting in line but at least I now know that a non resort guest can at least make an ADR for lunch.

Be prepared to order your food again. If your order IS in the system, please let is know!!

 

[LAKid53]

I'm an Orlando local Passholder and it caught be my surprise as well since the last time I'd looked at that URL it still asked for resort reservation. When I went there this morning, I could only choose 7 days into the future which was fine. There were only a couple of times available but I chose one, and put together my full lunch order. I can now go back into the site and see the reservation and make changes to my food order (albeit really slow).

I never got a confirmation email of any kind and it doesn't show up in the MDX app so I had to put the details into my calendar to have them on my phone for Sunday. I still don't like the idea of having to make an ADR for lunch vs. the old model of waiting in line but at least I now know that a non resort guest can at least make an ADR for lunch.

It's not really an ADR since you don't get a specific reservation time, just a 30 minute check in window. And it is a separate FP system from the FP system in MDE (I've never gotten an e-mail or alert about my upcoming FP selections - wouldn't that be a nice option to include?). My experience is that once you set up your account for the BOG FP system, you can continue to log in and make a selection without the e-mail invite or a resort reservation, but only 7 days out. But you need the resort reservation # to set up the account.

Since you've been successful, I would suggest taking a screen shot of your confirmation page - select the View details about your FP+ option and take a screen shot of the resulting page. This way if there is a problem when you check in at the kiosk on the bridge - because NOTHING ever goes wrong with advanced selections - you got some proof to show the CMs that yes, you do have a FP+ for lunch at that time.

 

[LAKid53]

well I mean I know it sounded out there, but it sure feels like at times thats where they are going with it. Like others have said for what you pay to get in you should be able to try and get on or in anything you want. Why havent they just made this location full service, reservation for both lunch and dinner like the others??

That Aladdin, is an excellent question. Meg?

 

[LAKid53]

Be prepared to order your food again. If your order IS in the system, please let is know!!

I've taken a screen shot of our pre-order. So if I am told it's not in the system, I'm just going to show the screenshot on my phone to the CM and say, "But here it is. What happened to it?" With a smile. 'Cause the screenshot has a time/date stamp on it....

 

[LAKid53]

Based upon the 33, probably soon to be 34, pages of comments on this topic, Disney needs to revisit the new procedure. I wonder if it is possible to e-mail this entire thread to Bob....but first clean up some of the comments.

 

[dadddio]

Don't know about Iger's background, but Crofton has an MBA..... I've seen it happening too much in very specialized industries. The people running the companies have business degrees and very little knowledge of the industry the company is in. Think what Frank Lorenzo did to Eastern Airlines (which used to be the airlines of WDW). He knew nothing about running an airlines, but he sure knew how to tear it apart and increase stockholder profits. And where is Eastern today?

Sorry, my lecture for the day.

Ummm, you might want to go back to the books.

Frank Lorenzo worked in the industry for over 20 years prior to his becoming involved with Eastern. Further, Eastern was a train wreck for decades prior to Lorenzo taking control.

 

[dadddio]

I knew someone who, in spite of my warnings to plan - at least see what times the parks were open during your visit and when EMH were, decided to wing it. Hated her trip. And will never return, because Murphy's Law kicked in the minute she set foot on property.

That is nothing new. I doubt that any one of us don't have a story of that acquaintence who thought that they would just go to WDW during the busiest time of the year and be able to do everything (in a single day) without any preparation at all.

 

[LAKid53]

Ummm, you might want to go back to the books.

Frank Lorenzo worked in the industry for over 20 years prior to his becoming involved with Eastern. Further, Eastern was a train wreck for decades prior to Lorenzo taking control.

Missed my point. Lorenzo had an undergraduate degree in economics and an MBA from Harvard, so another bean counter. While he spent years in the industry, he was known for union busting (Continental and Eastern). His actions at Eastern lead to its demise. My dad worked 40+ years in the industry, including as an exec at a major carrier. And he watched the bean counters come in and destroy the airline he loved so much. So I know a tad about running a major carrier....

 

[donsullivan]

It's not really an ADR since you don't get a specific reservation time, just a 30 minute check in window. And it is a separate FP system from the FP system in MDE (I've never gotten an e-mail or alert about my upcoming FP selections - wouldn't that be a nice option to include?). My experience is that once you set up your account for the BOG FP system, you can continue to log in and make a selection without the e-mail invite or a resort reservation, but only 7 days out. But you need the resort reservation # to set up the account.

Since you've been successful, I would suggest taking a screen shot of your confirmation page - select the View details about your FP+ option and take a screen shot of the resulting page. This way if there is a problem when you check in at the kiosk on the bridge - because NOTHING ever goes wrong with advanced selections - you got some proof to show the CMs that yes, you do have a FP+ for lunch at that time.

I understand it's not actually an ADR but I have trouble separating the terms. I get FP+ for rides and ADR's for meals, but that's my issue. We knew this was upcoming for some time, I was just concerned that in it's early stages it was only available to resort guests to the detriment of locals or other day guests. That seems to be changing (at least right now).

Still not a fan of having to reserve my lunch a week in advance vs just waiting in line for 20-30 minutes but at least right now I have the opportunity vs being shut out completely.

 

[LAKid53]

I understand it's not actually an ADR but I have trouble separating the terms. I get FP+ for rides and ADR's for meals, but that's my issue. We knew this was upcoming for some time, I was just concerned that in it's early stages it was only available to resort guests to the detriment of locals or other day guests. That seems to be changing (at least right now).

Still not a fan of having to reserve my lunch a week in advance vs just waiting in line for 20-30 minutes but at least right now I have the opportunity vs being shut out completely.

I'm in agreement. I never understood why BOG at lunch was considered a QS restaurant, since it doesn't operate like the other QS ones do. Granted, a waiter doesn't come to your table and take your order, but your order is delivered by wait staff who also bus your table and I feel should receive a tip. They also come by (the good ones) and ask if everything is okay. I've never seen that done at Flame Tree. I think Disney is trying to have it both ways - a QS lunch with a TS atmosphere. So why not just make both dinner AND lunch TS, with different menus? Oh wait, then what do you do with the ordering kiosks? Once again, not a well thought out plan.

 

[wogwog]

It was that atmosphere that had me hooked in going to WDW as many times as we could. We are planning a trip in October and now I am uptight, confused and not sure at all how it is going to go. The excitement that I normally feel is not there. Luckily this time we are doing DCL also for the first time and I hope we found the replacement of going to the parks. I really feel for those who plan a vacation thinking they are just going to go with no or little planning. I say bring back those "back in the day" days that were not that long ago.

Now you are in trouble. You are crossing over to the DCL side. Welcome. You will not want to leave the ship. I crossed over years ago. Take several cruises annually and last bought a WDW park ticket in about 2002. I should mention here I have lived minutes from WDW for about eight years.

 

[xstech25]

$105 for a day. A single solitary day. Who plans 6 months out for a single day??? Oh yeah. I'm the expendable guest now. That's right.

The reason the one day ticket is so expensive is because Disney doesn't want people to go for one day. Notice how the prices are dramatically cut per day when you stay 3-4 days and the prices are actually listed per-day on the website as opposed to full price.

Missed my point. Lorenzo had an undergraduate degree in economics and an MBA from Harvard, so another bean counter.

Just because somebody went to Harvard automatically makes him an elitist that's not qualified to run a company to your liking? I went to Northwestern for my MBA but started at Santa Ana Community College while working as a bus boy/server at a family owned Greek restaurant. Just because someone goes to a top school doesn't mean they haven't had real front-line experience.

 

[LAKid53]

The reason the one day ticket is so expensive is because Disney doesn't want people to go for one day. Notice how the prices are dramatically cut per day when you stay 3-4 days and the prices are actually listed per-day on the website as opposed to full price.


Just because somebody went to Harvard automatically makes him an elitist that's not qualified to run a company to your liking? I went to Northwestern for my MBA but started at Santa Ana Community College while working as a bus boy/server at a family owned Greek restaurant. Just because someone goes to a top school doesn't mean they haven't had real front-line experience.

Not my point either. My point is not the institution of higher education, but that someone with an MBA was running a business in an extremely specialized industry. My dad had a master's degree in aeronautical engineering from a top school and spent 40+ years in the aviation business - he lived and breathed aviation. And he knew more about the business - not just the aircraft - someone with an MBA could ever hope to. And he left a major U.S. carrier to go back to designing aircraft because he couldn't stand what the bean counters were doing to his airline. He hated the likes of Frank Lorenzo.

And I have a degree in Finance, so those bean counters could include me....

 

[dadddio]

Missed my point. Lorenzo had an undergraduate degree in economics and an MBA from Harvard, so another bean counter. While he spent years in the industry, he was known for union busting (Continental and Eastern). His actions at Eastern lead to its demise. My dad worked 40+ years in the industry, including as an exec at a major carrier. And he watched the bean counters come in and destroy the airline he loved so much. So I know a tad about running a major carrier....

I forgot. MBA = bad management decisions. MBA's from elite schools = really, really bad management decisions. All good management decisions are made by people without advanced education.

One wonders why companies keep hiring those of us with MBAs when that is the indicator of poor management?

 

[BrianV]

We had no problem with our FP for BOG on Monday this week. They recongnized us, welcomed us in. Wasn't paying attention to walk-ins but there was a sign that said no more walks-ins at 12:30 when we arrived.

The ordering process was slow. We waited in line for maybe 10 minutes. Wish we had preselected our meal because they bypassed the line.

The rooms were quite crowded. Wanted to sit in the west wing, but there were no tables. We found one in the main dining room, but there were not many empty. The third dining room was also fullish.

Lunch was great. Much better than any other quick service in MK or elsewhere at disney. I would definitely go again.

 

[BrianV]

All good management decisions are made by people without advanced education.

Tad bit of an over generalization? (No MBA here, by the way!)

 

[dadddio]

Tad bit of an over generalization? (No MBA here, by the way!)

Yeah, but it's an overgeneralization that is made by a few forum members who apparently aren't being sarcastic.

 

[BrianV]

Yeah, but it's an overgeneralization that is made by a few forum members who apparently aren't being sarcastic.

Whoops. Sorry, missed the sarcasm in your note.

 

[dadddio]

Whoops. Sorry, missed the sarcasm in your note.

I was trying to flag it with the 'those of us' comment. I should have thrown in some sarcastic smilies.

 

[flynnibus]

One wonders why companies keep hiring those of us with MBAs when that is the indicator of poor management?

For the same reason hiring one bad manager is toxic. The bad manager hires bad people.. and the disease spreads.