Why can't you make PS for WDW online?

[BRER STITCH]

Perhaps the best part of having to call to make your reservations is that you always get to speak to someone with the most bizarre name :lol:

Aint THAT the truth! :lol:

 

[DisneyJill]

Perhaps the best part of having to call to make your reservations is that you always get to speak to someone with the most bizarre name :lol:

Totally not (always) their real names.

"Thank you for calling Walt Disney World Dining, this is Buttercup*..."

Really? Buttercup. No. Your name is Jane.

*Note-not made up. I really did talk to "Buttercup" once. :lol:

 

[meatloafsfan]

When you book a hotel stay or package online you are required to put money down (credit card info).

with the majority of ADR's you do not need to leave a deposit - online there is no incentive for people not to make 100 Le Cellier reservations in a day because they are not sure if they want to eat at 5:10 - 5:20 - 5:30 - 5:40 - 7:10 - 9:15 etc - It would take very little time / cost to do this with an online service whereas over the phone it would take many phone calls (with different names / telephone numbers) and the cost of the calls to pull this off.

I think there would be too much room for abuse with an online service where you do not have to make a financial deposit.

 

[wannab@dis]

When you book a hotel stay or package online you are required to put money down (credit card info).

with the majority of ADR's you do not need to leave a deposit - online there is no incentive for people not to make 100 Le Cellier reservations in a day because they are not sure if they want to eat at 5:10 - 5:20 - 5:30 - 5:40 - 7:10 - 9:15 etc - It would take very little time / cost to do this with an online service whereas over the phone it would take many phone calls (with different names / telephone numbers) and the cost of the calls to pull this off.

I think there would be too much room for abuse with an online service where you do not have to make a financial deposit.

Not really... they require entry of your reservation number and tie all PS to that number. It would be fairly easy to set up rules based on number of PS per restaurant per day per reservation number.

In the end, I think the two biggest issues with online PS have been stated...
1) A "live" CM can answer questions, make suggestions, and possible 'upsell' the guest.
2) Keeping the information on the internet relevent and time-sensitive with the most current data.

 

[HaamJaambo]

Wow, talk about making a mountain out of a molehill. I've wondered about the lack of online reservations myself.

As to the complexity, both technical and procedural...well, that has been dealt with before. If you want to see how it's done, look at Open Table. It handles reservations for over four thousand restuarants in the U.S. and half a dozen other countries. Most of the "member" restaurants aren't chains, and have their own individual policies, dress codes, menus, and so forth, yet accessing them via Open Table is seamless. For hard-to-reserve places, it makes it very easy and quick to try different options of dates and times. It also has quick links to reviews and menus.

If I had to guess, the biggest hurdle is probably the cost and time involved in converting a creaky, purpose-built mainframe or son-of-mainframe application into something robust enough to accept direct customer input. There's also the component of people abusing the system, and people just goofing around with it.

 

[kellydisney]

Thanks for the tip!

I also agree with the above poster. But the last time I was on the line they were playing "When She Loved Me" from Toy Story II. It reminds me of my childhood pets and I started to cry, the CM answered to me snuffling "Hi *hiccup* I want to book a vacation *sniff sniff*" haha Probably the most depressed sounding person to book a vacation to the Happiest Place on Earth Ever! lol lol

 

[mhead]

Not really... they require entry of your reservation number and tie all PS to that number. It would be fairly easy to set up rules based on number of PS per restaurant per day per reservation number.

In the end, I think the two biggest issues with online PS have been stated...
1) A "live" CM can answer questions, make suggestions, and possible 'upsell' the guest.
2) Keeping the information on the internet relevent and time-sensitive with the most current data.

Maybe it has just worked out this way but I have NEVER had to give my reservation number when making ADR's and I just made a couple of weeks ago.

 

[wannab@dis]

Maybe it has just worked out this way but I have NEVER had to give my reservation number when making ADR's and I just made a couple of weeks ago.

My post was based on them designing a web-based PS system.

But, even by phone, they could tie the information to a reservation. In fact, I bet you answered a couple of simple questions... phone number, zip code, name, resort, etc. That information can quickly tie your call to a current reservation without you giving your number verbally.

I don't know the inner workings of their system, but anything is possible.

 

[JPVonDrake]

To clearify...

Not really... they require entry of your reservation number and tie all PS to that number.

Dine Reservations are not tied to a Guest's room reservations. These are two very different systems that are not in any way connected.

As to the complexity, both technical and procedural...well, that has been dealt with before. If you want to see how it's done, look at Open Table.

One way Disney's system is different is we don't make true reservations, that is we do not hold tables. Although we have recently changed to the term "dine reservation" we still follow the same rules as the old "priority seating" where when you check in at the podium you will be seated at the next available table or tables.

Also, as Mousemerf stated, the current version of the Dine Reservation System Software is not what one would call user friendly.

:sohappy: