Disney, DONT bring back 180-day-in-advance restaurant reservations.

[Robbydj13]

People wanting an equal footing should be demanding no reservations at all. Every restaurant just says turn up on the day and if we're full when you turn up then you wait or go elsewhere. Even if Disney allowed reservations only 24 hours in advance it wouldn't put people on an equal footing as prior knowledge of this wouldn't be known by everyone. The 'fairest way' would be no reservation system whatsoever as only then would everyone be on an equal footing. 'More equal footing' would still favour some, to varying degrees.

Personally I prefer the advance reservations as they offer peace of mind knowing you can visit that restaurant with a table for you. I prefer 180 days to 60 days as even pre covid the 180 days made it easier getting specific times. Whilst it can be argued unfair, you could also argue it rewards those who are regular guests or those who work that little bit harder to plan ahead. I'd hazard a guess that most who book 180 days ahead aren't first timers, but rather repeat visitors who've learned from experience how the system works.

If true it's kind of allowing previous visitors or those who plan an advantage, so I get that some see that as unfair. However any system other than no reservations can have that leveled at them, it's just to what degree it's unfair from that point. True equality would therefore be scrap all reservations and have a free for all, I just think that many would hate that idea if it were brought in. Anything else favours people with previous knowledge or nous, whichever way they go there'll be accusations of unfairness?

Such a great statement

 

[mergatroid]

Yes, things should be more fair. Is that bad? Because that sounds great to me.

It's not like people who have done WDW many times would suddenly *not* have advantages if these windows, etc. were to suddenly go away forever or change.

If you walk in blind as is, you are at a huge disadvantage. At such a huge disadvantage that I couldn't 100% blame them if they never wanted to come back again. No othe major theme park I've been to, Disney or otherwise, puts you at such a disadvantage as WDW does. If you feel sufficiently disadvantaged, why would you pay such high prices to do it again but "correctly" this time?

It's a big theme park complex. Bigger and more complex than others, yes, but still a big theme park complex.

I reject the notion that because it's been this way for awhile that it's fine. Why is there so much planning? Not really because it's a better experience or to give the savvier consumers a leg up. Because Disney has a financial incentive to do so. And why wouldn't they? So many people just lap it up and never seem to question it. No other park, Disney or otherwise, requires so much planning. And at a certain point, I have to wonder if it's really benefitting me anymore. Is it really fine for WDW just because it's bigger? It's not as if the rest of the world's theme parks are inherently inferior places that have nothing going for them whatsoever.

Do they though?

Most people I know put literally zero thought into going to theme parks. The idea that they need to plan for a park at all is a foreign concept. For most people it's basically this: Parks have rides. Rides are fun. I want to go on rides. Sounds like a fun day! This is not to demean those people-plenty of them are quite intelligent when it comes to other things in life. But I've yet to meet someone who has ever deduced for themselves that they should think about planning a park visit, anywhere. I've always had to tell them. People *know* I know a lot about the parks, but I am seldom asked for advice. Why? It simply never occurs to them that they would need to ask advice to do something as seemingly simple as going to a theme park.

This is where most people are. They assume, rightly or wrongly, they should have a reasonable expectation of entering a park and being able to do everything they want to do. Especially since that's still basically possible at, say, Disneyland and Universal Orlando unless they're coming during a crazy holiday period.

And this site isn't really that representative of the general populace's take on this issue. Maybe I'm not looking in the right forums, but I see very few people in here trying to make sense of their first trip ever. Most people on forums like these are veterans who have done this time and time again, know the system, know the tricks. That's NOT generally going to be the view of someone trying to make sense of this as a first timer.

Should people use the resources they have to make more informed decisions and plan for their trips? Absolutely. Is all of this as necessary as many people here think or as coherent to a first timer as people assume? I'd say no.

Experience has proven to me that to be wrong. If you want a Crystal Palace character breakfast between 8am and 9am, I know for a fact they're easier to obtain 180 days out. We've done that numerous times and had friends decide to get the same day and time a couple of months later than us and not been successful. So if you require specific times, it can make a huge difference.

 

[mergatroid]

Such a great statement

Thanks, though I wouldn't go as far as saying anything I post 'great'. However I certainly do appreciate the sentiment

 

[MickeyLuv'r]

People wanting an equal footing should be demanding no reservations at all. Every restaurant just says turn up on the day and if we're full when you turn up then you wait or go elsewhere. Even if Disney allowed reservations only 24 hours in advance it wouldn't put people on an equal footing as prior knowledge of this wouldn't be known by everyone. The 'fairest way' would be no reservation system whatsoever as only then would everyone be on an equal footing. 'More equal footing' would still favour some, to varying degrees.

Personally I prefer the advance reservations as they offer peace of mind knowing you can visit that restaurant with a table for you. I prefer 180 days to 60 days as even pre covid the 180 days made it easier getting specific times. Whilst it can be argued unfair, you could also argue it rewards those who are regular guests or those who work that little bit harder to plan ahead. I'd hazard a guess that most who book 180 days ahead aren't first timers, but rather repeat visitors who've learned from experience how the system works.

If true it's kind of allowing previous visitors or those who plan an advantage, so I get that some see that as unfair. However any system other than no reservations can have that leveled at them, it's just to what degree it's unfair from that point. True equality would therefore be scrap all reservations and have a free for all, I just think that many would hate that idea if it were brought in. Anything else favours people with previous knowledge or nous, whichever way they go there'll be accusations of unfairness?

My post- above, the one you quoted- was me quoting Worldlover71. If you wish to know why Wolrdlover71 feels 60 days is better, it would be more effective to quote their post, which was post #65. They already explained why they prefer 60 days, but it would be up to that poster to further explain why they feel that way.

Outside of WDW, I have not booked any dining reservations in years, except a handful of times at Universal, and those were all less than a week in advance. generally just a few hours before I wanted to eat. I'm of the mind, that if I can't eat at Mythos, I'll just eat someplace else. Here at home, we have many dining options to choose from, and reservations just aren't needed at any of them.

At WDW, I'm mostly of the same mind. I don't think any dining at WDW is all that stellar, all of it is over-priced. I have booked many meals at 180 days, I have also had whole trips where I only ate QS, or we mostly ate offsite.

For me personally, if I want good Italian, I don't bother getting worked up trying getting an ADR at Tony's to pay $30 for a plate of mediocre spaghetti. Instead, I just go to my local joint and get fresh-made pasta for $10.

 

[Robbydj13]

My post- above, the one you quoted- was me quoting Worldlover71. If you wish to know why Wolrdlover71 feels 60 days is better, it would be more effective to quote their post, which was post #65. They already explained why they prefer 60 days, but it would be up to that poster to further explain why they feel that way.

Outside of WDW, I have not booked any dining reservations in years, except a handful of times at Universal, and those were all less than a week in advance. generally just a few hours before I wanted to eat. I'm of the mind, that if I can't eat at Mythos, I'll just eat someplace else. Here at home, we have many dining options to choose from, and reservations just aren't needed at any of them.

At WDW, I'm mostly of the same mind. I don't think any dining at WDW is all that stellar, all of it is over-priced. I have booked many meals at 180 days, I have also had whole trips where I only ate QS, or we mostly ate offsite.

For me personally, if I want good Italian, I don't bother getting worked up trying getting an ADR at Tony's to pay $30 for a plate of mediocre spaghetti. Instead, I just go to my local joint and get fresh-made pasta for $10.

We all know it’s overpriced but it’s all part of the experience when going. There’s always a few things you wanna do and places you wanna eat, no matter the price

 

[mergatroid]

My post- above, the one you quoted- was me quoting Worldlover71. If you wish to know why Wolrdlover71 feels 60 days is better, it would be more effective to quote their post, which was post #65. They already explained why they prefer 60 days, but it would be up to that poster to further explain why they feel that way.

Outside of WDW, I have not booked any dining reservations in years, except a handful of times at Universal, and those were all less than a week in advance. generally just a few hours before I wanted to eat. I'm of the mind, that if I can't eat at Mythos, I'll just eat someplace else. Here at home, we have many dining options to choose from, and reservations just aren't needed at any of them.

At WDW, I'm mostly of the same mind. I don't think any dining at WDW is all that stellar, all of it is over-priced. I have booked many meals at 180 days, I have also had whole trips where I only ate QS, or we mostly ate offsite.

For me personally, if I want good Italian, I don't bother getting worked up trying getting an ADR at Tony's to pay $30 for a plate of mediocre spaghetti. Instead, I just go to my local joint and get fresh-made pasta for $10.

Sorry wasn't criticising you, just quoted you to continue with the subject of some people wanting equal footing and my views on that.

 

[MmeLeota]

I know it's hard to believe, but n the days before early reservations you could eat where you wanted and do the attractions you wanted much more efficiently by just showing up...IF you couldn't go in withing a few minutes they would give you a time to come back..if you were 10 minutes late they took the next party in...
I know a lot of people would hate that now after all this conditioning..but we all loved it.

 

[chriskbrown]

When we went to DL in January of 2020, getting tables was just so much easier. It was refreshing. and it was 60 days out.

 

[Chi84]

I know it's hard to believe, but n the days before early reservations you could eat where you wanted and do the attractions you wanted much more efficiently by just showing up...IF you couldn't go in withing a few minutes they would give you a time to come back..if you were 10 minutes late they took the next party in...
I know a lot of people would hate that now after all this conditioning..but we all loved it.

Sounds like a lot of waiting and coming back.

 

[Worldlover71]

My post- above, the one you quoted- was me quoting Worldlover71. If you wish to know why Wolrdlover71 feels 60 days is better, it would be more effective to quote their post, which was post #65. They already explained why they prefer 60 days, but it would be up to that poster to further explain why they feel that way.

My, but this has become a spirited debate.! To clarify my position, I have been to WDW many, many times and I love to carefully plan my trips. I'm just not able to book anything until later than some folks. (I can't be the only one out there whose work/life prevents them from booking so far in advance, right?)

While it is true that the only way to make things completely fair would be do do away with all ADRs, I am definitely not saying we should. It's just a matter of when they should open. I am sure there are some who would say that even 60 days is too much, while others would like to book their ADRs when they book their hotel 18 months in advance. It's just my opinion that two or three months would be the right spot. This is similar to the FP+ window which seems to work for most people. It would also put it around the time that park hours are announced, which would aid in planning.

 

[MickeyLuv'r]

We all know it’s overpriced but it’s all part of the experience when going. There’s always a few things you wanna do and places you wanna eat, no matter the price

Not me, no. You perhaps, but not me.

 

[Parker in NYC]

It was fun when the diehards like us knew the tricks. On the lines of what others have said, AJ, Molly and the like have made us all insiders. Again, if it hadn't been them, it would have been others. Nature of the social media beast.

 

[MickeyLuv'r]

Sounds like a lot of waiting and coming back.

Not in my experience. In those days, we rarely waited more than a few minutes to be seated. When the DDP was introduced, it was a gimmick to get more people to eat more expensive + onsite meals.

More people making ADR's = lots of additional waiting! An ADR is NOT a reservation. ADR's are nearly meaningless: your party will eventually be seated.

Prior to the DDP, not only was it quick and easy to get a walk-up table, but WDW actually offered dining reservations. A 6pm reservation, usually =a table is available for your party at 6pm, or very close to 6pm. WDW used to pride itself on offering superior customer service, so they were VERY good about honoring reservation times.

WDW dining is now more like a factory. Customers wait to be seated, WDW doesn't wait for customers to arrive.

When the ADR policy wasn't working to WDW full benefit, they added the no-show fee. The no-show fee policy is insulting to all of us. What WDW actually needs is the opposite: an on-time seating guarantee. WDW will seat you within 10minutes of your ADR time or your meal is free.

In terms of dining, the biggest recent WDW plus is the new mobile app dining, especially being able to order carry-out at WDW's TS places. It is a great option for many families and for WDW.

More flexibility + more options = better policy.

 

[Robbydj13]

Not me, no. You perhaps, but not me.

You sound like a blast to vacation with

 

[MickeyLuv'r]

You sound like a blast to vacation with

Huh? Why the put-down?

If you have a different opinion than mine, then let's have a discussion.

Explain your position.

 

[Robbydj13]

Huh? Why the put-down?

If you have a different opinion than mine, then let's have a discussion.

Explain your position.

I believe we have been doing that, and you and I clearly don't agree on vacation philosophy. Im of the camp, its vacation, have fun, do things you wouldn't normally do, splurge, make it count. You, based on your response to me, seem to be in a different camp.

 

[MickeyLuv'r]

I believe we have been doing that, and you and I clearly don't agree on vacation philosophy. Im of the camp, its vacation, have fun, do things you wouldn't normally do, splurge, make it count. You, based on your response to me, seem to be in a different camp.

Why wouldn't I want a vacation to = fun?

Why the comedic hyperbole?

 

[StarshipDisney]

Please share with me all the people you've met who have known to expect the level of planning you need to have a successful trip to WDW now without you telling them. I'm not sure there are that many.

Just raising my hand. I am a planner.

 

[PiratesMansion]

Just raising my hand. I am a planner.

Fair enough. I know there are people who are, by nature, heavy planners who LOVE all the steps, the planning, the whole process.

In my experience, that's NOT the average person, particularly where a theme park is concerned.

Obviously, one should put some level of research and effort into figuring out the best way to attack wherever they're going to go. I still think expecting people to *just know and figure out* all the different, intricate levels of WDW planning has long been absurd.

I've had trips to foreign countries that have been less complicated to plan than an average visit to WDW. That's all I'm saying.

 

[Robbydj13]

Fair enough. I know there are people who are, by nature, heavy planners who LOVE all the steps, the planning, the whole process.

In my experience, that's NOT the average person, particularly where a theme park is concerned.

Obviously, one should put some level of research and effort into figuring out the best way to attack wherever they're going to go. I still think expecting people to *just know and figure out* all the different, intricate levels of WDW planning has long been absurd.

I've had trips to foreign countries that have been less complicated to plan than an average visit to WDW. That's all I'm saying.

I think you underestimate the average person who travels to Disney. If you are investing thousands in a trip to Disney, then those people have done a little due diligence. They’ve watched a YouTube video or more. They’ve googled. I don’t think you give the average person enough credit.