Do you ever book your friends' dining?

[HouCuseChickie]

A friend of mine is coming up on her 180 day mark and has asked me to book her dining. I've never booked dining for anyone else before, but considering I'm usually up ultra early and really enjoy booking dining, I'm considering saying yes. It's been a rough year for her + I've already helped quite a bit with her planning, so doing this for her seems like no biggie. I already told her that if I say yes, anything requiring a credit card will be on her as I don't want to deal with that...everything else will be done under her name, email, phone number, etc. I also warned her that even at 180 days, there's still a chance of missing out on some of her top choices and/or time slots, so she's working on some back up plans.

Anyone do this for friends? Anyone see any problems with it?

 

[Pooh Lover]

As long as you enjoy it and don't mind the responsibility and she understands your best efforts may not yield her every expectation, I don't see any problem. I have always done it for our entire family when vacationing together because I'm more familiar with it....and I don't trust them...tee hee.

 

[CAPTAIN HOOK]

Anyone see any problems with it?

If you still want your friend as a friend after you've booked - then tread carefully.

I would require (in writing) all the restaurants that she requires and on which day she wants them. The time of dining and how much either side of that preferred dining time she is prepared to eat, eg 30mins or up to 1 hour.
A list of stand-by restaurants as a back up for each day (in case the first choice is full at the preferred time).

I think you've already covered the rest

 

[rsoxguy]

I have never booked for someone else, but I have had people sheepishly tell me that I was right when they found out that procrastination in making reservations produced the need to eat many counter-service meals.

 

[Master Yoda]

As you might have guessed I do it all the time but they are either clients or friends that I know will be good with what ever decision I make. If your friend is easy going then you can go ahead and help her out. However if they are the type that will complain that you made her Ohana dinner reservation at 5:45 vs. 5:00 then back out gracefully.

 

[sweetpee_1993]

Yep, I've booked dining for our dearest friends in the world...even used my credit card to guarantee 2 or 3 on their last trip the week after Easter this year. I had no problem doing it. I've helped them with trip planning & ADRs before.

 

[disneygirl76]

A friend of mine is coming up on her 180 day mark and has asked me to book her dining. I've never booked dining for anyone else before, but considering I'm usually up ultra early and really enjoy booking dining, I'm considering saying yes. It's been a rough year for her + I've already helped quite a bit with her planning, so doing this for her seems like no biggie. I already told her that if I say yes, anything requiring a credit card will be on her as I don't want to deal with that...everything else will be done under her name, email, phone number, etc. I also warned her that even at 180 days, there's still a chance of missing out on some of her top choices and/or time slots, so she's working on some back up plans.

Anyone do this for friends? Anyone see any problems with it?

Yes - I have done this two ways - booked it as my friend and then just made the recommendations and schedule and they booked it online. I never had any issue with it. They were both just overwhelmed with all the planning and since I had done it before - I just helped by taking something off their plate for them.

 

[lebeau]

I do it all the time. Never had any problems.

 

[HouCuseChickie]

Thanks for all of the replies and good to know that other people do this. My friend is pretty easy going and she sounds flexible with things. Case in point- I think she wants 'Ohana timed with Wishes for her eldest daughter's sweet 16, but she's willing to take an earlier time and go to the beach at the Poly later (I think she's going to be happy as long as she gets to try a Lapu Lapu in all of this :lol OR Narcoosee's around the ideal time she had in mind for 'Ohana. She's also been through me stressing over ADRs and booking, so she knows some of the things I've encountered.

Who knew I'd be excited about the fun of somebody else's 180 day mark! :sohappy:

 

[DizneyPryncess]

I booked Chef Mickey's for my brother, his wife & their son. I did it without their knowledge, but knowing my 5 yr old nephew would want to dine w/Mickey when they got there & they wouldn't be able to at that point. They are not "planners" and never make reservations to anything. A few weeks before their trip, I told them about the breakfast, and asked if I should cancel or if they wanted to go & they were really excited. They did go & had a great time!

I have helped others choose places before, but I get nervous that they'll hate it. I don't think I've ever actually made the ADR besides that one time though. It's fun to help people plan their trips.

 

[Fantasmic]

I booked the Garden View for my Parents online from the UK the other day

 

[irmonkey]

I just strongly suggested that my friend book his dining ASAP when the 180 day mark came around. I'd never book ADR's for someone else. Too much blame when something screws up that isn't your fault.

 

[ThinkTink721]

I have booked ADRs for family & friends. :wave:

 

[HouCuseChickie]

I guess at least she's seen me go through this and understands that you really need to book at 180 to have the best shot of getting what you want. If this were a year or so ago, she would have thought I was insane and just waited until she was there. But...she's seen me miss out on top dining times and spots altogether at my own 180 marks and heard how much I had to stalk the web to correct some of it...so, she knows nothing is a given even at 180 out.

Her dining plans involve dinner at Chef Mickey's, lunch at CRT, *maybe* the Fantasmic dining pkg, breakfast at Cape May, and dinner at 'Ohana. CRT and the Fantasmic pkg (as well as BBB) are on her. Out of the 3 I'll be booking- 'Ohana is my biggest concern, but I've also expressed this to her and she likes my suggested back up plans. So, it sounds like this shouldn't be too difficult.

 

[EvilQueen-T]

i always do the adr's and leg work for planning no matter who i go with (otherwise i drive everybody crazy checking up on them) but i get everybodys picks and we confirm a list with first choice second choice and sometimes even third choice for each meal we're booking. that way when i do the actually booking no one is caught off guard or upset. of course i get the final vote given i'm the one accepting or declining what times are available and weather to go to the next choice on our list etc... but everyone seems to just go with the flow and enjoy wherever we go...lets face it a week at wdw it's all good. no one goes home upset complaining that the vacation was totally ruined because they ate at narcoossee's instead of citricos kind of thing.